Data processing: financial – business practice – management – or co – Automated electrical financial or business practice or... – Discount or incentive
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-12
2001-10-02
Stamber, Eric W. (Department: 2162)
Data processing: financial, business practice, management, or co
Automated electrical financial or business practice or...
Discount or incentive
C705S026640
Reexamination Certificate
active
06298329
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for generating coupons.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Point-of-sale (“POS”) terminals, such as cash registers, are used in a wide variety of businesses for performing such processes as calculating the total price of a purchase (goods or services) and calculating the amount of change due to a customer. In addition, POS terminals may also be used to read and process coupons used by a customer. Some POS terminals are further able to print coupons for customers.
Businesses typically offer coupons to customers in an attempt to promote many objectives. One such objective is to entice customers to visit the business. Coupons may further entice customers to visit the business more frequently. For example, a coupon may have an expiration date, and so the customer must use the coupon before that date or not at all. Businesses may also promote certain items by offering coupons which provide a discount only when those items are included in a purchase.
Offering higher-value coupons to customers typically allows a business to more effectively promote their objectives, such as customer retention. However, the redemption of higher-value coupons typically reduces the profit gained by the business.
It would be advantageous to provide a method and apparatus for generating coupons that allowed a business to more effectively promote its various objectives.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for generating coupons that allowed a business to more effectively promote its various objectives.
In accordance with the present invention, a POS terminal generates a purchase price of a purchase, and generates a rounded price. The rounded price may be, for example, the lowest whole number greater than the purchase price. The POS terminal then calculates a round-up amount (change due the customer) as the difference between the purchase price and the rounded price. The coupon value is set based on the round-up amount. For example, the coupon may be redeemable for triple the amount of change due. The POS terminal prints on the coupon an identifier, such as a bar code, that is based on the coupon value. The bar code allows the coupon to be read by a POS terminal when the coupon is redeemed.
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Alderucci Dean
Van Luchene Andrew S.
Walker Jay S.
Alderucci Dean P.
Myhre James W.
Stamber Eric W.
Walker Digital, LLC
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