JP2003533777A - Method and apparatus for distributing electronic coupons over a network before completing a purchase transaction - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] An apparatus for distributing electronic coupons over a network includes a computer processor and an associated memory, an electronic retail server apparatus including merchandise for sale, an inventory of a predetermined merchandise among a plurality of merchandise, and A promotion server including a database having a promotion link code for linking a given product for sale to a promotion condition defining an electronic coupon; and a computer processor and associated memory, selectively coupled to the electronic retail server device over a network. And a client device capable of starting a purchase transaction by selecting a product from a plurality of products for sale. The apparatus further includes a search device that searches the database before completing the purchase transaction to determine whether the selected item is linked to the promotion condition by a promotion link code, and a search device selected by the client and linked to the promotion condition. Electronic coupon generating means for providing an electronic coupon to the client device for the selected product.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

This application is filed May 9, 2000, provisional application USSN Insist on priority.

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for distributing electronic coupons over a network, and more particularly, for determining whether a product selected by a client from an electronic retail server is associated with a promotion. , If associated, provide a client with an electronic coupon for either the selected product or a product other than the selected product.

(Prior Art) In order to increase the number of new customers who purchase a particular product, many retail stores, especially grocery stores, establish a database of certain products that the store sells, and Each of these primary products is linked to a secondary product different from the primary product for promotion of the next product. The customer pays (checking out),
As each item is scanned at the checkout, the item is monitored and simultaneously compared with the item in the database to determine if any item is associated with a secondary item. . If an item is associated with a secondary item, a coupon for the secondary item is printed for later use by the customer.

With this device, the store has an incentive to allow a customer to purchase a secondary product, who may not normally purchase the secondary product, but only buys a specific product linked to the secondary product. , Motivation, incentive) can be provided. The device thus creates potential new customers for secondary goods.

Although this device is used in so-called “conventional” stores, there is no device for online retail stores that can provide customers with coupons for goods in this way. Further, with the above device, the customer cannot redeem the coupon for the current purchase transaction because the customer cannot obtain the coupon until the purchase transaction is completed.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for distributing electronic coupons over a network, where the electronic coupons can be redeemed in a purchase transaction where the electronic coupons are received or at a later time. is there.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for distributing electronic coupons over a network where the electronic coupon can be redeemed during or after a purchase transaction in which the electronic coupon was received. An electronic retail server (e-tail server) includes a plurality of products for sale, and links a predetermined product list among the plurality of products and a promotion condition (term) that defines the electronic coupon to the predetermined product. Promotional link code (
and has access to a promotional server, including promotional linking code). The client device couples with the electronic retail server device on the network.
Then, the purchase transaction is started by selecting one or a plurality of products from the plurality of products for sale. This device determines whether the product selected by the client device is linked to the promotional data that defines the electronic coupon,
If linked, an electronic coupon is generated from the promotion data and provided to the client device. Since the electronic coupon is generated before the purchase transaction is completed, the client device can redeem the electronic coupon during the purchase transaction. The electronic coupon may represent a promotion for either the selected product or a product other than the selected product.

In accordance with the present invention, an apparatus for distributing electronic coupons over a network such as the Internet includes an electronic retail server apparatus having a computer processor and associated memory that includes an item for sale, and a plurality of items for sale. On a network, including a promotion server including a database of predetermined inventory of products and a promotion link code for linking a predetermined product for sale to a promotion condition defining an electronic coupon, a computer processor and associated memory. A client device that can be selectively combined with an electronic retail server device and starts a purchase transaction by selecting a product from a plurality of products for sale, and a product selected before the purchase transaction ends by a promotion link code. Link to condition A search device for searching a database for determining whether or not it is a promotion product that has been promoted, and an electronic coupon generation means that provides an electronic coupon to the client device for a product that is a promotion product selected by the client and linked to the promotion data. Prepare The electronic coupon may represent a promotion for the selected product or may represent a promotion for a product other than the selected product. The promotion server may be included in the electronic retail server device. The product for sale may be one or both of the product and service. The client device may be any wired or wireless device capable of connecting to a communication network, such as a personal computer, interactive television device, mobile terminal, mobile phone, and the like. The electronic coupon generating means can provide the client with the electronic coupon in the form of screen display data.

In another embodiment, an apparatus for distributing electronic coupons over a network includes a computer processor and associated memory to provide at least one merchandise for sale, and an electronic retail server apparatus provides. A database containing an inventory of at least one promotional product for sale, the at least one promotional product including a database linked to electronic coupon data defining an electronic coupon, a computer processor and associated memory, A client device that can be selectively coupled to an electronic retail server device on the network for the purpose of initiating a transaction and initiates a purchase transaction by selecting at least one of the merchandise for sale; and before the completion of the purchase transaction. Search the database and select Determine if the selected product is a promotional product in the inventory (de
If the selected product is a promotion product in the inventory, the search device searches the electronic coupon data for the secondary product linked to the promotion product, and the electronic coupon data linked to the promotion product. Coupon generation means for providing the defined electronic coupon to the client device.

According to the present invention, a method of distributing an electronic coupon on a network such as the Internet includes the steps of establishing a connection between an electronic retail server device including a product for sale and a client device on the network, and selling by the client device. A step of initiating a purchase transaction by selecting one of the promotional merchandise, the electronic retail server device having a list of promotional merchandise for sale and a promotion including a link to a promotional condition that defines an electronic coupon for the promotional merchandise. A step of accessing the server, a step of the promotion server determining whether or not the selected product is a promotion product in the inventory, and screen display data of the promotion product linked to the promotion condition, which represents an electronic coupon. screen Providing display data to the client device and terminating the purchase transaction. The screen display data may be provided directly from the promotion server to the client device on the network, or the screen display data may be provided from the promotion server to the electronic retail server device client device on the network, and the electronic retail server device may display the screen on the network. The display data may be provided to the client device.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention, and various features of the invention and the invention itself,
A more complete understanding can be obtained by reading the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for distributing electronic coupons over a network. Electronic coupons are essentially tokens (tokens, vouchers, gift certificates) and are issued by the issuer for the benefit of the recipient or with the permission of the issuer. Typically, the recipient receives the electronic coupon and later redeems the coupon to obtain the specified benefit. Preferably, the electronic coupon provides a discount on the price of the goods or services offered by the issuer or the agent of the issuer, such as
Allow or modify transactions. According to the present invention, distribution of electronic coupons is determined based on the goods or services purchased by the recipient. If the particular product or service the recipient has selected for purchase is a promotional product, an electronic coupon for the secondary product is distributed to the recipient. The secondary product need not be the same as, or related to, the promotional product.

FIG. 1 illustrates an apparatus 10 for distributing electronic coupons according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 0 shows. Device 100 includes client device 110, server device 120, and server device 130, all connected to a common communication channel 160. Preferably, the client device 110, the server device 120, and the server device 130
Are available from an IBM PC or IBM PC compatible device, or a personal computer device such as an APPLE® MacINTOSH® device, or an alpha computer device available from Compaq, or Sun Microsystems, respectively. It may be a more advanced computer device such as a SPARC® station computer device, but a mainframe computer device may also be used. Preferably, communication channel 160 is a TCP / IP based network, such as the Internet or an intranet, although most of the well known LAN, WAN, VPN technologies can be used.

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the client device 110 is an IBM PC compatible device running the Microsoft Windows operating system and the server devices 120 and 130 are via Hypertext Transfer Protocol (http). Is configured as a web server that provides access to information such as HTML format web pages. Client device 110 includes software commonly referred to as a web browser to view web pages so that it can access web pages on server devices 120 and 130. Alternatively, the client device 110 may be any wired or wireless device capable of connecting to a communication network, such as an interactive television device such as WEBTV, a personal digital assistant (PDA) or a mobile phone. In this preferred embodiment, the server device 120 is an electronic retail server that provides a plurality of products for sale on the Internet, and the server 130 stores a list of promotional products provided by the electronic retail server 120 for sale and an electronic coupon. A promotion server including a promotion condition to be defined and a promotion link code for linking a promotion item in a list to a promotion condition to define an electronic coupon. The goods offered for sale by the electronic retail server 120 may be goods and / or services.

In a preferred embodiment, the server device 120 is configured to generate an electronic coupon or booklet of electronic coupons that is transferred to the client device 110 in the form of cookies stored in the memory of the client device. Includes web server software. Preferably, the electronic coupon is a data structure that can include any element or all of the following information elements, and the information element is the data representing the serial number or identification number of the electronic coupon, and the coupon is valid. Data representing a unique key that can be used to authenticate or authenticate, data representing the vendor that authenticates the coupon and redeem the coupon, data representing the discount or nature of access offered by the coupon, the server that issued the coupon or This is data representing an entity. In one preferred embodiment, the electronic coupon can be issued as part of an electronic coupon booklet. The coupon booklet may include data representing a version number of the electronic coupon booklet and data representing a serial number or identification number of the electronic coupon booklet.

In one preferred embodiment, the electronic coupon contains all the information needed to redeem the coupon. Specifically, the electronic coupon is the grantor (ie, the party or vendor redeeming the electronic coupon), the nature of the discount or benefit offered, a unique serial number that can authenticate or activate the electronic coupon, or Identify other data structures. Therefore, a server that redeems this type of electronic coupon can obtain all the information required for redemption from the electronic coupon. The server may also include the software needed to authenticate or validate the electronic coupon.

In an alternative embodiment, the electronic coupon booklet includes a unique serial number or identification number and a data structure that can be used to authenticate or validate the electronic coupon booklet. The actual content of the electronic coupon booklet may be determined, for example, by reading the serial number of the coupon booklet and accessing a website that provides the user with a list of available coupons. The advantage of this configuration is that the organization that issues the electronic coupon booklet can add vendors even after issuing the electronic coupon booklet. Thus, if a vendor contracts with the organization that issued the electronic coupon booklet after issuing the specific coupon booklet to the client, this vendor can also be added later to the electronic coupon booklet. In order to redeem this type of electronic coupon, the electronic coupon redeeming server authenticates or validates the coupon booklet and indicates to the server requesting authentication / validation the nature of the electronic coupon privilege. Must be connected to. Another advantage of this configuration is that the coupon is relatively tamper-proof due to the authentication and activation features. In many prior art devices, the lack of an activation / authentication scheme allows users to copy and / or modify coupons with relative ease, and there are few reliable ways to detect such forgery.

The promotion link code can be programmed into the promotion server via the electronic retail server, which allows the electronic retail website to program its own, in-house promotion, such as an “in-store coupon”. Further, the promotion link code may be programmed into the promotion server by a producer of one or more goods or service providers available for sale on the electronic retail website associated with the electronic retail server 130. This allows a producer of goods or a provider of services to promote a particular goods or service.

FIG. 2 shows a flowchart 200 of a method for distributing electronic coupons according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In a preliminary step 210, the client device 110 of FIG. 1 initiates a purchase transaction with the electronic retail server 130 after establishing a connection with the electronic retail server 130 over the communication channel 160. The client then proceeds to step 212.
To select a product from the electronic retail server. This selection is typically made by the client "putting" in a "shopping cart" for purchasing the selected item. When the client selects an item to purchase, step 214
The electronic retail server 130 then provides information identifying the selected product to the communication channel 16
0 to the promotion server 130. Such identification information may be a uniform product code (UPC) for each product, or may be an optional indicia provided by an electronic retail website, a product manufacturer or a provider. Step two
At 16, the promotion server 130 searches the inventory of products offered for sale by the electronic retail server 120 to determine whether the selected product is a promotion product, and the selected product is a promotion link code. Determine if it is a promotional item in the inventory linked to the promotional data by. If the selected product is not a promotional product and the client completes the product selection in step 220, payment is made in step 222 and the purchase transaction is complete. If the client has not completed selection of the item in step 220, the client selects another item from the electronic retail server in step 212. Here again, in step 214, the electronic retail server provides information identifying the selected item to the promotion server 130 over the communication channel 160. In step 216, if the selected item is a promotional item, then step 218.
An electronic coupon linked to the promotional item is provided to the client on the network. If the purchase transaction is not yet closed, the client can redeem the electronic coupon with the current transaction. This process is step 22.
0 until the client completes the product selection, in this case step 222.
The purchase transaction ends with. During the termination of the transaction, any electronic coupons received by the client associated with the product purchased by the client are redeemed to modify the purchase transaction.

The above embodiment is shown in more detail in FIG. First, the electronic retail server 1
10 provides the promotion server 130 with instructions 220 for creating a promotion link between the promotion item and the promotion. These instructions are
It includes identification information for the promotional item and promotional data defining the electronic coupon. The promotion data can be redeemed for a discount on the secondary product, or it can define an electronic coupon that discounts the promotional product itself, which may be associated with the promotional product. You don't have to. The promotion server 130 then forms a promotion link code that links the promotion product to the promotion data. Further, the product producer or provider 250 may provide instructions 252 to the promotion server 130 to link the promotion product to the promotion data for a given product, as described above.

A user operating client device 110 initiates a connection 254 with electronic retail server 120 over communication channel 160 to initiate a purchase transaction. The user is then typically in a "shopping cart" on an electronic retail server website.
Select one of the products offered for sale by the electronic retail server 120 by placing the product in. The electronic retail server 120 is the promotion server 1
A connection 258 is established with the client 30, and the identification information of the product selected by the client 110 is provided to the promotion server 130. The promotion server 130 searches the database 230 to determine if the selected product is a product that is present in the database and is therefore a promotion product linked to the promotion data. If the selected product is a promotional product, the promotion server 130 generates an electronic coupon based on the promotional data provided by the electronic retail server 120 or the producer / provider 250. Then, the electronic coupon for the promotion product is provided to the client 110 in the form of screen display data. As shown in FIG. 3, the electronic coupon is used for the promotion server 13.
0 may provide to electronic retail server 120 via connection 260 and then electronic retail server 120 to client 110 via connection 262. Alternatively, the electronic coupon may be sent by promotion server 130 directly to client 110 via connection 264. This process is repeated for each item the client selects. When the client completes the product selection, the client 110 provides the payment information 256 to the electronic retail server 120,
The purchase transaction is complete. If there is an electronic coupon received by the client, it will be redeemed during the termination of the purchase transaction. Alternatively, the electronic coupon can be stored in the memory of the client device and redeemed for future purchase transactions.

As described above, electronic coupons can be redeemed to discount purchased merchandise to facilitate repeat transactions, or to discount secondary merchandise to create new customers for the merchandise. In the latter case, the secondary item may or may not be associated with the promotional item. For example, a grocery store's e-retail server could link an electronic coupon for pasta sauce to a purchase of pasta products to promote a particular brand of pasta sauce to clients most likely to buy it. Good. Alternatively, the electronic coupon may be an item unrelated to the item purchased to promote the item that the client may not be considering buying.

An alternative embodiment of this method is shown in flow chart 400 of FIG.
In flowchart 400, steps that are the same as steps in flowchart 200 of FIG. 2 are referenced using the same reference numbers as in FIG. In this way, the electronic retail server does not provide the promotion server with information regarding the item selected in step 214 of FIG. Instead, the electronic retail server 120 determines whether the selected item is a promotional item, and if so, the client may access the promotional server 130 to retrieve the electronic coupon. Contains the client selection code to enable. Thus, when the client selects an item in step 212, the electronic retail server enables the client to access the promotion server in response to the selection. The promotion server then determines whether the selected item is a promotional item and, if so, provides the linked electronic coupon to the client for use in the purchase transaction. The remaining steps of this method are the same as the method shown in FIG.

Although the present invention has been described as including only one electronic retail server accessing a promotion server, a plurality of electronic retail servers may be coupled to the promotion server to distribute electronic coupons to clients of the electronic retail server. You can also do it. Such an arrangement is shown in FIG. In this device 300, in addition to the electronic retail server 120, a second electronic retail server 140 can be coupled with the promotion server 130 on the communication network 160 to define promotional items in the manner described above. Accordingly, the client 110 may access either the electronic retail server 120 or 140 for the purpose of executing a purchase transaction on the communication channel 160, and either or both electronic retail servers may access the promotion server 130. You can

In another embodiment, the promotional data and promotion link codes associated with the inventory of items for sale are stored in a database server device on the electronic retail server. Such an arrangement is shown at 450 in FIG. In this embodiment, electronic retail server 150 may be coupled to client 110 over communications network 160. The electronic retail server 150 includes a database server device 152, which, as described above, includes an inventory of promotional items, promotional data defining electronic coupons, and promotional link codes that link promotional items to promotional data.

In this embodiment, the electronic retail server 150 defines promotions locally within the database server device 152. Client device 110 establishes a connection with electronic retail server 150 over communication network 160 to initiate a purchase transaction. When the client device 110 selects an item for purchase and completes the purchase transaction, the electronic retail server searches the database server device 152 to determine if any item purchased by the client device is listed as a promotional item in the inventory. . If one or more items are in the inventory of the database server device 152, an electronic coupon for each item defined by the promotion data linked to the promotion item by the promotion link code is electronically retailed over the communication network 160. Sent by the server 150 to the client device 110.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an apparatus for distributing electronic coupons over a network prior to the completion of a purchase transaction. When the client device selects an item from the electronic retail server device, the promotion server searches a database of promotional items to determine if the item is a promotional item. If the selected product is a promotion product, the promotion server provides the client with an electronic coupon, the electronic coupon being defined by the promotion data linked to the promotion product in the promotion server database.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the invention. Therefore, the present embodiments are illustrative and not restrictive, and the scope of the present invention is shown not by the above description but by the appended claims, and all modifications within the meaning or range equivalent to the claims. Should be understood to be included in the present invention.

[Brief description of drawings]

[Figure 1]   FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an apparatus for distributing electronic coupons according to the present invention.

[Fig. 2]   FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a method of distributing an electronic coupon according to the present invention.

[Figure 3]   3 is a more detailed schematic view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 performing the method of FIG. 2.

[Figure 4]   FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of an alternative method of distributing an electronic coupon according to the present invention.

[Figure 5]   2 is a schematic view of another embodiment of the apparatus of FIG.

[Figure 6]   FIG. 6 is a schematic view of yet another embodiment of the apparatus of FIG.

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Claims (32)

[Claims] 1. A device for distributing electronic coupons on a network, which includes an electronic retail server device including a computer processor and an associated memory, and which includes products for sale, and a predetermined product among the plurality of products for sale. An inventory, wherein the predetermined merchandise is a promotion merchandise, and a promotion server including a database having a promotion link code that links the promotion merchandise to promotion data defining an electronic coupon, a computer processor and related A client device including a memory, which is selectively coupled to the electronic retail server device on the network and can start a purchase transaction by selecting an item from the plurality of items for sale; Before completing A search device to search for a selected product and determine whether the selected product is a promotional product linked to the promotion data by the promotion link code, and a promotional product selected by the client and linked to the promotion data. And an electronic coupon generating means for providing the client device with the electronic coupon relating to the product. 2.   The device according to claim 1, wherein the network is the Internet. 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the electronic coupon represents a promotion for a selected item. 4. The device of claim 2, wherein the electronic coupon represents a promotion for an item other than the selected item. 5. The device of claim 2, wherein the promotion server is included in the electronic retail server device. 6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the merchandise for sale is one or both of merchandise and services. 7. The device of claim 2, wherein the client device can be coupled to the network by a wired connection. 8. The device of claim 7, wherein the client device is selected from the group including personal computers, interactive television devices, mobile terminals, and mobile phones. 9. The device of claim 2, wherein the client device can be coupled to the network by a wireless connection. 10. The device of claim 9, wherein the client device is selected from the group including personal computers, interactive television devices, mobile terminals, and mobile phones. 11. The device according to claim 2, wherein the electronic coupon generating means provides the electronic coupon to the client in the form of screen display data. 12. An apparatus for distributing electronic coupons over a network, the electronic retail server apparatus including a computer processor and associated memory, providing at least one merchandise for sale, and the electronic retail server apparatus for sale. A database containing an inventory of at least one promotional item to be provided to the at least one promotional item, wherein the at least one promotional item is linked to electronic coupon data defining an electronic coupon for a secondary item, a computer processor and associated memory. A client device that can be selectively coupled to the electronic retail server device on the network to initiate a purchase transaction and initiates the purchase transaction by selecting one of the at least one merchandise for sale. And the purchase Before the completion of the search the database to determine whether the selected product is a promotional product in the inventory, and if the selected product is a promotional product in the inventory, A search device for searching the electronic coupon data for the linked secondary product, and a coupon generation means for providing the client device with the electronic coupon defined by the electronic coupon data linked to the promotion product. The device comprising. 13.   The device according to claim 12, wherein the network is the Internet. 14.   14. The device of claim 13, wherein the database is on the electronic retail server. 15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one merchandise for sale is either a merchandise or a service. 16. The device of claim 13, wherein the client device can be coupled to the network by a wired connection. 17. The device of claim 16, wherein the client device is selected from the group including personal computers, interactive television devices, mobile terminals, mobile phones. 18. The device of claim 13, wherein the client device can be coupled to the network by a wireless connection. 19. The device of claim 18, wherein the client device is selected from the group including personal computers, interactive television devices, mobile terminals, mobile phones. 20. The device according to claim 13, wherein the electronic coupon generating means provides the electronic coupon to the client in the form of screen display data. 21. A method of distributing electronic coupons over a network, the method comprising: A establishing a connection between an electronic retail server device containing merchandise for sale and a client device on the network; A step in which the client device starts a purchase transaction by selecting one of the sale merchandise; and the electronic retail server device has a list of promotion merchandise for sale and a link to promotion data of the promotion merchandise. A promotion server including: the promotion data defining an electronic coupon; and the promotion server determining whether the selected product is a promotion product in the inventory. E Said method comprising the screen display data for a link Promotional products a step of providing to said client device, the screen display data comprising the steps of representing said electronic coupon, and step of completing F the purchase transaction. 22. The method of distributing electronic coupons on a network according to claim 21, wherein the network is the Internet. 23. The method of distributing an electronic coupon over a network of claim 22, wherein the electronic coupon represents a promotion for the selected item. 24. The method of distributing electronic coupons on a network of claim 22, wherein the electronic coupon represents a promotion for a product other than the selected product. 25. The method of distributing an electronic coupon on a network according to claim 22, wherein the screen display data is provided to the client device directly from the promotion server on the network. 26. The promotion server provides the screen display data to the electronic retail server device client device on the network, and the electronic retail server device provides the screen display data to the client device on the network. A method for distributing electronic coupons on the network of claim 22. 27. The product for sale is one or both of a product and a service.
How to distribute electronic coupons on the network described in. 28. The method of distributing electronic coupons over a network of claim 22, wherein the client device is connected to the network by a wired connection. 29. The method of distributing an electronic coupon on a network according to claim 28, wherein the client device is selected from a group including a personal computer, an interactive television device, a mobile terminal, and a mobile phone. 30. The method of distributing electronic coupons over a network of claim 22, wherein the client device is connected to the network by a wireless connection. 31. The method of distributing an electronic coupon over a network according to claim 30, wherein the client device is selected from a group including a personal computer, an interactive television device, a mobile terminal, and a mobile phone. 32. The method of distributing electronic coupons on a network of claim 22, further comprising redeeming the electronic coupon prior to step F.