FR2798211A1 - PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH DISPLAY AND MANAGEMENT OF PROMOTIONAL COUPONS - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a portable electronic device, such as a smart card, for storing and loading coupons. The invention is characterised in that it comprises a display unit (10) for displaying data relating to the stored coupons. It can further comprise a communication interface, of the contactless type (8) wherefrom the coupons can be loaded.

Description

The present invention relates to an electronic device such as a smart card, with a display for the electronic management of promotional coupons. Promotion coupons are vouchers can be used alone or accumulated to total a certain value to obtain a discount on the purchase of a given product. Prior to the electronic management of promotional coupons, they were in the form of cards or stamps that can be returned to the cashier against a discount.

These promotional coupons are normally given free of charge to consumers so that they can benefit from a rebate on product purchase or a range of products of a certain brand, such as discount coupons distributed or to be cut on packaging.

Electronic management of promotional coupons is known in itself. The coupons are managed in a chip card with a memory possibly a microprocessor. The coupons are then loaded on terminals made available to customers at the checkout after payment of purchases. For example, a cashier may have electronic card coupons charged by the terminal based on purchases made. Conversely, a customer may use the terminal to receive a discount or other privilege based on coupons already accumulated.

The promotional coupon management electronic cards have the advantage of being easy to handle compared to the coupons stamped on cards or cards. However, they have 1 disadvantage of not allowing the holder to view and thus know the types and value coupons accumulated only when he presents his card at a terminal provided for this purpose.

In view of this problem, the present invention provides an electronic portable device, a chip card, for the storage of coupons, characterized in that it comprises a display for presenting information on the coupons stored.

Advantageously, the device comprises a communication interface of the contactless type from which coupons can be loaded and / or restored.

It can also include a contact type communication interface from which coupons can be loaded and / or returned.

Preferably, the device comprises interface means for selecting the display, memory retention and / or erasure of the memory of at least one coupon among coupons loaded.

Advantageously, the device further comprises warning means activated when coupon has just been loaded.

The invention also relates to a terminal adapted for contactless charging of coupons in a device as described, terminal comprising an antenna that transmits data defining coupons to be loaded.

Finally, the invention relates to a method of non-contact charging of coupons in a device which has just been described, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: - installation of a aforesaid terminal near a predetermined product, and - transmission by the coupon terminal for said product.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will emerge more clearly on reading the description which follows a preferred embodiment, given purely by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings in which - FIG. principle of an electronic portable device according to the present invention; and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the electronic module housed in the card of FIG. 1; In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the portable electronic device is in the form of a smart card 1, for example in standardized format 85 mm in length, 54 mm in width and < B> 0.76 </ B> mm in thickness, in accordance with ISO 7816 The card may possibly have larger dimensions to make it easier to integrate all of its components. The set of functional devices integrated in card 1 comprises - an electronic module 2 which is based on a microprocessor and peripheral electronic circuits as will be described later; a battery 4 that can be of the replaceable or rechargeable type; - (possibly) a solar cell 6 serving as an auxiliary energy source vis-à-vis the battery 4, the cell can also be used to recharge the latter; a communication interface 8 based on an antenna allowing the electronic module 2 to receive and / or transmit data with respect to the outside by radio - and thus without physical contact - with another interface outside the map. The communication interface 8 makes it possible to carry out with the electronic module 2 a so-called "non-contact" communication and possibly a communication with contacts. To perform this last function, contact pads 9 are arranged on the surface of the card. These pads 9 are connected to various points of entry and exit of the electronic module and are intended to connect the latter to an external reader by ohmic contact. In this case, the card 1 is able to function both as a contactless card (via the communication interface 8) and as a contact card, thereby forming a multimode card, also known as an English card. cardboard Saxon "combicard". The microprocessor will communicate in "with contacts" mode thanks to metallized contacts on the surface of the card (in general, module inserted on the card). He will be able to communicate in accordance with the ISO standard <B> 7816 </ B> with terminals. Another component, including a microprocessor or not, may possibly be used to perform this function; a flat display screen 10 of the alphanumeric and / or graphical type making it possible to present information from the electronic module 2, this information possibly being data stored internally in the module or data received by the communication interface 8 ; selection means, such as, for example, control buttons 12 making it possible to select the various functions of the card, and in particular to navigate on graphic or alphanumeric menus presented on the display screen. In a variant, the buttons may be replaced, for example, by wheel-shaped means or mouse equivalents as on laptops, etc. ; and a warning device (19) sound, light or other (vibrator) for notifying the user of the card of a task to be performed, for example reading a new message.

It is also possible to add to the holder's biometric identification means card, in order to authenticate the use of the card. Such means may be constituted by a digital fingerprint detector, for example.

FIG. 2 schematically shows the different functional blocks of the electronic module 2. This module is centered on a microprocessor 16 manages all the members of the card 1.

The microprocessor 16 exchanges data on the one hand with the contactless interface 8 (here represented as forming an integral part of the electronic module) and on the other hand with a storage unit 18. The latter comprises - a frozen memory ROM 20 for storing the timeless part of the programs executed by the microprocessor 18. This memory 20 can also be implemented in "Flash EPROM" or "EEPROM" technology, making it possible to modify the content of the program, for example during an update of the last ; a working memory RAM 22 which is a random access memory for temporarily storing data during the execution of a program or when receiving data coming from the communication interface 8; and a memory 24 for storing data and files, produced using EEPROM technology, flash EPROM (or even RAM).

The microprocessor 16 communicates in non-contact mode through the interface 8 and sends appropriate signals to an antenna included in the card itself. The microprocessor 16 thus integrates the means necessary for the exchange of data with the communication interface 8. To this end, the latter comprises, in addition to the antenna, means for modulating and demodulating digital signals on a carrier wave, generally in a high frequency range, in order respectively to transmit and receive digital data.

The microprocessor 16 furthermore manages a control circuit 26 of the display 10, which has its own memory 28 intended to store one or more screen pages independently of the storage unit 18. In the case where the control circuit 26 of the display is part of the microprocessor 16, the necessary memory can be included in the memory of the microprocessor itself.

It will be understood that the decomposition of the functional blocks just described may otherwise be equivalent, in particular by conferring some or all peripheral device tasks on the microprocessor itself, according to the architecture adopted for the latter.

The coupon management system is made up of several elements - the smart card 1 with display (FIGS. 1 and 2) - a coupon loading system and - a cash register system which will make it possible to use coupons.

The coupon loading system allows a large number of options depending on the scheme chosen by the coupon program operator.

The coupons can be loaded at the terminals, interactive or not, by the link with contacts 9 card is then inserted into the terminal) or by the contactless link 8 (the coupons are then transmitted by radio-frequency link), the loading then can be performed automatically without intervention of the carrier of the device, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Coupons may have been loaded during a previous cash collection transaction. They can be assigned based on eg purchases made, coupons already used, customer status, profile or interests.

Finally, the coupons can be loaded via the Internet from the customer's home (computer connection with a connected reader).

The cashing system makes it possible to use these coupons during checkout. The discount coupons will be deducted from the purchases made if the items corresponding to the coupons were purchased.

For this operation, the card will be read (contact interface 9 or contactless 8) by a terminal that will be responsible for comparing purchased items with the coupons present in the card. This type of reading is known in itself; it is based on bar codes of the articles read by the code reader which are retrieved at a terminal which performs the operation of comparison with the coupons present in the card and which calculates the amount of the discount The discount (amount of coupons used) can be used immediately, or be credited in the form of electronic money (usable for certain services or in certain shops or in some shops), or still be the subject of vouchers.

The scheme is based on the loading of coupons into a smart card, generally according to various parameters contained in the chip such as: the profile, the purchases made during previous visits, The allocation of these coupons can be done different ways: - when paying at the cash desk, the coupons present in the card are used and new coupons are charged for the next visit; - At the entrance of the store, coupons are provided to the customer (loaded in the card) automatically in the case of a contactless communication system. It is the same for specific terminals that can be on the shelves and can automatically load coupons for promotional items that are close to the wearer of the device according to the invention; - thanks to specific terminals, the customer can load his card with the coupons of the day. We can also consider collecting coupons remotely, thanks to the Internet for example. In this case, the carrier computer is equipped with a smart card reader and when consulting a specific website, the server will load coupons into the card holder.

In all these cases, it is interesting and motivating for the bearer to be able to view at any time the coupons contained in the card, as in the case of the issue of paper coupons. Also, the smart card according to the present invention is provided with a display operating so that the cardholder can view the coupons loaded in the card. For the use of coupons, they will remain secure (against possible changes) through the smart card.

In addition, the possibility of contactless loading of data relating to coupons makes it possible to load messages not only at the interactive terminals but also in a systematic manner, when passing under an antenna, for example, the entrance to the store or at proximity of terminals located in the shelves of the store.

The coupons offered may be based on multiple parameters - choice of coupons by the customer terminal level, - proposal coupons based on the latest purchases or customer profile, - proposal seasonal promotions, - etc.

Moreover, it is also possible to load coupons according to the rays visited by the customer. It is thus possible to load coupons more incentive because really corresponding to the interests of the customer, An advantage of the invention is the possibility given to the customer to choose from coupons that have been automatically loaded, those who are interested. It can thus bring customer to have an active approach in the program of the allocation of coupons, which increases very strongly the impact of the program and therefore the interest for the operators.

In addition, it is possible to further increase the effectiveness of the coupons. Indeed, it is sometimes difficult to choose the items that are the object of the coupons. problem is also source of major fraud in some paper coupon applications the customer selected in the department an article he thinks wrongly match his coupon. During his checkout, this error appears but cashier will let go anyway this error to not block his box. Thus, the customer will benefit from a coupon for the purchase of any article (problem of poorly allocated discount).

Thanks to the smart card with display, which integrates a contactless link, it is possible to detect from an antenna the coupons that are present in the card, and thus to show special signage on the shelves at the level of articles coupons, to simultaneously display on the card the amount of the coupon available for this product. The customer is thus more encouraged to choose these items and the risk of unintentional error is zero.

Conversely, the present invention may allow, thanks to a terminal placed near an article, to automatically load the coupon into the portable device and activate the alarm.

Claims (1)

<B> V E N D I C A T I O N </ B> S A portable electronic device, a chip card, intended for the storage of coupons, characterized in that it comprises a display (10) making it possible to present information concerning the stored coupons. 2. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises a communication interface type contactless (8) from which coupons can be loaded and / or restored. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises a contact type communication interface (9) from which coupons can be loaded and / or restored. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it furthermore comprises interface means (12) making it possible to choose the display, the storage in memory and / or the deletion of the memory from minus one coupon from the coupons loaded. 5. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises warning means activated when a coupon has just been loaded. 6. Terminal adapted for the non-contact loading of coupons in a device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that it comprises an antenna and in that it emits by means of said antenna data defining the coupons to charge. A method of non-contacting coupons in a device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that it comprises the following steps - installation of a terminal according to claim 7 near a predetermined product, and - issuing by the coupon terminal concerning said product.