Field of invention

Th e invention concerns a system for distribution of discounts provided using discount coupons in digital form, which comprises number of terminals of sellers and number of end user devices, especially mobile phones that are able to exchange data with the seller's terminal.

Description of related art

Coupons issued by retailers are used for discount distribution as a standard. A conventional coupon contains static display of a code and it is usually in paper form, or possibly in digital form (usually the retailer's mobile application). Such codes aren't anyhow protected against copying and repeated use by a customer.

Another known means for discount distribution are personalised coupons, where each coupon contains a unique code. Each coupon presented by an end customer is then checked by the teller system, which confirms the validity of the system in case the unique code on the coupon wasn't yet recorded in the system as used. But because of their one-time nature, there have to be millions of such codes registered into teller systems.

The saving of coupons to chip cards is also known in the related art. The disadvantage of such personalised coupons is the necessity to issue chip cards to customers.

Czech patent no. 301289 protects the method for accepting, saving and processing of electronic coupons serving to a consumer with mobile phone, which is provided with means for the exchange of data with the terminal of the point of sale, during the act of purchase, based on the offers of electronic coupons making base for the possibility of obtaining a discount.

Czech utility model no. 19371 discloses a system for recording the number of provided services/discounts using RFID chips, where the data processing central is connected with autonomous terminals for the provision of discounts using data network. Also according to this solution, provided credits or coupons are assigned to individual users registered in the system and thus personalized.

The disadvantage of the systems known in the related art is the possibility of misuse of the provided coupons, as it is easily possible to make copies from the present paper coupons or static digital displays. If the coupons are protected by the uniqueness of their codes and possibility of only one use, the disadvantage of such system is in the fact that the unique codes must be issued in large numbers, which inadequately burdens the systems of the retailer, production and distribution of the coupons themselves. These aspects usually mean that such coupon emissions are not realizable or not profitable, out of technical or business reasons.

Summary of the invention

System for distribution of discounts provided using discount coupons in digital form according to the presented invention consists of a control centre of the operator, which could be connected to number of terminals of one or more retailers and number of end user devices. The control centre of the operator provides for the emission of coupons, and for this purpose, it is equipped with the subsystem for management (provision and management) of the central database of discount coupons. The control centre of the operator has at least one server, in whose memory a program module could be saved, which forms a subsystem for the verification of a discount coupon code. The control centre of the operator is adapted for sending the discount coupon into end user mobile devices of the customers, usually mobile phones of the customers, to whom the discount coupon is provided. The discount coupon is thus personalised in the sense that it is assigned to a certain, only one, customer. End user devices are adapted for displaying numeric or image code of the discount coupon. End user devices are usually mobile phones and for displaying the numeric or image code, they contain an application, provided for this purpose by the operator, which is considered trustworthy. Terminals of retailers, which are teller systems, are adapted for reading the image of the end user device display, recognition of the displayed numeric or image code of a discount coupon, and for verification of the discount coupon code using their own program module or using a query to the control centre of the operator. For this purpose, the retailers' terminals usually have a common barcode reader and/or QR code reader and continuously updated list of valid discount coupon codes saved in the terminal memory. The verification of coupons is at present usually handled in the following way: coupon codes are entered both into the control centre of the operator's system and into the retailer's terminal, usually consisting of the central teller system of the retailer, with which individual cash desks communicate online using HTTPS. The control centre of the operator's system then issues coupons with codes for storing into the end user devices (phones) of customers. They use the coupon at a specific cash desk, which online verifies it with the central teller system of the retailer and applies discount. End user devices are, according to the invention, adapted for displaying the numeric or image code of the discount coupon using a method making it impossible or at least very difficult to copy the discount coupon. This could be achieved e.g. by adapting the end user devices for displaying the numeric or image code in a way making it impossible to read the code by human cognitive system, e.g. by displaying and hiding the code with regular or irregular frequency. It is also possible to forbid to make a screenshot by software, time restrict the code display in the trustworthy application (code is displayed only during the "invalidating coupon" operation, and the possibility to read it expires irreversibly), or locally restrict the code display in the trustworthy application (code will be displayed only in the place of use).

In the process of checking the unique code on the coupon, the retail stores usually use a barcode reader to ensure that the verification of coupon validity is as fast as possible and to prevent the need of entering the (usually up to thirteen figures long) numeric code by the attendant. Expected speed of coupon validity verification at the cash desk is within one second. This also at the same time eliminates the responsibility of the attendant for coupon validity. The cash desk attendant has no possibility to influence the acceptance of the presented coupon by the teller system, which either accepts it as valid, or refuses as invalid or already used. Barcode reader used by store chain teller systems searches for barcode using a high frequency imaging system. The cash desk attendant points the reader to a specific place, while the reader scans the given space with a frequency up to several hundred images per second (based on reader type). As soon as the reader decodes a known type of ID or 2D code (usually EAN13 or QR code), it immediately passes this number to the teller system.

Thanks to this, the end user device could be adapted for displaying the numeric or image code of the discount coupon during such a short time that it is impossible to decode by human cognitive system, but at the same time, it is possible to read it using a reader connected to the retailer's teller system. During this, not only the reading of the code by human cognitive system, but also making a screenshot is prevented.

At the same time, it is advantageous to repeatedly display the numeric or image code of the discount coupon for a short time period, 100 ms at most, preferably 50 ms at most, most preferably 20 ms at most, with waiting periods between two displays at least 200 ms, preferably at least 500 ms.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, both end user devices and retailers' terminals are adapted for dynamic change of the code based on current time. The discount coupon is then protected using dynamic customer code, changing in time, always in correlation with the teller system. The code is generated by a trustworthy application in personal mobile device of the customer and validated in the retailer's teller system. Brief description of the drawings

The invention will be described below based on non-limiting exemplary embodiments, shown in the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 represents schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of a system according to the presented invention and

Figure 2 represents an example of a digital personalized coupon, which could be distributed using a system according to the presented invention.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention

Figure 1 shows a system according to the invention, consisting of control centre 2 of the operator that could be connected to number of terminals 3 of one or more retailers and to number of end user devices 1, such as customers' mobile phones. Connection 10 shows the connection of the control centre 2 of the operator with terminals 3. Only two sellers' terminals 3 are shown here for clarity. Control centre 2 of the operator is equipped with a subsystem for managing the database of discount coupons, which allows organizing discount campaigns as usual. Control centre 2 could be formed as a computer network, or it could be formed, as shown in figure 1, as one server, in whose memory is also stored a program module forming a subsystem for the verification of a discount coupon code. Control centre 2 is adapted for sending a discount coupon using connection 12 into end user devices 1 of the customers, to whom the discount coupon is provided.

Connection 10 between the control centre 2 and sellers' terminals 3 can be based on a computer network (internet) or provided by a process, using the same configuration of discount coupons at both places. In such case the verification of the read code takes place directly in the seller's terminal 3 without contacting the control centre 2 of the operator.

End user devices 1 consist e.g. of customers' mobile phones. These are able, after downloading the appropriate application, to display the numeric or image code of a discount voucher, which could have any suitable form; it could e.g. have the graphic form shown in figure 2. Connection 11 suggests the data transfer realized by reading the discount coupon at the seller's place.

Sellers' terminals 3 are adapted for reading the image of customer's mobile phone display, recognition of the displayed numeric or image code of a discount coupon, and for the verification of the discount coupon code either using own program module, or by querying the control centre 2. For the code verification itself, the control centre 2 or seller's terminal 3 has the respective program module, created using a method usual for this purpose.

Figures 2a and 2b show possible layout of a personalized coupon, which is stored in a digital mobile device, while the respective unique code is not readable for human eye. End user at their mobile phone see only the functional section 22 of the coupon, where the unique code is displayed with appropriate graphic protection to prevent its decoding by human cognitive system, but only allow its decoding by an industrial barcode reader, which makes part of the teller system. Visible instruction can be placed in the functional section 22 of the coupon, e.g. "Scan here," as shown in figure 2a. Figure 2b shows a barcode within the "SCAN HERE" area. This barcode is displayed with a frequency that only a barcode reader can read, and it isn't accompanied by its numeric representation. Arbitrary fields 21 in other places of the area of the displayed digital coupon can contain e.g. accompanying graphic or information.

System according to invention allows distributing a personalized discount coupon emission using only one coupon code and at the same time prevents misuse of the coupon by customers, who aren't its intended recipients. The code is input into the teller system together with the configuration of the campaign (e.g. discount provided for a product). This unique code is distributed using digital coupons to end customers through their mobile phones with a trustworthy application provided by the operator installed. During the invalidation of the digital coupon at a cash desk, the coupon code is displayed by flashing with regular or irregular frequency. Code reader that the teller system uses is able to detect and read the code, while hu man cognitive system isn't able to do this. The reader will read the protected coupon code and sends it to the teller system, which applies the respective discount for the campaign. In e.g. five minutes after invalidation, the trustworthy application will stop displaying the coupon code.

The coupon protection could alternatively be realized using e.g. numeric or alphanumeric password, which must be entered into the customer's mobile phone, which only then displays the coupon code.

Coupon protection could be also supplemented by dynamically changing the code in time, where time mark serves for secondary coding of the discount code.

Example 1

Seller intents to distribute coupons for 50% discount on a chosen product. The intended recipients of coupons are men over 25 years. Only one discount code is input into the seller's terminals 3, for illustration e.g. "1234567890," which also has its graphic representation in the form of a QR code. Same code is input in the control centre 2 of the operator, which is associated with each emitted coupon. The operator will send, through a trustworthy application, the emitted coupons with discount code into mobile phones (end user devices 1) of chosen customers, who correspond to the requirements of the seller (men over 25 years). Together with the coupon, also a flag meaning that it is not possible to forward the coupon into another end user device 1 is sent to the trustworthy application. This provides for personalization, nontransferability of the coupon and targeting of the coupon emission. Customers will, thanks to the coupon, come to the seller's shop, place the appropriate product into the shopping basket, and when paying at the cash desk, they will make use of the coupon obtained. The coupon is invalidated on instruction from the attendant, who will scan the coupon code "1234567890" using an industrial code reader (connection 11). The code is protected against reading by human cognitive system in two ways: regular flashing and removal of the numerical representation of the code. Reader is part of the seller's terminal 3, which will verify the validity of the read discount code and apply the appropriate discount to the chosen product.

Example 2

Seller intents to distribute coupons for 100% discount on a chosen product. The intended recipients of coupons are women up to 25 years. Only one discount code is input in the control centre 2 of the operator for illustration e.g. "8592222120502," which also has its graphic representation in the form of an EAN13 code. This code is then associated with each emitted coupon. The operator will send, through a trustworthy application, the emitted coupons with discount code into mobile phones (end user devices 1) of chosen customers, who correspond to the requirements of the seller (women up to 25 years). Together with the coupon, also a flag meaning that it is not possible to forward the coupon into another end user device 1 is sent to the trustworthy application. This provides for personalization, non-transferability of the coupon and targeting of the coupon emission. Customers will, thanks to the coupon, come to the seller's shop, place the appropriate product into the shopping basket, and when paying at the cash desk, they will make use of the coupon obtained. The coupon is invalidated on instruction from the attendant, who will scan the coupon code "8592222120502" using an industrial code reader (connection 11). The code is protected against reading by human cognitive system in two ways: regular flashing and removal of the numerical representation of the code. Reader is part of the seller's terminal 3, which verifies the validity of the read discount code by querying the operator's control centre 2 (connection 10). Operator's control centre 2 will verify the discount code with positive result and based on this answer, the seller's terminal 3 will apply the appropriate discount to the product.

Example 3

Seller intents to distribute coupons for 50% discount on a chosen product. Recipient of the coupon is any user of the trustworthy application. Only one discount code is input into the seller's terminals 3, for illustration e.g. "1234567890," which also has its graphic representation in the form of a QR code. Same code is input in the control centre 2 of the operator, which is associated with each emitted coupon. At the same time a password for unlocking the coupons from the emission is input in the control centre of the operator. This password is e.g. in the form of a three place alphanumeric code "3B1" and also the attendants at the cash desks of the seller get it. The operator will send, through a trustworthy application, the emitted coupons with discount code into mobile phones (end user devices 1) of all customers. Together with the coupon, also a flag meaning that it is possible to forward the coupon into another end user device 1 is sent to the trustworthy application. Because the emission is not personalized, but only targeted to the users of the trustworthy application, it is possible to forward the coupons, which means that the coupon is deleted from one target end user device 1 and then it is saved into another target end user device 1. Together with the coupon, also the password for its unlocking is forwarded. Customers will, thanks to the coupon, come to the seller's shop, place the appropriate product into the shopping basket, and when paying at the cash desk, they will make use of the coupon obtained. The coupon is invalidated on instruction from the attendant, who will enter the unlocking password "3B1" into the phone (end user device 1) and the phone will display the discount code. The attendant will read the displayed discount code using an industrial code reader (connection 11). Reader is part of the seller's terminal 3, which will verify the validity of the read discount code and apply the appropriate discount to the chosen product. Trustworthy application will prevent forwarding the coupon into another end user device 1 after its invalidation.

Example 4

Seller intents to distribute coupons for 100% discount on a chosen product. Recipient of the coupon is any user of the trustworthy application. Only one discount code is input into the seller's terminals 3, for illustration e.g. "8592222120502," which also has its graphic representation in the form of an EAN13 code. The same code is input in the control centre 2 of the operator, which is associated with each emitted coupon. At the same time, dynamic change of code in time is switched on in both the control centre 2 of the operator and seller's terminal 3. The operator will send, through a trustworthy application, the emitted coupons with discount code into mobile phones (end user devices 1) of all customers. Customers will, thanks to the coupon, come to the seller's shop, place the appropriate product into the shopping basket, and when paying at the cash desk, they will make use of the coupon obtained. The coupon is invalidated on instruction from the attendant. The phone (end user device 1) will display graphic representation of the discount code, adapted according to the current time in the device. The attendant will read the displayed adapted code using an industrial code reader (connection 11). Reader is part of the seller's terminal 3, which will decode the adapted code according to the current time at the terminal into the form of discount code, verify its validity and apply the appropriate discount to the product.

Example 5.1 - attempt to misuse a protected coupon

Operator releases a coupon emission with only one discount code. Coupons are sent from the operator's control centre 2 into end user devices 1 of customers. Discount codes are protected by flashing in regular or irregular intervals, removal of the numeric representation of the code, and at the same time, the trustworthy application in the customer's end user device 1 prevents making a screenshot by software setting. One of the customers will invalidate the coupon and then attempt to make a screenshot to obtain a static copy of the graphic representation of the discount code for repeated use. The trustworthy application in the end user device 1 prevents making of the screenshot. At the same time the trustworthy application reports the screenshot attempt to the operator's control centre 2 where the specific target end user device 1 is blocked as untrustworthy for future coupon emissions. This effectively provides for timely elimination of those customers, who potentially try to misuse the discount coupons by repeated use.

Example 5.2 - attempt to misuse a protected coupon

Operator releases a coupon emission with only one discount code. Coupons are sent from the operator's control centre 2 into end user devices 1 of customers. Discount codes are protected by flashing in regular or irregular intervals and removal of the numeric representation of the code. One of the customers will invalidate the coupon and then attempts to make a screenshot to obtain a static copy of the graphic representation of the discount code for repeated use. The customer, during the attempt to manually make a screenshot using the end user device 1 misses the short interval, in which the graphic representation of the discount code is displayed and thus makes a screenshot without this graphic representation. Trustworthy application will record the attempt to make a screenshot and immediately invalidates the coupon, while not allowing further display of the discount code. The trustworthy application reports the screenshot attempt to the operator's control centre 2 where the specific target end user device 1 is blocked as untrustworthy for future coupon emissions. This effectively provides for timely elimination of those customers, who potentially try to misuse the discount coupons by repeated use.

Example 5.3 - attempt to misuse a protected coupon

Operator releases a coupon emission with only one discount code. Coupons are sent from the operator's control centre 2 into end user devices 1 of customers. Discount codes are protected by flashing in regular or irregular intervals and removal of the numeric representation of the code. One of the customers will invalidate the coupon and then attempts to make a screenshot to obtain a static copy of the graphic representation of the discount code for repeated use. The customer, during the attempt to manually make a screenshot using the end user device 1 succeeds in hitting the short interval, in which the graphic representation of the discount code is displayed and thus makes a screenshot with this graphic representation. Trustworthy application will record the successful attempt to make a screenshot and immediately invalidates the coupon, while not allowing further display of the discount code. The trustworthy application reports the screenshot making to the operator's control centre 2 where the specific target end user device 1 is blocked as untrustworthy for future coupon emissions. This effectively provides for timely elimination of those customers, who potentially try to misuse the discount coupons by repeated use. At the same time, the respective discount code is marked as compromised in the operator's control centre 2 and this information is also send to the seller's terminals 3 using the connection 10. Seller's terminals 3 thus cease to accept the compromised code and seller together with the operator, will make a replacement coupon emission with a new discount code. Example 5.4 - attempt to misuse a protected coupon

Operator releases a coupon emission with only one discount code. Coupons are sent from the operator's control centre 2 into end user devices 1 of customers. Discount codes are protected by flashing in regular or irregular intervals, removal of the numeric representation of the code and secondary coding using current time stamp of the end user device 1. One of the customers will invalidate the coupon and further makes a video record of the screen using an external device (video recorder, camera, phone ...) to get a copy of the graphic representation of the code they deem to be directly the discount code, for repeated use. The trustworthy application in this case doesn't record the attempt to make a screenshot, as it is not made in the customer's end user device 1. The customer creates an imitation of the discount coupon based on the code from the video recording made and comes to the seller's shop to try to use it there. The seller's terminal 3 reads the imitation of the discount code, which is secondary coded to the time of making the said video recording. The seller's terminal 3 will attempt to decode the imitation discount code using its own current time stamp and the result is error or invalid discount code. The terminal will refuse the read code and does not apply the respective discount. This effectively prevents the misuse of the coupon discount code.

List of reference numerals

1 end user device

2 control centre

3 terminal

10 connection

11 connection

12 connection

21 any field of a coupon

22 functional section of a coupon