Abstract:
A system and method for the production of customer incentives at plurality dispensing station types, wherein the incentives issued at first the dispensing station of a first type are redeemed at a second the dispensing station of a second type, and wherein the incentives issued at the second dispensing station are redeemed at the first dispensing station, comprising means to identify the customer at the first and second dispensing stations; means to access a customer database containing targeted customer incentives that have been linked to the identified customer; the database having indicia linking the identified customer with specific the targeted customer incentives; means to link each the customer incentives to one or more the dispensing station types for the purpose of issuing the customer incentive; means to link each the customer incentives to one or more the dispensing station types for the purpose of redeeming the customer incentive; means to present the accessed incentives to the customer at the specific type of the dispensing stations; and means to deliver the accessed incentive to the customer at the first and second types of dispensing station.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    In certain retail environments there are multiple stations within the venue that dispense disparate products to customers, such as gas stations with fuel dispensers, convenience stores (C-store), and/or car washes. In these, the merchant has customers that use one dispensing station (gas dispenser) but not the other (C-store). This represents lost opportunity. Various approaches have been implemented to exploit this situation. One, AutoGas, sets up a loyalty program based on discounting fuel based on purchases in a C-store. Another, Catalina Marketing, issues coupons in grocery stores based on prior purchases. Additionally, the issuance of incentives at the fuel dispenser, in the form of coupons, has been demonstrated by Ten Square. However, these have not been combined into a self-reinforcing system where incentives at one dispensing station work in conjunction with incentives at another dispensing station in a manner that encourages the customer to continue using both dispensing stations. Of course this is not limited to venues with two types of dispensing stations.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates to the generation and redemption of customer incentives, such as coupon offers, electronically delivered discounts, and other certificates having value, from a variety of manufacturers, at one customer service station, and redeeming them at another customer service station, while issuing one or more incentives at the redeeming customer service station that are redeemable at the first customer service station. The most common example would be the issuance of a coupon at a C-store for a discount at the gas pump on the gas pumped, and issuing another coupon at the gas pump for potato chips that can be redeemed at the C-store.  
           [0003]    Existing systems issue coupons at the C-store for a price rollback at the pump. This is done based on triggering purchases in the C-store, or from a customer profile based on prior purchases. The problem with this approach is there is no continuity to encourage a behavioral change in the customer, other than the customer&#39;s memory of the experience. Other systems such as the Ten Square system issue coupons selected by the customer at the gas pump. This system does not attempt to target the coupons based on the desire to drive the customer into the C-store.  
           [0004]    Examination of the prior art shows no systems designed to encourage the looping of the customer from one Point-of-service station to another and then back to the first. Extensions of this concept beyond two Point-of-service stations have not been found. The invention herein provides a method for achieving this.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The invention provides for a method to one or more incentives to customers at a first Point-of-sale station that can be redeemed at a second Point-of-sale station which can subsequently issue another incentive or incentives to that customer that can be redeemed at the first or third Point-of-sale station, establishing a chain of reinforcing incentives to the customer. These Point-of-sale stations are characterized by the kind of Point-of-sale station (gas pump, C-store counter, bakery department, grocery checkout, etc.), such that the incentives can be specified for delivery at a given type of Point-of-sale station type. The results rising from the issuance of an incentive is tracked by recording the issuance and redemption at the various Point-of-sale stations. Further, the results are used to build a database used to direct future distribution of incentives. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 Concept of System  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 is a diagram of a computer System, which is adapted to perform the method of the invention.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3 is a diagram of a computer system called the Central Server.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 4 is a diagram of a computer system called the Venue Server.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 5 is a diagram of a computer system representative of a Point-of-sale Terminal.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 6 is a data table that describes the Customer Table.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 7 Purchase Log Entry  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 8 Incentive Log Entry  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 9 is a Point-of-sale Terminal Table.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 10 is a drawing showing a typical Incentive  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 11 describes the Bar Code Data  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 12 is the Incentive Table.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 13 Predestinated Incentive Table  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 14 is a data table that describes a Measurement Table.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 15 is a flow chart describing the Incentive Application.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 16 Process Transaction  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 17 is a diagram that shows the Redeem Incentive process.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 18 is a flow chart describing the Issue Incentive process. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0024]    The invention is embodied in the form of a gasoline station with a convenience store. However, it applies to any retail environment having two types of Point-of-sale Terminals for handling different types of transactions. In the preferred embodiment, the checkout station in the convenience store is equipped to sell general merchandise, and the gas pump is equipped to sell gas. In a supermarket embodiment, there may be multiple types of Point-of-sale Terminals handling specific kinds of products. A supermarket is commonly configured with a checkout counter for all merchandise, a florist, a deli, and a pharmacy. In hardware stores, there may be a Point-of-sale Terminal in the tool crib as well as the ones for general checkout. One skilled in the art can apply the preferred embodiment to these and other retail environments.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 1 is a representation of a Concept of System. Block  100  depicts the arrival of the customer at C-store  102  in a gasoline station. While in the C-store  102  the customer makes purchases or transacts other business, which may result in the issuance of one or more incentives (See FIG. 12, Incentive Table) to the customer at the FIG. 5, Point-of-sale Terminal.  
         [0026]    An incentive is a certificate in any form (paper, electronic, etc.) that delivers value to the customer. It may be in a form carried by the customer or a form where it is maintained in the computing system that implements this invention. This incentive is exercisable at the Fuel Island  105 . This encourages the customer to proceed to the Fuel Island  105 , as indicated by Block  104 . However, the customer may proceed as in Block  101 , and depart from the gas station, having received the incentive certificate. That customer could reenter the system via Block  106  (expected) or Block  100  on the return visit.  
         [0027]    When the customer is at Fuel Island  105 , having arrived from C-store  102  or from another venue via Block  107 , the incentives received in C-store  102  are redeemed. Note that if the customer arrived via Block  107 , there may not have been incentives issued to that customer. During the transaction at Fuel Island  105  one or more additional incentives may be issued that can be redeemed in the C-store  102 . The customer completes and either proceeds to depart the gas station, having received the incentive(s), or as in Block  103  proceeds to the C-store  102  with the incentives.  
         [0028]    In the course of a visit, it would be normal for a customer to do business at the C-store  102 , the Fuel Island  105 , or both. However, the customer is not precluded from visiting either sales location multiple times and receiving and/or redeeming incentives each time. Systems may be implemented to limit the number of incentives given to a customer during one visit to the gas station.  
         [0029]    In other embodiments the analogs of the C-store  102  and the Fuel Island  105  may be located in different venues and may be owned, managed, or controlled by other entities.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 2 described a Computing System adapted to perform the method of the invention. A Central Server  200 , described in FIG. 3, is coupled by a wide area network, WAN  203  to one or more Venue Server  202 . Readily available software and protocols such as TCP/IP are used by Central Server  200  and Venue Server  202 , described in FIG. 4, Venue Server, to communicate with each other via WAN  203 . Venue Server  202  is connected via LAN  201  to one or more Point-of-sale Terminal  204 . Normal Point-of-sale Terminal activities are conducted between the Venue Server  202  and Point-of-sale Terminal  204 , described in FIG. 5, Point-of-sale Terminal.  
         [0031]    Central Server  200  is described in FIG. 3. It is the repository for incentives and performs the function of targeting and distributing incentives to specific retail venues and customers. Additionally, it collects measurements concerning the incentives and their redemption from the various Venue Servers  202 . The measurements are fed back into the targeting process and are used for accounting. The functions provided in Central Server  200  in the preferred embodiment are shown in one server, but in other embodiments the function may be distributed in a plurality of servers, including Venue Server  202  and computers in Point-of-sale Terminal  204 .  
         [0032]    Venue Server  202  is located at the gas station and services Point-of-sale Terminals  204  at the Fuel Island&#39;s  105  fuel dispensers and C-store&#39;s  102  checkout counter. It provides the normal services for these and implements the distribution of incentives to the customers and accounts for the redemptions of the incentives. The functions provided in Venue Server  202  in the preferred embodiment are shown in one server, but in other embodiments the function may be distributed in a plurality of servers, including Central Server  200  and computers in Point-of-sale Terminal  204 .  
         [0033]    Point-of-sale Terminals  204  are assigned to C-store  102  and Fuel Island  1 OS and service the sale of products for those and issue the incentives to the customer in printed or electronic form. They are described in FIG. 5. At the Fuel Island  105 , the Point-of-sale Terminals  204  imbedded into the fuel dispenser. In the C-store  102 , they take the form of conventional countertop units. The Point-of-sale Terminals  204  perform the function of delivering the incentives to the customer either in the form of a notification of an electronic certificate, or by delivering to the customer a portable certificate such as Incentive  1000  that can be redeemed to receive the incentive.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 3 illustrates further details of Central Server  200  as seen in FIG. 2, System. CPU 300 is a conventional microprocessor with a Local Bus  309  that connects it to Disk Drive(s)  307 , a Wide Area Network Adapter  308 , a Program Memory  310 , and a Data Memory  302 . Local Bus  309  may be implemented as a single bus or a system of interconnected busses. CPU 300 contains a Clock  301  that provides time in a form that includes the Month, Day-of-week, Hour, Minute, And Seconds. While this embodiment teaches a single CPU system, it is readily adapted to the various forms of multiprocessing systems.  
         [0035]    Wide Area Network Adapter  308  is used to communicate with Central Server  200  for the communication of the various tables between Central Server  200  and Venue Server  202 .  
         [0036]    Program Memory  310  contains: Operating System  311  that controls the hardware and software that Targeting Application  313  uses; Database System  312 , which manages the data for Targeting Application  313  on Disk Drive(s)  307  and in Data Memory  302 ; and Targeting Application  313 , which distributes the Incentives  1000  to the Venue Server  202 . Targeting Applications  313  have been described elsewhere and will not be further described herein.  
         [0037]    Data Memory  302  contains: Point-of-sale Terminal Table  303 , which describes the Point-of-sale Terminals  204  serviced by the Venue Server  202 ; Incentive Table  304 , which describes the Incentives  1000  that have been generated by Targeting Application  313 ; Measurement Table  305 , which contains the data collected during the customers session with the Point-of-sale Terminal  204  (It is described in FIG. 14, Measurement Table); Customer Table  306 , which contains the data items describing the customers known to visit the venue (Customer Table  306  is described in FIG. 6); and Predestinated Incentive Table  314 , which contain the targeted Incentives  1000  that are generated by Targeting Application  313 .  
         [0038]    Central Server  200  performs the functions of the Targeting Application  313 , which develop the Point-of-sale Terminal Table  303 ; Incentive Table  304 , and Customer Table  306  for transmission to Venue Server  202 , which delivers the incentives to the Point-of-sale Terminals  204  and returns the Measurement Table  305 . This communication is done via WAN  203  using Wide Area Network Adapter  308 .  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 4. Venue Server is a representation of a typical server in a venue as seen in FIG. 2, System. Venue Server performs the functions required in a Point-of-sale system that are in support of Point-of-sale Terminal  204  in a location. CPU 406 is a conventional microprocessor with a Local Bus  411  that connects it to Disk Drive(s)  408 , a Local Area Network Adapter  409 , a Wide Area Network Adapter  410  (which attaches to LAN  201  for communications with Venue Server  202 ), a Program Memory  412 , and a Data Memory  415 . CPU 406 contains a Clock  407  that provides the capability to generate time and date information.  
         [0040]    Program Memory  412  contains: Operating System  413  that controls the hardware and software that Incentive Application  416  uses; Database System  414 , which manages the data for Incentive Application  416  on Disk Drive(s)  408  and in Data Memory  415 ; and Incentive Application  416 , which performs the method of this invention.  
         [0041]    Data Memory  415  contains: Point-of-sale Terminal Table  303 , which describes the Point-of-sale Terminals  204  serviced by the Venue Server  202 ; Incentive Table  304 , which describes the Incentives  1000  currently resident in the Venue Server  202  that can be issued or redeemed; Measurement Table  305 , which contains the data collected during the customers session with the Point-of-sale Terminal  204  (Measurement Table  305  is described in FIG. 14, Measurement Table); Customer Table  306 , which contains the data items describing the customers known to visit the venue (Customer Table  306  is described in FIG. 6, Customer Table); Predestinated Incentive Table  314 , containing the list of targeted incentives for the venue (Predestinated Incentive Table  314  is described in FIG. 13, Predestinated Incentive Table); and Bar Code Data  405 , which is generated by Incentive Application  416  when issuing an Incentive  1000  (Bar Code Data  405  is described in FIG. 11, Bar Code Data).  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 5 is a diagram of a Point-of-sale Terminal seen in FIG. 2. Point-of-sale Terminals  204  are configured with a Microcomputer  508  of conventional design. Microcomputer  508  contains a Clock  509  that provides time in a form that includes time and date capability. Attached to the Microcomputer  508  are various input and output devices including: a LAN  201 , Printer  501 , Clerk Interface  502 , Customer Interface  507 , Magnetic Stripe Reader  503 , and Bar Code Reader  511 . These are attached via electronic Local Bus  510  links, which normally are serial IO like an RS232 serial port. Customer Interface  507  is used for presenting the incentives to the Customer and receiving responses. As such, it can contain information displays and manual input capability in the form of a touch screen or keys. Magnetic Stripe Reader  503 , Bar Code Reader  511 , and Customer Interface&#39;s  507  touch screen, or keys, are sources for the input of the Customer ID  600 . In cases where the Incentives  1000  are to be automatically delivered, Customer Interface  507  is not required to be a part of Point-of-sale Terminal  204 . In addition, in special forms of Point-of-sale Terminal  204  that are unattended, such as a gas pump, Clerk Interface  502  is not required. Printer  501  is used to print receipts and Incentives  1000 . When Incentives  1000  are delivered by an electronic representation, Printer  501  is not required for the printing of Incentives  1000 .  
         [0043]    Processor Memory  504  contains Application  505  and Application Data  506  needed to run FIG. 5, Point-of-sale Terminal. Application  505  is a conventional application for the specific type of Point-of-sale Terminal  204  that has been augmented with the capability to print Incentives  1000  and to pass communications to and from the customer at Customer Interface  507  and Venue Server  202 . Application Data  506  consists of the data required to run a conventional application for the specific type of Point-of-sale Terminal  204  that has to be augmented with data to be presented on the Customer Interface  507 , printed on Printer  501 , and received from the Customer Interface  507  or Magnetic Stripe Reader  503  in support of Incentive Application  416  in Venue Server  202 .  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 6 illustrates Customer Table that contains a Customer ID  600  which is the ID provided to the retailer by the Customer in the course of the primary transaction being performed. It may be a credit card number or other ID, or no ID (anonymous ID). It also contains Customer Name  601 , Log of Purchases  602 , Log of Redeemable Incentives  603 , and Log of Issuable Incentives  604   a . Log of Purchases  602  is used by the various rules in determining which incentives to issue; Log of Redeemable Incentives  603  is the mechanism that allows specific Incentives  1000  to be tied to a individual customer. It is built by FIG. 18, Redeem Incentive. Log of Issuable Incentives  604  is a list of Incentives  1000  that have been designated for this customer by Targeting Application  313  or by FIG. 18, Issue Incentives. Terminal Indicator List  605  is used to keep track of what Point-of-sale Terminals  204  the customer has used during the current visit to the venue. This is done by storing Point-of-sale Terminal ID  900  in this list. In this embodiment, the list is implemented as a chained list of data blocks. In other embodiments, the indicators can be implemented by fixed fields or using techniques such as tree structures. Date and Time of Last Visit  606  is used to determine if Customer Table  306  is to be reinitialized. Customer Table  306  is provided by Central Server&#39;s  200 , Targeting Application  313 .  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 7 is a representation of an Purchase Log Entry, comprised of: Product Code  700 , which contains a UPC for the product or a stocking code; Date and Time Purchased  701 , is the date the customer purchased the product; Terminal Type  702 , which is the terminal type that executed the sale; and Price  703  is what the customer paid for the product. FIG. 7, Purchase Log Entries are used by the various rules governing the issue and redemption of incentives.  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 8 is a representation of an Incentive Log Entry which contains: Incentive ID  800 , identifying the incentive; Date and Time  801 , which relates to the time of issue of the incentive or the expiration date, depending on whether the entry is in the Log of Issuable Incentives  604  or the Log of Redeemable Incentives  603 ; Terminal ID  802 , which specifies the terminal ID of the issuing terminal; and Terminal Type  803 , which specifies the terminal type for the issuing terminal when used in the Log of Issuable Incentives  604 , or as the type of terminal that can be involved in the redemption when used in the Log of Redeemable Incentives  603 . FIG. 8, Incentive Log Entries are used by the various rules governing the issue and redemption of incentives.  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 9 is Point-of-sale Terminal Table which consists of: Venue ID  902 , which is used in Targeting Application  313  to identify the venue; Point-of-sale Terminal ID  900 , which contains a unique identifier for each Point-of-sale Terminal  204  with in the venue; Point-of-sale Terminal Type  901  (Checkout Counter, Express Checkout, Gas Pump, Car Wash,), which contains a code describing the type for the Point-of-sale Terminal  204  having the Point-of-sale Terminal ID  900  in this entry; and Current Customer ID  903 , which contains a copy of Customer ID  600 , when a customer is being processed by the terminal. When the table is generated by Targeting Application  313 , Current Customer ID  903  is not supplied. It is provided by Incentive Application  416  when the customer has been identified at Point-of-sale Terminal  204  during the transaction. If identification is not provided by the customer, as would be the case with a cash customer, a special code is used to indicate an anonymous customer.  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 10 is a representation of an Incentive  1000  in the form of a coupon offer. Many forms of Incentives  1000  are possible including: cash rebates, fixed amounts off, percentage discounts, buy one or more products and get one or more products discounted, and buy a product and get a discount on a service. On a printed certificate, Bar Code  1001  contains the data, as described in FIG. 11, Bar Code Data, for the Incentive  1000 . The preferred embodiment uses a paper form of the Incentive  1000 , while other embodiments are in the form of coupons encoded on magnetic striped cards, smart cards and their analogs, and electronic certificates.  
         [0049]    [0049]FIG. 11 is a representation of a Bar Code Data, consisting of the Incentive ID  800  and Incentive Type  1101 , which are copied from FIG. 12, Incentive Table when the Incentive  1000  is created; Customer ID  600 , which is copied from Current Customer ID  903 ; and Serial Number  1103  which is generated by Incentive Application  416  at the time the Incentive  1000  was created. Issue Date and Time  1104  contains the data and time the incentive was issued. This is used in: checking redemption expiration rules that are encoded in Redemptions Rules  1206  and Redemption Rules  1302 ; and execution of linked incentive rules encoded in Issuance Rules  1205  or Issue Rules  1301 . This data is described as embodied in a bar code on Incentive  1000 . In other embodiments, it may be encoded in smart cards or similar devices, on the magnetic stripe of a customer ID card, as a file stored on the Venue Server  202  and accessed by a customer ID or code.  
         [0050]    [0050]FIG. 12 is an Incentive Table, which contains the descriptions of the various Incentives  1000 . The specific Incentive  1000  is selected based on the Customer ID  600  currently being serviced by a Point-of-sale Terminal  204 . FIG. 12, Incentive Table, entries are downloaded periodically from Central Server  200 , and contain Incentive ID  800 , which contains a unique ID for each Incentive  1000  resident in the venue; Product Code  700 , which is a unique identifier for the product involved in the incentive. It would contain the UPC (Universal Product Code) or stocking number of the product; Incentive Amount  1202 , which contains a numeric value indicating the value of that incentive in the form of a percentage discount or a number of monetary units; the form of the field is depended on Incentive Type  1101 , which identifies the type of incentive (coupon, percentage discount, amount per volume discount, etc.) and whether it was a presentation, issuance, or redemption of Incentive  1000 ; Incentive Graphic  1204 , which contains a representation of the graphic used in presenting the Incentive  1000 ; Issuance Rules  1205 , which describe the customers or customer behavior that trigger the issuance of an incentive; and Redemption Rules  1206 , which describe the conditions under which the customer may redeem the Incentive  1000 . Issuance Rules  1205  and Redemption Rules  1206 , in this embodiment are in the form of “regular expressions” (see: Mastering Regular Expressions Powerful Techniques for Perl and Other Tools, By Jeffrey E. F. Friedl, 1st Edition, January 1997, ISBN -1-56592-257-3, O&#39;Reilly Books)  
         [0051]    A set of rules like:  
                                                                                                           Start:                Remove Expired_Incentives from Log_of_Redeemable_Incentives           Then                If Point-of-sale_Terminal_Type = “gas pump”            And                If Log_of_Redeemable_Incentives Contain (“gas offer”)                Then apply “gas offer” to Price and Remove “gas offer”           from Log_of_Redeemable_Incentives                If Gas_Sale Complete                Then Issue_Incentive (gallons_delivered, grade)            End.                  
 
         [0052]    This rule removes elapsed incentives from Log of Redeemable Incentives  603 . Then it runs in parallel two rules. The first finds out if the purchase is happening at a gas pump so it can apply any incentives that apply to gas pumps. If it does, then it will access the incentive from the Log of Redeemable Incentives  603  to get the information about the incentive and to remove the incentive from the log. The second rule requests the issuance of an incentive after the transaction has completed, and the quantity of gas sold and its grade are known. The next set of rules is triggered by this rule.  
                                                                                 Start:                Issue_Incentive:                Execute Incentive_Rules           Select Eligible Incentives           Add Incentives to Log_of_Redeemable_Incentives           Print Incentives                End                      
 
         [0053]    This rule causes all of the Issuance Rules  1205  in the Incentive Table  304 . As these are executed the rules will determine if the incentives are “eligible.” If so, they are marked that way. Then the eligible incentives go through another set of rules to select a subset of these for issue to the customer. The ones selected are added to Log of Redeemable Incentives  603  for that customer, and the incentives are printed in the form of Incentive  1000  or its alternative embodiments.  
         [0054]    The Execute Incentive_Rules causes rules such as the one below to be executed. Each incentive has its own set of rules, which may be unique to the incentive.  
                                                                                                                                             Start:                Typical Incentive_Rule                Weight = 10           Value = 10           If at “gas pump”           Then                If Log_of_Purchases Contains (“Crispy Chips”,           “Haggen&#39;s Pop”) Then                Increment (Weight = +3)                If Date_and_Time_of_Last_Visit Before Yesterday           Then                Increment (Value ,20) and Increment (Weight, Today -           Date_and_Time_of_Last_Visit)                If Log_of_Purchases Contains ((Product_Code_1,           Product_Code_2) and (Product_Code_3))           Having Terminal_Type = “C-store”           Then                If Weight &gt; 8                Then                Make Incentive_ID = “Incentive_X” Eligible           With Value.            End                  
 
         [0055]    The rule starts by initializing parameters, then checks to see if the customer is at the gas pump. If not, the rule does not fire. If it is at the gas pump, then a number of rules are run in parallel. In the first the Log of Purchases  602  for the customer is examined to find triggering products on the log, which trigger an increase in the Weigh parameter.  
         [0056]    In the second it is determined if the customer&#39;s last visit had been more than a day ago. If so, the Value and Weight parameters are changed to reflect that.  
         [0057]    The third rule checks the Log of Purchases  602  for the customer to determine if a specific combination of product codes were purchased in the C-store and if the Weight exceeds  8 , the incentive is made eligible with a parameter of Value.  
         [0058]    In this manner a variety of functions can be built that tie issuance of Incentives  1000  to a large number of parameters including: products purchased, the timing of events, location of purchase, incentives redeemed, day of events, time of events, and the rapidity of redemption of Incentives  1000 .  
         [0059]    [0059]FIG. 13 is a representation of a Predestinated Incentive Table  314 , which consists of: Incentive ID  800 , relating the entry to a specific Incentive  1000 ; Issue Rules  1301 , which are rules in the form of regular expressions that determine when the incentive having Incentive ID  800  is to be issued; Redemption Rules  1302 , which are rules in the form of regular expressions that determine when the incentive having Incentive ID  800  is to be redeemed; and Customer ID List  1303 , which is a list of Customer IDs  600  that are to receive the specified incentive.  
         [0060]    [0060]FIG. 14 is an Measurement Table that describes the information collected in the Venue Server  202  that is used to account for the issuance and redemption of the incentives and to provide information that drives the loyalty programs and targeting programs. It is composed of: Customer ID  600 , which identifies the customer that received Incentive  1000  with Incentive ID  800 ; Venue ID  902 , which identifies the venue where the activity took place; Point-of-sale Terminal ID  900 , which identifies the Point-of-sale Terminal  204  involved in the transaction; and Time and Date  1404 , which specifies the time and date of the transaction. This information is generated in Venue Server  202  by Targeting Application  313  and transmitted to Targeting Application  313  in Central Server  200  via WAN  203 .  
         [0061]    [0061]FIG. 15 is a flow chart for Incentive Application  416 , which starts at Step  1500 . Step  1500  access the Customer ID from a loyalty card, bankcard, or other source of identification. The Customer ID is used to access the Customer Table  306 . The Point-of-sale Terminal ID  900  from the Point-of-sale Terminal  204  used by the customer is accessed from the Point-of-sale system and used to access the Point-of-sale Terminal Table  303 . Point-of-sale Terminal ID  900  is used to update the Terminal Indicator List  605  by checking the current date and time from Clock  407  against the Date and Time of Last Visit  606 . If the difference is more than a predestinated amount, the list is cleared and the current Point-of-sale Terminal ID  900  is entered into the list, and the Date and Time of Last Visit  606  is set to value accessed from Clock  407 .  
         [0062]    Control is then passed to Step  1501 , which calls the FIG. 17 Redeem Incentive routine. Upon return from that, routine control passes to Step  1503 , which calls the FIG. 18, Process Transaction routine. Upon return, control passes to Step  1504 .  
         [0063]    Step  1504  determines if the conditions for redeeming the coupons are met by running the Redemption Rules  1206  for the list of FIG. 12, Incentive Table entries returned by the FIG. 17, Redeem Incentive routine. If so, control passes to Step  1505 ; otherwise control passes to Step  1506 .  
         [0064]    Step  1506  applies the value of the Incentive  1000  by reducing the price of the items as indicated by the Incentive Type  1101  and Incentive Amount  900   a . It then accesses the Log of Redeemable Incentives  603  and updates it to indicate the redemption. Control is then passed to Step  1502 .  
         [0065]    Step  1502  completed the customer&#39;s transaction as part of the normal Point-of-sale Terminal application. Then control passes to Step  1502 , which calls the FIG. 18, Issue Incentive routine. When that routine returns control, the process is ended.  
         [0066]    [0066]FIG. 16 is the Process Transaction routine, which starts with Step  1600 . This is the first step of a loop which processes each item the customer is purchasing at the Point-of-sale Terminal  204 . After the current item is processed by the checkout application, control passes to Step  1601  which checks to see if the item&#39;s product code matches Product Code  700  of an entry in Incentive Table  304 . If so, the Incentive Type  1101  is checked. If the Incentive Type  1101  requires the issuance of an Incentive  1000 , control passes to Step  1604 ; otherwise, control passes to Step  1602 .  
         [0067]    Step  1602  checks the Incentive Table  304 , associated with the Product Code  700  to determine if the Incentive Type  1101  allows redemption of a previously issued Incentive  1000 . If so, control passes to Step  1605 ; otherwise control passes to Step  1603 .  
         [0068]    Step  1603  is the end of the checkout loop. It determines if there are more items to checkout. If so, control passes to Step  1600 ; otherwise the routine returns to the calling program.  
         [0069]    This routine represents the normal checkout process. These are represented by Step  1600  and Step  1603 . Step  1601 , Step  1602 , Step  1604 , and Step  1605  represent the augmentation required to embody this invention.  
         [0070]    [0070]FIG. 17 is a diagram showing the Redeem Incentive routine. It starts with Step  1700 , which acquires the Customer ID  600  from one of the customer input devices associated with the Point-of-sale Terminal  204  that the customer is using or via the Clerk Interface  502 . Then the customer is asked to input the information concerning the various Incentive  1000  to be redeemed. In this embodiment, the customer uses the Bar Code Reader  511 , Magnetic Stripe Reader  503 , or Customer Interface  507  to input the information as represented in FIG. 11, Bar Code Data. In other embodiments the information could be transferred from Smart Cards and similar radio based devices, by manual entry by the clerk, by photonic means, by input of a Customer ID  600 , which is used to access the information electronically, and other such mechanisms that can transfer information or customer identification. Control then passes to Step  1701 .  
         [0071]    Step  1701  accesses the Customer Table  306  and checks Log of Redeemable Incentives  603 , using that to access Incentive Table&#39;s  304 , Incentive Type  1101 . Incentive Type  1101  is used to determine if the Incentive  1000  is a redeemable incentive. If so, control passes to Step  1702 ; otherwise control passes to Step  1703 .  
         [0072]    Step  1702  logs the credit for Incentive  1000  for redemption in a later stage of the process as described in Step  1505 . The routine then returns to the calling routine.  
         [0073]    Step  1703  sets an indicator for Step  1505  that there are no Incentive&#39;s  1000  to be redeemed, and then returns to the calling routine.  
         [0074]    [0074]FIG. 18 is a flow chart describing the Redeem Incentive process. It starts with Step  1800  which accesses the Customer ID  600  as supplied by the calling routine. It then uses Customer ID  600  to access Customer Table  306  for use in subsequent steps. Then the Log of Issuable Incentives  604 , as updated in Step  1604 , is checked and if there are incentives to be issued. These are checked by executing the Issuance Rules  1205  for each of the Incentives  1000  in the Log of Issuable Incentives  604   a . Next, the Predestinated Incentive Table&#39;s  314 , Redemption Rules  1302  are executed. The incentives found to be issuable by these are queued in Log of Issuable Incentives  604 , for Step  1802  to issue. Then control passes to Step  1801 .  
         [0075]    Step  1801  passes control to Step  1802  if there are Incentives  1000  to issue; otherwise the routine returns to the calling routine.  
         [0076]    Step  1802  processes the Log of Issuable Incentives  604  by preparing FIG. 11, Bar Code Data for each, encoding that data for the media used to issue the Incentive  1000 , and attaching the data to the Incentive  1000 . In the case of a printed coupon, as embodied in Incentive  1000 , the FIG. 11, Bar Code Data is printed as Bar Code  1001 . The Incentive  1000  is then printed or otherwise distributed to the customer. A record of the incentive is made in Customer Table&#39;s  306 , Log of Redeemable Incentives  603 . Control is then returned to the calling program.