Method and apparatus for coupon management and redemption

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for the electronic management and redemption of coupons. The present invention provides for association of coupons with consumers and storage of the association in an electronic memory. The system further includes one or more periphery devices operable to communicate with said coupon card. The periphery devices receive purchase data from a cash register memory and compare to coupons stored in electronic memory to determine which coupons are redeemable. The system also includes a server computer connected to the periphery devices to collect redeemed coupon information from the periphery devices. A clearing house collects coupon redemption information from all servers in the system to create redemption reports.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method for managing electronic coupons, comprising:
 storing an association of the coupon to a portable consumer card in electronic memory; and   upon presentment of the portable consumer card to a point of sale periphery device:
 retrieving the coupon from the electronic memory; and 
 providing the consumer with the value associated with the coupon. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the electronic memory is integrated into the portable consumer card. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein associating a coupon with a portable consumer card comprises storing coupon redemption data on a server computer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprises upon redemption of a coupon, transmitting coupon redemption data from the point of sale periphery device to the server computer. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  further comprises generating a coupon redemption report. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the coupon redemption reports include information selected from the set total daily coupon redemption, total coupon redemption per manufacturer, total redemption sums per cash register, information on overrides, information on misredemptions. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the coupon redemption reports include time-based coupon redemption rates. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the server computer is programmed to transmit coupon redemption data to a clearinghouse. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising altering the value of a coupon after the coupon has been stored in the electronic memory. 
     
     
         11 . An electronic coupon management system, comprising:
 a portable consumer card;   an electronic memory for storing an association between a coupon and the portable consumer card; and   a point of sale device operable to identify the portable consumer card, to read the coupon from the portable consumer card, and to provide the value associated with the coupon to the consumer.   
     
     
         12 . The electronic coupon management system of  claim 11  wherein the electronic memory is integrated into the portable consumer card. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic coupon management system of  claim 11  further comprising
 an server computer connected to the point of sale device and having a database storing redemption data. 
 
     
     
         14 . The electronic coupon management system of  claim 13  wherein in conjunction with processing a coupon related transaction the point of sale device is programmed to transmit coupon redemption data to the server computer. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic coupon management system of  claim 13  wherein the server computer is programmed to generate coupon redemption reports. 
     
     
         16 . The electronic coupon management system of  claim 15  wherein the coupon redemption reports include information selected from the set total daily coupon redemption, total coupon redemption per manufacturer, total redemption sums per cash register, information on overrides, information on misredemptions. 
     
     
         17 . The electronic coupon management system of  claim 15  wherein the coupon redemption reports include time-based coupon redemption rates. 
     
     
         18 . The electronic coupon management system of  claim 13  wherein the server computer is programmed to transmit coupon redemption data to a clearinghouse. 
     
     
         19 . The electronic coupon management system of  claim 11  wherein the server computer is programmed to associate a value change for a coupon after the coupon has been stored in the electronic memory.