WIRELESS COMMUNICATION-ENABLED PROMOTIONS AND COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS

• US 20130185137A1
• Filed: 01/12/2012
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Shafi, Naji Shaheimi, Sami, Saad B, Steckler, Alejandro, Jeyakumar, Ashwin Raju
• Granted Patent: US 9,443,248 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.35
• 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

Abstract

Coupons and other promotions can be enabled using mobile computing devices with Near Field Communication (NFC) or other wireless communication capabilities. For example, a mobile device user can collect a coupon displayed during a cable TV show by tapping his NFC mobile device to a peripheral device in wireless communication with a cable TV receiver. Collected coupons can be stored in a coupon database at the mobile device. Coupons can be redeemed by tapping an NFC mobile device to an NFC point of sale terminal. Coupons can also be collected from advertisements in audio media and web pages, and can be collected at a mobile device from media displayed at the mobile device. Coupons can have time-based, location-based or other usage restrictions. Collecting information stored in NFC tags affixed to items in a scavenger hunt list can unlock downloadable content.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving user input at the mobile computing device indicating a request to collect coupon information associated with a coupon notice presented by the mobile computing device;

receiving the coupon information at the mobile computing device; and

transmitting at least a portion of the coupon information from the mobile computing device to a point of sale terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the coupon information is responsive to the receiving user input at the mobile computing device indicating a request to collect the coupon information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the coupon information occurs before the receiving user input at the mobile computing device indicating a request to collect the coupon information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the coupon information at the mobile computing device in a device coupon database.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the coupon information comprises one or more usage restrictions.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the transmitting at least a portion of the coupon information occurs if the one or more usage restrictions are satisfied.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more usage restrictions comprises a location-based restriction.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the location-based restriction comprises a plurality of geographical coordinates defining one or more geographical regions.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more usage restrictions comprises a time-based restriction.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the time-based restriction indicates that the coupon information is redeemable within a predetermined time period.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined time period begins upon receipt of the coupon information at the mobile computing device.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more usage restrictions comprises a goods or services restriction.

13. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining whether the one or more usage restrictions are satisfied.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving data associated with a plurality of additional coupon notices;

displaying the plurality of additional coupon notices at a display of the mobile computing device;

receiving user input indicating selection of at least one of the additional coupon notices; and

receiving additional coupon information associated with the at least one selected additional coupon notice.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

storing the additional coupon information in a device coupon database at the mobile computing device; and

transmitting at least a portion of the additional coupon information from the mobile computing device to a second point of sale terminal.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of additional coupon notices comprises coupon notices previously output at the media computing device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device is NFC-enabled, and the transmitting at least a portion of the coupon information to the mobile computing device is performed using NFC technology.

20. One or more computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions for causing a mobile computing device to perform the method of claim 1.

18. A mobile computing device comprising:

a processor;

a display;

one or more input devices;

a memory storing computer-executable instructions for causing the mobile computing device to carry out a method, the method comprising;

receiving coupon notice data;

outputting a coupon notice at the display based on the coupon notice data;

receiving user input at the one or more input devices indicating a request to collect coupon information associated with the coupon notice at the mobile computing device;

receiving the coupon information; and

transmitting at least a portion of the coupon information to a point of sale terminal.

19. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the mobile computing device is NFC-enabled, and the receiving the coupon information at the mobile computing device is performed using NFC.