Arranging Advertisement Content In Digital Receipts

• US 20140180805A1
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores Texas LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Argue, Stuart, Marcar, Anthony Emile
• Application Number:
  US13/722,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20140180805A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.53
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements

Abstract

The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for arranging advertisement content in digital receipts. A receipt database server formulates a digital receipt for a sales transaction. When the digital receipt is requested for viewing by another computer system, the receipt database server can arrange content in the digital receipt for an advertising purpose. In some embodiments, the digital receipt server places an advertisement insert into the digital receipt. In other embodiments, the digital receipt server (re)arranges receipt items of the digital receipt so that some receipt items appear more prominently (e.g., are moved towards the top of the digital receipt, are displayed in a different color, are highlighted, etc.). Thus, in response to requesting a digital receipt, a customer mobile device can receive an advertisement digital receipt. The advertisement digital receipt can include content arranged for an advertising purpose.

Claims

1. At a receipt database server, the receipt database server including a processor, system memory, and one or more storage devices, a method for inserting advertisement content into a digital receipt, the method comprising:

receiving a request for digital receipts from a mobile device, the request for digital receipts corresponding to a customer identifier;

accessing a digital receipt corresponding to the customer identifier, the digital receipt having purchase information including a date of purchase, a summary of purchase, and one or more receipt items;

accessing receipt advertisement information, the receipt advertisement information including one or more an advertisement inserts, insertion criteria, and insertion instructions;

determining that the digital receipt satisfies insertion criteria for an advertisement insert, the advertisement insert selected from among the one or more advertisement inserts;

identifying a location to place the advertisement insert within the digital receipt;

creating an advertisement digital receipt by placing the advertisement insert in the determined location within the digital receipt in response to determining that the digital receipt satisfies insertion criteria for an advertisement; and

sending the advertisement digital receipt to a mobile device in response to the request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a location to place the advertisement insert within the digital receipt comprises identifying a location near the top of the digital receipt.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the summary of purchase includes a total payment for purchased items and an insertion criterion requires the total payment to exceed a specified threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein creating an advertisement digital receipt by placing the advertisement insert in the determined location within the digital receipt comprises creating a digital receipt by placing one or more of:

textual data and graphical data in the digital receipt.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein creating an advertisement digital receipt by placing the advertisement insert in the determined location within the digital receipt comprises creating a digital receipt by placing supplemental content in the digital receipt, the supplemental content modifying the display characteristics of a receipt item.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein creating a digital receipt by placing supplemental content in the digital receipt comprises placing supplemental content that highlights or changes the display color of the receipt item to increase the prominence of the receipt item when displayed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the digital receipt satisfies insertion criteria for an advertisement insert comprises determining that the advertisement insert has been inserted into digital receipts less than a threshold number of times.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the digital receipt satisfies insertion criteria for an advertisement insert comprises determining that a user of the mobile device has opted in for advertisements.

9. At a receipt database server, the receipt database server including a processor, system memory, and one or more storage devices, a method for rearranging receipt items of a digital receipt for advertising, the method comprising:

receiving a request for digital receipts from a mobile device, the request for digital receipts corresponding to a customer identifier;

accessing a digital receipt corresponding to the customer identifier, the digital receipt having purchase information including a date of purchase, a summary of purchase, and one or more receipt items;

accessing receipt advertisement information, the receipt advertisement information including reordering criteria and reordering instructions;

determining that a specified receipt item from among the one or more receipt items satisfies reordering criteria;

creating an advertisement digital receipt by reordering the specified receipt item relative to other of the one or more receipt items in accordance with the reordering instructions; and

sending the advertisement digital receipt to a mobile device, in response to the request.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the summary of purchase includes a total payment for purchased items and a reordering criterion requires the total payment to exceed a specified threshold.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein creating an advertisement digital receipt by reordering the specified receipt item relative to other of the one or more receipt items comprises creating an advertisement digital receipt by reordering the specific receipt item closer to the top of the digital receipt in accordance with the reordering instructions.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein determining that the digital receipt satisfies reordering criteria for an advertisement insert comprises determining that a user of the mobile device has opted in for advertisements.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein creating an advertisement digital receipt further comprising placing an advertisement insert in a determined location within the digital receipt.

14. The method claim 13, wherein placing an advertisement insert in a determined location within the digital receipt comprises placing one or more of:

textual data and graphical data in the digital receipt.

15. A computer system having a processor, system memory, and a display, the system comprising:

a communication module configured to receive requests for digital receipts and return digital receipts to requesting devices, wherein digital receipts are associated with a an application ID and digital receipts include receipt items;

a storage device for storing digital receipts and for storing advertisement configurations, the advertisement configurations including;

one or more advertisement inserts, insertion criteria, insertion instructions, reordering criteria, and reordering instructions; and

an arrangement module, the arrangement module configured to;

reorder receipt items within digital receipts in accordance with the reordering instructions in response to satisfying the reordering criteria; and

place advertisement inserts within digital receipts in accordance with the insertion instructions in response to satisfying the insertion criteria.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the arrangement module is further configured to place supplemental content within digital receipts in accordance with the insertion instructions in response to satisfying the insertion criteria, the supplemental content modifying the display characteristics of a receipt item.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the arrangement module being configured to place supplemental content within digital receipts in accordance with the insertion instructions comprises the arrangement module being configured to place supplemental content that highlights or changes the display color of the receipt item to increase the prominence of the receipt item when displayed.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the arrangement module being configured to place advertisement inserts within digital receipts comprises the arrangement module being configured to place one or more of:

textual data, graphics, hyperlinks within digital receipts, and triggers to launch customer workflows.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the arrangement module being configured to place advertisement inserts within digital receipts comprises the arrangement module being configured to place public service announcements within digital receipts.

20. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the arrangement module being configured to reorder receipt items within digital receipts comprises the arrangement module being configured to reorder receipt items closer to the top of the digital receipts in accordance with the reordering instructions.