Appeal No. 2005-1632
Application No. 10/448,194
BACKGROUND
The invention relates to interconnected computer systems with respect to a
plurality of retail store environments for use in dissemination of promotions and/or
incentives for retail customers. Representative claim 68 is reproduced below.
68. A computer network system, comprising:
a central incentive computer system;
a plurality of retailer POS systems including a first retailer POS system;
wherein said first retailer POS system includes at least one POS terminal,
a POS computer, a local network providing for data communication between said at
least one POS terminal and said POS computer, and a POS database to which said
POS computer controls access;
said central incentive computer system comprising a central incentive
computer and a central incentive computer system database;
wherein said central incentive computer system database stores (1)
outstanding offers including a specification of an incentive offer in association with a
retail customer identification and (2) offer selection criteria for qualifying a retail
customer having said retail customer identification for said incentive offer; and
a network providing for data communication between each one of said
plurality of retailer POS systems and said central incentive computer system;
wherein said first retailer POS system is structured to transmit from said at
least one POS terminal certain information regarding transaction information received at
said at least one POS terminal during a transaction occurring at said at least one POS
terminal, said certain information including said retail customer identification and less
than all of said transaction information, said certain information transmitted via said
POS computer to said central incentive computer system; and
said central incentive computer system structured to respond to receipt of
said certain information by determining whether said retail customer qualifies for said
incentive offer and, if so, transmitting said specification of said incentive offer in
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