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Claims  |
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We claim:
1. An inventory control system for use in a supermarket comprising:
a sales voucher printer located at each store for printing coded sale
vouchers having machine readable codes,
a plurality of point of sale terminals each consisting of a cash register,
keyboard, display and printer, and code reading machine scanning equipment
capable of reading said coded sale vouchers,
a single scan coupon concentrator at each store communicating with each
code reading machine scanning equipment and in real time for continuously
comparing coded sale voucher information at each sale terminal and for
each sale transaction to determine compliance of all coded voucher
conditions,
an in-store data processor controlling said cash register, keyboard,
display and printer, and communicating with each code reading machine
scanning equipment for continuously identifying, accumulating and
processing all sales information from each point of sale terminal,
said scan coupon concentrator processing and accumulating all coupon
redemption information and sale voucher information for every complete
transaction at each point of sale terminal to determine compliance with
coded conditions, transmitting coupon information, voucher information
and, in the absence of compliance, an inhibit signal to said in-store data
processor for crediting customer, collecting money, or indicating
non-compliance,
a scan host computer located remotely from said supermarket periodically
communicating with each scan coupon concentrator in each store to receive
accumulated sales voucher information for transmission to the manufacturer
for processing, and
a chain host computer located remotely from said supermarket periodically
communicating with each in-store data processor to receive accumulated
total sales information including voucher sales information for that store
and in which said scan host computer feeds accumulated voucher sales
information received from all stores to said chain host computer thereby
providing the central chain host computer with complete information as to
voucher sales for reconciliation with information from all stores.
2. An inventory control system for use in a supermarket according to claim
1 in which said sales voucher printer prints coded redemption coupons
having machine readable codes at the selection of the customer and in
which all code reading machine scanning equipment at all point of sale
terminals are capable of reading all coded documents generated by said
sales voucher printer.
3. An inventory control system for use in a supermarket according to claim
1 in which each scan coupon concentrator located at each store
continuously updates and controls the coded documents printed by said scan
printer in response to information received by said single scan host
computer.
4. An inventory control system for use in a supermarket comprising:
a sales voucher printer located at each store for printing coded sale
vouchers having machine readable codes and coded redemption coupons having
machine readable codes,
a plurality of point of sale terminals each consisting of a cash register,
keyboard, display and printer, and code reading machine scanning equipment
capable of reading said coded redemption coupons and said coded sales
vouchers,
a single scan coupon concentrator at each store communicating with each
code reading machine scanning equipment and in real time for continuously
comparing coded sale voucher information and coded redemption coupon
information at each terminal and for each sale transaction to determine
compliance of all coded conditions,
an in-store data processor controlling said cash register, keyboard,
display and printer, and communicating with each code reading machine
scanning equipment for continuously identifying, accumulating and
processing all sales information,
said scan coupon concentrator processing and accumulating all coupon
redemption information and sale voucher information for every complete
transaction at each point of sale terminal to determine compliance with
coded conditions and, in the absence of compliance, an inhibit signal to
said in-store data processor for crediting customer, collecting money, or
indicating non-compliance.
a scan host computer located remotely from said supermarket periodically
communicating with each scan coupon concentrator in each store to receive
accumulated coupon redemption information and accumulated sales voucher
information for transmission to the manufacturer for processing, and
a chain host computer located remotely from said supermarket periodically
communicating with each in-store data processor to receive total
accumulated sales information including voucher sales information and
coupon redemption information from all stores to said chain host computer
thereby providing the central chain host computer with complete
information as to voucher sales and coupon redemption sales for all
stores.
5. An inventory control system for use in a supermarket comprising:
a plurality of point of sale terminals each consisting of a cash register,
keyboard, display and printer, and a code reading machine scanning
equipment capable of reading coded redemption coupons,
an in-store data processor controlling said cash register, keyboard,
display and printer, and communicating with each code reading machine
scanning equipment for continously identifying, accumulating and
processing all coded redemption information from each point of sale
terminal, and
a single scan coupon concentrator at each store communicating with each
code reading machine scanning equipment in real time for continuously
comparing coupon redemption information with sales information at each
sale terminal and for each sale transaction to determine compliance of all
coded coupon redemption conditions,
said scan coupon concentrator processing and accumulating all coupon
redemption information and sale voucher information for every complete
transaction at each point of sale terminal to determine compliance with
coded conditions, transmitting coupon information, voucher information,
and in the absence of compliance, an inhibit signal to said in-store data
processor for crediting customer, collecting money, or indicating
non-compliance, and
a coupon printer located at each store and adapted to be controlled by a
customer for printing a variety of selected coupons each having machine
readable coded information,
said scan coupon concentrator controls said coupon printer thereby allowing
management control over the coded redemption coupons issued by said
printer.
6. An inventory control system according to claim 5 in which a scan host
computer located remotely from said supermarket periodically communicates
with each scan coupon concentrator in each store to receive accumulated
coupon redemption information for transmission to the manufacturer for
payment.
7. An inventory control system according to claim 6 in which a chain host
computer located remotely from said supermarket periodically communicates
with each in-store data processor to receive total accumulated sale item
information for that store and in which said scan host computer feeds
total accumulated coupon redemption information received from all stores
to said chain host computer thereby providing the central chain host
computer with complete reconciliation information as to coupon redemption
information for all stores.
8. inventory control system according to claim 5 in which said coupon
printer under control of a customer prints and issues a coded sales
voucher document having machine readable coded information regarding the
sale of items and services and premiums not carried at the supermarket.
9. An inventory control method for use in a supermarket comprising the
steps of:
providing a sales voucher printer located at each store for printing coded
sale vouchers having machine readable codes,
providing a plurality of point of sale terminals each consisting of a cash
register, keyboard, display and printer, and machine readable scanning
equipment capable of reading the coded sale vouchers,
utilizing a single scan coupon concentrator at each store communicating
with each code reading machine scanning equipment and in real time for
continuously comparing coded sale voucher information at each sale
terminal and for each sale transaction to determine compliance of all
coded voucher conditions,
utilizing an in-store data processor controlling said cash register,
keyboard, display and printer, and communicating with each code reading
machine scanning equipment for continuously identifying, accumulating and
processing all sales information including coded sale voucher information
from each point of sale terminal,
processing and accumulating all coupon redemption information in the scan
coupon concentrator for every complete transaction at each point of sale
terminal to determine compliance with coded conditions to transmit item
information and credit to be given customer to said in-store data
processor and in the absence of compliance generating an inhibit signal to
said in-store data processor to inform clerk and customer that document is
not valid,
utilizing a scan host computer located remotely from said supermarket
periodically communicating with each scan coupon concentrator in each
store to receive accumulated sales voucher information for transmission to
the manufacturer for processing, and
utilizing a chain host computer located remotely from said supermarket
periodically communicating with each in-store data processor to receive
total accumulated sale information including total voucher sale
information for that store and in which the scan host computer feeds
accumulated sales voucher information received from all stores to the
chain host computer thereby providing the central chain host computer with
complete reconciliation information as to sales voucher information for
all stores.
10. An inventory control method according to claim 8 in which the sale
voucher printer located at each store is capable of printing coded
redemption coupons having machine readable codes and at the selection of a
customer.
11. An inventory control method, for use in a supermarket according to
claim 9 in which each scan coupon concentrator in each store controls the
scan printer at that store in issuing coded redemption coupons and coded
sales vouchers, and in which management through the single scan host
computer controls each scan coupon concentrator located in each store
thereby providing direct access through the sales voucher printer to
supply a customer with updated coded redemption coupons and coded sales
voucher documents.
12. An inventory control method for use in a supermarket comprising the
steps of:
providing a plurality of point of sale terminals each consisting of a cash
register, keyboard, display and printer and machine readable scanning
equipment capable of reading coded redemption coupons,
utilizing an in-store data processor controlling said cash register,
keyboard, display and printer and communicating with each code reading
machine scanning equipment for continuously identifying, acumulating and
processing all coded redemption coupon information from each point of sale
terminal, and
utilizing a single scan coupon concentrator at each store communicating
with each code reading machine scanning equipment in real time for
continuously comparing coupon redemption information with total sales
information at each sale terminal and for each sale transaction to
determine compliance of all coded coupon redemption conditions,
processing and accumulating all coupon redemption information in the scan
coupon concentrator for every complete transaction at each point of sale
terminal to determine compliance of all coded coupon redemption conditions
to transmit item information and credit to be given to customer to said
in-store data processor and in the absence of compliance geneating an
inhibit signal to said in-store data processor to inform clerk and
customer that the document is not valid, and
a coupon printer located at each store and adapted to be controlled by a
consumer for printing a variety of selected coupons each having machine
readable coded information.
13. An inventory control method according to claim 11 which includes the
step of utilizing a scan host computer located remotely from said
supermarket to periodically communicate with each scan coupon concentrator
in each store to receive atcumulated coupon redemption information for
transmission to the manufacturer for payment.
14. An inventory control system according to claim 12 which utilizes a
chain host computer located remotely from the supermarket for periodically
communicating with each in-store data processor to receive total
accumulated sale item information for that store and in which the scan
host computer feeds total accumulated coupon redemption information
received from all stores to the chain host computer thereby providing the
central chain host computer with complete reconciliation information as to
sales information and coupon redemption information for all stores.
15. An inventory control method according to claim 12 which utilizes the
individual scan control concentrator to control the coupon printer thereby
allowing management to control issuance of coded redemption coupons
capable of being issued by the printer. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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This invention relates to a system for use in a supermarket having code
reading machine scanning equipment for processing coded sale vouchers
having specific coded redemption requirements encoded on the voucher.
The system and method being described allows the supermarket to become a
point of sale for premiums and products and other items and services that
are not stocked at the store. In addition, the system is capable of
processing coded sale vouchers in the form of coded redemption coupons
that the customer returns to the store for credit when satisfying the
conditions stated on the coupon.
The invention will be described primarily in terms of handling and
processing coded redemption coupons with later references being made to
utilizing the same system for generating coupons and sales voucher
documents in the supermarket and utilizing the supermarket as a point of
sale for premiums and products not stocked by the store.
The merchandising of food and ancillary items through a supermarket is big
business and is the subject matter of much research, advertising and
promoting. One form of advertising utilized by many manufacturers in the
advertising of their product is to offer coupons which give the consumer a
discount on the price paid for a given product provided the consumer
satisfies the conditions of the coupon as stated.
Typically a given coupon would offer 50 cents off the purchase price of a
given product provided the consumer utilizes the coupon before the
expiration date which is printed on the face of the coupon and also
provided that the consumer purchases the product of the proper size,
weight and volume as stated on the redemption coupon.
The redemption coupons are usually advertised in a local paper by way of
full page ads or inserts or even as throwaways to entice the consumer to
save the coupon and purchase the item at their local supermarket.
In theory the consumer goes to the supermarket, makes the necessary
purchases and hopefully selects those items which will give her a discount
when she presents the coupon at the point of sale terminal.
The supermarket clerk manning a point of sale terminal checks the items,
runs up the total and then reviews the coupon to determine compliance and,
if correct, applies the necessary discounts to the total bill which is
paid by the consumer.
Usually at the end of the day the store personnel accumulate all coupons
received at each point of sale terminal, bundles them up, and sends them
to an impartial counter for counting and processing. There are many
companies that specialize in this business of which A. C. Nielsen is very
active.
These coupons must of necessity be hand-sorted, counted and tallied, with
the resulting tally sent to each manufacturer for review and processing.
The manufacturer must of course pay the supermarket for the discount
allowed by the coupon and also the manufacturer pays a handling fee on the
order of 7 cents per coupon directly to the store as a processing fee for
handling the coupon for the manufacturer. Usually the manufacturer again
verifies the count which again is a hand manual process and then finally
submits a check to the supermarket covering the handling fee and the
amounts given by way of discounts as stated on the redemption coupons.
There are of course many problems in the system of redeeming coupons and
these problems are very complex, expensive and annoying to all parties
involved which include the manufacturer, the supermarket and the consumer.
From the consumer's point of view there is an opportunity for a bargain by
purchasing the item for which she has a coupon. Unfortunately the consumer
must remember to have the coupon with her at the time of making the
purchase.
In the usual supermarket operation, the customer brings her bag of
groceries to a point of sale terminal where the individual items are
unloaded and the clerk identifies each item and rings up the sale either
manually or by code reading machine equipment, if available. After all
items have been tallied, the customer usually presents her coupons to the
clerk who must then read each coupon separately to determine if the coupon
is being offered before the termination date and, further, whether all
terms and conditions of the coupon have been complied with. This of course
means that the clerk must check the item to determine if the customer did
in fact buy the item which by itself is not an easy task when the average
purchase of goods is over $75 and, further, the clerk must determine if
the proper size or volume container was purchased to satisfy the
conditions on the coupon. This whole procedure is usually time-consuming
and irritating not only to the consumer but also to those consumers
waiting for their turn at the point of sale terminal.
The manufacturer, on the other hand, utilizes the offering of redemption
coupons as a means of generating a sale incentive for his product and for
this reason is ready to offer a discount provided the purchase is made
within the given time period and of the proper size container.
Unfortunately the manufacturer also knows that because the clerk at the
point of sale terminal is usually hurried and probably harried when
presented with a bunch of coupons after a $75-$100 sale that the clerk is
not as diligent as one should be in checking to determine if the customer
did in fact buy the product of the manufacturer and of the proper size of
container as specified on the coupon. In many cases the clerk simply runs
up the credit for all of the coupons without necessarily checking to
determine if the item was purchased and the coupon terms satisfied. This
of course means that the manufacturer is giving a discount when in many
cases the customer didn't even buy his product and if the customer did buy
his product a smaller size was possibly purchased, not satisfying the
terms of the redemption coupon.
The supermarket store, on the other hand, is required to handle each and
every coupon separately as it is processed by the consumer and to
immediately give a discount on the total bill for the value of the coupon
and then wait some period of time before the manufacturer pays the
supermarket back for the cost of handling and for the monies discounted.
While it is true that the supermarket receives approximately 7 cents per
coupon as a handling charge, it is well known that the cost of processing
the coupon and having the coupons verified by outside sources is not only
expensive but also very time-consuming, thereby delaying the time that the
manufacturer can be billed for the monies already laid out by the
supermarket in discounting the redemption coupons.
Last but not least there is the question of fraud that can be practiced by
unscrupulous people in handling the redemption coupons. For example, there
are cases where the supermarket has been known to purchase large
quantities of redemption coupons at a substantial discount from persons
who specialize in accumulating valid redemption coupons. The supermarket
is then able to bill the manufacturer for the face amount of each coupon
plus a handling charge and without having offered the service to the
consumer or actually sold the product to anyone.
The consumer herself is capable of practicing a fraud on the manufacturer
by presenting coupons for items not purchased and demanding the checkout
counter operator at the point of sale to give credit on the total bill.
This is usually done especially where the checkout operator is a young
person and easily intimidated and eager to satisfy and move the customer
on and out of the store. The end result of course is that the manufacturer
pays the supermarket for the value of the coupon when in fact no goods
were sold and no benefit to the manufacturer has occurred.
Last but not least the outside coupon verifiers have come under a certain
amount of criticism since it is well known that all handling of coupons
must be done manually and as inexpensively as possible. By necessity these
companies usually send the coupons out of the country where cheap labor is
available for the processing, tallying and accumulation of the coupon
values. The supermarkets claim that the tallies given the manufacturer are
usually on the low side whereas the manufacturers claim that the tallies
usually favor the supermarket and are on the high side.
The redemption coupon loop is so loose as to allow many other aspects of
fraud to be perpetrated on the participants. The American Society for
Industrial Security, a Virginia-based association of company security
officials, has estimated that fraudulently redeemed coupons range as high
as $350 million each and every year.
The problem of course has been recognized by all responsible officials of
the industry, however, until the advent of the present invention there has
been no satisfactory system or method proposed that would or could verify
the redemption coupon as being valid, verify the sale as being correct
according to the terms of the redemption coupon, and provide the
manufacturer with an automatic record indicating sales of items and
without the necessity of all the manual handling that is required with the
present systems.
The supermarkets have been instrumental in pioneering code reading machine
scanning equipment capable of reading coded information located on sales
mechandise. Systems of this order have been successful in speeding up the
operation of the customer through the checkout line. In recent years
supermarkets have become automated and have begun to use machine readable
codes such as the Universal Product Code known as the UPC or bar code. The
code consists of a series of bars printed on a package or on a label
attached to the package, and the scanner which is located at the point of
sale terminal reads the coded information which usually includes the total
cost of the package, the type of commodity, name of manufacturer, and an
identification of the commodity itself.
In the prior art there are many patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,747
which discloses a system that prints a bar code on a label and in which
the code includes the commodity price. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,291,232 and
3,459,272 show examples of prior art systems where the data is printed in
human readable form only. U.S. Pat. No. 3,741,324 shows a computer scale
having a keyboard data entry and decoding system and apparatus for
handling human machine readable signals, whereas U.S. Pat. No. 3,459,271
shows a computer scale system connected to a central computer. In
connection with the above, U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,148 is still another system
for preparing labels containing the UPC code.
Manufacturers on the other hand have been experimenting with increasing the
availability of coupons to the consumer by sponsoring coupon printers
located at individual supermarkets and capable of being operated by the
consumer. The idea being that the consumer would not have to carry coupons
with her when going to the store but may simply go to the store and obtain
all of her coupons there and before making a selection of the items to be
purchased.
Unfortunately problems associated with providing verification acceptable to
all parties and speeding the items through the checkout counter while at
the same time ensuring that the goods specified in the redemption coupon
are sold is still not available until the advent of this invention.
In the broad concept, a coded sales voucher in the form of a coded
redemption coupon is produced having a machine readable code on the
document itself and which code is capable of being read by machine
scanning equipment located at point of sale terminals in each of the
supermarkets.
The present bar code being utilized by the supermarkets is the UPC code and
hence the redemption coupons to be used in the present method and system
will have the UPC bar code printed directly on the coupon itself.
Located at each store and at each point of sale terminal is the
conventional cash register, keyboard, display and printer and a checkout
scanner which is used and operated in the conventional manner. Located in
each store is an in-store data processor that controls the cash register,
keyboard, display and printer and which communicates with each code
reading machine scanning equipment for continuously identifying,
accumulating and processing all coded redemption information received from
each point of sale terminal.
Located in each store is a single scan coupon concentrator that
communicates with each code reading machine scanning equipment in real
time for continuously comparing coupon redemption information with sales
item information at each sales terminal and for each sale transaction to
determine compliance of all coded coupon redemption conditions.
The scan coupon concentrator processes and accumulates all coupon
redemption information for every complete transaction at each point of
sale terminal to determine compliance of all coded redemption conditions
and transmits item identification and credit to be given to customer to
said in-store data processor and in the absence of compliance generates an
inhibit signal that is transmitted to the in-store data processor which
informs the clerk and the customer that the document is not valid.
The scan coupon concentrator simply holds all sales information in a
suitable transaction register and when the checkout scanner scans the
individual coupon a comparison is immediately made between the coupon and
the sales items in register to determine if all coded redemption terms are
met. If they are, then the sale continues normally, the scan concentrator
transmits item information and credit information to the in-store data
processor and all coupon redemption information is accumulated in a scan
coupon concentrator.
Usually at the end of the day the accumulated record in the scan coupon
concentrator is transmitted to a centrally located scan host computer
which receives information from all remotely located supermarkets. The
accumulated information is then fed to a chain host computer for
reconciliation with information provided to the chain host by the in-store
data processors. All accumulated coupon redemption information is
submitted to the manufacturer for processing and billing purposes.
The remotely located chain host computer also receives information on a
periodic basis from each in-store data processor located in each
supermarket to thereby complete all billing information for all stores in
the supermarket chain.
The method and system described allows the scan coupon concentrator to
independently verify all redemption coupons without special handling by
outside personnel. In addition, the accumulation of all scan coupon
redemption information occurs in a parellel form with the normal
bookkeeping records of the supermarket as determined by each in-store data
processor and hence all information is separate and identifiable and not
subject to special handling by outside personnel.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be made more
apparent by referring now to the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating prior art techniques for coupon
redemption;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a coupon redemption system according
to the teachings of this invention;
FIG. 3 illustrates a typical redemption coupon having machine readable
codes;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a coupon redemption system for a supermarket
having a plurality of stores; and
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment illustrating concepts
of the present invention for redeeming any coded sales voucher including
coded redemption coupons.
The present invention is concerned with utilizing machine readable coded
sales voucher and the term coded sales voucher is intended to also include
a coded redemption coupon or a sales voucher document or any other
transfer document containing a machine readable code for handling a
transfer of funds at a point of sale in a supermarket having code reading
machine scanning equipment.
The invention is described primarily in connection with coded redemption
coupons in order to highlight the advantages of utilizing the present
system and method over that system that is presently being used today.
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a block diagram of a typical
supermarket store having a code reading machine scanner at each point of
sale location.
Located at each point of sale terminal in the supermarket store is a
checkout scanner 10 and a cash register, keyboard, display and printer 12.
Typically each supermarket has a plurality of point of sale terminals,
each having a checkout scanner and a cash register, keyboard, display and
printer, all under the control of a single in-store data processor 14 that
utilizes conventional multiplexing techniques handling the requirements of
each checkout scanner and each cash register, keyboard and printer.
In the typical system a manufacturer 16 in cooperation with print media
advertising 18 brings to the attention of a consumer 20 a redemption
coupon termed a media coupon 22. The media coupon 22 is very similar to
that illustrated in connection with FIG. 3 except that the media coupon
probably does not contain machine readable codes.
The consumer 20 on approaching the point of sale places all of the
purchased items before the checkout clerk who uses the checkout scanner 10
to machine read the bar codes on the tags associated with each of the
purchased itmes. The output of the checkout scanner 10 feeds the in-store
data processor which accumulates the data and which in turn controls the
cash register, keyboard, display and printer 12 to display the cost of
each item scanned.
The customer 20 then presents the media coupon 22 to the checkout clerk who
manually enters the credit amount in the cash register, keyboard, display
and printer 12. The checkout clerk must also verify that the consumer 20
has in fact purchased the item set forth in the redemption coupon and
further that all conditions of the redemption coupon have been complied
with. The clerk then enters the payment tendered by the consumer 20 on the
cash register, keyboard, display and printer 12 and the complete
transaction is accumulated and processed by the in-store data processor
14.
At the end of the day the in-store data processor 14 transmits over
telephone lines all accumulated transaction information to a remotely
located chain host computer 24 which now has a complete record of all
transactions taking place at that particular store for the last time
period.
The checking clerk on a periodic basis must then bundle and sort all
redemption coupons received, which coupons must be counted and verified in
order to establish an amount that the manufacturer must pay the store for
both handling the coupon and for the discount offered. Typically the
stores and manufacturers do not provide verification of the coupons but
rather hire third parties commonly known as coupon clearing houses that
provide outside manual verification as at 26 that count, sort and verify
all coupons passing through the supermarket.
Based on the count of the outside manual verification 26 the manufacturer
16 is then billed for all costs incurred. Implicit in the present handling
system of the outside manual verification is the heavy reliance on manual
labor which is both time-consuming and expensive since all verification
must be done manually and on a piece by piece basis.
Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a block diagram for handling coded
redemption coupons according to the teachings of the present invention. In
connection with the description of FIG. 2, similar items contain the same
numbers as previously described in connection with FIG. 1.
The basic concept of the system described in FIG. 2 is to utilize all of
the present equipment now available at each of the supermarkets equipped
with code reading machine scanning equipment and to provide ancillary
equipment for processing the coded redemption coupons so as not to
interfere or change any of the present information processing equipment
presently being used by each of the supermarkets.
The scan coupon 30 used in the present invention contains a machine
readable code capable of being read at the point of sale terminal by the
machine readable checkout scanner 10 located at each point of sale
terminal in the supermarket store. The scan coupon 30 can have any shape
or size and is limited only by having a machine readable code, a sample of
which is shown in FIG. 3, which shows the UPC code on the redemption
coupon 30. The coupon 30 also contains in man readable form all conditions
which are encoded such as the fact it is a coupon, the manufacturer, the
expiration date, and any other conditions that the manufacturer seeks to
encode as a condition of redeeming the coupon.
From the consumer's point of view the operation is not changed in that the
consumer 20 brings all items to the checkout scanner 10 where each sales
voucher is scanned with the information being fed into the in-store data
processor 14 and also to a scan concentrator 32. The scan concentrator
holds all information received from the checkout scanner 10 in a suitable
transaction register. The consumer 20 then submits the scan coupons 30 to
the checkout clerk who in a similar manner feeds all coupons past the
checkout scanner 10. The individual scan coupons 30 are suitably coded to
identify the coupon as a coupon, which information is fed to the scan
coupon concentrator 14 which is programmed to give credit for valid coupon
redemptions and the information from the coded redemption coupon is
compared with ticket information being held in the transaction register.
The scan coupon concentrator upon verifying the conditions contained in
the coded redemption coupon which is to find a product in the transaction
register comparing to the coded information contained on the redemption
coupon approves the credit and accumulates all redemption coupon
information fed to the scan coupon concentrator. It transmits item
information and credit information to the in-store data processor.
In the event that the scan coupon concentrator 32 does not find coincidence
between the scan coupon redemption information and information held in the
associated transaction register, the scan coupon concentrator generates an
inhibit pulse which is fed to the in-store data processor 14 which
transmits this information to the cash register which generates an audible
signal to inform the clerk and customer that the document is invalid in
this transaction because the terms and conditions encoded on the
redemption coupon are not complied with.
Upon termination of the individual sale the in-store data processor 14
impulses the cash register, keyboard, display and printer 12 with the
transaction total, giving credit for those coupons that have been verified
and charging the customer for all items purchased as determined by the
checkout scanner 10 and keyed input.
The scan coupon concentrator 32 accumulates all scan coupon information
that has been approved and verified, which information is periodically
transmitted by telephone lines to a remotely located scan host computer 36
that is adapted to receive similar information from all remotely located
supermarkets. The accumulated information which can be sorted by
manufacturer, product and cost, is then submitted to the manufacturer 16
for billing purposes together with the associated records that can be
checked and verified. In a similar fashion the scan host computer 36 also
feeds all accumulated data concerning verified coupons to the chain host
computer 24 for normal bookkeeping operations which can be used to
reconcile with the total records received from each in-store data
processor 14, thereby allowing the chain host computer 24 to have a
complete record of all sales of items and credits given for coupons from
each supermarket store associated with the chain.
The present system now allows the manufacturer 16 to obtain a complete
listing of all coupons redeemed from each supermarket and in a form that
can be verified and in which there is less chance of error than in the
manual scheme as illustrated in connection with FIG. 1. In addition, the
chain host computer 24 now has a complete listing of accumulated sales for
all items sold and for all coupons redeemed, thereby providing a more
efficient system for billing the manufacturer for expenses incurred and
for monies paid out by way of redemptions. The completely automated system
reduces the chance for fraud and improves the turnaround time for billing
by the chain host computer and allows the manufacturer to get more prompt
and up to date information as to the use of his individual coupons.
Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a block diagram of a complete
coupon redemption system for use by a supermarket having at least three
separate stores and at least three point of sale stations in each store.
The manufacturer 40 in cooperation with advertising 42, generates a
suitable interest in consumers 44, 46 and 48 to obtain scan coupons 50, 52
and 54, respectively, which coupons are of the type illustrated in
connection with FIG. 3 and contain machine readable coded information.
The individual consumers make their purchases in a supermarket then present
these purchases at any of the available point of sale terminals identified
as stations 1, 2 and 3.
Each of the stations are identical and contain a checkout scanner 56 and a
cash register, keyboard, display and printer 58. All point of sale
stations are identical in operation in that each checkout scanner 56 feeds
a scan coupon concentrator 60 and each cash register keyboard and printer
is controlled by an in-store data processor 62. The output of the scan
concentrator feeds a remotely located scan host computer 64 via a
telephone line connection on a periodic demand basis. Similarly, the
in-store data processor 62 feeds a remotely located chain host computer 66
via telephone lines and on a demand basis.
In a similar fashion other supermarket stores such as store number 2
identified as 68 and store number 3 identified as 70 also feed the chain
host computer 66 and the chain host computer 64 and in a similar fashion.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that utilizing the system
and method of the present invention does not interfere at all with the
conventional manner in which a supermarket accounts for its sales and
reports to its chain host computer. The ability of the system to
automatically process coded redemption coupons does not preclude the
system from also utilizing coupons that are not coded, which of course
will be processed in the prior art manner as described in connection with
FIG. 1. In other words, the system as described in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 is
strictly compatible with the prior art techniques as practiced today.
The food markets of yesteryear have become the supermarkets of today
because of an increasing need to increase volume and offer the public
goods far in excess of the conventional food market. As a result the
supermarket now offers the consumer a wide variety of goods including
liquor, foodstuff, clothing, utensils, tools, pots and pans, and most
anything else that can be conveniently carried and displayed on the
shelves. It is a generally well known and accepted principle that the
greater number of people passing through a store will generate a greater
volume of sales, and it is this principle that has prompted the
supermarket of today to offer the greatest variety of goods possible in
order to attract a greater volume of people.
The concept of utilizing a coded redemption coupon is actually a technique
used by both the manufacturer of the goods and the supermarket to increase
traffic through the store and make it as easy as possible for the customer
to purchase the goods and at a discount to thereby increase store traffic
and hopefully store volume of business.
Another technique used by the manufacturer is the concept that is sometimes
defined as the self-liquidating premium in which the manufacturer includes
a coupon in with his product or on the outside cover of his product that
allows the consumer after purchasing the product to submit the coupon
together with a fee for the purchase of a premium at some reduced rate.
The term self-liquidating premium resides in the fact that the
manufacturer usually supplies the premium at a price to the consumer that
barely pays for the premium and the handling cost, and hence the term
self-liquidating premium.
In order for the customer to take advantage of the premium, she must first
purchase the product and then remove the coupon from the box and return it
to the manufacturer together with the fee. Unfortunately, in order to
entice the customer to purchase the premium there must be some element of
advertising on the box in order to inform the customer of the features of
the self-liquidating premium being offered. Usually the manufacturer will
print a complete new box having the advertising on the outside and use the
premium box for a given period of time in a given location as a
promotional stunt to sell his product. The alternative method is to simply
place the coupon inside the box which is then discovered by the consumer
after the product has been purchased and used. The obvious disadvantages
of enticing the consumer to purchase the product to obtain a premium that
she doesn't know about is obvious.
The system and method to be described in connection with FIG. 5 utilizes an
embodiment of the coded redemption coupon principle in preparing a coded
sales voucher in the form of a sales ticket which is available to the
customer and which the customer may use at the supermarket to order the
premium while at the same time purchasing the goods in question. This
allows the consumer to satisfy the terms of the self-liquidating premium
in purchasing the goods in question and at the same time order the premium
without any further necessity of filling out a coupon or writing a check
but, rather, the customer pays the complete bill for the goods and the
premium at the point of sale terminal in the supermarket.
Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown a block diagram of another
embodiment of the method and system which provides the customer with a
coded sales voucher in the form of a coded redemption coupon or a coded
sales ticket for use by the customer in purchasing a premium that is not
stocked or carried in the supermarket.
A manufacturer 80 makes a determination to offer coded redemption coupons
to the general public and also to offer a self-liquidating premium at a
reduced cost provided the customer satisfies certain conditions in
purchasing a given product. The manufacturer 80 works closely with his
advertising 82 to advertise this fact to the consumer 84. At the same time
the manufacturer 80 works very closely with the scan host computer 86
associated with the supermarket chain in the area where the manufacturer
intends to promote the special offer.
In the preferred embodiment of the system described in connection with FIG.
5, each supermarket contains a scan printer keyboard and display 88 that
is capable of generating a coded sales voucher either in the form of a
coded redemption coupon or in the form of a coded sales ticket depending
upon the input supplied by the customer. The display shown by the scan
printer keyboard and display 88 is under the direct control of a scan
coupon concentrator 90 that is periodically updated and programmed by the
scan host computer 86. In this fashion the scan printer keyboard and
display 88 can be made to display currently available coded redemption
coupons or coded sales tickets in the form of premiums or products or
product services that are being offered by the individual manufacturers.
In one embodiment an ID card 92 previously issued to the consumer can be
used to input the scan printer keyboard and display 88 to thereby
facilitate the identification of the buyer during the printing of the
sales voucher document 94. The customer may either select a scan coupon 96
that will have coded redemption information imprinted on the coupon or the
customer may select a sales voucher document 94 that will be imprinted and
will contain coded sales ticket information concerning the
self-liquidating premium selected by the consumer.
The sales voucher document 94 generated by the scan printer keyboard and
display 88 contains a machine readable coded number identifying the
customer's name and address, the premium selected, the manufacturer's
name, and any other information necessary to automatically process the
document. In the same fashion, the scan printer keyboard and display 88
will generate a scan redemption coupon 96 having coded information
regarding terms of the sale as previously mentioned and in machine
readable form.
The customer makes her purchases at the supermarket in the same fashion as
before and presents all items together with the sales voucher document and
the scan redemption coupon to the point of sale terminal where the
checkout clerk subjects all tickets to a checkout scanner 98. The checkout
procedure and verification procedure is the same as previously mentioned
in that the output of the checkout scanner feeds the scan coupon
concentrator 90 which holds all item sale information in a transaction
register and then compares the coded scan redemption coupon information to
determine compliance with the terms of the coupon. Another output of the
checkout scanner 98 feeds an in-store data processor 100 which in turn
controls the cash register, keyboard, display and printer 102 as
previously described. If all terms and conditions of the scan redemption
coupon 96 are met, then the in-store data processor 100 transmits full
credit for the coupon | | |
