Model-based promotion and price computation system and method
AssigneePhilip Morris USA Inc.
InventorWilliam R. Sweeney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for providing model-based promotion and price computation is described in which promotional offers in the form of promotion information from a manufacturer are combined with price determination parameters from the retailer to calculate a final retail price. The system prevents fraud by eliminating the heavy dependence on unverifiable trust between the retailer and manufacturer and by assuring that the consumer will receive the benefit of the promotions intended by the manufacturer.
Claims21
A method for monitoring a contractual agreement between a retailer and a manufacturer over a network via a processing device configured to execute a model-based promotion and price computation model, the method comprising:
- in a processor of the processing device
- monitoring, in real-time, a plurality of sales parameters and promotion information, the plurality of sales parameters associated with the retailer and received in real-time over the network, and the promotion information associated with the manufacturer;
- receiving, over the network and upon occurrence of a triggering event, a key for decrypting a data segment among a plurality of data segments, wherein a plurality of encrypted sales promotions are stored as the plurality of data segments;
- decrypting at least one of the plurality of encrypted sales promotions based on the triggering event and the key;
- and
- determining whether a current sales promotion identified in the promotion information should be implemented by comparing at least one of the plurality of sales parameters to a threshold, wherein the current sales promotion is included in the at least one of a plurality of encrypted sales promotions that are decrypted;
- in response to determining that the current sales promotion is to be implemented
- evaluating retailer parameters for implementing the current sales promotion and calculating, in real-time, an adjusted retail price of goods for the current sales promotion to be implemented based on the promotion information,
- transmitting the adjusted retail price of goods over the network for immediate price adjustment at the retailer, and
- auditing the plurality of sales parameters in real-time to determine whether the retailer has implemented the current sales promotion and whether the implementation is under manufacturer-specified criteria.
A processing device for monitoring a contractual agreement over a network, the processing device comprising:
- a communication interface for communicating information including pricing data associated with at least a retailer over the network;
- and
- a processor configured to
- monitor a plurality of real-time retail sales parameters and promotion information received via the communication interface,
- receive, upon occurrence of a triggering event, a key for decrypting a data segment from among a plurality of data segments, wherein a plurality of encrypted sales promotions are stored as the plurality of data segments,
- decrypt at least one of the plurality of encrypted sales promotions based on the triggering event and the key, and
- determine whether a current sales promotion should be implemented by comparing at least one of the plurality of real-time retail sales parameters to a threshold, wherein the current sales promotion is included in the at least one of the plurality of encrypted sales promotions that are decrypted;
- and
- in response to determining that the current sales promotion is to be implemented
- evaluate retailer parameters for implementing the current sales promotion and calculate an adjusted retail price of goods for the current sales promotion to be implemented in real-time based on at least one of the plurality of real-time retail sales parameters and based on the promotion information, and
- audit the current sales promotion based on the plurality of real-time retail sales parameters to determine whether the retailer has implemented the current sales promotion and whether the implementation is under manufacturer-specified criteria.
A non-transitory computer readable medium having recorded thereon program code for monitoring a contractual agreement over a network based on a model-based promotion and price computation model, wherein when the non-transitory computer readable medium is placed in communicable contact with a computing device the program code causes the computing device to execute a method comprising:
- monitoring, in real-time, a plurality of sales parameters and promotion information received, in real-time, over the network;
- receiving, upon occurrence of a triggering event, a key for decrypting a data segment among a plurality of data segments, wherein a plurality of encrypted sales promotions are stored as the plurality of data segments;
- and
- decrypting at least one of the plurality of encrypted sales promotions based on the triggering event and the key;
- determining whether a current sales promotion should be implemented by comparing at least one of the plurality of sales parameters to a threshold, wherein the current sales promotion is included in the at least one of the plurality of encrypted sales promotions that are decrypted;
- in response to determining that the current sales promotion is to be implemented
- evaluating retailer parameters for implementing the current sales promotion and calculating, in real-time, an adjusted retail price of goods for the current sales promotion to be implemented,
- transmitting the adjusted retail price of goods over the network for immediate display at a retailer, and
- auditing, in real-time, the plurality of sales parameters to determine whether the retailer has implemented the current sales promotion and whether the implementation is under manufacturer-specified criteria.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.