Method and Apparatus for Defining, Distributing, and Redeeming SMS and MMS Coupons

• US 20070208879A1
• Filed: 03/01/2007
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Eagle Entertainment Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sara Lee Ellis
• Inventors: Liu, David Wanqian
• Granted Patent: US 8,086,488 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/246
• 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 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185

Abstract

A method and apparatus is disclosed that allows advertisers to define and distribute Short Messaging Service (SMS) and Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) coupons to consumers, and for consumers to redeem the received coupons, where such SMS and MMS coupons are used by businesses to promote their products and services to consumers.

Claims

1. A method for advertisers to define and distribute Short Messaging Service (SMS) and/or Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) coupons to consumers, and for consumers to redeem received coupons, comprising the steps of:

providing an advertisement that is used to publicize SMS coupons and/or MMS coupons;

wherein said advertisement is displayed on any of digital signs, televisions, billboards, newspapers, magazines, other printed media, and Internet Web pages;

said advertisement comprising at least an SMS dialing number comprising a predetermined code that is used to retrieve a coupon, a coupon code, and advertising content that describes products, services, or/and promotions, said advertisement instructing consumers to send an SMS text message to said SMS dialing number to retrieve a coupon;

responsive to an SMS message sent by a consumer to said SMS dialing number, using said coupon code to cross reference an identity code defined in an SMS and/or MMS coupon; and

sending any of an SMS coupon comprising at least an identity code that uniquely identifies the coupon and a text message that describes details of a promotion for products and/or services and an MMS coupon comprising at least an identity code that uniquely identifies the coupon and a multimedia message that describes details of a promotion for products and/or services.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing any of an SMS coupon message and/or MMS coupon message that comprises a promotion code for an advertiser to use later in identifying a promotion when the coupon is presented and an authentication code comprising a globally unique serial number that is used to verify authenticity of the coupon.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein all messages sent to the SMS dialing number are routed to a preconfigured processing server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein an instruction for SMS messaging is shown as any of a banner on an advertisement, a call out box on said advertisement, in said advertisement as text and/or graphics, as audio instructions on how to retrieve said coupon using SMS messaging.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

For each SMS coupon and/or MMS coupon sent, tracking subsequent actions in connection with each said SMS coupon and/or MMS coupon,

6. An apparatus for distributing SMS and MMS coupons, comprising:

a database comprising advertisements and any of SMS coupons comprising at least an identity code that uniquely identifies the coupon and a text message that describes details of a promotion for products and/or services and MMS coupons comprising at least an identity code that uniquely identifies the coupon and a multimedia message that describes details of a promotion for products and/or services, wherein each coupon is associated with an advertisement;

a Web interface for registering said SMS and MMS coupons;

an advertisement that promotes products and services and publicizes an SMS and/or MMS coupon, comprising at least an SMS dialing number comprising a predetermined code that is used to retrieve a coupon, a coupon code, and advertising content that describes products, services, or/and promotions, said advertisement instructing consumers to send an SMS text message to said SMS dialing number to retrieve a coupon;

wherein an advertisement, along with an associated coupon, is chosen from said database and is displayed in public media;

a plurality of SMS and/or MMS enabled devices for an SMS message to said SMS dialing number and, responsive thereto, receiving any of an SMS and MMS coupon; and

an SMS processing server for receiving an SMS message sent to said SMS dialing number and, responsive thereto, sending any of an sending any of an SMS and MMS coupon to an SMS and/or MMS enabled device that originated said SMS message.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

means for an advertiser inputting an advertisement, along with an SMS or MMS coupon, into said database through said Web interface.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

for each SMS coupon, means for an advertiser specifying a coupon code and a text message for the coupon; and

for each MMS coupon, means for an advertiser specifying a coupon code and a multimedia message for the coupon.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

means for checking and ensuring the uniqueness of a coupon code.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said advertisement is shown on a digital sign and said advertisement, along with a coupon, is transmitted electronically and displayed in real time.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

means for routing an SMS text message to said SMS processing server 450;

wherein said SMS processing server is preconfigured to process all incoming messages to said SMS dialing number.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein when an SMS coupon message or an MMS coupon message that matches a coupon code is found in said database, said coupon message is sent to said SMS and/or MMS enabled device.

13. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprises

for each SMS coupon and/or MMS coupon sent, means for tracking subsequent actions in connection with each said SMS coupon and/or MMS coupon.

14. A method for redeeming SMS and/or MMS coupons, comprising the steps of:

a consumer entering a store to obtain products and/or services;

said consumer presenting an SMS and/or MMS coupon to said store to obtain a promotion, said SMS and/or MMS coupon provided to said consumer in accordance with the steps of;

providing an advertisement that is used to publicize SMS coupons and/or MMS coupons;

wherein said advertisement is displayed on any of digital signs, televisions, billboards, newspapers, magazines, other printed media, and Internet Web pages;

said advertisement comprising at least an SMS dialing number comprising a predetermined code that is used to retrieve a coupon, a coupon code, and advertising content that describes products, services, or/and promotions, said advertisement instructing consumers to send an SMS text message to said SMS dialing number to retrieve a coupon;

responsive to an SMS message sent by a consumer to said SMS dialing number, using said coupon code to cross reference an identity code defined in an SMS and/or MMS coupon; and

sending any of an SMS coupon comprising at least an identity code that uniquely identifies the coupon and a text message that describes details of a promotion for products and/or services and an MMS coupon comprising at least an identity code that uniquely identifies the coupon and a multimedia message that describes details of a promotion for products and/or services.;

said store asking for additional information necessary to obtain said promotion, said additional information comprising at least an identity code and an authentication code included in said coupon;

said store asking said consumer for said identity code and said authentication code;

said store using said identity code to look up details of said promotion;

said store asking said consumer for said authentication code;

said store using said authentication code to validate authenticity of said coupon;

upon verification of said authentication code, said store providing said promotion to said consumer for products and services associated with said promotion.

15. An apparatus for advertisers to define and distribute Short Messaging Service (SMS) and/or Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) coupons to consumers, and for consumers to redeem received coupons, comprising:

an advertisement that is used to publicize SMS coupons and/or MMS coupons;

means for displaying said advertisement on any of digital signs, televisions, billboards, newspapers, magazines, other printed media, and Internet Web pages;

said advertisement comprising at least an SMS dialing number comprising a predetermined code that is used to retrieve a coupon, a coupon code, and advertising content that describes products, services, or/and promotions, said advertisement instructing consumers to send an SMS text message to said SMS dialing number to retrieve a coupon;

means for, responsive to an SMS message sent by a consumer to said SMS dialing number, using said coupon code to cross reference an identity code defined in an SMS and/or MMS coupon; and

means for sending any of an SMS coupon comprising at least an identity code that uniquely identifies the coupon and a text message that describes details of a promotion for products and/or services and an MMS coupon comprising at least an identity code that uniquely identifies the coupon and a multimedia message that describes details of a promotion for products and/or services.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

providing any of an SMS coupon message and/or MMS coupon message that comprises a promotion code for an advertiser to use later in identifying a promotion when the coupon is presented and an authentication code comprising a globally unique serial number that is used to verify authenticity of the coupon.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein all messages sent to the SMS dialing number are routed to a preconfigured processing server.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein an instruction for SMS messaging is shown as any of a banner on an advertisement, a call out box on said advertisement, in said advertisement as text and/or graphics, as audio instructions on how to retrieve said coupon using SMS messaging.

19. A method for distributing SMS and MMS coupons, comprising the steps of:

a database comprising advertisements and any of SMS coupons comprising at least an identity code that uniquely identifies the coupon and a text message that describes details of a promotion for products and/or services and MMS coupons comprising at least an identity code that uniquely identifies the coupon and a multimedia message that describes details of a promotion for products and/or services, wherein each coupon is associated with an advertisement;

a Web interface for registering said SMS and MMS coupons;

an advertisement that promotes products and services and publicizes an SMS and/or MMS coupon, comprising at least an SMS dialing number comprising a predetermined code that is used to retrieve a coupon, a coupon code, and advertising content that describes products, services, or/and promotions, said advertisement instructing consumers to send an SMS text message to said SMS dialing number to retrieve a coupon;

wherein an advertisement, along with an associated coupon, is chosen from said database and is displayed in public media;

a plurality of SMS and/or MMS enabled devices for an SMS message to said SMS dialing number and, responsive thereto, receiving any of an SMS and MMS coupon; and

an SMS processing server for receiving an SMS message sent to said SMS dialing number and, responsive thereto, sending any of an sending any of an SMS and MMS coupon to an SMS and/or MMS enabled device that originated said SMS message.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of:

an advertiser inputting an advertisement, along with an SMS or MMS coupon, into said database through said Web interface.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

for each SMS coupon, an advertiser specifying a coupon code and a text message for the coupon; and

for each MMS coupon, an advertiser specifying a coupon code and a multimedia message for the coupon.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of:

checking and ensuring the uniqueness of a coupon code.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein said advertisement is shown on a digital sign and said advertisement, along with a coupon, is transmitted electronically and displayed in real time.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of:

routing an SMS text message to said SMS processing server 450;

wherein said SMS processing server is preconfigured to process all incoming messages to said SMS dialing number.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein when an SMS coupon message or an MMS coupon message that matches a coupon code is found in said database, said coupon message is sent to said SMS and/or MMS enabled device.

26. An apparatus for redeeming SMS and/or MMS coupons, comprising:

an SMS and/or MMS coupon presented by a consumer to a store to obtain a promotion, said SMS and/or MMS coupon provided to said consumer comprising;

an advertisement that is used to publicize SMS coupons and/or MMS coupons;

wherein said advertisement is displayed on any of digital signs, televisions, billboards, newspapers, magazines, other printed media, and Internet Web pages;

said advertisement comprising at least an SMS dialing number comprising a predetermined code that is used to retrieve a coupon, a coupon code, and advertising content that describes products, services, or/and promotions, said advertisement instructing consumers to send an SMS text message to said SMS dialing number to retrieve a coupon;

means for, responsive to an SMS message sent by a consumer to said SMS dialing number, using said coupon code to cross reference an identity code defined in an SMS and/or MMS coupon; and

means for sending any of an SMS coupon comprising at least an identity code that uniquely identifies the coupon and a text message that describes details of a promotion for products and/or services and an MMS coupon comprising at least an identity code that uniquely identifies the coupon and a multimedia message that describes details of a promotion for products and/or services.;

additional information comprising at least an identity code and an authentication code included in said coupon, wherein said additional information is necessary to obtain said promotion;

means for said store using said identity code to look up details of said promotion;

means for said store using said authentication code to validate authenticity of said coupon;

means for, upon verification of said authentication code, said store providing said promotion to said consumer for products and services associated with said promotion.