Sales transaction system with electronic coupon processing
First Claim
1. A method of discounting products to be purchased at a retail site, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a customer with a portable data capture and communications terminal having an electro-optical reader for reading bar code symbols, a radio frequency transceiver, and a memory;
b) the customer entering and storing electronic coupon data identifying price discounts for products into the memory of the terminal;
c) the customer actuating the reader to electro-optically read a symbol associated with a product, and storing product data identifying the product into the memory of the terminal;
d) transmitting the stored product data and the stored electronic coupon data via wireless transmission at radio frequency by the transceiver of the reader to a host having a transaction processor and a database in which a price for each product is stored;
e) the transaction processor electronically matching the product data and the coupon data transmitted by the transceiver, and reducing the price of the product when the coupon data matches the product data of the product; and
f) the host sending a signal identifying the reduced price via wireless transmission at radio frequency to the reader at the retail site.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sales transaction system utilizing electronically stored coupons including a portable handheld optical code reader for scanning symbols on paper coupons associated with product items to be purchased a host computer for receiving data associated with the scanned coupons from of the reader, and for redeeming the electronically stored coupons for each respective corresponding item purchased. Alternatively, also is provided a method of preparing paper coupons to facilitate a sales transaction by providing a customer identifier in a user'"'"'s computer; inputting into the computer an electronic coupon template for a specific product; providing the customer identifier data into the coupon template; and printing a paper coupon including the customer identifier data for the specific product.
98 Citations
7 Claims
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1. A method of discounting products to be purchased at a retail site, comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a customer with a portable data capture and communications terminal having an electro-optical reader for reading bar code symbols, a radio frequency transceiver, and a memory;
b) the customer entering and storing electronic coupon data identifying price discounts for products into the memory of the terminal;
c) the customer actuating the reader to electro-optically read a symbol associated with a product, and storing product data identifying the product into the memory of the terminal;
d) transmitting the stored product data and the stored electronic coupon data via wireless transmission at radio frequency by the transceiver of the reader to a host having a transaction processor and a database in which a price for each product is stored;
e) the transaction processor electronically matching the product data and the coupon data transmitted by the transceiver, and reducing the price of the product when the coupon data matches the product data of the product; and
f) the host sending a signal identifying the reduced price via wireless transmission at radio frequency to the reader at the retail site. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification