Prioritized distribution of offer information

• US 8,818,860 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2009
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Durham, Sharon
• Primary Examiner(s): Sittner, Matthew T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kolosowski-Gager, Katherine
• Application Number:
  US12/568,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20110078026A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,792 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/14
• US Class Current: 705/14.6
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute

Abstract

A computerized method is disclosed that includes automatically distributing first offer information to at least one first priority contact in a prioritized list of contacts. The first offer information is distributed in response to receiving a request to distribute an offer. The method also includes automatically distributing second offer information to at least one second priority contact in the prioritized list of contacts when a first time period expires.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving priority information at a device, wherein the priority information designates priorities of contacts and includes a first priority contact having a first priority and a second priority contact having a second priority;

receiving at the device, via a user interface of the device, first offer information associated with a good, a service, or a combination thereof from an offer originator, the first offer information specifying a first time period for acceptance of a first offer based on the first offer information;

receiving, via the user interface, second offer information associated with the good, the service, or the combination thereof from the offer originator, the second offer information specifying a second time period for acceptance of a second offer based on the second offer information;

after receiving the first offer information and the second offer information, receiving a request from the offer originator to distribute an offer associated with the good, the service, or the combination thereof;

in response to receiving the request to distribute the offer, automatically sending the first offer from the device to the first priority contact without sending the first offer to contacts having a lower priority than the first priority; and

upon detection by the device of expiration of the first time period without receiving an acceptance of the first offer from the first priority contact, automatically sending the second offer from the device to the second priority contact without sending the second offer to contacts having a lower priority than the second priority.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the offer includes a particular request to receive the good, the service, or the combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the offer includes a particular offer to sell the good, the service, or the combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first offer information is different from the second offer information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first offer information includes a first price, and wherein the second offer information includes a second price.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second offer is not sent when acceptance of the first offer is received before the first time period expires.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the priority information includes a third priority contact.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second offer is sent to the first priority contact.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the priority information designates a third priority contact having a third priority, and further comprising:

receiving, via the user interface, third offer information from the offer originator, the third offer information specifying a third time period for acceptance of a third offer based on the third offer information; and

upon detection by the device of expiration of the second time period without receiving acceptance of the second offer, automatically sending the third offer from the device to the third priority contact without sending the third offer to contacts having a lower priority than the third priority.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the third offer information is not sent to the third priority contact when acceptance of the second offer is received before the second time period expires.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first offer is sent to the first priority contact via at least one peer-to-peer connection, and wherein the second offer is sent to the second priority contact via an additional peer-to-peer connection.

12. A method comprising:

receiving priority information at a device, wherein the priority information designates priorities of contacts and includes a first priority contact having a first priority and a second priority contact having a second priority;

receiving at the device, via a user interface of the device, first offer information associated with a good, a service, or a combination thereof from an offer originator, the first offer information specifying a first time period for acceptance of a first offer based on the first offer information;

receiving, via the user interface, second offer information associated with the good, the service, or the combination thereof from the offer originator, the second offer information specifying a second time period for acceptance of a second offer based on the second offer information;

after receiving the first offer information and the second offer information, receiving a request from the offer originator to distribute an offer associated with the good, the service, or the combination thereof;

in response to receiving the request to distribute the offer, automatically sending the first offer from the device to the first priority contact without sending the first offer to contacts having a lower priority than the first priority;

upon detection by the device of expiration of the first time period without receiving an acceptance of the first offer from the first priority contact, automatically sending the second offer from the device to the second priority contact without sending the second offer to contacts having a lower priority than the second priority;

upon detection by the device of expiration of the second time period without receiving acceptance of the second offer, automatically sending a third offer based on third offer information from the device to a third priority contact without sending the third offer to contacts having a lower priority than a third priority; and

upon detection by the device of expiration of a third time period without receiving acceptance of the third offer, automatically sending an open offer from the device to a set of the contacts, wherein the open offer invites respondent conditions to accept the good, the service, or the combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the offer includes a sales offer, wherein the first offer information includes a first price, wherein the second offer information includes a second price, and wherein the second price is less than the first price.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the offer includes a particular request from the offer originator to receive a particular service, wherein the first offer information includes a first price, wherein the second offer information includes a second price, and wherein the second price is greater than the first price.

15. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory accessible to the processor, the memory comprising instructions executable by the processor to perform operations including;

receiving priority information;

generating a prioritized list of contacts based on the priority information, wherein the prioritized list includes a first priority contact having a first priority and a second priority contact having a second priority;

receiving first offer information associated with a good, a service, or a combination thereof, the first offer information specifying a first time period for acceptance of a first offer based on the first offer information;

receiving second offer information associated with the good, the service, or the combination thereof, the second offer information specifying a second time period for acceptance of a second offer based on the second offer information;

receiving a request to distribute an offer associated with the good, the service, or the combination thereof;

in response to the request, automatically sending the first offer to the first priority contact without sending the first offer to contacts having a lower priority than the first priority; and

upon expiration of the first time period without receiving acceptance of the first offer, automatically sending the second offer to the second priority contact without sending the second offer to contacts having a lower priority than the second priority.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein sending the second offer includes sending the second offer to the first priority contact.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is a processor of a server.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is a processor of a mobile communication device.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein generating the prioritized list comprises:

sending a query for contacts to a server; and

receiving the prioritized list from the server.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the priority information includes a plurality of factors, and wherein the plurality of factors includes a price factor, a location factor, an experience factor, a rating factor, a response history factor, or combinations thereof.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein each factor of the plurality of factors is associated with a distinct priority ranking.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the distinct priority ranking is assigned by an offer originator.