PRESENTING COMMERCIAL OFFERS TO MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICES BASED ON ACTIVITY OF MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICE USERS

• US 20140222575A1
• Filed: 04/04/2014
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jhanji, Neeraj
• Granted Patent: US 10,104,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.58
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 based on store location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

A computer-implemented method receiving receives information describing a current or future activity from a user of a computing system via a mobile device. The current activity is an activity occurring at a current time when the information is received, while the future activity is an activity occurring at a future time relative to a time when the information is received. The method transmits the information describing the current or future activity to a backend database coupled to the Internet and remote from the mobile device. The information describing the current or future activity is accessible to at least one recipient having access privilege to information associated with the user and describing the current or future activity via the Internet.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, at a server, data specifying criteria for presentation of a commercial offer;

receiving, at the server, information from a mobile computing device describing an activity of a user, the information including an activity type and location information;

determining whether the received information from the mobile computing device describing the activity of the user satisfies one or more of the criteria for presentation of the commercial offer; and

communicating the commercial offer to the mobile computing device for presentation to the user responsive to determining that the received information from the mobile computing device describing the activity of the user satisfies one or more of the criteria for presentation of the commercial offer.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the received information from the mobile computing device describing the activity of the user satisfies one or more of the criteria for presentation of the commercial offer comprises:

determining whether time information included in the received information from the mobile computing device describing the activity of the user overlaps with a time period identified by the data specifying criteria for presentation of the commercial offer.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the received information from the mobile computing device describing the activity of the user satisfies one or more of the criteria for presentation of the commercial offer comprises:

determining whether an age associated with the user and included in the received information from the mobile computing device describing the activity of the user satisfies age information identified by the data specifying criteria for presentation of the commercial offer.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the received information from the mobile computing device describing the activity of the user satisfies one or more of the criteria for presentation of the commercial offer comprises:

determining whether a type associated with the activity of the user matches a type identified by the data specifying criteria for presentation of the commercial offer.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the received information from the mobile computing device describing the activity of the user satisfies one or more of the criteria for presentation of the commercial offer comprises:

determining whether a type associated with the activity of the user matches a type identified by the data specifying criteria for presentation of the commercial offer.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the received information from the mobile computing device describing the activity of the user satisfies one or more of the criteria for presentation of the commercial offer comprises:

retrieving information stored by the server and associated with the user; and

determining whether the received information from the mobile computing device and the information stored by the server and associated with the user satisfy one or more of the criteria for presentation of the commercial offer.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the information stored by the server and associated with the user comprises historical purchases associated with the user.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the information stored by the server and associated with the user comprises additional commercial offers previously redeemed by the user.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the commercial offer comprises an electronic coupon.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the electronic coupon includes a unique identifier associated with the criteria for presentation of the commercial offer provided by the merchant.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the electronic coupon includes a bar code for presentation by the mobile computing device.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication the user redeemed the commercial offer; and

storing information indicating the user redeemed the commercial offer in association with a user profile maintained by the server and associated with the user.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the criteria for presentation of the commercial offer are selected from a group consisting of:

a distance from a location, a time period, a specified type of activity, and any combination thereof.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the commercial offer comprises information associated with a product or a service.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the information associated with the product or the service comprises information for accessing a website associated with an advertiser associated with the product or the service.

16. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive, at a server, data specifying criteria for presentation of a commercial offer provided by a merchant;

receive, at the server, information from a mobile computing device describing an activity of a user, the information including an activity type and location information;

determine whether the received information from the mobile computing device describing the activity of the user satisfies one or more of the criteria for presentation of the commercial offer; and

communicate the commercial offer to the mobile computing device for presentation to the user responsive to determining that the received information from the mobile computing device describing the activity of the user satisfies one or more of the criteria for presentation of the commercial offer.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein determine whether the received information from the mobile computing device describing the activity of the user satisfies one or more of the criteria for presentation of the commercial offer comprises:

determine whether time information included in the received information from the mobile computing device describing the activity of the user overlaps with a time period identified by the data specifying criteria for presentation of the commercial offer.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein determine whether the received information from the mobile computing device describing the activity of the user satisfies one or more of the criteria for presentation of the commercial offer comprises:

determine whether an age associated with the user and included in the received information from the mobile computing device describing the activity of the user satisfies age information identified by the data specifying criteria for presentation of the commercial offer.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein determine whether the received information from the mobile computing device describing the activity of the user satisfies one or more of the criteria for presentation of the commercial offer comprises:

determine whether a type associated with the activity of the user matches a type identified by the data specifying criteria for presentation of the commercial offer.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein determine whether the received information from the mobile computing device describing the activity of the user satisfies one or more of the criteria for presentation of the commercial offer comprises:

determine whether a type associated with the activity of the user matches a type identified by the data specifying criteria for presentation of the commercial offer.

21. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein determine whether the received information from the mobile computing device describing the activity of the user satisfies one or more of the criteria for presentation of the commercial offer comprises:

retrieve information stored by the server and associated with the user; and

determine whether the received information from the mobile computing device and the information stored by the server and associated with the user satisfy one or more of the criteria for presentation of the commercial offer.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the information stored by the server and associated with the user comprises historical purchases associated with the user.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the information stored by the server and associated with the user comprises additional commercial offers previously redeemed by the user.

24. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the commercial offer comprises an electronic coupon.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the electronic coupon includes a bar code for presentation by the mobile computing device.

26. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium further has instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

receive an indication the user redeemed the commercial offer; and

store information indicating the user redeemed the commercial offer in association with a user profile maintained by the server and associated with the user.

27. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the commercial offer comprises information associated with a product or a service.