Mobile commerce framework
First Claim
1. A method of receiving a promotional offer by a downloadable application executed by a handheld mobile device having a communications module, the method comprising:
- activating, by a user of the handheld mobile device, the downloadable application, the downloadable application pertaining to a commercial network;
generating, by the downloadable application, an interactive user interface on the handheld mobile device;
prompting, by the downloadable application, the user to select a merchant category and a geographical region via the interactive user interface on the handheld mobile device so as to generate a user input;
receiving, at the interactive user interface, the user input, the user input selecting one or more of the merchant category and the geographical region;
transmitting, by the communications module of the handheld mobile device, via the communications network, identification or other data from one or more of the downloadable application and the handheld mobile device to a commercial network server;
authenticating, by the commercial network server, the user'"'"'s participation in the commercial network;
transmitting, by the communications module of the handheld mobile device, via the communications network, the selected one or more of the merchant category and the geographical location of the handheld mobile device to the commercial network server;
receiving, at the handheld mobile device, via the downloadable application, merchant information from a database communicatively coupled to the commercial network server, the merchant information including a list of one or more merchants located within the geographical area that participate in the shopping network; and
displaying, on the interactive user interface on the handheld mobile device, a list of matched merchants that match the selected merchant category, one or more of the matched merchants having a physical location within the geographical area and being associated in the database with the selected merchant category, the matching being performed by the server in real time, the displaying comprising displaying a name of at least one matched merchant, information associated with the physical location of the matched merchant, and a promotional offer offered by the at least one matched merchant.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A subscription-based system for providing commerce information for one or more mobile devices for one or more merchants. Some techniques employed feature a subscription-based method for presenting commercial resources to a mobile device. The method involves receiving mobile device user information relating to a geographic location to locate one or more merchants within a subscription-based shopping network, and receiving mobile device user information relating to a merchant type within the subscription-based shopping network. The method also involves receiving, from a database over a communication network, information for one or more merchants associated with the mobile device user information for the geographic location and the merchant type, and presenting the associated merchant information on the mobile device. The associated merchant information can include a merchant name and address, a merchant telephone number, a merchant advertisement, a merchant coupon, or a merchant product or service offering to subscribers of the shopping network.
46 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of receiving a promotional offer by a downloadable application executed by a handheld mobile device having a communications module, the method comprising:
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activating, by a user of the handheld mobile device, the downloadable application, the downloadable application pertaining to a commercial network; generating, by the downloadable application, an interactive user interface on the handheld mobile device; prompting, by the downloadable application, the user to select a merchant category and a geographical region via the interactive user interface on the handheld mobile device so as to generate a user input; receiving, at the interactive user interface, the user input, the user input selecting one or more of the merchant category and the geographical region; transmitting, by the communications module of the handheld mobile device, via the communications network, identification or other data from one or more of the downloadable application and the handheld mobile device to a commercial network server; authenticating, by the commercial network server, the user'"'"'s participation in the commercial network; transmitting, by the communications module of the handheld mobile device, via the communications network, the selected one or more of the merchant category and the geographical location of the handheld mobile device to the commercial network server; receiving, at the handheld mobile device, via the downloadable application, merchant information from a database communicatively coupled to the commercial network server, the merchant information including a list of one or more merchants located within the geographical area that participate in the shopping network; and displaying, on the interactive user interface on the handheld mobile device, a list of matched merchants that match the selected merchant category, one or more of the matched merchants having a physical location within the geographical area and being associated in the database with the selected merchant category, the matching being performed by the server in real time, the displaying comprising displaying a name of at least one matched merchant, information associated with the physical location of the matched merchant, and a promotional offer offered by the at least one matched merchant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A downloadable non-transitory computer program application product storing instructions that, when executed by at least one programmable processor of a handheld mobile device, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising:
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generate an interactive user interface on the handheld mobile device; prompt a user for a merchant category via the interactive user interface on the handheld mobile device; receive user input, via the interactive user interface, the user input selecting the merchant category via the interactive user interface on the handheld mobile device, the user input further specifying a geographical area; transmit, using an antenna of the handheld mobile device, over a communications network, the selected merchant category and a geographical location from the handheld mobile device to a remote server, the server being associated with a database, the database storing data pertaining to one or more types of merchant categories; receive merchant information from the database associated with the server, the merchant information including a list of one or more merchants that are within both the merchant category and the geographical region; and display, on the interactive user interface on the handheld mobile device, a list of matched merchants that match the selected merchant category, one or more of the matched merchants having a physical location within the geographical area and being associated in the database with the selected merchant category, the displaying comprising displaying a name of the matched merchant, information associated with the physical location of the matched merchant, and a promotional offer offered by the matched merchants. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A handheld mobile device comprising:
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a display; a communications module, the communications module being connectable to a remote server via a communications network; and a processor that executes an application, the application being a downloadable application that is configured for performing a method of distributing promotional offers, the method comprising; generating, via the downloadable application, an interactive user interface for display at the display of the handheld mobile device; prompting, via the interactive user interface of the downloadable application, the user to select a geographical region and a merchant category; receiving, at the interactive user interface, user input selecting the geographical region and the merchant category within the geographical region; sending, via the communications module, the selected merchant type and the geographical location from the handheld mobile device to the remote server; receiving, from the remote server, via the downloadable application, results data, the results data comprising merchant information for merchants within the merchant category and the geographical region, the merchant information comprising a list of one or more merchants within the merchant type and one or more offers from the one or more merchants; and displaying, via the interactive user interface, the results data at the display of the handheld mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification