Systems, methods and computer readable medium for wireless solicitations

• US 20060122921A1
• Filed: 12/06/2004
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Capital One Services LLC (Capital One Financial Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Capital One Services LLC (Capital One Financial Corporation)
• Inventors: DeFilippo, Joseph M., Comerford, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,775,253 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0215 Including financial accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

Product offering systems are provided. Product offering systems may include sending an offer to a customer that possesses a mobile computing device and has agreed to receive offers for products via the mobile computing device. Agreeing to receive offers would result in the unique data about the customer being available to offer provider. Unique customer data may include data related to the customers wireless service provider or from a financial account in a financial institution, and collecting customer data about the customer, wherein the customer data comprises financial data and personal data. Product offering systems may further include registering a wireless computing device of the customer to able the device to receive the offer, and determining opportunities to send the offer to the customer by monitoring the customer and the customer data. Product offering systems may also include sending the offer to the customer'"'"'s registered device based on the determination of opportunities.

Claims

1. A method of sending an offer to a customer of a financial account in a financial institution, the method comprising:

receiving information identifying a wireless computing device of the customer;

monitoring the location of the customer based on the identified wireless computing device of the customer;

monitoring a status of the financial account of the customer;

determining whether to send the offer to the customer based on the monitored location and account status of the customer; and

sending the offer to the customer via the customer'"'"'s wireless computing device based on a determination to send the offer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the status of the financial account further comprises:

collecting customer data about the customer, wherein the customer data comprises financial data and personal data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

charging the financial account based on the customer accepting the offer.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the personal data comprises demographic data.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the financial data comprises data about the customer'"'"'s financial account, including data about other financial accounts of the customer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the offer is associated with at least one of a discount, credit offering, insurance offering, lending product, loan product, financial service, brokerage service, banking product, revolving credit product, secured debt product, and an annuity.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless computing device is at least one of a personal digital assistant, a text messaging device, an instant messaging device, a video messaging device, an audio messaging device, a wireless access device, a wearable computer, and a tablet computer.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein collecting customer data further comprises:

collecting financial data about the customer from the financial institution, other financial institutions, and credit bureaus; and

collecting personal data about the customer from the financial institution and from sources outside of the financial institution.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the location of the customer further comprises:

determining that the customer is near a particular merchant.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining whether to send the offer further comprises:

determining whether a credit of the financial account is near a credit limit; and

offering the customer an increase in the credit limit based on the determination of whether the customer is near the credit limit and contingent upon the customer making a purchase at the merchant.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining whether the customer makes the purchase; and

increasing the credit limit based on the determination of whether the customer makes the purchase.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the determination that the customer is near the merchant is based on determination that the customer is within a predetermined distance from the merchant.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the determination that the credit of the financial account is near the credit limit is based on a determination that the amount of available credit is less than a predetermined amount.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the location of the customer further comprises:

determining that the customer is near a particular merchant or a particular competitor of the particular merchant.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein determining whether to send the offer further comprises:

identifying a shopping pattern of the customer with respect to the particular merchant; and

offering the customer a coupon to purchase at the particular merchant based on the identified shopping pattern.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining whether the customer uses the coupon; and

charging the financial account based on the determination of whether the customer uses the coupon.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the determination that the customer is near the merchant or the competitor is based on determination that the customer is within a predetermined distance from the merchant or from the competitor.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the financial account allows the customer to receive rewards based on the amount of purchase transactions meeting an award threshold, the method further comprising:

determining whether the customer is near the awards threshold; and

offering the customer a reward incentive product to make a purchase at the particular merchant based on the determination of whether the customer is near the awards threshold and contingent upon the customer making a purchase at the particular merchant.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

determining whether the customer used the reward incentive product; and

charging the financial account based on the determination of whether the customer accepts used the reward incentive product.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the reward incentive product may be a coupon for a discount at the particular merchant.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the reward incentive product is one of a digital coupon, a price discount, or a buy one get one free discount.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the location of the customer further comprises:

determining that the customer is near a particular merchant, wherein the particular merchant is correlated to a predetermined product for offering to customers of the particular merchant.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein determining whether to send the offer further comprises:

determining whether the customer is eligible for the predetermined product; and

offering the customer the predetermined product contingent upon the customer making a purchase at the particular merchant.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

determining whether the customer makes the purchase; and

sending the customer the predetermined product based on a determination that the customer made the purchase.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the determination that the customer is near the merchant is based on determination that the customer is within a predetermined distance from the merchant.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the offer further comprises:

sending the offer as a text message, an email, a page, or a voice mail to the customer'"'"'s wireless computing device.

27. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

registering the customer for a service to receive the offer via the wireless computing device.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

registering the wireless computing device to enable the device to receive the offer.

77. The method of claim 18, wherein the reward incentive product is one of a digital coupon, a price discount, or a buy one get one free discount.

29. A system of sending an offer to a customer of a financial account in a financial institution, the system comprising:

means for receiving information identifying a wireless computing device of the customer;

means for monitoring the location of the customer based on the identified wireless computing device of the customer;

means for monitoring a status of the financial account of the customer;

means for determining whether to send the offer to the customer based on the monitored location and account status of the customer; and

means for sending the offer to the customer via the customer'"'"'s wireless computing device based on a determination to send the offer.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the means for monitoring the status of the financial account further comprises:

means for collecting customer data about the customer, wherein the customer data comprises financial data and personal data.

31. The system of claim 29, further comprising:

means for charging the financial account based on the customer accepting the offer.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the personal data comprises demographic data.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the financial data comprises data about the customer'"'"'s financial account, including data about other financial accounts of the customer.

34. The system of claim 29, wherein the offer is associated with at least one of a discount, credit offering, insurance offering, lending product, loan product, financial service, brokerage service, banking product, revolving credit product, secured debt product, and an annuity.

35. The system of claim 29, wherein the wireless computing device is at least one of a personal digital assistant, a text messaging device, an instant messaging device, a video messaging device, an audio messaging device, a wireless access device, a wearable computer, and a tablet computer.

36. The system of claim 30, wherein the means for collecting customer data further comprises:

means for collecting financial data about the customer from the financial institution, other financial institutions, and credit bureaus; and

means for collecting personal data about the customer from the financial institution and from sources outside of the financial institution.

37. The system of claim 29, wherein the means for monitoring the location of the customer further comprises:

means for determining that the customer is near a particular merchant.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the means for determining whether to send the offer further comprises:

means for determining whether a credit of the financial account is near a credit limit; and

means for offering the customer an increase in the credit limit based on the determination of whether the customer is near the credit limit and contingent upon the customer making a purchase at the merchant.

39. The system of claim 38, further comprising:

means for determining whether the customer makes the purchase; and

means for increasing the credit limit based on the determination of whether the customer makes the purchase.

40. The system of claim 37, wherein the determination that the customer is near the merchant is based on determination that the customer is within a predetermined distance from the merchant.

41. The system of claim 38, wherein the determination that the credit of the financial account is near the credit limit is based on a determination that the amount of available credit is less than a predetermined amount.

42. The system of claim 29, wherein the means for monitoring the location of the customer further comprises:

means for determining that the customer is near a particular merchant or a particular competitor of the particular merchant.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the means for determining whether to send the offer further comprises:

means for identifying a shopping pattern of the customer with respect to the particular merchant; and

means for offering the customer a coupon to purchase at the particular merchant based on the identified shopping pattern.

44. The system of claim 43, further comprising:

means for determining whether the customer uses the coupon; and

means for charging the financial account based on the determination of whether the customer uses the coupon.

45. The system of claim 42, wherein the determination that the customer is near the merchant or the competitor is based on determination that the customer is within a predetermined distance from the merchant or from the competitor.

46. The system of claim 37, wherein the financial account allows the customer to receive rewards based on the amount of purchase transactions meeting an award threshold, the system further comprising:

means for determining whether the customer is near the awards threshold; and

means for offering the customer a reward incentive product to make a purchase at the particular merchant based on the determination of whether the customer is near the awards threshold and contingent upon the customer making a purchase at the particular merchant.

47. The system of claim 46, further comprising:

means for determining whether the customer used the reward incentive product; and

means for charging the financial account based on the determination of whether the customer accepts used the reward incentive product.

48. The system of claim 46, wherein the reward incentive product may be a coupon for a discount at the particular merchant.

49. The system of claim 46, wherein the reward incentive product is one of a digital coupon, a price discount, or a buy one get one free discount.

50. The system of claim 29, wherein the means for monitoring the location of the customer further comprises:

means for determining that the customer is near a particular merchant, wherein the particular merchant is correlated to a predetermined product for offering to customers of the particular merchant.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the means for determining whether to send the offer further comprises:

means for determining whether the customer is eligible for the predetermined product; and

means for offering the customer the predetermined product contingent upon the customer making a purchase at the particular merchant.

52. The system of claim 51, further comprising:

means for determining whether the customer makes the purchase; and

means for sending the customer the predetermined product based on a determination that the customer made the purchase.

53. The system of claim 50, wherein the determination that the customer is near the merchant is based on determination that the customer is within a predetermined distance from the merchant.

54. The system of claim 29, wherein the means for sending the offer further comprises:

means for sending the offer as a text message, an email, a page, or a voice mail to the customer'"'"'s wireless computing device.

55. The system of claim 29, further comprising:

means for registering the customer for a service to receive the offer via the wireless computing device.

56. The system of claim 29, further comprising:

means for registering the wireless computing device to enable the device to receive the offer.

57. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for performing a method of sending an offer to a customer of a financial account in a financial institution, the method comprising:

receiving information identifying a wireless computing device of the customer;

monitoring the location of the customer based on the identified wireless computing device of the customer;

monitoring a status of the financial account of the customer;

determining whether to send the offer to the customer based on the monitored location and account status of the customer; and

sending the offer to the customer via the customer'"'"'s wireless computing device based on a determination to send the offer.

58. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, wherein monitoring the status of the financial account further comprises:

collecting customer data about the customer, wherein the customer data comprises financial data and personal data.

59. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, further comprising:

charging the financial account based on the customer accepting the offer.

60. The computer-readable medium of claim 58, wherein the personal data comprises demographic data.

61. The computer-readable medium of claim 58, wherein the financial data comprises data about the customer'"'"'s financial account, including data about other financial accounts of the customer.

62. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, wherein the offer is associated with at least one of a discount, credit offering, insurance offering, lending product, loan product, financial service, brokerage service, banking product, revolving credit product, secured debt product, and an annuity.

63. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, wherein the wireless computing device is at least one of a personal digital assistant, a text messaging device, an instant messaging device, a video messaging device, an audio messaging device, a wireless access device, a wearable computer, and a tablet computer.

64. The computer-readable medium of claim 58, wherein collecting customer data further comprises:

collecting financial data about the customer from the financial institution, other financial institutions, and credit bureaus; and

collecting personal data about the customer from the financial institution and from sources outside of the financial institution.

65. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, wherein monitoring the location of the customer further comprises:

determining that the customer is near a particular merchant.

66. The computer-readable medium of claim 65, wherein determining whether to send the offer further comprises:

determining whether a credit of the financial account is near a credit limit; and

offering the customer an increase in the credit limit based on the determination of whether the customer is near the credit limit and contingent upon the customer making a purchase at the merchant.

67. The computer-readable medium of claim 66, further comprising:

determining whether the customer makes the purchase; and

increasing the credit limit based on the determination of whether the customer makes the purchase.

68. The computer-readable medium of claim 65, wherein the determination that the customer is near the merchant is based on determination that the customer is within a predetermined distance from the merchant.

69. The computer-readable medium of claim 66, wherein the determination that the credit of the financial account is near the credit limit is based on a determination that the amount of available credit is less than a predetermined amount.

70. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, wherein monitoring the location of the customer further comprises:

determining that the customer is near a particular merchant or a particular competitor of the particular merchant.

71. The computer-readable medium of claim 70, wherein determining whether to send the offer further comprises:

identifying a shopping pattern of the customer with respect to the particular merchant; and

offering the customer a coupon to purchase at the particular merchant based on the identified shopping pattern.

72. The computer-readable medium of claim 71, further comprising:

determining whether the customer uses the coupon; and

charging the financial account based on the determination of whether the customer uses the coupon.

73. The computer-readable medium of claim 70, wherein the determination that the customer is near the merchant or the competitor is based on determination that the customer is within a predetermined distance from the merchant or from the competitor.

74. The computer-readable medium of claim 65, wherein the financial account allows the customer to receive rewards based on the amount of purchase transactions meeting an award threshold, the method further comprising:

determining whether the customer is near the awards threshold; and

offering the customer a reward incentive product to make a purchase at the particular merchant based on the determination of whether the customer is near the awards threshold and contingent upon the customer making a purchase at the particular merchant.

75. The computer-readable medium of claim 74, further comprising:

determining whether the customer used the reward incentive product; and

charging the financial account based on the determination of whether the customer accepts used the reward incentive product.

76. The computer-readable medium of claim 74, wherein the reward incentive product may be a coupon for a discount at the particular merchant.

78. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, wherein monitoring the location of the customer further comprises:

determining that the customer is near a particular merchant, wherein the particular merchant is correlated to a predetermined product for offering to customers of the particular merchant.

79. The computer-readable medium of claim 78, wherein determining whether to send the offer further comprises:

determining whether the customer is eligible for the predetermined product; and

offering the customer the predetermined product contingent upon the customer making a purchase at the particular merchant.

80. The computer-readable medium of claim 79, further comprising:

determining whether the customer makes the purchase; and

sending the customer the predetermined product based on a determination that the customer made the purchase.

81. The computer-readable medium of claim 78, wherein the determination that the customer is near the merchant is based on determination that the customer is within a predetermined distance from the merchant.

82. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, wherein sending the offer further comprises:

sending the offer as a text message, an email, a page, or a voice mail to the customer'"'"'s wireless computing device.

83. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, further comprising:

registering the customer for a service to receive the offer via the wireless computing device.

84. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, further comprising:

registering the wireless computing device to enable the device to receive the offer.