Method and apparatus for enabling a retailer to send a promotional announcement to customers

• US 8,199,742 B1
• Filed: 08/25/2005
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Croak, Marian, Eslambolchi, Hossein
• Primary Examiner(s): Deane, Jr., William
• Application Number:
  US11/211,242
• Time in Patent Office: 2,483 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 705/14, 379/265.01, 379/265.09, 379/221.09, 37911411-11413, 379/211.01, 379/214.01, 379 9312- 9313, 379/114.1, 379/114.2
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0192 Sponsored, subsidised calls via advertising, e.g. calling cards with ads or connecting to special ads, free calling time by purchasing goods

Abstract

A method and apparatus for enabling a retailer to track shoppers by a customer'"'"'s phone number are disclosed. When the customer reaches a purchase target, e.g., a predefined amount of money spent at the retailer, the present invention enables a trigger to place an outbound call to the customer to present a promotional announcement, e.g., inviting the customer to come into the store of the retailer and to receive a discount at the point of sale.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a retailer to send a promotional announcement to a customer via a communication network, comprising:

receiving purchase information pertaining to purchases of the customer made with the retailer, wherein the purchases are associated with a phone number of the customer; and

sending automatically an outbound call comprising a pre-recorded announcement via the communication network to the customer via the phone number if the purchases exceed a predefined purchase target, wherein the pre-recorded announcement is generated by a media server in the communication network, wherein the pre-recorded announcement comprises a promotional offer made by the retailer based upon the purchases exceeding the predefined purchase target.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication network is an internet protocol network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the purchase information is tracked,

by the retailer, using a retailer customer tracking server based on the phone number of the customer;

and

sending the purchase information to the communication network.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the purchase information is received by an application server in the communication network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the promotional offer is claimed at a point of sale of the retailer.

6. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for enabling a retailer to send a promotional announcement to a customer via a communication network, comprising:

receiving purchase information pertaining to purchases of the customer made with the retailer, wherein the purchases are associated with a phone number of the customer; and

sending automatically an outbound call comprising a pre-recorded announcement via the communication network to the customer via the phone number if the purchases exceed a predefined purchase target, wherein the pre-recorded announcement is generated by a media server in the communication network, wherein the pre-recorded announcement comprises a promotional offer made by the retailer based upon the purchases exceeding the predefined purchase target.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the communication network is an internet protocol network.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the purchase information is tracked,

by the retailer, using a retailer customer tracking server based on the phone number of the customer;

and

sending the purchase information to the communication network.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the purchase information is received by an application server in the communication network.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the promotional offer is claimed at a point of sale of the retailer.

11. An apparatus for enabling a retailer to send a promotional announcement to a customer via a communication network, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium in communication with the processor, wherein the computer-readable medium has stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method, comprising;

receiving purchase information pertaining to purchases of the customer made with the retailer, wherein the purchases are associated with a phone number of the customer; and

sending automatically an outbound call comprising a pre-recorded announcement via the communication network to the customer via the phone number if the purchases exceed a predefined purchase target, wherein the pre-recorded announcement is generated by a media server in the communication network, wherein the pre-recorded announcement comprises a promotional offer made by the retailer based upon the purchases exceeding the predefined purchase target.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the communication network is an internet protocol network.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the purchase information is tracked,

by the retailer, using a retailer customer tracking server based on the phone number of the customer;

and

sending the purchase information to the communication network.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the purchase information is received by an application server in the communication network.