Patent ID: 7150028

Claim:
A system for selectively storing and selectively displaying coupons defined by coupon data extracted from a horizontal overscan portion of a video signal, the system comprising: a decoder configured to receive a video signal during a transmission session and to extract coupon data from the horizontal overscan portion of the video signal producing extracted coupon data, the extracted coupon data defining a plurality of coupons relating to different products and services; and an electronic coupon configured to selectively store and to selectively display coupons defined by the extracted coupon data, the electronic coupon comprising: a display configured to selectively display coupons defined by the extracted coupon data; a plurality of control keys configured to selectively respond to actuation by a user; a non-volatile memory configured to selectively store coupons defined by the extracted coupon data, and a controller configured to process the extracted coupon data produced by the decoder, the controller being logically coupled to the display, to the plurality of control keys, and to the non-volatile memory, the controller implementing the following functions: enabling a user to selectively manipulate at least one of the of the plurality of control keys to select a setup mode prior to the transmission session, the controller responding to the selection of the setup mode by causing a menu including a plurality of different products and services to be presented to the user on the display; enabling a user to manipulate at least one of the of the plurality of control keys to select at least one of the different products and services displayed in the menu, selection of a product or a service indicating that the user desires extracted coupon data corresponding to the product or the service selected to be stored in the electronic coupon; and automatically analyzing the extracted coupon data produced by the decoder, such that only coupons defined by the extracted coupon data that correspond to the at least one of the different products and services selected by the user in the setup mode are automatically stored in the non-volatile memory, and each coupon defined by the extracted coupon data that does not correspond to the at least one of the different products and services selected by the user in the setup mode is automatically discarded.