Integration of Cash Registers and WiFi Support for Customers

• US 20090037269A1
• Filed: 08/03/2007
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hilstrom, Forrest Blake, Pu, Joseph S., Bassemir, Richard T., Walker, Artis L., Castillo, Ismael N.
• Application Number:
  US11/833,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20090037269A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.390
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives

Abstract

A WiFi sales reward system provides WiFi Internet access to customers in a store on a complementary basis along with purchases from the store. The store gives an Internet access code to the customer along with a qualifying purchase. The customer can then access the Internet through the store'"'"'s WiFi hotspot by entering the access code when prompted for it. The access code grants a predetermined amount of Internet access time, based on the amount of the purchase or other terms specified by the store.

Claims

1. A method of granting Internet access via an Internet node of a store, the method comprising:

providing an access code in association with a purchase;

detecting a customer seeking access to the Internet via the Internet node of the store;

accepting entry of the access code; and

granting access to the Internet in response to the entry of the access code.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the access code as a complementary service in association with the purchase at said store.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the Internet node of the store is a WiFi node.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a prompt requesting the customer to enter the access code.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

customizing said prompt to the customer in response to recognizing a computer of the customer'"'"'s seeking access to the Internet.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating the access code with a customer account configured to be replenished in response to further purchases.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

furnishing a card to the customer associated with the customer account.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

configuring the card to also store value for purchasing items from the store.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the items are unrelated to the Internet.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the store is one of a plurality of associated stores at which the access code may be used to gain access to the Internet.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the purchase is a first purchase, the method further comprising:

receiving a communication during the access granted by the store to make a second purchase associated with an increase in access time to the Internet.

12. A software product for granting Internet access via an Internet node of a store, the software product comprising a machine readable medium including a program of instructions, wherein the program of instructions upon being executed on a device causes the device to perform activities comprising:

providing an access code in association with a purchase;

detecting a customer seeking access to the Internet via the Internet node of the store;

accepting entry of the access code; and

granting access to the Internet in response to the entry of the access code.

13. The software product of claim 12, further causing the device to perform activities comprising:

providing the access code as a complementary service in association with the purchase at said store.

14. The software product of claim 12, further causing the device to perform activities comprising:

providing a prompt requesting the customer to enter the access code;

customizing said prompt to the customer in response to recognizing a computer of the customer'"'"'s seeking access to the Internet

15. The software product of claim 12, the software product further causing the device to perform activities comprising:

associating the access code with a customer account configured to be replenished in response to further purchases;

furnishing a card to the customer associated with the customer account;

configuring the card to also store value for purchasing items from the store.

16. The software product of claim 12, wherein the purchase is a first purchase, the software product further causing the device to perform activities comprising:

receiving a communication during the access granted by the store to make a second purchase associated with an increase in access time to the Internet.

17. A system configured to be suitable for granting Internet access via an Internet node of a store, the system comprising:

an electronically readable storage medium that stores WiFi sales reward system application software programmed to provide an access code in association with a purchase;

detecting a customer seeking access to the Internet via the Internet node of the store; and

a processor configured to accept entry of the access code, and grant access to the Internet in response to receiving the access code.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the access code is provided as a complementary service in association with the purchase at said store.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the access code is associated with a customer account configured to be replenished in response to further purchases, the system further comprising:

furnishing a card to the customer associated with the customer account;

configuring the card to also store value for purchasing items from the store.