METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ELECTRONIC DISTRIBUTION OF INCENTIVES HAVING REAL-TIME CONSUMER-BASED DIRECTIONS

• US 20140279001A1
• Filed: 12/30/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Inventors: Wills, Scott, ROBERTS, Gregory B.
• Granted Patent: US 10,970,744 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.57
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• 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: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute

Abstract

A method and system for electronic distribution of incentives having real-time consumer-based directions according to another embodiment of the present invention are disclosed. An online promotion service may receive user profile information, which may include demographic information, location information, user preferences, user requests, and other information. Online promotion service may provide targeted incentives and promotions to a particular user or class of users based on user profile information and other information. Incentives may include coupons, promotions, rebates, sales notifications, free samples, and other product or service related incentives. A map and street directions identifying the location of associated facilities, such as redemption and retail/point-of-sale facilities, from a user'"'"'s location may also be provided. The user'"'"'s location may be identified as the user'"'"'s home address, work address, or other convenient locations.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of generating incentive information and associated directional information for a user based on user profile information and user device location information, the method being implemented by a computer system that includes one or more physical processors programmed with one or more computer program instructions which, when executed, perform the method, the method comprising:

obtaining, by the computer system, information regarding available incentives including redemption location information for the available incentives;

receiving, at the computer system, from a user device associated with a user, device location information indicating a location of the user device, and information identifying the user;

generating, at the computer system, incentive information relating to at least one available incentive for the user based on user profile information for the user and the received device location information;

determining, at the computer system, one or more redemption locations at which the at least one available incentive can be redeemed based on stored redemption location information for the at least one available incentive, and inventory information for the one or more redemption locations verifying that a product for which purchase is required to redeem the at least one available incentive is currently in stock;

generating, at the computer system, directional information for providing direction from the location of the user device to the determined one or more redemption locations; and

transmitting, from the computer system to the user device, the incentive information and the directional information.