System and method for distributing coupons through a system of computer networks

In a system including a plurality of portable cards, a plurality of homes, a store and a routing system for receiving a signal and generating network addresses in response to an inter-network address in the received signal, the routing system including a plurality of wide area communication links, a retail system comprising:

• a first computer;
• and
• a second computer, wherein the first computer includes circuitry for sending first signals to the routing system, each first signal including a signal corresponding to a product, and an inter-network address corresponding to the second computer, to cause the routing system to generate a plurality of network addresses, each of the plurality of network addresses corresponding to a respective computer in a respective computer network, and wherein the second computer includes circuitry for receiving first signals, and wherein the system further includes:
• a plurality first processors, each located in one of the plurality of homes, responsive to a first signal received by the second computer, for sending a card signal to a portable card in the plurality of cards, the card signal corresponding to the product;
• and
• a second processor, in the store, for receiving the card signal from a portable card in the plurality of cards.

In a system including a store, a plurality of portable cards, a plurality of homes, and a routing system for receiving a signal and generating network addresses in response to an inter-network address in the received signal, the routing system including a plurality of wide area communication links, a method comprising:

• sending first signals from a first computer to the routing system, each first signal including a signal corresponding to a product, and an inter-network address corresponding to a second computer, to cause the routing system to generate a plurality of network addresses, each of the plurality of network addresses corresponding to a respective computer in a respective computer network;
• receiving first signals, and
• the step, performed in one of the homes, of
• sending, responsive to a first signal received in the previous step, a card signal to a portable card in the plurality of cards, the card signal corresponding to the product, and the step of
• subsequently, moving the portable card to the store, and the step, performed in the store, of
• receiving the card signal from the portable card.

In a system including a plurality of portable cards, a plurality of homes, a store and a routing system for receiving a signal and generating a routing signal in response to an inter-network address in the received signal, the routing system including a plurality of wide area communication links, a retail system comprising:

• a first computer;
• and
• a second computer, wherein the first computer includes circuitry for sending first signals to the routing system, each first signal including a signal corresponding to a product, and an inter-network address corresponding to the second computer, to cause the routing system to generate a plurality of routing signals, each of the plurality of routing signals corresponding to a respective portion of a signal path between the first and second computers, and wherein the second computer includes circuitry for receiving first signals, and wherein the system further includes:
• a plurality first processors, each located in one of the plurality of homes, responsive to a first signal received by the second computer, for sending a card signal to a portable card in the plurality of cards, the card signal corresponding to the product;
• and
• a second processor, in the store, for receiving the card signal from a portable card in the plurality of cards.

In a system including a store, a plurality of portable cards, a plurality of homes and a routing system for receiving a signal and generating a routing signal in response to an inter-network address in the received signal, the routing system including a plurality of wide area communication links, a method comprising:

• sending first signals from a first computer to the routing system, each first signal including a signal corresponding to a product, and an inter-network address corresponding to a second computer, to cause the routing system to generate a plurality of routing signals, each of the plurality of routing signals corresponding to a respective portion of a signal path between the first and second computers;
• receiving first signals, and the step, performed in one of the homes, of
• sending, responsive to a first signal received in the previous step, a card signal to a portable card in the plurality of cards, the card signal corresponding to the product, and the step of
• subsequently, moving the portable card to the store, and the step, performed in the store, of
• receiving the card signal from the portable card.

In a system including a store, a plurality of portable cards, a plurality of homes, and a routing system for receiving a signal and generating network addresses in response to an inter-network address in the received signal, the routing system including a plurality of wide area communication links, a retail system comprising:

• means for sending first signals from a first computer to the routing system, each first signal including a signal corresponding to a product, and an inter-network address corresponding to a second computer, to cause the routing system to generate a plurality of network addresses, each of the plurality of network addresses corresponding to a respective computer in a respective computer network;
• means for receiving first signals;
• means for sending, responsive to a first signal received by the previous means, a card signal to a portable card in the plurality of cards, the card signal corresponding to the product, the means for sending being located in one of the homes;
• and
• means for receiving the card signal from the portable card in the store.

In a system including a store, a plurality of portable cards, a plurality of homes, and a routing system for receiving a signal and generating network addresses in response to an inter-network address in the received signal, the routing system including a plurality of wide area communication links, a retail system comprising:

• means for sending first signals from a first computer to the routing system, each first signal including a signal corresponding to a product, and an inter-network address corresponding to a second computer, to cause the routing system to generate a plurality of routing signals, each of the plurality of routing signals corresponding to a respective portion of a signal path between the first and second computers;
• means for receiving first signals;
• means for sending, responsive to a first signal received by the previous means, a card signal to a portable card in the plurality of cards, the card signal corresponding to the product, the means for sending being located in one of the homes;
• and
• means for receiving the card signal from the portable card in the store.

In a system including a store, a plurality of portable cards, a plurality of homes, and a routing system for receiving a signal and generating network addresses in response to an inter-network address in the received signal, the routing system including a plurality of wide area communication links, a method comprising:

• sending first signals from a first computer to the routing system, each first signal including a signal corresponding to a product, and an inter-network address corresponding to a second computer, to cause the routing system to generate a plurality of network addresses, each of the plurality of network addresses corresponding to a respective computer in a respective computer network, thereby enabling the second computer to receive first signals;
• and the step, performed in one of the homes, of
• sending, responsive to a first signal received by the second computer, a card signal to a portable card in the plurality of cards, the card signal corresponding to the product, and the step of
• subsequently, moving the portable card to the store, and the step, performed in the store, of
• receiving the card signal from the portable card.

In a system including a store, a plurality of portable cards, a plurality of homes and a routing system for receiving a signal and generating a routing signal in response to an inter-network address in the received signal, the routing system including a plurality of wide area communication links, a method comprising:

• sending, from a first computer, a first signal to the routing system, each first signal including a signal corresponding to a product, and an inter-network address corresponding to a second computer, to cause the routing system to generate a plurality of routing signals, each of the plurality of routing signals corresponding to a respective portion of a signal path between the first and second computers, thereby enabling the second computer to receive first signals;
• and the step, performed in one of the homes, of
• sending, responsive to a first signal received by the second computer, a card signal to a portable card in the plurality of cards, the card signal corresponding to the product, and the step of
• subsequently, moving the portable card to the store, and the step, performed in the store, of
• receiving the card signal from the portable card.