Wireless electronic couponing technique
An electronic couponing technique includes transferring coupon information, which may include a coupon ID (identification) to a first portable terminal and storing same therein. The portable terminal displays a representation of the transferred coupon information on a display thereof. The stored coupon information may be transferred from the portable terminal to another terminal for redemption. The stored coupon information may also be transferred from the portable terminal to another portable terminal. Various schemes may be used to transfer the coupon information including a Bluetooth low-range radio link or an optical bar code scanner scanning an optical bar code or an infrared link or a wireless link from the portable terminal. The Internet or wireless LAN (Local Area Network) may also be used in transferring the coupon information to and from the various terminals.
1. An apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:
cause, at least in part, actions that result in reception of coupon information including coupon identification (ID) and sharing at least part of the coupon information, via a short-range radio link, with at least one terminal;
cause, at least in part, actions that result in storage of data, including the coupon and coupon ID information;
cause, at least in part, actions that result in display of a visual representation of the coupon based, at least in part, on the coupon ID information; and
cause, at least in part, actions that result in wireless transmission of matched coupon information to a point of sale (POS) terminal and reception of a discount after validation of the transmitted coupon information in the POS terminal.
2. An apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to cause, at least in part, actions that result in wireless transmission of at least part of the stored coupon information including the coupon ID number to the at least one terminal so as to permit the at least one terminal to redeem said coupon information or coupon ID number in different transactions.
3. An apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the coupon ID number serves as an alternate to the coupon information.
4. An apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the coupon information is stored in textual or visual/audio representation.
5. An apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is caused to further perform cause, at least in part, a comparison of the coupon ID information with one or more promotions effective at a point of sale (POS) terminal.
6. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform the following steps:
causing, at least in part, actions that result in reception of coupon information including coupon identification (ID) and promotions granting discounts at a retail outlet, wherein the coupon information is related to the promotions, and sharing at least part of the coupon information, via a short-range radio link, with at least one terminal;
causing, at least in part, actions that result in storage of data, including the coupon and coupon ID information;
causing, at least in part, actions that result in display of a visual representation of the coupon based, at least in part, on the coupon ID information; and
causing, at least in part, actions that result in wireless transmission of matched coupon information to a point of sale (POS) terminal and reception of a discount after validation of the transmitted coupon information in the POS terminal.
7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the apparatus is caused to further perform: causing, at least in part, actions that result in wireless transmission of coupon information from the POS terminal to the apparatus and wireless transmission of coupon information from the apparatus to another terminal.
8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the apparatus is caused to further perform causing, at least in part, a comparison of the coupon ID information with one or more promotions effective at a point of sale (POS) terminal.
9. A method, comprising:
causing, at least in part, actions that result in reception at a terminal of coupon information including coupon identification (ID) and promotions granting discounts at a retail outlet, wherein the coupon information is related to the promotions, and sharing at least part of the coupon information, via a short-range radio link, with at least one other terminal;
causing, at least in part, actions that result in storage of data, including the coupon and coupon ID information, in the terminal;
causing, at least in part, actions that result in display of a visual representation of the coupon based, at least in part, on the coupon ID information at the terminal; and
causing, at least in part, actions that result in wireless transmission of matched coupon information from the mobile terminal to a point of sale (POS) terminal and reception of a discount after validation of the transmitted coupon information in the POS terminal.
10. A method according to claim 9 , further comprising: causing, at least in part, actions that result in wireless transmission of at least part of the stored coupon information including the coupon ID number to the at least one other terminal so as to permit the at least one other terminal to redeem said coupon information or coupon ID number in different transactions.
11. A method of claim 9 , further comprising causing, at least in part, a comparison of the coupon ID information with one or more promotions effective at a point of sale (POS) terminal.