Promotion Management Systems and Methods

• US 20140052522A1
• Filed: 08/08/2013
• Published: 02/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Stepsaway, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Stepsaway, Inc.
• Inventors: Irani, Boman B., Lyon, Bruce, Haims, Allan, Trout, J.D.
• Application Number:
  US13/962,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20140052522A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.26
• 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 30/0261 based on user location

Abstract

A request may be received from a customer device to access a local area network, the local area network accessible via one or more network access points in a geographic location. A network entry page may be provided to the customer device in response to the request, the network entry page providing a portal to a set of promotions offered by a set of merchants, the set of promotions redeemable by a user of the customer device, the set of merchants being in the geographic location. A selection may be received by the user of a particular promotion from the set of promotions. A promotion code associated with the particular promotion may be provided to the customer device. The promotion code may enable redemption of the particular promotion from a particular merchant.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a customer device to access a local area network, the local area network accessible via one or more network access points in a geographic location;

providing a network entry page to the customer device in response to the request, the network entry page providing a portal to a set of promotions offered by a set of merchants, the set of promotions being redeemable by a user of the customer device, the set of merchants being in the geographic location;

receiving a selection by the user of a particular promotion from the set of promotions; and

providing to the customer device a promotion code associated with the particular promotion, the promotion code enabling redemption of the particular promotion from a particular merchant.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular merchant is located within the coverage of the local area network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular promotion comprises a timer configured to expire the particular promotion.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the promotion code comprises an alphanumeric code or an image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the promotion code comprises a barcode or a Quick Response (QR) code.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the redemption of the promotion code comprises machine reading the promotion code.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring whether the particular promotion was redeemed.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing analytics related to the particular promotion.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing analytics related to the customer device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the local area network comprises an 802.11 wireless network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to access the local area network is received in response to the customer device attempting to switch from another data network.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the other data network comprises a Third Generation (3G) or a Fourth Generation (4G) data network.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the network entry page is rendered on a web browser on the customer device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the network entry page comprises a home page of a mobile application on the customer device.

15. A system comprising:

a network monitoring module operative to receive a request from a customer device to access a local area network, the local area network accessible via one or more network access points in a geographic location;

a network entry page module operative to provide a network entry page to the customer device in response to the request, the network entry page providing a portal to a set of promotions offered by a set of merchants, the set of promotions being redeemable by a user of the customer device, the set of merchants being in the geographic location; and

a promotion control module operative to;

receive, a selection by the user of a particular promotion from the set of promotions, and

provide to the customer device a promotion code associated with the particular promotion, the promotion code enabling redemption of the particular promotion from a particular merchant.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the particular promotion comprises a timer configured to expire the particular promotion.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising a promotion search module operative to facilitate a search of the set of promotions.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising a promotion sharing module operative to facilitate sharing of the set of promotions.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising a customer profile management module operative to manage a customer profile of the customer device.

20. A system comprising:

means for receiving a request from a customer device to access a local area network, the local area network accessible via one or more network access points in a geographic location;

means for providing a network entry page to the customer device in response to the request, the network entry page providing a portal to a set of promotions offered by a set of merchants, the set of promotions being redeemable by a user of the customer device, the set of merchants being in the geographic location;

means for receiving a selection by the user of a particular promotion from the set of promotions, and for providing to the customer device a promotion code associated with the particular promotion, the promotion code enabling redemption of the particular promotion from a particular merchant.