Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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INTERACTIVE MARKETING NETWORK AND PROCESS USING ELECTRONIC
CERTIFICATES
Related Agvlications
This application is a PCT application which claims
priority from U.S. Serial No. 09/073,334, filed May 6, 1998,
which is a Continuation-In-Part of United States patent
application Serial No. 08/507,693 filed July 25, 1995, now
United States Patent No. 5,761,648.
~Backgroupd of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the use of an
interactive marketing network. More specifically, the present
invention relates to the interactive use by service providers
and consumers of electronic certificates over online networks.
Increasingly, consumers are gaining direct access to data
bases for information and entertainment, whether through phone
lines and coaxial cable or by wireless connections from cell
systems and satellites. With this so-called "online" access,
consumers can use data bases for a range of activities at
virtually any time. Besides granting freedom to the consumer,
online access gives added efficiencies to companies
merchandising products and services, whether those products are
sold directly to the consumer by mail or in a store.
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At the same time, various types of transactions are
currently consummated using certificates such as coupons,
tickets, etc. These certificates typically contain data
(referred to as "transaction data") describing the particular
transaction (e. g., in the case of a coupon, the transaction data
would include a product description, the coupon amount, and the
expiration date). These certificates also typically contain
data (referred to as "identification data") such as various
numbers, letters, barcodes or other symbols sufficient to
uniquely identify each certificate. The need arises for
creation of an online "electronic certificate" that can be used
for promotional or transactional purposes, much as coupons have
been used in such traditional marketing vehicles as newspapers
and mail packs. Beyond offering a discount as an incentive to
buy a featured product, the coupon is also currency, printed in
quantities limited by the issuer and often carrying unique
serial numbers, expiration dates and "source codes" which
indicate the means by which it was distributed (e. g. newspaper,
mail list, in-store dispenser, etc.), so issuers can track the
effectiveness of each marketing medium.
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Known coupon dispensing systems fail to interactively
communicate between a service center and a third party, as
pointed out in U.S. Patent No..5,303,197 to Axler. While the
Axler patent permits an operator to periodically "visit" a
dispensing machine, this does not allow "real time"
interactivity (e. g., it does not permit the operator to access
and analyze demographical data contemporaneous with its input).
Nor does Axler (or any other known prior art systems) envision
the creation of an online "electronic certificate," as will be
described below.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a method and system, which can successfully emulate the
attributes of a coupon over an online network so that an
"electronic coupon" or "EC" is created. Such a system would
allow EC issuers to interactively communicate and transact with
remote users/consumers.
Another object of the present invention is to reduce the
expense associated with the creation of a data base of
consumer/user information as is incurred with conventional
targeted mail systems, by providing a system in which issuer
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systems share a user data base, while also sharing the cost of
creating that data base.
The present invention further enables the issuer to
efficiently act on the information provided by the data base.
As a result, for example, issuers can target 25$-off ECs
exclusively to those who have not previously responded to 20~-
off ECs.
S~~~A~"y of the hlVeIltlOI1
These and other objects are accomplished by the present
invention, which overcomes the disadvantages of conventional
marketing network systems, while providing new unique advantages
to a marketing network system.
The present invention provides a data processing system
and method which permits consumers to remotely access a data
base online and obtain and/or use electronic certificates or
"ECs". Direct access to consumers is provided, so that the ECs
of the present invention exceed the capabilities of traditional
coupons, thus giving EC issuers a greater degree of control in
targeting the offer, restricting its use and tracking both the
selection and redemption process. The controls of the data
processing system of the present invention also make it possible
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for service providers, such as restaurants and hotels, to use an
online ECs as a promotional means.
In one preferred embodiment, the data processing system
of the present invention identifies and marks each EC with a
number (which can be represented in a barcode) distinguishing it
from all other certificates. Coupon issuers can go online to
create the ECs and to specify controls that restrict the total
number of certificates issued as well as the number to be issued
to each individual.
The data processing system of the present invention also
preferably issues reports as soon as the consumers choose an EC
from the data base and have it downloaded to their resident
storage systems, such as remote computer terminals. Reports can
be generated that show whether the consumer had the certificate
printed with the consumer's printer or had it sent, as a
computer record, back to the service data base. All of these
reports can assist the issuer in research, security, and
confirmation of a purchase or reservation.
In another preferred embodiment, the data processing
system of the present invention can issue ECs created by an
operator, and permits the storing and retrieval of data
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pertaining to the EC entered by users of a communicating first
set of remote computer terminals. This embodiment includes a
service system including a first computer processor for
processing data and a first computer storage system for storing
data on a storage medium. Also included is an issuer system
including a second computer processor for processing data and a
second computer storage system for storing data on a storage
medium. The issuer system permits the operator to provide the
service system with instructions for issuing a predetermined
type and number of the ECs. The service system is in selective
electrical communication with both the issuer system and each of
the remote computer terminals. Preselected identification data
stored within either the first or the second computer storage
systems and useable by either the first or the second computer
processors is used to provide the first computer processor with
appropriate instructions for associating each of the issued ECs
with one or more identifying symbols. Users of the remote
computer terminals are then permitted to controllably access the
ECs.
A process for providing an interactive marketing system
capable of using ECs that can be accessed online by remote
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computer terminals linked within a computer network also forms
part of the present invention. In this embodiment, an online
network is provided including an issuing site having a first
computer processor and a first computer storage system, and a
service site having a second computer processor and a second
computer storage system. The issuing site and the service site
are in electrical communication, and the service site and each
of the remote computer terminals are also in electrical
communication. Instructions for issuing a predetermined number
of ECs are transmitted from the issuing site to the service
site, with each of the certificates including transaction data.
The service site, upon receiving these instructions, revises the
ECs by providing the issued ECs with unique identification data.
The revised ECs can then be accessed by users of the remote
computer terminals. Consumer data entered by the remote
computer terminal users can be provided to the service site, and
then selectively transmitted to the issuing site. Each of these
steps can be selectively repeated, as required.
In a further preferred embodiment of the present
invention, a process for selectively storing, retrieving and
transmitting reservation data is provided. A computer operating
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system is provided, including an issuing site with an issuing
computer having an initial set of reservation instructions, and
a service site with a service computer also having the initial
set of reservation instructions. The issuing and service
computers of the computer operating system are in electrical
communication. Next, updated reservation data is transmitted
from remote computer terminals electronically linked to the
service computer. The updated reservation data is used by the
service computer to revise the initial set of reservation
instructions, resulting in a revised set of reservation
instructions contained within the service computer. Now, data
pertaining to the revised set of reservation instructions is
transmitted from the service computer to the issuing computer.
The data pertaining to the reservation instructions can be
contained within the service computer in the form of an
electronic reservation coupon, which can be printed by the
remote computer terminal users. Again, these steps can be
selectively repeated, as required.
In its broadest embodiment, the system of the present
invention is used to create an EC. This system includes a
computer system that can process and store data. The computer
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system is capable of creating a plurality of ECs. The ECs
contain at least unique identification data, and may also
contain transaction date, which can be accessed by remote users
linked to the computer system.
Brief Description of the Drautiags
The novel features which are characteristic of the
present invention are set forth in the appended claims.
However, the invention's preferred embodiments, together with
further objects and attendant advantages, will be best
understood by reference to the following detailed description
taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGURE 1 depicts the flow of information in one preferred
embodiment of the present invention, which is a system for
delivering online coupons to consumers;
FIGURE 2 is a flowchart of a software routine for a
coupon issuer according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
FIGURE 3 is a flowchart of a software routine for the
online coupon service provider according to this embodiment;
FIGURE 4 is a flowchart of a software routine for the
consumer using the coupon service according to this embodiment;
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FIGURE 5 depicts the flow of information in an
alternative embodiment of the present invention, which provides
restaurant reservations;
FIGURE 6 is a flowchart of a software routine for the
embodiment of FIGURE 5;
FIGURE 7 is a flowchart of a software routine for the
reservation service provider according to this embodiment:
FIGURE 8 is a flowchart of a software routine for the
consumer using the reservation service; and
FIGURE 9 is a schematic view showing the "triangular"
electronic communication scheme for using ECs of the present
invention.
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Detailed Description of Preferred Embo~la.ments
The present invention will shortly be described by
reference to specific embodiments. However, in its broadest
form, the invention is most advantageously implemented using a
"triangular" scheme (FIGURE 9) in which a number of issuers
(e. g., retailers) maintain selective or continuous electronic
communication with a service system, while a number of remote
users (e. g., consumers using personal computers) can selectively
access the service system "online" in real time either by using
a direct telephonic hook-up or via the Internet or other
communication media.
In a preferred embodiment, issuers create, modify or
cancel offers ("offer entry") from their own facilities. This
may be accomplished using the issuer's own computers and special
offer entry software in such well-known application formats as
Visual Basic. The issuer offer entry software can also be made
available in an HTML format so that it is accessible by the
issuer's computer through the Internet or other electronic
network. If the former, the system provides a way for the
issuer to first create and proof the offers "off-line" and then,
through a direct electronic hook-up, to synchronize the offers
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from the issuer system with the service system. If the issuer
system is Internet-based, the service system provides unique
access to a special site where offers may be proofed online and
then synchronized with the service system.
The issuer system converts offers into tables of
transactional information and target instructions. The latter
indicate which remote users are suitable for viewing the offer.
A table is also created for each remote user, which contains
such information provided during registration (e. g., address,
gender, etc.), and is also continually updated with information
about the remote user's activities on the service system (e. g.,
offers that have been downloaded or "clipped"). Each time the
remote user accesses the service system, the database creates an
updated table for the remote user that is then compared with the
various target tables for the offers that are active at the time
of access. The remote user may then view and otherwise access
all the offers allowed to that user by the target tables.
Unlike previous systems, the databases) of transactions
or offers maintained by the service system is a compilation of
such information provided by all of the participating issuer
systems. In this manner, important cost efficiencies are
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provided for the service system, since all of the issuer systems
are effectively sharing in the cost of creating a huge
collective database.
An important benefit of the present invention is the
ability it imparts to both issuers and remote users to
participate in a transaction (e. g., coupon delivery) on a "real
time" and interactive basis. Thus, an issuer/advertiser can
create or modify offers nearly instantaneously, in reaction to
current events (e. g., competitive pressures, weather, regional
overstock, etc.), or can limit offers by changing offer
expiration dates or targeting the offer to limited zip codes or
demographic profiles.
The present invention allows the remote user the ability
to download an EC (e. g., coupons, reservation information, etc.)
and to either attach it to another file or to print out a
certificate as a reminder or coupon good for redemption at an
appropriate outlet (e. g., store, restaurant, travel agency,
ticket office, etc.). Each download is a transaction affixed
with a unique serial number. A record of that number is then
maintained in the remote user's table. If the issuer has
permitted only one download (i.e., coupon) per household, the
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process of downloading will update the remote user's table so
that the offer can no longer be viewed or accessed on the
service system.
The ECs may be printed using a printer associated with a
remote user's personal computer. In a preferred embodiment,
before the print-out can be made, the remote user must obtain a
special program from the service system. This program resides
on the remote user's computer operating system like other
software applications (e. g., Microsoft Word, Lotus 1-2-3). This
program becomes the repository for the downloaded indicia for
the EC. Using pre-installed templates, a graphic image is then
assembled which incorporates the indicia (including the unique
serial code for the transaction). The indicia are encrypted so
as to be illegible to any other program. Besides presenting the
remote user with the list of downloaded ECs, the program also
limits the remote user printer, so that it makes only one
"print" of each certificate. If the remote user is permitted
more than one certificate by the issuer, then the remote user
must download another certificate.
The printer program provides benefits to both the issuer
and remote user. It assures a quality print-out. The issuer
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has no need to display the actual graphic image of the
certificate on the remote user's computer screen (i.e., the
first time the user sees the actual coupon is when it emerges
from the printer). The issuer can then prevent the remote user
from altering the offer on the user's computer screen with cut-
and-paste computer graphics programs. The program prints the
unique serial code on the certificate so that it can be tracked
back to the specific remote user who had downloaded it. The
program can also personalize the certificate by printing out the
remote user's name.
Parallel processing and load balancing may also be
provided to improve capacity and response time. The service
system's ability to process a larger number of shopper requests
concurrently can be accomplished by loosely coupling several
computers to provide the visual interface screens to the
shopper. A single computer selects one computer from a pool of
computers to conduct the shopper's entire session of
transactions with the service system. This computer, designated
as the "rotor", can use a variety of selection techniques,
including the simple technique of "round robin", to determine
which pool computer to use to handle the shopper's session.
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The point of Internet referral to the service system may
also be used to target remote users. As a result, remote users
who go first to an issuer's own Internet site may have their
table marked when they next go to the service system, so that
whenever they return to the service system, they view "exclusive
offers" that other remote users will not see. This may be a way
to reward frequent customers or special segments of customers.
The issuer system of the present invention can also
customize what is printed on the coupon to include information
that is customized to the remote user's profile table (e.g., the
address of the issuer's outlets nearest to the remote user's zip
code, such as a designated airport of embarkation to qualify for
a special airfare discount).
The service system of the present invention can also
increase the impact of offers by automatically generating
prompts that alert the remote user through the electronic
network via electronic mail or "E-mail". These alerts may be
enabled by the remote user through the creation of a shopping
list requesting alerts for certain categories of offers or
specific issuers. Alerts may also be generated by the issuer
system during offer creation.
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During offer creation, the issuer system may also
designate a specific series of unique numbers that will be
attached to each EC download and appear on the print-out. These
numbers can then be matched against the issuer's own centralized
database when the certificate is presented for redemption. The
issuer database can both check the validity of the number and
then close the file for that number to preempt unauthorized
copying. Thus, the system provides a higher degree of security
for certificates that bear greater liability for issuers than
most coupons (e. g., gift certificates or tickets). Distributing
these more valuable certificates through the Internet can yield
significant savings in the cost of printing, handling and
postage.
An outline of preferred Internal Process Logic for the
Service System of the present invention is described below.
Experience has shown that a relational database employing
the SQL database language can meet the demands of the service
system described above. The following algorithms have been found
to facilitate the necessary targeting functions.
The database contains tables whose rows represent an instance
of the following types of objects:
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Shopper -- one row for each registered shopper
Offer -- one row for each promotional offer created by the
issuer system
Target -- one row for each target specification created by
the issuer system. This record specifies what type of attribute
specifications the target must match (e. g., geography,
demographics, or shopping preferences).
Target Demographics -- one row for each target that specifies
targeting by selective demographics
Target Geography -- One or more rows for each target which
specifies targeting by a specific geographical region. Each
target which does this would have one row in this table for each
unique geographical code specified by the target (e. g., area
code and zip code for US targets; other types of targets are
possible - e.g. dominant market area, region, state, province,
county, etc.).
Target Preferences -- One or more rows for each target which
specifies targeting by a shopping preference. Each target that
does this would have one row in this table for each unique
product category code specified by the target. These category
codes can be used to target shoppers that have either clipped
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EC's of a particular category of merchandise or service, or have
indicated via a personal interest list ("shopping list") that
they would like to receive promotions of a specific category.
Offer Target -- Typically, each offer is linked to a specific
target using a single row in this table. The implementation,
however, allows a single offer to be shown to various sets of
shoppers by associating it with more than one target.
Coupon -- A row is created in this table for each EC that is
transmitted to a shopper.
Records in the offer and target tables and the related
target tables are created by transferring similar records from a
private database in the issuer system into the database of the
service system.
Creating a promotional offer in the service system requires
that a target specification first be created in the service
system database. Once a target is created, one or more
promotional offers can reference that target specification as
their offers.
Creating a target is accomplished by creating a record in
the target table, along with one or more rows in the
TargetDemographics, TargetGeography, and/or TargetCategories
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tables. A built-in target called "All Shoppers" is created when
the service system is initialized, which allows a promotion to
be targeted at all shoppers in the database.
Offers and targets in the service system database can be
created, modified, or removed at any time by actions of the
issuer system. At any instant in time, shoppers using the
service system will see the offers that are currently targeted
at them, based on their personal attributes and clipping
histories matching the specification of an offer's associated
target.
The service system performs the following actions on behalf
of the shoppers that it serves:
(1) Shoppers can register with the service system by
filling out a form that contains their demographic and
geographic information. When the registration form is received,
a record of the shopper's attributes is made in the Shopper
table. The shopper is given a shopper identification number by
which he or she can return to use the service system at any
later point in time.
(2) Shoppers can indicate by filling out a form on the
service system that they have an interest in specific categories
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of merchandise or services. This information is stored in a
ShoppingList table, indexed by the shopper's identification
number.
(3) When a shopper completes registration, or when they
return to use the service system at a later date, they begin a
"usage session" with the service system. If they are returning
at a later date, they must identify themselves by presenting
their shopper identification number to the service system. The
service system then performs a search on the database tables
using the SQL language, to determine what types of promotional
offers are targeted to them. The results of this query are used
by the service system to determine what types of visual control
buttons each unique shopper should see. Visual control buttons
that request lists of promotional offers of a type not targeted
to the shopper will not be seen by the shopper, thus reducing
shopper frustration at encountering buttons which yield no
targeted offers. Also, certain specially highlighted offers are
also selectively shown to the shopper, depending on whether
those offers are targeted at the shopper's attributes
(demographical, geographical, or categorical).
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(4) The shopper's identity and session state
information are kept in a per-session file, and are maintained
by the service system as the shopper moves from page to page of
the visual interface of the service system.
(5) As the shopper uses various visual controls to
query the service system to display various types of offers, the
following steps are performed to locate promotions to display to
the shopper:
(A) The Target table is searched to determine what
targets apply to the shopper.
(B) The OfferTarget table is searched to
determine what offers apply to these targets.
(C) The Offer table is searched to locate offers
applying to these targets which are not
expired, and are in an "enabled" state.
(D) The Coupon table is searched next to ensure
that the shopper has not already clipped the
maximum number of EC's that the limitation of
the offer permits.
The offers that meet all of these filtering criteria are
then displayed to the shopper in a list. Each offer in the list
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is shown with a visual control marked "clip" that enables the
shopper to request the transmission of an EC for that offer to
be transmitted to their computer for eventual printing as a
coupon or other type of promotion or paper certificate.
Once the EC is transmitted, a record of that transmission
is made in the Coupon table. The visual interface screen of the
service system is then redrawn if the action of clipping the EC
has made the shopper no longer eligible to receive additional
EC's for that particular promotional offer, based on a per-
shopper quantity limitation of the offer.
Alternative embodiments of the present invention may also
be provided to handle special situations. For example, multiple
shopper households can be handled as follows. To create a
service which is better geared to the way that many households
shop for goods and services, the system described above may be
augmented by adding a table called "Household" to the database.
When a shopper registers, the shopper is asked to supply
information on both the residents of the household, and on each
potential user of the service system within the household. The
shoppers within a household are connected to the per-household
information via database table relations. One shopper within the
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household is designated as the household's primary shopper. The
target and offer lookup mechanisms have been augmented to show
the primary shopper any promotional offer that would be targeted
to any member of the household.
"Look-aside caching" may also be provided to improve
response time. With "look-aside caching", the service system
may maintain additional tables that remember which targets apply
to a particular shopper, or which coupons are and/or are not
eligible for further clipping by that shopper. These additional
tables allow the service system to make faster decisions about
what a shopper is permitted to see and/or to clip.
Further aspects of the preferred embodiment of the present
invention will now be described, with regard to a data
processing system and method for use in dispensing and using ECs
such as coupons over online systems. FIGURE 1 is an overview of
this preferred embodiment, showing how the information and
activities flow from creation of the EC to its selection and
printing by the consumer, and its ultimate redemption. The
process starts with a coupon issuer 1 who creates the coupon
instructions (which will typically include the transaction data)
and downloads them to a service data base 2 which receives the
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instructions and assigns the identification data and issue
restrictions. The service data base 2 can then display the
active coupon files to the consumer, and make the designated
amount available for downloading to the consumer's personal
computer (PC) 3 or other input device. The consumer's PC 3 may
download no more ECs than the number specified in the
instructions of the coupon issuer 1.
Anytime before a coupon file's expiration date, the
consumer may redeem it. Two redemption methods are shown in
FIGURE 1. First, the electronic coupon can be printed with a
printer attached to the consumer PC 3 or other input device.
Since files relating to the electronic coupon remain in the
storage device of the consumer's PC even after the consumer
signs off with the service data base 2, the consumer can quickly
disconnect from the online system, and print the coupon later,
at his/her leisure. Printed on the coupon 6 would be the
expiration date, a unique serial number (distinguishing that
coupon from all others) and a barcode with the personal
identification number (PIN) of the consumer. This
identification data is preferably assigned by the service data
base 2; the PIN number can be pre-assigned to individual
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consumers when they register for the system. That printed
coupon can then be submitted during check-out from a
participating retail outlet and the stated credit would be
deducted from the consumer's bill.
In the second method of redeeming a coupon shown in FIGURE
1, consumer PC 2 transmits the selected coupon file 5 to a data
base 7 designated by the issuer, where it is stored with the
same information as the printed coupon. The check-out system at
the retail outlet 8 would then automatically activate the
discount if the consumer presented a store credit card or a
third-party credit card and purchased the designated product.
Preferably, the electronic transfer of the coupon from the
consumer PC to data base 7 can only be done on-line. (This
permits the service data base 2 to accurately track the coupon's
printing or presentation activity, as discussed below.)
While each EC may include both transaction data and
identification data, the ECs of the present invention need only
be provided with a single unique number (e. g., a barcode) while
still providing all of the advantages described here.
Information can also be passed back up through the system,
first to the service data base 2 and then on to the coupon
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issuer 1. Thus, information about the coupon files, the
specific transaction, consumer profiles or other demographic
information, for example ("consumer data") can be downloaded by
the consumer PC 3 and the coupon files can be sent to the
consumer's printer 4 or to an issuer data base 7. Redeemed
printed coupons 6 may also have their barcodes scanned by the
service to identify, for research purposes, the consumers who
used the coupons. For increased security, at check-out the
barcode could be compared to ensure that the consumer identity
corresponds with the barcode. Such information could also be
transmitted from a coupon file 5 that is redeemed automatically.
FIGURE 2 depicts an exemplary software routine which
enables the coupon issuer to download new coupon instructions,
change old instructions, or upload information on coupon use.
The routine begins 9 with dialing up the coupon service 10. To
access the system, the issuer first enters a login password 11
(at which time the use of a pre-assigned registration number can
be required). A main menu 12 is then displayed. Among the
choices is creating new coupon instructions, which starts with a
download of coupon templates 13 along with commands to set the
number of coupons to be issued (both in total and to each
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individual consumer) and commands to set expiration dates 14.
Commands can also be issued to limit coupon distribution by area
or by a consumer's household profile 15. These coupon
instructions are added to previously issued coupons. The issuer
can review these electronic coupons 16 and then modify
instructions as to (e. g.) numbers issued 17 or expiration dates
18. Previously issued coupons may also be deleted from the
system should the issuer decide to do so. (They may be
automatically deleted from the system following expiration.)
These changes are used to update the coupon instructions 19
resident in the service data base.
Issuers can also access the system for usage history 20 to
determine the remaining number of previously issued coupons.
Further, the issuer can upload reports 21 based on the number of
coupons selected 22, printed 23, and redeemed 24. Another
function of the software is to analyze use based on the shopping
habits and demographic characteristics of the user. This
consumer data can be contained in the household profile,
submitted by the consumer to register for the system and
periodically updated with additional questions and usage
history. An issuer can display information about those who have
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selected the issuers' coupons, breaking down use by such factors
as region and demographics 25. In addition, the issuer can
upload user reports 26 based on selection 27, print commands 28,
and redemption 29.
The service data base, as shown in FIGURE 3, is the bridge
between the coupon issuer 1 and the consumer 3, and permits the
flow of both incoming and outgoing information. First, over an
online network 33, the service receives the coupon instructions
19 sent by the coupon issuer 1. The service software takes the
instructions and assigns the requisite serial numbers 34 and
issue restrictions. These new or changed coupons are then sent
to update 35 the active service coupons 36 already in disk
storage for that issuer. These active service coupons are part
of the outgoing information sent to the consumer over the online
network 37. Consumer usage information goes back the other way
through the network 38. The service system takes usage
information 39 on selection and updates the number of active
services coupons remaining. Also incoming from the consumer is
household profile information 41. The service takes this
information and updates user reports 42 which are sent back
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through the network 44 to the issuer, completing the information
circuit.
FIGURE 4 displays the software routine for the consumer.
It starts 45 with a display of the main menu 46. The consumer
may display the coupons that have already been downloaded and
are resident on the consumer's PC 55. There are two methods by
which the consumer could activate the coupons 48. The first
would be to send the coupon file 49 to the consumer's printer.
Along the way, it is barcoded with the consumer's PIN 50, which
is accessed from the household profile data base 64. The
consumer's printer 4 then prints out the coupon 6. Upon
activation 48, a coupon could also be transmitted as a computer
file 51, back through the network 52, to a data base chosen by
the issuer. When coupons are activated 48, the consumer's
resident software removes the coupon file that has been printed
54, updating the data base of downloaded electronic coupons 55
and the resident coupon display 47. The system also
automatically removes expired coupon files that have yet to be
activated 56. Another function of the resident software is
displaying 52 and updating 63 the household profile 64 with
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information entered by the consumer in response to questions
submitted by the service.
To access a new selection of coupons, the consumer can dial
up the service data base 58, enter the PIN number 59, and view a
display of all active service coupons 60. These coupons can
then be selected and downloaded 61 to the consumer's PC. While
online, the consumer's software automatically sends back to the
service data base information on the consumer's selection and
printing history 57, as well as information on those downloaded
coupon files that have expired 56. It also sends back updated
information on the consumer's household profile 65.
A second embodiment of the present invention is directed to
a data processing system and method for use in automating
reservations over online systems for restaurants, hotels, or
other service establishments. FIGURE 5 is an overview showing
how the information and activities flow from the initial
assignment of the reservation by the restaurant, to its
selection by the consumer and the ultimate printing of a
confirmation slip by the consumer's printer.
The automated reservation process starts with the host
computer of the restaurant 66 which sets the number, time, and
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type of reservations available, and downloads those instructions
to the reservation service 67, which receives the instructions
and assigns the requisite confirmation numbers and issue
restrictions. The reservation service 67 can then display the
service's reservations to the consumer, and make them available
for access through the consumer's personal computer (PC) 68 or
other input device. Once the consumer chooses the restaurant,
time and type of reservation (i.e. for two, for four, etc.), the
data processing system immediately notifies the restaurant with
a description of the reservation, the name and telephone number
of the consumer and the confirmation number. This information
can be sent through the online computer network and also
preferably by a designated fax machine (which may be more
convenient for the restaurant's front-office staff than a
computer). The consumer can then use a printer 69 attached to
the consumer PC 68, or another input device, to print a
confirmation slip 70. The confirmation slip can have a
description of the reservation, the name and phone number of the
consumer and the confirmation number. This slip would be
presented to reception personnel upon the consumer's arrival at
the restaurant and corroborated with the information that had
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previously been sent to the restaurant through the system and
fax machine.
Feeding back up through the system, first to the service
data base 67, and then on to the restaurant 66, is information
about the reservations made by the consumer PC 68 and the
profile the consumer has submitted as part of the registration
process for the service ("consumer data"). This profile is
continually updated by the consumer, in response to additional
questions, and is also continually updated by the system, in
tracking the reservations the consumer has made.
FIGURE 6 depicts a software routine for the restaurant to
set aside reservations for the system, change old reservations,
and upload information on reservation use. The routine begins
71 with dialing up the reservation service 72. To access the
system, the restaurant first enters a login password 73. A main
menu 74 is then displayed. Among the choices is setting new
reservations 75. The type of reservation and number of
reservations is determined by setting available tables 76 (e. g.,
the number of tables available for seating two 78, four 77, and
six 79). Instructions also include setting the day and time for
the reservations 80. These reservation instructions can be
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added to previously issued, initial reservation instructions in
disk storage 81.
Still referring to FIGURE 6, the software can also be used
to change previously issued reservations. The restaurant can
review these electronic reservation "coupons" 82 and then modify
instructions on (e.g.) the numbers of tables available 83. In
this operation previously issued reservations could be deleted
from the system at the restaurant's option. The updated
reservation instructions 81 are then sent to the service data
base. The system can also be accessed by restaurants for usage
history 85 to view the names and phone numbers of those who have
made reservations 86, and to determine the number of remaining
reservations for a given hour 87. The restaurant can also
upload information 88 on those who have used the service to book
reservations at a particular location. A user profile could be
displayed 89 and a list of users could be displayed 93, or the
restaurant could print user reports 90, and create a hard copy
of the user profile 91 or user list 92.
The reservation service, as shown in FIGURE 7, is again the
bridge between the restaurant 66 and the consumer 68, and
handles both incoming and outgoing information. First, over an
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online network 94, the service receives the reservation
instructions 95 sent by the restaurant 66. The service software
takes the instructions and assigns the requisite confirmation
numbers to each reservation 96. These new or changed
reservations are then sent to update 97 the active service
reservations 98 already in disk storage for the restaurant.
These active service reservations are part of the outgoing
information sent to the consumer 68 over the online network 99.
Still referring to FIGURE 7, consumer usage information
also moves from the consumer's PC back to the restaurant through
the network 100. The service system takes the reservation made
by the consumer 102 and updates the number of active service
reservations remaining 103. This information is also used to
update the restaurant 104 through a transmission to the
restaurant fax machine 105 and through the computer network 106.
Also incoming from the consumer is user profile information 101
which is sent back to the restaurant through the computer
network 106.
FIGURE 8 displays the software routine for the consumer.
It starts 107 with a display of the main menu 108. The consumer
can dial up the service data base 109, enter the PIN number 110,
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and view a display of all active service reservations 111. A
reservation can then be selected and downloaded 112 to the
consumer's PC, where it is sent to the printer 113. Along the
way, the name and phone number of the consumer is taken from the
user profile information storage 117 and added 114 to print
instructions for the confirmation slip 116. A printer attached
to the consumer PC can be used to print 115 the confirmation
slip 116.
While online, the consumer's software sends back to the
service information on the consumer's reservation 119 to update
the remaining service reservations. The reservation also
updates the consumer's user profile 117. The updated user
profile information is also automatically sent back to the
service while the consumer is online 120. The consumer can
display the user profile 121 and update the profile 122 with
answers to questions prompted to the consumer both during and
after the registration process.
It can be appreciated that the present invention can be
designed for use with various online software, including
American Online~, Prodigy~ and Microsoft.
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It will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art
that various changes and modifications can be made to the
illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit of the
present invention. For example, while the preferred embodiments
describe particular types of ECs (coupons and reservation
slips), various other types of ECs can be used by systems
designed according to the present invention, including
certificates used as proof of a gift, award or payment, and
virtually any other types of certificates or vouchers. As
another example, while the service data base 2 will typically
assign identification data to the EC, this data could be
transmitted and assigned together with the transaction data by
the coupon issuer 1, or even by a third remote site. Also,
rather than utilizing separate issuer and service computers,
they could be consolidated into a single computer for particular
applications. Further, use could be made of multiple issuer
computers, multiple service computers, or combinations of the
same, given a particular application. Still further, while the
preferred embodiments have described users with "remote computer
terminals" that consist of personal computers, users might
access the marketing network of the present invention through
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various other accessing media, such as phone lines, televisions,
or individual access stations dedicated for the use and
dispensing of various certificates (much like cash machines are
used today). These other accessing media would include
appropriate software and hardware permitting interactive
capabilities with remote computers, similar to that described in
the preferred embodiments utilizing the personal computers.
These and other modifications and changes within the spirit and
scope of the present invention are intended to be covered by the
appended claims.
A computer program listing for implementation of the
present invention is set forth is the accompanying Appendix A.
The seven modules or volumes contained in this source code
listing represent the functionality of a commercial
implementation of the present invention, except for certain
encryption routines for the prevention of tampering with the
computer program. The features of such encryption routines are
separate from the focus of the present invention and are known
by those of ordinary skill in the art.
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