# US 11,113,710 B2 · Model-based promotion and price computation system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,113,710 B2 - Document ID: US11113710B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/461,925 - Filed: 2014-08-18 - Published: 2014-11-27 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2002-12-23 - Assignees: Philip Morris USA Inc. - Applicants: Philip Morris USA Inc. - Inventors: William R. Sweeney - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11113710B2 ## CPC - G06Q 30/0225: {Avoiding frauds} - G06Q 30/00: Commerce - G06Q 30/0283: Price estimation or determination - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: calculating, via the processor, an initial retail price of goods based on the promotion information and sales parameters among the plurality of sales parameters. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sales parameters includes at least one of velocity of sales by the retailer, total number of goods sold by the retailer, profitability to the retailer of items sold, a value placed on goods by the retailer or the manufacturer, date, time, or inventory data. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured communicate with at least one remote display device at the retailer, and the method includes transmitting the adjusted retail price of goods to a display controller for displaying the adjusted retail price of goods or information related to the adjusted retail price of goods on the at least one remote display device. ### Claim 5 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. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The processing device of claim 5, wherein the plurality of real-time retail sales parameters includes at least one of velocity of sales by the retailer, total number of goods sold by the retailer, profitability to the retailer of items sold, a value placed on goods by the retailer or a manufacturer, date, time, or inventory data. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The processing device of claim 5, wherein the communication interface is configured to transmit pricing data to at least one display controller over the network for immediate display of pricing data or information related to the pricing data on at least one remote display device of the retailer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The processing device of claim 5, wherein the communication interface is at least one of a wireless or wired network interface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The processing device of claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to transfer funds between a retailer computing device of the retailer and a manufacturer computing device of a manufacturer based on a promotion and price computation model. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The processing device of claim 5, further comprising: a display device configured to display information associated with a promotion and price computation model. ### Claim 11 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. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the method comprises: calculating an initial retail price of goods based on the promotion information and sales parameters among the plurality of sales parameters retailer received over the network. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the plurality of sales parameters includes at least one of velocity of sales by the retailer, total number of goods sold by the retailer, profitability to the retailer of items old, a value placed on goods by the retailer or a manufacturer, date, time, or inventory data. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein transmitting the adjusted retail price of goods over the network comprises: transmitting the adjusted retail price of goods to a display controller of the retailer, the display controller configured to display the adjusted retail price of goods or information related to the adjusted retail price of goods on at least one remote display device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the triggering event is based on whether the threshold is met. ### Claim 16 (depends on 5) The processing device of claim 5, wherein the triggering event is based on whether the threshold is met. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the triggering event is based on whether the threshold is met. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises: determining whether the triggering event has occurred based on whether a current date is within a threshold proximity of a date of enforcement of the current sales promotion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining whether the triggering event has occurred based on whether a current date is within a threshold proximity of a date of enforcement of the current sales promotion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 5) The processing device of claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the triggering event has occurred based on whether a current date is within a threshold proximity of a date of enforcement of the current sales promotion. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the promotion information associated with the manufacturer is promotion information received from the manufacturer.