# US 8,543,510 B2 · Pre-sale data broadcast 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 8,543,510 B2 - Document ID: US8543510B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/366,880 - Filed: 2012-02-06 - Published: 2012-05-31 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 1997-12-19 - Assignees: Walker Digital, LLC - Applicants: Jay S. Walker; Daniel E. Tedesco; Magdalena Mik - Inventors: Jay S. Walker; Daniel E. Tedesco; Magdalena Mik - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8543510B2 ## CPC - G06Q 30/0268: {at point-of-sale [POS]} - G06Q 20/20: Point-of-sale [POS] network systems - G06Q 20/208: {Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing} - G06Q 20/3674: {involving authentication} - G06Q 20/382: {insuring higher security of transaction} - G06Q 30/0223: {based on inventory} - G06Q 30/0235: constrained by time limit or expiration date - G06Q 30/0253: {During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions} - G06Q 30/0269: {based on user profile or attribute} - G06Q 30/0273: Determination of fees for advertising - G06Q 30/06: Buying, selling or leasing transactions - 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 In one embodiment, a method for promoting the sale of a substitute product at the point of sale (POS). Upon the presentation of an original product for purchase by a consumer at a POS terminal, various manufacturers may decide to offer a substitute product to the consumer, prior to completing the purchase of the original product. If the customer accepts the offer, the point of sale terminal completes the sale of the substitute product. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a processor; a communications port in communication with the processor; a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing instructions configured to direct the processor, when executing the instructions, to: receive transaction data regarding an original product presented for purchase by a consumer via a point of sale terminal; upon receiving the transaction data, determine, by the processor based on information about one or more product suppliers registered in a database, at least one substitute product, associated with a respective product supplier, for the original product; and offer, to the consumer via the point of sale terminal, the at least one substitute product. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, in which the transaction data includes at least one of: a product price, a product identifier and a product UPC code. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to: receive, via the point of sale terminal, an identifier identifying the substitute product. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein offering the at least one substitute product comprises: transmitting an indication of the at least one substitute product to the consumer via at least one of: a printer, a display terminal and a speaker. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to: receive inventory information of at least one potential substitute product for the original product. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to: receive additional information for determination of the at least one substitute product, the additional information comprising at least one of: product profit margin information, product inventory information, product expiration date information, retail product price information, product floor price information, product sales information, sale and promotional pricing information, product demand information, product forecast information, product class information, product pricing information, and information regarding product features. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to: receive from the product supplier a respective associated offer for the at least one substitute product associated with the product supplier. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, in which the product supplier associated with the at least one substitute product is a manufacturer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, in which the product supplier associated with the at least one substitute product does not manufacture the at least one substitute product. ### Claim 10 An apparatus comprising: a processor; a communications port in communication with the processor; a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing instructions configured to direct the processor, when executing the instructions, to: receive transaction data regarding an original product presented for purchase by a consumer via a point of sale terminal; upon receiving the transaction data, determine, by the processor based on information about one or more product suppliers registered in a database, at least one supplemental product, associated with a respective product supplier, for the original product; and offer, to the consumer via the point of sale terminal, the at least one supplemental product. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, in which the transaction data includes at least one of: a product price, a product identifier and a product UPC code. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to: receive, via the point of sale terminal, an identifier identifying at least one of the at least one supplemental product. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein offering the at least one supplemental product comprises: transmitting an indication of the at least one supplemental product to the consumer via at least one of: a printer, a display terminal and a speaker. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to: receive inventory information of at least one potential supplemental product for the original product. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to: receive additional information for determination of the at least one supplemental product, the additional information comprising at least one of: product profit margin information, product inventory information, product expiration date information, retail product price information, product floor price information, product sales information, sale and promotional pricing information, product demand information, product forecast information, product class information, product pricing information, and information regarding product features. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to: receive from the product supplier a respective associated offer for the at least one supplemental product associated with the product supplier. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, in which the product supplier associated with the at least one supplemental product is a manufacturer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, in which the product supplier associated with the at least one supplemental product does not manufacture the at least one supplemental product. ### Claim 19 A method comprising: receiving, via a point of sale terminal by a server device comprising at least one processor, transaction data regarding an original product presented via the point of sale terminal for purchase by a consumer; upon receiving the transaction data, determining, by the server device based on information about one or more product suppliers registered in a database, at least one substitute product, associated with a respective product supplier, for the original product; and offering, by the server device to the consumer via the point of sale terminal, the at least one substitute product. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, in which the transaction data includes at least one of: a product price, a product identifier and a product UPC code. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising: receiving, via the point of sale terminal, an identifier identifying at least one of the at least one substitute product. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein offering the at least one substitute product comprises: transmitting an indication of the at least one substitute product to the consumer via at least one of: a printer, a display terminal and a speaker. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising: receiving inventory information of at least one potential substitute product for the original product. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising: receiving additional information for determination of the at least one substitute product, the additional information comprising at least one of: product profit margin information, product inventory information, product expiration date information, retail product price information, product floor price information, product sales information, sale and promotional pricing information, product demand information, product forecast information, product class information, product pricing information, and information regarding product features. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising: receiving from the product supplier a respective associated offer for the at least one substitute product associated with the product supplier. ### Claim 26 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, in which the product supplier associated with the at least one substitute product is a manufacturer. ### Claim 27 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, in which the product supplier associated with the at least one substitute product does not manufacture the at least one substitute product. ### Claim 28 A method comprising: receiving, via a point of sale terminal by a server device comprising at least one processor, transaction data regarding an original product presented via the point of sale terminal for purchase by a consumer; upon receiving the transaction data, determining, by the server device based on information about one or more product suppliers registered in a database, at least one supplemental product, associated with a respective product supplier, for the original product; and offering, by the server device to the consumer via the point of sale terminal, the at least one supplemental product. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, in which the transaction data includes at least one of: a product price, a product identifier and a product UPC code. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, further comprising: receiving, via the point of sale terminal, an identifier identifying at least one of the at least one supplemental product. ### Claim 31 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein offering the at least one supplemental product comprises: transmitting an indication of the at least one supplemental product to the consumer via at least one of: a printer, a display terminal and a speaker. ### Claim 32 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, further comprising: receiving inventory information of at least one potential supplemental product for the original product. ### Claim 33 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, further comprising: receiving additional information for determination of the at least one supplemental product, the additional information comprising at least one of: product profit margin information, product inventory information, product expiration date information, retail product price information, product floor price information, product sales information, sale and promotional pricing information, product demand information, product forecast information, product class information, product pricing information, and information regarding product features. ### Claim 34 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, further comprising: receiving from the product supplier a respective associated offer for the at least one supplemental product associated with the product supplier. ### Claim 35 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, in which the product supplier associated with the at least one supplemental product is a manufacturer. ### Claim 36 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, in which the product supplier associated with the at least one supplemental product does not manufacture the at least one supplemental product.