METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING ELECTRONIC REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION AND PROMOTIONS ON MULTIPLE DEVICE PLATFORMS IN AN INTEGRATED MANNER

• US 20110295719A1
• Filed: 07/26/2010
• Published: 12/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kreth, Will, Gould, Kenneth, Patel, Vipul, Chen, John Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 8,538,835 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for supporting electronic promotions and electronic requests for information, e.g., in an integrated manner, on multiple platforms including, e.g., cable network systems, cell phones, etc., are described. Rewards and/or benefits are tracked in a centralized manner and a subscriber is allowed to accumulate rewards and benefits in a single account irrespective of which device or platform was used to initiate an eRFI and/or to act upon a promotion. The methods and apparatus of the present invention allow a cable service provider which supports eRFI on set top boxes to use the same eRFI server to provide responses to eRFI requests received from devices, e.g., cell phones and/or E-mail devices corresponding to a service subscriber, to forward electronic promotion information and to reward users in a forwarding chain for redemptions of coupons included in forwarded promotion information. Forwarded promotion information securely identifies each device/user in the forwarding chain.

Claims

1. A method of operating a first communications device to participate in an electronic promotion, the method comprising:

receiving electronic promotion information; and

forwarding a digitally signed version of the electronic promotion information to at least one other device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein forwarding the electronic promotion information includes sending a request for forwarding the electronic promotion information to a server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the server forwards the electronic promotion information with a signature corresponding to the first communications device from which the request for forwarding was received.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said signature is generated by one of said first communications device and the server using a key or secret corresponding to the first communications device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said forwarded electronic promotion information includes information identifying multiple mobile wireless communications devices which are in a forwarding chain involved in forwarding said electronic promotion information.

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein said first communications device is a wireless communications terminal;

and

wherein said step of forwarding a digitally signed version of said electronic promotion information includes signing said electronic promotion information and sending said signed electronic promotion information to a second wireless communications terminal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic promotion information is one of a eRFI enabled video and an electronic coupon.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said received electronic promotion information includes a first digital signature corresponding to a sender who forwarded said electronic promotion information to the first communications device;

and

wherein the forwarded electronic promotion information includes said first digital signature in addition to a second digital signature added by digitally signing the received electronic promotion information.

9. The method of claim 8,

wherein said promotion information is an electronic coupon, the method further comprises:

receiving updated coupon value information, said updated coupon value information indicating a current value of said electronic coupon, said current value being a function of a number of electronic coupons forwarded by said communications device which were redeemed.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said updated coupon value information is received from a server used to track coupon redemption.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of receiving electronic promotion information includes:

receiving an electronic coupon from a mail server which forwarded the electronic coupon to an E-mail address corresponding to a user of said first communications device in response to a request received via a cable set top box.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said received electronic promotion information includes forwarding information and digital signatures corresponding to a plurality of senders in a forwarding chain through which said electronic promotion information was forwarded to the first communications device.

13. The method of claim 1,

wherein forwarding the electronic promotion information to at least one other device includes accessing a list of addresses corresponding to a social network;

and

forwarding the electronic promotion information to at least one address included in the list of addresses corresponding to the social network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said electronic promotion information is an electronic coupon;

and

wherein the at least one address to which said electronic promotion information is forwarded is selected by a user of said first communications device after said electronic promotion information is displayed on a display.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

operating the first communications device to redeem the electronic coupon by supplying coupon information to a retailer.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic promotion information includes an interactive routine which displays a product or store location.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said interactive routine is a cell phone application, said cell phone application allowing a user to view and manipulate a 3D representation of a product available for purchase.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said interactive routine is a game routine which can be played on a user'"'"'s cell phone in which items for sale are displayed as part of said game.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said interactive routine includes an option for purchasing one or more items via the cell phone.

20. A system for supporting electronic promotions, the system comprising:

a module for forwarding electronic promotion information to a first communications device;

a module for monitoring for a request to forward electronic promotion information to a second communications device; and

a module for forwarding a signed version of said electronic promotion information including information identifying said first communications device to a second communications device indicated by said forwarding request.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

a redemption tracking module for tracking redemption of one or more electronic coupons included in forwarded electronic promotion information; and

a redemption information updating module for adjusting the value of an electronic coupon sent to the communications device based on the redemption of a forwarded coupon including information identifying the first communications device.

22. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

stored friend information including information identifying devices corresponding to the user of the first communications device; and

wherein said request to forward electronic promotion information includes a friend identifier.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising:

a module for inserting information identifying a forwarding device into forwarded electronic information.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said module for inserting information includes:

a module for inserting a digital signature corresponding to the first communications device into the electronic promotion information being forwarded to said second communications device.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

a security module for determining if the request to forward electronic promotion information to a second communications device includes an identifier identifying a friend on a stored friend list corresponding to the user of the first communications device.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the first communications device is one of a set top box and cell phone corresponding to a first user and wherein said second communications device is a cell phone or set top box corresponding to a friend of the first user.