Verification of redemption of an electronic offer

• US 10,102,539 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2017
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Inventors: Kramer, James F., Ning, Paul C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Mong-Thuy
• Application Number:
  US15/598,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20180047044A1
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 4554563
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0605 Supply or demand aggregation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

A system can determine that a mobile device, located at a physical place of business transmits a first electronic communication for redemption of an electronic offer at the physical place of business. The system can further detect a second electronic communication transmitted from the mobile device, which indicates a first identifier. The first identifier can be associated with a verifier of the electronic offer (e.g., a staff member) at the physical place of business. The system can further determine, based on analysis of the first identifier, a second identifier (e.g., contact data, a telephone number, etc.), that corresponds to the verifier, without providing the second identifier to the mobile device. The system can further electronically transmit, utilizing the second identifier, a third electronic communication that indicates information about the redemption of the electronic offer.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing a service to a third-party system or a third-party apparatus, the service configured for identifying mobile devices utilized by particular categories of consumers and transmitting location based content to the mobile devices, the apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

provide a graphical user interface (GUI) configured for receiving category input from the third-party system or the third-party apparatus, the category input defining a particular category of user profiles to which to direct an electronic message and one or more characteristics and associated criteria of each of the one or more characteristics required for classification to the particular category of user profiles;

receive a plurality of Global Positioning System (GPS) device locations from at least one mobile communication device;

compare the plurality of GPS device locations to a known fixed position to determine an assumed location of the at least one mobile communication device;

identify a user profile associated with the at least one mobile communications device, the user profile comprising user trait data and user activity history data;

determine that the assumed location of the at least one mobile communication device meets a pre-defined condition; and

determine that the user profile associated with the at least one mobile communication device is classified to the particular category of user profiles, wherein the determination comprises determining that each of the one or more characteristics accessed from the user trait data of the user profile associated with the at least one mobile communication device meets the associated criteria defined by the particular category,

wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to;

receive, via the GUI, a series of category inputs identifying a particular series of location-based categories to which a consumer must belong to in a defined sequence that, upon being completed, results in the transmission of the electronic message indicative of a particular offer,

a first location based category being ‘

not present’

at a specific location, the second location based category being ‘

present’

at the specific location, the defined sequence being the first location based category and subsequently, the second location based category;

determine, subsequent to the reception of the series of category inputs one or more mobile devices belonging to the first location based category, including the at least one mobile communication device;

cause transmission of promotional material informative of the particular offer to the one or more mobile devices, including the at least one mobile communication device;

store to a data registry the plurality of GPS device locations;

subsequent to the comparison of the plurality of GPS device locations to the known fixed position to determine the assumed location of the at least one mobile communication device, determine that the assumed location of at least one mobile communication device meets a pre-defined condition for classification to the second location based category; and

upon determination that the user profile associated with the at least one mobile communication device is classified to the particular category of user profiles and that the at least one mobile communication device is classified to the second location based category, cause transmission of the electronic message indicative of the particular offer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic message is indicative of a particular offer.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

identify a reciprocal category of second user profiles based on the particular category upon classifying the user profile to the particular category, wherein the second user profiles are respectively associated with a plurality of second mobile communication devices, and wherein the plurality of second mobile communication devices do not include the at least one mobile communication device; and

cause transmission of the electronic message to the plurality of second mobile communication devices.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive a privacy opt-in signal or a privacy opt-out signal from the at least one mobile communication device; and

only in a circumstance where the privacy opt-in signal has been received, compare the plurality of GPS device locations to a known fixed position to determine an assumed location of the at least one mobile communication device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

compare a system time to a user-defined reporting period; and

only in a circumstance where the system time satisfies the user-defined reporting period, compare the plurality of GPS device locations to a known fixed position to determine an assumed location of the at least one mobile communication device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive, via the GUI, third-party specified restrictions;

cause transmission of the electronic message in accordance with the venue-specified restrictions.

7. A computer program product configured for providing a service to a third-party system or a third-party apparatus, the service configured for identifying mobile devices utilized by particular categories of consumers and transmitting location based content to the mobile devices, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising program code instructions to:

provide a graphical user interface (GUI) configured for receiving input from the third-party system or the third-party apparatus, the input defining a particular category of user profiles to which to direct an electronic message and one or more characteristics and associated criteria of each of the one or more characteristics required for classification to the particular category of user profiles;

receive a plurality of Global Positioning System (GPS) device locations from at least one mobile communication device;

compare the plurality of GPS device locations to a known fixed position to determine an assumed location of the at least one mobile communication device;

identify a user profile associated with the at least one mobile communications device, the user profile comprising user trait data and user activity history data;

determine that the assumed location of the at least one mobile communication device meets a pre-defined condition; and

determine that the user profile associated with the at least one mobile communication device is classified to the particular category of user profiles, wherein the determination comprises determining that each of the more characteristics accessed from user trait data of the user profile associated with the at least one mobile communication device meets the associated criteria defined by the particular category,

wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions configured to;

receive, via the GUI, a series of category inputs identifying a particular series of location-based categories to which a consumer must belong to in a defined sequence that, upon being completed, results in the transmission of the electronic message indicative of the particular offer,

a first location based category being ‘

not present’

at a specific location, the second location based category being ‘

present’

at the specific location, the defined sequence being the first location based category and subsequently, the second location based category;

determine, subsequent to the reception of the series of category inputs, one or more mobile devices belonging to the first location based category, including the at least one mobile communication device;

cause transmission of promotional material informative of the particular offer to the one or more mobile devices, including the at least one mobile communication device;

track one or more of the one or more mobile devices;

subsequent to the comparison of the plurality of GPS device locations to the known fixed position to determine the assumed location of the at least one mobile communication device, determine that the assumed location of at least one mobile communication device meets a pre-defined condition for classification to the second location based category; and

upon determination that the user profile associated with the at least one mobile communication device is classified to the particular category of user profiles and that the at least one mobile communication device is classified to the second location based category, cause transmission of a message indicative of the particular offer.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the electronic message is indicative of a particular offer.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions to:

identify a reciprocal category of second user profiles based on the particular category upon classifying the user profile to the particular category, wherein the second user profiles are respectively associated with a plurality of second mobile communication devices, and wherein the plurality of second mobile communication devices do not include the at least one mobile communication device; and

cause transmission of the electronic message to the plurality of second mobile communication devices.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions to:

receive a privacy opt-in signal or a privacy opt-out signal from the at least one mobile communication device; and

only in a circumstance where the privacy opt-in signal has been received, compare the plurality of GPS device locations to a known fixed position to determine an assumed location of the at least one mobile communication device.

11. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions to:

compare a system time to a user-defined reporting period; and

only in a circumstance where the system time satisfies the user-defined reporting period, compare the plurality of GPS device locations to a known fixed position to determine an assumed location of the at least one mobile communication device.

12. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions to:

receive, via the GUI, third-party specified restrictions;

cause transmission of the electronic message in accordance with the venue-specified restrictions.

13. A computer-implemented method configured for providing a service to a third-party system or a third-party apparatus, the service configured for identifying mobile devices utilized by particular categories of consumers and transmitting location based content to the mobile devices, the method comprising:

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) configured for receiving input from the third-party system or the third-party apparatus, the input defining a particular category of user profiles to which to direct an electronic message and one or more characteristics and associated criteria of each of the one or more characteristics required for classification to the particular category of user profiles;

receiving a plurality of Global Positioning System (GPS) device locations from at least one mobile communication device;

comparing the plurality of GPS device locations to a known fixed position to determine an assumed location of the at least one mobile communication device;

identifying a user profile associated with the at least one mobile communications device, the user profile comprising user trait data and user activity history data;

determining that the assumed location of the at least one mobile communication device meets a pre-defined condition; and

determining that the user profile associated with the at least one mobile communication device is classified to the particular category of user profiles, wherein the determination comprises determining that each of the more characteristics accessed from user trait data of the user profile associated with the at least one mobile communication device meets the associated criteria defined by the particular category,

wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises;

receiving, via the GUI, series of category inputs identifying a particular series of location-based categories to which a consumer must belong to in a defined sequence that, upon being completed, results in the transmission of the message indicative of a particular offer,

a first location based category being ‘

not present’

at a specific location, the second location based category being ‘

present’

at the specific location, the defined sequence being the first location based category and subsequently, the second location based category;

determining, subsequent to the reception of the indication, one or more mobile devices belonging to the first location based category, including the at least one mobile communication device;

causing transmission of promotional material informative of the particular offer to the one or more mobile devices, including the at least one mobile communication device;

track one or more of the one or more mobile devices;

subsequent to the comparison of the plurality of GPS device locations to the known fixed position to determine the assumed location of the at least one mobile communication device, determining that the assumed location of at least one mobile communication device meets a pre-defined condition for classification to the second location based category; and

upon determination that the user profile associated with the at least one mobile communication device is classified to the particular category of user profiles and that the at least one mobile communication device is classified to the second location based category, causing transmission of a message indicative of the particular offer.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the electronic message is indicative of a particular offer.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, the method further comprising:

identifying a reciprocal category of second user profiles based on the particular category upon classifying the user profile to the particular category, wherein the second user profiles are respectively associated with a plurality of second mobile communication devices, and wherein the plurality of second mobile communication devices do not include the at least one mobile communication device; and

causing transmission of the electronic message to the plurality of second mobile communication devices.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, the method further comprising:

receiving a privacy opt-in signal or a privacy opt-out signal from the at least one mobile communication device; and

only in a circumstance where the privacy opt-in signal has been received, comparing the plurality of GPS device locations to a known fixed position to determine an assumed location of the at least one mobile communication device.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, the method further comprising:

comparing a system time to a user-defined reporting period; and

only in a circumstance where the system time satisfies the user-defined reporting period, comparing the plurality of GPS device locations to a known fixed position to determine an assumed location of the at least one mobile communication device.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, the method further comprising:

receiving, via the GUI, third-party specified restrictions; and

causing transmission of the electronic message in accordance with the venue-specified restrictions.