US2009018919A1PendingUtilityA1

System and Method for Tracking and Establishing a Progressive Discount Based Upon a Customer's Visits to a Retail Establishment

66
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Mar 27, 1998Filed: Jul 16, 2008Published: Jan 15, 2009
Est. expiryMar 27, 2018(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Jay S. WalkerAndrew S. Van LucheneMagdalena MikJohn Chuprevich
G06Q 30/0238G06Q 30/0601G06Q 20/105G06Q 30/0236G06Q 20/20G06Q 30/0211G06Q 30/00G06Q 30/0235G06Q 30/0226G06Q 30/0224
66
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
0
References
0
Claims

Abstract

Methods, computer readable media and apparatus are disclosed for determining and applying a discount for a customer. In some embodiments, the process includes receiving transaction data that represents a current transaction, receiving a customer identifier of a customer, determining a current transaction time and a last transaction time, determining that a duration between the last transaction time and the current transaction time equals or exceeds a predetermined time period, and determining that the current transaction is a first instance of the customer equaling or exceeding the predetermined time period. Since it was the first time the customer equaled or exceeded the predetermined time period, a discount is applied to the current transaction.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving transaction data that represents a current transaction;   receiving a customer identifier of a customer participating in the current transaction;   determining a current transaction time and a last transaction time associated with the customer;   determining that a duration between the last transaction time and the current transaction time equals or exceeds a predetermined time period;   determining that the current transaction comprises a first instance of the customer equaling or exceeding the predetermined time period;   determining a discount that was applied to the last transaction associated with the customer; and   applying the discount to the current transaction.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, prior to applying the discount:
 determining, based on the transaction data, that a value of the current transaction exceeds a predetermined dollar amount; and   increasing the discount by a predetermined amount.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, prior to applying the discount:
 determining, based on the transaction data, that a value of the current transaction is less than a predetermined dollar amount;   determining a penalty amount; and   decreasing the discount amount by the penalty amount.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , in which applying the discount further comprises:
 determining that the current transaction includes a purchase of a predetermined product; and   applying a discount amount to the predetermined product.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , in which applying the discount comprises providing a discount amount at a retail establishment. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , in which applying the discount comprises generating a coupon comprising a discount amount. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , in which applying the discount comprises at least one of decreasing a current transaction amount by a dollar amount, awarding frequent flyer miles, providing long distance call time, or providing a reward incentive. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving second transaction data that represents a transaction of the customer occurring after the current transaction;   determining that the second transaction equals or exceeds the predetermined time period when a second transaction time is measured from the current transaction time;   determining a penalty amount; and   applying the discount less the penalty amount to the second transaction.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the penalty amount resets the discount to zero. 
     
     
         10 . A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to:
 receive transaction data that represents a current transaction;   receive a customer identifier of a customer participating in the current transaction;   determine a current transaction time and a last transaction time associated with the customer;   determine that a duration between the last transaction time and the current transaction time equals or exceeds a predetermined time period;   determine that the current transaction comprises a first instance of the customer equaling or exceeding the predetermined time period;   determine a discount that was applied to the last transaction associated with the customer; and   apply the discount to the current transaction.   
     
     
         11 . The computer readable medium of  claim 10 , further comprising instructions configured to direct the processor to, prior to applying the discount:
 determine, based on the transaction data, that a value of the current transaction exceeds a predetermined dollar amount; and   increase the discount by a predetermined amount.   
     
     
         12 . The computer readable medium of  claim 10 , further comprising instructions configured to direct the processor to, prior to applying the discount:
 determine, based on the transaction data, that a value of the current transaction is less than a predetermined dollar amount;   determine a penalty amount; and   decrease the discount amount by the penalty amount.   
     
     
         13 . The computer readable medium of  claim 10 , in which the instructions for applying the discount further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to:
 determine that the current transaction includes a purchase of a predetermined product; and   apply a discount amount to the predetermined product.   
     
     
         14 . The computer readable medium of  claim 10 , in which the instructions for applying the discount further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to provide a discount amount at a retail establishment. 
     
     
         15 . The computer readable medium of  claim 10 , in which the instructions for applying the discount further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to generate a coupon comprising a discount amount. 
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium of  claim 10 , in which the instructions for applying the discount further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to at least one of decrease a current transaction amount by a dollar amount, award frequent flyer miles, provide long distance call time, or provide a reward incentive. 
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 10 , further comprising instructions configured to direct the processer to:
 receive second transaction data that represents a transaction of the customer occurring after the current transaction;   determine that the second transaction equals or exceeds the predetermined time period when a second transaction time is measured from the current transaction time;   determine a penalty amount; and   apply the discount less the penalty amount to the second transaction.   
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17 , in which the instructions for determining the penalty amount comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to calculate the penalty amount such that the discount is reset to zero. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor; and   a storage device operatively coupled to the processor, the storage device storing instructions configured to direct the processor to:
 receive transaction data that represents a current transaction; 
 receive a customer identifier of a customer participating in the current transaction; 
 determine a current transaction time and a last transaction time associated with the customer; 
 determine that a duration between the last transaction time and the current transaction time equals or exceeds a predetermined time period; 
 determine that the current transaction comprises a first instance of the customer equaling or exceeding the predetermined time period; 
 determine a discount that was applied to the last transaction associated with the customer; and 
 apply the discount to the current transaction. 
   
     
     
         20 . A method, comprising:
 receiving transaction data that represents a current transaction;   receiving a customer identifier of a customer participating in the current transaction;   determining, based on the customer identifier, a greatest transaction duration for the customer;   calculating a current transaction duration based on the current transaction data and last transaction data associated with a last transaction of the customer;   determining that the greatest transaction duration exceeds a predetermined time period;   determining that the current transaction duration is less than the predetermined time period;   determining a discount applied to the last transaction of the customer; and   applying the discount to the current transaction.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising, prior to applying the discount:
 determining that a value of the current transaction exceeds a predetermined dollar amount; and   increasing the discount by a predetermined amount.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising, prior to applying the discount:
 determining that a value of the current transaction is less than a predetermined dollar amount;   determining a penalty amount; and   decreasing the discount amount by the penalty amount.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , in which applying the discount further comprises:
 determining that the current transaction includes a purchase of a predetermined product; and   applying a discount amount to the predetermined product.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 determining that the date of occurrence of the greatest transaction duration exceeds a predetermined time period from a date of the current transaction; and   resetting the greatest transaction duration to equal the current transaction duration.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 determining that the date of occurrence of the greatest transaction duration exceeds a predetermined time period from a date of the current transaction; and   resetting the greatest transaction duration to equal the next longest transaction duration that occurred within the predetermined time period.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , in which applying the discount comprises providing a discount amount at a retail establishment. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20 , in which applying the discount comprises generating a coupon comprising a discount amount. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 20 , in which applying the discount comprises at least one of decreasing a current transaction amount by a dollar amount, awarding frequent flyer miles, providing long distance call time, or providing a reward incentive. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 receiving second transaction data that represents a second transaction of the customer occurring after the current transaction;   determining that the second transaction equals or exceeds the predetermined time period when a second transaction time is measured from the current transaction time;   determining a penalty amount; and   applying the discount less the penalty amount to the second transaction.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the penalty amount resets the discount to zero. 
     
     
         31 . A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to:
 receive transaction data that represents a current transaction;   receive a customer identifier of a customer participating in the current transaction;   determine, based on the customer identifier, a greatest transaction duration for the customer;   calculate a current transaction duration based on the current transaction data and last transaction data associated with a last transaction of the customer;   determine that the greatest transaction duration exceeds a predetermined time period;   determine that the current transaction duration is less than the predetermined time period;   determine a discount applied to the last transaction of the customer; and   apply the discount to the current transaction.   
     
     
         32 . The computer readable medium of  claim 31 , further comprising instructions configured to direct the processor to, prior to applying the discount:
 determine that a value of the current transaction exceeds a predetermined dollar amount; and   increase the discount by a predetermined amount.   
     
     
         33 . The computer readable medium of  claim 31 , further comprising instructions configured to direct the processor to, prior to applying the discount:
 determine that a value of the current transaction is less than a predetermined dollar amount;   determine a penalty amount; and   decrease the discount amount by the penalty amount.   
     
     
         34 . The computer readable medium of  claim 31 , in which the instructions for applying the discount further comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to:
 determine that the current transaction includes a purchase of a predetermined product; and   apply a discount amount to the predetermined product.   
     
     
         35 . The computer readable medium of  claim 31 , further comprising instructions configured to direct the processor to:
 determine that the date of occurrence of the greatest transaction duration exceeds a predetermined time period from a date of the current transaction; and   reset the greatest transaction duration to equal the current transaction duration.   
     
     
         36 . The computer readable medium of  claim 31 , further comprising instructions configured to direct the processor to:
 determine that the date of occurrence of the greatest transaction duration exceeds a predetermined time period from a date of the current transaction; and   reset the greatest transaction duration to equal the next longest transaction duration that occurred within the predetermined time period.   
     
     
         37 . The computer readable medium of  claim 31 , in which the instructions for applying the discount comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to provide a discount amount at a retail establishment. 
     
     
         38 . The computer readable medium of  claim 31 , in which the instructions for applying the discount comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to generate a coupon comprising a discount amount. 
     
     
         39 . The computer readable medium of  claim 31 , in which the instructions for applying the discount comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to at least one of decrease a current transaction amount by a dollar amount, award frequent flyer miles, provide long distance call time, or provide a reward incentive. 
     
     
         40 . The computer readable medium of  claim 31 , further comprising instructions configured to direct the processor to:
 receive second transaction data that represents a second transaction of the customer occurring after the current transaction;   determine that the second transaction equals or exceeds the predetermined time period when a second transaction time is measured from the current transaction time;   determine a penalty amount; and   apply the discount less the penalty amount to the second transaction.   
     
     
         41 . The computer readable medium of  claim 40 , in which the instructions for determining the penalty amount comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to calculate the penalty amount such that the discount is reset to zero. 
     
     
         42 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor; and   a storage device operatively coupled to the processor, the storage device storing instructions configured to direct the processor to:
 receive transaction data that represents a current transaction; 
 receive a customer identifier of a customer participating in the current transaction; 
 determine, based on the customer identifier, a greatest transaction duration for the customer; 
 calculate a current transaction duration based on the current transaction data and last transaction data associated with a last transaction of the customer; 
 determine that the greatest transaction duration exceeds a predetermined time period; 
 determine that the current transaction duration is less than the predetermined time period; 
 determine a discount applied to the last transaction of the customer; and 
 apply the discount to the current transaction.

Join the waitlist — get patent alerts

Track US2009018919A1 — get alerts on status changes and closely related new filings.

We store only your email — no account needed. See our privacy policy.