Facebook, Inc. (Menlo Park, CA)

An online system receives discounts from a merchant. The system shows the coupon to its users. Discount offers can offer discounts that are valid as soon as the offer is shown to the user. Discount offers are made by encoding the time that identifies the date and the time at which the offer was presented. The encoded timestamp is then provided to the merchant system each time the user purchases. The merchant takes the encrypted timestamp, removes it from it, then compares the recorded timestamp with the date of purchase. If the period between the timestamp and purchase is less than the time of offer, then the merchant system applies the discount to the purchase.

Online systems often display content from third-party merchants as well as content produced by the online system. The display of content from merchants on an online system gives the opportunity to gain a variety of benefits for the merchants, users of the online system, as well as the online system itself. It allows merchants to advertise their goods and increase sales.

A website system is able to receive discount offers from merchants and presents those discounts to users. Merchants may offer a discount to a user for a specified period of time. The user canredeem the discount by completing a purchase with the retailer while the discount is valid. Discount offers give customers the opportunity to save money by purchasing from the merchant. The discount offers the buyer an incentive to consider products and make a purchase.

Certain discount offers include variable-start discount deals that offer a discount that becomes valid once the discount offer is displayed to the user and remains valid for a certain length of time (the time period of the offer). For these variable-start discount deals to be implemented in the first place, a time stamp that represents the exact time that the variable-start discount offer will be displayed is recorded and the recorded timestamp is converted into an encoded time stamp. When a user makes a purchase, the merchant system receives the encoded time stamp. In this case it could be a discount code with the time stamp encoded in it, or an electronically signed URL that includes the timecode encoded into it, and it will point to the merchant’s website.The merchant extracts the recorded timestamp from the encoded timestamp and compares the timestamp recorded to the date of purchase. If the time between the timestamp and the purchase is less than the offer duration, then the system of the merchant applies the discount to the purchase.

Click here to view the patent on USPTO website.

Get Patents with PatentPC

What is a patent?

Patents are issued by the government to safeguard the idea. It gives the inventor the right to develop, utilize and market the invention. Society benefits when new technology is introduced for sale. These benefits may be realized directly as people can achieve previously impossible feats or by the economic benefits that innovation provides (business growth, employment).

Many pharmaceutical companies and researchers at universities seek patent protection for their research and developments. Patents can be granted for the creation of a product, process or method of creating new materials. Patent protection must be granted to an invention that is useful or novel and is not yet known by other people in the same field.

Patents give inventors a chance to be recognized for commercially viable inventions. They serve as a motivator for inventors to invent. Small companies and inventors are sure that they will earn a a good return on their investment in technology development. They can earn a living through their work.

Companies that are able to:

Protect innovative products and services;

Enhance the visibility and worth of your products ‘ presence on the market

Differentiate yourself and your products from others.

Find business and technical information.

Avoid the risk of accidentally using proprietary third-party content, or losing important information, creative outputs, or any other innovative output.

Patents effectively transform the inventor’s knowledge into a marketable asset, which creates new opportunities for employment creation and expansion of businesses through licensing or joint ventures.

Small businesses that have patent protection are more attractive to investors involved in the commercialization and development of technology.

Patents can result in innovative ideas and inventions. This information can promote innovation and may qualify for patent protection.

Patents can be used to prevent untrustworthy third parties from profiting through the work of inventions.

Patent-protected technology revenues that are commercially profitable could be used to fund technological research and development (R&D) which will improve the chances for better technology in the future.

It is possible to use the intellectual property rights of your company to convince lenders and investors that your product is a viable commercial potential. Sometimes, one patent could lead to multiple financing opportunities. Patents and other IP assets are able to be used as collateral or security to finance debt. Investors may also look at the patents you own to increase their company valuation. Forbes and others have noted that every patent could boost the value of a company by anything from $500,000 to $1 million.

A properly-constructed business plan is essential for start-ups. It must be built on IP and show how your product/service stands out. Investors will also be impressed when you demonstrate that your IP rights are secure or on the verge of becoming secure and they are in line with your business plan.

It is essential to keep an invention secret prior to filing for patent protection. The public divulging an invention could frequently devalue its originality and make it invalid. The filing of disclosures prior to filing, for example, for investors, test marketing, or any other business partners should be done only after signing a confidentiality contract.

There are a variety of patents. Knowing them is essential to safeguard your invention. Utility patents are for the development of new methods and machines. Design patents cover ornamental designs. Utility patents are best to protect the owner from copycats and other competitors. Patents for utility are usually granted to enhance or modify existing inventions. Utility patents can also be used to cover improvements and changes in existing inventions. A process patent could cover the acts or methods of performing a specific act. However, a chemical composition will include a combination of components.

What is the length average of a patent? While utility patents are valid up to 20 years from the initial filing, they may be extended by delays at the patent office.

Do you want to patent your ideas? Patents are only granted to applicants who are the first to file, which is why you must file as quickly as possible. Contact PatentPC now to have your patent application filed!

When you are writing an application for patents it is recommended to conduct an internet search for patents, since the search will give you an insight into the other applicants’ thoughts. You’ll be able to limit the scope of your invention. It is also possible to find out about the state of the art within the field you’re inventing. This will help you to comprehend the scope of your invention and prepare for the filing of the patent application.

How to Search for Patents

The first step to get your patent is to perform the patent search. You can do a google patent search or do a USPTO search. Once the patent application is submitted, the product that is subject to the application may be referred to as patent-pending and you can locate the patent application on public pair. When the patent office is satisfied with your application, you will be able to conduct search for a patent number and discover the patent granted. The product you are selling will then become patented. You can also use the USPTO search engine. Read on for more details. For assistance, you can consult an attorney for patents or a patent attorney. Patents in the United States are granted by the US trademark and patent office, also known as the United States patent office and trademark office. The office also examines trademark applications.

Are you looking for similar patents? Here are the steps you should follow:

1. Create a list of terms to describe your invention based upon its intended purpose, composition and usage.

Begin by writing down a concise detailed description of your idea. Be sure to avoid using terms that are generic such as “device,” “process,” and “system.” Instead, consider synonyms to the terms you selected initially. Then, take note of important technical terms and keywords.

Use the questions below to help you determine the keywords or concepts.

  • What is the purpose of the invention? Is it a utilitarian device or an ornamental design?
  • Is the invention a way of making something or performing a function? Is it a product or process?
  • What is the structure of the invention? What is the invention’s physical structure?
  • What’s the objective of this invention?
  • What are the terms in the technical field and keywords used to define the nature of an invention? A technical dictionary can help you locate the right phrases.

2. These terms will enable you to look up relevant Cooperative Patent Classifications on the Classification Search Tool. To find the most appropriate classification for your invention, scan the resulting classification’s class Schemes (class schedules). You may want to consider substituting the terms you use for describing your invention, if you don’t receive any results from your Classification Text Search with synonyms such as the terms you used in Step 1.

3. Examine 3. Go over the CPC Classification Definition for the CPC Classification Definition to determine the validity of the CPC classification you’ve found. The hyperlink to the CPC classification definition will be given when the classification you have selected contains a blue box with “D” to its left. CPC classification definitions will help determine the relevant classification’s scope and therefore you’re sure to select the most appropriate. In addition they can provide search tips and other suggestions that could be helpful in further investigation.

4. The Patents Full-Text Database and the Image Database allow you to retrieve patent documents that include the CPC classification. By focusing your search on abstracts and illustrations it is possible to narrow your search to find patents that are most pertinent to your needs.

5. Utilize this list of most relevant patent publications to look at each in depth to find the similarities to your idea. Pay close attention to the specifications and claims. Contact the applicant as well as the patent examiner to obtain additional patents.

6. Search for patent applications that have been published using the CPC classification you selected in Step 3 of the Applications Full-Text and Image Database. You can apply the same method of search as in Step 4. You can narrow your results to the most pertinent patent applications through the abstract and representative drawings that appear on each page. Then, you must carefully review the patent applications that have been published with particular attention paid to the claims and the additional drawings.

7. Find additional US patent publications using keyword searching in PatFT or AppFT databases, classification search of non-U.S. patents according to below, and searching non-patent literature disclosures of inventions using internet search engines. Here are some examples:

  • Add keywords to your search. Keyword searches may turn up documents that are not well-categorized or have missed classifications during Step 2. For example, US patent examiners often supplement their classification searches with keyword searches. Think about the use of technical engineering terminology rather than everyday words.
  • Search for foreign patents using the CPC classification. Then, re-run the search using international patent office search engines such as Espacenet, the European Patent Office’s worldwide patent publication database of over 130 million patent publications. Other national databases include:
  • Search non-patent literature. Inventions can be made public in many non-patent publications. It is recommended that you search journals, books, websites, technical catalogs, conference proceedings, and other print and electronic publications.

To review your search, you can hire a registered patent attorney to assist. A preliminary search will help one better prepare to talk about their invention and other related inventions with a professional patent attorney. In addition, the attorney will not spend too much time or money on patenting basics.