System and method for adding advertisements to a location-based advertising system

• US 9,679,311 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2010
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Poynt Corporation (Canada)
• Original Assignee: Poynt Corporation (Canada)
• Inventors: Igelman, Marvin, Zivkovic, Aleksandar
• Primary Examiner(s): Hamilton, Matthew L
• Application Number:
  US12/849,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20110119133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,506 Days
• Field of Search: 705 14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A location-based advertising system automatically analyzes messages posted on social networking systems or other publicly accessible or private computer systems for posting messages for viewing by others. The messages are analyzed to identify messages that contain offers, such as offers that may be construed as location-based offers. Information about the offers is extracted from the messages and placed in a database. The database may be used by a location-based advertising application to send advertisements to targeted users or to respond to user who are qualified according to their current or recent geographic location. Optionally or alternatively, merchants may send messages, such as e-mail messages or instant messages (IMs), to the system to notify the system of offers. These messages are also analyzed and information about their respective offers is extracted and placed in the database.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

automatically analyzing, by a computer system, a plurality of messages posted on a social networking computer system, each message of the plurality of messages pertaining to a respective merchant, the computer system being distinct from the social networking computer system;

identifying, by the computer system, a subset of the plurality of messages posted on the social networking computer system, wherein the subset of the plurality of messages encompasses a plurality of location-based offers;

extracting, by the computer system, a geographic location and description information of each of the location-based offers associated with the identified subset of the plurality of messages posted on the social networking computer system;

storing, by the computer system, the extracted geographic location and the description information of each of the location-based offers associated with the identified subset of the plurality of messages in a location-based advertising database distinct from the social networking computer system;

receiving, by the computer system, a geographic location of a mobile device associated with a user, the geographic location based on at least one of;

an internet protocol (IP) address of the mobile device and a wireless communication network derived location of the mobile device; and

automatically generating and transmitting, by the computer system, an electronic message to the mobile device, the electronic message containing at least a portion of the description information of the location-based offer based in part on proximity of the geographic location of the mobile device associated with the user to the stored geographic location in the location-based advertising database.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a text message from a computer other than the social networking computer system;

automatically analyzing the text message for an indication the text message contains information related to an additional location-based offer;

automatically extracting description information of the additional location-based offer from contents of the text message;

automatically extracting a geographic location of the additional location-based offer; and

automatically storing the description information and the geographic location of the additional location-based offer in the location-based advertising database.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the automatically analyzing, by the computer system, the plurality of messages posted on the social networking computer system comprises automatically searching text of the plurality of messages posted on the social networking computer system for at least one predefined word.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the automatically analyzing, by the computer system, the plurality of messages posted on the social networking computer system comprises automatically searching the plurality of messages posted on the social networking computer system for at least one predefined hashtag.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the automatically analyzing, by the computer system, the plurality of messages posted on the social networking computer system comprises automatically searching the plurality of messages posted on the social networking computer system for at least one element of predefined metadata.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the extracting, by the computer system, the geographic location of each of the location-based offers comprises automatically searching text of the plurality of messages posted on the social networking computer system for at least one word indicative of a geographic location.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the extracting, by the computer system, the geographic location of each of the location-based offers comprises:

querying another database, other than the social networking computer system and other than the location-based advertising database, with information from the identified subset of the plurality of messages posted on the social networking computer system; and

receiving location data returned by the other database in response to the query.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the extracting, by the computer system, the geographic location of each of the location-based offers comprises, for at least one of the location-based offers:

sending a first query to a first other database, other than the social networking computer system and other than the location-based advertising database, with information from the at least one of the location-based offers;

receiving first information about an originator of the at least one the location-based offers, the first information being returned by the first other database in response to the first query;

sending a second query to a second other database, other than the social networking computer system, other than the location-based advertising database and other than the first other database, with at least part of the received first information; and

receiving location data returned by the second other database in response to the second query.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the automatically generating and transmitting, by the computer system, the electronic message to the mobile device comprises sending a text message to the mobile device.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the automatically generating and transmitting, by the computer system, the electronic message to the mobile device comprises automatically responding to an electronic query by the user.

11. A computer-based system having a processor configured to execute instructions in tangible memory, the system comprising:

a message analyzer, executed by the processor, distinct from a social networking computer system, configured to;

automatically analyze a plurality of messages posted on the social networking computer system, each message of the plurality of messages pertaining to a respective merchant;

identify a subset of the plurality of messages posted on the social networking computer system, wherein the subset of the plurality of messages encompasses a plurality of location-based offers;

extract a geographic location and description information of each of the location-based offers associated with the identified subset of the plurality of messages posted on the social networking computer system; and

store the extracted geographic location and the description information of each of the location-based offers associated with the identified subset of the plurality of messages in a location-based advertising database distinct from the social networking computer system;

a user qualifier, executed by the processor, distinct from the social networking computer system, configured to;

receive a geographic location of a mobile device associated with a user, the geographic location based on at least one of;

an internet protocol (IP) address of the mobile device and a wireless communication network derived location of the mobile device; and

a message generator, executed by the processor, distinct from the social networking computer system, configured to automatically generate and transmit an electronic message to the mobile device, the electronic message containing at least a portion of the description information of the location-based offer based in part on proximity of the geographic location of the mobile device associated with the user to the stored geographic location in the location-based advertising database.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the message analyzer is further configured to:

receive a text message from a computer other than the social networking computer system;

automatically analyze the text message for an indication the text message contains information related to an additional location-based offer;

automatically extract description information of the additional location-based offer from contents of the text message;

automatically extract a geographic location of the additional location-based offer; and

automatically store the description information and the geographic location of the additional location-based offer in the location-based advertising database.

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein the message analyzer is configured to automatically search text of the plurality of messages posted on the social networking computer system for at least one predefined word.

14. A system according to claim 11, wherein the message analyzer is configured to automatically search the plurality of messages posted on the social networking computer system for at least one predefined hashtag.

15. A system according to claim 11, wherein the message analyzer is configured to automatically search the plurality of messages posted on the social networking computer system for at least one element of predefined metadata.

16. A system according to claim 11, wherein the message analyzer is configured to automatically search text of the plurality of messages posted on the social networking computer system for at least one word indicative of a geographic location.

17. A system according to claim 11, wherein the message analyzer is further configured to:

query another database, other than the social networking computer system and other than the location-based advertising database, with information from the identified subset of the plurality of messages posted on the social networking computer system; and

receive location data returned by the other database in response to the query.

18. A system according to claim 11, wherein the message analyzer is configured to:

send a first query to a first other database, other than the social networking computer system and other than the location-based advertising database, with information from the identified subset of the plurality of messages posted on a social networking computer system;

receive first information about an originator of the identified subset of the plurality of messages posted on a social networking computer system, the first information being returned by the first other database in response to the first query;

send a second query to a second other database, other than the social networking computer system, other than the location-based advertising database and other than the first other database, with at least part of the received first information; and

receive location data returned by the second other database in response to the second query.

19. A system according to claim 11, wherein the electronic message to the mobile device comprises a text message to the mobile device.

20. A system according to claim 11, wherein the electronic message to the mobile device comprises a message sent in response to a query by the user.

21. A computer program product for use on a computer system other than a social networking computer system, the computer system having a processor configured to execute instructions in tangible memory, the computer program product comprising:

a tangible non-transitory computer usable medium having computer readable program code stored thereon, the computer readable program code comprising program code configured, when executed by the computer system, to cause the computer system to;

automatically analyze a plurality of messages posted on the a social networking computer system, each message of the plurality of messages pertaining to a respective merchant;

identify a subset of the plurality of messages posted on the social networking computer system, wherein the subset of the plurality of messages encompasses a plurality of location-based offers;

extract a geographic location and description information of each of the location-based offers associated with the identified subset of the plurality of messages posted on the social networking computer system;

store the extracted geographic location and the description information of each of the location-based offers associated with the identified subset of the plurality of messages in a location-based advertising database distinct from the social networking computer system;

receive a geographic location of a mobile device associated with a user, the geographic location based on at least one of;

an internet protocol (IP) address of the mobile device and a wireless communication network derived location of the mobile device; and

automatically generate and transmit an electronic message to the mobile device, the electronic message containing at least a portion of the description information of the location-based offer based in part on proximity of the geographic location of the mobile device associated with the user to the stored geographic location in the location-based advertising database.

22. A computer program product for use on a computer system having a processor configured to execute instructions in tangible memory, the computer program product comprising:

a tangible non-transitory computer usable medium having computer readable program code stored thereon, the computer readable program code comprising;

a message analyzer, executed by the processor, distinct from a social networking computer system, configured to;

automatically analyze a plurality of messages posted on the social networking computer system, each message of the plurality of messages pertaining to a respective merchant;

identify a subset of the plurality of messages posted on the social networking computer system, wherein the subset of the plurality of messages encompasses a plurality of location-based offers;

extract a geographic location and description information of each of the location-based offer s associated with the identified subset of the plurality of messages posted on the social networking computer system; and

store the extracted geographic location and the description information of each of the location-based offers associated with the identified subset of the plurality of messages in a location-based advertising database distinct from the social networking computer system;

a user qualifier, executed by the processor, distinct from a social networking computer system, configured to;

receive a geographic location of a mobile device associated with a user, the geographic location based on at least one of;

an internet protocol (IP) address of the mobile device and a wireless communication network derived location of the mobile device; and

a message generator, executed by the processor, distinct from a social networking computer system, configured to automatically generate and transmit an electronic message to the mobile device, the electronic message containing at least a portion of the description information of the location-based offer based in part on proximity of the geographic location of the mobile device associated with the user to the stored geographic location in the location-based advertising database.