Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Wireless Sales Promotion System
)held of the Invention
The invention relates generally to systems for the discounting of products
with coupons.
Background of the Invention
The prior art is primarily focused on the discounting of products with
coupons. These coupons are intended to cause customers to go to the store to
purchase
products in which they may not normally be interested. This industry has
existed for over
100 years and is presently over a billion dollar in revenues. The cost of the
coupon system
operation is also very high and has many support participants providing
various services to
support the entire system. These participants service costs are printing of
the coupons,
retailers time in handling, clearing house services, re-reimbursement
operations, and more.
The system has been under fire by the manufacturers for many years, because of
the
systems inherently inefficient operations.
1 S Brief Description of the Drawings
The present invention will be better understood, and its numerous objects and
advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to
the following
detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the
following drawings,
in which:
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Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a retail system constructed in accordance
with the invention;
Fig. 2a is a flow diagram of a basic mufti-system constructed in accordance
with the invention;
Fig. 2b is a flow diagram of a complex mufti-system constructed in
accordance with the invention;
Fig. 3 is a flow diagram of a basic mufti-function system constructed in
accordance with the invention;
Fig 4 is a diagrammatic view of a dual receiver system site;
Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of a single receiver system site;
Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of a pager device for use in a dual receiver
system;
Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of a pager device for use in a single receiver
system;
15 Fig 8 is a diagrammatic view of a single mutiplexed receiver system site;
and
Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of pager device for use with a single
mutiplexed receiver.
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Detailed Description
This novel invention is a new means of stimulating customers to purchase
products while
at the store. The various support participants that are required in the
existing couponing
system have no function in this system. The removal of these system support
participants
make for a very simple and cost effective operation providing customer sales
stimulation.
This invention operates at the retailers premises and is able to be controlled
by the retailer.
The system is wireless and is capable of addressing the customer as an
individual, with
promotions focused to the specific customer. This means that the promotions
can be
tailored to the particular interests of each customer, and may be changed
instantly.
System Operation Summery
This new and novel sales stimulation system operates to make each of the
retailer's customers aware of sales and or opportunities that may be available
either from
the retailer or the manufacturer. This is the preferred operation and not
intended to be
limiting to only the process herein. The customer has obtained a wireless
device which may
be a pager. These pager devices are generally used to contact a person with a
message
which is displayed on a contained screen. In this invention the pager device
is used to
inform the customer of sales or any aspect of potential interest that may
cause the customer
to purchase a product or products. When the customer enters the retailers
premises the
customer places the pager device in front of a barcode scanner located near
the entrance
way. The barcode provides the customer identification to a computer system
potentially
located at the retailers site, as to who the customer is and that they are now
on the
premises. The receipt of this customer ID causes the computer system software
to locate
the customers account record. The customer has prior registration with a
membership
program, establishing a computer record used to track the customer and their
buying habits.
The buying habits of the customer may be used to determine what the retailer
desires to
offer the customer as a reward or promotion to purchase products. Once the
customer
record is accessed to determined a reward or promotion, this reward or
promotion is
transmitted from a local limited range in-house transmitter to that customers
pager device.
The pager device alerts the customer by an audible alarm or vibration. The
customer may
then view the transmitted reward or promotion information for consideration.
There may
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be many offers to the customer and they may be viewed by scrolling them on the
pager
device display.
Detail
When the customer enters the store they hold the pager in front of a barcode
reader. This barcode is the customers universal ID. The customer has a prior
registration
record which is compared against the scanned barcode. The tells the store
computer that
this particular customer has entered the store. The customer record may
contain any
information of interest, but contains at least a complete profile of a
customer. The store
computer then sends offers of interest to the customers pager, where they may
be viewed.
The customer may then select the promoted product and take it to the check-out
counter.
The customer may then scan the pager barcode or store card at the register and
receive
promotion credits towards those products. The resultant data acquired from the
customer
use of this system is accumulated on the computer that may be located on the
retailers
premises. New and novel data, heretofore not available, can be aggregated,
amalgamated,
and analyzed. It is also within the purview of this invention that questions
provided on the
pager device may be asked of the customer, pertaining to products, services,
etc., whose
answers may yield important and valuable information. The answers may be
entered on a
type of pager device equipped with appropriate data entry keypad or touch
screen or any
other method. In this instance the pager device will be of the two way
communications
type, which has recently become available in the market. The new type of
information for
example may address how long it took the customer to purchase the product
after being
paged with that promotion, how many additional products were also purchased,
how long
the customer stayed in the store, etc. This information has not been available
because no
such promotion system has existed before this new invention, capable of
providing
immediate communications on the premises. Presently, loudspeaker promotion
announcements to the general personage are used, but without follow-up or
correlation to
a specific customer with a specific individual promotion. This invention can
offer custom
promotions to specific customers, without the knowledge or participation of
any other
customer. This allows for "stimulus and response" studies with very carefully
designed
controlled structures. This system is simple and unobtrusive, and may be
operable in store
environments that would not be receptive to other promotion methods. For
example, the
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major department stores would not provide coupons in the various departments
as is done
in food markets. Food markets are seen as utilitarian and coupons offered in
this
environment are acceptable. In a department store such as Bloomingdales this
type of
display would be seen as denigrating the ambiance and quality or caliber of
product or store
presentation. Because of the personal manner in which this system may be
operated
customers may be addresses with "personal" attention, rather than en mass.
This new
approach to sales promotion may now be applied to all the various markets that
have
previously shied away from present methodologies.
Another consideration of operation is, while driving past various
establishments having limited range transmitters on the premises the pager may
alert the
driver as to that establishments promotion. An example: driving with-in range
of a Pizza
Hut may cause the drivers pager device to display the message "wouldn't you
like a pizza
right now --- your within 5 minutes of Pizza Hut --- take one home for dinner"
. There can
also be distinct levels of promotion acceptance so as to provide for the
blocking of
undesired types of promotions. An access for personal paging may be separate
from Pizza
Hut promotions, providing for blocking of promotions from fast food
establishments as you
drive past them.
This system design may be comprised of many different and distinct
hardware and software arrangements functioning to address unique requirements
and
environments. The first example (Fig 1) shows a simple arrangement of hardware
and
software operations. This example could be applied to a smaller sales
environment. The
second example (Fig 2a) is applied to a large sales environment comprised of
many stores.
A second large system example (Fig 2b) demonstrates another possible
arrangement.
A third example (Fig 3) may be comprised of a two way pager able to
receive promotions from the Internet. The consumer may connect to the
Internet, make
selections of products on the screen, answer questions, or interact in any
manner designed
to communicate information, and these activities may generate communications
to the
consumers pager device. When the consumer enters any store of choice the two
way pager
device may alert the computer potentially located on the store premises as to
which
consumer has arrived. The computer may then access the Internet in order to
retrieve the
specific store promotions available to this consumer. An alternate method may
be that the
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pager device may be triggered by any means upon entry to the store to
wirelessly
communicate with the Internet in order to retrieve this consumers promotions.
The store
may also offer additional promotions transmitting directly to the pager device
upon entry
to the store premises or by posting the promotionals on the Internet. Any
information
contained or retained with the pager device may be transferred to the computer
potentially
located on the store premises by radio frequency transmission, infrared
communications,
or by any other suitable means. The purpose of this information transfer is to
convey
information that may benefit the consumer, the store, and or the system
provider. The
system provider may desire to analyze the information derived from the pager
device use
and activities and sell the information or any other transaction to derive
value beyond the
direct functions and operations contained herein. Additionally, any reference
to the Internet
may pertain to any public access network. Internet users/consumers may also
utilize
incentive software on their computer and communicate the their information to
the retailer
by way of a public paging service. The incentive software provides promotions
that the
users/consumers may select and respond to any questions, and answering the
questions may
increase the incentive value. The answers may be carried to the retailer by
way of the
Internet or by way of the pager device. The incentive software may also be
used online on
the Internet, with incentives and answers being made available to the retailer
by way of
Internet access by the retailer. The store system of communications to the
pager device,
the Internet, and or any other network system may be considered to be a
private access
network. Additionally, many store private networks may be connected to
comprise a larger
network, and or with public networks.
Invention Description
This new and novel invention is a new means of stimulating customers to
purchase products while at a store. The various participants that are required
in the existing
couponing system have no function is this new system. The removal of these
support
participants make for a very simple and cost effective system providing for
customer sales
stimulation. This invention operates at the retailers premises, and is able to
be controlled
by the retailer. The system is wireless and is capable of addressing the
customer as an
individual, with promotions focused to each specific customer. This means that
the
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promotions can be tailored to the particular customers unique interests, and
be changed
immediately by the retailer, manufacturer, or anyone having access to the
system computer.
System Operation
This new and novel sales promotion system operates to make each customer
aware of sales or opportunities that may be available, either from the
retailer, manufacturer,
or any other source. This is the preferred operation and not intended to limit
operations to
only the process herein. In use, the customer obtains a wireless device which
may be
similar to a pager. Pager devices are generally used to contact a person with
a message
which is displayed on a contained screen. In this invention the pager is used
to inform the
customer of sales or any aspect of potential interest that may cause the
customer to purchase
a products) or service(s). When the customer enters the retailers premises,
passing sensors
capable of detecting codes) of the pager, the codes) are passed to these
sensors for use by
the system. These codes may be in the form of barcodes, and represent the
customers
identification, alerting the retailers computer system as to the specific
customer now on the
retailers premises. The receipt of this customer ID causes the computer system
software
to locate the customers account record. The customer has prior registration
with the
retailer, establishing a computer record used to track buying habits. The
buying habits of
the customer may be used to determine what the retailer decides to offer the
customer as
a reward or promotion to purchase products. Once the customer record is
accessed to
determine their reward or promotion, the reward or promotion is transmitted
from a local
limited range in-house transmitter to that customers pager. The pager alerts
the customer
by an audible alarm or vibration. The customer may then view the transmitted
information
for consideration. There may be many offers to the customer and they may be
viewed by
scrolling them on the pager display.
In summary, when the customer enters the store the customers ID code is
detected, in this case by an optical barcode reader. The ID may also be
detected by any
other means such as radio frequency detection. This tells the store computer
which
particular customer has entered the store. The store computer then sends
offers of interest
to the particular customer on their pager, where they may view the offers. The
customer
may then select promoted products) or services) and take them to the check-out
counter.
The customer may then scan the pager barcode or store member card at the
register and
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receive promotion credits towards those products. These credits may be
redeemed
immediately or at a later date. The resultant data acquired from the customers
use of this
system is accumulated on the computer storage system. Now new and novel data,
heretofore not available, can be aggregated, amalgamated, and analyzed. It is
also within
the purview of this invention that questions may be asked of the customer,
pertaining to
products, services, etc. , yielding important and valuable information.
Answers to questions
may be transmitted to the computer storage system. In this instance the pager
will be of the
two way communications type, which has recently become available. The new type
of
information, for example, may address how long it took the customer to
purchase the
product after being paged with that promotion, how many additional products
were also
purchased, how long the customer stayed in the store, etc. This information
has not been
available because no such promotion system has existed before this new
invention, capable
of providing patron tracking on the premises. It is true that promotion
announcements to
the general personage are used presently, but without follow-up or correlation
to a specific
customer with a specific individual promotion. That is, custom promotions can
be offered
to specific customers, without the participation of any other customer.
This new invention allows for "stimulus and response" studies with very
carefully designed structures and criteria. The system is simple and
unobtrusive, and may
be operable in store environments that would not be receptive to other
promotion methods.
For example, the major department stores would not provide coupons in the
various
departments as is done in food markets. Food markets are seen as utilitarian
and coupons
offered in the traditional manner are acceptable. In a department store such
as
Bloomingdales this type of activity would be seen as denigrating to the
ambiance and quality
or caliber of the stores presentation. Because of the personal manner in which
this system
may be operated, customers may be addresses with "personal" attention, rather
than en
mass. This new approach to sales promotion may now be applied to all the
various markets
that have previously shied away from traditional methodologies.
Another considered use of operation is where while driving past various
establishments having limited range transmitters on their premises, the pager
may be
signaled to alert the driver. ~n example: driving within range of a Pizza Hut
will cause the
drivers pager to display the message "wouldn't you like a pizza right now ---
your within
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200 feet of Pizza Hut --- take one home for dinner" . There can also be
distinct levels of
paging access, to provide blocking of undesired types of pages. An access
level for
"personal paging" may be separate from retail paging (Pizza Hut v.s. personal
messages)
allowing for the blocking of pages from many fast food establishments as you
drive past
them. All of the prior communications stated are site or local sorced signals.
The pager
device can receive communications from a standard provider such as "Skytel"
containing
personal messages simultaneously with site message signals, or without any
messages from
a local site.
The system design may be comprised of many different and distinct hardware
and software arrangements designed to address unique requirements and
environments. The
first example of Fig. 1 shows a flow diagram of a simple system. The patron
wearing this
pager device passes between a set of stanchions containing a transceiver,
represented by the
"ID QUERY" block, to Inquire the ID of the Pager Device, provided by the
Answer
function. This Inquiry transmission is received and recognized by the "PAGER
DEVICE"
block, as a request for the Pager Device ID code. After the stanchion receives
the Pager
Device Answer, the code (patron ID) is sent to the retailers computer,
"RETAILERS
COMPUTER" block, causing the computer to locate the patrons member record in a
member database stored in disk memory. When found, the computer sends that
patrons
record discount data to the transmitter, "RETAILER DISCOUNTS TRANSMITTER"
block. The discounts are transmitted to the patrons pager device, "PAGER
DEVICE
RECEIVER" block, for display. At the same time messages may be received from a
service provider, "STANDARD PROVIDER TRANSMITTER" block, by the PAGER
DEVICE transmitter. A button may be provided to facilitate the patrons
selection of
displaying either the discounts or the messages.
Another version of the system is depicted in Fig. 2. This system requires
the retailers receiver (located on the premises) to receive messages for the
patron that
originate from the standard provider. Just as in the prior system the ID
selects the patron
member record. The same ID is now used to receive any standard provider
messages for
that patron. When a message is received by the Retailers Receiver block the
message is
appended to the last set of discounts, as a further transmission. This causes
the pager
device to alert the patron to "messages" versus discounts with a distinct
alarm of some kind,
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possibly a light or sound. The messages may be viewed on the Pager Device
display by
way of pressing a display button, selecting either the discounts or messages.
Additionally,
the discounts and messages may be multiplexed together as described later in
this text.
Simultaneous Reception
S A very important aspect to this novel invention is that in order to receive
the
patrons personal messages and discounts, the Pager Device must simultaneously
receive the
retailers discount transmission and the standard service providers
transmissions of personal
messages. The following description addresses some of the potential methods
that this
invention may provide for the reception of two sources of transmitted
information(and a
third ID query) to be received by the Pager Device. There are three methods
presented in
this document but these are for example only and are not to be limiting to
just these
methods, any suitable method may be utilized to achieve similar results.
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTIONS
Dual Receiver System
A method, where the two data transmissions are received by two distinct
receiverswithin the Pager Device, as depicted in Fig. 3. The operational
system is depicted
by the of Fig. 1.
When the patron wearing this pager device passes between a set of stanchions
containing a transceiver, represented by the "ID QUERY" block of Fig. 1, an ID
Inquire
is transmitted to the RECEIVE SIGNAL RETAILER block to the Pager Devices
RETAILER RECEIVER & BUFFER block to the "ID QUERY DETECT" block of Fig.
3. This activates the pager device ID function of the "FIRMWARE" block,
sending the
pager ID code to the "ID TRANSMITTER" block of Fig. 3. This ID code Answer
transmission is received by receiver section of the transceiver, of the "ID
QUERY" block
of Fig. 1, contained within the stanchions.
After the stanchions receive the pager device ID (patron ID) code response
from the pager device, the ID code is sent to the retailers computer,
"RETAILERS
COMPUTER" block of Fig.l, causing the computer to locate the patrons member
record
in a member database stored in disk memory. When found the computer sends that
patrons
record discount data to the retailers transmitter site, RETAILER DISCOUNTS
TRANSMITTER block of Fig.l. The discount data is transmitted to the patrons
pager
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device "PAGER DEVICE" block of Fig.3, for reception by the pager device. The
retailers
discount data transmission at the "RECEIVE SIGNAL RETAILER" block of Fig. 3
enters
the receiver within the Pager Device, and is capable of receiving the
retailers transmissions
of the rewards and incentives at retailers "RECEIVER & BUFFER" block, for
display.
The signals from the "RECEIVE SIGNAL PROVIDER" block is accepted at the other
receiver provider "RECEIVER & BUFFER" block for processing of the standard
providers
transmissions, including personal messages, for display. This method may
require a switch
be employed in the "BUFFER SELECT" block of Fig. 3, providing for display of
either
receivers messages alternately. Other means of hardware and firmware may be
employed
to combine both receivers messages on to one display. This may incorporate
combining of
two receiver buffer memories into one with display of one set preceding the
other facilitated
by codes embedded within the messages. These codes may provide for the
firmwares use
of indexes to provide separation of the messages into two groups. These
methods of
separation are known by one skilled in the art and are for example only.
Separate Receiver System
A system depicted in Fig. 2 where the two data transmissions are received
by one distinct receiver systems on different frequencies, one is within the
pager device
(Fig. 4) and the other is at the retailers fixed site with the system member
and discount
computer. The receiver within the pager device is capable of receiving the
retailers
transmissions of rewards and incentives and appended messages, for separate
display. The
site receiver receives the standard providers transmissions of personal
messages, these
messages are stored in appropriate memory such as a hard disk. At an
appropriate time
(after ID request) the messages are "relayed" or retransmitted by a fixed site
transmitter (at
a different frequency than received) to the receiver within pager device.
When the patron wearing this pager device passes between a set of stanchions
containing
a transceiver, represented by the "ID QUERY" block of Fig. 2, to activate the
pager device
ID function. This transmission is received by "RECEIVED SIGNAL RETAILER, ID &
APPENDED PROVIDER MESSAGES" block of Fig. 4 and recognized by the
"RECEIVER & SMART BUFFER" block. The receiver sends the inquiry to the "ID
QUERY DETECT" block which triggers the "FIRMWARE" block to send the pager
device
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ID code to the "ID TRANSMITTER", to be transmitted to the stanchions
containing the
transceiver of Fig. 2.
After the stanchions receive the pager device ID (patron ID) code response
from the pager device the ID code is sent to the retailers computer,
"RETAILERS
COMPUTER" block of Fig. 2, causing the computer to locate the patrons member
record
in a member database stored in disk memory. When found the computer sends that
patrons
record discount data to the retailers site transmitter, "RETAILER DISCOUNTS
TRANSMITTER" block of Fig. 2. The patrons record discount data also has
provider
messages appended. The total data is transmitted to the patrons "Single
Receiver" type
Pager Device Fig. 4, for reception. As depicted in Fig.4, this transmitted
signal enters at
"RECEIVED SIGNAL RETAILER, ID & APPENDED PROVIDER MESSAGES" . The
signals enter the receiver "RECEIVER & SMART BUFFER" block. The term "SMART
BUFFER" pertains to a firmware managed buffer for recognizing the ID from the
discount
and message data, and is functional only during the request for ID code.
Single Mux Receiver
A method where the two data transmissions are received by one receiver
within the pager device as depicted by system operations Fig. S. This figure
is identical
to Fig. 2 except for the appended message transmission path between the
"RETAILER
DISCOUNTS TRANSMITTER" block and the "PAGER DEVICE" block. The receiver
within the pager device is capable of receiving retailers transmissions of the
rewards and
incentives and standard providers transmissions, including personal messages.
In this
method the pager device requires only one receiver but incorporates a "signal
de-
multiplexer" or decoder. This de-multiplexer separates two data sources that
were
combined at the point of transmission. There are many types of systems, some
called "stat-
mux", utilizing statical processing. These systems combine two separate data
messages into
a single transmitted signal source. Other methods are possible where two
transmissions on
the same transmission frequency are able to be discerned, and their individual
data
extracted.
This method of two signals being transmitted on a single frequency with
simultaneous reception is provided by Kintel Technologies Inc. Of Salinas CA.
Kintel can
separate the signals of two FM voice or data calls carried simultaneously in
the same
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channel, through a process they call power multiplexing. This method is very
cost effective
due to the Pager Device being very simple in design and requiring only one
receiver.
With proper approval from the licensed provider the pager device can utilize
their allotted
frequency channels to transmit and receive the ID query and discounts, all on
the same
pager device single channel.
Total Message Capability
The capabilities of the present patent are unique and comprehensive. The
Pager Device can receive two or more personal (standard provider) or discount
(local, store
provided) datum signals due to the circuit design, two or more receivers or
singular
MUXed receiver. In the basic design one channel is for the ID data, the second
channel
is for the Discount Data. These signals are provided by the local site system.
The third
channel is for the reception of personal messages from the standard service
provider
(Comcast, SkyPage). It is the intent of this invention to provide a paging
device capable
of receiving two or more signals simultaneously and being capable of
displaying this data
on a single display or multiple displays. This affords the standard service
provider's
messages to be uninterrupted by any other message signals being received by
the pager
device. This is of extreme importance in that the personnel messages may be of
an urgent
matter, such as those messages that a doctor might receive. This also applies
to the
discount data, the patron must not loose any of the opportunities that are
offered as part of
the service. It is also conceivable that security such as but not limited to
personal
identification number (PIN) codes or security devices providing authentication
of a user for
receipt of secure messages, or for approval of charges on purchases may be
transacted by
the pager device's transceiver capabilities. Any security means may be
provided, such as
a finger print reader may be incorporated to further address authentication of
financial or
other transactions. Such a forger print capability is available from various
sources such as
CardGuard International, Inc. and by Thomson CSF Semiconducteurs Specifiques,
and is
understood by one skilled in the art.
While the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to
specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that
modification and variations
may be made without departing from the principles of the invention as
described herein
above and set forth in the following claims.
