E-couponing

Abstract

Handling electronic coupons includes accessing information indicating association of an electronic coupon with an account of a user that identifies multiple retail entities associated with the user. Information indicating association of electronic coupons with the user's account may be transmitted to respective computer systems associated with the multiple retail entities. The computer systems may associate electronic coupons with the user such that the user may redeem the electronic coupons at a retail store upon presentation of a user identifier. When the user redeems an electronic coupon, cancellation information for the electronic coupon may be transmitted to the computer systems of other retail entities associated with the user. Receipt of the cancellation information may cause the respective computer systems to cancel the redeemability of the electronic coupon such that the user is prevented from redeeming the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the corresponding retail entity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of handling electronic coupons, the method comprising:
 accessing information indicating association of an electronic coupon with an account of a user of an electronic coupon system, the account including information identifying a first retail entity associated with the user and a second retail entity associated with the user, wherein the second retail entity is different than the first retail entity;   transmitting information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user's account to a first computer system associated with the first retail entity, wherein receipt of the information indicating association of the electronic coupon by the first computer system causes the first computer system to associate the electronic coupon with the user such that the user may redeem the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the first retail entity upon presentation of a first user identifier;   transmitting information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user's account to a second computer system associated with the second retail entity, wherein the second computer system is different from the first computer system and receipt of the information indicating association of the electronic coupon by the second computer system causes the second computer system to associate the electronic coupon with the user such that the user may redeem the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the second retail entity upon presentation of a second user identifier;   receiving, from the first computer system, information indicating that the user has redeemed the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the first retail entity; and   in response to receiving, from the first computer system, the information indicating that the user has redeemed the electronic coupon at the retail store associated with the first retail entity, transmitting cancellation information for the electronic coupon to the second computer system associated with the second retail entity, wherein receipt of the cancellation information by the second computer system causes the second computer system to cancel the redeemability of the electronic coupon by the user such that the user is prevented from redeeming the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the second retail entity.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 transmitting an identifier of the electronic coupon and information related to terms of the electronic coupon to the first computer system associated with the first retail entity and the second computer system associated with the second retail entity prior to accessing information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user's account, wherein 
 transmitting information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user's account to the first computer system associated with the first retail entity includes transmitting an identifier of the user to the first computer system and the identifier of the electronic coupon such that the information related to the terms of the electronic coupon at the first computer system is associated with the user, and 
 transmitting information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user's account to the second computer system associated with the second retail entity includes transmitting an identifier of the user to the second computer system and the identifier of the electronic coupon such that the information related to the terms of the electronic coupon at the second computer system is associated with the user. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving information identifying a third retail entity to associate with the user's account after accessing the information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user's account and prior to receiving, from the first computer system, information indicating that the user has redeemed the electronic coupon at the retail store associated with the first retail entity, wherein the third retail entity is different than the first retail entity and the second retail entity; 
 associating the third retail entity with the user's account in response to receiving the information identifying the third retail entity; 
 transmitting information indicating that the electronic coupon is associated with the user's account to a third computer system associated with the third retail entity, wherein the third computer system is different from the first computer system and the second computer system and receipt of the information indicating that the electronic coupon is associated with the user's account by the third computer system causes the third computer system to associate the electronic coupon with the user such that the user may redeem the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the third retail entity upon presentation of a third user identifier; and 
 in response to receiving, from the first computer system, the information indicating that the user has redeemed the electronic coupon at the retail store associated with the first retail entity, transmitting cancellation information for the electronic coupon to the third computer system associated with the third retail entity, wherein receipt of the cancellation information by the third computer system causes the third computer system to cancel the redeemability of the electronic coupon by the user such that the user is prevented from redeeming the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the third retail entity. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising:
 transmitting an identifier of the electronic coupon and information related to terms of the electronic coupon to the third computer system associated with the third retail entity prior to transmitting the information indicating that the electronic coupon is associated with the user's account to the third computer system, 
 wherein transmitting the information indicating that the electronic coupon is associated with the user's account to the third computer system associated with the third retail entity includes transmitting an identifier of the user to the third computer system and the identifier of the electronic coupon such the information related to the terms of the electronic coupon at the third computer system is associated with the user. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 accessing information indicating association of a second electronic coupon with the user's account, the second electronic coupon being different than the first electronic coupon and offered by the first retail entity; 
 determining that the second electronic coupon is specific to the first retail entity; and 
 transmitting information indicating association of the second electronic coupon with the user's account to the first computer system associated with the first retail entity but not to the second computer system associated with the second retail entity, wherein receipt of the information indicating association of the second electronic coupon by the first computer system causes the first computer system to associate the second electronic coupon with the user such that the user may redeem the second electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the first retail entity upon presentation of the first user identifier. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first user identifier and the second user identifier each include at least one of a loyalty card number, a user account number, a credit card number, a name, a biometric identifier, or a wireless identification number provided by a device configured to transmit the wireless identification number. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 transmitting information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user's account to the first computer system associated with the first retail entity includes transmitting information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user's account to a first loyalty server included in the first computer system, the first loyalty server being configured to store information associating the electronic coupon with the user such that the user may redeem the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the first loyalty server by presenting a first loyalty card to a first point-of-sale computer included in the first computer system, 
 transmitting information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user's account to the second computer system associated with the second retail entity includes transmitting information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user's account to a second loyalty server included in the second computer system, the second loyalty server being configured to store information associating the electronic coupon with the user such that the user may redeem the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the second loyalty server by presenting second loyalty card to a second point-of-sale computer included in the second computer system, and 
 receiving, from the first computer system, information indicating that the user has redeemed the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the first retail entity includes receiving, from the first loyalty server, information indicating that the user has redeemed the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the first loyalty server, the first loyalty server being configured to transmit the information indicating that the user has redeemed the electronic coupon in response to receiving information, from the first point-of-sale computer, indicating that the user has redeemed the electronic coupon. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 maintaining the account of the user of the electronic coupon system; 
 receiving a selection of the electronic coupon by the user, and 
 associating the electronic coupon with the user's account. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 presenting the electronic coupon over a network to a user computer system such that a display of the user computer system is able to display the electronic coupon in a user interface, wherein 
 receiving the selection of the electronic coupon by the user includes receiving, over the network, a selection of the electronic coupon made by the user interacting with the user interface displaying the electronic coupon. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein transmitting cancellation information for the electronic coupon to the second computer system associated with the second retail entity includes transmitting information indicating redemption of the electronic coupon by the user to the second computer system associated with the second retail entity. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein accessing information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the account of the user of the electronic coupon system includes receiving information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the account of the user of the electronic coupon system. 
     
     
         12 . At least one computer readable medium storing/one of more computer programs, the one or more computer programs comprising instructions for:
 accessing information indicating association of an electronic coupon with an account of a user of an electronic coupon system, the account including information identifying a first retail entity associated with the user and a second retail entity associated with the user, wherein the second retail entity is different than the first retail entity;   transmitting information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user's account to a first computer system associated with the first retail entity, wherein receipt of the information indicating association of the electronic coupon by the first computer system causes the first computer system to associate the electronic coupon with the user such that the user may redeem the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the first retail entity upon presentation of a first user identifier;   transmitting information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user's account to a second computer system associated with the second retail entity, wherein the second computer system is different from the first computer system and receipt of the information indicating association of the electronic coupon by the second computer system causes the second computer system to associate the electronic coupon with the user such that the user may redeem the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the second retail entity upon presentation of a second user identifier;   receiving, from the first computer system, information indicating that the user has redeemed the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the first retail entity; and   in response to receiving from the first computer system, the information indicating that the user has redeemed the electronic coupon at the retail store associated with the first retail entity, transmitting cancellation information for the electronic coupon to the second computer system associated with the second retail entity, wherein receipt of the cancellation information by the second computer system causes the second computer system to cancel the redeemability of the electronic coupon by the user such that the user is prevented from redeeming the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the second retail entity.   
     
     
         13 . The at least one medium of  claim 12  wherein the one or more computer programs further comprise instructions for:
 transmitting an identifier of the electronic coupon and information related to terms of the electronic coupon to the first computer system associated with the first retail entity and the second computer system associated with the second retail entity prior to accessing information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user's account, wherein 
 transmitting information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user's account to the first computer system associated with the first retail entity includes transmitting an identifier of the user to the first computer system, and the identifier of the electronic coupon such that information related to the terms of the electronic coupon at the first computer system is associated with the user, and 
 transmitting information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user's account to the second computer system associated with the second retail entity includes transmitting ah identifier of the user to the second computer system and the identifier of the electronic coupon such that information related to the terms of the electronic coupon at the second computer system is associated with the user. 
 
     
     
         14 . The at least one medium of claim  32  wherein the one or more computer programs further comprise instructions for:
 receiving information identifying a third retail entity to associate with the user's amount after accessing the information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user's account and prior to receiving, from the first computer system, information indicating that the user has redeemed the electronic coupon at the retail store associated with the first retail entity, wherein the third retail entity is different than the first retail entity and the second retail entity; 
 associating the third retail entity with the user's account in response to receiving the information identifying the third retail entity; 
 transmitting information indicating that the electronic coupon is associated with the user's account to a third computer system associated with the third retail entity, wherein the third computer system is different from the first computer system and the second computer system arid receipt of the information indicating that the electronic coupon is associated with the user's account by the third computer system causes the third computer system to associate the electronic coupon with the user such that the user may redeem the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the third retail entity upon presentation of a third user identifier; and 
 in response to receiving, from the first computer system, the information indicating that the user has redeemed the electronic coupon at the retail store associated with the first retail entity, transmitting cancellation information for the electronic coupon to the third computer system associated with the third retail entity, wherein receipt of the cancellation information by the third computer system causes the third computer system to cancel the redeemability of the electronic coupon by the user such that the user is prevented from redeeming the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the third retail entity. 
 
     
     
         15 . The at least one medium of  claim 14  wherein the one or more computer programs further comprise instructions for:
 transmitting an identifier of the electronic coupon and information related to terms of the electronic coupon to the third computer system associated with the third retail entity prior to transmitting the information indicating that the electronic coupon is associated with the user's account to the third computer system, 
 wherein transmitting the information indicating that the electronic coupon is associated with the user's account to the third computer system associated with the third retail entity includes transmitting an identifier of the user to the third computer system and the identifier of the electronic coupon such the information related to the terms of the electronic coupon at the third computer system is associated with the user. 
 
     
     
         16 . The at least one medium of  claim 12  wherein the one or more computer programs further comprise instructions for:
 accessing information indicating association of a second electronic coupon with the user's account to the second electronic coupon being different than the first electronic coupon and offered by the first retail entity, 
 determining that the second electronic coupon is specific to the first retail entity, and 
 transmitting information indicating association of the second electronic coupon with the user's account to the first computer system associated with the first retail entity, but not to the second computer system associated with the second retail entity, wherein receipt of the information indicating association of the second electronic coupon by the first computer system causes the first computer system to associate the second electronic coupon with the user such that the user may redeem the second electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the first retail entity upon presentation of the first user identifier. 
 
     
     
         17 . The at least one medium of  claim 12  wherein:
 the instructions for transmitting information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user's account to the first computer system associated with the first retail entity include instructions for transmitting information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user's account to a first loyalty server included in the first computer system, the first loyalty server being configured to store information associating the electronic coupon with the user such that the user may redeem the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the first loyalty server by presenting a first loyalty card to a first point-of-sale computer included in the first computer system, 
 the instructions for transmitting information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user's account to the second computer system associated with the second retail entity includes instructions for transmitting information indicating association electronic coupon with the user's account to a second loyalty server included in the second computer system, the second loyalty server being configured to store information associating the electronic coupon with the user such that the user may redeem the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the second loyalty server by presenting a second loyalty card to a second point-of-sale computer included in the second computer system, and 
 the instructions for receiving, from the first computer system, information indicating that the user has redeemed the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the first retail entity include instructions for receiving, from the first loyalty server, information indicating that the user has redeemed the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the first loyalty server, the first loyalty server being configured to transmit the information indicating that the user has redeemed the electronic coupon in response to receiving information, from the first point-of-sale computer, indicating that the user has redeemed the electronic coupon. 
 
     
     
         18 . The at least one medium of  claim 12  wherein the one or more computer programs further comprise instructions for:
 maintaining the account of the user of the electronic coupon system; 
 receiving a selection of the electronic coupon by the user, and 
 associating the electronic coupon with the user's account. 
 
     
     
         19 . The at least one medium of  claim 18  wherein the one or more computer programs further comprise instructions for:
 presenting the electronic coupon over a network to a user computer system such that a display of the user computer system is able to display the electronic coupon in a user interface, wherein 
 receiving the selection of the electronic coupon by the user includes receiving, over the network, a selection of the electronic coupon made by the user interacting with the user interface displaying the electronic coupon. 
 
     
     
         20 . An electronic coupon system, comprising:
 an application server;   a messaging hub;   a first computer system associated with a first retail entity; and   a second computer system associated with a second retail entity, wherein:   the second computer system is different from the first computer system and the second retail entity is different than the first retail entity,   application server is configured to:
 maintain an account for a user of the electronic coupon system, the account including information associating the first retail entity and the second retail entity with the user, and 
 associate an electronic coupon with the user's account; 
   the messaging hub is configured to:
 access information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user's account; 
 transmit information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user's account to the first computer system associated with the first retail entity, and 
 transmit information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user's account to the second computer system associated with the second retail entity, 
   the first computer system is configured to receive the information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user's account and, upon receipt, associate the electronic coupon with the user such that the user may redeem the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the first retail entity upon presentation of a first user identifier,   the second computer is configured to receive the information indicating association of the electronic coupon with the user account and, upon receipt, associate the electronic coupon with the user such that the user may redeem the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the second retail entity upon presentation of a second user identifier,   the first computer system is further configured to transmit information to the messaging hub indicating that the user has redeemed the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the first retail entity,   the messaging hub is further configured to:
 receive the information indicating that the user has redeemed the electronic coupon at the retail store associated with the first retail entity, and 
 in response to receiving, from the first computer system, the information indicating that the user has redeemed the electronic coupon at the retail store associated with the first retail entity, transmit cancellation information for the electronic coupon to the second computer system associated with the second retail entity, and 
   the second computer system is further configured to receive the cancellation information for the electronic coupon and, upon receipt redeemability of the electronic coupon by the user to prevent the user from redeeming the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the second retail entity.