Individually controlled and protected targeted incentive distribution system
First Claim
1. A method for delivering targeted incentives, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a set of purchase history data at a processor under the control of a user;
receiving at least one specification of targeted information at the processor, wherein the at least one specification comprises at least a condition and a targeted information item; and
determining, at the processor and based upon the condition within the at least one specification and based upon the set of purchase history data, at least one targeted information item to present to the user.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A targeted information and incentive distribution system that protects consumer privacy and analyzes individuals'"'"', including individual households'"'"' or individual groups, purchase histories obtained from several retailers and other providers of goods and/or services to determine targeted information and/or incentives to deliver to individuals. Purchase history and other relevant data for each individual user are accumulated at a computer that is under the control of that user and analyzed to determine which targeted information items and/or incentives to deliver to that individual user. Purchase history data in the exemplary embodiment is only maintained at the user'"'"'s computer so as to increase the privacy for the user of this extensive purchase history data that was derived from multiple sources. Abridged purchase history data that does not contain information to identify the individual to which it pertains is uploaded for comprehensive analysis to develop future purchase incentive programs.
417 Citations
89 Claims
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1. A method for delivering targeted incentives, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a set of purchase history data at a processor under the control of a user;
receiving at least one specification of targeted information at the processor, wherein the at least one specification comprises at least a condition and a targeted information item; and
determining, at the processor and based upon the condition within the at least one specification and based upon the set of purchase history data, at least one targeted information item to present to the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for notifying a user of an incentive, the method comprising the steps of:
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analyzing at least one entry of a purchase history of a user;
determining, based upon the analyzing, a preference of the user;
identifying a printed incentive that is located in one of a publication and a location, wherein the incentive is identified based upon the preference; and
notifying the user of the incentive and the one of the publication and the location. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A method for analyzing purchase history data, the method comprising:
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receiving, from a plurality of processors, abridged purchase history data, wherein each of the plurality of processors is under the control of an individual user and wherein the abridged purchase history data from each of the plurality of processors is associated with the individual user controlling that processor, and wherein the abridged purchase history data has been processed on at least some of the plurality of processors to remove personal identification data;
storing the abridged purchase history data in a database; and
analyzing a data set from the database. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. A method for providing targeted information, the method comprising the steps of:
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retrieving purchase history information from more than one provider;
associating each data item within the purchase history information with one of a plurality of users; and
transmitting to a selected user in the plurality of users at least a portion of the purchase history information, wherein all of the at least a portion of the purchase history information is associated with the selected user.
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30. A method for providing targeted information to a user, the method comprising the steps of:
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retrieving purchase history information from more than one provider;
associating each data item within the purchase history information with one of a plurality of users;
transmitting to a selected user in the plurality of users at least a portion of the purchase history information, wherein the at least a portion of the purchase history information is associated with the selected user;
receiving the at least a portion of the purchase history information at a processor under the control of the user;
receiving at least one specification of targeted information at the processor, wherein the at least one specification comprises at least a condition and a targeted information item; and
determining, at the processor and based upon the condition within the at least one specification and based upon the at least a portion of the purchase history information, at least one targeted information item to present to the user.
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31. A targeted information and/or incentive delivery system, comprising:
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a data retrieval processor for receiving a set of purchase history data at the processor, wherein the processor is under the control of a user;
an incentive receiving processor for receiving at least one specification of targeted information at the processor, wherein the at least one specification comprises at least a condition and a targeted information item; and
an incentive determination processor for determining, at the processor and based upon the condition within the at least one specification and based upon the set of purchase history data, at least one targeted information item to present to the user. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A targeted incentive notifier, the targeted incentive notifier comprising:
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a usage pattern detector for;
analyzing at least one entry of a purchase history of a user; and
determining, based upon the analyzing, a preference of the user;
a incentive determination processor for identifying a printed incentive that is located in one of a publication and a location, wherein the incentive is identified based upon the preference; and
a personal data presentation processor notifying the user of the incentive and the one of the publication and the location. - View Dependent Claims (56)
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57. A data analyzer, comprising:
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a data receiver for receiving, from a plurality of processors, abridged purchase history data, wherein each of the plurality of processors is under the control of an individual user and wherein the abridged purchase history data from each of the plurality of processors is associated with the individual user controlling that processor, and wherein the abridged purchase history data has been processed on at least some of the plurality of processors to remove personal identification data;
a database manager for storing the abridged purchase history data in a database; and
a purchase history analyzer for analyzing a data set from the database. - View Dependent Claims (58)
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59. A targeted information and/or incentive delivery system for providing targeted information and/or incentives, the targeted information and/or incentive delivery system comprising:
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a purchase history data receiver for retrieving purchase history information from more than one provider; and
a purchase data access processor for;
associating each data item within the purchase history information with one of a plurality of users; and
transmitting to a selected user in the plurality of users at least a portion of the purchase history information, wherein all of the at least a portion of the purchase history information is associated with the selected user.
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60. A targeted information and/or incentive delivery system for providing targeted information and/or incentives to a user, the targeted information and/or incentive delivery system comprising:
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a purchase history data receiver for retrieving purchase history information from more than one provider;
a purchase data access processor for;
associating each data item within the purchase history information with one of a plurality of users;
transmitting to a selected user in the plurality of users at least a portion of the purchase history information, wherein all of the at least a portion of the purchase history information is associated with the selected user;
a data retrieval processor for receiving the at least a portion of the purchase history information at a processor under the control of the user;
an incentive receiving processor for receiving at least one specification of targeted information at the processor, wherein the at least one specification comprises at least a condition and a targeted information item; and
an incentive determination processor for determining, at the processor and based upon the condition within the at least one specification and based upon the set of purchase history data, at least one targeted information item to present to the user.
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61. A machine-readable medium encoded with a program for delivering targeted incentives, the program containing instructions for:
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receiving a set of purchase history data at a processor under the control of a user;
receiving at least one specification of targeted information at the processor, wherein the at least one specification comprises at least a condition and a targeted information item; and
determining, at the processor and based upon the condition within the at least one specification and based upon the set of purchase history data, at least one targeted information item to present to the user. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84)
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85. A machine-readable medium encoded with a program for notifying a user of an incentive, the program containing instructions for:
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analyzing at least one entry of a purchase history of a user;
determining, based upon the analyzing, a preference of the user;
identifying a printed incentive that is located in one of a publication and a location, wherein the incentive is identified based upon the preference; and
notifying the user of the incentive and the one of the publication and the location. - View Dependent Claims (86)
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87. A machine-readable medium encoded with a program for analyzing purchase history data, the program containing instructions for:
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receiving, from a plurality of processors, abridged purchase history data, wherein each of the plurality of processors is under the control of an individual user and wherein the abridged purchase history data from each of the plurality of processors is associated with the individual user controlling that processor, and wherein the abridged purchase history data has been processed on at least some of the plurality of processors to remove personal identification data;
storing the abridged purchase history data in a database; and
analyzing a data set from the database.
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88. A machine-readable medium encoded with a program for providing targeted information, the program containing instructions for:
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retrieving purchase history information from more than one provider;
associating each data item within the purchase history information with one of a plurality of users; and
transmitting to a selected user in the plurality of users at least a portion of the purchase history information, wherein all of the at least a portion of the purchase history information is associated with the selected user.
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89. A machine-readable medium encoded with a program for providing targeted information to a user, the program containing instructions for:
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retrieving purchase history information from more than one provider;
associating each data item within the purchase history information with one of a plurality of users;
transmitting to a selected user in the plurality of users at least a portion of the purchase history information, wherein all of the at least a portion of the purchase history information is associated with the selected user;
receiving the at least a portion of the purchase history information at a processor under the control of the user;
receiving at least one specification of targeted information at the processor, wherein the at least one specification comprises at least a condition and a targeted information item; and
determining, at the processor and based upon the condition within the at least one specification and based upon the set of purchase history data, at least one targeted information item to present to the user.
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Specification