Claim chart US 4882675

Prior-art evidence dossier

US 4882675 · 1984-11-26

Paperless system for distributing, redeeming and clearing merchandise coupons

Surfaced at depth 384 of 44,907 eligible references. Of 7 limitations, 4 are taught by this reference and 3 are taught in substance with narrower claim wording.

1(pre)

A method for providing to customers a real-time value at a merchant point of sale as part of an award program performed by an enterprise infrastructure comprising components executing specific instructions which cause the enterprise infrastructure to perform the method comprising:

substance taught, wording narrower

Cents-off merchandise coupons are distributed and redeemed immediately and electronically. An electronic display of coupons valid for use in a particular store is presented to customers in that store. When a customer makes a selection of coupons from the display, the selection is recorded. The customer is subsequently identified at a store checkout station as the one who made the selection.

The reference teaches a method and system for providing real-time value (immediate electronic coupon redemption and crediting) to customers at a merchant point of sale (store checkout station) as part of an award program (coupon distribution and redemption system).

1(a)

receiving, by the enterprise infrastructure, a plurality of requests from customers, each request comprising a request to create a customer account on the enterprise infrastructure associated with one or more award programs of one or more partners, and in response to each such request, allocating memory on the enterprise infrastructure, the allocated memory defining a personal consumer system account for the customer, and associating the account with at least one award program of one or more partners;

substance taught, wording narrower

A paperless system according to claim 6 further comprising means facilitating identification of customers to said display, selection and recording means, wherein at least one of said screens is dedicated to the presentation of a display facilitating applications by customers for said identification means.

The reference teaches facilitating applications by customers for identification means (which corresponds to receiving requests to create a customer account) and storing account numbers in a central processing unit, but it generalizes the concept of associating the account with multiple partners or award programs.

1(b)

receiving, by the enterprise infrastructure, from a point-of-sale (POS) of a provider, transaction data for a consumer involved in a transaction;

taught by this reference

identification and checkout means for identifying the customer at a store checkout station as the one who made the selection and for generating a second signal identifying items purchased in the store by the customer,

The reference teaches identifying items purchased by the customer at a store checkout station (POS) and generating a signal representing this transaction data.

1(c)

determining, by the enterprise infrastructure, using transaction data received from the POS, whether the consumer at the POS is part of an award program to receive savings;

taught by this reference

card reading means cooperating with both said distribution and redemption unit and said checkout system, said distribution and redemption unit, checkout system and card reading means cooperating to issue coupons only to holders of a predetermined card

The reference teaches using card reading means at the checkout system to identify whether the consumer is a holder of a predetermined card (part of the coupon/award program).

1(d)

identifying, by the enterprise infrastructure, using transaction data received from the POS, whether a consumer is eligible to receive savings for an item scanned at the POS;

taught by this reference

matching means coupled to said display, selection and recording means and responsive to said first and second signals for determining any matches between the coupons selected and the items purchased,

The reference teaches determining matches between selected coupons and purchased items to identify if the consumer is eligible to receive savings for a scanned item.

1(e)

providing savings to the consumer at the POS for the scanned item in response to determining the consumer is part of an award program to receive savings and is eligible to receive savings for an item scanned at the POS; and

taught by this reference

and means for crediting the customer in accordance with the terms of the matched coupons.

The reference teaches crediting the customer at the checkout station in accordance with the terms of the matched coupons when eligibility and program membership are verified.

1(f)

storing, by the enterprise infrastructure, transaction data, in the personal consumer system account of the particular consumer.

substance taught, wording narrower

means in said central processing unit for storing said account numbers and demographic data relating thereto and for generating periodic reports including demographic data about purchases of said items.

The reference teaches storing account numbers and demographic data about purchases of items (transaction data) in a central processing unit, which functionally represents storing transaction data in the personal consumer system account.