System for Marketing Campaign Specification and Secure Digital Coupon Redemption

• US 20140195322A1
• Filed: 10/11/2013
• Published: 07/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Inventors: Kramer, James F., Ning, Paul C.
• Granted Patent: US 10,096,039 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Product vendors are provided with a system for performing a marketing campaign to mobile communication device users, providing offers as instruments, such as digital coupons, to a selected group of users of the mobile communication devices and validating the integrity of the instruments. The invention has two phases: the selection of the components of the instrument from a menu provided by a social networking organization; and validating the instrument upon redemption from the product vendor. In the first phase, the product vendor selects elements from the menu relevant to the campaign, such as timing, nature of the offer, targeting of the recipients, etc. In the second phase, the instrument is encoded as to the marketing campaign and an arbitrary designation which initiates a pattern as the instrument is redeemed. The product vendor inspects the instrument to ensure that the encoding is correct during the redemption process.

Claims

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. A system for validating the proper use of an instrument presented on a mobile communication device associated with a user for redemption of said instrument, said system comprising:

a data processor configured to;

access data comprising information of said user and a marketing campaign associated with said instrument;

originate said instrument; and

validate said instrument upon receiving data indicating redemption of said instrument by;

determining a sequence designator of said instrument; and

sending said sequence designator to said mobile communication device;

and

said mobile communication device having a display and configured to;

transmit to said data processor said data indicating redemption of said instrument;

and

display said sequence designator on said display of said mobile communication device.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein:

said instrument is a digital coupon;

said sequence designator is a number; and

said mobile communication device is further configured to display said number on said display after said instrument is validated.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein when a request to verify said digital coupon is selected on said mobile communication device, said data processor is further configured to provide said number to an award provider.

20. A system according to claim 18, wherein said data processor is further configured to determine said number by starting from a random seed and incrementing said number each time an instrument for said marketing campaign is redeemed.

21. A system according to claim 17, wherein:

said data processor is further configured to;

validate said instrument upon receiving data indicating redemption of said instrument by;

determining a time of redemption of said instrument; and

sending said time of redemption to said mobile communication device;

and

said mobile communication is further configured to display said time of redemption on said display of said mobile communication device.

22. A system according to claim 21, wherein said instrument is a digital coupon and said mobile communication device is further configured to display said time of redemption after said instrument is validated.

23. A system according to claim 21, wherein when a request to verify said digital coupon is selected on said mobile communication device, said data processor is further configured to provide said time of redemption to an award provider.

24. A system according to claim 17, wherein:

said data processor is further configured to;

validate said instrument upon receiving data indicating redemption of said instrument by;

determining a time since redemption of said instrument; and

sending said time since redemption to said mobile communication device;

and

said mobile communication is further configured to display said time since redemption on said display of said mobile communication device.

25. A system according to claim 24, wherein said instrument is a digital coupon and said mobile communication device is further configured to display said time since redemption after said instrument is validated.

26. A system according to claim 24, wherein when a request to verify said digital coupon is selected on said mobile communication device, said data processor is further configured to provide said time since redemption to an award provider.

27. A system for performing a marketing campaign for a product vendor directed to a user, comprising:

a data processor configured to;

receive timing aspects of a targeted offer from a product vendor device associated with said product vendor, said timing aspects including a date and a clock time;

originate a digital coupon associated with said targeted offer based on said date and said clock time; and

associate said digital coupon with said user.

28. A system according to claim 27, wherein said timing aspects include said date and said clock time said targeted offer is provided.

29. A system according to claim 28, wherein said digital coupon is associated with an account of said user and said data processor is further configured to provide said digital coupon to a mobile communication device associated with said user based on said date and said clock time said targeted offer is provided.

30. A system according to claim 27, wherein said timing aspects include said date and said clock time said targeted offer becomes valid.

31. A system according to claim 30, wherein said digital coupon is associated with an account of said user and said data processor is further configured to provide said digital coupon indicating said date and said clock time said targeted offer becomes valid to a mobile communication device associated with said user.

32. A system according to claim 27, wherein said timing aspects include said date and said clock time said targeted offer stops being valid.

33. A system according to claim 32, wherein said digital coupon is associated with an account of said user and said data processor is further configured to provide said digital coupon indicating said date and said clock time said targeted offer stops being valid to a mobile communication device associated with said user

34. A method, comprising:

receiving timing aspects of a targeted offer from a product vendor device associated with a product vendor, said timing aspects including a date and a clock time;

originating a digital coupon associated with said targeted offer based on said date and said clock time; and

associating said digital coupon to with said user.

35. A method according to claim 34, wherein said timing aspects include one or more of:

said date and said clock time when said targeted offer is provided;

said date and said clock time when said targeted offer becomes valid; and

said date and said clock time when said targeted offer stops being valid.

36. The method of claim 34 further comprising providing said digital coupon to a mobile communication device associated with said user.