Mobile commerce framework
DCFirst Claim
1. A subscription-based method for presenting merchant information to a mobile device, the method comprising:
- receiving, at a server system over a communication network from the mobile device, a user inputted search for a merchant type within a geographical area and a user identification, the request having been received at the mobile device via a user interface presented by an application that runs on the mobile device;
authenticating the user identification to verify that the user has a membership in a subscription-based shopping network;
accessing, by the server system, a database storing information pertaining to merchants participating in the subscription-based shopping network, the accessing comprising identifying a matched merchant of the merchants participating in the subscription-based shopping network, the matched merchant having a physical location within the geographical area and being associated in the database with the merchant type;
retrieving, from the database by the server system, associated information for the matched merchant, the associated information comprising a name of the matched merchant, information regarding the physical location of the matched merchant, and a promotional offer offered by the matched merchant, the promotional offer incentivizing the user to visit the physical location of the matched merchant and demonstrate the user'"'"'s membership in the subscription-based shopping network to receive a discount on a product or a service from the matched merchant; and
transmitting, from the server system over the communication network for presentation to the user via the user interface on the mobile communication device, the associated information.
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Abstract
A subscription-based system for providing commerce information for one or more mobile devices for one or more merchants. Some techniques employed feature a subscription-based method for presenting commercial resources to a mobile device. The method involves receiving mobile device user information relating to a geographic location to locate one or more merchants within a subscription-based shopping network, and receiving mobile device user information relating to a merchant type within the subscription-based shopping network. The method also involves receiving, from a database over a communication network, information for one or more merchants associated with the mobile device user information for the geographic location and the merchant type, and presenting the associated merchant information on the mobile device. The associated merchant information can include a merchant name and address, a merchant telephone number, a merchant advertisement, a merchant coupon, or a merchant product or service offering to subscribers of the shopping network.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A subscription-based method for presenting merchant information to a mobile device, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a server system over a communication network from the mobile device, a user inputted search for a merchant type within a geographical area and a user identification, the request having been received at the mobile device via a user interface presented by an application that runs on the mobile device; authenticating the user identification to verify that the user has a membership in a subscription-based shopping network; accessing, by the server system, a database storing information pertaining to merchants participating in the subscription-based shopping network, the accessing comprising identifying a matched merchant of the merchants participating in the subscription-based shopping network, the matched merchant having a physical location within the geographical area and being associated in the database with the merchant type; retrieving, from the database by the server system, associated information for the matched merchant, the associated information comprising a name of the matched merchant, information regarding the physical location of the matched merchant, and a promotional offer offered by the matched merchant, the promotional offer incentivizing the user to visit the physical location of the matched merchant and demonstrate the user'"'"'s membership in the subscription-based shopping network to receive a discount on a product or a service from the matched merchant; and transmitting, from the server system over the communication network for presentation to the user via the user interface on the mobile communication device, the associated information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A mobile communication device comprising:
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means for locating a geographic area in which the mobile communication device is operated; an antenna that exchanges signals with one or more other communication devices over a wireless network an input device via which a user of the mobile communication device inputs information; a display device via which the user of the mobile communication device receives information from the mobile communication device; a processor that sends and receives the signals exchanged by the antenna; a memory operably connected to the processor and storing an application program including machine instructions that, when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform functions comprising; receiving the geographic area of the mobile communication device from the means for locating the geographic area, prompting the user, via a user interface displayed on the display device and provided by an application running on the mobile device, to enter a merchant type of interest to the user, the user having a membership in a subscription-based shopping network, receiving user information specifying the merchant type via the input device, transmitting the merchant type, a geographical area, and a user identification to a server system over the communication network via the antenna, receiving, from the server system over the communication network via the antenna after authentication by the server system of the user identification to verify that the user has the membership in the subscription-based shopping network, associated information for a matched merchant that participates in the subscription-based shopping network, that has a physical location within the geographic area, and that is associated with the merchant type in a database that stores information pertaining to merchants participating in the subscription-based shopping network and that is accessed by the server system, the associated information comprising a merchant name, information regarding the physical location of the matched merchant, and a promotional offer offered by the matched merchant, the promotional offer incentivizing the user to visit the physical location of the matched merchant and demonstrate the user'"'"'s membership in the subscription-based shopping network to receive a discount on a product or a service from the matched merchant; and presenting the associated merchant information via the user interface displayed on the display device. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer program product comprising a machine-readable medium storing machine instructions that, when executed by a server system comprising one or more programmable processors, cause the server system to perform functions comprising:
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receiving, over a communication network from the mobile device, a user inputted search for a merchant type within a geographical area and a user identification, the request having been received at the mobile device via a user interface presented by an application that runs on the mobile device; authenticating the user identification to verify that the user has a membership in a subscription-based shopping network; accessing a database storing information pertaining to merchants participating in the subscription-based shopping network, the accessing comprising identifying a matched merchant of the merchants participating in the subscription-based shopping network, the matched merchant having a physical location within the geographical area and being associated in the database with the merchant type; retrieving, from the database, associated information for the matched merchant, the associated information comprising a name of the matched merchant, information regarding the physical location of the matched merchant, and a promotional offer offered by the matched merchant, the promotional offer incentivizing the user to visit the physical location of the matched merchant and demonstrate the user'"'"'s membership in the subscription-based shopping network to receive a discount on a product or a service from the matched merchant; and transmitting,over the communication network for presentation to the user via the user interface on the mobile communication device, the associated information.
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Specification