Electronic offer method and system

• US 20010042010A1
• Filed: 11/29/2000
• Published: 11/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: David A. Hassell
• Original Assignee: David A. Hassell
• Inventors: Hassell, David A.
• Application Number:
  US09/726,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20010042010A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising

Abstract

A method involves receiving a clippable coupon message representing a selection by a user of an item, assigning an entry to a folio for the user, and tracking for a coupon usage from the folio. A computer program stored on computer readable medium is also described. The program has a module to receive a clippable coupon message and a module to track clippable coupon usage.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a clippable coupon message representing a selection by a user of an item;

assigning an entry to a folio for the user; and

tracking for a coupon usage from the folio.

2. The method of

claim 1

, further comprising developing consumer profiles based on clippable coupon usage.

3. The method of

claim 2

, wherein the consumer profiles are based on user provided data.

4. The method of

claim 2

, wherein the consumer profiles are based on clipping trends.

5. The method of

claim 2

, wherein the consumer profiles are based on trading trends.

6. The method of

claim 2

, wherein the consumer profiles are based on requests for coupons.

7. The method of

claim 2

, wherein the consumer profiles are based on redemptions of coupons.

8. The method of

claim 1

, further comprising analyzing clippable coupon usage.

9. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the clippable coupon message is obtained by Wireless Application Protocol.

10. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the clippable coupon message is obtained by HyperText Transfer Protocol.

11. A computer program stored on computer readable medium, the program comprising:

a module to receive a clippable coupon message; and

a module to track clippable coupon usage.

12. The method of

claim 11

, further comprising:

a module to develop consumer profiles based on clippable coupon usage.

13. The method of

claim 12

, wherein the consumer profiles are based on user provided data.

14. The method of

claim 12

, wherein the consumer profiles are based on clipping trends.

15. The method of

claim 12

, wherein the consumer profiles are based on trading trends.

16. The method of

claim 12

, wherein the consumer profiles are based on requests for coupons.

17. The method of

claim 12

, wherein the consumer profiles are based on redemptions.

18. The method of

claim 11

, further comprising:

a module to analyze clippable coupon usage.

19. The method of

claim 11

, wherein the clippable coupon message is obtained by Wireless Application Protocol.

20. The method of

claim 11

, wherein the clippable coupon message is obtained by HyperText Transfer Protocol.

21. A method comprising:

obtaining a clippable coupon message;

determining clippable coupon validity;

determining if an account exists for a user, and if no account exists, registering the user,

determining validity of a user identity; and

storing coupon data related to the clippable coupon message.

22. The method of

claim 21

, wherein the coupon data includes coupon usage information.

23. The method of

claim 22

, wherein the coupon data includes a transfer history.

24. The method of

claim 21

, wherein the clippable coupon message is obtained by Wireless Application Protocol.

25. The method of

claim 21

, wherein the clippable coupon message is obtained by HyperText Transfer Protocol.

26. A computer program stored on computer readable medium, the program comprising:

a module to receive a clippable coupon message;

a module to determine clippable coupon validity;

a module to establish if an account exists for a user, and if no account exists, registering the user;

a module to determine user identity validity; and

a module to store coupon data based upon the clippable coupon message.

27. The medium of

claim 26

, wherein the coupon data includes coupon usage information.

28. The medium of

claim 27

, wherein the coupon data includes a transfer history.

29. The medium of

claim 26

, wherein the clippable coupon message is received by Wireless Application Protocol.

30. The medium of

claim 26

, wherein the clippable coupon message is received by HyperText Transfer Protocol.

31. A method comprising:

tracking clippable coupon usage; and

charging advertisers based on usage metrics derived from the tracking.

32. The method of

claim 31

, wherein the usage metrics are based upon a per clippable coupon display.

33. The method of

claim 31

, wherein the usage metrics are on a per clip basis.

34. The method of

claim 31

, wherein the usage metrics are based upon redemptions.

35. A computer program stored on computer readable medium, the program comprising:

a module to store information indicative of clippable coupon usage; and

a module to debit advertisers based upon coupon usage metrics.

36. The method of

claim 35

, wherein the coupon usage metrics are derived from a number of clippable coupon displays.

37. The method of

claim 35

, wherein the coupon usage metrics are per clip based.

38. The method of

claim 35

, wherein the coupon usage metrics are per redemption based.

39. A method comprising:

identifying unused clippable coupons for parameter change; and

specifying a new clippable coupon parameter for an identified unused clippable coupon.

40. The method of

claim 39

, wherein the new clippable coupon parameter changes a value for the clippable coupon.

41. The method of

claim 39

, wherein the new clippable coupon parameter changes a time parameter for the clippable coupon.

42. A program stored on computer readable medium, the program comprising:

a module to identify unused clippable coupons for a parametric change;

a module to determine the parametric change for a clippable coupon;

a module to update the clippable coupon with the parametric change.

43. The method of

claim 42

, wherein the parametric change modifies a monetary value for the clippable coupon.

44. The method of

claim 42

, wherein the parametric change modifies a time parameter for the clippable coupon.

45. A method comprising:

displaying a clippable coupon;

detecting a coupon clip;

obtaining a user identifier if it is available;

obtaining a clippable coupon identifier;

sending a message including the clippable coupon identifier, and if available, the user identifier; and

updating the displaying to reflect the clippable coupon as clipped.

46. The method of

claim 45

, further comprising displaying an error message based upon a determining that a user identity is invalid.

47. The method of

claim 45

, further comprising displaying an error message based upon a determining that a coupon is invalid.

48. The method of

claim 45

, further comprising:

storing the user identifier in a cookie file on the client device.

49. The method of

claim 45

, further comprising:

obtaining the user identifier from a cookie file on the client device.

50. The method of

claim 45

, further comprising:

sending the clippable coupon identifier using a Wireless Application Protocol.

51. The method of

claim 45

, further comprising:

sending the clippable coupon identifier using a HyperText Transfer Protocol.

52. A computer program stored on computer readable medium, the program comprising:

a module to display a clippable coupon;

a module to detect a coupon clip;

a module to receive a user identifier if it is available;

a module to receive a clippable coupon identifier;

a module to send a message including the clippable coupon identifier, and if available, the user identifier; and

a module to alter the display to indicate the clippable coupon as being clipped.

53. The method of

claim 52

, further comprising a module to display an error message that a user identity is invalid.

54. The method of

claim 52

, further comprising a module to display an error message that a coupon is invalid.

55. The method of

claim 52

, further comprising a module to store the user identifier in a cookie file on a client device.

56. The method of

claim 52

, further comprising a module to obtain the user identifier from a cookie file on a client device

57. The method of

claim 52

, further comprising a module to identify a coupon for a parameter change.

58. The method of

claim 52

, further comprising a module to identify a coupon for an expiration related change.

59. A computer program stored on computer readable medium, the program comprising:

a module to receive a the message including the clippable coupon identifier, and if available, the user identifier;

a module to determine validity of clippable coupons;

a module to register a user if the user is a new user;

a module to generate an instance of a clippable coupon in an account associated with the user when the user clips the clippable coupon;

a module to mark the clippable coupon as clipped; and

a module to display a clipped coupon image when the clippable coupon is clipped.

60. The medium of

claim 59

, further comprising a module to store an entry in a security log upon determining user identity invalidity

61. The method of

claim 59

, further comprising a module to store an entry in a security log upon determining coupon invalidity

62. A memory for access by a program module to be executed on a processor, comprising:

a data structure stored in the memory, the data structure comprising

a clippable coupon name field type,

a coupon server name field type,

a path field type, and

a script field type.

63. The memory of

claim 62

, wherein the data structure stored in the memory is referenced by a user identifier.

64. The memory of

claim 63

, wherein the identifier is placed in off-line media.

65. The memory of

claim 62

, further comprising a width field type.

66. The memory of

claim 62

, further comprising a height field type.

67. The memory of

claim 62

, further comprising an effective date field type.

68. The memory of

claim 62

, further comprising an expiration date field type.

69. The memory of

claim 62

, further comprising a coupon number field type.

70. The memory of

claim 62

, further comprising a coupon value field type.

71. The memory of

claim 62

, further comprising a limited series field type.

72. The memory of

claim 62

, further comprising a redemption history field type.

73. The memory of

claim 62

, further comprising a parameters field type.

74. The memory of

claim 73

, wherein the field type is a paired text list of parameters and values.

75. The memory of

claim 62

, wherein the data structure is embodied in Hyper Text Markup Language.

76. The memory of

claim 62

, wherein the data structure is embodied in Web Markup Language.

77. A memory for access by a program module to be executed on a processor, comprising:

an interaction interface invocable by the program module in response to a request to display unused clipped coupons, the interaction interface including a folio having a viewable list constructed for displaying unused clipped coupons.

78. The memory of

claim 77

, wherein the folio further comprises an organizing structure for the unused clipped coupons.

79. The memory of

claim 78

, wherein the organizing structure for the unused clipped coupons is hierarchical.

80. The memory of

claim 79

, further comprising:

at least one inbox acting as an initial repository for a new unused clipped coupon.

81. The memory of

claim 79

, further comprising:

a user added coupon folder.

82. The memory of

claim 79

, wherein the hierarchical organizing structure for the unused clipped coupons further comprises an option to re-organize the folio hierarchy.

83. The memory of

claim 77

, wherein the clipped coupons are represented by a set of images.

84. The memory of

claim 77

, wherein the folio resembles a coupon organizer.

85. A system, comprising:

means to display a clippable coupon;

means to detect a coupon clip;

means to obtain a user identifier;

means to obtain a clippable coupon identifier;

means to receive a message including the clippable coupon identifier and the user identifier;

means to determine clippable coupon validity;

means establish user identitfier validity;

means to identify an account based upon the user identifier;

means to instantiate the clippable coupon in the user'"'"'s account; and

means to identify the clippable coupon as clipped.

86. The system of

claim 85

, wherein means to determine coupon invalidity further, comprises means to display an error message upon establishment of coupon invalidity.

87. The system of

claim 85

, wherein means to establish coupon invalidity further, comprises means to log an error message in a security log upon establishment of coupon invalidity.

88. The system of

claim 85

, further comprising:

means to store the user identifier in a cookie file on the client device.

89. The system of

claim 85

, further comprising:

means to obtain the user identifier from a cookie file on the client device.