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WO2001098998A1 - Procede et systeme permettant la distribution et/ou la modification de coupons electroniques par l'intermediaire d'un reseau - Google Patents

Procede et systeme permettant la distribution et/ou la modification de coupons electroniques par l'intermediaire d'un reseau Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2001098998A1
WO2001098998A1 PCT/US2001/019109 US0119109W WO0198998A1 WO 2001098998 A1 WO2001098998 A1 WO 2001098998A1 US 0119109 W US0119109 W US 0119109W WO 0198998 A1 WO0198998 A1 WO 0198998A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
server system
electronic
client system
purchase
client
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2001/019109
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Raviv Laor
Original Assignee
Catalina Marketing International, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Catalina Marketing International, Inc. filed Critical Catalina Marketing International, Inc.
Priority to AU2001266916A priority Critical patent/AU2001266916A1/en
Priority to EP01944510A priority patent/EP1312000A1/fr
Priority to JP2002503767A priority patent/JP2004501455A/ja
Priority to CA002413001A priority patent/CA2413001A1/fr
Publication of WO2001098998A1 publication Critical patent/WO2001098998A1/fr

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06Q30/00—Commerce
    • G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a method of and system for distributing and/or modifying electronic coupons over a network and more particularly to a method of and system for applying a set of rules to a client's purchasing/redemption history and electronic coupon redemption history and distributing and/or modifying electronic coupons, based on the application of the rules, after the consummation of the purchase transaction.
  • This system enables the store to provide to a customer, who may not normally purchase the secondary item, an incentive for purchasing the secondary item, simply because the customer purchased the primary item that was linked to the secondary item.
  • the system thus potentially creates a new customer for the secondary item. While this system is in use in the so-called "brick and mortar" outlets, there is no such system which enables an online retail store to provide coupons to customers for items in this manner. Furthermore, in the above-described system, there is no way for the retail outlets to provide coupons to customers based on purchases that the customer has made in the past.
  • the invention is directed to a method of and system for distributing and/or modifying electronic coupons over a network in which the electronic coupons may be redeemed at a later date.
  • the electronic coupons are distributed and/or modified based on the application of coupon distribution rales to the client's purchasing/redemption history.
  • An e-tail server system includes a plurality of items for sale and has access to a promotional server system that includes a database of rules that determine the distribution and/or modification of electronic coupons.
  • a client accesses the e-tail server system to initiate a purchase transaction.
  • the e-tail server system After the client system consummates the purchase transaction by purchasing an item and transmitting payment information to the e-tail server system, the e-tail server system reads electronic purchase/redemption information tokens stored on the client system by e-tail servers during previous purchase transactions.
  • the e-tail server system provides access to purchase and redemption information represented by the tokens to the promotion server system, which applies the distribution/modification rules to the information.
  • the rules are defined by the issuer of the electronic coupons for promotional items, which in most cases is the manufacturer of the promotional items, the supplier of the promotional items and/or the e-tail server system. If the rules applied by the promotional server warrant the distribution/modification of electronic coupons, the electronic coupons are distributed/modified by the promotion server system.
  • a system for distributing electronic coupons over a communications network includes an e-tail server system having a computer processor and associated memory, the e-tail server system including items for sale, a promotion server system having a computer processor and associated memory, the promotion server system including a database containing electronic coupon distribution rules and promotional data that defines electronic coupons, and a client system having a computer processor and associated memory.
  • the client system is selectively coupleable to the e-tail server system over the communications network to initiate a purchase transaction and includes at least one electronic purchase/redemption information token representative of purchase/redemption information, the electronic purchase/redemption information token being transmitted thereto by the e-tail server system.
  • the e-tail server system is adapted for reading the electronic purchase/redemption information token from the client system and providing, to the promotion server system, access to the purchase/redemption information.
  • the promotion server system is adapted for applying the electronic coupon distribution rules to the purchase/redemption information and, after the purchase transaction is consummated, distributing electronic coupons to the client system based on the application of the electronic coupon distribution rules to the purchase/redemption information.
  • the purchase/redemption information may include one or more of information about items purchased by the client system and information about electronic coupons redeemed by the client system.
  • the electronic coupon distribution rules may be conditional rules that authorize the distribution of the electronic coupons based on the purchase/redemption information.
  • the purchase/redemption information may be stored in the memory of the client system.
  • the purchase/redemption information may be stored on the e-tail server system, and the electronic purchase/redemption information token may point the e-tail server system to the purchase/redemption information thereon.
  • the purchase/redemption information may be stored on the promotion server system, and the electronic token may point the promotion server system to the purchase/redemption information thereon.
  • the electronic coupons may be provided to the client system in the form of screen display data that is transmitted to the client system directly from the promotion server system over the communications network.
  • the electronic coupons may be provided to the client system in the form of screen display data that is transmitted from the promotional server system to the e-tail server system over the communications network, and from the e-tail server system to the client system over the communications network.
  • the client system may be connected to the network by a wired or wireless connection and may be a personal computer, an interactive television system, a personal digital assistant or a cellular telephone.
  • the promotion server system may be included in the e-tail server system.
  • the promotion server system may distribute the electronic coupons to the client system after the purchase transaction is consummated.
  • a method of distributing electronic coupons over a communications network includes the steps of establishing a connection between a client system and an e-tail server system, the client system including at least one electronic token representative of purchase/redemption information, the at least one electronic token being transmitted thereto by the e-tail server system.
  • the e-tail server system reads the at least one electronic token from the client system and provides, to a promotion server system, access to the purchase/redemption information represented by the at least one electronic token.
  • the promotion server system includes a database containing electronic coupon distribution rales and promotional data that defines electronic coupons.
  • the promotion server system applies the electronic coupon distribution rules to the purchase/redemption information and distributes electronic coupons to the client system based on the application of the electronic coupon distribution rules to the purchase/redemption information.
  • a system for distributing electronic coupons over a communications network includes a first e-tail server system having a computer processor and associated memory, the first e-tail server system including items for sale, a promotion server system having a computer processor and associated memory, the promotion server system including a database containing electronic coupon distribution rules and promotional data that defines electronic coupons, and a client system having a computer processor and associated memory.
  • the client system is selectively coupleable to the first e-tail server system over the communications network to initiate a purchase transaction and includes at least one electronic token representative of purchase/redemption information, the electronic token being transmitted thereto by a second e-tail server system.
  • the first e-tail server system is adapted for reading the electronic token from the client system and providing, to the promotion server system, access to the purchase/redemption information.
  • the promotion server system is adapted for applying the electronic coupon distribution rules to the purchase/redemption information and, after the purchase transaction is consummated, distributing electronic coupons to the client system based on the application of the electronic coupon distribution rules to the purchase/redemption information.
  • a system for modifying electronic coupons over a communications network includes an e-tail server system having a computer processor and associated memory, the e-tail server system including items for sale, a promotion server system having a computer processor and associated memory, the promotion server system including a database containing electronic coupon modification rules and promotional data that defines electronic coupons and a client system having a computer processor and associated memory, the client system being selectively coupleable to the e-tail server system over the communications network to initiate a purchase transaction and including at least one electronic coupon and at least one electronic token representative of purchase/redemption information, the electronic token being transmitted thereto by the e-tail server system.
  • the e-tail server system is adapted for reading the electronic token from the client system and providing, to the promotion server system, access to the purchase/redemption information and the promotion server system is adapted for applying the electronic coupon modification rules to the purchase/redemption information and modifying the at least one electronic coupon on the client system based on the application of the electronic coupon modification rules to the purchase/redemption information.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a system for distributing electronic coupons in accordance with the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a method of distributing electronic coupons in accordance with the present invention.
  • FIG. 3 is a more detailed diagrammatic view of the system of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of another embodiment of the system for distributing electronic coupons in accordance with the present invention.
  • FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of yet another embodiment of the system for distributing electronic coupons in accordance with the present invention.
  • FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a method of modifying electronic coupons in accordance with the present invention.
  • the present invention is directed to a method of and system for distributing and/or modifying electronic coupons over a network.
  • An electronic coupon is essentially a token, issued by or under the authority of the issuer for the benefit of the recipient.
  • the recipient receives the electronic coupon and subsequently redeems it for the prescribed benefit at some later point in time.
  • the electronic coupon enables or modifies an anticipated transaction such as by providing a discount in the price of goods or services provided by the issuer or the issuer's agent.
  • the distribution and/or modification of the electronic coupons is determined by the application of electronic coupon distribution/modification rules to information regarding the client system's recent purchase/redemption transactions.
  • FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a system 100 for distributing/modifying electronic coupons in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • the system 100 includes client system 110, server system 120 and server system 130, all connected to a common communications network 160.
  • the client system 110, server system 120 and server system 130 can each be a personal computer such as an IBM PC or IBM PC compatible system or an APPLE® MacINTOSH® system or a more advanced computer system such as an Alpha-based computer system available from Compaq Computer Corporation or SPARC® Station computer system available from SUN Microsystems Corporation, although a main frame computer system can also be used.
  • the communications channel 160 is a TCP/IP -based network such as the Internet or an intranet, although almost any well known LAN, WAN or VPN technology can be used.
  • the client system 110 is an IBM PC compatible system operating an operating system such as the Microsoft Windows® operating system, and server system 120 and server system 130 are configured as web servers providing access to information such as web pages in HTML format via a protocol such as the HyperText Transport Protocol (http).
  • the client system 110 includes software to allow viewing of web pages, commonly referred to as a web browser, thus being capable of accessing web pages located on server system 120 and server system 130.
  • client system 110 can be any wired or wireless device that can be connected to a communications network, such as an interactive television system, such as WEBTV, a personal digital assistant (PDA) or a cellular telephone.
  • a communications network such as an interactive television system, such as WEBTV, a personal digital assistant (PDA) or a cellular telephone.
  • server system 120 is an e-tail server offering a plurality of items for sale over the Internet and server 130 is a promotional server that has a database including electronic coupon distribution/modification rules and promotional terms that define electronic coupons. Promotional server 130 also includes the software necessary to authenticate electronic coupons prior to their redemption.
  • the items offered for sale by the e-tail server 120 can be products and/or services.
  • server system 130 includes web server software that is adapted to produce an electronic coupon or a book of electronic coupons that is transferred to the client system 110 in the form of an electronic coupon token, such as a cookie, that is stored in memory on the client system.
  • the electronic coupon is a data structure which can include any or all of the following information elements: data representative of an electronic coupon serial number or identification number; data representative of a unique key that can be used to validate or authenticate the coupon; data representative of the vendor that authorized the coupon and will redeem the coupon; data representative of the nature of the discount or access provided by the coupon; and data representative of the server or entity that issued the coupon.
  • the electronic coupon can be issued as part of an electronic coupon book.
  • the coupon book can include data representative of a version number for the electronic coupon book and data representative of a serial number or identification number for the electronic coupon book.
  • the electronic coupon contains all the information necessary to redeem the coupon.
  • the electronic coupon identifies the grantor (i.e., the party or vendor that will redeem the electronic coupon), the nature of the discount or benefit provided and a unique serial number or other data structure that permits the electronic coupon to be authenticated or validated.
  • a server redeeming this type of electronic coupon can obtain all the information necessary to redeem from the electronic coupon.
  • the server can even include the software necessary to authenticate or validate the electronic coupon.
  • an electronic coupon book includes a unique serial number or identification number and data structure useful for authenticating or validating the electronic coupon book.
  • the actual content of the electronic coupon book can be determined, for example, by visiting a website which reads the coupon book serial number and provides the user with listings of the coupons available.
  • a benefit to this configuration is the organization that issues the electronic coupon book can add vendors even after the electronic coupon book has been issued. Thus, if a vendor signs up with the organization that issues electronic coupon books after a particular coupon book has been issued to a client, the vendor can be added to the electronic coupon book at a later date.
  • the server that intends to redeem the electronic coupon must connect to an authentication server which will authenticate or validate the coupon book and indicate the nature of the benefit of the electronic coupon to the server requesting authentication/validation.
  • Another benefit of this configuration is that the coupons are relatively tamper-proof due to the authentication and validation facilities. In many prior art systems, coupons could be copied and/or altered by the user with relative ease; in the absence of validation/authentication schemes, few reliable methods for detection of such counterfeits exist.
  • E-tail server system 120 includes software that is adapted to transmit an electronic purchase/redemption information token to the client system upon the consummation of a purchase transaction.
  • the electronic purchase/redemption information token contains information about the purchase transaction, including the items purchased and electronic coupons redeemed by the client system.
  • the e- tail server can store the purchase/redemption information in its own database or in the database of the promotion server system and the purchase/redemption information token contains a pointer that points the e-tail server system or the promotion server system, respectively, to the purchase/redemption information for a particular client system. Therefore, every time a client system consummates a purchase transaction and the e-tail server system transmits a purchase/redemption information token to the client system, a purchase/redemption history, made up of the purchase/redemption information of the client system, is developed.
  • the distribution and/or modification of electronic coupons is determined by the application of electronic coupon distribution/modification rules that are applied to the purchase/redemption transaction information of the client system after the purchase transaction is consummated.
  • the electronic coupon distribution/modification rules are used to determine whether, based on the client system's purchase/redemption history as defined by the purchase/redemption information, the client system will receive electronic coupons during the present purchase transaction and, if the client is to receive electronic coupons, which coupons will be received.
  • the rules are conditional and can warrant the distribution and/or modification of electronic coupons based any criterion desired by the issuer of the electronic coupon.
  • the rules can be used to reward a first time or repeat client of an item with an electronic coupon for a different item or to limit the number of electronic coupons for a particular item given to a client.
  • the client system If the client system redeems an electronic coupon for Product X, the client system will receive an electronic coupon for Product Y.
  • the client system If the client system has redeemed an electronic coupon for Product X, the client system will not receive another electronic coupon for Product X.
  • the client system will receive an electronic coupon for Product Y.
  • the client system If the client system has received an electronic coupon for Product X that is still valid but has not been redeemed, the client system will receive no more electronic coupons for Product X.
  • the promotion server system will increase the value of the electronic coupon or generate an electronic coupon for a different item.
  • the promotion server system will extend the valid date of the electronic coupon.
  • the promotion server system can either transmit an electronic coupon for a competing product to the client system or modify the electronic coupon to be redeemable for a competing product.
  • the electronic coupon distribution modification rules can be programmed into the promotional server through the e-tail server, thereby enabling the e-tail website to program its own, in-house, promotions. Additionally, the electronic coupon distribution/modification rules can be programmed into the promotional server by one or more of the producers of the goods or providers of the services that are available for sale on the e-tail website associated with the e-tail server 120, thereby enabling the producers of the goods or providers of the services to promote particular goods or services.
  • FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram 200 of a method of distributing electronic coupons in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the invention.
  • the client system 110 FIG. 1
  • purchase transactions including purchasing items, redeeming electronic coupons and/or receiving electronic coupons from the e-tail servers.
  • each e-tail server system transmits an electronic purchase/redemption information token to the client, wherein the purchase/redemption information tokens contain information about the items purchased, the electronic coupons redeemed and/or the coupons received by the client system, step 204.
  • purchase/redemption information tokens are stored in memory on the client system and therefore represent a "history" of the purchase transactions carried out by the client system.
  • the client system establishes a subsequent connection to a subsequent e-tail server system to initiate a purchase transaction, step 206, and consummates the purchase transaction by purchasing an item and transmitting payment information to the e-tail server system, step 208.
  • the subsequent e-tail server system reads the purchase/redemption information tokens from the memory of the client system, step 210.
  • the subsequent e- tail server system then provides access to the purchase/redemption information token information to the promotion server system 130, FIG. 1, step 212.
  • the promotion server system applies the coupon distribution rales to the information contained in the purchase/redemption information tokens.
  • step 216 the electronic coupons prescribed by the rules are transmitted to the client system, step 218. If, in step 216, it is determined that no electronic coupons are to be distributed, step 218 is skipped. While the purchase transaction consummation step 208 is described as occurring before steps 210, 212, 214 and 216, it will be understood that the consummation of the purchase transaction can take place after any of those steps as long as it occurs before step 218, when the promotion server transmits the electronic coupons to the client system.
  • the e.- tail server system 110 provides the electronic coupon distribution rules 220 to the database 230 of the promotion server system. Additionally, a producer or supplier of items 250 can provide electronic coupon distribution rules 252 to the promotion server system 130. After carrying out one or more purchase transactions with e-tail server system 110 and/or other e-tail server systems, from which the client system has received purchase/redemption information tokens, a user operating client system 110 establishes a subsequent connection 254 to the e-tail server 120 over the communications network 160 for the purpose of initiating a subsequent purchase transaction.
  • the e-tail server system After the purchase transaction is consummated, the e-tail server system then reads the purchase/redemption information tokens 256 from the client system 110 and transmits the purchase/redemption information contained in, or pointed to by, the purchase/redemption information tokens 258 to the promotion server system 130.
  • the promotion server system then applies the electronic coupon distribution rules to the purchase/redemption information. If the application of the electronic coupon distribution rules to the purchase/redemption information warrants the distribution of one or more electronic coupons to the client system, the promotion server system transmits the electronic coupons prescribed by the rules to the client system.
  • the electronic coupon is preferably provided to the client system in the form of screen display data. As shown in Fig.
  • the electronic coupon can be provided from the promotional server 130 to the e-tail server 120 via connection 260 and then to the client 110 by the e-tail server 120 via connection 262.
  • the electronic coupon can be transmitted directly to the client 110 by the promotional server 130 via connection 264.
  • the electronic coupon is then stored in the memory of the client 110 for use in a later purchase transaction.
  • the consummation of the purchase transaction can take place at any time, however, the transmission of the electronic coupons does not occur until after the purchase transaction is consummated.
  • the electronic coupons are distributed based on the application of the electronic coupon distribution rules to the purchase transaction information. For example, if the rale "If the client system has purchased COLGATE® floss a total of 2 times, the client system will receive an electronic coupon for COLGATE® toothpaste" is applied to the purchase/redemption information and the information indicates that the client system has purchased COLGATE® floss a total of 2 times, the client system will receive an electronic coupon for COLGATE® toothpaste.
  • the distribution and/or modification of electronic coupons is based solely on the client's reception and redemption of electronic coupons, without regard to the items actually purchased by the client.
  • the client establishes a connection to an e-tail server system, either to conduct a purchase transaction or simply to "browse" the website associated with the e-tail server system
  • the e-tail server system presents a particular electronic coupon to the client in the form of a screen display.
  • the e-tail server system then transmits an electronic identification token to the client system that enables the e-tail server system to identify the client as having viewed the particular electronic coupon.
  • the promotion server system has access to this identification information and can track the electronic coupons that the client has viewed and/or previously received from the promotion server system.
  • the e-tail server system associated with the website recognizes the client by its identification token and tracks the electronic coupons viewed and/or received by the client
  • the redemption of the electronic coupons is attributed to the client.
  • the information represented by the electronic identification token is updated and a purchase/redemption history of the client is developed, which is accessible by the promotion server system.
  • the purchase/redemption history can be stored on the client system, the e-tail server system or the promotion server system.
  • the purchase/redemption history of the client is further developed.
  • This purchase/redemption history information is available to the promotion server system, thereby allowing the promotion server system to distribute or modify electronic coupons based on the application of the electronic coupon distribution/modification rules to the purchase/redemption history of the client. For example, if the promotion server system, based on the client's purchase/redemption history, is aware that the client has viewed and/or received several electronic coupons for a particular item, but has never redeemed any of them, the promotion server system will no longer make coupons for that particular item available to that client.
  • the promotional server system can either reward the client by transmitting an electronic coupon to the client for the same or a different item, or the promotional server can limit the distribution of electronic coupons by not providing any more electronic coupons for that item to the client. If, based on the client's purchase/redemption history information, the promotion server system determines that the client has received an electronic coupon for a particular item, but has not yet redeemed the coupon, the promotion server system can modify the value of the coupon in order to entice the client into redeeming the coupon. The promotion server system can also modify the valid dates of an expired electronic coupon.
  • any of the electronic coupon distribution modification rales set forth above may be used to determine how the electronic coupons are modified by the promotion server system, and the electronic coupons are distributed/modified after the consummation of the purchase transaction, thus enabling the client to use the electronic coupons in a later purchase transaction.
  • Examples of the above embodiment include a client who has viewed and/or received several coupons for pet food, but has never redeemed such a coupon.
  • the promotion server system can be programmed to not transmit any more electronic coupons for pet food to that client.
  • the promotion server system will transmit an electronic coupon for a different brand.
  • the second example would be a case in which the purchase/redemption history of the client indicated that the client had redeemed an electronic coupon for a pasta product.
  • the promotion server system could either transmit a coupon for an unrelated item or a related item, such as pasta sauce, to the client or could make electronic coupons for pasta products of a particular brand unavailable to that client for a particular period of time.
  • the third example would be a case in which the client has viewed and/or received an electronic coupon for $0.20 off of the purchase of a particular brand of cola. If, on the client's next visit to a grocer e- tail server system, the coupon has not yet been redeemed, the promotion server system can modify the value of the coupon to be $0.30, in order to further entice the client into redeeming the coupon.
  • the promotion server system will either transmit an electronic coupon for a COCA- COLA® product, or modify the PEPSI® electronic coupon to be redeemable for the COCA-COLA® product.
  • FIG. 6 Shown in FIG. 6 is a flow diagram 500 of the method of modifying an electronic coupon after the consummation of a purchase transaction.
  • the client system 110 FIG. 1 establishes at least one connection with one or more e-tail servers 120 and carries out purchase transactions, including purchasing items, redeeming electronic coupons, viewing and/or receiving electronic coupons from the e- tail servers.
  • each e-tail server system updates the electronic purchase/redemption information token of the client, wherein the purchase/redemption information token contains information identifying the client and information about the items purchased, the electronic coupons redeemed, viewed and/or received by the client system, step 504.
  • the electronic token is stored in memory on the client system, the e- tail server system or the promotion server system and represents a "history" of the purchase transactions carried out by the client system.
  • the client system establishes a subsequent connection to a subsequent e-tail server system to initiate a purchase transaction, step 506, and consummates the purchase transaction by purchasing an item and transmitting payment information to the e-tail server system, step 508.
  • the subsequent e-tail server system reads the electronic token from the client system, step 510.
  • the subsequent e-tail server system then provides access to the electronic token information to the promotion server system 130, FIG. 1, step 512.
  • the promotion server system applies coupon modification rules to the information contained in the electronic token.
  • step 516 the electronic coupons are modified by the promotion server system, step 518. If, in step 516, it is determined that the electronic coupons are not to be modified, step 518 is skipped. While the purchase transaction consummation step 508 is described as occurring before steps 510, 512, 514 and 516, it will be understood that the consummation of the purchase transaction can take place after any of those steps as long as it occurs before step 518, when the promotion server modifies the electronic coupons. As described above, the modification of the electronic coupons can involve modifying the value of the electronic coupon, the purchasing requirements necessary for redeeming the electronic coupon, or the valid dates of the electronic coupon.
  • the client system 110 is a personal computer running browser software which connects to web servers via the Internet or a similar network.
  • a book of electronic coupons is transferred to the client system in the form of an electronic coupon token which is stored in memory at the client system.
  • the electronic coupon token can be detected by any subsequent web server that client system connects to. If the client system attempts to initiate a transaction with a particular web server, the web server detects the electronic coupon token which includes electronic coupon and uses the electronic coupon to enable or modify the transaction.
  • the client system when the client system receives the electronic coupon, the user can be alerted to the presence of the electronic coupon by another browser window or a Java based window that identifies all the electronic coupons in the electronic coupon book, the nature of the benefit provided and provides links to the various web sites where the electronic coupons can be redeemed.
  • the client system can connect to a web server which displays the contents of the electronic coupon book in the form of a web page which describes the nature of the electronic coupon benefit and a link to the web page where the electronic coupon can be redeemed.
  • the client system when the client system receives the electronic coupon or coupon book, the client system may be programmed to automatically provide the electronic coupon or coupon book to a peripheral printing device such that the user has automatic access to hard-copy versions of the coupons.
  • the client system will typically be operated or otherwise controlled by a consumer or a customer (in business to business transactions) and the server system or systems will be operated or otherwise controlled by an organization or an agent of an organization authorized to enter into and complete the transaction.
  • the electronic coupons can include an expiration date or a window of dates when the electronic coupon is valid or effective.
  • electronic coupon tokens are transferred to, or retrieved from, a client system by a frame spawned within a primary website by JavaScript or other similar software code.
  • This embodiment is compatible with security features included with some web browsers that limit a website to depositing and retrieving electronic coupon tokens only for itself. For example, a user visiting an e-tail server system website generally receives an electronic coupon token from that site, but a user cannot receive an electronic coupon token from a site on behalf of another site. This is because an electronic coupon token deposited by a particular website is encoded with a signature corresponding to that website, and the browser utilizes that signature to limit electronic coupon token transfers to only the * website that created the electronic coupon token.
  • a frame spawned within the e-tail server system website can deposit an electronic coupon token on the client system, and a similar frame spawned within another website can subsequently read that electronic coupon token, as long as the frames spawned on different websites look the same (i.e., have the same signature) to the browser running on the client system.
  • the electronic coupon token may contain all of the necessary the coupon information, including the complete coupon data structure necessary for benefits identification, validation and authentication, or the electronic coupon token may contain only data identifying the client, so that the electronic coupon token functions as a pointer to a database on the promotional server. If the electronic coupon token contains the complete data structure, the script will include the code necessary to authenticate and validate the coupon.
  • the utility of this embodiment lies in the fact that the issuer and the redeemer of the coupon need not be the same entity.
  • a producer of goods may desire to have coupons distributed to potential purchasers, but may not desire to conduct the electronic commerce necessary to redeem the coupons.
  • the producer of goods would distribute the JavaScript (or other similar script) for generating coupon-distributing website frames to highly trafficked websites.
  • the producer of goods would also provide the frame-generating script to point-of-sale product retailers so that the coupons could be redeemed where the product is sold.
  • a plurality of e-tail server systems may be coupled to the promotional server system in order to distribute electronic coupons to clients of the e-tail server systems.
  • a configuration is illustrated in Fig. 4.
  • a second e-tail server system 140 is coupleable to the promotional server system 130 over communications network 160 in the manner described above. Accordingly, the client 110 can access either e-tail server system 120 or e-tail server system 140 for the purpose of carrying out a purchase transaction over the communications network 160 and either or both of the e-tail server systems can access the promotional server system 130.
  • the client system 110 can be primarily connected to the e-tail server system 120, which transmits the electronic purchase/redemption information token to the client system 110, and subsequently connected to the e-tail server system 140, which reads the electronic purchase/redemption information token and provides access to the purchase/redemption information to the promotional server system 130.
  • the promotional server can be accessed through any number of e-tail server systems.
  • the electronic coupon distribution modification rules are stored in a database server system on the e-tail server system rather than on a separate promotion server system.
  • e-tail server system 150 is coupleable to client 110 over communications network 160.
  • E-tail server system 150 includes a database server system 152 which includes the electronic coupon distribution modification rules and the promotional data defining electronic coupons.
  • the e-tail server system 150 applies the electronic coupon distribution/modification rules to the purchase/redemption information locally within database server system 152.
  • the client system 110 establishes a connection with e-tail server system 150 over the communications network 160 for the purpose of initiating a purchase transaction.
  • the e-tail server system reads the purchase/redemption information from client system 110, it applies the electronic coupon distribution/modification rules and, after the consummation of the purchase transaction, distributes and/or modifies electronic coupons to the client system according to the distribution/modification rules.
  • the present invention provides a system for distributing and/or modifying electronic coupons over a network after the consummation of a purchase transaction.
  • the electronic coupons distributed and/or modified depend upon the client's purchasing/redemption history. Every time the client system consummates a purchase transaction with an e-tail server system, the e-tail server system transfers and/or updates electronic purchase/redemption information token containing information about the purchase transaction.
  • the client system establishes a connection with an e-tail server system
  • the e-tail server system reads the purchase/redemption information and provides access to it to the promotion server system.
  • the promotion server system applies electronic coupon distribution modification rules to the information and determines whether electronic coupons are to be distributed and/or modified to the client system based on the application of the rules to the purchase/redemption information.

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  • Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Strategic Management (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Accounting & Taxation (AREA)
  • Development Economics (AREA)
  • Finance (AREA)
  • Economics (AREA)
  • Game Theory and Decision Science (AREA)
  • Entrepreneurship & Innovation (AREA)
  • Marketing (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Cash Registers Or Receiving Machines (AREA)
  • Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)
  • Financial Or Insurance-Related Operations Such As Payment And Settlement (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un système permettant la distribution de coupons électronique par l'intermédiaire d'un réseau de communication. Ce système comprend un système (120) serveur e-tail (commerce électronique au détail) équipé d'un processeur informatique et d'une mémoire associée à ce processeur, et comprenant des articles destinés à la vente, un système (130) serveur promotionnel comprenant un processeur informatique et une mémoire associée au processeur, ce système (130) de serveur promotionnel comprenant une base de données contenant des règles de distribution/modification de coupons et des données promotionnelles permettant de créer des coupons électroniques, et un système (110) client comprenant un processeur informatique et une mémoire associée à ce processeur. Le système (110) client peut être connecté sélectivement au serveur (120) e-tail à travers le réseau de communication afin d'initier une transaction d'achat et comprend au moins un jeton électronique représentant un information d'achat/remontée, ce jeton électronique étant transmis au client par le serveur e-tail. Le serveur e-tail est configuré de manière à pouvoir lire le jeton électronique dans le système (110) client et permettre au système (130) serveur promotionnel d'accéder à l'information d'achat/remontée, et après conclusion de la transaction d'achat, de distribuer/modifier des coupons électroniques par l'application des règles de distribution/modification de coupons électroniques aux informations d'achat/remontée.
PCT/US2001/019109 2000-06-19 2001-06-15 Procede et systeme permettant la distribution et/ou la modification de coupons electroniques par l'intermediaire d'un reseau WO2001098998A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2001266916A AU2001266916A1 (en) 2000-06-19 2001-06-15 Method of and system for distributing and/or modifying electronic coupons over anetwork
EP01944510A EP1312000A1 (fr) 2000-06-19 2001-06-15 Procede et systeme permettant la distribution et/ou la modification de coupons electroniques par l'intermediaire d'un reseau
JP2002503767A JP2004501455A (ja) 2000-06-19 2001-06-15 ネットワーク上で電子クーポンを配布および／または修正する方法および装置
CA002413001A CA2413001A1 (fr) 2000-06-19 2001-06-15 Procede et systeme permettant la distribution et/ou la modification de coupons electroniques par l'intermediaire d'un reseau

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US59681200A 2000-06-19 2000-06-19
US09/596,812 2000-06-19
US63346000A 2000-08-08 2000-08-08
US09/633,460 2000-08-08

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Country Link
EP (1) EP1312000A1 (fr)
JP (1) JP2004501455A (fr)
AU (1) AU2001266916A1 (fr)
CA (1) CA2413001A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2001098998A1 (fr)

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WO2005057454A1 (fr) * 2003-12-12 2005-06-23 Skinstad, Henrik Procede, appareil et programme informatique de gestion d'achats
DE102006042761A1 (de) * 2006-09-12 2008-03-27 Infineon Technologies Ag Datenverarbeitungsanordnung, Client-Einheit, Benutzer-Endgerät, Verfahren zum Bereitstellen von Coupon-Programmen und Verfahren zum Nutzen von Coupon-Programmen
US20110295670A1 (en) * 2010-03-25 2011-12-01 David Edward Thomas Adaptable retail pricing environment and electronic exchange, delivering customized buyer promotion rewards and discounts
US10445760B2 (en) 2010-03-25 2019-10-15 Safeway Inc. Distributed computing platform for improving processing performance

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2005057454A1 (fr) * 2003-12-12 2005-06-23 Skinstad, Henrik Procede, appareil et programme informatique de gestion d'achats
DE102006042761A1 (de) * 2006-09-12 2008-03-27 Infineon Technologies Ag Datenverarbeitungsanordnung, Client-Einheit, Benutzer-Endgerät, Verfahren zum Bereitstellen von Coupon-Programmen und Verfahren zum Nutzen von Coupon-Programmen
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US10445760B2 (en) 2010-03-25 2019-10-15 Safeway Inc. Distributed computing platform for improving processing performance

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU2001266916A1 (en) 2002-01-02
CA2413001A1 (fr) 2001-12-27
JP2004501455A (ja) 2004-01-15
EP1312000A1 (fr) 2003-05-21

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