SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING RELEVANT USER NOTIFICATIONS

• US 20150019338A1
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leonard Z. Sotomayor
• Original Assignee: Leonard Z. Sotomayor
• Inventors: Sotomayor, Leonard Z.
• Granted Patent: US 9,767,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.55
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 Auctions

Abstract

An apparatus and method are disclosed for providing an advertising system in which a buyer generates a profile containing a list of preferred purchases or vendors. At least some of the buyer'"'"'s preferred profile entries are associated with a geographic area. A mobile network is used to connect the mobile buyers and the sellers. Both the buyers'"'"' profiles and the sellers'"'"' advertisements are uploaded to the network. The network matches buyers and sellers by providing to the buyers sales advertisements that match the criteria of the uploaded buyer'"'"'s profiles but without sharing buyers'"'"' unique indentifying information with the sellers. The buyer devices optionally include an ad server to filter and manage the buyer'"'"'s receipt of advertisements. The sellers'"'"' offers and promotions also optionally include time-dependent information such that they expire upon the passage of a specified time period.

Claims

1. A system for delivering notifications to user devices comprising:

at least one user device having a processor and an associated memory for storing instructions executed by said processor, said user device storing in said memory a user profile generated by a user of said user device, said user profile containing a list of preferred offerings of said user, said preferred offerings related a geographic area, said geographic area being determined by said user of said user device; and

a computer-based vendor system having a processor and an associated memory for storing instructions executed by said processor, said vendor system coupled to said at least one user device and at least one vendor through a computer network, said user profile uploaded to and stored on said network, said user profile being stored confidentially with respect to said at least one vendor, said at least one vendor providing a vendor notification to said vendor system, said vendor system uploading said vendor notification to said network, said network determining that said preferred offerings of said user matches said vendor notification, and generating a user notification containing data from said vendor notification, and transmitting said user notification to said user device using said network.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said preferred offerings include a vendor within said geographic area and said vendor notification includes a vendor identifier, said vendor system determining a match when said user profile of said at least one notified user device includes said vendor identifier.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said preferred offerings include a product within said active geographic area and said vendor notification includes a product identifier, said vendor system determining a match when said user profile of said at least one notified user devices include said product identifier.

4. The system of claim 2 or 3 wherein said vendor notification is one of an advertisement, a circular, a promotion, an event, a destination place or a brand.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said user device includes an ad server coupled to said processor and associated memory, said ad server filtering said user notifications so as to display only those user notifications that match said preferred offerings, said ad server including a bypass feature that is capable of being activated so that users notification that do not match said preferred offerings are also displayed on user device.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said vendor notification includes an expiration period and said associated user notification indicates to said user when said vendor notification has expired.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said user profile stored on said network is periodically updated.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said user device is a mobile device, including but not limited to:

a handheld electronic device, a tablet, a smartphone, a mobile phone, a phablet, a laptop, or a notebook computer.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said active geographic area is determined by said user to include a local geographic area that includes either a user'"'"'s home or a user'"'"'s employment location.

10. The system of claim 1 in which the user profile has a default configuration by which said at least one user device receives user notifications, said default configuration being customizable and including a discovery mode selection for receiving user notifications that do not match any criteria within said user profile.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one user device includes an ad server coupled to said processor and said associated memory, the method further including:

filtering said user notifications with said ad server so as to display only those user notifications that match said preferred offerings;

activating a bypass feature on said ad server; and

displaying on said at least one user device user notifications that do not match said preferred offerings.

11. A method for delivering notifications to at least one user from at least one vendor, said method operated over a computer network that couples a vendor system associated with at least one vendor and at least one user device associated with a user, said at least one user device and said vendor system including a processor and an associated memory for storing instructions executed by said processors, a computer network coupled to said at least one user device and said vendor system, a user profile containing a list of preferred offerings, said list of preferred offerings created by said at least one user and associated with a geographic area, said geographic area being determined by said user of said at least one user device, the method comprising:

receiving said list of preferred offerings at said network from said at least on user;

receiving a vendor notification at said network from said at least one vendor;

determining within said network a match between said preferred offerings and said vendor notification; and

transmitting a user notification containing data from said vendor notification from said network to said at least one user device.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising repetitively:

creating said user profile by said user;

transmitting said user profile to said network;

updating said user profile by said user; and

transmitting said updated user profile to said network.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

creating a vendor profile from said at least one vendor on said network;

uploading a list of vendor data to said network for inclusion in said vendor profile; and

transmitting with said network said list of vendor data to said at least one user device with said user notification.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising transmitting anonymous user data to said at least one vendor.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein said vendor notification includes an expiration period and the method further includes sending an additional user notification indicating to said at least one user when said vendor notification expires.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising scheduling said transmission of said user notification for a certain time and transmitting said user notification at said time.

18. A business method for delivering non-solicited notifications to at least one user from at least one vendor, said business method operated over a computer network that couples a vendor system, a plurality of vendors and at least one user device associated with a user, said at least one user device and said vendor system including a processor and an associated memory for storing instructions executed by said processors, a user profile containing a list of preferred offerings, said list of preferred offerings created by said user and associated with a geographic area, said geographic area being determined by said user of said at least one user device, said user profile further including a discovery mode preference, the business method comprising:

receiving a plurality of vendor notifications at said network from said plurality of vendors;

receiving monetary bids from said plurality of vendors for distributing said notification;

selecting a vendor from said plurality of distributing vendors based on said bid of said distributing vendor;

receiving payment at said network corresponding to said monetary bid at said vendor system;

determining that said discovery mode preference is set for a group of users devices; and

transmitting a user notification containing data from said selected distributed vendor and associated vendor notification from said vendor system to said to said group of user devices for which said discovery mode is set.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising transmitting user summary profile data to said plurality of vendors, said vendors using said user summary profile data in determining the value of said monetary bids.