Targeted distribution of electronic coupons

• US 8,280,766 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2011
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Higgins, Christopher W., Davis, Marc E., Trout, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jagdish
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAMILTON, SARA CHANDLER
• Application Number:
  US13/219,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20120016729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 403 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.1, 705/14.13
• US Class Current: 705/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product is described that matches commercial incentives to consumers based on targeting data associated with the commercial incentive and user data associated with consumers in a manner that advantageously allows for highly-targeted delivery of commercial incentives to the consumers that are most likely to use them. Because both the targeting data and the user data may include spatial, temporal, social and topical data, matching may be performed based on any or all of these data types, as well as based on any combination of these data types.

Claims

1. A system for automatically distributing electronic coupons to consumers, comprising:

at least a first database configured to store targeting data associated with a plurality of electronic coupons, wherein the targeting data includes at least a target geographic region associated with each electronic coupon and a target area of interest associated with each electronic coupon;

at least a second database configured to store user data associated with each of a plurality of consumers that have registered to receive electronic coupons via a user interface to the system, the user data comprising at least a geographic region associated with each consumer, an area of interest specified by each consumer via the user interface to the system, and an area of interest determined by analyzing prior commercial transactions of each consumer;

one or more computers having software, wherein the one or more computers are communicatively coupled to at least the first database and the second database and wherein upon execution of the software by the one or more computers, the one or more computers are configured to;

obtain the targeting data associated with the plurality of electronic coupons and the user data associated with each of the plurality of consumers that have registered to received electronic coupons;

match the electronic coupons to the consumers by matching the targeting data associated with the electronic coupons to the user data associated with the consumers; and

distribute each electronic coupon to at least one consumer with which the electronic coupon has been matched;

wherein the one or more computers are configured to match a particular electronic coupon to a particular consumer by at least matching the target geographic region associated with the particular electronic coupon to the geographic region associated with the particular consumer, matching the target area of interest associated with the particular electronic coupon to the area of interest specified by the particular consumer, and matching the target area of interest associated with the particular electronic coupon to the area of interest determined by analyzing the prior commercial transactions of the particular consumer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computers are further configured to distribute an electronic coupon to a consumer by distributing the electronic coupon to a user device associated with the consumer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one electronic coupon comprises a discount or rebate relating to a particular product or service.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the targeting data associated with each electronic coupon further comprises a target time period,

the user data associated with each consumer further comprises temporal data associated with each consumer, and

the one or more computers are configured to match the particular electronic coupon to the particular consumer by also determining that the temporal data associated with the particular consumer falls within the target time period associated with the particular electronic coupon.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the targeting data associated with each electronic coupon further includes an identity of a user that has at least received the commercial incentive;

the user data associated with each consumer further comprises social data that identifies a group of users with whom each consumer is socially connected, and

the one or more computers are configured to match the particular electronic coupon to the particular consumer by also determining that a user that has at least received the particular electronic coupon is within the group of users with whom the particular consumer is socially connected.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the targeting data associated with each electronic coupon further includes one or more of a target age, a target gender, a target marital status, a target home ownership status, a target socioeconomic status, and target life cycle status,

the user data associated with each consumer further includes one or more of an age, a gender, a marital status, a home ownership status, a socioeconomic status and a life cycle status associated with each consumer, and

the one or more computers are configured to match the particular electronic coupon to the particular consumer by also matching at least one of the target age, the target gender, the target marital status, the target home ownership status, the target socioeconomic status and the target life cycle status associated with the particular electronic coupon to a corresponding one or more of the age, the gender, the marital status, the home ownership status, the socioeconomic status and the life cycle status associated with the particular consumer.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the age, the gender, the marital status, the home ownership status, the socioeconomic status and the life cycle status associated with the particular consumer are specified by the particular consumer via the user interface to the system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the geographic region associated with each consumer includes or is derived from one or more of:

data entered into a user device by the consumer;

cell tower data;

GPRS data;

global positioning service (GPS) data;

WI-FI data;

personal area network data;

or

IP address data.

9. A method, comprising:

storing targeting data associated with a plurality of electronic coupons in at least a first database, wherein the targeting data includes at least a target geographic region associated with each electronic coupon and a target area of interest associated with each electronic coupon;

storing user data associated with each of a plurality of consumers that have registered to receive electronic coupons in at least a second database, the user data comprising at least a geographic region associated with each consumer, an area of interest specified by each consumer, and an area of interest determined by analyzing prior commercial transactions of each consumer;

obtaining, by at least one processor-based computer system that is communicatively coupled to at least the first database and the second database, the targeting data associated with the plurality of electronic coupons and the user data associated with each of the plurality of consumers that have registered to receive electronic coupons;

matching, by the at least one processor-based computer system, the electronic coupons to the consumers by matching the obtained targeting data to the obtained user data, wherein the matching comprises matching a particular electronic coupon to a particular consumer by matching the target geographic region associated with the particular electronic coupon to the geographic region associated with the particular consumer, matching the target area of interest associated with the particular electronic coupon to the area of interest specified by the particular consumer, and matching the target area of interest associated with the particular electronic coupon to the area of interest determined by analyzing the prior commercial transactions of the particular consumer; and

distributing, by the at least one-processor based computer system, each electronic coupon to at least one consumer with which the electronic coupon has been matched.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein distributing each electronic coupon to the at least one consumer with which the electronic coupon has been matched comprises distributing each electronic coupon to a user device associated with the at least one consumer with which the electronic coupon has been matched.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one electronic coupon comprises a discount or rebate relating to a particular product or service.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the targeting data associated with each electronic coupon further comprises a target time period,

the user data associated with each consumer further comprises temporal data associated with each consumer, and

matching the particular electronic coupon to the particular consumer further comprises determining that the temporal data associated with the particular consumer falls within the target time period associated with the particular electronic coupon.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the targeting data associated with each electronic coupon further includes an identity of a user that has at least received the commercial incentive;

the user data associated with each consumer further comprises social data that identifies a group of users with whom each consumer is socially connected, and

matching the particular electronic coupon to the particular consumer further comprises determining that a user that has at least received the particular electronic coupon is within the group of users with whom the particular consumer is socially connected.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the targeting data associated with each electronic coupon further includes one or more of a target age, a target gender, a target marital status, a target home ownership status, a target socioeconomic status, and target life cycle status,

the user data associated with each consumer further includes one or more of an age, a gender, a marital status, a home ownership status, a socioeconomic status and a life cycle status associated with each consumer, and

matching the particular electronic coupon to the particular consumer further comprises matching at least one of the target age, the target gender, the target marital status, the target home ownership status, the target socioeconomic status and the target life cycle status associated with the particular electronic coupon to a corresponding one or more of the age, the gender, the marital status, the home ownership status, the socioeconomic status and the life cycle status associated with the particular consumer.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing a user interface by which the particular consumer can specify at least one of the age, the gender, the marital status, the home ownership status, the socioeconomic status and the life cycle status associated with the particular consumer.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining the geographic region associated with each consumer based on one or more of:

data entered into a user device by the consumer;

cell tower data;

GPRS data;

global positioning service (GPS) data;

WI-FI data;

personal area network data;

or

IP address data.

17. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage unit having computer program logic recorded thereon that, when executed by a processing unit, causes the processing unit to perform operations, the computer program logic comprising:

logic that, when executed by the processing unit, causes the processing unit to store targeting data associated with a plurality of electronic coupons in at least a first database, wherein the targeting data includes at least a target geographic region associated with each electronic coupon and a target area of interest associated with each electronic coupon;

logic that, when executed by the processing unit, causes the processing unit to store user data associated with each of a plurality of consumers that have registered to receive electronic coupons in at least a second database, the user data comprising at least a geographic region associated with each consumer, an area of interest specified by each consumer, and an area of interest determined by analyzing prior commercial transactions of each consumer;

logic that, when executed by the processing unit, causes the processing unit to obtain the targeting data associated with the plurality of electronic coupons and the user data associated with each of the plurality of consumers that have registered to receive electronic coupons;

logic that, when executed by the processing unit, causes the processing unit to match the electronic coupons to the consumers by matching the obtained targeting data to the obtained user data, wherein the matching comprises matching a particular electronic coupon to a particular consumer by matching the target geographic region associated with the particular electronic coupon to the geographic region associated with the particular consumer, matching the target area of interest associated with the particular electronic coupon to the area of interest specified by the particular consumer, and matching the target area of interest associated with the particular electronic coupon to the area of interest determined by analyzing the prior commercial transactions of the particular consumer; and

logic that, when executed by the processing unit, causes the processing unit to distribute each electronic coupon to at least one consumer with which the electronic coupon has been matched.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer program logic comprises logic that, when executed by the processing unit, causes the processing unit to distribute each electronic coupon to a user device associated with the at least one consumer with which the electronic coupon has been matched.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein at least one electronic coupon comprises a discount or rebate relating to a particular product or service.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein:

the targeting data associated with each electronic coupon further comprises a target time period,

the user data associated with each consumer further comprises temporal data associated with each consumer, and

the computer program logic comprises logic that, when executed by the processing unit, matches the particular electronic coupon to the particular consumer by also determining that the temporal data associated with the particular consumer falls within the target time period associated with the particular electronic coupon.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein:

the targeting data associated with each electronic coupon further includes an identity of a user that has at least received the commercial incentive;

the user data associated with each consumer further comprises social data that identifies a group of users with whom each consumer is socially connected, and

the computer program logic comprises logic that, when executed by the processing unit, matches the particular electronic coupon to the particular consumer by also determining that a user that has at least received the particular electronic coupon is within the group of users with whom the particular consumer is socially connected.

22. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein:

the targeting data associated with each electronic coupon further includes one or more of a target age, a target gender, a target marital status, a target home ownership status, a target socioeconomic status, and target life cycle status,

the user data associated with each consumer further includes one or more of an age, a gender, a marital status, a home ownership status, a socioeconomic status and a life cycle status associated with each consumer, and

the computer program logic comprises logic that, when executed by the processing unit, matches the particular electronic coupon to the particular consumer by also matching at least one of the target age, the target gender, the target marital status, the target home ownership status, the target socioeconomic status and the target life cycle status associated with the particular electronic coupon to a corresponding one or more of the age, the gender, the marital status, the home ownership status, the socioeconomic status and the life cycle status associated with the particular consumer.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the computer program logic further comprises:

logic that, when executed by the processing unit, provides a user interface by which the particular consumer can specify at least one of the age, the gender, the marital status, the home ownership status, the socioeconomic status and the life cycle status associated with the particular consumer.

24. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer program logic further comprises logic that, when executed by the processing unit, determines the geographic region associated with each consumer based on one or more of:

data entered into a user device by the consumer;

cell tower data;

GP RS data;

global positioning service (GPS) data;

WI-FI data;

personal area network data;

or

IP address data.