Method and apparatus for selective distribution of discount coupons based on prior customer behavior

Claim 1

A system, comprising: (a) one or more terminals at customer checkout locations, each one of said one or more terminals having means for reading product codes on product items in a customer order; (b) item record file means for storing price and product identification information for each product item; (c) a store controller with which said one or more terminals can communicate, said store controller in communication with said item record file; (d) means for storing the terms and conditions of discount deals for which a customer may qualify; (e) means for uniquely identifying the customer based upon a scannable identification card; (f) means for identifying triggering products in the customer's order; (g) customer purchase file means for storing data pertaining to the customer's purchase of triggering products, for use in determining whether present and future coupon deals should be effective; (h) means for automatically generating data defining a discount coupon if conditions of a discount deal have been met by the customer, said conditions including whether a triggering product that was previously purchased by the customer was purchased in a time period that spans a specified time prior to the present time of purchase by the customer; and (i) means for printing the discount coupon for immediate distribution to the customer while the customer is still at one of the checkout locations; (j) a remote host computer for processing data and generating reports; (k) a remote database for storing data, said remote database in communication with said remote host computer; (l) means for placing said remote host computer in communication with said store controller for transmitting data captured at said terminals to said remote host computer; (m) said store controller comprising means for performing a filter process for determining selected customer purchase data; (n) filter log file means for collecting and storing said selected customer purchase data, and collecting and storing credit provider authorization time-out data, said time-out data comprising an amount of time-outs received during electronic tendering transactions, each tendering transaction involving an electronic request for authorization for credit from a credit provider, and system test data, said system test data comprising a log of events including loop error events, terminal reload events, price changes at the terminal and item-not-on-file events; and (o) means for selectively deactivating said means for performing a filter process.

Claim 2

A system, comprising: (a) one or more terminals at customer checkout locations, each one of said one or more terminals having means for reading product codes on product items in a customer order; (b) item record file means for storing price and product identification information for each product item; (c) a store controller with which said one or more terminals can communicate, said store controller in communication with said item record file; (d) means for storing the terms and conditions of discount deals for which a customer may qualify; (e) means for uniquely identifying the customer based upon a scannable identification card; (f) means for identifying triggering products in the customer's order; (g) customer purchase file means for storing data pertaining to the customer's purchase of triggering products, for use in determining whether present and future coupon deals should be effective; (h) means for automatically generating data defining a discount coupon if conditions of a discount deal have been met by the customer, said conditions including whether a triggering product that was previously purchased by the customer was purchased in a time period that spans a specified time prior to the present time of purchase by the customer; and (i) means for printing the discount coupon for immediate distribution to the customer while the customer is still at one of the checkout locations; (j) a remote host computer for processing data and generating reports; (k) a remote database for storing data, said remote database in communication with said remote host computer; (l) means for placing said remote host computer in communication with said store controller for transmitting data captured at said terminals to said remote host computer; (m) said store controller comprising means for performing a filter process for determining selected customer purchase data; (n) filter log file means for collecting and storing said selected customer purchase data, and collecting and storing credit provider authorization time-out data, said time-out data comprising an amount of time-outs received during electronic tendering transactions, each tendering transaction involving an electronic request for authorization for credit from a credit provider, and system test data, said system test data comprising a log of events including loop error events, terminal reload events, price changes at the terminal and item-not-on-file events; and (o) means for selectively deactivating said means for performing a filter process.