Proximity-based method and system for generating customized incentives

• US 20050209921A1
• Filed: 09/10/2004
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Inventors: Wills, Scott, Roberts, Gregory B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,484,076 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.130
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 based on store location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices

Abstract

A method and system for generating customized incentives involving electronic distribution of coupons to remote personal computers based on proximity of the computer to a retail center are disclosed. A repository, such as an online service provider or a web site on the Internet, stores packages of incentive data for downloading automatically or on demand to a user'"'"'s computer. A plurality of data fields is used to associate a user'"'"'s location with a specific incentive.

Claims

1. A system for providing customized incentives to consumers, which comprises:

a repository for storing incentive data;

location means for receiving or retrieving user location data corresponding to a remote user computer;

association means for associating the user location data with said incentive data; and

transmission means for transmitting the incentive data to said remote user computer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the incentive data corresponds to a predetermined proximity range.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the predetermined proximity range is a range of values corresponding to a predetermined minimum distance and a predetermined maximum distance from a retail center.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the incentive data corresponds to a predetermined geographic area.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the association means is capable of associating the user location data with the incentive data when the remote user computer is located within a predetermined proximity range, a predetermined geographic area or a combination thereof.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the association means is capable of associating the user location data with the incentive data when the remote user computer corresponds to a predetermined competitor parameter.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the predetermined competitor parameter represents a value or a range of values representing a predetermined number of competitors within a predetermined distance or radius from the remote user computer.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the predetermined competitor parameter is associable with competitor data corresponding to the remote user computer.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the association means associates the user location data with the incentive data when a predetermined number of related-retail center are located within a predetermined radius of the remote user computer.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the association means is capable of associating the user location data with the incentive data when at least two competitors are located within a predetermined geographic area corresponding to said user location data.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for inputting incentive data for storage in said repository.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote user computer is located in a predetermined geographic area corresponding to a certain retail center of a plurality of retail centers.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein a certain retail center of a plurality of retail centers is pre-designated as corresponding to the remote user computer.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said association means associates the remote user computer with a certain of a plurality of retail centers.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the incentive data in said repository corresponds to a proximity range field having a range of values representing a maximum distance from the retail center and a minimum distance from the retail center.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the incentive data in said repository comprises a competitor parameter field indicating a range of values representing a number of competitor-retail centers within a specified maximum distance or radius from the remote user computer.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the incentive data comprises an advertisement, a WEB page, a promotion, an incentive, a banner, an offering, a gift, a raffle ticket, a contest ticket, a product price or a product discount.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission means includes a hardwired telephone system or a cellular telephone system.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the repository includes an online service provider.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the online service provider is a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the incentive data represents one product category or one product.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the incentive data represents multiple product categories or multiple products.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the incentive data corresponds to one retail center.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the incentive data represents a plurality of retail centers.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the incentive data is printable incentive data.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising a printer operatively associated with the remote user computer for printing a product redemption coupon from the printable incentive data transmitted to the remote user computer.

27. The system of claim 1, further comprising product checkout means at a retail center for processing transactions correlating to the incentive data to generate product redemption data.

28. The system of claim 1, further comprising tracking means for identifying a transaction correlating to the incentive data and recording select incentive data for marketing analysis.

29. The system of claim 1, further comprising market analysis means or feedback means for modifying the incentive data.

30. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for tailoring the incentive data according to a specified time or date.

31. The system of claim 1 wherein the customized incentives are proximity based and wherein the repository stores incentive data correlating to a predetermined proximity range of a predetermined geographic area.

32. The system of claim 1 wherein the incentive data comprises a unique geographic area identifier to a specified geographic area, and wherein the system further comprises means for transmitting the incentive data to a remote user computer located in the specified geographic area.

33. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

means for generating an incentive for the remote user computer according to the general formula;

I_Ux=P_Rn when L_n>

x>

L_n-1;

wherein I_Ux is the incentive (I) transmitted to the remote user computer (Ux) corresponding to location data (x);

wherein P_Rn is a predetermined incentive corresponding to each of a plurality of geographic regions (Rn) defined on an outer perimeter by n and on an inner perimeter by n−

1; and

wherein n denotes each of a plurality of geographic boundaries (L_n) and is any positive integer ranging from 1 to a predetermined value representing a total number of geographic boundaries.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein n=1 at an innermost geographic boundary (L_n).

35. The system of claim 33, wherein each of the plurality of geographic boundaries (L_n) is numerically sequenced with the innermost geographic boundary being at n=1 and the outermost geographic boundary being at n=total number of geographic boundaries.

36. The system of claim 33, further comprising means for obtaining or receiving location data x for the remote user computer Ux.

37. The system of claim 33, further comprising means for transmitting the incentive I to the remote user computer Ux.

38. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

means for generating an incentive for the remote user computer according to the general formula;

I_Ux=P_Rn,C when L_n>

x>

L_n-1 and y>

C;

wherein I_Ux is the incentive (I) transmitted to the remote user computer (Ux) corresponding to location data (x);

wherein P_Rn,C is a predetermined incentive corresponding to a geographic region (Rn) defined on an outer perimeter by n and on an inner perimeter by n−

1;

wherein n denotes each of a plurality of geographic boundaries (L_n) and is any positive integer ranging from 1 to a predetermined value representing a total number of geographic boundaries;

wherein y is a number of competitor retail centers corresponding to the location data (x); and

wherein C is a competitor parameter.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein n=1 at an innermost geographic boundary (L_n).

40. The system of claim 38, wherein each of the plurality of geographic boundaries (L_n) is numerically sequenced with the innermost geographic boundary being at n=1 and the outermost geographic boundary being at n=total number of geographic boundaries.

41. The system of claim 38, further comprising means for obtaining or receiving location data x for the remote user computer Ux.

42. The system of claim 38, further comprising means for transmitting the incentive I to the remote user computer Ux.

43. The system of claim 38, wherein the competitor parameter C corresponds to a predetermined distance to the remote user computer Ux.

44. A method for providing customized incentives to consumers comprising:

storing incentive data in a repository;

receiving or retrieving user location data corresponding to a remote user computer;

associating the user location data with the incentive data; and

transmitting the incentive data to the remote user computer.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the incentive data corresponds to a predetermined proximity range.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the predetermined proximity range is a range of values corresponding to a predetermined minimum distance and a predetermined maximum distance from a retail center.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the incentive data corresponds to a predetermined geographic area.

48. The method of claim 44, wherein the user location data is associated with the incentive data when the remote user computer is located within a predetermined proximity range, a predetermined geographic area or a combination thereof.

49. The method of claim 44, wherein the user location data is associated with the incentive data when the remote user computer corresponds to a predetermined competitor parameter.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the predetermined competitor parameter represents a value or a range of values representing a predetermined number of competitors within a predetermined distance or radius from the remote user computer.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the predetermined competitor parameter is associable with competitor data corresponding to the remote user computer.

52. The method of claim 44, wherein the association means associates the user location data with the incentive data when a predetermined number of related-retail center are located within a predetermined radius of the remote user computer.

53. The method of claim 44, wherein the user location data is associated with the incentive data when at least two competitors are located within a predetermined geographic area corresponding to said user location data.

54. The method of claim 44, further comprising inputting incentive data for storage in said repository.

55. The method of claim 44, wherein the remote user computer is located in a predetermined geographic area corresponding to a certain retail center of a plurality of retail centers.

56. The method of claim 44, wherein a certain retail center of a plurality of retail centers is pre-designated as corresponding to the remote user computer.

57. The method of claim 44, wherein the remote user computer is associated with a certain of a plurality of retail centers.

58. The method of claim 44, wherein the incentive data in said repository corresponds to a proximity range field having a range of values representing a maximum distance from the retail center and a minimum distance from the retail center.

59. The method of claim 44, wherein the incentive data in said repository comprises a competitor parameter field indicating a range of values representing a number of competitor-retail centers within a specified maximum distance or radius from the remote user computer.

60. The method of claim 44, wherein the incentive data comprises an advertisement, a WEB page, a promotion, an incentive, a banner, an offering, a gift, a raffle ticket, a contest ticket, a product price or a product discount.

61. The method of claim 44, wherein the incentive data represents one product category or one product.

62. The method of claim 44, wherein the incentive data represents multiple product categories or multiple products.

63. The method of claim 44, wherein the incentive data corresponds to one retail center.

64. The method of claim 44, wherein the incentive data represents a plurality of retail centers.

65. The method of claim 44, wherein the incentive data is printable incentive data.

66. The method of claim 65, further comprising printing a product redemption coupon from the printable incentive data transmitted to the remote user computer.

67. The method of claim 44, further comprising processing transactions correlating to the incentive data to generate product redemption data.

68. The method of claim 44, further comprising tracking transactions correlating to the incentive data and recording select incentive data for marketing analysis.

69. The method of claim 44, further comprising conducting market analysis for modifying the incentive data.

70. The method of claim 44, further comprising means for tailoring the incentive data according to a specified time or date.

71. The method of claim 44 wherein the customized incentives are proximity based and wherein the incentive data is customized by tailoring the incentive data to a predetermined proximity range of a predetermined geographic area.

72. The method of claim 44 further comprising preparing a proximity based customized coupon wherein preparing the proximity based coupon comprises:

selecting incentive data targeted to a user located in a predetermined proximity range or a predetermined geographic area; and

identifying the incentive data with indicia unique to the predetermined proximity range or the predetermined geographic location.

73. The method of claim 44 further comprising:

generating an incentive for the remote user computer according to the general formula;

I_Ux=P_Rn when L_n>

x>

L_n-1;

wherein I_Ux is the incentive (I) transmitted to the remote user computer (Ux) corresponding to location data (x);

wherein P_Rn is a predetermined incentive corresponding to a geographic region (Rn) defined on an outer perimeter by n and on an inner perimeter by n−

1; and

wherein n denotes each of a plurality of geographic boundaries (L_n) and is any positive integer ranging from 1 to a predetermined value representing a total number of geographic boundaries.

74. The method of claim 73, wherein n=1 at an innermost geographic boundary (L_n).

75. The method of claim 73, wherein each of the plurality of geographic boundaries (L_n) is numerically sequenced with the innermost geographic boundary being at n=1 and the outermost geographic boundary being at n=total number of geographic boundaries.

76. The method of claim 73, further comprising means for obtaining or receiving location data x for the remote user computer Ux.

77. The method of claim 73, further comprising means for transmitting the incentive I to the remote user computer Ux.

78. The method of claim 44 further comprising:

generating an incentive for the remote user computer according to the general formula;

I_Ux=P_Rn,C when L_n>

x>

L_n-1 and y>

C;

wherein I_Ux is the incentive (I) transmitted to the remote user computer (Ux) corresponding to location data (x);

wherein P_Rn,C is a predetermined incentive corresponding to a geographic region (Rn) defined on an outer perimeter by n and on an inner perimeter by n−

1;

wherein n denotes each of a plurality of geographic boundary lines (L_n) and is any positive integer ranging from 1 to a predetermined value representing a total number of geographic boundary lines;

wherein y is a number of competitor retail centers corresponding to the location data (x); and

wherein C is a competitor parameter.

79. The method of claim 78, wherein n=1 at an innermost geographic boundary (L_n).

80. The method of claim 78, wherein each of the plurality of geographic boundaries (L_n) is numerically sequenced with the innermost geographic boundary being at n=1 and the outermost geographic boundary being at n=total number of geographic boundaries.

81. The method of claim 78, further comprising means for obtaining or receiving location data x for the remote user computer Ux.

82. The method of claim 78, further comprising means for transmitting the incentive I to the remote user computer Ux.

83. The method of claim 78, wherein the competitor parameter C corresponds to a predetermined distance to the remote user computer Ux.

84. A customized incentive for distribution to a remote user computer, which comprises:

incentive data selected according to the general formula;

I_Ux=P_Rn when L_n>

x>

L_n-1;

wherein I_Ux is the incentive (I) transmitted to the remote user computer (Ux) corresponding to location data (x);

wherein P_Rn is a predetermined incentive corresponding to a geographic region (Rn) defined on an outer perimeter by n and on an inner perimeter by n−

1; and

wherein n denotes each of a plurality of geographic boundaries (L_n) and is any positive integer ranging from 1 to a predetermined value representing a total number of geographic boundaries.

85. The customized incentive of claim 84, wherein n=1 at an innermost geographic boundary (L_n).

86. The customized incentive of claim 84, wherein each of the plurality of geographic boundaries (L_n) is numerically sequenced with the innermost geographic boundary being at n=1 and the outermost geographic boundary being at n=total number of geographic boundaries.

87. The customized incentive of claim 84, further comprising means for obtaining or receiving location data x for the remote user computer Ux.

88. The customized incentive of claim 84, further comprising means for transmitting the incentive I to the remote user computer Ux.

89. A customized incentive for distribution to a remote user computer, which comprises:

incentive data selected according to the general formula;

I_Ux=P_Rn,C when L_n>

x>

L_n-1 and y>

C;

wherein I_Ux is the incentive (I) transmitted to the remote user computer (Ux) corresponding to location data (x);

wherein P_Rn,C is a predetermined incentive corresponding to a geographic region (Rn) defined on an outer perimeter by n and on an inner perimeter by n−

1;

wherein n denotes each of a plurality of geographic boundaries (L_n) and is any positive integer ranging from 1 to a predetermined value representing a total number of geographic boundaries;

wherein y is a number of competitor retail centers corresponding to the location data (x); and

wherein C is a competitor parameter.

90. The customized incentive of claim 89, wherein the competitor parameter C corresponds to a predetermined distance to the remote user computer Ux.