SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING A VIRTUAL VALUE ITEM FOR A PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN

• US 20110145044A1
• Filed: 12/16/2010
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: e2Interactive Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Giftango Corp. (Millennium Prime, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fletcher, Michael J., Casebeer, Christian, Nelsen, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 11,928,696 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0276 Advertisement creation

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing a promotional campaign are provided. In one embodiment, a promotional campaign engine communicates in real-time with a participant'"'"'s mobile computing device, receives an electronic campaign entry from the mobile computing device, and based on a rule set, generates a virtual value item in an established stored value system based on the rule set.

Claims

1. A promotional system for generating a virtual value item for a promotional campaign, the promotional system comprising:

a virtual value system configured to generate at least one virtual value item; and

a promotional campaign engine communicatively linked to the virtual value system, the promotional campaign engine including a campaign set-up module configured to generate a campaign rule set defining one or more parameters of the promotional campaign and a requesting module configured to generate and send at least one virtual value item request to the virtual value system, each virtual value item request including code executable to request generation of a virtual value item, request generation of at least one associative virtual value item profile in the virtual value system, and initiate sending the virtual value item to a mobile computing device of a participant.

2. The promotional system of claim 1, where the promotional campaign engine is configured to receive a plurality of campaign entries for the promotional campaign from a plurality of mobile computing devices and where the promotional campaign engine further includes a selection module configured to select a set of mobile computing devices to which virtual value items are sent, wherein each mobile computing device included in the set of mobile computing devices is associated with a virtual value item request sent to the virtual value system.

3. The promotional system of claim 1, wherein the virtual value system includes a goods and services system configured to manage virtual value transactions and a virtual value item manager communicatively linked to the goods and services system and configured to generate at least one associative virtual value item profile and the virtual value item and send the virtual value item to the mobile computing device.

4. The promotional system of claim 3, wherein the virtual value item retains stored value and is configured to be utilized in a virtual value transaction through a goods and services system.

5. The promotional system of claim 3, wherein the goods and services system is configured to implement a virtual value transaction, the virtual value transaction including an electronic transaction in which stored value is reduced from the virtual value item in exchange for at least one of a good and a service.

6. The promotional system of claim 1, wherein the campaign rule set includes one or more of the following parameters:

a quantity of selected virtual value item recipients, a number of entries per participant, a quantity of virtual value items distributed, a type of virtual value items distributed, a total stored value of the virtual value item, a location for redemption of the virtual value item, a time for redemption of the virtual value item, and a length of the promotional campaign.

7. The promotional system of claim 1, where the virtual value item is sent to the mobile computing device programmatically in response to receipt of an entry from the mobile computing device based on the campaign rule set.

8. The promotional system of claim 1, where the promotional campaign engine further comprises a tracking module configured to track programmatic actions performed by the promotional campaign engine.

9. The promotional system of claim 1, wherein the parameters are configured to be dynamically adjusted during implementation of the promotional campaign.

10. A method for managing a promotional campaign, the method comprising:

receiving an electronic campaign entry at a promotional campaign engine transferred from a mobile computing device of a participant;

determining if the mobile computing device is selected to receive a virtual value item based on a campaign rule set included in the promotional campaign engine; and

if the mobile computing device is selected, requesting generation of a virtual value item in a virtual value system and requesting transfer of the virtual value item to the mobile computing device of the participant.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising if the mobile computing device is selected, generating at least one associative virtual value item profile in a virtual value system communicatively linked to the promotional campaign engine.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the virtual value item retains stored value and is configured to be utilized in a virtual value transaction through a goods and services system.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the campaign rule set includes one or more of the following parameters:

a quantity of selected virtual value item recipients, a number of entries per participant, a quantity of virtual value items distributed, a type of virtual value items distributed, a total stored value of the virtual value item, a location for redemption of the virtual value item, a time for redemption of the virtual value item, a length of the promotional campaign.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising storing participant information included in the electronic campaign entry in a participant database, the participant information includes one or more of the following types of information:

a mobile phone number, a participant'"'"'s name, a participant'"'"'s contact information, and a participant'"'"'s survey responses.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the virtual value system is configured to implement a virtual value transaction in which the stored value of the virtual value item is decreased in exchange for at least one of a good and a service.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the virtual value item is sent to the mobile computing device of the participant programmatically.

17. A method for managing a promotional campaign, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of campaign entries from a plurality of mobile computing devices of participants via a promotional campaign engine;

selecting a set of more mobile computing devices included in the plurality of mobile computing devices chosen for receipt of a virtual value item based on a campaign rule set of the promotional campaign engine, a virtual value item being an item retaining stored value;

sending each of the mobile computing devices in the selected set of mobile computing devices a virtual value item; and

generating an associative virtual value item profile in a virtual value system communicatively linked to the promotional campaign engine for each virtual value item sent to a mobile computing device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the virtual value system is configured to implement a virtual value transaction with the virtual value item, the virtual value transaction including an electronic transaction in which the stored value of the virtual value item is decreased in exchange for at least one of a good and a service.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the campaign rule set includes one or more of the following parameters:

a quantity of selected virtual value item recipients, a number of entries per participant, a quantity of virtual value items distributed, a type of virtual value items distributed, a total stored value of the virtual value item, a location for redemption of the virtual value item, a time for redemption of the virtual value item, and a length of the promotional campaign.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising storing participant information included in the electronic campaign entry in a participant database, a participant'"'"'s information includes one or more of the following types of information:

a mobile phone number, a participant'"'"'s name, a participant'"'"'s contact information, and a participant'"'"'s survey responses.