SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING A RESTRICTED USE IN-STORE PROMOTION TO A CONSUMER

• US 20120143671A1
• Filed: 01/18/2011
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oncard Marketing Incorporated (Neptune Retail Solutions)
• Original Assignee: Revtrax
• Inventors: Hansen, Gregory, Sarelson, Seth H., Treiber, Johnathan A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,147,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0248 Avoiding fraud

Abstract

A system and method for delivering a restricted use in-store promotion to a consumer includes storing in an offer database a plurality of offer data items for use in creating an in-store promotion. The method further includes storing in an authorization database an authorization parameter and generating at a server a hyperlink including the authorization parameter. In response to receiving a request from a consumer device to present the in-store promotion, the server verifies that the consumer browser invoked the hyperlink containing the authorization parameter. The server also verifies the status of the authorization parameter. If the consumer browser invoked the hyperlink containing the authorization parameter and the status is active, the server dynamically generates the in-store promotion using at least one of the plurality of data items stored in the offer database. Once generated, the server transmits the in-store promotion to the consumer device.

Claims

1. A method for delivering a restricted use in-store promotion to a consumer comprising the steps of:

storing in an offer database a plurality of predetermined offer data items for use in creating an in-store promotion;

storing in an authorization database an authorization parameter and a corresponding status;

generating at a server a hyperlink including the authorization parameter;

receiving at the server a request from a consumer browser to present the in-store promotion;

verifying by the server that the consumer browser invoked the hyperlink containing the authorization parameter to request the in-store promotion and the status of the authorization parameter;

dynamically generating by the server the in-store promotion using at least one of the plurality of predetermined offer data items stored in the offer database if the consumer browser invoked the hyperlink containing the authorization parameter and the status is active; and

transmitting the in-store promotion from the server to the consumer browser.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

changing the status to inactive after the in-store promotion is accessed.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of:

changing the status to inactive after a print request for the in-store promotion is issued.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of:

changing the status to inactive after the in-store promotion is printed a predetermined number of times.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

making the hyperlink available to potential consumers through a digital distribution channel.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the digital distribution channel is email.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the digital distribution channel is posting the hyperlink on an authorized website.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

transmitting an error message from the server to the consumer browser if the consumer browser did not invoke the hyperlink containing the authorization parameter.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

transmitting an error message from the server to the consumer browser if the status is inactive.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

redirecting the consumer browser if the consumer browser did not invoke the hyperlink containing the authorization parameter.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

redirecting the consumer browser if the status is inactive.

12. A method for delivering a restricted use in-store promotion to a consumer comprising the steps of:

storing in an offer database a plurality of predetermined offer data items for use in creating an in-store promotion;

storing in an authorization database a plurality of authorization parameters, each of the plurality of authorization parameters having a corresponding status;

generating at a server a plurality of hyperlinks, each of the plurality of hyperlinks including one of the authorization parameters;

receiving at the server a request from a consumer browser to present the in-store promotion;

verifying by the server that the consumer browser invoked one of the plurality of hyperlinks containing an authorization parameter to request the in-store promotion and the corresponding status of the authorization parameter;

dynamically generating by the server the in-store promotion using at least one of the plurality of predetermined offer data items stored in the offer database if the consumer browser invoked one of the plurality of hyperlinks containing an authorization parameter and the corresponding status is active; and

transmitting the in-store promotion from the server to the consumer browser.

13. A system for delivering a restricted use in-store promotion to a consumer, the system comprising:

an offer database storing a plurality of predetermined offer data items for use in creating an in-store promotion;

an authorization database storing an authorization parameter and a corresponding status; and

a server in communication with the offer database and the authorization database, the server generating a hyperlink including the authorization parameter;

wherein upon the server receiving a request from a consumer browser to present the in-store promotion, the server (i) verifying that the consumer browser invoked the hyperlink containing the authorization parameter to request the in-store promotion and the status of the authorization parameter;

(ii) dynamically generating the in-store promotion using at least one of the plurality of predetermined offer data items stored in the offer database if the consumer browser invoked the hyperlink containing the authorization parameter and the status is active; and

(iii) transmitting the in-store promotion to the consumer browser after generation.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the server changes the status of the authorization parameter to inactive after the in-store promotion is accessed.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the server changes the status of the authorization parameter to inactive after a print request for the in-store promotion is issued.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the server changes the status of the authorization parameter to inactive after the in-store promotion is printed a predetermined number of times.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the server makes the hyperlink available to potential consumers through a digital distribution channel.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the digital distribution channel is email.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the digital distribution channel is posting the hyperlink on an authorized website.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein the server transmits an error message to the consumer browser if the consumer browser did not invoke the hyperlink containing the authorization parameter.

21. The system of claim 13 wherein the server transmits an error message to the consumer browser if the status is inactive.

22. The system of claim 13 wherein the server redirects the consumer browser if the consumer browser did not invoke the hyperlink containing the authorization parameter.

23. The system of claim 13 wherein the server redirects the consumer browser if the status is inactive.

24. A system for delivering a restricted use in-store promotion to a consumer, the system comprising:

an offer database storing a plurality of predetermined offer data items for use in creating an in-store promotion;

an authorization database storing a plurality of authorization parameters, each of the plurality of authorization parameters having a corresponding status; and

a server in communication with the offer database and the authorization database, the server generating a plurality of hyperlinks, each of the plurality of hyperlinks including one of the authorization parameters;

wherein upon the server receiving a request from a consumer browser to present the in-store promotion, the server (i) verifying that the consumer browser invoked one of the plurality of hyperlinks containing an authorization parameter to request the in-store promotion and the corresponding status of the authorization parameter;

(ii) dynamically generating the in-store promotion using at least one of the plurality of predetermined offer data items stored in the offer database if the consumer browser invoked one of the plurality of hyperlinks containing an authorization parameter and the corresponding status is active; and

(iii) transmitting the in-store promotion to the consumer browser.