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.

The reference describes a system for distributing and redeeming coupons electronically at a store checkout, which represents providing real-time value at a merchant point of sale. It uses a central processing unit and electronic checkout systems, which represents an enterprise infrastructure, but does not explicitly use the term 'enterprise infrastructure' or 'award program' in the same words.

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

means in said central processing unit for storing said account numbers and demographic data relating thereto

The reference describes customers applying for identification means (accounts) and storing account numbers in a central processing unit, which represents allocating memory for consumer accounts, but does not explicitly detail the step of allocating memory in response to requests to associate with partner 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 receiving transaction data (items purchased) from a point-of-sale (checkout station).

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

The customer is subsequently identified at a store checkout station as the one who made the selection. In a preferred embodiment, the identification is made by scanning a special card adapted for use with the system.

The reference teaches identifying the customer at the checkout station (POS) using a card to determine if they are the one who made the coupon selections (part of the 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

The items purchased in the store by the customer are recorded, and any matches between the coupons selected and the items purchased are determined electronically.

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

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

The customer is immediately credited in accordance with the terms of the matched coupons.

The reference teaches immediately crediting the customer at the checkout station based on matched coupons.

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 demographic data about purchases (transaction data) associated with account numbers in a central processing unit, which represents storing transaction data in the consumer's account, though it describes it as storing demographic data about purchases.