Method and system for electronic distribution of product redemption coupons
View Patent ↗Provided is a method and system for the electronic distribution of product redemption coupons to remote personal computers located at users' homes. A centrally located repository, such as an online service provider or web site on the Internet, stores packages of coupon data for downloading on demand to the user's computer. The user may view, select, sort and print desired coupons from the downloaded package. The user's demographic as well as coupon selection data is provided back to the online service and coupon distributor and issuers for subsequent marketing analysis. The online service can perform subsequent coupon processing on previously downloaded coupon packages such as variation of discount amounts. The online service provider can also determine how many times a particular coupon was viewed. When the printed coupons are presented at a retail store, the discount is provided to the user. Upon redemption by the store via a coupon redeeming center, transaction data is also supplied to the coupon issuers and distributor for integration into marketing analysis. The electronic coupon system is secure due to the inclusion of user-specific identification indicia printed thereon.
1. A system for distributing and redeeming electronic coupons comprising:
a first server system including a computer processor and associated memory, said first server system being connected by a communications channel to a client system, said first server system being adapted for transmitting an electronic coupon to said client system over said communications channel;
said client system including a computer processor and associated memory, said client system being adapted for storing said electronic coupon in said memory;
a second server system connected to said communications channel, said second server system being adapted to establish a connection with said client system and for detecting said electronic coupon stored on said client system, said second server system further being adapted to redeem said electronic coupon; and
wherein said electronic coupon includes data uniquely identifying the coupon relative to all other coupons transmitted by said first server system;
wherein said associated memory of said first server system defines a database;
wherein said database stores coupon offer data defining available coupon offers, user record data defining user records, and targeting criteria applicable to said user records to determine which of said available coupon offers to associate with which of said user records;
wherein each one of said user records stores
(1) a user identification that is different from all other user identifications stored in all other records of said user records,
(2) information regarding coupons redeemed;
(3) data indicating which of said available coupon offers are to be offered;
said first server system programmed to respond to receipt over a network of a coupon request prompt from said client system, said coupon request prompt including a particular user identification and identification of a particular one of said available coupon offers, by transmitting from said server system to said client system, data defining a particular coupon, wherein said data defining said particular coupon encodes both said particular user identification and said particular one of said available coupon offers, wherein said first coupon offer is a coupon offer associated in said database with said particular user identification; and
said first server system being programmed to respond to receipt from a coupon redemption network address of said second server system, of coupon redemption data indicating an attempt to redeem said particular coupon by comparing said coupon redemption data with said information regarding coupons redeemed in said database, to thereby determine whether said particular coupon was previously redeemed.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein said first server system is programmed to store whether said particular coupon has been redeemed in said database.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein said first server system is programmed to disallow redemption of said particular coupon if said comparing indicates that said particular coupon was previously redeemed.
4. A method of distributing and redeeming an electronic coupon comprising the steps of:
establishing a connection over a communications channel between a client and a first server system;
transferring said electronic coupon from said first server system to said client;
establishing a connection over a communications channel between said client and a subsequent server;
said client requesting information from said subsequent server;
said subsequent server detecting said electronic coupon on said client;
establishing a connection between said subsequent server and said first server system, said first server system authenticating said electronic coupon and authorizing the redemption of said electronic coupon; and
said subsequent server redeeming said electronic coupon as a function of a transaction initiated between said client and said subsequent server;
wherein said electronic coupon includes data uniquely identifying said electronic coupon relative to all other coupons transmitted by said first server system;
wherein said associated memory of said first server system defines a database;
wherein said database stores coupon offer data defining available coupon offers, user record data defining user records, and targeting criteria applicable to said user records to determine which of said available coupon offers to associate with which of said user records;
wherein each one of said user records stores
(1) a user identification that is different from all other user identifications stored in all other records of said user records,
(2) information regarding coupons redeemed;
(3) data indicating which of said available coupon offers are to be offered;
said first server system programmed to respond to receipt over a network of a coupon request prompt from said client, said coupon request prompt including a particular user identification and identification of a particular one of said available coupon offers, by transmitting from said first server system to said client, data defining a particular coupon,
wherein said data defining said particular coupon encodes both said particular user identification and said particular one of said available coupon offers, wherein said first coupon offer is a coupon offer associated in said database with said particular user identification; and
said first server system being programmed to respond to receipt from a coupon redemption network address of said subsequent server, of coupon redemption data indicating an attempt to redeem said particular coupon by comparing said coupon redemption data with said information regarding coupons redeemed in said database, to thereby determine whether said particular coupon was previously redeemed.
5. The system of claim 4 wherein said first server system is programmed to store whether said particular coupon has been redeemed in said database.
6. The system of claim 4 wherein said first server system is programmed to disallow redemption of said particular coupon if said comparing indicates that said particular coupon was previously redeemed.
7. A system for electronically distributing and tracking redemption of coupons, comprising:
a server system including a computer processor, associated memory, an input for receiving data, and an output for outputting data;
wherein said memory defines a database;
wherein said database stores coupon offer data defining available coupon offers, user record data defining user records, and targeting criteria applicable to said user records to determine which of said available coupon offers to associate with which of said user records;
wherein each one of said user records stores
(1) a user identification that is different from all other user identifications stored in all other records of said user records,
(2) information regarding coupons redeemed;
(3) data indicating which of said available coupon offers are to be offered;
said server system programmed to respond to receipt over a network of a coupon request prompt, said coupon request prompt including a particular user identification and identification of a particular one of said available coupon offers, by transmitting from said server system to a client computer associated with said particular user identification, data defining a particular coupon,
wherein said data defining said particular coupon encodes both said particular user identification and said particular one of said available coupon offers, wherein said first coupon offer is a coupon offer associated in said database with said particular user identification; and
said server system being programmed to respond to receipt from a coupon redemption network address of coupon redemption data indicating an attempt to redeem said particular coupon by comparing said coupon redemption data with said information regarding coupons redeemed in said database, to thereby determine whether said particular coupon was previously redeemed.
8. The system of claim 7 wherein said server system is programmed to store whether said particular coupon has been redeemed in said database.
9. The system of claim 7 wherein said server system is programmed to disallow redemption of said particular coupon if said comparing indicates that said particular coupon was previously redeemed.
10. A method for electronically distributing and tracking redemption of coupons, comprising:
defining a database in memory of a server system, said server system including a computer processor, said memory, an input for receiving data, and an output for outputting data, a database;
storing is said database coupon offer data defining available coupon offers, user record data defining user records, and targeting criteria applicable to said user records to determine which of said available coupon offers to associate with which of said user records;
wherein each one of said user records stores
(1) a user identification that is different from all other user identifications stored in all other records of said user records,
(2) information regarding coupons redeemed;
(3) data indicating which of said available coupon offers are to be offered;
said server system responding to receipt over a network of a coupon request prompt, said coupon request prompt including a particular user identification and identification of a particular one of said available coupon offers, by transmitting from said server system to a client computer associated with said particular user identification, data defining a particular coupon,
wherein said data defining said particular coupon encodes both said particular user identification and said particular one of said available coupon offers, wherein said first coupon offer is a coupon offer associated in said database with said particular user identification; and
said server system responding to receipt from a coupon redemption network address of coupon redemption data indicating an attempt to redeem said particular coupon by comparing said coupon redemption data with said information regarding coupons redeemed in said database, to thereby determine whether said particular coupon was previously redeemed.