Systems and methods for providing promotion sharing among consumers

• US 10,032,182 B1
• Filed: 06/28/2013
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Inventors: Lee, Injae, Velmurugan, Selvam, Hegde, Vinayak
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Vincent M
• Application Number:
  US13/930,833
• Time in Patent Office: 1,852 Days
• Field of Search: 705 14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0214 Referral reward systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0221 Re-usable coupons
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, and methods for providing promotion sharing between consumers are discussed herein. Some embodiments may include a system including circuitry configured to generate an incentive token for a promotion of a merchant. The incentive token may be associated with a first consumer account and provided to a first consumer device associated with the first consumer account for sharing with other consumers. Upon receiving the incentive token form a second consumer device associated with a second consumer account, the circuitry may be configured to enable the second consumer account to receive an incentive value of the incentive token if various conditions are satisfied. For example, the second consumer may be asked to purchase the promotion, create a new consumer account, or the like.

Claims

1. A system for securing network-based access to an incentive value based on an incentive token configured to be shared between consumer devices, comprising:

circuitry configured to;

generate the incentive token for a promotion of a merchant, wherein the incentive token is associated with the incentive value;

associate the incentive token with a first consumer account;

provide the incentive token to a first consumer device associated with the first consumer account via a network in a first communication;

subsequent to providing the incentive token to the first consumer device, receive the incentive token from a second consumer device associated with a second consumer account via the network in a second communication;

determine whether the second consumer account is authorized to receive the incentive value, wherein the circuitry configured to determine whether the second consumer account is authorized to receive the incentive value includes the circuitry being further configured to;

determine that the second consumer account was opened after the incentive token having been received by the second consumer device, identifying the second consumer account as new and having been attracted due to the reception of the incentive token;

determine that the second consumer account is different from the first consumer account such that the first consumer account is prohibited from receiving the incentive value;

determine that the first consumer account is unassociated with the second consumer device, wherein the first consumer account is unassociated with the second consumer device when the first consumer account has not previously provided the incentive token to the second consumer account and the second consumer account has not previously provided the incentive token to the first consumer account;

determine that the second consumer device is different from the first consumer device based on tracking device characteristics over the network for the first communication and second communication such that the second consumer account is prohibited from receiving the incentive value using the first consumer device;

determine an incentive count indicating a number of incentives available for the incentive token before providing the incentive token to the first consumer device;

determine whether the incentive token count indicates that one or more incentives are available for the incentive token after receiving the incentive token from the second consumer device; and

in response to determining that (i) the second consumer device is different than the first consumer device, (ii) the first consumer account is unassociated with the second consumer device, (iii) the second consumer account is different than the first consumer account, (iv) the incentive count indicates that one or more incentives are available for the incentive token and (v) subsequently that the second consumer account is authorized to receive the incentive value, enable the second consumer account to receive the incentive value;

adjust the incentive count for the incentive token;

identify the first consumer account based on the incentive token after receiving the incentive token from the second consumer device; and

associate the first consumer account to the second consumer account indicating that the first consumer successfully recommended the promotion to the second consumer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry being configured to determine whether the second consumer account is authorized to receive the incentive value includes the circuitry configured to determine whether the second consumer has created the second consumer account to receive the inventive value.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry being configured to determine whether the second consumer account is authorized to receive the incentive value includes the circuitry configured to determine whether the second consumer has purchased the promotion.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry being configured to determine whether the second consumer account is authorized to receive the incentive value includes the circuitry being configured to determine whether the second consumer has redeemed the promotion.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the incentive token is configured to be shared among consumer accounts via social networking systems.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

receive redemption data indicating that the promotion has been redeemed by the first consumer; and

provide a review request for a review of the promotion to the first consumer device after receiving the redemption indication.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

receive a review for the promotion from the first consumer device;

determine whether the review was a positive review; and

in response to determining that the review was a positive review, generate the incentive token for the promotion.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

send a request for a binary consumer answer regarding whether the merchant is recommended to the first consumer device; and

determine that the review was a positive review based on the binary consumer answer indicating that the merchant is recommended.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to associate the first consumer account with the second consumer account for future marketing after receiving the incentive token from the second consumer device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to track market influence of the first consumer based on an incentive token count indicating a number of incentives available for the incentive token.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the circuitry is further configured to determine the incentive token count based on the market influence of the first consumer before providing the incentive token to the first consumer device.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the circuitry is configured to provide one or more promotions to the first consumer device based on the market influence of the first consumer.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the device characteristics over the network include at least one of internet protocol (IP) address or media access control (MAC) address.

14. A machine-implemented method for securing network-based access to an incentive value based on an incentive token configured to be shared between consumer devices, comprising:

generating the incentive token for a promotion of a merchant, wherein the incentive token is associated with the incentive value;

associating the incentive token with a first consumer account;

providing, in a first communication, the incentive token to a first consumer device associated with the first consumer account via a network;

subsequent to providing the incentive token to the first consumer device, receiving, in a second communication, the incentive token from a second consumer device associated with a second consumer account via the network;

determining, by a processor, whether the second consumer account is authorized to receive the incentive value, wherein the determining whether the second consumer account is authorize to receive the incentive value includes;

determining that the second consumer account was opened after the incentive token having been received by the second consumer device, identifying the second consumer account as new and having been attracted due to the reception of the incentive token;

determining that the second consumer account is different from the first consumer account such that the first consumer account is prohibited from receiving the incentive value;

determine that the first consumer account is unassociated with the second consumer device, wherein the first consumer account is unassociated with the second consumer device when the first consumer account has not previously provided the incentive token to the second consumer account and the second consumer account has not previously provided the incentive token to the first consumer account;

determining that the second consumer device is different from the first consumer device based on tracking device characteristics over the network for the first communication and second communication such that the second consumer account is prohibited from receiving the incentive value using the first consumer device;

determine an incentive count indicating a number of incentives available for the incentive token before providing the incentive token to the first consumer device;

determine whether the incentive token count indicates that one or more incentives are available for the incentive token after receiving the incentive token from the second consumer device; and

in response to determining that (i) the second consumer device is different than the first consumer device, (ii) the first consumer account is unassociated with the second consumer device, (iii) the second consumer account is different than the first consumer account, (iv) the incentive count indicates that one or more incentives are available for the incentive token and (v) subsequently that the second consumer account is authorized to receive the incentive value, enabling the second consumer account to receive the incentive value;

adjust the incentive count for the incentive token;

identify the first consumer account based on the incentive token after receiving the incentive token from the second consumer device; and

associate the first consumer account to the second consumer account indicating that the first consumer successfully recommended the promotion to the second consumer.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein determining whether the second consumer account is authorized to receive the incentive value includes determining whether the second consumer has created the second consumer account to receive the inventive value.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein determining whether the second consumer account is authorized to receive the incentive value includes determining whether the second consumer has purchased the promotion.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein determining whether the second consumer account is authorized to receive the incentive value includes determining whether the second consumer has redeemed the promotion.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the incentive token is configured to be shared among consumer accounts via social networking systems.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

receiving redemption data indicating that the promotion has been redeemed by the first consumer; and

providing a review request for review of the promotion to the first consumer device after receiving the redemption indication.

20. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

receiving a review for the promotion from the first consumer device;

determining whether the review was a positive review; and

in response to determining that the review was a positive review, generate the incentive token for the promotion.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

sending a request for a binary consumer answer regarding whether the merchant is recommended to the first consumer device; and

determining that the review was a positive review based on the binary consumer answer indicating that the merchant is recommended.

22. The method of claim 14 further comprising associating the first consumer account with the second consumer account for future marketing after receiving the incentive token from the second consumer device.

23. The method of claim 14 further comprising tracking market influence of the first consumer based on an incentive token count indicating a number of incentives available for the incentive token.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising determining the incentive token count based on the market influence of the first consumer before providing the incentive token to the first consumer device.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising providing one or more promotions to the first consumer device based on the market influence of the first consumer.

26. The method of claim 14, wherein the device characteristics over the network include at least one of internet protocol (IP) address or media access control (MAC) address.

27. A computer program product for securing network-based access to an incentive value based on an incentive token configured to be shared between consumer devices, comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and computer program instructions stored therein, the computer program instructions comprising program instructions for:

generating the incentive token for a promotion of a merchant, wherein the incentive token is associated with the incentive value;

associating the incentive token with a first consumer account;

providing, in a first communication, the incentive token to a first consumer device associated with the first consumer account via a network;

subsequent to providing the incentive token to the first consumer device, receiving, in a second communication, the incentive token from a second consumer device associated with a second consumer account via the network;

determining whether the second consumer account is authorized to receive the incentive value, wherein the determining whether the second consumer account is authorize to receive the incentive value includes;

determining that the second consumer account was opened after the incentive token having been received by the second consumer device, identifying the second consumer account as new and having been attracted due to the reception of the incentive token;

determining that the second consumer account is different from the first consumer account such that the first consumer account is prohibited from receiving the incentive value;

determine that the first consumer account is unassociated with the second consumer device, wherein the first consumer account is unassociated with the second consumer device when the first consumer account has not previously provided the incentive token to the second consumer account and the second consumer account has not previously provided the incentive token to the first consumer account;

determining that the second consumer device is different from the first consumer device based on tracking device characteristics over the network for the first communication and second communication such that the second consumer account is prohibited from receiving the incentive value using the first consumer device;

determine an incentive count indicating a number of incentives available for the incentive token before providing the incentive token to the first consumer device;

determine whether the incentive token count indicates that one or more incentives are available for the incentive token after receiving the incentive token from the second consumer device; and

in response to determining that (i) the second consumer device is different than the first consumer device, (ii) the first consumer account is unassociated with the second consumer device, (iii) the second consumer account is different than the first consumer account, (iv) the incentive count indicates that one or more incentives are available for the incentive token and (v) subsequently that the second consumer account is authorized to receive the incentive value, enabling the second consumer account to receive the incentive value;

adjust the incentive count for the incentive token;

identify the first consumer account based on the incentive token after receiving the incentive token from the second consumer device; and

associate the first consumer account to the second consumer account indicating that the first consumer successfully recommended the promotion to the second consumer.