Method and apparatus for generating an electronic communication

• US 10,387,902 B1
• Filed: 06/28/2013
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Inventors: Ayars, Jeff, Gilfanov, Ruslan, Holden, Jeff, Nickels, John M., Prokopowicz, Pete, Roarty, Dan, Thacker, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Stoltenberg, David J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ubale, Gautam
• Application Number:
  US13/930,519
• Time in Patent Office: 2,244 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 Auctions

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer program product are disclosed to improve generation of electronic communications. The method may provide a plurality of content slots each configured to receive content, the content comprising at least one of promotion content or non-promotion content. The method may also include maintaining a database comprising a plurality of promotion content generators and non-promotion content generators, and determining, using a processor, one of the plurality of promotion content generators or non-promotion content generators for respectively supplying corresponding promotion content or non-promotion content to each of the plurality of content slots. The determining the one of the plurality of promotion content generators or non-promotion content generators may include determining selection parameters, and scoring the plurality of promotion content generators and non-promotion content generators based at least in part on the selection parameters.

Claims

1. A method for generating an electronic communication for displaying one or more promotions to a user by selecting, for each content slot of the electronic communication, content generators to provide the one or more promotions, the content generators executing independently from an electronic communication creation module, and providing content for inclusion in a particular content slot to which the selected content generators is assigned via network messages or via an application programming interface, the method comprising:

providing, via the electronic communication, a plurality of content slots, wherein each content slot is defined as a particular region of the electronic communication, wherein each content slot is represented by a representative image, wherein each content slot is configured such that upon receiving a selection operation of the representative image, additional information related to the content associated with the content slot is displayed, and wherein each content slot comprises at least one of promotion content or non-promotion content;

identifying a static content slot from the plurality of content slots;

identifying a dynamic content slot from the plurality of content slots;

maintaining a database comprising a plurality of promotion content generators and non-promotion content generators, each of the promotion content generators and non-promotion content generators comprising respective content selection logic and assignment preference logic, wherein each of the plurality of promotion content generators and non-promotion content generators configured to target generated content of the electronic communication to a particular user or group of users, to promote a particular promotion, set of promotions, or type of promotion;

determining, using a processor and before creation or selection of promotional content or non-promotional content, a particular content generator of the plurality of promotion content generators or non-promotion content generators for respectively supplying corresponding promotion content or non-promotion content to each particular content slot of the plurality of content slots of the electronic communication,

wherein the determining of the one of the plurality of promotion content generators or non-promotion content generators comprises;

receiving one or more selection parameters, each of the one or more selection parameters associated with at least a first type or a second type;

determining a presence of the first type of selection parameter and an absence of the second type of selection parameter; and

scoring each particular content generator of the plurality of promotion content generators and non-promotion content generators for each particular content slot of the plurality of content slots based at least in part on the presence of the first type of selection parameter and the absence of the second type of selection parameter and a value associated with the first type of selection parameter,

wherein the scoring the plurality of promotion content generators and non-promotion content generators comprises receiving bids associated with the promotion content generators and non-promotion content generators,

wherein non-promotion content selected by a non-promotion content generator is determined by examining which information is present for a particular consumer indicated by the selection parameters, determining which consumer information is missing, determining which missing information, if possessed, would most improve future electronic communications targeted to the consumer particular, and generating the non-promotion content to request the missing information with the highest expected value, and

wherein a score for each of the plurality of promotion content generators and non-promotion content generators is based on the respective assignment preference logic for that promotion content generator or non-promotion content generator;

receiving, subsequent to the determination of the one of the plurality of promotion content generators or non-promotion content generators, from the one of the plurality of promotion content generators or non-promotion content generators, promotion content or non-promotion content selected by the one of the plurality of promotion content generators or non-promotion content generators, the promotion content or non-promotion content selected based at least in part on the content selection logic of the one of the plurality of promotion content generators or non-promotion content generators; and

generating the electronic communication, the electronic communication displaying the promotion content or the non-promotion content selected the one of the plurality of promotion content generators or non-promotion content generators.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection parameters comprise at least one of user parameters associated with one or more particular users or system parameters associated with promotion and marketing service statistics.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the promotion and marketing service statistics comprise at least one of a promotion inventory level, historical promotion sales, or promotion business unit incentives.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic communication is at least one an e-mail or a web page.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the static content slot is associated with a predefined set of content.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the static content slot is associated with a predefined content generator.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the electronic communication by populating at least the static content slot and the dynamic content slot with content.

5. An apparatus for generating an electronic communication for displaying one or more promotions to a user by selecting, for each content slot of the electronic communication, content generators to provide the one or more promotions, the content generators executing independently from an electronic communication creation module, and providing content for inclusion in a particular content slot to which the selected content generators is assigned via network messages or via an application programming interface, the apparatus comprising at least one processor and a memory, the memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to configure the apparatus to:

provide, via the electronic communication, a plurality of content slots, wherein each content slot is defined as a particular region of the electronic communication, wherein each content slot is represented by a representative image, wherein each content slot is configured such that upon receiving a selection operation of the representative image, additional information related to the content associated with the content slot is displayed, and wherein each content slot comprises at least one of promotion content or non-promotion content;

identify a static content slot from the plurality of content slots;

identify a dynamic content slot from the plurality of content slots;

maintain a database comprising a plurality of promotion content generators and non-promotion content generators, each of the promotion content generators and non-promotion content generators comprising respective content selection logic and assignment preference logic, wherein each of the plurality of promotion content generators and non-promotion content generators configured to target generated content of the electronic communication to a particular user or group of users, to promote a particular promotion, set of promotions, or type of promotion;

determine, before a creation or selection of promotional content or non-promotional content, a particular content generator of the plurality of promotion content generators or non-promotion content generators for respectively supplying corresponding promotion content or non-promotion content to each particular content slot of the plurality of content slots of the electronic communication,

wherein the apparatus is configured to determine the one of the plurality of promotion content generators or non-promotion content generators by;

receiving one or more selection parameters, each of the one or more selection parameters associated with at least a first type or a second type;

determining a presence of the first type of selection parameter and an absence of the second type of selection parameter; and

scoring each particular content generator of the plurality of promotion content generators and non-promotion content generators for each particular content slot of the plurality of content slots based at least in part on the presence of the first type of selection parameter and the absence of the second type of selection parameter and a value associated with the first type of selection parameter,

wherein the scoring the plurality of promotion content generators and non-promotion content generators comprises receiving bids associated with the promotion content generators and non-promotion content generators,

wherein non-promotion content selected by a non-promotion content generator is determined by examining which information is present for a particular consumer indicated by the selection parameters, determining which consumer information is missing, determining which missing information has a highest expected value such that, if possessed, would most improve future electronic communications targeted to the consumer particular, and generating the non-promotion content to request the missing information with the highest expected value, and

wherein a score for each of the plurality of promotion content generators and non-promotion content generators is based on the respective assignment preference logic for that promotion content generator or non-promotion content generator;

receive, subsequent to the determination of the one of the plurality of promotion content generators or non-promotion content generators, from the one of the plurality of promotion content generators or non-promotion content generators, promotion content or non-promotion content selected by the one of the plurality of promotion content generators or non-promotion content generators, the promotion content or non-promotion content selected based at least in part on the content selection logic of the one of the plurality of promotion content generators or non-promotion content generators; and

generate the electronic communication, the electronic communication displaying the promotion content or the non-promotion content selected the one of the plurality of promotion content generators or non-promotion content generators.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the selection parameters comprise at least one of user parameters associated with one or more particular users or system parameters associated with promotion and marketing service statistics.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the promotion and marketing service statistics comprise at least one of a promotion inventory level, historical promotion sales, or promotion business unit incentives.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the electronic communication is at least one an e-mail or a web page.

16. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the static content slot is associated with a predefined set of content.

17. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the static content slot is associated with a predefined content generator.

18. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the apparatus is further configured to generate the electronic communication by populating at least the static content slot and the dynamic content slot with content.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium for generating an electronic communication for displaying one or more promotions to a user by selecting, for each content slot of the electronic communication, content generators to provide the one or more promotions to content slots of the electronic communication, the content generators executing independently from an electronic communication creation module, and providing content for inclusion in a particular content slot to which the selected content generators is assigned via network messages or via an application programming interface, comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to configure an apparatus to:

provide, via the electronic communication, a plurality of content slots, wherein each content slot is defined as a particular region of the electronic communication, wherein each content slot is represented by a representative image, wherein each content slot is configured such that upon receiving a selection operation of the representative image, additional information related to the content associated with the content slot is displayed, and wherein each content slot comprises at least one of promotion content or non-promotion content;

identify a static content slot from the plurality of content slots;

identify a dynamic content slot from the plurality of content slots;

maintain a database comprising a plurality of promotion content generators and non-promotion content generators, each of the promotion content generators and non-promotion content generators comprising respective content selection logic and assignment preference logic, wherein each of the plurality of promotion content generators and non-promotion content generators configured to target generated content of the electronic communication to a particular user or group of users, to promote a particular promotion, set of promotions, or type of promotion;

determine, before a creation or selection of promotional content or non-promotional content, a particular content generator one of the plurality of promotion content generators or non-promotion content generators for respectively supplying corresponding promotion content or non-promotion content to each particular content slot of the plurality of content slots of the electronic communication,

wherein the instructions further configured the apparatus determine the one of the plurality of promotion content generators or non-promotion content generators by;

receiving one or more selection parameters, each of the one or more selection parameters associated with at least a first type or a second type;

determining a presence of the first type of selection parameter and an absence of the second type of selection parameter; and

scoring each particular content generator of the plurality of promotion content generators and non-promotion content generators for each particular content slot of the plurality of content slots based at least in part on the presence of the first type of selection parameter and the absence of the second type of selection parameter and a value associated with the first type of selection parameter,

wherein the instructions further configure the apparatus to score the plurality of promotion content generators and non-promotion content generators by receiving bids associated with the promotion content generators and non-promotion content generators,

wherein non-promotion content selected by a non-promotion content generator is determined by examining which information is present for a particular consumer indicated by the selection parameters, determining which consumer information is missing, determining which missing information, if possessed, would most improve future electronic communications targeted to the consumer particular, and generating the non-promotion content to request the missing information with the highest expected value, and

wherein a score for each of the plurality of promotion content generators and non-promotion content generators is based on the respective assignment preference logic for that promotion content generator or non-promotion content generator;

receive, subsequent to the determination of the one of the plurality of promotion content generators or non-promotion content generators, from the one of the plurality of promotion content generators or non-promotion content generators, promotion content or non-promotion content selected by the one of the plurality of promotion content generators or non-promotion content generators, the promotion content or non-promotion content selected based at least in part on the content selection logic of the one of the plurality of promotion content generators or non-promotion content generators; and

generate the electronic communication, the electronic communication displaying the promotion content or the non-promotion content selected the one of the plurality of promotion content generators or non-promotion content generators.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the selection parameters comprise at least one of user parameters associated with one or more particular users or system parameters associated with promotion and marketing service statistics.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the promotion and marketing service statistics comprise at least one of a promotion inventory level, historical promotion sales, or promotion business unit incentives.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the electronic communication is at least one an e-mail or a web page.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the static content slot is associated with a predefined set of content.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the static content slot is associated with a predefined content generator.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, further comprising generating the electronic communication by populating at least the static content slot and the dynamic content slot with content.