POS Advertising System, Method, and Computer Program Product

Abstract

An apparatus, method, system, and computer-program product for producing valuable POS indicia that provides value to both the customer and to the establishment. The apparatus includes a Point-Of-Sale (POS) system for generating a receipt of a commercial transaction at a location of the commercial transaction; a POS receipt module, coupled to the POS system, for signaling to a process that the receipt is to be printed, the module submitting a set of POS data to the process to request a responsive advertising content from the process wherein the set of POS data includes a geographic identifier component of the location; an advertising system for supporting the process, the advertising system responsive to the set of POS data, to provide the responsive advertising content to the POS-resident receipt module wherein the responsive advertising content includes a time and location sensitive individualized advertising message responsive to the geographic identifier component and to a time-of-day of the commercial transaction; wherein the POS-resident receipt module incorporates the responsive advertising content into the receipt provided to a customer associated with the commercial transaction. The method includes processes for the manufacture, assembly and use of the disclosed system, with the computer program product including machine-executable instructions for carrying out the disclosed methods.

1 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a Point-Of-Sale (POS) system for generating a receipt of a commercial transaction at a location of said commercial transaction;    a POS receipt module, coupled to said POS system, for signaling to a process that said receipt is to be printed, said module submitting a set of POS data to said process to request a responsive advertising content from said process wherein said set of POS data includes an identifier component of said location;    an advertising system for supporting said process, said advertising system responsive to said set of POS data, to provide said responsive advertising content to said POS receipt module wherein said responsive advertising content includes a localized limited individualized advertising message responsive to said identifier component said commercial transaction;    wherein said POS receipt module incorporates said responsive advertising content into said receipt provided to a customer associated with said commercial transaction.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said identifier includes transaction identification data, wherein said localized limited individualized advertising message is a transaction sensitive message responsive to a transaction attribute.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said transaction identification data includes geographic identification data and wherein said transaction sensitive message includes a time and location sensitive message and said transaction attribute includes a time of day and said geographic identification data.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said time and location sensitive individualized advertising message identifies a different commercial entity from a commercial entity completing said commercial transaction with said customer, said different commercial entity at a second location remote from said location of said commercial activity wherein said different commercial entity offers a second commercial transaction to a bearer of said receipt, said offer for said second commercial transaction expiring with a predetermined time limit.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said time limit is less than twenty-four hours from said time-of-day of said commercial transaction.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said commercial entity is a food service establishment and wherein said commercial transaction includes payment for provision of a set of one or more food items and wherein said second commercial transaction includes participation by said customer in a primarily non-food related activity.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said primarily non-food related activity sponsored by said second commercial entity includes attendance at an entertainment venue at said second location.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said time and location sensitive individualized advertising message identifies a commercial entity completing said commercial transaction with said customer wherein said commercial entity offers a second commercial transaction to a bearer of said receipt, said offer for said second commercial transaction expiring with a predetermined time limit.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said POS receipt module is integrated into and resident with said POS system.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said transaction identification data includes a time of day of said commercial transaction and wherein said transaction sensitive message is a time sensitive message responsive to said time of day.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said transaction identification data includes a geographic location of said commercial transaction and wherein said transaction sensitive message is a geographic sensitive message responsive to said geographic location.  
     
     
         12 . A method, the method comprising: 
 a) initiating a point-of-sale (POS) receipt for a customer of a commercial entity completing a commercial transaction including a transaction sensitive datum memorializing a first commercial activity between said commercial entity and said customer;    b) querying an advertising database using said transaction sensitive datum to retrieve a particular advertisement identifying a second commercial activity offer to said customer wherein said second commercial activity offer is localized to with said transaction sensitive datum; and    c) generating said POS receipt including said second commercial activity offer.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said transaction sensitive datum includes a time of day and a particular geographic location of said commercial transaction and said localized second commercial activity offer is limited in geographic extent and time duration responsive to said time of day and particular geographic location.  
     
     
         14 . A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium carrying program instructions for producing a point-of-sale (POS) receipt when executed using a computing system, the executed program instructions executing a method, the method comprising: 
 a) initiating a point-of-sale (POS) receipt for a customer of a commercial entity completing a commercial transaction including a transaction sensitive datum memorializing a first commercial activity between said commercial entity and said customer;    b) querying an advertising database using said transaction sensitive datum to retrieve a particular advertisement identifying a second commercial activity offer to said customer wherein said second commercial activity offer is localized to with said transaction sensitive datum; and    c) generating said POS receipt including said second commercial activity offer.    
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 14  wherein said transaction sensitive datum includes a time of day and a particular geographic location of said commercial transaction and said localized second commercial activity offer is limited in geographic extent and time duration responsive to said time of day and particular geographic location.