Coupon systems and methods of use of coupons within a group communications system

• US 20020151294A1
• Filed: 09/19/2001
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Winchell, Diane M., Kirby, Miles Alexander Lyell, Korecki, Jon L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,968,180 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1881 with schedule organisation, e.g. priority, sequence management

Abstract

Coupon systems and methods for delivering and redeeming coupons comprise a communications network defined by at least a wireless telephone network coupled to a computer network, where the communications network is associated with a plurality of communication devices that define a group communications net. A communications manager is operable to provide a group communication session by receiving a data packet from one member of the group communications net and transmitting the data packet through the computer network to at least one of the other members of the group communications net. A coupon module having a plurality of coupons is associated with the communications manager, and a delivery module is coupled to each of the coupon module, the communications manager, and the communications network. The delivery module is operable to monitor the group communication session and to deliver one of the plurality of coupons to the group communications net. Further, methods of delivering, authorizing and redeeming the coupons are disclosed.

Claims

1. A coupon system, comprising:

a communications network defined by at least a wireless telephone network coupled to a computer network, the communications network associated with a plurality of communication devices that define a group communications net;

a communications manager operable to provide a group communication session by receiving a first-type of data packet from one member of the group communications net and transmitting the first-type of data packet through the computer network to at least one of the other members of the group communications net;

a coupon module having a plurality of coupons, wherein each of the plurality of coupons comprises a second-type of data packet; and

a delivery module coupled to each of the coupon module, the communications manager, and the communications network, the delivery module operable to monitor the group communication session and to deliver one of the plurality of coupons to at least one member of the group communications net.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first-type of data packet and the second-type of data packets comprise datagrams formatted according to a predetermined protocol suitable for transmission over the computer network.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the predetermined protocol comprises an internet protocol.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the computer network comprises the Internet and wherein the predetermined protocol comprises an internet protocol.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of coupons each comprise a verifiable characteristic such that each coupon can be authenticated.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the verifiable characteristic comprises a numeric code.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of coupons comprise data selected from the group consisting of audio data, text data, and multi-media data.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications system is operable to transmit and receive the first-type of data packet or the second-type of data packet in real-time.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication network further comprises a network selected from the group consisting of a public switched telephone network, a land mobile radio network, and a satellite communications network.

10. A coupon system, comprising:

a communications network defined by at least a wireless telephone network coupled to a computer network, the communications network associated with a plurality of communication devices that define a group communications net;

a coupon module having a plurality of coupons, wherein each of the plurality of coupons comprises data comprising an identification characteristic such that each coupon can be authorized;

a controller module coupled to each of the coupon module and the communications network, the controller module operable to provide a group communication session by receiving a data packet from one member of the group communications net and transmitting the data packet through the computer network to at least one of the other members of the group communications net, and the controller module further operable to monitor the group communication session and to deliver a predetermined one of the plurality of coupons to at least one communications device associated with the group communications net; and

a delivery manager coupled to the controller module, the delivery manager operable to select the predetermined coupon from the plurality of coupons based on predetermined delivery characteristics.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the predetermined delivery characteristics comprise a predetermined time interval measured from a time of the last-delivered coupon or from a time of an initiation of the group communications session.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the predetermined delivery characteristics comprise a match between a group communications net profile characteristic and a coupon characteristic.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the predetermined delivery characteristics comprise a match between a member profile characteristic and a coupon characteristic.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising formatting the one of the plurality of coupons according to a predetermined format suitable for transmission over the computer network.

18. The method of claim 17, where the predetermined protocol comprises an internet protocol.

19. The method of claim 17, where the computer network comprises the Internet and where the predetermined protocol comprises an internet protocol.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of the plurality of coupons comprises a data packet comprising audio data.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of the plurality of coupons comprises a data packet comprising graphical data.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of the plurality of coupons comprises a data packet comprising text data.

23. The method of claim 16, where transmitting one of the plurality of coupons further comprises interrupting communications between the communications devices and simultaneously delivering the coupon to the communications devices.

24. The method of claim 16, where transmitting one of the plurality of coupons further comprises prioritizing the delivery of the coupon over the transmission of other communications between the communications devices.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the predetermined delivery characteristics comprise a match between a coupon characteristic and a profile characteristic associated with at least one member of the group communications session.

30. The method of claim 29, where authorizing use of the coupon further comprises comparing the coupon identifier with at least one reference coupon identifier to determine a match.

31. The method of claim 29, where authorizing use of the coupon further comprises communicating with a coupon server via the communication network, the coupon server comprising a plurality of coupons each having an authorized coupon identifier;

and comparing the coupon identifier with at least one reference coupon identifier to determine a match.

14. A coupon system, comprising:

a communications network defined by at least a wireless telephone network coupled to a computer network, the communications network associated with a plurality of communication devices that define a group communications net;

a coupon module having a plurality of coupons;

a controller module coupled to each of the coupon module and the communications network, the controller module operable to provide a group communication session by receiving a data packet from one member of the group communications net and transmitting the data packet through the computer network to at least one other member of the group communications net, the controller module further operable to monitor the group communication session and deliver a predetermined one of the plurality of coupons to the group communications net, and the controller module further operable to generate an activity log for each of the plurality of communication devices tracking participating in the group communication session and receipt of the predetermined coupon; and

a billing module operable to receive the activity log and generate a bill having an amount due for each of the plurality of communication devices, wherein the amount due is discounted based on the tracked receipt of the predetermined coupon associated with the respective communication device.

15. A coupon system operable with a communications network associated with a plurality of communications devices defining members of a group, comprising:

a communications manager connectable to the communications network and to at least two members of the group, the communications manager operable to provide a group communication session by receiving a transmission from one member of the group and forwarding the transmission through the communications network to at least one other member of the group, wherein the communications network comprises at least a wireless telephone network coupled to a computer network, wherein the transmission comprises a data packet;

a coupon module having a plurality of coupons each comprising a data packet; and

a controller module connectable to each of the coupon module and the at least two members of the group, the controller module operable to monitor the group communication session and deliver a predetermined one of the plurality of coupons to the group according to a predetermined delivery instruction.

16. A method for delivering a coupon, comprising:

monitoring a group communication session among a plurality of communications devices associated with a communications network, the communications network comprising at least a wireless telephone network coupled to a computer network; and

transmitting one of a plurality of coupons via the communications network to the plurality of communications devices.

25. A method for delivering a coupon, comprising:

receiving identification of a plurality of communications devices to be included in a group communications session, where each of the plurality of communications devices is associated with a communications network that comprises at least a wireless telephone network coupled to a computer network;

establishing the group communications session by receiving a data packet from one communications device and transmitting the data packet through the computer network to at least one of the other communications devices; and

delivering according to predetermined delivery characteristics one of a plurality of coupons via the communications network to the communications devices participating in the group communications session.

27. A system for delivering a coupon, comprising:

a means for networking a plurality of communications devices, the networking means comprising at least a wireless telephone network coupled to a computer network, the plurality of communication devices defining a group communications net;

a means for storing a plurality of coupons; and

a means for controlling communications coupled to each of the storing means and the networking means, the communications controlling means operable to provide a group communication session by receiving a data packet from one member of the group communications net and transmitting the data packet through the networking means to at least one other member of the group communications net, the communications controlling means further operable to monitor the group communication session and deliver a predetermined one of the plurality of coupons to the group communications net.

28. A system for delivering a coupon via a communications network to a plurality of communications devices defining members of a group, comprising:

a means for transmitting communications connectable to the communications network and to at least two members of the group, the transmitting means operable to provide a group communication session by receiving a transmission from one member of the group and forwarding the transmission through the communications network to at least one other member of the group, wherein the communications network comprises at least a wireless telephone network coupled to a computer network, wherein the transmission comprises a data packet in an internet protocol format;

a means for storing a plurality of coupons each comprising a data packet; and

a messaging means connectable to each of the storing means and the at least two members of the group, the messaging means operable to monitor the group communication session and deliver a predetermined one of the plurality of coupons to the group according to a predetermined delivery instruction.

29. A method of authorizing a coupon, comprising:

receiving a coupon identifier associated with the coupon, the coupon transmitted as a data packet in an internet protocol format and received by a communications device associated with a group communications net operable within a communications network, the communications network comprising at least a wireless telephone network coupled to a computer network; and

authorizing use of the coupon based on the coupon identifier.