SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR MOBILE DEVICE LOCATION BASED SERVICES

• US 20110276386A1
• Filed: 05/04/2011
• Published: 11/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Stephen M. Deemer
• Original Assignee: Stephen M. Deemer
• Inventors: Deemer, Stephen M.
• Application Number:
  US13/101,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20110276386A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.39
• 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 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a discount service including a system and methods for delivering incentives to a mobile device while the mobile device is in close proximity to a merchant outlet. The presence of a mobile device is detected by receiving communication transmitted from the mobile device to a transmission tower using low wattage receivers placed at or near a merchant outlet. Incentives such as discount coupons and other promotions are sent to the mobile device in the form of an email message, text message, and/or voice message. The incentive may then be redeemed at the merchant outlet.

Claims

1. A method for providing a discount service based on a location of a mobile device of a subscriber, comprising the steps of:

positioning a detection device at or near a merchant outlet, wherein the detection device includes a location code;

receiving signals by the detection device;

demodulating the signals to obtain a mobile device identifier;

sending the location code and mobile device identifier to a server;

accessing a database including subscriber data and merchant data;

comparing the location code to merchant data to obtain an incentive offer of a merchant;

reviewing the mobile device identifier and subscriber data to determine a delivery option of the mobile device; and

sending the incentive offer to the mobile device according to at least one delivery option of said reviewing step.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the subscriber data includes a mobile device identifier.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the mobile device identifier is an International Mobile Equipment Identifier.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the subscriber data includes at least one selected from the group of an email address and a phone number associated with the mobile device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the merchant data includes at least one selected from the group of merchant outlet name, merchant outlet location, and detection device location code.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the incentive offer is a discount coupon.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the delivery option is at least one selected from the group of email message, text message, and voice message.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the subscriber registers for the discount service through a website in communication with a server.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the merchant registers for the discount service through a website in communication with a server.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the database is stored on a web enabled application server.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detection device comprises a receiver, a signal processor, a message processor, a memory bank, and a network interface.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detection device is connected to a network capable of communicating with the Internet.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signals are radio frequency (RF) signals between the mobile device and a transmission tower.

14. The method according to claim 6, wherein the discount coupon is in the form of a bar code.

15. A system for providing a discount service based on a location of a mobile device of a subscriber, comprising:

a detection device, wherein said detection device includes a receiver, a signal processor, a message processor, a memory bank, and a network interface;

said receiver receives signals communicated between the mobile device and a transmission tower of a wireless network, wherein the signals are demodulated into a digital data stream by said signal processor and said message processor interrogates the digital data stream for a mobile device identifier,

said message processor generates an Internet compatible message, wherein the Internet compatible message includes the mobile device identifier and the Internet compatible message is sent to said network interface,

a server, wherein said server receives the Internet compatible message transmitted from said network interface; and

a database, wherein said server reviews said database to determine an incentive offer and said server generates a communication of the incentive offer to the mobile device.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the mobile device identifier is an International Mobile Equipment Identifier.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein the communication of the incentive offer is at least one selected from the group of email message, text message, and pre-recorded voice message.

18. The system according to claim 15, wherein said server determines the delivery options for the incentive offer and the delivery options of the mobile device and generates the communication of the incentive offer based on a match between the delivery options for the incentive offer and the delivery options of the mobile device.

19. The system according to claim 15, wherein said memory bank includes a timestamp including a configurable delay that is compared with the current time to determine if mobile device identifier has expired.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said server does not generate the communication of the incentive offer when the timestamp including the configurable delay has not expired.