SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USER-BASED DISCOUNT DEAL FORMATION AND ADVERTISING
First Claim
1. A method of deal advertising, the method comprising:
- estimating locations of a plurality of mobile devices;
grouping the plurality of mobile devices into groups of mobile devices based on the estimated locations;
identifying a deal from a set of stores that are within a particular distance from each mobile device in a particular group of mobile devices, wherein the deal requires a minimum number of buyers to purchase the deal, wherein said minimum number is more than a number of mobile devices in the particular group;
based on a prior history of referrals by users of the mobile devices in the particular group, determining an estimated number of referrals that the users of the mobile devices in the particular group are going to make for the identified deal;
determining an estimated number of referrals that result in a sale based on the estimated number of referrals that the users of the mobile devices in the particular group are going to make for the identified deal; and
sending the deal to the mobile devices in the particular group when a sum of the number of mobile devices in the particular group and said estimated number of referrals that result in a sale is equal to or exceeding the minimum number of buyers required to purchase the deal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method is described where an advertising server targets store coupon advertisements to people carrying wireless devices. In some embodiments the advertisement server tracks the position of several of its subscribed members in an area. The server then computes statistical measures, dynamically generates nearby store discount deals that match subgroups of the members or uses pre-existing deals from nearby stores, and forwards the deal advertisements to the wireless devices of the members. The advertised deals involve one or more items from the same store or multiple items from different stores. The members then use ad-hoc networking to build spontaneous social networks, advertise the deals to nearby shoppers, and get referral rewards. The advertising server also provides a portal shopping network web site where shoppers can search for deals, post their shopping/wish lists and deal referrals, and use forums to discuss products and stores.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method of deal advertising, the method comprising:
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estimating locations of a plurality of mobile devices; grouping the plurality of mobile devices into groups of mobile devices based on the estimated locations; identifying a deal from a set of stores that are within a particular distance from each mobile device in a particular group of mobile devices, wherein the deal requires a minimum number of buyers to purchase the deal, wherein said minimum number is more than a number of mobile devices in the particular group; based on a prior history of referrals by users of the mobile devices in the particular group, determining an estimated number of referrals that the users of the mobile devices in the particular group are going to make for the identified deal; determining an estimated number of referrals that result in a sale based on the estimated number of referrals that the users of the mobile devices in the particular group are going to make for the identified deal; and sending the deal to the mobile devices in the particular group when a sum of the number of mobile devices in the particular group and said estimated number of referrals that result in a sale is equal to or exceeding the minimum number of buyers required to purchase the deal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A machine readable medium storing a program for deal advertising, the program executable by at least one processing unit, the program comprising sets of instructions for:
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estimating locations of a plurality of mobile devices; grouping the plurality of mobile devices into groups of mobile devices based on the estimated locations; identifying a deal from a set of stores that are within a particular distance from each mobile device in a particular group of mobile devices, wherein the deal comprises a set of products, wherein the deal requires a minimum amount of money for purchasing the set of products; determining, based on a prior history of referrals by users of the mobile devices in the particular group, an estimated amount of money that a set of referrals are going to spend for the identified deal; determining an estimated number of referrals that result in a sale based on the estimated number of referrals that the users of the mobile devices in the particular group are going to make for the identified deal; and sending the deal to the mobile devices in the particular group when a sum of an estimated amount of money that the users of the mobile devices in the plurality of mobile device are going to spend for the identified deal and the estimated amount of money that a set of referrals that result in a sale are going to spend for the identified deal is equal to or exceeding the minimum amount of money required by the deal. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of deal advertising, the method comprising:
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receiving a deal for purchasing a set of products from a store, the deal requiring a minimum amount of money for purchasing the set of products; identifying a plurality of mobile devices that are within a particular distance from the store; based on a set of statistical measures, computing an estimated amount of money that users of the mobile devices in the plurality of mobile devices are likely to spend on the deal; based on a prior history of referrals by the users of the mobile devices in the plurality of mobile devices, determining an estimated amount of money that a set of referrals are likely to spend on the deal; and sending the deal to the mobile devices in the plurality of mobile devices when a sum of the estimated amount of money that the users of the mobile devices in the plurality of mobile devices are likely to spend on the deal and the estimated amount of money that the set of referrals are likely to spend on the deal is equal to or exceeding the minimum amount of money required for purchasing the set of products. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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Specification