MOBILE COUPON METHOD AND SYSTEM

• US 20080167991A1
• Filed: 12/19/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carlson, Mark, Ciurea, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,940,627 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0215 Including financial accounts

Abstract

A system and a method for using a portable consumer device such as a mobile phone are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method according to the present invention comprises referencing data regarding an individual consumer stored as part of a payment processing network to generate an electronic coupon targeted to the individual consumer. The electronic coupon is transmitted to a mobile device of the individual consumer over a communications network, and purchase transaction utilizing the electronic coupon is processed over the payment processing network. In certain embodiments, the electronic coupon may be generated based upon temporal and/or geographic information of a prior purchase transaction conducted using the payment processing network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

referencing data regarding an individual consumer stored as part of a payment processing network to generate an electronic coupon targeted to the individual consumer;

transmitting the electronic coupon to a mobile device of the individual consumer over a communications network; and

processing a purchase transaction utilizing the electronic coupon over the payment processing network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic coupon is generated based upon a prior transaction conducted over the payment processing network.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the electronic coupon is generated within a predetermined time from a time of the prior transaction.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic coupon is targeted based upon a geographic location of the individual consumer.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the geographic location of the consumer is determined from a location based services (LBS) approach based upon a prior transaction conducted over the payment processing network.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the geographic location is determined from a merchant identification number in the prior transaction.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the geographic location of the consumer is determined from a global positioning system (GPS) element in the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the geographic location of the consumer is determined from the mobile device communicating through the communications network.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic coupon is communicated in encrypted form.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic coupon is communicated including a code able to be electronically transmitted from the mobile device to a point of sale.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the data regarding the individual consumer is obtained based upon an enrollment form submitted by the individual consumer.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the data regarding the individual consumer is obtained based upon the individual consumer'"'"'s use of the payment processing network.

13. A server for a mobile coupon program, the server comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable storage medium in electronic communication with the processor, the computer readable storage medium having stored thereon, code instructing the processor to,

reference data regarding an individual consumer stored as part of a payment processing network to generate an electronic coupon targeted to the individual consumer, and

transmit the electronic coupon to a mobile device of the individual consumer over a communications network.

14. The server of claim 13 wherein the code instructs generation of the electronic coupon based upon a prior transaction conducted over the payment processing network.

15. The server of claim 14 wherein the code instructs generation of the electronic coupon within a predetermined time of a time of the prior transaction.

16. The server of claim 13 wherein code instructs generation of the electronic coupon based upon a geographic location of the individual consumer.

17. The server of claim 16 wherein the geographic location of the consumer is determined from a location based services (LBS) approach based upon a prior transaction conducted over the payment processing network.

18. The server of claim 16 wherein the geographic location of the consumer is determined from a merchant identification number in the prior transaction.

19. The server of claim 16 wherein the geographic location of the consumer is determined from a global positioning system (GPS) element in the mobile device.

20. The server of claim 16 wherein the geographic location of the consumer is determined from the mobile device communicating through the communications network.

21. A method comprising:

a consumer conducting a first purchasing transaction over a payment processing network;

generating an electronic coupon targeted to the consumer based upon the first purchasing transaction;

transmitting the electronic coupon to a mobile device of the consumer; and

processing a second purchasing transaction over the payment processing network, the second purchasing transaction involving use of the electronic coupon to obtain a discount.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the coupon is generated within a predetermined time of a time of the first purchasing transaction.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the coupon is generated based upon a geographic location of the first purchasing transaction.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the first purchasing transaction or the second purchasing transaction allow the consumer to receive an award.