Coupons, Multiple Payments, and Recommendations in a Unified Storefront System

• US 20090222335A1
• Filed: 02/29/2008
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Velazquez, Leonardo, Piepenbrink, David, Gopal, Sudha, Chow, Lee, Ly, Helen
• Application Number:
  US12/040,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20090222335A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• 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 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A unified storefront system includes a recommendation module, a coupon module, and a payment module. The recommendation module is adapted to recommend and cross promote a first plurality of assets based on a user context and based on an access device. The coupon management module is coupled to the recommendation module, and the coupon management module adapted to store a coupon associated with a user account. The payment module is coupled to the recommendation module, and the payment module is adapted to provide an ability to purchase a first asset with a plurality of payment methods during a single transaction.

Claims

1. A unified storefront system comprising:

a recommendation module adapted to recommend and cross promote a first plurality of assets based on a user context and based on an access device;

a coupon management module coupled to the recommendation module, the coupon management module adapted to store a coupon associated with a user account; and

a payment module coupled to the recommendation module, the payment module adapted to provide an ability to purchase a first asset with a plurality of payment methods during a single transaction.

2. The unified storefront system of claim 1 further comprising:

a unified storefront interface module in communication with the recommendation module, the coupon management module, and the payment module, the unified storefront interface module adapted to allow a plurality of access devices to communicate with the recommendation module, the coupon management module, and the payment module.

3. The unified storefront system of claim 1 wherein the payment module is further adapted to allow payment of the first asset with the coupon stored in the coupon management module.

4. The unified storefront system of claim 3 wherein the payment module is further adapted to determine that the coupon is associated with the first asset and a second asset and adapted to send a message indicating that both the first asset and the second asset must be purchased to use the coupon.

5. The unified storefront system of claim 1 wherein the user context is selected from the group consisting of a landing page, a category level page, and an asset level page.

6. The unified storefront system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of payment methods is selected from a group consisting of a coupon, a credit card, a bank card, and an invoice.

7. A method comprising:

receiving a first purchase request for a first asset;

sending a payment method request;

receiving an identification of a coupon in response to the payment method request;

determining that the coupon is associated with the first asset and a second asset, the second asset being different than the first asset; and

indicating that the first and second assets must be purchased to use the coupon.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first asset is a video on demand program and the second asset is a telephone ringtone.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the message includes a link that, when selected, sends a second purchase request for the second asset.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

accepting the coupon as payment for the first and second assets.

11. A method comprising:

receiving a purchase request from a first access device for a first asset associated with a second access device different from the first access device;

receiving information identifying the first access device;

determining a second asset associated with the first asset that is compatible with the first access device; and

recommending the second asset.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the second asset is an advertisement.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the first asset is a video on demand program and the second asset is a telephone ringtone.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the first access device is a cellular telephone and the second access device is a television.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving information identifying a user of the first access device;

receiving information identifying a user context; and

sending a recommendation for a third asset based on the user and the user context.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the user context is selected from the group consisting of a landing page, a category level page, and an asset level page.

17. A method comprising:

receiving a purchase request for an asset;

sending a first payment method request;

receiving an identification of a payment form;

determining that the payment form does not provide sufficient funds for the purchase of the asset;

sending a second payment method request to cover a remainder of the purchase of the asset; and

receiving an invoice payment request to apply the remainder of the purchase of the asset to a service provider account associated with a user.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the asset is a telephone ringtone.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein

sending an invoice to the user, a balance due for the invoice including a charge associated with a service provided by the service provider to the user and the remainder of the purchase of the asset.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the service provider is selected from the group consisting of a telephone service provider and a television service provider.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the service is television service.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the payment form is a coupon.