METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DEFINING, DISTRIBUTING AND REDEEMING SMS AND MMS COUPONS

• US 20120095814A1
• Filed: 12/21/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anuvu IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Sara Lee Ellis
• Inventors: LIU, David Wanqian
• Granted Patent: US 8,818,842 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.1
• 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 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185

Abstract

A method and apparatus is disclosed that allows advertisers to define and distribute Short Messaging Service (SMS) and Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) coupons to consumers, and for consumers to redeem the received coupons, where such SMS and MMS coupons are used by businesses to promote their products and services to consumers.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for advertisers to define and distribute Short Messaging Service (SMS) and/or Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) coupons to consumers, and for consumers to redeem received coupons, comprising the steps of:

via a computing device, providing an advertisement that is used to publicize SMS/MMS coupons and/or MMS coupons, said advertisement comprising at least an SMS/MMS dialing number comprising a predetermined code that is used to retrieve a coupon, a coupon code, and advertising content that describes products, services, or/and promotions, said advertisement instructing consumers to send an SMS/MMS text message to said SMS dialing number to retrieve a coupon;

responsive to an SMS message sent by a consumer to said SMS/MMS dialing number via a SMS/MMS-enabled device, via a computing device, using said coupon code to cross reference an identity code defined in an SMS and/or MMS coupon; and

via a computing device, sending an SMS/MMS coupon to said SMS/MMS-enabled device comprising at least an identity code that uniquely identifies the coupon and enables a merchant to look up details of a promotion associated to said sent SMS/MMS coupon and a text message that describes details of a promotion for products and/or services and an authentication code for verifying authenticity of said sent coupon.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

via a computing device, providing an SMS/MMS coupon message that comprises a promotion code for an advertiser to use later in identifying a promotion when the coupon is presented via a SMS/MMS-enabled device and wherein said authentication code comprises a globally unique serial number that is used to verify authenticity of the coupon.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

via a computing device, routing all message sent to the SMS/MMS dialing number to a preconfigured processing server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein an instruction for SMS/MMS messaging is shown as any of a banner on an advertisement, a call out box on said advertisement, in said advertisement as text and/or graphics, as audio instructions on how to retrieve said coupon using SMS/MMS messaging.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

via a computing device, for each SMS/MMS coupon sent to said SMS/MMS-enabled device, tracking subsequent actions in connection with each said SMS coupon and/or MMS coupon.

6. An apparatus for distributing SMS/MMS coupons, comprising:

a database comprising advertisements and at least one SMS/MMS coupon comprising at least an identity code that uniquely identifies the coupon and enables a merchant to look up details of a promotion associated to a sent SMS/MMS coupon, and a text/multimedia message that describes details of a promotion for products and/or services, wherein each coupon is associated with an advertisement;

a Web interface for registering said SMS/MMS coupons;

a storage element containing at least one advertisement that promotes products and services and publicizes an SMS/MMS coupon, comprising at least an SMS/MMS dialing number comprising a predetermined code that is used to retrieve a coupon, a coupon code, and advertising content that describes products, services, or/and promotions, said advertisement instructing consumers to send an SMS text message to said SMS dialing number via a SMS/MMS-enabled device to retrieve a coupon;

wherein an advertisement, along with an associated coupon, is chosen from said database and is displayed in public media;

at least one SMS/MMS-enabled device for sensing a message to said SMS dialing number and, responsive thereto, receiving any of an SMS and MMS coupon; and

an SMS processing server for receiving an SMS message sent to said SMS dialing number and, responsive thereto, sending sending a SMS/MMS coupon to an SMS/MMS-enabled device that originated said message.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a processor programmed for receiving advertiser input comprising an advertisement, along with an SMS/MMS coupon, into said database through said Web interface.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a processor programmed for specifying a coupon code and a text message for the coupon for each SMS/MMS coupon responsive to advertiser input.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a processor programmed for checking and ensuring the uniqueness of a coupon code.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said advertisement is shown on a digital sign and said advertisement, along with a coupon, is transmitted electronically and displayed in real time.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a process programmed for routing an SMS/MMS text message to said SMS/MMS processing server;

wherein said SMS/MMS processing server is preconfigured to process all incoming messages to said SMS/MMS dialing number.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein when an SMS/MMS coupon message or an MMS coupon message that matches a coupon code is found in said database, said coupon message is sent to said SMS/MMS-enabled device.

13. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising;

a process programmed for tracking subsequent actions in connection with each SMS/MMS coupon sent.

14. A method for redeeming SMS/MMS coupons, comprising the steps of:

providing an advertisement that is used to publicize SMS coupons/MMS coupons, said advertisement comprising at least an SMS/MMS dialing number comprising a predetermined code that is used to retrieve a coupon, a coupon code, and advertising content that describes products, services, or/and promotions, said advertisement instructing consumers to send an SMS/MMS text message to said SMS dialing number via said SMS/MMS-enabled device to retrieve a coupon;

responsive to an SMS/MMS message sent by a consumer to said SMS dialing number via a SMS/MMS-enabled device, using said coupon code to cross reference an identity code defined in an SMS/MMS coupon; and

sending an SMS/MMS coupon to said SMS/MMS-enabled device comprising at least an identity code that uniquely identifies the coupon and enables a merchant to look up details of a promotion associated to said sent SMS/MMS coupon, and a text message that describes details of a promotion for products and/or services;

said consumer presenting said sent SMS/MMS coupon at point-of-purchase in a physical store via a SMS/MMS-enabled device to obtain a promotion;

said store asking for additional information necessary to obtain said promotion, said additional information comprising at least an identity code and an authentication code included in said coupon;

said store using said identity code to look up details of said promotion;

said store asking said consumer for said authentication code;

said store using said authentication code to validate authenticity of said coupon;

upon verification of said authentication code, said store providing said promotion to said consumer for products and services associated with said promotion.

15. An apparatus for advertisers to define and distribute Short Messaging Service (SMS) and/or Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) coupons to consumers, and for consumers to redeem received coupons, comprising:

a storage element containing at least one advertisement that is used to publicize SMS/MMS coupons;

means for displaying said advertisement on any of digital signs, televisions, billboards, newspapers, magazines, other printed media, and Internet Web pages, said advertisement comprising at least an SMS/MMS dialing number comprising a predetermined code that is used to retrieve a coupon, a coupon code, and advertising content that describes products, services, or/and promotions, said advertisement instructing consumers to send an SMS text message to said SMS dialing number via a SMS/MMS-enabled device to retrieve a coupon;

means for, responsive to an SMS message sent by a consumer to said SMS dialing number via said SMS/MMS-enabled device, using said coupon code to cross reference an identity code defined in an SMS/MMS coupon; and

means for sending an SMS/MMS coupon to said SMS/MMS-enabled device comprising at least an identity code that uniquely identifies the coupon and enables a merchant to look up details of a promotion associated to said SMS/MMS coupon, and a text message that describes details of a promotion for products and/or services.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a processor programmed for providing an SMS/MMS coupon message that comprises a promotion code for an advertiser to use later in identifying a promotion when the coupon is presented and an authentication code comprising a globally unique serial number that is used to verify authenticity of the coupon.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein all messages sent to the SMS/MMS dialing number are routed to a preconfigured processing server.

18. An apparatus for distributing SMS/MMS coupons, comprising the steps of:

a database comprising advertisements and any of SMS/MMS coupons comprising at least an identity code that uniquely identifies the coupon and enables a merchant to look up details of a promotion code associated to a particular SMS/MMS coupon and a text/multimedia message that describes details of a promotion for products and/or services and MMS coupons comprising at least an identity code that uniquely identifies the coupon;

a Web interface for registering said SMS/MMS coupons;

an storage element containing at least one advertisement that promotes products and services and publicizes an SMS/MMS coupon, the advertisement comprising at least an SMS/MMS dialing number, the dialing number comprising a predetermined code used to retrieve a coupon, a coupon code, and advertising content that describes products, services, or/and promotions, said advertisement instructing consumers to send an SMS/MMS text/multimedia message to said SMS/MMS dialing number to retrieve a coupon;

wherein an advertisement, along with an associated coupon, is chosen from said database and is displayed in public media;

at least one SMS/MMS-enabled device for sending an SMS/MMS message to said SMS/MMS dialing number and, responsive thereto, receiving an SMS and MMS coupon via said at least one SMS/MMS-enabled device; and

an SMS/MMS processing server for receiving an SMS message sent to said SMS dialing number from an SMS/MMS-enabled device and, responsive thereto, sending any of an sending an SMS/MMS coupon to an SMS/MMS-enabled device that originated said SMS/MMS message.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

a processor programmed for storing an advertisement, along with an SMS/MMS coupon, in said database, responsive to input of said advertisement and said SMS/MMS coupon by an advertiser via said Web interface.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

a processor programmed for receiving advertiser input comprising specification of a coupon code and a text message for each SMS/MMS coupon.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising the step of:

checking and ensuring the uniqueness of a coupon code.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a processor programmed for electronically transmitting and displaying said coupon on a digital sign in real time.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

a processor programmed for routing an SMS/MMS text/multimedia message to said SMS/MMS processing server;

wherein said SMS/MMS processing server is preconfigured to process all incoming messages to said SMS/MMS dialing number.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

a processor programmed for sending said coupon message to said SMS/MMS-enabled device responsive to detection of an SMS/MMS coupon message that matches a coupon code in said database.

26. An apparatus for redeeming SMS/MMS coupons, comprising:

a coupon on an SMS/MMS-enabled device, the coupon presented by a consumer via said SMS/MMS-enabled device at point-of-purchase in a physical store to obtain a promotion, said SMS/MMS coupon comprising;

an advertisement that is used to publicize SMS/MMS coupons and/or MMS coupons;

said advertisement comprising at least an SMS/MMS dialing number comprising a predetermined code for retrieving a coupon, a coupon code, said advertisement instructing consumers to send a message to said SMS/MMS dialing number from a SMS/MMS-enabled device to retrieve a coupon;

a processor programmed for, responsive to a message sent by a consumer to said SMS dialing number from a SMS/MMS-enabled device, cross referencing an identity code defined in an SMS/MMS coupon using said coupon code; and

a processor programmed for sending an SMS/MMS coupon to said SMS/MMS-enabled device comprising at least an identity code that uniquely identifies the coupon and enables a merchant to look up details of a promotion associated to said coupon and a message that describes details of a promotion for products and/or services;

a data store containing additional information comprising at least an identity code and an authentication code included in said coupon;

a processor programmed for looking up details of said promotion responsive to input of said identity code by said physical store;

a processor programmed for validating for authenticity of said coupon responsive to input of said authentication code by said physical store;

a processor programmed for outputting verification of said authentication code, precedent to provision of said promotion to said consumer by said physical store for products and services associated with said promotion.