Patents Assigned to Valassis Communications, Inc.
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Patent number: 11900405Abstract: A coupon-minter is configured to perform operations including: generating a coupon comprising encrypted discount information, wherein the encrypted discount information is encrypted with a discount key; generating, for the coupon, a hashlock from a preimage; introducing the coupon to a blockchain in association with the hashlock, wherein the blockchain is configured to permit claiming of the generated coupon only upon receiving access to the preimage used to generate the hashlock. A store-manager configured to perform operations including: claiming, using the preimage, the coupon in the blockchain; encrypting the discount key with a clearing-house public key; updating the coupon with the encrypted discount key. A clearing-house-manager configured to perform operations comprising: detecting the store-manager's claiming of the coupon; decrypting the encrypted discount key with a clearing-house private key to re-generate the discount key; and decrypting the encrypted discount information with the preimage.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2022Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: Valassis Communications, Inc.Inventors: Jay Webster, Alexander J. Olson, Tobias Speckbacher, Andreas Binnewies
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Patent number: 11341522Abstract: A coupon-minter is configured to perform operations including: generating a coupon comprising encrypted discount information, wherein the encrypted discount information is encrypted with a discount key; generating, for the coupon, a hashlock from a preimage; introducing the coupon to a blockchain in association with the hashlock, wherein the blockchain is configured to permit claiming of the generated coupon only upon receiving access to the preimage used to generate the hashlock. A store-manager configured to perform operations including: claiming, using the preimage, the coupon in the blockchain; encrypting the discount key with a clearing-house public key; updating the coupon with the encrypted discount key. A clearing-house-manager configured to perform operations comprising: detecting the store-manager's claiming of the coupon; decrypting the encrypted discount key with a clearing-house private key to re-generate the discount key; and decrypting the encrypted discount information with the preimage.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2021Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: Valassis Communications, Inc.Inventors: Jay Webster, Alexander J. Olson, Tobias Speckbacher, Andreas Binnewies
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Patent number: 11010778Abstract: A coupon-minter is configured to perform operations including: generating a coupon comprising encrypted discount information, wherein the encrypted discount information is encrypted with a discount key; generating, for the coupon, a hashlock from a preimage; introducing the coupon to a blockchain in association with the hashlock, wherein the blockchain is configured to permit claiming of the generated coupon only upon receiving access to the preimage used to generate the hashlock. A store-manager configured to perform operations including: claiming, using the preimage, the coupon in the blockchain; encrypting the discount key with a clearing-house public key; updating the coupon with the encrypted discount key. A clearing-house-manager configured to perform operations comprising: detecting the store-manager's claiming of the coupon; decrypting the encrypted discount key with a clearing-house private key to re-generate the discount key; and decrypting the encrypted discount information with the preimage.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2017Date of Patent: May 18, 2021Assignee: Valassis Communications, Inc.Inventors: Jay Webster, Alexander J. Olson, Tobias Speckbacher, Andreas Binnewies
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Publication number: 20150294346Abstract: A system includes register a received token, generated by a web browser client of a client device, as being associated with a web session of the web browser client, receive a request including the token from a secure application of the client device, identify state information according to the web session of the web browser client associated with the token, and send the state information to the secure application of the client device responsive to the request.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2014Publication date: October 15, 2015Applicant: Valassis Communications, Inc.Inventors: Rinaldo Salvatore Di Giorgio, Madelyn Lindsay Law Schroeder
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Publication number: 20130141765Abstract: An offer template for use in generating print-at-home offer documents includes a number of content layers including a canvas layer, an offer layer and a reference layer. The canvas layer includes content common to several different offers. The offer layer includes offer-specific content. The reference layer includes print-specific content uniquely identifying each printed offer document. The offer template further includes a number of security attributes designed to reduce fraudulent activity involving distributed offers, such as unauthorized copying, manipulating or reproducing of print-at-home offers.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2012Publication date: June 6, 2013Applicant: VALASSIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.Inventor: VALASSIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
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Publication number: 20110208577Abstract: An online offer distribution system may convey offer information relating to an offer selected from an offer supply database. The offer information may be conveyed in an electronic form, such as a web page, that may be accessed by a consumer on a client device. Upon receiving a request to print an offer document corresponding to the offer, the system may generate the offer document including at least a portion of the offer information and time indicating indicia associated with the request to print. The time indicating indicia may be a quasi-unique identifier corresponding to a time the request to print is received or the offer document is transmitted to the client device for printing. The time indicating indicia may be encrypted and incorporated into the offer document as an alphanumeric code, barcode, or both.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2011Publication date: August 25, 2011Applicant: VALASSIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.Inventors: John Lieblang, Darryl Hogan, John Detwiler
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Publication number: 20110047018Abstract: An offer management system may provide an open platform capable of aggregating offers from multiple offer providers. All offers may be uploaded to the offer management system and presented to consumers via a single portal so they can easily browse, select and review all available digital offers at one time, in one place. Upon visiting a hosted website, the offer management system may interact with the consumer by displaying references to digital offers on the home page or in the navigation bar. The offer management system can display personalized content that may feature any available offers targeted specifically to the consumer based upon personal information contained in a profile for the consumer that is associated with the consumer's online account, such as a loyalty card account. Moreover, the offer management system may receive requests from the consumer to print selected offers or download selected offers to the consumer's account.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2010Publication date: February 24, 2011Applicant: VALASSIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.Inventors: John Lieblang, Darrell Ward, Don Steffes
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Publication number: 20110047023Abstract: An offer management system may provide an open platform capable of aggregating offers from multiple offer providers. All offers may be uploaded to the offer management system and presented to consumers via a single portal so they can easily browse, select and review all available digital offers at one time, in one place. Upon visiting a hosted website, the offer management system may interact with the consumer by displaying references to digital offers on the home page or in the navigation bar. The offer management system can display personalized content that may feature any available offers targeted specifically to the consumer based upon personal information contained in a profile for the consumer that is associated with the consumer's online account, such as a loyalty card account. Moreover, the offer management system may receive requests from the consumer to print selected offers or download selected offers to the consumer's account.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2010Publication date: February 24, 2011Applicant: VALASSIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.Inventors: John Lieblang, Darrell Ward, Don Steffes
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Publication number: 20110047017Abstract: An offer management system may provide an open platform capable of aggregating offers from multiple offer providers. All offers may be uploaded to the offer management system and presented to consumers via a single portal so they can easily browse, select and review all available digital offers at one time, in one place. Upon visiting a hosted website, the offer management system may interact with the consumer by displaying references to digital offers on the home page or in the navigation bar. The offer management system can display personalized content that may feature any available offers targeted specifically to the consumer based upon personal information contained in a profile for the consumer that is associated with the consumer's online account, such as a loyalty card account. Moreover, the offer management system may receive requests from the consumer to print selected offers or download selected offers to the consumer's account.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2010Publication date: February 24, 2011Applicant: VALASSIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.Inventors: John Lieblang, Darrell Ward, Don Steffes
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Publication number: 20100114651Abstract: An automated computer system for scoring the effectiveness of a number of number of media options for purposes of media planning is provided. The system implements the following functions: receiving a client objective for a media plan for advertising a number of products and/or services and a consumer purchasing frequency for the number of products and/or services; receiving a number of media product options; and scoring the effectiveness of each of the number of media product options based on the client objective and the consumer purchasing frequency to obtain a value for each of the number of media product options. The client objective may be selected from a number of discrete objectives and the consumer purchasing frequency may be selected from a number of consumer purchasing frequency options.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2008Publication date: May 6, 2010Applicant: VALASSIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.Inventors: Daniel D. Sherr, Mary Rainer Stewart, Debra L. Donohue, Lucy Miller Clark, Emily A. Westfall, Karen F. Kula, Therese Mulvey, Chris Kaul, Alireza Jahan Parvar, Erin E. O'Loughlin, Steve Worona, Nancy E. Curmi, Karen Strnad
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Publication number: 20100114652Abstract: An automated computer system for generating a geographically-localized media plan including a number of selected media buyable units (MBUs) is provided. The system implements the following functions: receiving client-defined information and a number of business rules; receiving a number of MBUs each having a relative value and including a first and second MBU associated with a first media product option and a third and fourth MBU associated with a second media product option; applying an optimization algorithm to the client-defined information, the number of business rules and the number of MBU relative values to obtain a number of selected MBUs included in a geographically-localized media plan; and outputting the geographically-localized media plan for use by a client in media planning. The first MBU associated with a first geography.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2008Publication date: May 6, 2010Applicant: VALASSIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.Inventors: Daniel D. Sherr, Mary Rainer Stewart, Debra L. Donohue, Lucy Miller Clark, Emily A. Westfall, Karen F. Kula, Therese Mulvey, Chris Kaul, Alireza Jahan Parvar, Erin E. O'Loughlin, Steve Worona, Nancy E. Curmi, Karen Strnad
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Publication number: 20100114650Abstract: An automated computer system for media planning is provided. The automated computer system includes functionality for determining geographically-localized estimated sales data for use in generating media plans. The automated computer system also includes functionality for determining the relative value of a localized geography to a media plan. The automated computer system further includes functionality for a media buyable unit (MBU) score for use in generating a geographically-localized media plan.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2008Publication date: May 6, 2010Applicant: VALASSIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.Inventors: Daniel D. Sherr, Mary Rainer Stewart, Debra L. Donohue, Lucy Miller Clark, Emily A. Westfall, Karen F. Kula, Therese Mulvey, Chris Kaul, Alireza Jahan Parvar, Erin E. O'Loughlin, Steve Worona, Nancy E. Curmi, Karen Strnad
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Publication number: 20020161625Abstract: An automated system generates targeted pricing information for a marketing campaign. The system includes a server for communicating with a client system including a computer processor and associated memory. The server is part of a marketing system including a computer processor and associated memory. A database provides pricing information for the delivery of advertising materials in a plurality of printed media outlets. Each of the plurality of printed media outlets satisfies at least one of a plurality of predetermined marketing parameters. The client system and marketing system are connectable to each other via a communications network. The marketing system receives a targeted pricing information request from the client system over the communications network, the targeted pricing information request including at least one of the plurality of predetermined marketing parameters.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2002Publication date: October 31, 2002Applicant: Valassis Communications, Inc.Inventors: Leonardo Brito-Valladares, Christine Gambino, Chris Kaul
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Patent number: 6230143Abstract: A system and method for analyzing coupon redemption data, includes a parallel adaptive, self-arborizing network having a database component with a database containing consumer and client information, an extract module program that retrieves information from the database based on a set of user or computer designed criteria, an editor program which formats the information extracted from the database to be generated on a coupon or flyer to create a data template including at least one two dimensional bar code containing consumer and coupon information from the database, and a printing tool for encoding the data template on a coupon page. The system further includes a data recovery system, including at least one scanning device provided at the point of sale terminal adapted to read the two dimensional bar codes on the coupons and a store and forward system that stores the data collected by the scanning device at the point of sale terminal.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 1998Date of Patent: May 8, 2001Assignee: Valassis Communications, Inc.Inventors: Peter J. Simons, Andrew F. Bennett, Glenn S. Morgan, William J. Ray