Electronic delivery of coupons to personal digital assistants

Abstract

An electronic or “virtual” coupon is obtained when a user selects a given link in a Web page being displayed on a client machine. Preferably, the link is an image link embedded in an advertising banner that is displayed on the Web page such that user click-through on the banner automatically generates the virtual coupon. The virtual coupon is then saved to a file on the client machine. Thereafter, the virtual coupon is downloaded to a PDA via a communication link when the PDA is synchronized to the desktop. When the virtual coupon is downloaded to the PDA, it is automatically saved in a coupon file. In addition, contact information associated with the coupon provider (e.g., address and e-mail information) is automatically written to the PDA contact file. Moreover, the coupon's expiration date is stored in PDA's calendar, together with information for generating one or more redemption remainders that are periodically issued to the PDA user when the device is powered on. When the user desires to redeem the coupon, he or she may take the PDA to a terminal located at a retail establishment. By synchronizing the PDA to the terminal, the virtual coupon is redeemed in exchange for a discount on a given product or service.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method of distributing coupons over a wireless network, comprising: 
 providing a database comprising a plurality of digital coupons, the digital coupons containing information;    serving at least one of the digital coupons over the wireless network to at least one user having a wireless computing device with a display;    storing at least a portion of the digital coupon information in the wireless computing device; and    displaying on the display of the at least one user's wireless computing device information extracted, at least in part, from the digital coupon information.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the wireless computing device is a wireless Personal Digital Assistant (“PDA”).  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the serving of the at least one digital coupon is performed in response to the selection of a link on a website.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the link is selected by the user of the at least one wireless computing device.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the link is selected using the at least one wireless computing device.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  and further comprising associating a given identifier with the at least one digital coupon before the at least one digital coupon is served upon the at least one user.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the given identifier is associated with the at least one user.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the given identifier is associated with a cookie associated with the at least one user.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the at least one digital coupon is a redeemable voucher and further comprising associating a given identifier with the at least one digital coupon before the at least one digital coupon is served upon the at least one user.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the information of the digital coupon is stored in an organizer within the wireless computing device.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein an expiration date for the digital coupon is stored in a calendar portion of the wireless computing device.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein vendor contact information for the digital coupon is stored in the contact portion of the wireless computing device.  
     
     
         13 . A computer-implemented method of distributing coupons over a network, comprising: 
 providing a database comprising a plurality of digital coupons, the digital coupons containing information;    associating given identifiers with given users;    associating one of the given identifiers with at least one digital coupon to be served on the user associated with that one of the given identifiers; and    serving the at least one digital coupon with its associated identifier upon the user associated with that identifier.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  and further comprising authenticating, when the at least one digital coupon is presented for redemption, that the user attempting to redeem the digital coupon is the same user with which the digital coupon is associated.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the digital coupon is a redeemable voucher.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the network is a wireless network.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the at least one digital coupon is served upon the user's portable computing device and wherein the user's portable computing device has a display upon which information extracted, at least in part, from digital coupon information from the digital coupons, is displayed.  
     
     
         18 . A computer implemented method of distributing electronic ticket vouchers over a network, comprising: 
 providing a database comprising a first set of data describing a schedule of events and a set of tickets corresponding to each of said events;    receiving a request from a wireless device through the network to purchase an electronic ticket voucher corresponding to an event wherein the request comprises customer data identifying the purchaser of the ticket;    transmitting an electronic ticket voucher to the wireless device over the network;    storing the customer data in a transaction database;    receiving a request from a computer terminal for verification of the electronic ticket voucher;    comparing the request for verification with the customer data in the transaction database;    generating a confirmation signal indicating an approval or denial of the verification request based upon the comparison with the customer data; and    transmitting a confirmation signal to the computer terminal.    
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18  wherein the wireless computing device is a wireless Personal Digital Assistant (“PDA”).  
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 18  wherein receiving a request to purchase an electronic ticket voucher is performed in response to the selection of a link on a website.  
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 20  wherein the link is selected by the user of the at least one wireless computing device.  
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 18  wherein the electronic ticket voucher includes display data suitable for displaying on the wireless device.  
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 18  wherein the electronic ticket voucher includes calendar data suitable for storing in the calendar of the wireless device.  
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 18  wherein the electronic ticket voucher includes contact data comprising name, address and telephone number data.  
     
     
         25 . A computer implemented method of distributing coupons over a network, comprising: 
 providing a database comprising a plurality of electronic coupons;    transmitting an electronic coupon to a wireless device over the network;    storing customer data corresponding to the recipient of the electronic coupon in a transaction database;    receiving a request from a retail computer terminal for verification of an electronic coupon;    comparing the request for verification with the corresponding customer data in the transaction database;    generating a confirmation signal indicating an approval or denial of the verification request based upon the comparison with the customer data; and    transmitting the confirmation signal to the retail computer terminal over the network.    
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 receiving a request for an electronic coupon from a wireless device.    
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 receiving a signal from a wireless device indicating that the wireless device has entered a geographical location; and    transmitting an electronic coupon corresponding to the geographical location to the wireless device over the network.    
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 25  wherein the wireless computing device is a wireless Personal Digital Assistant (“PDA”).  
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 25  wherein transmitting an electronic coupon is performed in response to the selection of a link on a website.  
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 29  wherein the link is selected by the user of a wireless computing device.  
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 25  wherein the electronic coupon includes display data suitable for displaying on the wireless device.  
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 25  wherein the electronic coupon includes calendar data suitable for storing in the calendar of the wireless device.  
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 32  wherein the calendar data corresponds to an expiration date for the electronic coupon.  
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 25  wherein the electronic coupon includes contact data comprising name, address and telephone number data.  
     
     
         35 . A computer system adapted to distribute electronic ticket vouchers over a wireless communications network, comprising: 
 a database comprising a first set of data describing a schedule of events and a set of tickets corresponding to each of said events;    a network interface adapted to connect the database to the wireless communications network;    a transaction database adapted for storing data corresponding to ticket transactions;    a computer readable medium encoded with instructions for performing the following actions: 
 a) receiving a request from a wireless device through the wireless communications network to purchase an electronic ticket voucher corresponding to an event wherein the request comprises customer data identifying the purchaser of the ticket;  
 b) retrieving an electronic ticket voucher from the database corresponding to the requested ticket;  
 c) transmitting the retrieved electronic ticket voucher over the wireless communications network to the wireless device;  
 d) storing the customer data in the transaction database;  
 e) receiving a request from a computer terminal for verification of the electronic ticket voucher;  
 g) comparing the request for verification with customer data in the transaction database;  
 h) generating a confirmation signal indicating an approval or denial of the verification request based upon the comparison with the customer data; and  
 i) transmitting the confirmation signal to the computer terminal.  
   
     
     
         36 . A computer system adapted to distribute coupons over a wireless communications network comprising: 
 a database comprising a plurality of electronic coupons;    a network interface adapted to connect the database to the wireless communications network;    a transaction database adapted for storing information about customers;    a computer readable medium encoded with instructions for performing the following actions: 
 a) transmitting an electronic coupon to a wireless device over the wireless communications network, wherein the electronic coupon further comprises verification data;  
 b) storing customer data corresponding to the recipient of the electronic coupon in a transaction database;  
 c) receiving a request from a retail computer terminal for verification of an electronic coupon;  
 d) comparing the request for verification with corresponding customer data in the transaction database;  
 e) generating a confirmation signal indicating an approval or denial of the verification request based upon the comparison with the customer data; and  
 f) transmitting the confirmation signal to the retail computer terminal.  
   
     
     
         37 . A computer system according to  claim 36 , wherein the computer readable medium further is further encoded with instructions for receiving a request for an electronic coupon from a wireless device through the wireless communications network.  
     
     
         38 . A computer system according to  claim 36 , wherein the computer readable medium is further encoded with instructions for: 
 receiving a signal from a wireless device indicating that the wireless device has entered a geographical location; and    transmitting an electronic coupon corresponding to the geographical location to a wireless device over the wireless communications network.    
     
     
         39 . A computer system according to  claim 36  wherein the wireless computing device is a wireless Personal Digital Assistant (“PDA”).