ADMINISTERING AN eREWARDS PROGRAM USING DYNAMIC GEO-FENCING
First Claim
1. A method of administering an eRewards program using dynamic geo-fencing, the method comprising:
- (a) enabling a member merchant to offer an eReward in exchange for points in the eRewards program;
(b) a server computer defining a geo-fence around a place of business of the member merchant;
(c) when a client mobile device of a member user is detected within the geo-fence, the server computer determining whether the member user has sufficient points to redeem the eReward; and
(d) when the member user has sufficient points to redeem the eReward, the server computer sending a notification to the client mobile device.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Utilizing geo-fencing technology on mobile devices, notifications are sent to a user when they enter a variable sized radius of a merchant offering an eReward. The notification may allow the user to redeem the reward directly from the notification, by allowing the user to confirm their intent and causing the user to receive a terms and conditions alert. Once the terms and conditions alert is accepted, the user will hit a website end-point that will deduct the points from the eRewards account and present the eReward to the mobile client device, e.g., into a “passbook” or the like. In a preferred embodiment, only users with the capability to purchase the reward will be notified, and users will be able to one-step redeem the award from the notification itself.
15 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of administering an eRewards program using dynamic geo-fencing, the method comprising:
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(a) enabling a member merchant to offer an eReward in exchange for points in the eRewards program; (b) a server computer defining a geo-fence around a place of business of the member merchant; (c) when a client mobile device of a member user is detected within the geo-fence, the server computer determining whether the member user has sufficient points to redeem the eReward; and (d) when the member user has sufficient points to redeem the eReward, the server computer sending a notification to the client mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer system for administering an eRewards program using dynamic geo-fencing, the computer system comprising:
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at least one client mobile device of a member user, the client mobile device including a memory, a processor and a display; and a system server running a server program, the at least one client mobile device and the system server being interconnected by a computer network, the system server including a geo-fence construction resource that establishes a geo-fence around a place of business of a member merchant offering an e-Reward in exchange for points in the eRewards program, wherein the system server is programmed to detect when the at least one client mobile device is physically present within the geo-fence, and wherein when the system server determines that the member user has sufficient points to redeem the eReward, the system server is programmed to send a notification to the client mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of administering an eRewards program using dynamic geo-fencing, the method comprising:
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(a) enabling a member merchant to offer an eReward in exchange for points in the eRewards program; (b) a server computer defining a geo-fence around a place of business of the member merchant; and (c) when a client mobile device of a member user is detected within the geo-fence, the server computer sending a notification to the client mobile device, wherein a size of the geo-fence is selectively variable based on at least one of member merchant preferences, member user characteristics, and the eReward. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification