Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for dispensing discount coupons

US5612868A · kind A · utility

523Cited by
2References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 9, 1995
Grant dateMar 18, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 9, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG07G5/00
  • WIPO fieldIT methods for management
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A system for generating, in a retail store, a printable discount coupon image solely in response to a customer's action concerning the purchase of an item. The system includes at least one customer checkout terminal, a store controller, a file for storing the terms of at least one coupon deal in which a discount coupon image is generated upon the purchase of a triggering product. The system identifies the triggering product in the customer order, associates it with the coupon deal, and automatically generates data defining at least one discount coupon for a product, typically other than the triggering product, based on the details of the coupon deal, which are not communicated to the customer prior to processing the customer order.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.