Dynamic method and apparatus for target promotion

• US 6,922,672 B1
• Filed: 01/15/1999
• Issued: 07/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hailpern, Brent Tzion, Yu, Philip Shi-lung
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, John W.
• Application Number:
  US09/232,751
• Time in Patent Office: 2,384 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/10, 705/26, 705/27, 235/378, 235/379, 235/579
• US Class Current: 705/14.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0252 based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

A system and method for providing target groups of customers with a plurality of promotions for a plurality of goods. Active customers are tracked for each target group. Active customers can include customers with portable devices, customers with hand-held devices, customers who are viewers of a pay-per-view system and customers who are viewers of a web site. The promotions for each target group are calculated based on the promotional objectives for each target group and the conditions in the operating environment. Selected promotions are sent the active customers for each target group.

Claims

1. A method for providing a plurality of target groups with a plurality of promotions for a plurality of goods, using a computer server, comprised of the steps:

a) tracking active customers for said plurality of target groups by monitoring the changes of active customers on a real-time basis in a geographical area in which customers are to receive promotions, and updating the changes of said active customers on a real-time basis;

b) tracking the changes in operating environment for said plurality of goods and determining which of the plurality of goods are to be promoted based on the changes in operating environment;

c) calculating target group characteristics on a real-time basis for said plurality of target groups from said active customers;

d) calculating a plurality of promotions from a given set of promotional candidates for a plurality of goods based on promotional objectives for said plurality of target groups, wherein said promotional objectives include said target group characteristics; and

e) disseminating by the computer server, said plurality of promotions to one or more of said plurality of target groups, wherein selection of said one or more of said plurality of target groups is dependent on changes in operating environment.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, said method further including the step of sending said plurality of promotions to said active customers for said plurality of target groups.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said plurality of promotions are sendable by broadcasting.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, said method further including the steps of:

a) partitioning a plurality of customers into said plurality of target groups with different characteristics; and

b) maintaining said target group characteristics for said plurality of target groups.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said target group characteristics include size of the target group and location of the target group.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said operating environment for said plurality of goods includes changes in available service capacity to service sales for said plurality of goods and changes in inventory level for said plurality of goods.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, said method further including the step of maintaining said set of promotional candidates for said plurality of target groups.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein step (a) includes receiving signals from said active customers to identify and track said active customers.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein said active customers includes at least one of customers with portable devices, customers with hand-held devices, customers who are viewers of a cable or pay-per-view system, and customers who are viewers of a web site.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein, in step (c), the calculation of said target group characteristics for said plurality of target groups from said active customers utilizes information from a customer data base.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein said customer data base includes at least one of customer profile and customer buying history.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein, said promotional objectives take into account the time of date, seasonal factors, and the acceptance rate of said target group.

13. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein, the step of tracking of said active customers includes the step of detecting said active customers through the use of an electronic signaling device.

14. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein, said electronic signaling device is an RF LAN.

15. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein, the tracking of said active customers requires the use of a cookie mechanism to identify active sessions of a web site.

16. An apparatus for providing a plurality of target groups, a plurality of promotions for a plurality of goods, using a computer server, comprising:

a) means for tracking active customers for said plurality of target groups by monitoring the changes of active customers on a real-time basis in a geographical area in which customers are to receive promotions, and updating the changes of said active customers on a real-time basis;

b) means for tracking the changes in operating environment for said plurality of goods and determining which if the plurality of goods are to be promoted based on the changes in operating environment, wherein said changes include changes in available service capacity to service sales for said plurality of goods;

c) means for calculating target group characteristics on a real-time basis for said plurality of target groups from said active customers; and

d) means for calculating a plurality of promotions from a given set of promotional candidates for a plurality of goods based on promotional objectives for said plurality of target groups, wherein said promotional objectives include said target group characteristics.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 16, further including means for sending said plurality of promotions to said active customers for said plurality of target groups.

18. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instruction executable by the machine to perform method steps providing a plurality of target groups, a plurality of promotions for a plurality of goods, using a computing server, said method steps comprising:

a) tracking active customers for said plurality of target groups by monitoring the changes of active customers on a real-time basis in a geographical area in which customers are to receive promotions, and updating the changes of said active customers on a real-time basis;

b) tracking the changes in operating environment for said plurality of goods and determining which of the plurality of goods are to be promoted based on the changes in operating environment, wherein said changes include changes in available service capacity to service sales for said plurality of goods;

c) calculating target group characteristics on a real-time basis for said plurality of target groups from said active customers; and

d) calculating a plurality of promotions from a given set of promotional candidates for a plurality of goods based on promotional objectives for said plurality of target groups, wherein said promotional objectives include said target group characteristics.