Verification of redemption of an electronic offer

• US 10,672,019 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2018
• Issued: 06/02/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Inventors: Kramer, James F., Ning, Paul C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Mong-Thuy T
• Application Number:
  US16/154,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20190213624A1
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 4554563
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0605 Supply or demand aggregation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

A system, method, apparatus, and computer program product for providing for identifying mobile devices and transmitting electronic messages to the mobile devices. An exemplary method comprises receiving input defining a target demographic category of user profiles to which to direct an electronic message and a target location category that defines a tracked location pattern that, upon being satisfied, results in transmission of the electronic message, receiving GPS device locations from a communication device, identifying a user profile associated with the communications device, determining that the user profile is classified to the target demographic category, determining that the tracked location pattern is satisfied, and upon determining that the user profile is classified to the target demographic category of user profiles, and the tracked location pattern is satisfied, causing transmission of the electronic message indicative of the particular offer to the at least one mobile communication device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing a service to a third-party system or a third-party apparatus, the service configured for identifying mobile devices utilized by particular categories of consumers and transmitting electronic messages to the mobile devices, the apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

provide a graphical user interface (GUI) configured for receiving category input from the third-party system or the third-party apparatus, the category input defining a target demographic category of user profiles to which to direct an electronic message indicative of a particular offer and a target location category that defines a tracked location pattern that, upon being satisfied, results in transmission of the electronic message indicative of the particular offer, the tracked location pattern comprising a ‘

not present’

location followed by a ‘

present’

location;

receive, via the GUI, the category input, wherein the category input comprises demographic inputs defining the target demographic category of user profiles to which to direct the electronic message, each of the demographic inputs required for classification to the target demographic category of user profiles;

receive a plurality of Global Positioning System (GPS) device locations from at least one mobile communication device;

compare the plurality of GPS device locations to the ‘

present’

location;

identify a user profile associated with the at least one mobile communications device, the user profile comprising user trait data and user activity history data;

determine that the user profile associated with the at least one mobile communication device is classified to the target demographic category of user profiles, wherein the determination comprises determining that sufficient characteristics accessed from the user trait data and the user activity history data of the user profile associated with the at least one mobile communication device meet the demographic inputs defining the target demographic category;

determine that the tracked location pattern is satisfied based on the comparison of the plurality of GPS device locations to the ‘

present’

location by determining that the plurality of GPS device locations first fail to meet the ‘

present’

location and then meet the ‘

present’

location; and

upon determining that;

(i) the user profile associated with the at least one mobile communication device is classified to the target demographic category of user profiles, and (ii) the tracked location pattern is satisfied, cause transmission of the electronic message indicative of the particular offer to the at least one mobile communication device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

identify a reciprocal category of second user profiles based on the target demographic category upon classifying the user profile to the target demographic category, wherein the second user profiles are respectively associated with a plurality of second mobile communication devices, and wherein the plurality of second mobile communication devices do not include the at least one mobile communication device; and

cause transmission of the electronic message indicative of the particular offer to the plurality of second mobile communication devices.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive a privacy opt-in signal or a privacy opt-out signal from the at least one mobile communication device; and

only in a circumstance where the privacy opt-in signal has been received, compare the plurality of GPS device locations to the ‘

not present’

location and to the ‘

present’

location.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

compare a system time to a user-defined reporting period; and

only in a circumstance where the system time satisfies the user-defined reporting period, compare the plurality of GPS device locations to the ‘

not present’

location and to the ‘

present’

location.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

store the plurality of GPS device locations to a data registry only in the circumstance where the system time satisfies the user-defined reporting period.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive a check-in signal from the at least one mobile communication device,

wherein transmission of the electronic message indicative of the particular offer to the at least one mobile communication device is only caused in response to receiving the check-in signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the check in signal comprises an estimation of demographics of persons at the present location.

8. A computer program product configured for providing a service to a third-party system or a third-party apparatus, the service configured for identifying mobile devices utilized by particular categories of consumers and transmitting electronic messages to the mobile devices, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising program code instructions to:

provide a graphical user interface (GUI) configured for receiving input from the third-party system or the third-party apparatus, the input defining a target demographic category of user profiles to which to direct an electronic message indicative of a particular offer and a target location category that defines a tracked location pattern that, upon being satisfied, results in transmission of the electronic message indicative of the particular offer, the tracked location pattern comprising a ‘

not present’

location followed by a ‘

present’

location;

receive, via the GUI, the category input, wherein the category input comprises demographic inputs defining the target demographic category of user profiles to which to direct the electronic message, each of the demographic inputs required for classification to the target demographic category of user profiles;

receive a plurality of Global Positioning System (GPS) device locations from at least one mobile communication device;

compare the plurality of GPS device locations to the ‘

present’

location;

identify a user profile associated with the at least one mobile communications device, the user profile comprising user trait data and user activity history data;

determine that the user profile associated with the at least one mobile communication device is classified to the target demographic category of user profiles, wherein the determination comprises determining that sufficient characteristics accessed from the user trait data and the user activity history data of the user profile associated with the at least one mobile communication device meet the demographic inputs defining the target demographic category;

determine that the tracked location pattern is satisfied based on the comparison of the plurality of GPS device locations to the ‘

present’

location by determining that the plurality of GPS device locations first fail to meet the ‘

present’

location and then meet the ‘

present’

location; and

upon determining that;

(i) the user profile associated with the at least one mobile communication device is classified to the target demographic category of user profiles, and (ii) the tracked location pattern is satisfied, cause transmission of the electronic message indicative of the particular offer to the at least one mobile communication device.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions to:

identify a reciprocal category of second user profiles based on the target demographic category upon classifying the user profile to the target demographic category, wherein the second user profiles are respectively associated with a plurality of second mobile communication devices, and wherein the plurality of second mobile communication devices do not include the at least one mobile communication device; and

cause transmission of the electronic message indicative of the particular offer to the plurality of second mobile communication devices.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions to:

receive a privacy opt-in signal or a privacy opt-out signal from the at least one mobile communication device; and

only in a circumstance where the privacy opt-in signal has been received, compare the plurality of GPS device locations to the ‘

not present’

location and to the ‘

present’

location.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions to:

compare a system time to a user-defined reporting period; and

only in a circumstance where the system time satisfies the user-defined reporting period, compare the plurality of GPS device locations to the ‘

not present’

location and to the ‘

present’

location.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions to:

store the plurality of GPS device locations to a data registry only in the circumstance where the system time satisfies the user-defined reporting period.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions to:

receive a check-in signal from the at least one mobile communication device,

wherein transmission of the electronic message indicative of the particular offer to the at least one mobile communication device is only caused in response to receiving the check-in signal.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the check in signal comprises an estimation of demographics of persons at the present location.

15. A computer-implemented method configured for providing a service to a third-party system or a third-party apparatus, the service configured for identifying mobile devices utilized by particular categories of consumers and transmitting electronic messages to the mobile devices, the method comprising:

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) configured for receiving input from the third-party system or the third-party apparatus, the input defining a target demographic category of user profiles to which to direct an electronic message indicative of a particular offer and a target location category that defines a tracked location pattern that, upon being satisfied, results in transmission of the electronic message indicative of the particular offer, the tracked location pattern comprising a ‘

not present’

location followed by a ‘

present’

location;

receiving, via the GUI, the category input, wherein the category input comprises demographic inputs defining the target demographic category of user profiles to which to direct the electronic message, each of the demographic inputs required for classification to the target demographic category of user profiles;

receiving a plurality of Global Positioning System (GPS) device locations from at least one mobile communication device;

comparing the plurality of GPS device locations to the ‘

present’

location;

identifying a user profile associated with the at least one mobile communications device, the user profile comprising user trait data and user activity history data;

determining that the user profile associated with the at least one mobile communication device is classified to the target demographic category of user profiles, wherein the determination comprises determining that sufficient characteristics accessed from the user trait data and the user activity history data of the user profile associated with the at least one mobile communication device meet the demographic inputs defining the target demographic category;

determining that the tracked location pattern is satisfied based on the comparison of the plurality of GPS device locations to the ‘

present’

location by determining that the plurality of GPS device locations first fail to meet the ‘

present’

location and then meet the ‘

present’

location; and

upon determining that;

(i) the user profile associated with the at least one mobile communication device is classified to the target demographic category of user profiles, and (ii) the tracked location pattern is satisfied, causing transmission of the electronic message indicative of the particular offer to the at least one mobile communication device.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, the method further comprising:

identifying a reciprocal category of second user profiles based on the target demographic category upon classifying the user profile to the target demographic category, wherein the second user profiles are respectively associated with a plurality of second mobile communication devices, and wherein the plurality of second mobile communication devices do not include the at least one mobile communication device; and

causing transmission of the electronic message indicative of the particular offer to the plurality of second mobile communication devices.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, the method further comprising:

receiving a privacy opt-in signal or a privacy opt-out signal from the at least one mobile communication device; and

only in a circumstance where the privacy opt-in signal has been received, comparing the plurality of GPS device locations to the ‘

not present’

location and to the ‘

present’

location.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, the method further comprising:

comparing a system time to a user-defined reporting period; and

only in a circumstance where the system time satisfies the user-defined reporting period, comparing the plurality of GPS device locations to the ‘

not present’

location and to the ‘

present’

location.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, the method further comprising:

storing the plurality of GPS device locations to a data registry only in the circumstance where the system time satisfies the user-defined reporting period.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, the method further comprising:

receive a check-in signal from the at least one mobile communication device,

wherein transmission of the electronic message indicative of the particular offer to the at least one mobile communication device is only caused in response to receiving the check-in signal.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 20, wherein the check in signal comprises an estimation of demographics of persons at the present location.