System and Method for Instant Deals in a Mobile Communication Network

• US 20130144708A1
• Filed: 12/02/2011
• Published: 06/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thryv, Inc. (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Original Assignee: YellowPages.com LLC (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Inventors: Mandyam, Srinivas A., Williams, David Lothele, Chandran, Rohan Koduvayur Krishnan, Chong, Kelvin Voon-Kit, Vedati, Krishna
• Granted Patent: US 9,230,260 B2
• 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: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided to transmit deals, promotions and other manner of advertisements and offers to users of mobile devices that are relevant to the users'"'"' current location and intent. Users'"'"' current intent includes actions the user is likely to take in the near future, such as, for example, purchase a specific product or service. Users'"'"' probable intent is inferred from activities performed by users on their mobile devices such as, for example, user queries relating to products and services. Businesses set up offers that are directed to specific geospatial locations and specific user intent. When a user enters a geospatial location associated with an offer and manifests intent associated with the offer, the offer is transmitted to the user'"'"'s mobile device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, over a network, a device geospatial location for a mobile device associated with a user;

receiving, over a network, data broadcast from the mobile device relating to actions of the user on the mobile device;

determining, by a computing device, a probable intent of the user using at least a portion of the data relating to the actions of the user on the mobile device;

identifying, by the computing device, an offer from an entity, such that the offer relates to the device geospatial location and the probable intent of the user; and

transmitting, over the network, the offer to the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data relating to the actions of the user on the mobile device is a user query entered by the user, using the mobile device, into an online service providing query facilities.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the probable intent of the user is determined by parsing keywords out of the user query.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the online service is an Internet search service.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the online service is an online directory service.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data relating to the actions of the user on the mobile device is a message sent by the user to a second user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data relating to the actions of the user on the mobile device is a list of user interests created by the user using the mobile device via a user interface provided by the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the offer is of a type selected from the list:

a coupon, a private offering, a limited-time sale, and an Easter Egg.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the offer additionally comprises an offer start date and time and an end date and time, such that where a current time associated with the mobile device does not fall between the offer start date and time and end date and time, the offer is not transmitted to the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to transmitting the offer, the method comprises:

filtering, by the computing device, the offer using user preferences associated with the user, such that where the offer matches the user preferences, the offer is transmitted to the mobile device associated with the user, and where the offer does not match the user preferences, the offer is not transmitted to the mobile device associated with the user.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the user preferences comprise at least one of:

a range of times, interests of the user, online activities of the user, and keywords specified by the user.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to determining the probable intent of the user, the method additionally comprises:

receiving, over the network, a plurality of offers from a plurality of offering entities, each respective offer of the plurality of offers comprising respective offer details and respective offer matching criteria, the respective offer matching criteria comprising a respective offer geospatial location and a respective offer intent; and

storing, by the computing device, the plurality of offers, such that each respective offer of the plurality of offers is stored in association with a respective one of the plurality of offering entities from which the respective offer was received;

wherein identifying an offer from an entity comprises;

matching, by the computing device, the probable intent of the user and the device geospatial location to the respective offer matching criteria of one offer of the plurality of offers; and

wherein transmitting the offer to the mobile device comprises;

transmitting, over the network, the respective offer details of the one offer of the plurality of offers to the mobile device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein for at least one offer of the plurality of offers, the respective offer geospatial location of the offer comprises a point.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein for at least one offer of the plurality of offers, the respective offer geospatial location of the offer comprises a bounded geometrical figure.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein for at least one offer of the plurality of offers, the respective offer matching criteria additionally comprises user demographics.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein for at least one offer of the plurality of offers, the respective offer matching criteria additionally comprises user interests.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying an offer from an entity comprises:

receiving, over the network, from the entity, a query comprising query criteria, the query criteria comprising a query geospatial location and a query intent;

determining, by the computing device, that the device geospatial location and the probable intent of the user match the query geospatial location and the query intent;

in response to determining that the device geospatial location and the probable intent of the user match the query geospatial location and the query intent, transmitting, over the network, an indication that the user matches the query criteria; and

receiving, over the network, the offer from the entity.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the query criteria additionally comprises user demographics.

19. A machine readable media storing instructions that, when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving, over a network, a device geospatial location for a mobile device associated with a user;

receiving, over a network, data broadcast from the mobile device relating to actions of the user on the mobile device;

determining the probable intent of the user using at least a portion of the data relating to the actions of the user on the mobile device;

identifying an offer from an entity, such that the offer relates to the device geospatial location and the probable intent of the user; and

transmitting, over the network, the offer to the mobile device.

20. A computer system comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory to;

receive a device geospatial location for a mobile device associated with a user;

receive data broadcast from the mobile device relating to the actions of the user on the mobile device;

determine the probable intent of the user using at least a portion of the data relating to the actions of the user on the mobile device;

identifying an offer from an entity, such that the offer relates to the device geospatial location and the probable intent of the user; and

transmitting, over the network, the offer to the mobile device.