[really OT] patents / copyright / trademarks

["JT @ Home" <Jonathan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Apologies for the wildly off topic posting, but I seem to be going around
in
circles at the moment trying to find some information, I'm not sure if I'm
searching for the right info either.



If you shop at tesco's / morrisons etc they give you 'points' which you
save
on a card and then later redeem for money off your shopping. What I'm after
is, does anyone know if this system is patented / copyrighted etc.



I've got an idea for something similar and I'd like to 'register' my idea
so
I can license it and earn a few quid (well, that's the plan anyway).



I wondered if anyone may be able to offer some advice on how or where I'd
find some more information on this subject, I've been searching the patent
office and cannot find anything that matches my idea exactly, but I don't
know whether to use a patent (its just an idea and a process to go with it)



Kind regards,



Jonathan







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