Devices, methods, and computer readable storage devices for providing offers based on aggregate need

• US 9,697,550 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2013
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2013
• 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: Craine, Ari, Davis, Braxton
• Primary Examiner(s): Civan, Ethan D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shui, Ming
• Application Number:
  US14/055,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20150112827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261- 272
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0605 Supply or demand aggregation

Abstract

Offers are provided based on an aggregate need. Data is collected data from a plurality of different communication devices. The data collected from each respective communication device indicates a need for a product associated with the respective communication device. An aggregate need for the product is determined based on the collected data. A determination is also made whether the aggregate need for the product meets a threshold. Responsive to determining that the aggregate need for the product meets the threshold, an offer for fulfilling the need for the product is sent to each respective communication device from which the data was collected that indicated the need for the product.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first gateway associated with a first premises, the first gateway comprising

a first processor, and

a first memory that stores first instructions that, when executed by the first processor, cause the first processor to perform first operations comprising

receiving, from a unit comprising a sensor, data indicating a need for a product, wherein the unit provides the data indicating the need for the product in response to detecting, via the sensor, a reduction in an amount of the product based on detection, by the sensor, of a reduction in a weight of the product, and

providing, to a computing device, via a network, the data indicating the need for the product; and

the computing device comprising

a second processor, and

a second memory that stores second instructions that, when executed by the second processor, cause the second processor to perform second operations comprising;

collecting, via the network, the data from the first gateway and data from a second gateway associated with a second premises, wherein the data collected from the second gateway indicates additional need for the product,

aggregating the data collected from the first gateway and the data collected from the second gateway to determine an aggregate need for the product,

receiving, from a first product provider, a threshold associated with a need for the product to be met before an offer associated with the product is provided by the first product provider,

determining whether the aggregate need for the product meets the threshold,

responsive to determining that the aggregate need for the product meets the threshold, sending, via the network, the offer associated with the product to each of the first gateway and the second gateway, wherein the offer associated with the product is provided by the first product provider, and wherein the offer associated with the product comprises an incentive to purchase the product, and

in response to receiving an indication that a user associated with the first gateway has selected the offer associated with the product provided by the first product provider and dropped the offer over an icon provided by the computing device that corresponds to a second product provider, communicating the offer provided by the first product provider to the second product provider.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the threshold is one of a plurality of thresholds and the offer associated with the product is one of a plurality of offers associated with the product, and wherein the offer associated with the product sent to each of the first gateway and the second gateway corresponds to the threshold that is met.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second operations further comprise:

responsive to determining that the aggregate need for the product does not meet the threshold, determining whether a communication device associated with either the first gateway or the second gateway has set an override parameter for the product; and

in response to determining that the communication device associated with the first gateway has set the override parameter for the product, sending the offer associated with the product to the first gateway even though the aggregate need for the product does not meet the threshold.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second operations further comprise:

sending a request to at least one product provider; and

receiving a response from the at least one product provider, wherein the response comprises the offer associated with the product.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein sending the request comprises soliciting offers associated with the product from multiple product providers.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein determining whether the aggregate need for the product meets the threshold comprises determining whether the aggregate need for the product is less than a majority of users associated with the aggregate need.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first operations further comprise providing the offer associated with the product to a communication device associated with a potential consumer associated with the need for the product.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the incentive to purchase the product comprises a discount associated with the product.

9. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first gateway associated with a first premises, from a unit comprising a sensor, data indicating a need for a product, wherein the unit provides the data indicating the need for the product in response to detecting, via the sensor, a reduction in an amount of the product based on detection, by the sensor, of a reduction in a weight of the product;

providing, by the first gateway, to a computing device, via a network, the data indicating the need for the product;

collecting, by the computing device, via the network, the data from the first gateway and data from a second gateway associated with a second premises, wherein the second gateway indicates additional need for the product;

aggregating, by the computing device, the data collected from the first gateway and the data collected from the second gateway to determine an aggregate need for the product;

receiving, by the computing device, from a first product provider, a threshold associated with a need for the product to be met before an offer associated with the product is provided by the first product provider;

determining, by the computing device, whether the aggregate need for the product meets the threshold;

responsive to determining that the aggregate need for the product meets the threshold, sending, by the computing device, via the network, the offer associated with the product to each of the first gateway and the second gateway, wherein the offer associated with the product is provided by the first product provider, and wherein the offer associated with the product comprises an incentive to purchase the product; and

in response to receiving an indication that a user associated with the first gateway has selected the offer associated with the product provided by the first product provider and dropped the offer over an icon provided by the computing device that corresponds to a second product provider, communicating, by the computing device, the offer provided by the first product provider to the second product provider.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the threshold is one of a plurality of thresholds and the offer associated with the product is one of a plurality of offers associated with the product, and wherein the offer associated with the product sent to each of the first gateway and the second gateway corresponds to the threshold that is met.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

responsive to determining that the aggregate need for the product does not meet the threshold, determining whether a communication device associated with either the first gateway or the second gateway has set an override parameter for the product; and

in response to determining that the communication device associated with the first gateway has set the override parameter for the product, sending the offer associated with the product to the first gateway even though the aggregate need for the product does not meet the threshold.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

sending a request to at least one product provider; and

receiving a response from the at least one product provider, wherein the response comprises the offer associated with the product.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein sending the request comprises soliciting offers associated with the product from multiple product providers.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein determining whether the aggregate need for the product meets the threshold comprises determining whether the aggregate need for the product is less than a majority of users associated with the aggregate need.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing the offer associated with the product to a communication device associated with a potential consumer associated with the need for the product.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the incentive to purchase the product comprises a discount associated with the product.