BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention is directed to a data processing methodology and a means for the implementation of such methodology. More specifically, this invention concerns itself with methods for the promotion of brand name products and services (including store brands) through the use of an advertising medium which is based upon a combination of sponsor and consumer input. This invention has application in diverse environments with the principal utilization criteria being the consumer's need to compose an integrated listing of elements in the form of an individualized package from among a selection of products and/or services of unrelated supplies (sponsors). In a typical supermarket environment, this invention can be implemented on a consumer accessible terminal which has been programmed with appropriate brand name specific data and complimentary application software. The consumer can select from among the available choices on the main program menu and submenus which appear on the terminal display, store his interim selections in a non-volatile memory (ie work file) within the terminal, edit his interim selections and eventually retrieve them in a recipe file card format and/or an integrated shopping list. In both of these formats, the individual ingredients are specified by brand name (to the extent of sponsor participation).

2. Description of the Prior Art

In the modern supermarket, the inventory of available items offered to the consumer can often number in excess of 10,000. Brand recognition and favorable shelf placement are thus imperative for effective distribution of such consumer products; especially where the amount of time and care exercised in making of a consumer purchasing decision is limited and the presence of competing products can created confusion and/or distraction. Accordingly, the effective marketing of such consumer products in the supermarket environment requires extensive advertising, visually attractive packaging, and incentives (i.e. coupons) to influence the consumer purchasing decisions. The consumer selection process in this environment, is thus determined primarily by brand recognition and the favorable placement of the product on the supermarket shelf. As is readily apparent, the established methods for influencing consumer purchasing decisions favors the established brand name products and the larger companies with substantial advertising budgets. The lesser known brands are, thus, permanently subordinated to the "majors" in both consumer identification and in the exposure received in the retail environment. The barrier to effective competition and to effective entry of new products into the marketplace from an unestablished source is thus formidable; and, at best the prospects for success of such new entrants are marginal. The net effect is reduced competition, limited selection, and higher prices to the consumer.

From the consumer viewpoint, especially the busy career-oriented individual, the process of meal planning, creation of shopping lists, and selection of products by brand name is becoming an increasingly time consuming and unnecessarily complicated task. As of the present, there is nothing currently available to the consumer to provide the needed assistance to expedite the planning, selection, and ultimately, this purchasing process. The busy career-oriented individual, even if he/she had the time, is not particularly interested in scouring newspaper advertising and/or coupon mailings for shopping suggestions. Moreover, even if he/she were so inclined, these advertisements and promotional mailings generally only feature a single product or a limited selection of products. It still remains for the consumer to build a meal plan around one or more of these featured items, identify recipes in which such items can be used, coordinate the selection of additional ingredients needed to supplement this recipe and, ultimately, compose a shopping list. If the consumer has the time and patience to proceed to this point in the meal planning process, he/she is still required to estimate the quantities of the items needed for each serving of each recipe in the meal plan, and to adjust his purchasing plan depending upon whether the numbers of the servings provided by a particular recipe correspond to his/her individual needs.

At the present time, there is available to individuals who own personal computers, software packages which can assist in this meal planning process. One such package entitled, THE MICRO COOKBOOK, (available from Virtual Combinatics of Rockport, Mass.), provides a simple, but somewhat cumbersome method to assist in the composition of a meal plan. The menu selections available on this software package are indeed quite limited, however, include suggestions for recipes for utilization of ingredients on hand, as well as, for composing a shopping list. This software also permits the user to add recipes to the existing recipe file. Each of the recipes in the file also include instructions on preparation of the dish from the listed ingredients. The number of servings of a particular recipe can also be adjusted to suit the individual user's needs. When a shopping list is desired for a meal plan having a number of dishes, the program will produce an integrated shopping list, identifying each of the items required to prepare all the dishes of the meal plan. Unfortunately, this software does not assist the consumer in the making of a purchasing decision, nor does it have the capability to suggest or identify the possible substitution of a convenience (prepared) food item for one requiring involved preparation.

Accordingly, even the limited number of consumers, who own or have access to both a personal computer and a software package of equivalent capability to THE MICRO COOKBOOK, will ultimately base their selection of the individual items for recipes of the mean plan upon brand recognition and/or favorable shelf placement in a supermarket. Thus, the relatively little known consumer products (and oftentimes less expensive) go largely unnoticed even though they could be readily substituted for one having more prominent shelf placement and a more attractive package.

The difficulty in creation of brand recognition in the consumer marketplace also presents a formidable task for the established distributors of consumer products. The time and expense required to launch a new product is continually increasing and thus, prevents a formidable barrier to the number of new entrants which can be effectively introduced into the marketplace within a given period of time.

The difficulties described above, with respect to composition of a shopping list for groceries are indeed trivial in comparison to consumer participation in the selection process for planning an itinerary for a trip; or in the composition of an estate/investment/retirement portfolio from the various offerings of underwriters of such investment services. It is thus apparent, that the more specialized or complicated the selection process, the less likely that the consumer will fully participate in this process. This increased dependence of the consumer upon the judgements of others further frustrates the individual in the exercise of effective control over decisions which are material to his individual needs and preferences.

Thus, there is a continuing need to provide the means to assist distributors of consumer products and services in increasing the consumer awareness of their offerings in a way that is both cost effective and will be well received by the purchasing public. There is also a continuing need to provide assistance to the consumer in the planning of his purchasing decisions in a manner whereby such planning process can be effected within a minimal period of time and yet provide an effective method for conscious selection of his purchases from a brand name specific shopping list of goods and/or services.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to remedy the above as well as related deficiencies in the prior art.

More specifically, it is the principle object of this invention to provide a novel advertising medium in a format which assists consumers in the planning of their purchases.

It is another object of this invention to provide a readily accessible means whereby consumers can plan their purchasing decisions in an environment which is both tailored to their individual needs and the needs of the merchandisers of such products.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an integrated advertising medium which promotes the noncompeting products from different companies (sponsors).

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an integrated advertising medium which provides for the promotion of both national and local brands on a common format.

It is still yet another object of this invention to provide an integrated advertising medium which can be adapted for the promotion of items of regional preference.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an integrated advertising medium which can be adapted for the promotion of items of seasonal preference.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an integrated advertising medium which can be adapted for the promotion of items of ethnic preference.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide an integrated advertising medium which can be adapted for the promotion of items of dietary preference.

Further additional objects of this invention include the provision of an integrated advertising medium for consumer products and/or services which can satisfy all the foregoing promotional preferences of a sponsor and yet be capable of presenting to the consumer an integrated list itemizing such products and/or services in a format which can assist him/her in the planning of purchases of brand name offerings which are featured in the above format.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above and related objects of this invention are achieved by providing a system having at least two (2) system master files: (a) one of these system master files containing a listing of goods and/or services, by generic name, organized in prescribed fields of classification related to the environment of use (i.e. meal planning; travel itinerary planning; estate/investment/retirement portfolio planning, etc.); and, (b) a second system master file containing a corresponding listing of goods and/or services by brand name and sponsor affiliation.

For ease of illustration, the operation of the system and methodology of this invention are described hereinafter with reference to the creation of an advertising medium in a recipe card file format and an integrated shopping list format. A system adapted for this purpose can have at least two (2) system master files, one such file containing a listing of generic ingredients organized in the form of recipes and certain other prescribed fields of classifications; and a second master systems file containing a corresponding listing of ingredients, by brand names and sponsor. Means are provided to retrieve data from each of these files, in response to sponsor input, to create brand name specific recipe files which can be targeted for a particular geographic region of the country; a particular time of the year (i.e. holiday season); seasonal availability of complementary ingredients (i.e. fresh fruits and vegetables, etc.); ethnic preferences; dietary preferences; and any combination of one or more of the above. The brand name specific recipe files prepared in the foregoing manner may be further modified by providing one or more additional files which list convenience foods by brand name that can be substituted for an individual recipe within a meal plan. This meal/recipe planning system can be further enhanced by providing additional fields within such files for pricing information and product location (routing) for each of individual products which are identified as ingredients by this meal planning and recipe selection system.

This system further comprises means for display and for entry of consumer selections from the brand name specific meal-recipe file. The consumer selection is to be based upon any one of a number of preselected criteria which are presented on the program main menu and sub-menus. In a typical embodiment of this invention, the display means depicts the available consumer choices on the program main menu (i.e. courses) and sub-menus (i.e. preferences), and the consumer simply enters his/her selection by means of activation of the appropriate key or by touching the display panel with his/or her finger or a stylus. The selections made by the consumer can be assembled (Interim Storage) in a meal plan or recipe format and, thereafter, entered (finalized) by similar activation means. At this juncture, the meal/recipe plan is reduced to a permanment record by suitable printing means, with the consumer receiving such output in at least two formats; the first being the traditional recipe file card format; and the second being an integrated shopping list identifying each of the items or ingredients he/she is required to purchase for implementation of meal/recipe plan. In both of the above formats, each of the ingredients, or convenience foods, which are needed for implementation of the meal-recipe plan are identified by the brand name of each of the sponsors of the products which are entered in the brand name specific recipe file. Where a product appears on the recipe or shopping list in generic form, it simply indicates that no brand name sponsor of that product has elected to participate in this advertising medium and, accordingly, provision is made for local modification of the master file to include store brands for products which do not have national or regional brand name sponsorship.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 represents a systems flow chart of the overall operation of the meal-recipe planning system of this invention.

FIG. 2 represents a systems flow chart depicting the creation of brand name specific meal-recipe files in accordance with sponsor designated criteria.

FIG. 3 represent a systems flow chart depicting the creation of meal-recipe plan in accordance with predetermined consumer designated criteria.

FIG. 4 depicts a display of a typical program main menu from which the consumer can select one or more paths (i.e. selection of courses).

FIG. 5 depicts a display of a program sub-menu from which the consumer can select one or more paths (i.e. selection of preferences).

FIG. 6 is an illustration of the novel advertising medium of this invention in a recipe file card format.

FIG. 7 depicts a display of a meal plan which has been assembled from individual choices selected by the consumer.

FIG. 8 is an illustration of the novel advertising medium of this invention in an integrated shopping list format.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION INCLUDING PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the text of this application, the description of and reference to the various functional components of the systems flow diagrams of FIGS. 1-3, and to the illustration of FIGS. 4-8, employs the same descriptive terms as appear in these figures, hence the absence of reference numerals in the figures and in the text of this specification. The systems flow diagram of FIG. 1 illustrates the overall operation of the system and data processing methodology of this invention. Initially, at least two (2) system master files are assembled, in non-volatile memory (i.e. magnetic tape, floppy disc, etc.), from data input into Module A and Module B respectively. For the purposes of this illustration, System Master File #1 is characterized as the "generic file" and System Master File #2 is characterized as the "brand name file".

A "Generic Systems Master File", as that phrase is used in the context of this invention, shall mean a file containing a generic listing of various related goods and/or services organized in fields, which are or can be used in combinations with one another.

A "Brand Name Specific Systems Master File", as that term is used in the context of this invention, shall mean a file containing a corresponding listing of various related goods and/or services, organized in fields, which identifies such various goods and/or services by brand name and supplier (sponsor). The goods and/or services of the brand name systems master file are characterized by the same generic designation as is used in the generic systems master file.

The data contained in these systems master files is then merged by Module C in accordance with sponser selected criteria to produce an output file, entitled "Brand Name Specific File". This Brand Name Specific File is stored in a non-volatile memory and its composition is tailored to meet the sponsor's marketing objectives.

This Brand Name Specific File is designed for use by the consumer, in conjunction with Module D, to enable his/her composition of a brand name specific ensemble of related goods and/or services to meet his/her individualized needs. Module D is typically a consumer accessible computer terminal equipped with compatible applications software, that enables the consumer to select from among the various related goods and/or services in the Brand Name Specific File in any combination, and ultimately to obtain a hard copy of the selection in an integrated listing in any one of a number of formats.

The manner of operation of this system, as more fully illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, contemplates the individual selection of related goods and/or services one item at a time, the assembly of an interim listing, the editing of an interim listing and the display of an interim listing. All of these functions are simply combined in FIG. 1 is the boxes identified as "Module D" and "Integration". Once the final list has been composed, the consumer can request that the system provide a hard copy of his/her selections in the form of a Brand Name Specific Listing. The Brand Name Specific Listing can be arranged in any one of a series of formats depending upon the application software which is being used to run the system.

The flow diagram of FIG. 2 illustrates, in considerably greater detail than FIG. 1, the processing and assembling of data necessary in the generation of a meal-recipe and brand name specific system master files. The data input into one (1) of these system master files is typically in the form of mean plans and recipes. The ingredients of each of these recipes are simply identified by their common generic classification (i.e. salt, flour, shortening, etc.). This data is processed and organized in accordance with a file architecture which permits its later retrieval in a convenient and useable form. In the preferred embodiments of this invention, the meal plan and recipe information can be organized in fields by regional preference, seasonal preference, special occasions, ethnic preferences, nutritional preferences, dietary preferences, or seasonal availability of complementary ingredients and one or more combinations thereof. It is fully appreciated that other fields of organization are also possible in additional to or as alternatives to the ones referred to above.

A second master file is also prepared by creating a listing of ingredients by brand name and by sponsor of such brand name products. This data is processed and organized in accordance with a file architecture which permits its later retrieval in a convenient and useable form. As is readily understood, the input to this master file correspond, in part, to the meal-recipe system master file with respect to the use of a common generic term for a particular ingredient; and, with respect to the use of a common term for a particular recipe and for a precooked or prepared dish (i.e. pizza recipe and frozen pizza).

In the preferred embodiments of this invention, the aforementioned system master files can be conveniently organized by "relational data-based techniques" or "indexed sequential files ISAM" such as RMS 32, available on VAX VMS Computers and Operating Systems of Digital Equipment Corporation (Maynard, Mass.). This preferred file management technique permits the foregoing data to be readily organized and retrieved by one or more fields and in combinations of one or more fields. In the Appendix to this application, a description of the data bases for the systems master files is provided for the purpose of illustration for the various fields of organization of the recipe data, meal plan data, brand name data, quantity conversion data and recipe text data.

Once the proper data has been input and processed, the resultant master files can be merged by Module C into a Brand Name Specific Meal-Recipe File. The manner in which the data from the foregoing Master Files are merged in the creation these output files (Brand Name Specific Meal-Recipe Files) is tailored to meet the advertising objectives of the individual sponsors. For example, if a sponsor has a relatively complete and integrated product line used in the preparation of French cuisine, the Brand Name Specific Meal-Recipe File created for the promotion of his products will contain numerous French dishes which call for the largest number of brand name ingredients from the sponsor's product line. This Brand Name Specific Meal-Recipe File can be independently distributed for use in retail outlets or, combined with other brand name specific meal-recipe files from other sponsors. The combined package of Brand Name Specific Files from different sponsors would be composed in a manner to insure exclusive identification of a particular ingredient or, convenience food, by the sponsoring company.

In the creation of the Master Files for use in the apparatus and method of this invention, it is also contemplated that several ingredients would be included in the individual recipes which do not lend themselves to national, or even regional distribution. Accordingly, ample provision could thus be made to allow for introduction of store brands and other local items. One possible technique for introduction of local brands in the system would be to permit the creation of a separate Master File by the retailer, based upon the available (unsponsored) items remaining in the recipes. This Master File would permit the insertion of the local brand name from the previously unsponsored items.

The manner in which the data from the system master files of recipes is merged with the system master files of sponsors is based upon the independent input of the sponsor's requirements on Module C. These requirements are dictated by many of the same criteria used in the organization of the system master files (i.e. regional preferences, ethnic preferences, dietary preferences, etc.); and/or the specialized product line of the individual sponsors--the foregoing criteria hereinafter will be referred to as "sponsor advertising criteria". Accordingly, the creator of the brand name specific meal-recipe file will simply input the appropriate sponsor advertising criteria on Module C. This Module C would then merge the meal-recipe master file and brand name sponsor master file in accordance with sponsor advertising criteria.

The output produced as a result of the processing of this information from these various master files, in accordance with sponsor criteria, results in the generation of "Brand Name Specific Meal-Recipe Files". These Brand Name Specific Meal-Recipe Files can be distributed to local grocery chains and individual markets in any non-volatile, data retrievable form (i.e. floppy discs, ROMs, etc.) for the programming of stand alone consumer accessible terminals in their respective outlets. An alternative mode for composition of the Brand Name Specific Meal-Recipe Files would be to initially identify all the products of an individual sponsor and thereafter construct a meal-recipe system master file which would be oriented toward the use of as many products of the potential sponsor.

The system master file containing the meal plan and recipe information would, of course, have the capability of providing the potential sponsor with a listing of recipes containing ingredients which are included in his line of brand name products; and, permit the introduction of additional recipes into this systems master file to increase the frequency and visibility of products of an individual sponsor. Accordingly, the systems master file of meal plans and recipes would in all likelihood be composed of a number of independent sets of meal plans and recipes which could be more readily matched with an individual sponsor's product line. One such highly specialized systems master file of meal plans and recipes could be composed for the (a) gourmet; (b) camping consumer; or, (c) consumer planning a motoring trip. Thus, sponsors of consumer products suited for these specialized meal plans could more readily target their products to the potential customers and the consumer would be relieved of the burden of having to go through the laborious planning process of the identificaion of purchases which would be appropriate for his/her undertaking.

As noted hereinabove, consumer access to the Brand Name Specific Meal-Recipe File could be provided through terminals installed in markets or through a home terminal (hereinafter "consumer access terminal"). This consumer access terminal would preferably have features which would permit ease of use and be otherwise compatible with the merchandising environment of the retail outlet. In one of the preferred embodiments of this invention, the consumer access-terminal could be provided with a display for promoting pictorial information of an advertising nature when not in use.

The system flow diagram of FIG. 3 illustrates the manipulation of the Brand Name Specific File(s) on Module D of FIG. 1. The process of consumer selection is preferably assisted by either visual and/or audible prompting cues from the terminal. Upon consumer activation of the program main menu, a series of choices would be presented. A representative program main menu is illustrated in FIG. 4. The consumer would thus be presented with a number of choices (menu paths) and, depending upon the selection entered, be directed either to a listing of individual recipes (i.e. courses) or to another more refined level of selection as illustrated in FIG. 5 (i.e. preference items, such as ethnic foods, holiday dishes, low calorie dishes, etc.). The individual recipes which are selected could be temporarily stored in the non-volatile system memory or work file (identified as "Interim Storage" of FIG. 3) while the consumer compiled additional recipes in the composition of the meal plan. When a specific recipe is selected, it is displayed on the monitor and the consumer allowed to briefly review its contents and method of preparation.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, this display would feature, in a recipe card format, the brand name products of the participating sponsor, for each of its products (ingredients) which is included in the recipe. The indivicual recipes selected can be scaled up or down depending upon the number of desired servings. After the consumer has composed his meal plan from the individually selected recipes (FIG. 7), a shopping list is compiled by the system and printed in a recipe file card and/or an integrated shopping list format (FIG. 8). The shopping list, illustrated in FIG. 8, not only indicates the number of individual items, by brand name, required to implement the meal plan, but also provides cumulative quantity totals so as to enable the consumer to purchase sufficient product to prepare all the recipes which have been selected. Where quantities of ingredients are expressed in terms of volume units of measure and sold in weight units of measure, the shopping list would express these cumulative totals in the units in which the product is sold. In one of the preferred embodiments of this invention illustrated in FIG. 8, the integrated shopping would identify with an asterick (*) those brand name products which are on "special", or for which coupons are available. In another of the preferred embodiments of this invention illustrated in FIG. 8, the integrated shopping list itself would have a series of coupons attached at the end of product listing. The issuance of coupons in this manner would help maintain better control over coupon fraud by providing a method for correlation of the site of issuance of the coupon and with the site of redemption. If, for example, a retail outlet's redemption of coupons exceeded its own distribution of the brand name product, the manufacturer would be able to more readily identify the source of such redemption abuse.

The configuration of hardware which can be used in the implementation of the method of this invention can be a free-standing personal computer console having at least one display element and at least one printer. In the context of the preferred enbodiments of this invention, the display element can also be capable of continuous display of pre-recorded pictorial advertising. The consumer selection of the meal-recipe planning information is preferably achieved by a combination of prompting commands which are entered via a touch screen of the type described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,860,754; 4,305,071; 4,053,773; 4,198,623; and 3,939,248--all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. In the most preferred embodiments of this invention, the display element has a split screen which is capable of concurrent presentation of a pictorial illustration of the recipe selected on one portion of the display, while at the same time displaying, on another portion of the screen the textual portion of the recipe and its method of preparation. Upon consumer compilation of one or more recipes of a given meal plan, the consumer can request printing of the recipe and a shopping list. The information contained on the shopping list can include, in addition to an integrated listing of brand name and generic ingredients, the locaton of the individual ingredients in the market (preferably by aisle number and shelf location) and the price of each item in either the recommended, or the available, quantity. The total price of the shopping list could also be calculated in advance.

The following example provides an illustration of the creation of one specific meal plan and the method of execution thereof on the apparatus of this invention. The execution of this meal plan assumes the creation of appropriate brand name specific meal-recipe files for a sponsor specializing in French cuisine. The meal plan also presumes, for the purposes of this illustration, that all the courses in the meal plan can be prepared from individual recipes and at least one of the recipes can be substituted by a prepared (convenience) food.

The data processing methodology for the implementation of this meal-recipe plan is based upon the program listing and data base descriptions appearing in the Appendix to this disclosure. The program and data bases were developed in a Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) VAX 11/750 equipped with (a) VMS operating system (V 3.x; (b) RMS-32 file management; (c) VAX-11 Basic (V 2.x); and (d) RTV, a proprietary data base system.

The appendable module RTVAPP5 is included in this program listing. Other utility programs that are part of the RTV package were used to populate the data base. In actual practice, these utilities programs would be replaced with custom programs to populate and maintain the data bases.

In the execution of this program, the consumer can select from among the available choices (i.e. courses) presented upon the program main menu illustrated in FIG. 4. The entry of the selection "Appetizers" cause the program to advance to a sub-menu containing a more refined level of selection (i.e. preferences). Upon indication of a preference for "French" food, the program will present those selections contained in the data bases which satisfy both of the foregoing criteria. Where only one of the items in the data base satisfies both of these criteria, it alone is presented for consumer consideration. If acceptable, the consumer simply indicates his selection by entry of the corresponding designation. The program will then display the ingredients of the entry and the method of preparation in a typical recipe file card format. Each of the individual items of the recipe are identified, as appropriate, with the brand name of the participating sponsor. The consumer can then elect to save or delete the selection, and proceed to the next choice.

Once a preference has been indicated for the initial selection, all other courses of the meal plan will follow this same preference. This selection process is repeated for Bread/Rolls; Entree; Side Dishes; and Desserts. In each instance, the individual items which have been selected have been stored in the non-volatile memory or work file (Interim Storage) of the system.

Upon completion of the meal planning session, the meal plan is combined and displayed as an Interim List to allow for confirmation of the choices by the consumer. The consumer, thus, has an additional opportunity to edit his selection before requesting printing of the integrated shopping list and individual recipe file cards.

The actual output of a representative recipe file card and integrated shopping list, which can be generated in the foregoing manner from the available choices contained in the data bases, is also included in the Appendix to this application.

The foregoing description of the system and data processing methodology for the creation of the unique advertising medium of this invention is provided as exemplary of a number of the preferred embodiments of this invention and not intended as delineating its scope. The scope of this invention is set forth in the claims which follow. ##SPC1##