SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO PROVIDE AND ADJUST OFFERS

• US 20130218664A1
• Filed: 02/22/2013
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carlson, Mark, Stan, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 9,443,253 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.43
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0221 Re-usable coupons
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0244 Optimization

Abstract

In one aspect, a computing apparatus is configured to allow merchants to initiate offers in an offer campaign based on a spending pattern specified by the merchant, such as the lack of transactions in a predetermined period of time of the day, in a recent time period, and/or in a particular merchant category. The offer campaign can be adjusted between offer delivery/announcement and fulfillment for a limited time period. The benefit of a further purchase may be announced via a message scheduled to be transmitted in response to an event identifying the arrival of a particular time instance, in response to a qualification notification of a transaction satisfying the requirements of a purchase event required in the offer campaign, or in response to the detection of a required spending pattern.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, in a computing apparatus, a set of records for an offer campaign, each record identifying at least one condition for matching an event in the offer campaign with a user participating in the offer campaign;

monitoring, by the computing apparatus, events relevant to the offer campaign in accordance with the set of records;

receiving, in the computing apparatus, a modification to the set of records to generate a modified set of records for the offer campaign;

monitoring, by the computing apparatus, events relevant to the offer campaign in accordance with the modified set of records; and

transmitting, by the computing apparatus, a message to announce a modification of a benefit of an offer in accordance with the modified set of records, wherein the benefit was announced prior to the modification to the set of records.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring of the events in accordance with the modified set of records is performed without restarting the offer campaign.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the modification is limited to a predefined time period identified in the modified set of records.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing apparatus comprises at least one processor, and memory storing instructions configured to instruct the at least one processor to monitor the events relevant to the offer campaign in accordance with the set of records.

5. A non-transitory computer-storage medium storing instructions configured to instruct a computing apparatus to perform the method of claim 1.

6. A method, comprising:

receiving, in a computing apparatus, a set of records for an offer campaign, each record identifying at least one condition for matching an event in the offer campaign with a user participating in the offer campaign;

monitoring, by the computing apparatus, events relevant to the offer campaign in accordance with the set of records;

detecting, by the computing apparatus, a first purchase satisfying a first record of the set of records; and

in response to detection of the first purchase, transmitting, by the computing apparatus, a message in accordance with the first record to announce a benefit to be provided in response to a second purchase satisfying a second record of the set of records.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the benefit to be provided is based at least in part on a benefit provided in response to the first purchase.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the benefit to be provided is to increase the benefit to be provided in response to the first purchase.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving, in a computing apparatus, a set of records for an offer campaign, each record identifying at least one condition for matching an event in the offer campaign with a user participating in the offer campaign;

monitoring, by the computing apparatus, events relevant to the offer campaign in accordance with the set of records;

detecting, by the computing apparatus, a set of users satisfying a spending pattern as identified in a first record of the set of records; and

in response to detection of the set of users satisfying the spending pattern, transmitting, by the computing apparatus, a message to the set of users in accordance with the first record to announce a benefit to be provided in accordance with a second record of the set of records.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the set of users satisfies a set of prerequisite conditions as identified by one or more additional records to qualify for being matched with the spending pattern.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the spending pattern is based on transactions of a respective user being lower than a threshold in at least one of:

a predetermined time period of a day, a merchant category, and a predefined time period.

12. A system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory storing instructions configured to instruct the at least one processor to;

receive a set of records for an offer campaign, each record identifying at least one condition for matching an event in the offer campaign with a user participating in the offer campaign;

monitor events relevant to the offer campaign in accordance with the set of records;

detect a first purchase or a set of users; and

in response to detection of the first purchase or the set of users, transmit a message in accordance with a first record of the set of records to announce a benefit to be provided in accordance with a second record of the set of records.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first purchase satisfies the first record.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the set of users satisfies a spending pattern identified in the first record, and the message is transmitted to the set of users.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a transaction handler to generate transaction data from processing transactions of the set of users, wherein the spending pattern is determined based on the transaction data.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a data warehouse configured to keep track of milestones for a first user as a transaction history of the first user is monitored in real time.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising a transaction handler configured to allow a merchant to specify the spending pattern.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a portal to allow the merchant to specify one or more predetermined time instances for evaluation of the spending pattern.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the benefit is to be provided in response to a second purchase.

20. The system of claim 12, further comprising at least one of a message broker and a media controller to transmit the message.

21. The system of claim 12, further comprising a portal configured to permit an offeror of the offer campaign to make a modification of the benefit during execution of the offer campaign.