U.S. patent application number 14/143963 was filed with the patent office on 2014-09-25 for method and system for presenting banners having direct link to user profile information.
This patent application is currently assigned to Catalina Marketing Corporation. The applicant listed for this patent is Catalina Marketing Corporation. Invention is credited to Gregory B. Roberts, Scott Wills.
Application Number | 20140289048 14/143963 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51569839 |
Filed Date | 2014-09-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140289048 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Roberts; Gregory B. ; et
al. |
September 25, 2014 |
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PRESENTING BANNERS HAVING DIRECT LINK TO USER
PROFILE INFORMATION
Abstract
A method and system for generating electronic advertisement,
such as banner ads, based on user profile information and other
information are disclosed. An online promotion service may receive
profile information, location information and other information
from a user. The user may also define a proximity preference which
may include a range of distance the user is willing to travel to
redeem one or more promotions. A service or product provider or
other authorized entity may define a proximity preference which may
include a target range of advertisement exposure. The online
promotion service may present advertisements for incentives and
other promotions based on user profile information as well as
proximity preference information where the proximity preference is
defined by the user, the provider, or both. The user may activate a
user identifier displayed on the advertisement which provides a
direct link to user profile information to enable the user to
easily and quickly modify and update user profile information.
Inventors: |
Roberts; Gregory B.;
(Alpharetta, GA) ; Wills; Scott; (Mountain View,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Catalina Marketing Corporation |
St. Petersburg |
FL |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Catalina Marketing
Corporation
St. Petersburg
FL
|
Family ID: |
51569839 |
Appl. No.: |
14/143963 |
Filed: |
December 30, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10937637 |
Sep 9, 2004 |
|
|
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14143963 |
|
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|
60501855 |
Sep 11, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/14.58 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0261 20130101;
G06Q 30/0207 20130101; G06Q 30/0269 20130101; G06Q 30/0272
20130101; G06Q 30/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/14.58 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 30/02 20060101
G06Q030/02 |
Claims
1. A computer-implemented method of generating advertisements, the
method being implemented by a computer system that includes one or
more physical processors programmed with one or more computer
program instructions which, when executed, perform the method, the
method comprising: receiving, at the computer system, user profile
information for a user; obtaining, by the computer system, location
information for the user, the location information defining a
travel route along which the user is willing to receive
advertisements related to providers that are within a specified
proximity of a given location along the travel route; generating,
by the computer system, at least one advertisement for a particular
product or service for the user based on the user profile
information, the location information, and the specified proximity,
wherein the at least one advertisement is associated with a
provider of the particular product or service that is located
within the specified proximity of the given location along the
travel route; and transmitting, by the computer system, the at
least one advertisement to a user device associated with the user.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 10/937,367, filed Sep. 10, 2004 (status:
pending), which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application Ser. No. 60/501,855, filed Sep. 11, 2003, the contents
of each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to the electronic distribution
of secure money saving or discount coupons and other marketing
incentives, that includes the ability to electronically deliver
personalized promotion information, such as a banner ad, to a user
based on the user's location, profile information, proximity
preferences and other information where the personalized promotion
information has a direct link to the user's profile
information.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Millions of consumers regularly use product redemption
coupons and realize substantial savings as a result. Significant
time is spent clipping and sorting coupons, discarding expired
coupons and organizing current coupons for use on shopping trips.
Conventional coupon distribution results in significant wasted time
due to consumers' attempts to manage their coupon use.
[0004] Coupons are delivered to consumers through a variety of
media such as, for example, free standing inserts (FSIs), in-store
shelf coupon dispensers, check-out coupons (generally issued based
on the customer's current purchase), register receipt coupons,
in-product coupons, instant peel-off on-product coupons, direct
mail coupons, and/or other delivery methods. In addition to
manufacturers' coupons, consumers use retail store coupons, such as
those issued by large retail chains on a weekly basis.
[0005] Some consumers use coupons on a fairly random basis. These
consumers tend not to keep coupons for future use, but will review
coupons available just prior to shopping to see if any of them
cover products they plan to buy or if there are any for new or
improved products of interest.
[0006] More organized coupon users maintain some form of storage
system to keep coupons for future use. These consumers often clip
coupons regularly from all available sources, and often have coupon
filing systems by product category. They will also review their
coupons regularly, discarding unused coupons which have
expired.
[0007] For most consumers, attempts to maintain an organized coupon
file often fails. The "bother" and time required to maintained
organized coupon files often results in neglect of those files,
even though diligent shoppers know that a consistent significant
savings is easily achievable using coupons.
[0008] The notion of issuing product redemption coupons to
consumers was an innovative idea to entice consumers to try new
products in the hope that, after the first try of a new product at
a coupon discounted price, they would become repeat customers at
the regular price. Coupons are effective tools used in launching
new products. Manufacturers also find coupons can shore up flagging
sales, help reduce excess inventory or win back consumers' brand
loyalty, and so coupons for existing products have become
customary, so much so that today's consumers have come to expect
coupons. Often, coupon price incentives significantly reduce brand
loyalty, and manufacturers must issue more coupons than desired to
maintain market share. Market share also has been impacted by an
increase in the number and variety of competing "no-name" store
brands. The competitive nature of the retail industry does not
allow manufacturers to reduce coupon distribution, and in some
market sectors, such as cereals, the majority of purchases are made
with coupons.
[0009] Attempts have been made to meet the needs of the coupon
industry and the consumer. For example, attempts have included
television-based coupon reception system wherein coupon information
is transmitted along with program information to a broadcast
audience, electronic paperless coupon system where coupon signs are
placed near the related item and the discount is automatically
applied at the point of sale, kiosk type printer stations located
at a retail store linked to the manufacturer(s) in order to obtain
specific coupon information, and/or other attempts. While these
aforementioned attempts at providing couponing systems are useful
in their own right, they fail to provide for a secure and
interactive coupon generation system in which the user can request,
select, store, manipulate and print coupons as desired, in which
user-specific information such as demographic data and data
representative of those coupons so requested, selected, printed and
actually used may be provided back to the coupon issuer and
distributor for more efficient coupon targeting in subsequent
coupon issuance and distribution.
[0010] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide such a coupon distribution system which overcomes the
aforementioned problems and shortcomings of the prior art.
[0011] It is an object of the present invention to provide an
electronic coupon distribution system which can be easily accessed
by masses of consumers by using a readily available personal
computer rather than needing to purchase special-purpose
equipment.
[0012] It is a further object of the present invention to provide
such an electronic coupon distribution system which allows a user
to request transmission of coupon data and select, store,
manipulate and print coupons from such coupon data.
[0013] It is a further object of the present invention to provide
such an electronic coupon distribution system which allows the
coupon issuing companies to access valuable information directly
from the consumer without requiring specific and additional action
by the consumer but rather by using the information from the user's
personal computer regarding the consumer's selection, printing and
actual redemption of coupons, as well as responses to demographic
queries posed to the users.
[0014] It is a further object of the present invention to provide
such an electronic coupon distribution system which allows a
consumer to generate shopping lists associated with coupons
selected and printed, in order to simplify the shopping process and
promote the use of product coupons.
[0015] It is a further object of the present invention to provide
such an electronic coupon distribution system which allows for
automatic deletion of expired coupons in the user's computer
database and the modification of redemption amounts of coupons in
the user's database, both of which can be transparent to the
user.
[0016] It is a still further object of the present invention to
provide a secure coupon system which generates unique coupons with
user-identifying data and allows the printing of a coupon only
once, thus eliminating the possibility of fraud by both the
consumer and the retailer.
[0017] It is a still further object of the invention to provide an
efficient, low cost, zip-code/lifestyle/lifestage or household
targeted coupon distribution system to tailor the incentives to
each user.
[0018] It is a still further object of the invention to provide
electronic delivery of incentive information, which may include a
banner ad, based on a user's location information, profile
information, proximity to a particular incentive redemption
facility, and other information.
[0019] It is a still further object of the invention to enable a
user to enter profile information, location information, and
proximity preferences so that the user may view advertisements for
products or services that are of particular interest to the user
and conveniently located for redemption.
[0020] It is a still further object of the invention to enable a
product or service provider or other entity to target
advertisements, such as banner ads, to individuals located within a
defined range of an associated redemption facility.
[0021] It is a still further object of the invention to provide a
direct link to user profile information when presenting
personalized incentive information to the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0022] In accordance with these and other objects, provided is a
system for distributing and generating at a remote site product
redemption coupons comprising a centrally located repository of
electronically stored product redemption coupon data, transmission
means operatively associated with said centrally located repository
for providing data communication between said repository and a
plurality of remote user computers, and a remote user computer
operatively associated with said transmission means. The remote
user computer in the present invention comprises interface means
for providing user interaction with the centrally located
repository, a memory, and a coupon data management program. The
coupon data management program is implemented by the computer for
requesting coupon data from the centrally located repository, for
storing in the memory coupon data transmitted from the centrally
located repository, and for generating printable coupon data from
the stored coupon data. The remote user computer also comprises a
coupon output buffer operatively associated with the data
management program for storing the printable coupon data generated
by said coupon data management program.
[0023] The present invention additionally comprises a printer for
printing product redemption coupons from the printable coupon data
stored in the coupon output buffer. Alternatively, the system may
enable the user to transmit electronically the printable coupon
data from the coupon output buffer to the centrally located
repository or directly to the retailer for electronic coupon
redemption.
[0024] As a result of the present invention, a user of the remote
computer is able to request coupon data to be transmitted from said
centrally located repository, and the user is able to instruct his
computer to print or electronically transfer product redemption
coupons generated from the transmitted coupon data. In particular,
the user's computer assembles product redemption coupons for
printing by using two data components; (1) fixed coupon data which
is transmitted to the user's computer during an initialization or
"sign-up" process and which remains stored on the user's computer
for subsequent coupon generation, and (2) variable coupon data
which is transmitted to the user's computer whenever he requests
coupon data from the central repository.
[0025] Additionally, the coupon data management program of the
present invention operates in conjunction with the remote computer
to allow the user to select and store certain desired coupon data
from the coupon data transmitted by the centrally located
repository and print coupons as selected. The coupon data
management program also allows the user to generate a shopping list
which is correlated to the coupons printed for subsequent
redemption.
[0026] In the present invention, the data exchange capabilities
provided by the transmission medium between the remote computer and
the central repository allow the automatic transfer of valuable
information from the remote computer to the central repository and,
ultimately, to the coupon distributing and issuing centers.
Information related to the coupons selected and printed can be
supplied to the coupon distributors and issuers, which can also use
information obtained from the various retail stores as to which
coupons were actually redeemed in order to more intelligently
market subsequent coupons and target coupon issuance in a more cost
effective manner.
[0027] The data exchange capabilities are further advantageously
utilized in the present invention to allow, via the central
repository, the updating of coupon data stored in the user's remote
computer without required interaction from the user if the user is
online. In particular, the central repository can delete expired
coupons from the remote computer's coupon database and can vary the
amount of redemption value of a non-expired coupon if so desired.
The capability for the updating and deleting of coupons within a
user's computer is programmed in the user's computer such that no
further interaction with the central repository is required for
such coupons to be deleted or updated.
[0028] The present invention provides for secure coupon generation
by allowing the printing of a particular coupon only once. Further,
and quite importantly, the present invention provides for the
printing on each coupon of certain user-specific data, thus making
each coupon printed unique. Thus, two different users with access
to printing a particular coupon will each print coupons with the
same product, discount, and expiration date data, yet each will be
unique since printed thereon will be user-specific data, preferably
in the form of a user-specific bar code. Thus, any attempts to
duplicate via photocopying techniques any particular coupon will be
discouraged since the coupon redemption center will detect when a
particular coupon has been redeemed, will identify the user who
redeems a particular coupon, and will disallow any attempt at
redemption of a second coupon with identical product and
user-specific data.
[0029] The present invention provides for a method and system for
generating incentive information, such as electronic banners, based
on user profile, location and other information. A user may specify
profile information including specific areas of interest. This
enables the promotion service to provide incentive information that
may be of particular interest to the user. This effectively
eliminates the bombardment of so-called junk mail. Instead, the
user may receive information regarding incentives for products and
services that the user will most likely be interested in.
[0030] In addition, the present invention provides incentive
information, such as a banner ad, with a direct link to user
profile information. This enables users to quickly and easily
update and modify profile information so that users may customize
the type and amount of incentive information to be received.
[0031] The present invention further enables a user to provide
location information and proximity preferences. The user may
identify the range of distance the user is willing to travel to
redeem incentives. This provides the user with advertisements of
products and services that are most conveniently located for
redemption.
[0032] The present invention further enables merchants, service or
product providers, and other entities the ability to specify a
target proximity range for advertisements. The promotion service
may use user location information to provide targeted
advertisements to users within a predetermined proximity to the
user's identified location. This provides convenience to the user
when attempting to redeem targeted coupons. Thus, a product
provider may limit its exposure to within a predetermined mile
radius of a store (e.g., redemption facility). This conserves
resources while maximizing exposure to interested potential
customers. Potential consumers who receive advertisements and
incentives that may be redeemed at a conveniently located
redemption facility may be more inclined to take advantage of the
promotion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0033] FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematic of the system of the
preferred embodiment for the electronic distribution of
coupons.
[0034] FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of the remote personal
computer of FIG. 1 configured in accordance with the present
invention.
[0035] FIG. 3 illustrates exemplary data field formats of the
electronic coupon data as implemented in the present invention.
[0036] FIGS. 4a and 4b is a pictorial representations of the online
and offline display screens, respectively, which are exhibited to a
user in the present invention.
[0037] FIG. 5 is a diagram of a printed coupon resulting from the
electronic distribution in accordance with the present
invention.
[0038] FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the main
functional areas serviced by the online service provider of the
preferred embodiment system.
[0039] FIG. 7 is a diagram of the use of an external cue to prompt
access by the user of the system.
[0040] FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an alternative embodiment of
the present invention in which data is transmitted between the
central repository and personal computer by satellite.
[0041] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the operation of the present
invention.
[0042] FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram of the implementation
of the coupon data package generation.
[0043] FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a system
for providing proximity advertisements according to another
embodiment of the present invention.
[0044] FIG. 12 is an illustration of a process for presenting
proximity advertisements where the advertisements include a direct
link to user profile information according to another embodiment of
the present invention.
[0045] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a method for providing proximity
advertisements according to another embodiment of the present
invention.
[0046] FIG. 14 illustrates an example of a direct link to user
profile information according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0047] Referring to the system block diagram of FIG. 1 and the
flowchart of FIG. 9, the electronic coupon distribution system of
the preferred embodiment comprises a central located repository of
electronically stored coupon data, which in the preferred
embodiment is an online service provider 2. The term online service
provider refers herein to any computer-based information service
provider which is accessible by a remote personal computer user via
a communications data link such as the public switched telephone
network (PSTN) or the like, such as PRODIGY, COMPUSERVE, or AMERICA
ONLINE. In addition, it is contemplated that the electronic coupon
data distribution may be carried out by connection to any readily
accessible Internet site such as the World Wide Web. Referring to
FIG. 8, it is further contemplated that electronic coupon
distribution may also be carried out via digital satellite
communication links, thus avoiding the need for hardwired (i.e.,
PSTN) connectivity between the repository and the remote user
computer. Thus, any centrally located computer system which is
accessible to the public by any transmission means is contemplated
as being within the scope of this invention. As used herein, the
term "user" denotes an individual user or a household of users
linked through one account.
[0048] The online service provider has stored in its database 40
(see FIGS. 6 and 10) various packages of electronic coupon data,
the content of which will be further described below. The
electronic coupon data is provided, by a coupon distributor 16 or
coupon issuer 14, by any various means such as electronic
transmission via the PSTN or satellite data exchange. The online
service provider also stores in a demographic data file 42
user-specific data, including coupons selected data, coupons
deleted data, coupons printed data and user demographics, as will
be described below, for subsequent transmission to a coupon
distributor 16. The coupon distributor 16 will utilize the
user-specific data and coupon redemption data in compiling
subsequent coupon packages targeted specifically at certain user
categories.
[0049] The online service provider 2 is connected with the data
link 4 and is thus accessible by any remote personal computer 6
having a data communications interface 20 such as a modem (see FIG.
2). The online service provider communicates with the personal
computer 6 in order to transmit requested coupon data, and also in
order to receive coupon requests and the user-specific data
mentioned above.
[0050] The remote personal computer 6 has connected thereto a
printer 8, which may be any type of computer printer capable of
printing graphics. The printer 8 is instructed by the coupon data
management routines 32 stored in the computer 6 in order to print
printed coupons 18, as will be described in detail below.
[0051] The printed coupons 18 are used in the normal fashion by a
consumer when shopping at a desired retail store 10. That is, the
coupons 18 are presented to a product checkout station 11 along
with the associated products for purchase, and the discount amount
shown on the coupon 18 is credited to the consumer at the point of
sale. The redeemed coupons 18 are transmitted to a coupon
redemption center 13 where they are electronically read, and
user-specific data is stored in a coupon redemption database
12.
[0052] In addition to the usual coupon information found in prior
art coupons (e.g., redemption amount, company and product name,
expiration date, etc.), the coupons 18 of the preferred embodiment
of the present invention contain user-specific data in the form of
a unique user bar code 90, as shown graphically in FIG. 5. The user
bar code 90 is encoded with user-specific information such as the
user name and/or other unique identification criteria such as a
social security number or online service address. This information
renders each printed coupon 18 unique, since an otherwise similar
coupon presented by a different consumer will comprise a different
user bar code 90. The use of a unique coupon 18 is but one aspect
of the secure nature of the present invention as will be described
in detail below.
[0053] The coupon redemption center 13 receives from a number of
stores 10 the coupons redeemed, verifies the value of the redeemed
coupons, determines the identification of users who redeemed the
coupons, and distributes the information read from the coupons 18
to the individual coupon issuer 14 and to the coupon distributor
16. In particular, information regarding the redemption amount and
the redeeming store 10 is forwarded to the particular coupon issuer
14 named on the coupon 18, which then credits the redeeming store
10 with the total amount of discounts given. Of particular value in
the present invention is the distribution of user-specific data to
the coupon distribution center 16, which collates such user
information and performs marketing analysis via a marketing
analysis means 17 in order to compile subsequent coupon packages
targeted specifically at certain user categories. The coupon
distribution center 16 utilizes the user-specific redemption data
along with user-specific demographic data supplied by the online
service provider 2 in order to compile subsequent coupon data
download packages for use by consumers once again.
[0054] An online display screen 60 is shown in FIG. 4a, which is
provided to a user on a display 24 of his remote computer 6
whenever he is in online communication with the service provider 2.
The online display screen 60 comprises a join service function
button 62, a download coupons function button 64, a help function
button 66, and an online communications button 68. When the user
desires to initially register for the electronic coupon
distribution service, he selects the join service function button
62 which initiates a dialog with the online service provider 2 in
order to request certain demographic data from the user which will
be used to target specific coupon data packages for subsequent
downloading. The user has the option of providing the requested
information if he so desires. In addition, an offline coupon
management program is transmitted electronically to the user's
computer 6 for subsequent coupon data requesting, downloading and
processing.
[0055] FIG. 6 illustrates the functional aspects of the online
service provider 2 in the preferred embodiment of the present
invention. The main features provided by the online service
provider 2 are the coupon packages file 40, the demographic data
file 42, the online communications server 44, and the help file 46.
Each of the aforementioned features communicates with the user via
the data communications interface 48.
[0056] The coupon packages file 40 comprises electronic coupon data
and other types of advertising materials supplied by the various
coupon issuers 14 through the coupon distributor 16. Individual
users' coupon data packages are drawn from this file based on
demographic data and historic buying profiles stored in the
demographic data file 42. Advertisements may consist of graphics,
text, recipes, competitions or other inducements or a combination
thereof.
[0057] After joining the electronic coupon service, the user can
order a package of electronic coupons from the online service
provider 2 by selecting the download coupon function button 64.
When this button is selected, commands are generated and
transmitted via the data communications interface 20, through the
data link 4, and up to the coupon package file 40 resident at the
online service provider 2. The requested coupon data package and
associated advertising materials are transmitted by the online
service provider 2 to the personal computer 6, where it is stored
in the downloaded coupon data file 30a in the coupon database
30.
[0058] The demographic data file 42 contains data representative of
demographic inquiries presented to a user at the time that the user
requests a download of coupon data from the coupon package data
file 40, as well as data representative of the users' responses
thereto.
[0059] The online communication server 44 is accessed by the user
selecting the online communication button 68. The online
communication server is a bulletin board type file where users can
post messages to a coupon distributor or issuer regarding any issue
of interest. The message data is transferred to the appropriate
destination by the online service provider 2, which also collects
the responses thereto and posts them on the online communication
server 44, thus allowing the user to fetch the response when logged
on at a subsequent time.
[0060] By selecting the help function button 66, the help file 46
is used as a means for providing standard help and other useful
information to a user.
[0061] Referring to FIG. 2, the remote personal computer 6 of the
preferred embodiment comprises a data communications interface 20
(such as a modem) for connecting the computer to the data link 4
(such as a PSTN), a user input device 22 such as a keyboard and
mouse or other type pointing device, a display 24, and a processor
26, all of which are common to personal computers and are well
known in the art. The computer 6 also comprises an output buffer
28, which typically resides in random access memory. The computer 6
is configured to operate in accordance with the present invention
via a coupon database file 30 and an offline coupon data management
routine file 32 loaded onto a fixed memory such as a hard disk
drive. All of these internal components and files are connected to
a data bus 21 for communication therebetween in accordance with
techniques well known in the art.
[0062] The coupon database file 30 is segmented into various
sections as shown in the memory map of FIG. 2. The coupon database
of the preferred embodiment comprises downloaded coupon data 30a,
which is the entire coupon data package downloaded from the online
service provider 2; selected coupon data 30b, which is a subset of
the downloaded data and represents specific coupons electronically
"clipped" and stored therein; sorted coupon data 30c, which is
selected coupon data sorted in accordance with a particular set of
criteria (e.g., all fruits together, then all dairy products,
etc.); fixed coupon parameters and user-specific data 30d, which is
certain unvarying data used in printing the coupons as will be
described in detail below; and store-specific data 30e, which is
information regarding the product arrangement in a certain retail
store 10 which will allow the user to prepare a shopping list
tailored to the particular store.
[0063] The offline coupon data management routines 32 are executed
by the processor 26 in conjunction with the coupon database 30 in
order to request, obtain, store, select, sort, and print coupons as
desired. The offline coupon data management routines 32 are
executed by selecting a desired function button 52, 54, 56, or 58
as shown in the offline display screen 50 in FIG. 4b. The offline
display screen 50 is shown on the display 24 when the user runs the
coupon data management program on his or her personal computer 6.
The offline coupon data management routines 32 are executed in an
offline fashion; that is, the user does not need to first be in
online communication with the service provider 2. If a particular
function button 52, 54, 56, or 58 chosen by the user initiates a
routine 32 which requires online communication, that routine will
initiate, control and terminate an online session with the service
provider 2 automatically.
[0064] The request coupon download routine 32a is executed when the
user desires to order a package of electronic coupons from the
online service provider 2. This routine is called when the user
selects the download coupon function button 54. When this routine
is called, commands generated by this routine are transmitted via
the data communications interface 20, through the data link 4, and
up to the coupon package file 40 resident at the online service
provider 2. The requested coupon data package and associated
advertising materials are transmitted by the online service
provider 2 to the personal computer 6, where it is stored in the
downloaded coupon data file 30a in the coupon database 30.
[0065] Prior to downloading the requested coupon data package to
the computer 6, the demographic data file 42 provides certain
demographic queries to the user in order to obtain valuable
information for use in marketing analysis and subsequent coupon
package generation. The users' responses to the queries are
transmitted to the online service provider 2 and stored in the
demographic data file 42 for subsequent processing.
[0066] The user may select the view function button 52 in order to
view the coupons and advertisements previously downloaded. This
selection will call the view coupons routine 32b, which will access
the downloaded coupon data file 30a and present it to the user via
the display 24.
[0067] While viewing the coupons and advertisement, the user may
select a desired coupon for further sorting, storage, printing or
deleting and/or shopping list generation by selecting or "clipping"
the coupon with the mouse or keyboard input 22. Coupons are clipped
by scrolling through related advertisements. In order to avoid the
need for clipping, the user may print or delete a desired coupon.
The coupons selected in this function are stored for further
processing in the selected coupon data file 30b.
[0068] The coupon file function button 56 enables the user to
perform several operations on his selected coupon data file 30b.
The user may view the coupons selected (from the selected coupon
data file 30b), and may choose any of them for printing. Further, a
sortation option is provided which logically sorts, by category and
subcategory, the coupons stored. Thus, the management program
automatically places all the dairy coupons together, and may also
place all the milk coupons together within the dairy category. This
is carried out by the coupon sortation routine 32c, and is akin to
the manual filing system used in the prior art and will aid the
user in viewing his selected but unprinted coupons in an efficient
manner. The sorted coupons may be loaded into the sorted coupon
data file 30c for subsequent viewing and printing. The user may
optionally sort the coupons manually by his own classification.
[0069] The shopping list function button 58 calls the shopping list
generation routine 32g when selected by the user. This routine will
allow the user to generate a list from a menu presented on the
screen whichever items the user desires to purchase, and the user
can store and/or print this list as desired. The items on the list
are compared against coupon data stored in the coupon database 30
and the user is informed of their existence. The user may then
print out those coupons along with the shopping list.
Alternatively, the user may select certain coupons for printing,
and the item associated therewith is automatically placed on the
shopping list. Thus, in either fashion, the user's shopping list
generation and coupon "clipping" tasks are conveniently merged in a
timesaving manner.
[0070] The shopping list generation routine 32g may also
advantageously use data stored in the store-specific data file 30e
in order to prepare a shopping list tailored to an individual
retail store. Thus, data regarding the layout of the store, the
food items available at the store, and the like, are used by the
list generation routine 32g in order to organize the purchase items
accordingly. The data stored in the store-specific data file 30e
may be obtained by any of several methods; by downloading from the
online service provider 2, by inputting via a floppy disk memory
supplied by the store, or even manually input by the user. Data for
different stores can be kept in the file 30e and the user simply
selects the store he intends on using at that particular time. The
user may select a standard pre-programmed shopping list, his last
generated shopping list, or a blank shopping list from which to
commence his shopping list preparation.
[0071] The coupon upload routine 32cc is called automatically and
without user request whenever user requests a coupon download
package from the online service provider 2. A record is kept by the
upload routine 32cc indicative of each coupon selected by the user
and each coupon printed by the user. This record is sent to the
demographic data file 42 in the online service provider 2, and is
used for marketing analysis along with data regarding which coupons
were actually redeemed, which information is obtained from the
manufacturers' redemption agency or center.
[0072] Coupons are printed by the printable coupon data generation
routine 32d, which is invoked by a user when he selects a print
command from the coupon file function 56. This routine obtains data
from two sources in the coupon database 30: the fixed coupon
parameters and user-specific data file 30d, and the variable coupon
data associated with the particular coupon selected for
printing.
[0073] Referring to FIG. 3, the data format of the fixed coupon
parameters and user-specific data are set forth and include
predefined border graphics which are the same for every coupon
printed, redemption instructions, and a user identification bar
code number. The user identification bar code number is a unique
number assigned to that user, e.g. his social security number or
online identification number. This number will be encoded by the
printable coupon data generation routine 32d and printed as a bar
code 90 on each coupon 18 printed for the particular user. This
information will thus be obtained by the coupon redemption center
and provided to the coupon distributor 16 for demographic analysis
and the like.
[0074] The unique user bar code 90 also renders the electronic
coupon system of the present invention secure and virtually
fraud-proof. Although a user is able to print out a particular
coupon 18 only once (to be described in detail below), the coupon
issuer 14 could still be defrauded by a user or retailer who might
photocopy a printed coupon numerous times and fraudulently and
repeatedly present it for redemption. However, in accordance with
the present invention, each coupon printed by a user is unique, and
the scanning of a coupon presented for redemption will be stored at
the coupon redemption center. Thus, the coupon issuer will know if
a particular user has redeemed a particular coupon and thus
disallow further redemption of a photocopied coupon bearing the
same indicia.
[0075] Referring again to FIG. 3, the data format of the variable
coupon parameters are set forth and include the coupon expiration
date, the redemption amount, the company and product information,
the UPC code, the redemption address, and the description of the
coupon offer.
[0076] Thus, the printable coupon data generation routine 32d
combines all this information and generates a record indicative of
the unique coupon to be printed. This record is temporarily stored
in the output buffer 28, where it is subsequently sent to the
printer 8 for printing. In the alternative, the coupon may be
redeemed electronically by sending the coupon data in the output
buffer via the data communications interface 20 back to the online
service provider 2. This is especially useful in the "electronic
shopping mall" environment now found in many online services. The
electronic coupon data could also be routed via the data
communications interface 20 to a retail store where the user will
be shopping, where the coupon data is held in a buffer pending
purchase by the user of the matching product.
[0077] As described above, the electronic coupon distribution
system of the present invention allows the printing of a particular
coupon only once, thus providing for security and guarding against
fraudulent redemption. This is accomplished by the coupon deletion
routine 32e, which is called whenever a coupon is printed and
deletes the coupon from the database 30 or renders it unprintable
by setting an appropriate flag. In addition, the coupon deletion
routine 32e allows for automatic deletion of expired coupons by
periodically checking the expiration date field of each coupon
against a real-time clock found in the computer 6. Optionally, the
user may voluntarily delete any coupon which is expired if the
real-time clock is not set to the correct date. For the user's
convenience, the online service provider 2 can check the system
clock of the user's computer 6 during a communications session and,
if the date is incorrect, can ask the user if he would like the
date adjusted automatically.
[0078] Since the actual expiration date is always printed as part
of the coupon, the function of deleting expired coupon data from
the user's computer 6 is for the convenience of the user rather
than for security purposes.
[0079] The system of the present invention also allows for
time-sensitive deletion of certain coupon data from the user
computer 6 which is unrelated to the expiration date. That is,
certain coupon data may be automatically deleted from the user's
computer after, e.g., one month, notwithstanding that the coupon,
if printed, might have an expiration date in six months. This
feature is included to prompt users who know of the time-sensitive
autodeletion to promptly print (and use) coupons rather than risk
having them deleted from their database.
[0080] The coupon management program also can vary the redemption
value of any coupon already downloaded to the user's computer 6
without the need for specific user interaction. A coupon variation
routine 32f is called which aids in this task. Again, any time that
a user initiates a download of coupon data, the on-line service
provider 2 can update redemption amounts for coupons whose issuers
have decided to change the discount amount.
[0081] Referring to FIG. 5, the secure coupon 70 generated and
printed in the preferred embodiment is illustrated in detail. The
secure coupon 70 comprises the following fixed components taken
from the fixed coupon parameter and user-specific data file 30d:
border graphics 72, redemption instructions 88, and user
identification bar code 90. The secure coupon 70 also comprises the
following variable components which change for each coupon
selected: expiration date 78, redemption amount 74, description of
the offer 76, company and/or product information 80, the item's UPC
number 82 and the associated UPC bar code 84, and the redemption
address 86.
[0082] Referring to FIG. 10, the generation of coupon data packages
by the coupon distributor 16 will be explained. The information
collected by the coupon distributor 16 from the online service
provider 2 regarding the coupon data selected by the user, the
coupon data printed by the user, and the requested demographic
information is stored in a database 11. The database 11 also stores
information from the coupon redemption center 13 regarding the
coupons actually redeemed by the user. The database 11 further
stores information regarding all coupons which are made available
by the various coupon issuers 14 from which it will generate coupon
data packages for subsequent downloading to users.
[0083] The information stored in the database 11 is input to the
marketing and targeting analysis means 17, which carries out the
function of analyzing the aforementioned information in a manner
known in the art to arrive at different coupon packages. That is,
it may be determined by the analysis means 17 that users with dogs
in their household (which is known by the demographic responses)
will get a certain package comprising dog food coupons. It may be
further determined that users who select, print and redeem dog food
coupons of Brand X will get coupons issued by Brand Y, or will get
only low value coupons since they are already dog food coupon
users, etc. That is, depending on the marketing and targeting
criteria and objectives, the analysis means will generate coupon
packages as desired.
[0084] Thus, the analysis means generates a number of differing
coupon data packages for transmittal to the online service provider
2. The analysis means also provides specific mapping information
which will instruct the online service provider as to which user
should be provided with which package(s). For example, user 1 may
be mapped to coupon data packages 2 and 3; user no. 2 to packages 3
and 6, etc. This mapping function may be carried out by the coupon
distributor and provided to the online service provider at regular
intervals, e.g. once per week. Thus, the coupon selection, printing
and redemption habits may be analyzed over a time period and used
to determine the subsequent targeted packages.
[0085] In addition to mapping certain coupon data packages to
certain users, certain advertising packages may be mapped to the
users in a similar fashion.
[0086] In accordance with the present invention, the marketing
analysis, coupon packaging, and coupon package distribution
functions carried out by the coupon distributor 16 may be carried
out at the central data repository, i.e. Internet web site.
Further, the coupon redemption and user redemption information
processing functions individually carried out by the coupon
redemption center 13 and the individual retail stores 10 may be
combined into a single redemption center, as shown by the dotted
line in FIG. 1. The physical layout of the functions within the
system of the present invention is a matter of practicality and
choice of the systems designer and does not impact the utility of
the present invention.
[0087] In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the
user is provided with a visual or auditory stimulus or cue to
suggest an access of the electronic coupon distribution system.
Referring to FIG. 7, a message or logo may be included along with
the advertising material normally provided on television, in the
newspapers, and the like. This will indicate to a user that he
should access the online service provider 2 in order to obtain
coupon data related to the advertised product. The availability of
the coupon could be time-sensitive, which would provide further
incentive to the user to use the system in a prompt and efficient
manner. When the radio media is used, a tonal or spoken cue may be
included during the advertising message to accomplish the same
result.
[0088] The amount of redemption discount included with a coupon
downloaded to a user may be varied depending on certain demographic
information that the system has about the user. For instance, the
system may provide a certain value for known users of a brand
(which information it will obtain by demographic inquiry or through
previous redemptions in the system), and it may provider a higher
discount in order to provide an incentive to users of a competitive
brand. The ability to vary the value of a discount offer in
accordance with such demographic and usage data is a unique
advantage offered by the system of the present invention and
heretofore unavailable in the prior art.
[0089] Referring to FIG. 8, an alternative means of communication
between the online service provider 2 or the coupon distributor 16
and the remote computer 6 is illustrated. A satellite
communications apparatus 94 is advantageously used to provide a
wireless data link 4. In this embodiment, the data communications
interface 20 is a satellite antenna dish or other transceiver unit
which provides operative communication between the remote computer
6 and the satellite 94. A similar unit is located at the online
service provider 2 in order for full wireless data communications
to be achieved.
[0090] The flowchart of FIG. 9 illustrates the flow of information
in the system of the present invention. The information flow
illustrated therein has been described in detail in connection with
the implementing system.
[0091] In a further alternative embodiment of the present
invention, the functions of the online service provider 2 are
carried out at a site on the Internet. That is, a user may access
the coupon data repository by accessing an appropriate Internet
site. In this embodiment, the downloaded coupon management routines
are encoded with a unique user identification number, which may be
for example the user's e-mail Internet address. When the user
requests coupon data packages to be transmitted, the user
identification number is encrypted and sent to the Internet site
along with the request. Appropriate routines are implemented at the
Internet site to decrypt the user's identification number and
compare it against a list of valid members in order to ensure the
validity of the user.
[0092] In another alternative embodiment of the present invention,
all coupon data management functions are carried out by the online
service provider 2 rather than by the offline coupon data
management routines 32. In this case, the speed of access of the
online service provider 2 must be high, for example on the order of
28.8 kbps. When high speed communications are used, the need for
offline data manipulation is eliminated and all processing can be
carried out in an efficient manner while connected to the online
provider 2.
[0093] FIG. 11 illustrates a system for providing proximity
advertisements based on user profile, location, proximity
preference and other information according to another embodiment of
the present invention. Online Promotion Service 102 may provide
incentives to User 104 (or a plurality of users). Incentives may
include coupons, promotions, rebates, sales notifications, free
samples, and other incentives. To promote product (or service)
exposure, Online Promotion Service 102 may also provide
advertisements for products (or services) and associated incentives
on various web pages. These advertisements may be presented to a
user at an identified location based on the proximity of the user
and an associated redemption facility.
[0094] According to an embodiment of the present invention, user
location information may be conveyed to an online promotion service
through a plug-in (or other location identifying device) on the
user's CPU where the online promotion service associates a user
with a particular location.
[0095] By identifying one or more user locations and user defined
proximity preferences, User 104 may receive targeted advertisements
that are located within a defined proximity range to the identified
user locations. For example, by using the user's zip code, the user
may receive targeted advertisements for product or service
providers that are located within the same zip code. This makes
shopping and redeeming incentives more convenient for users.
[0096] Upon obtaining an incentive, User 104 may redeem Incentive
106 at a redemption facility, such as Retail/Point-of-Sale Facility
110, where information related to the redemption process may then
be conveyed to Incentive Issuer 112. Incentive Issuer 112 may
provide incentive distribution orders along with other incentive
information to Incentive Distributor 114. Based on proximity
information conveyed by Online Promotion Service 102, Incentive
Distributor 114 may provide target incentive packages and
distributor defined target ranges to Online Promotion Service 102.
In another embodiment, Retail/Point-of-Sale Facility 110, Incentive
Issuer 112 and Incentive Distributor 114 may be combined as one
entity.
[0097] Online Promotion Service 102 may process information related
to location and proximity data, such as User Profile, Location and
Proximity Database 140, Target Range Database 150, Redemption
Facility Location Database 160, and other information. Database 140
may include user profile information, user location information,
user specified proximity information and other information.
Database 150 may include target ranges specified by product or
service providers, incentive distributors, incentive issuers, and
other entities. Database 160 may include locations of possible
redemption facilities and other redemption facility related
information.
[0098] In Database 140, user profile information may include
categories of interest, details of user interests, frequency of
visits to particular facilities and other information. Categories
of interest may include restaurants, groceries, products, services,
clothing, pets, hobbies, and other interests. Details may include
the user's preferences and selections with respect to a particular
category. For example, under "pets" category, the user may provide
details regarding the type of pets the user owns, how many pets the
user currently owns, the type of pet food the user purchases, the
preferred pet stores the user shops at, and other related
information. The user may also specify the frequency of visits to
specified pet stores. In addition, the user may request services or
products not available at the specified pet stores.
[0099] In Database 140, user location information may include the
street address, city, county, state and zip code of the user's home
address. Other identifying information may also be provided. The
user may specify additional addresses, such as one or more work
addresses, and other frequently visited locations, including
schools, day care facilities, and relative's home. The user may
prioritize the locations according to most frequently visited, most
conveniently located or other criteria.
[0100] In Database 140, proximity preference information may
include a range the user is willing to travel to redeem incentives.
For example, the user may specify a proximity range of a specified
number of miles the user is willing to travel to redeem incentives.
The user may also specify an area, county, city, zip code, shopping
center or other identifying markers. For example, the user may
identify a proximity range of a five mile radius from the user's
home address. In another example, the user may identify a proximity
range as being the route traveled between the user's home address
and work address. Also, the user may identify a proximity range as
a shopping area, such as a local shopping mall and associated
shopping plazas within a 3 mile radius. In another example, the
user may select a reference point address, such as a well traveled
intersection, as the point of reference in determining proximity
ranges.
[0101] In addition, an Incentive Distributor, Incentive Issuer,
product or service provider, or other entity may specify proximity
information, such as a target range of advertisement exposure.
Location and proximity information specific to a particular entity,
such as Incentive Distributor 114, may be stored in Database 116.
In this example, Incentive Distributor 114 may selectively target
locations and areas within a defined range, through Target module
118. An incentive distributor, or other service or product
provider, may convey target proximity information to Online
Promotion Service 102 where this information may be stored in
Target Location Database 150. This aspect of the invention enables
a product or service provider to target advertisements to potential
consumers within a specified distance from one or more redemption
facilities associated with the product or service provider. For
example, a local florist may target advertisements (e.g., an
electronic banner ad) to consumers within a five mile radius of the
florist's place of business. In another example, a national toy
store may want to target consumers within specified cities in
California and Nevada where sales are lower than cities in New York
and Washington, D.C. Information related to the location of
possible redemption facilities may be stored in Redemption Facility
Location Database 160. Product or service providers may selectively
advertise to a specific area based on user profile information and
user preferences. Also, sales data and marketing strategies may
also be used to drive advertisement exposure.
[0102] FIG. 12 illustrates a schematic of a system presenting for
providing one or more proximity advertisements to a user located
within a target range according to an embodiment of the present
invention. A user may access various web pages, such as Web Page
201, through the Internet by entering URL 202. For example, the
user may utilize a popular search engine to locate information on
dog grooming or other topics of interest. While the user performs a
search and views the results of the user's query on Main Pane 206,
the user may also view various advertisements. Advertisements may
be displayed as a Banner 204, or other form of advertisement. The
present invention enables an entity, such as an incentive
distributor, product or service provider, to display an
advertisement (e.g., a banner) for a particular product or service.
For example, Banner Advertisement 204 may display an advertisement
for free dog food. If the user is interested in this product, the
user may access the associated URL by clicking on the advertisement
(e.g., banner) or by other modes of activation. Incentive Page 210
may then be displayed to the user.
[0103] Incentive Page 210 may display Product/Service logo 212,
Incentive Information 214, and other displays. By activating the
Product/Service Logo 212, the user may access the home page
associated with the particular product or service. By activating
Incentive Information 214, the user may view detailed information
regarding the incentive, such as product or service information,
restrictions, valid dates, and other information. A user may print
the incentive by selecting Print Offer 216, purchase the product by
selecting Buy Now 218, update/modify the user's profile by
selecting Update Profile 220, and perform other operations. When a
user selects Update Profile 220, the user may enter, modify or
update user information, such as Location Information 232,
Proximity Information 234, User Interest Information 236, and other
types of profile information.
[0104] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a
user may access user profile information at User Profile 230 by
activating User Identifier 205 displayed on Web Page 201. This
provides a direct link to user profile information from an
advertisement, such as a banner advertisement 204. This feature
enables users to quickly and easily modify user profile
information. For example, if a user no longer owns a pet dog, the
user may access the user's profile information from a dog food
advertisement so that this user may no longer be targeted for
dog-related incentives. If the user picks up a new interest or
hobby, the user may specify such information in the user profile to
receive more incentives regarding the user's new interest.
[0105] Location Information 232 may include the user's home
address, work address, or other designated address. The addresses
may include a street address, P.O. box, city, county, state, and
zip code. Proximity Information 234 may include user identified
proximity factors which define the distance the user is willing to
travel to redeem incentives. For example, the user may specify a
five mile radius from the user's home address. The user may also
specify a county, shopping district, or other limitation. User
Interest Information 236 may include information regarding
categories of interest, such as products, services, restaurants,
groceries, clothing, pets, and other areas of interest. User
profile information may be used by Coupon Distributor 16 (or other
product or service provider) to determine target ranges and other
targeting factors. Targeting information including target ranges
may then be conveyed to Online Promotion Service 102. Online
Promotion Service 102 may distribute targeted advertisements to
users at targeted locations in accordance with user defined
proximity preferences, provider defined target ranges or both.
[0106] Incentive distributors (or other service or product
providers) may specify a target range of advertisement exposure.
For example, a grocery store owner may determine that within a 3
mile radius of the grocery store (e.g., a redemption facility), the
owner may reach 100 potential customers and within a 10 mile radius
the owner may reach 200 potential customers. The grocery owner may
find it more economical to target the potential customers within
the 3 mile radius instead of the 10 mile radius because there is a
greater density of potential customers within the 3 mile radius.
This provides a more economical solution to local
advertisements.
[0107] In another example, a user's profile may identify a work
address. A food service provider, such as a sandwich deli with
limited hours of operation (e.g., during lunch time), may target
addresses which are specified as work addresses that are located
within walking distance to the deli. The deli may also provide
greater incentives to these addresses, such as special lunch time
discounts.
[0108] FIG. 13 is flowchart of a method 300 for generating
advertisements based on user profile information, location
information, and proximity preferences according to an embodiment
of the present invention. At step 310, an online promotion service
may receive profile information from a user. Profile information
may include information related to the user's shopping habits and
preferences. In addition, the user may also submit information
related to categories of interest, such as restaurants, groceries,
pets, hobbies and other interests. At step 320, the online
promotion service may receive information regarding a user's
location. A user may identify one or more locations, such as a home
address, one or more work addresses and other addresses of
frequently visited locations. The submitted address may include a
street address, P.O. box, city, county, zip code and other
information. At step 330, the user may submit proximity
preferences. This may include a range of distance the user is
willing to travel to redeem incentives. For example, the user may
define a 5 mile radius from the user's home address as the user's
proximity preference. At step 340, a service or product provider or
other authorized entity may submit one or more target ranges for
advertisement exposure. For example, a pizza shop may present
advertisements (e.g., banner ads) to users who are located within a
4 mile radius of the pizza shop. Based on the information
submitted, the online promotion service may generate advertisements
that are targeted to a user within a defined range where the range
may be defined by the user, a provider, or both.
[0109] For example, Joe Smith may commute from his home in Reston,
Va. to Washington, D.C. In his profile information, Joe Smith may
specify interest in receiving incentives, such as coupons or other
promotions, for Mexican restaurants within a five mile radius of
his daily commute from Reston, Va. to Washington, D.C. San Pablo's
Mexican Caf may target potential consumers within a 10 mile range
of the Caf location in Virginia. San Pablo's Mexican Caf may then
submit a target range to an online promotion service of the present
invention. Since Joe's proximity preference falls within San
Pablo's target range, the online promotion service may present Joe
with electronic banner ads (or other forms of advertisement) while
he is online. Electronic banner ads may include special dining
deals at San Pablo's Mexican Caf. For example, San Pablo may offer
free desert night on Thursdays. This enables Joe Smith to receive
advertisements for incentives about products and services that are
of most interest to Joe and conveniently redeemable. In addition,
service or product providers may effectively target potential
consumers who are located within a close proximity to an associated
place of redemption.
[0110] FIG. 14 illustrates an example of a direct link to user
profile information according to an embodiment of the present
invention. Web Page 201 displays an example of a banner
advertisement 204 where a particular user is targeted. When the
user selects User Identifier 205, the user may be directly linked
to user profile information. At a user profile page, the user may
update and modify user profile information, such as location
information, proximity information, user interest information and
other information. In addition, other forms of advertisement may
also be displayed, as illustrated by 208.
[0111] For example, Joe Smith may want to try more That restaurants
in the area. By activating the User Identifier 205, Joe Smith may
view his profile information and update his preferences to include
That restaurants. He may even delete Mexican restaurants as his
preferred type of cuisine and replace it with That restaurants.
[0112] Other embodiments and uses of the invention will be apparent
to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification
and practice of the invention disclosed herein. The specification
and examples should be considered exemplary only.
* * * * *