SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING AN AUTHORIZED IN-STORE PROMOTION TO A CONSUMER

• US 20120143680A1
• Filed: 01/17/2011
• 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 9,117,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.47
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0248 Avoiding fraud

Abstract

A system and method for delivering an authorized 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. In response to receiving a request from a consumer device to present the in-store promotion, the server uses the authorization parameter to verify that the request is authorized without requesting additional information from a consumer operating the consumer device. When the request is authorized, 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 without any system-specific client software to be stored by the consumer device.

Claims

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

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

storing in an authorization database an authorization parameter;

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

verifying by the server that the request is authorized using the authorization parameter and without requesting additional information from a consumer operating the consumer device;

dynamically generating by the server the in-store promotion using at least one of the plurality of data items stored in the offer database if the request is authorized; and

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

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of storing a plurality of authorization parameters in the authorization database, wherein a user may select one or more of the plurality of authorization parameters to be verified prior to the server dynamically generating the in-store promotion.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of receiving a selection of one or more of the plurality of authorization parameters from the user.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the authorization parameter is configurable by a user.

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

transmitting an error message from the server to the consumer device if the request is not authorized.

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

redirecting the consumer device if the request is not authorized.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the authorization parameter is a number of times the in-store promotion may be printed;

and

wherein the step of verifying that the request is authorized further comprises the step of determining whether the in-store promotion was previously printed by the consumer device.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of tracking whether the in-store promotion is printed.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the authorization parameter is a number of times the in-store promotion may be printed by a single consumer.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the consumer device executes a browser, the method further comprising the step of tracking a browser identifier.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the authorization parameter limits websites posting the in-store promotion and wherein the step of verifying that the request is authorized comprises determining whether the in-store promotion is requested through an authorized website.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of storing the authorization parameter further comprises the step of storing domains of authorized websites and the step of verifying further comprises the step of verifying a domain of a website through which the request is received.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the authorization parameter restricts forwarding of the in-store offer by the consumer device.

14. A system for delivering an authorized in-store promotion to a consumer, the system comprising:

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

an authorization database storing an authorization parameter; and

a server in communication with the offer database and the authorization database, wherein upon the server receiving a request from a consumer device to present the in-store promotion, the server (i) verifying that the request is authorized using the authorization parameter and without requesting additional information from a consumer operating the consumer device;

(ii) dynamically generating the in-store promotion using at least one of the plurality of data items stored in the offer database if the request is authorized; and

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

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the authorization database stores a plurality of authorization parameters, and wherein a user may select one or more of the plurality of authorization parameters to be verified by the server prior to dynamically generating the in-store promotion.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein use of the authorization parameter is configurable by a user.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the authorization parameter is configurable by a user.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the server transmits an error message to the consumer device if the request is not authorized.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the server redirects the consumer device if the request is not authorized.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein the authorization parameter is a number of times the in-store promotion may be printed;

and

wherein the server determines whether the in-store promotion was previously selected to be printed by the consumer device.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the server tracks whether the in-store promotion is printed.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the authorization parameter is a number of times the in-store promotion may be printed by a single consumer.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the consumer device executes a browser and the server tracks a browser identifier.

24. The system of claim 14 wherein the authorization parameter limits websites posting the in-store promotion and wherein the servers determines whether the in-store promotion is requested through an authorized website to verify that the request is authorized.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the authorization database stores domains of authorized websites and the server compares a domain of a website through which the request is received with the domains of authorized websites stored by the authorization database.

26. The system of claim 14 wherein the authorization parameter restricts forwarding of the in-store offer by the consumer device.