Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a system for dispensing coupons
and more particularly to a system which displays a number of
high-resolution images which a consumer touches to select one or
more products for which to receive a coupon, and before issuing
that coupon determines whether the consumer has e~ceeded his
allotment.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Millions of dollars are spent annually on promotional
programs involving coupons such as manufacturer's coupons which
are redeemed by a consumer at grocery stores and other stores.
Most manufacturers' coupons are delivered in local newspapers or
mailed directly to a household and are distributed among as many
consumers as possible. Such coupons are primarily intended to
introduce consumers to a product rather than to provide a
discount for every purchase of that product by the same consumer.
Coupon distribution poses a number of problems. Employees
of a store can collect and redeem identical coupons from a
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number of promotional inserts carried within newspapers sold ~t
the store. ~urther, there i5 little control over retailers who
might send in a number of coupons for r~demption whether or not
goods have actually been purchased for those coupons.
There are ~everal types of electronic coupon dispensing
systems which issue coupons within a store. One system
utilizes UPC scanner information to deliver coupons after a
corresponding product is purchased. Misredemption may occur if
the cashier scans the same product more than once or keeps the
coupons intended for the shopper.
Other systems are operated by the shopper instead of the
cashier. Several systems utilize a TV screen which displays
textual information such as categories of coupons and lists of
coupons within each category. The displays are not attractive
or inviting to the shopper and many of the same coupons can be
obtained by each shopper who actually uses the machine. One
machine attempts to limit issuance of coupons by allowing the
same coupon to be issued only once each time its category is
selected. However, a shopper or retailer can alternate between
categories and repeatedly withdraw the same coupons.
One system presents text on a touch CRT screen. Thirty or
forty different coupons are listed on the screen and the
consumer touches the appropriate portion of the screen to
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select a coupon. Tou~h CRT screens are very expensive,
however, and the display is not inviting to the con~umer.
Another coupon dispensing ~ystem read6 cards having a
magnetic strip~ such as a credit card or bank teller c~rd.
This system compares the identification on the card with the
identifications on the last several hundred cards presented,
and allows use of the machine if the current identification
does not match that of the previous several hundred
transactions.
Yet another coupon dispensing system attempts to limit
issuance of coupons ~y issuing an identification code to each
consumer and permitting consumer access to the machine only
once each distribution period. The consumer's identification
code is printed on each coupon. Upon access a predetermined
number of coupons are issued to the consumer whether or not the
consumer plans to use the coupons within the expiration period.
If the consumer returns to the store during that distribution
period he is denied access to all coupons, even those that he
had not used before but might be encouraged to use this time.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an
improved coupon dispensing system which increases consumer
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participation in obtaining ~oupons while reducing the
occurrence of coupcn misredemption.
It i~ a further object of this invention to provide such a
coupon dispensing system which increases consumer recognition
of a product during ~election of a coupon for that product.
It is a further object of this iDvention to provide such a
coupon dispensing system which can pxint customized indicia on
a coupon such as the logo of the manufacturer to further
promote the product.
It is a further object of this invention to provide such a
coupon dispensing system which enables a consumer to select a
number of-coupons at a timej~but-~limits~repeated issuance of
the same coupon.
It is a further object of this invention to provide such a
coupon dispensing system which records information of consumer
usage and product selection which can be utilized for market
research.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide such a
coupon dispensing system which can select different expiration
dates to be printed on the coupon.
It is a further object of this invention to provide such a
coupon dispensing system which can issue manufacturers'
coupons, refund coupons, sweepstakes tickets, or other
promotional material.
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This invention results from the realiz~tion that a truly
effective coupon dispensing machine can be achieved by a system
which di~plays a high resolution, photographic quality printed
image of each of a number of products and enables selection of
a coupon by the touching of a portion of the image, and which
limits the issuance of a coupon for the product based on
previous product selections made by that consumer.
This invention features a coupon dispensing system. There
are means for displaying a plurality of images, each image
representing a product to be promoted, and further including a
product selection area to be touched by a consumer to select
that product. -Tbere-are also switch means associated with each
selection area to register the selection~ input means for
receiving an access code unique to the consumer, and means for
recording product selections made by the consumer. The system
further includes means for issuing a coupon for the product
selected by the consumer, and ~eans, responsive to the input
means and the means for recording, for comparing the product
selected by the consumer with a preselected quota and for
preventing issuance of a coupon for that product if the
consumer has exceeded the quota.
In one embodiment, the images of the products are
high-resolution, pictorial representations of the products such
as photographic prints. The means for displaying may include a
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~heet of ma~erial carrying the images and the product selection
areas. The switch means includes one or more touch-sensitive
membrane switches having ~ctive switch areas at the selection
areas. The access code is a numeric or alphanumeric code and
the input means includes key pad means for entering the acce~s
code.
In another embodiment, the means for limiting includes
clock means for establishing successive time periods during
which coupons are issued. The means for limiting further
includes means for restricting coupon issuance of the product
for each consumer during each time period such as by limiting
coupon issuance to one coupon per-product per time period or to
one coupon per category per time period. The means for issuing
may include me~ns for printing indicia on each coupon such as a
logo for that product, and may further include means for
selecting an expiration date to be printed on the coupon. The
means for selecting may include timing means for determining
the date of issuance of the coupon, and the dispensing system
may further include message display means for presenting
messages to the consumer.
This invention also features a coupon dispensing system
including means for displaying a plurality of images each of
which represents a product to be promoted and includes a
product selection area to be actuated by a consumer to select
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that product. The ~y~tem further includes ~witch mean~,
as~ociated with each selected area, or registering the
selection by responding to consumer actuation, and means for
determining previous product selections made by that consumer.
~here is also means, responsive to the means for determining
and the switch means, for comparing product selections made by
the consumer with a preselected quota and for issuing a coupon
for that product if a consumer has not exceeded the quota.
DISCLOSURE OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Other objects, features and advantages will occur from the
following description of a preferred embodiment and the
accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a schematic axonometric view of a coupon
dispensing system according to this invention;
Fig. 2A is a schematic diagram of the membrane switches
within the touchboard shown in Fig. l;
Fig. 2B is a cross-sectional view of a portion of one of
the membrane switches shown in Fig. 2A;
Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the coupon dispensing system
of Fig. l;
Fig. 4 is a flow chart of the operation of the central
processing unit shown in Fig~ 3;
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~ ig. 5 is a ~chematic diagram of a cu~tomi~ed coupon
issued by the ~ystem of Fig. l; and
Fig. ~ is a flow chart of the operation involved in
printing the coupon of Fig. 5.
This invention may be accomplished by a coupon dispensing
system which displays a number of high-resolution images, each
image representing a product to be promoted and including a
product selection area to be touched by a consumer to select
that product. A touch-sensitive switch is associated wi~h each
selection area to register the selection when that area is
depressed by the consumer. The system issues a coupon for the
product selected by the consumer based on previous product
selections made by that consumer.
Coupon dispensing system 10, Fig. 1, includes dispensing
machine 12 having touchboard 14, message display 16, and key
pad 1~. Touchboard 14 includes print 20 which is a single
sheet of material carrying images of products to be promoted
such as images 22, 24. Each image includes a product selection
area such as areas 26, 28 for product images 22, 24,
respectively. A consumer, attracted by the high-resolution
photographic quality of print 20, is prompted by message
display 16 or by instruction card 30 to enter his unique access
code through key pad 18. Once coupon dispensing ~ystem 10
accepts the access code, the consumer is prompted to select the
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coupons of his choice~ The con~umer accompli~hes the aelection
in this construction by actually touching one or more of the
product ~election areas such as are~s 26, 28. A
touch-sensitive ~witch such as switch 3~, Fig. 2, includes
switch segments 34, 36 each having a number of active switch
areas 38 such as switch areas 40, 42. Membrane switches 341 36
are conventional switches such as those available from Oak
Switch Systems, Inc., Crystal Lake, Illinois. A portion of
membrane switch 34 is shown in cross-section in Fig. 2B to
reveal upper membrane 44 and lower membrane 46 separated by
spacer 48. A conductive grid is disposed on the inner surfaces
of membrane 44, 46 so that when membrane 44 is depressed in an
active area such as area 40, the upper and lower membranes make
contact to register the selection. Active area 40 is
approximately 0.625 by 0.625 inches and spacer 48 is
approximately 0.005-0.010 inches in thickness. Conductive
leads 50, 52 carry signals from touchboard 14 to central
processing unit 60, Fig. 3, which is also responsive to clock
62, transaction memory 64 for recording consumer transactions,
and key pad 18 which receives the access code unique to the
consumer. Memory 64 includes a removable diskette so that
transaction records can readily be removed for analysis. If
the consumer has not exceeded his quota, central processing
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unit ~0 activates pri~ter 66 to print ~ cu8tomized coupon for
the ~elected product.
The operation of cen~ral processing unit 60 i6 ~hown in
Fig. 4. The user of coupon dispensing system 10 enters an
identification code which is received, ~tep 70, and identified
in steps 72, 74. If the user is not a shopper, other routines
76 are conducted, such as a demonstration routine in which a
demonstration coupon is printed, or a manaqer's routine in
which clock 62 is reset or a status report is printed of coupon
selections. Routine 76 can also include a new shopper routine,
accessable by authorized personnel only, during which an access
code is selected for the shopper. The authori~ed personnel
enters the shopper's phone number, and the system calculates a
numeric or alphanumeric access code unique to that shopper that
is developed from the phone number. The system then displays
the access code to the shopper.
If the user is a shopper having an authori~ed access code,
the shopper record is recalled, step 78, and loop 80 is
entered. It i5 determined in step 82 whether all allotted
coupons have already been taken by the shopper. In one
construction, a quota is allowed of one coupon per product per
period of time such as a one-week interval measured by clock
62, Fig. 3. In another construction, one coupon is permitted
for each of a number of categories such as soups or beverages.
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If it i~ determined from the ~hopper record that the consumer
has already received all possible coupon~, the sy~tem displays
that all the coupons are takent step B4, and the logic returns
to step 70 to await the next user.
If one or more coupons remain available to the shopper,
the system requests the shopper to select a coupon, step 86,
and awaits a selection to be made by that consumer, step 88.
The selection is compared to previous selections made by that
shopper, step 90, and if that particular coupon was previously
selected the message "already ~elected" is displayed, step 92,
and the logic proceeds to step 82. If that coupon has not been
selected, a coupon is issued, step 94, and the shopper record
is updated, step 96.
Coupon dispensing system 10 can issue a preprinted coupon
or can customize a standard blank to produce a coupon such as
manufacturer coupon 100, Fig. 5. Coupon 100 is printed by
printer 66 such as a dot matrix pxinter available from GTECH
Corporation, Providence, Rhode Island, and includes product
description 102, expiration information 104, manufacturer logo
106, coupon value 108, and consumer identification number 110.
The printing of logo 106 further promotes the product to the
shopper, and shopper identification code 110 identifies the
shopper to permit market research.
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The procedure for printing coupon 100 is ~howm in Fig. 6
as routine 94a. ~c the shopper'~ selection is received, a
format for that ~election i5 recalled, ~tep 112, which includes
the product description, manufacturer logo, and coupon value.
The present date is determined, step 114, and the expiration
date to be printed on the coupon is then selected, ~tep 116.
In one construction, the coupon is valid for the date of
issuance only in which case the present date is printed as the
expiration date. The format, expiration date and
identification code for that shopper are then printed onto a
blank coupon, step 118.
While the coupon dispensing system has been described as a
dispenser of manufacturers' coupons, this is not a limitation
of the invention. Promotional programs such as refund offers,
sweepstakes and surveys may also be conducted by placing the
appropriate images on the touchboard. The term coupon is
intended to encompass any promotional program deliverable
through a machine. Restricted distribution of the coupon is
ensured by qualifying the consumer before the coupon is issued
for a product. The term product includes services such as
airlines and hotels. Moreover, in other constructions, the
product selection areas can be activated by the consumer
through toggle switches or light pens.
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Although specific features of the invention are
shown in some drawings and not others, this is ~or
convenisnce only a~ each feature may be oomblned with any
ox all of the other features in accordance with the
i nventi on.
- Other embodiment~ will oacur to those skilled in the
art.
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