# US 2014/0156375 A1 · Systems and methods for processing coupons over a payment processing network

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- Number: US 2014/0156375 A1
- Document ID: US20140156375A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/055,502
- Filed: 2013-10-16
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-12-04
- Assignees: Cce Credit Card Enterprises, Inc.
- Applicants: CCE Credit Card Enterprises, Inc.
- Inventors: Michael Gerard Vaughan; James Francis Vaughan; Richard Henry Schmid; William Richard Restis; William Richard Restis, II; Patrick Scott Lay
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140156375A1

## CPC

- G06Q 30/0238: at point-of-sale [POS]
- G06Q 40/02: Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance (credit or loans G06Q40/03)
- 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 of electronically requesting, generating and processing a coupon over a payment processing network is provided. During a sales transaction, a purchaser at a point of sale (POS) terminal provides a customer identifier using a card with a magnetic stripe which is read by a magnetic card reader and then transmitted across the payment processing network along with product identifiers on the products being purchased. The customer identifier includes a banking identification number (BIN) which is read by a first server in the payment processing network and then forwarded to a coupon server. The coupon server uses the customer identifier and product identifier to select any coupons that are available for use by the purchaser and transmits the coupons back to the POS terminal, where the coupons are applied to the sales transaction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of electronic processing of a coupon via a point-of-sale terminal, the method comprising:
obtaining a product identifier of at least one product, wherein obtaining the product identifier comprises at least one of:
receiving scanned data from a product; and
receiving input data;
identifying a price associated with the product;
obtaining a customer identifier, wherein the customer identifier comprises a routing portion and an identification portion, wherein the routing portion uniquely identifies an intended coupon source, and wherein the identification portion uniquely identifies an account associated with the customer;
generating a communication comprising the product identifier and the customer identifier;
identifying a first communication channel;
transmitting the communication via the first communication channel;
receiving a response via the first communication channel, wherein the response identifies one of:
a coupon;
a coupon code;
a discount;
a refund; and
no discount;
generating a payment amount for the purchase of the product by applying the response to the identified price, wherein the payment amount is based on the identified price and the received response; and
providing payment information via the first channel, wherein the payment information identifies a financial service provider and an account associated with the customer and the financial service provider.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the application of the response to the identified price results in a reduced payment amount with respect to the price associated with the product.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further comprising requesting a customer input indicating whether to accept the reduced payment amount.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, further comprising generating a second communication comprising the customer identifier and an offer identifier, wherein the offer identifier indicates one of:
that the customer accepted the reduced payment amount; and
that the customer rejected the reduced payment amount.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the payment information comprises a first portion identifying the financial institution and a second portion identifying the account associated with the customer and the financial institution.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the payment information identifies one of:
a credit account;
a bank account; and
a stored value account.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication of acknowledgment of payment approval.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving a customer input indicating completion of the purchase of the product.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising identifying a second channel, wherein the second channel communicates with an inventory system.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising providing an inventory update via the second channel, wherein the inventory update identifies the product purchased by the customer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an indicator of coupon status, wherein the indicator of coupon status indicates whether the coupon was used.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the routing portion of the customer identifier comprises a BIN.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the product identifier is a universal product code (UPC).

### Claim 14

A system for processing of a coupon, the system comprising:
an inventory system comprising data relating to sold and stocked inventory;
a point-of-sale (POS) terminal comprising:
a plurality of channels, the plurality of channels comprising:
a first channel is configured for communicating and receiving payment information; and
a second channel communicatively connected with the inventory system;
a processor configured to:
obtain a product identifier of at least one product, wherein the processor is configured to obtain the product identifier by at least one of:
receiving scanned data from a product; and
receiving input data;
identify a price associated with the product;
obtain a customer identifier, wherein the customer identifier comprises a routing portion and an identification portion, wherein the routing portion uniquely identifies an intended coupon source, and wherein the identification portion uniquely identifies an account associated with the customer;
generate a communication comprising the product identifier and the customer identifier;
identify a first communication channel;
transmit the communication via the first communication channel;
receive a response via the first communication channel, wherein the response identifies one of:
a coupon;
a coupon code;
a discount;
a refund; and
no discount;
generate a payment amount for the purchase of the product by applying the response to the identified price, wherein the payment amount is based on the identified price and the received response; and
provide payment information via the first channel, wherein the payment information identifies a financial service provider and an account associated with the customer and the financial service provider.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, further comprising a customer identification unit configured to obtain the customer identifier.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the customer identification unit comprises one of:
a magnetic card reader; and
an RFID receiver.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, further comprising a transmission unit configured to communicate information via one or more of the plurality of channels.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, further comprising a product identification unit, wherein the product identification unit is configured to obtain an identifier of the product.

### Claim 19

A point-of-sale (POS) terminal comprising:
a plurality of channels, the plurality of channels comprising:
a first channel is configured for communicating and receiving payment information; and
a second channel communicatively connected with the inventory system;
a processor configured to:
obtain a product identifier of at least one product, wherein the processor is configured to obtain the product identifier by at least one of:
receiving scanned data from a product; and
receiving input data;
identify a price associated with the product;
obtain a customer identifier, wherein the customer identifier comprises a routing portion and an identification portion, wherein the routing portion uniquely identifies an intended coupon source, and wherein the identification portion uniquely identifies an account associated with the customer;
generate a communication comprising the product identifier and the customer identifier;
identify a first communication channel;
transmit the communication via the first communication channel;
receive a response via the first communication channel, wherein the response identifies one of:
a coupon;
a coupon code;
a discount;
a refund; and
no discount;
generate a payment amount for the purchase of the product by applying the response to the identified price, wherein the payment amount is based on the identified price and the received response; and
provide payment information via the first channel, wherein the payment information identifies a financial service provider and an account associated with the customer and the financial service provider.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The point of sale terminal of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine whether the application of the response to the identified price results in a reduced payment amount with respect to the price associated with the product;
request a customer input indicating whether to accept the reduced payment amount; and
generate a second communication comprising the customer identifier and an offer identifier, wherein the offer identifier indicates one of:
that the customer accepted the reduced payment amount; and
that the customer rejected the reduced payment amount