Network for targeting individual operating a microcomputer regardless of his location

• US 20060010231A1
• Filed: 08/08/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Innovations Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Industrial Innovations Incorporated
• Inventors: Spector, Donald
• Granted Patent: US 7,539,742 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/23 for mobile advertising

Abstract

A network adapted to target an individual operating a microcomputer that is linked to an Internet to offer this individual goods or services appropriate to his needs that are available at a place within reach of the individual'"'"'s present location. The microcomputer is provided with a GPS receiver that indicates the present location of the individual, this location and the identity of the individual being transmitted from the microcomputer to a web site on the highway. At the web site, a computer associated with a data bank storing the profiles of a multitude of consumers is programmed to find out whether the identified individual is included in the data bank, and to determine from his profile whether there are available at a place reachable from his present location appropriate goods or services. If a match is found, an offer to supply such goods or services is conveyed from the web site to the microcomputer.

Claims

1. A method for targeting an individual operating a device to offer the individual goods or services via an Internet site, the goods or services being available at a location within the vicinity of the individual'"'"'s present location, comprising:

linking the device to the Internet;

determining the individual'"'"'s location with the device;

transmitting the individual'"'"'s identity and location from the device over the Internet site;

accessing a profile of the individual at the Internet site and a database of available goods and services to determine which goods and services are appropriate to offer to the individual; and

conveying an offer to supply selected goods and services to the individual from the Internet site.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the portable computing device has an associated e-mail address that identifies the individual.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the profile is stored in the database.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the offer includes a discounted price.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising linking a provider of goods and services to the database of available goods and services and the provider updating the database.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is a cell phone.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is a PDA.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is a navigation system in an automobile.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is a Blackberry.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

the individual selecting a category of goods and services on the device;

comparing the category selected with a category transmitted with the offer; and

displaying the offer on the device if the category selected matches the category transmitted with the offer.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is portable.

12. A portable computing device that can communicate with an Internet site to receive offers to provide goods or services, comprising:

a GPS circuit that can determine the position of the portable computing device;

a wireless communication circuit;

an application program that can allow the individual to select categories of goods and services, that can receive offers for goods and services from a web site that specify categories, that can compare the selected categories to the categories contained in the received offers, and that can display the offers for goods and services when the selected categories mach the categories contained in the received offers.

13. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the device is a cell phone.

14. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the device is a PDA.

15. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the device is a navigation system in an automobile.

16. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the device is a Blackberry.

17. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the device is portable.