Reminding users of offers

• US 9,558,507 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2013
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Retailmenot Incorporated (J2 Global, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Retailmenot Incorporated (J2 Global, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zilkha, Eithan
• Primary Examiner(s): Boveja, Namrata
• Assistant Examiner(s): Johnson, Robert C
• Application Number:
  US14/060,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20140180817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.55, 705/14.58
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2455 Query execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9024 Graphs; Linked lists G06F16/9027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Provided is a computer implemented process for reminding users of offers that were discovered by the user at one location when, at a later time, the user is at another location, the process including: displaying, with a mobile device, an offer and a reminder interface to indicate that the user requests themselves or another reminder recipient to be reminded of the offer when near another computing device of the reminder recipient; receiving an interaction with the reminder interface by the user and, in response, storing a reminder request in memory, the reminder request identifying the offer; obtaining data identifying the other computing device, a geographic area of the other computing device, or a wireless environment of the other computing device; detecting, with a processor of the mobile device, that the reminder recipient has interacted with the other computing device, entered the geographic area, or entered the wireless environment; and in response to the detection, presenting a notification reminding the reminder recipient of the offer.

Claims

1. A method of reminding a user of content, where the user has access to a computing device with a larger display, after the user has requested a reminder using a mobile device having a smaller display while away from home, the method comprising:

sending, from a content engine, to a mobile device, data describing a plurality of content items;

receiving, with the content engine, from the mobile device, a reminder request, the reminder request identifying a content item among the plurality of content items and indicating that the user wishes to be reminded of the content item when at or near a geolocation;

storing the reminder request in a reminder data store;

after receiving the reminder request, receiving an indication from the mobile device that the user is at the geolocation, the indication being provided by a native mobile application executing on the mobile device that either detects that the mobile device has crossed a geofence associated with the geolocation or that the mobile device is receiving a wireless signal from a wireless network of the geolocation;

in response to the indication, by one or more processors of the content engine, determining that the user has requested a reminder based on the reminder request stored in the reminder data store;

in response to the determination,

sending a reminder of the content item to the mobile device;

after sending the reminder, receiving a request for a webpage from a personal computer of the user, the personal computer being a different device from the mobile device and having a larger display than the mobile device;

in response to both the request for the webpage and sending the reminder, retrieving data describing the content item from a content data store; and

sending instructions to the personal computer to display the data describing the content item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content item is a coupon, the method comprising:

in response to the indication, identifying another coupon for the same product or service as the coupon for which a reminder was requested, the other coupon having a greater discount or higher redemption rate than the coupon for which a reminder was requested; and

sending the other coupon to the personal computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein sending instructions to the personal computer to display the data describing the content item comprises:

beginning a website session with the user by initializing a webpage to display the data describing the content item.

4. A system to remind a user of content, where the user has access to a computing device with a larger display, after the user has requested a

reminder using a mobile device having a smaller display while away from home, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that when executed by at least some of the processors effectuate operations comprising;

sending, from a content engine, to a mobile device, data describing a plurality of content items;

receiving, with the content engine, from the mobile device, a reminder request, the reminder request identifying a content item among the plurality of content items and indicating that the user wishes to be reminded of the content item when at or near a geolocation;

storing the reminder request in a reminder data store;

after receiving the reminder request, receiving an indication from the mobile device that the user is at the geolocation, the indication being provided by a native mobile application executing on the mobile device that either detects that the mobile device has crossed a geofence associated with the geolocation or that the mobile device is receiving a wireless signal from a wireless network of the geolocation;

in response to the indication, by one or more processors of the content engine, determining that the user has requested a reminder based on the reminder request stored in the reminder data store;

in response to the determination,

sending a reminder of the content item to the mobile device;

after sending the reminder, receiving a request for a webpage from a personal computer of the user, the personal computer being a different device from the mobile device and having a larger display than the mobile device;

in response to both the request for the webpage and sending the reminder, retrieving data describing the content item from a content data store; and

sending instructions to the personal computer to display the data describing the content item.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the content item is a coupon, the system comprising:

In response to the indication, identifying another coupon for the same product or service as the coupon for which a reminder was requested, the other coupon having a greater discount or higher redemption rate than the coupon for which a reminder was requested; and

sending the other coupon to the personal computer.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein sending instructions to the personal computer to display the data describing the content item comprises:

beginning a website session with the user by initializing a webpage to display the data describing the content item.