Patent ID: 8025224

Claim:
A coupon management system comprising: a portable electronic device comprising a microprocessor, memory operatively connected to the microprocessor, an optical scanner operatively connected to the microprocessor, a communications port operatively coupled to the microprocessor; and a periphery device comprising a display screen and a plurality of operational keys allowing selective manipulation of individual coupon records prior to the coupon records being applied to a sale of goods, the periphery device adapted to perform operations comprising: receiving, from the portable electronic device, data from coupon records in the portable electronic device; receiving, from a cash register, purchase data identifying products being purchased; automatically determining whether products being purchased correspond to coupon records in the portable electronic device; and in response to determining that products being purchased correspond to coupon records in the portable electronic device, automatically causing corresponding coupon redemption transactions; wherein the portable electronic device further comprises at least one routine stored in the memory and executable by the microprocessor to perform operations comprising: scanning coupon bar codes from printed coupons via the optical scanner; in response to scanning the coupon bar codes, storing, in the memory, coupon records containing at least part of the scanned bar codes; during a checkout process, sending data from at least one of the coupon records in the portable electronic device to the periphery device; receiving, from the periphery device, checkout data identifying coupons that are being redeemed during the checkout process; and in response to receiving the checkout data, automatically removing from the memory at least part of the coupon record for each coupon identified as having been redeemed.