Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6173891?dq=5,966,702
Timestamp: 2014-12-19 23:13:57
Document Index: 503520686

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 2', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 2', 'art 2']

Patent US6173891 - Retail store configured for bidirectional communication between a plurality ... - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA system for creating, dispensing, and redeeming electronic discount coupons in a store. The system includes a �smart card�, product stations adjacent to selected products in the store, and a checkout station in the checkout area. To create an electronic coupon, the customer inserts the card into...http://www.google.com/patents/US6173891?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6173891 - Retail store configured for bidirectional communication between a plurality of product shelf areas and a plurality of portable cardsAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS6173891 B1Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 09/518,095Publication dateJan 16, 2001Filing dateMar 3, 2000Priority dateJun 6, 1995Fee statusLapsedAlso published asUS5727153, US6112988, US6354495Publication number09518095, 518095, US 6173891 B1, US 6173891B1, US-B1-6173891, US6173891 B1, US6173891B1InventorsKen R. PowellOriginal AssigneeSoftcard Systems, Inc.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (27), Non-Patent Citations (12), Referenced by (11), Classifications (26), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetRetail store configured for bidirectional communication between a plurality of product shelf areas and a plurality of portable cardsUS 6173891 B1Abstract A system for creating, dispensing, and redeeming electronic discount coupons in a store. The system includes a �smart card�, product stations adjacent to selected products in the store, and a checkout station in the checkout area. To create an electronic coupon, the customer inserts the card into the product station adjacent to an product the customer wishes to purchase, and the product station then writes an electronic coupon onto the card. The customer thus shops throughout the store collecting electronic coupons for products of interest. Upon completion of shopping, the customer redeems the electronic coupons at the checkout area, by inserting the card into the checkout station. During checkout, when UPC data matches data stored on the card, the customer is credited with the value of the corresponding coupon. Periodically, the electronic coupon data is transferred to a remote clearing house.
This Application is a Continuation of copending application Ser. No. 09/032,001 of KEN R. POWELL filed Feb. 27, 1998 for�RETAIL STORE CONFIGURED FOR BIDIRECTIONAL COMMUNICATION BETWEEN A PLURALITY OF PRODUCT SHELF AREAS AND A PLURALITY OF PORTABLE CARDS, which is a Divisional of application Ser. No. 08/468,820 of KEN R. POWELL filed Jun. 6, 1995 for DEVICE FOR PROGRAMMING RETAIL SYSTEM, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,153.
FIG. 3C shows interface contacts 2420 in more detail. Interface contacts 2420 are configured in accordance with ISO7816-2: 1988(E), Identification cards�Integrated circuit(s) cards with contact�Part 2: Dimensions and locations of the contacts, promulgated by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and available from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 11 West 42nd Street, New York, N.Y. 10036. According to ISO 7816-2, contact 2421 is assigned to VCC (supply voltage), contact 2422 is assigned to RST (reset signal), contact 2423 is assigned to CLK (clock signal), contact 2424 is reserved for future use, contact 2425 is assigned to GND (ground), contact 2426 is assigned to VPP (program and voltage), contact 2427 is assigned to I/O (data input/output), and contact 2428 is reserved for future use. Card 215 communicates with the product stations and the checkout stations through contact 2427 using a half duplex scheme, meaning that contact 2427 is for communicating data signals either to or from the card.
FIG. 20C shows interface contacts 2420 in more detail. Interface contacts 2420 are configured in accordance with ISO7816-2: 1988(E), Identification cards�Integrated circuit(s) cards with contact�Part 2: Dimensions and locations of the contacts, promulgated by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and available from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 11 West 42nd Street, New York, N.Y. 10036. According to ISO 7816-2, contact 2421 is assigned to VCC (supply voltage), contact 2422 is assigned to RST (reset signal), contact 2423 is assigned to CLK (clock signal), contact 2424 is reserved for future use, contact 2425 is assigned to GND (ground), contact 2426 is assigned to VPP (program and voltage), contact 2427 is assigned to I/O (data input/output), and contact 2428 is reserved for future use. Card 55 communicates with the product stations through contact 2427 using a half duplex scheme, meaning that contact 2427 is for communicating data signals either to or from the card.
FIG. 9A shows some the contents list 2435 in starting at location 30 memory 2460 of customer card 215, before CPU 5160 of the product station executes step 8040. An electronic coupon is represented by three rows in list 2435: a 12 digit UPC product code in the first row, discount format data in the second row (�1� signifying cents �2� signifying percentage), and discount quantity data in the third row. In FIG. 9A, the customer card is storing two electronic coupons in a list starting at location 30 in memory 2460, reflecting the fact that customer 210 has received electronic coupons from two product stations during her current visit to store 1000. After CPU 5160 executes step 8040 (thereby sending an electronic coupon to the customer card), CPU 2450 in customer card 215 receives the data and adds the data to list 2435, resulting in three electronic coupons in list 2435 as shown in FIG. 9B.
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WilsonDynamic time-of-purchasing-decision incentive system and methodUS7656858Mar 3, 2006Feb 2, 2010Sensormatic Electronics, Llc.Apparatus for and method of using an intelligent network and RFID signal routerUS7750812Mar 3, 2006Jul 6, 2010Sensormatic Electronics, Llc.Apparatus for and method of using an intelligent network and RFID signal routerUS7783532May 17, 2007Aug 24, 2010Aol Inc.E-couponingUS8239295Aug 2, 2010Aug 7, 2012Michael Shing-Chung HsuE-couponingUS8321302Jan 23, 2003Nov 27, 2012Sensormatic Electronics, LLCInventory management systemEP1225548A2 *Jan 22, 2002Jul 24, 2002Mars IncorporatedDiscount method and device for an automatic vending machine* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification235/383, 235/381International ClassificationG06Q30/00, G07F7/08, G07F7/10, G07G1/00Cooperative ClassificationG06Q30/0241, G07G1/0036, G06Q20/346, G07F7/0866, G06Q20/387, G07F7/1008, G06Q20/363, G06Q30/0236, G06Q20/20, G06Q30/02European ClassificationG06Q30/02, G06Q20/346, G06Q20/20, G06Q20/387, G06Q30/0236, G06Q30/0241, G06Q20/363, G07G1/00C, G07F7/10D, G07F7/08CLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionMar 10, 2009FPExpired due to failure to pay maintenance feeEffective date: 20090116Jan 16, 2009LAPSLapse for failure to pay maintenance feesJul 28, 2008REMIMaintenance fee reminder mailedJul 15, 2004FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google