Methods, systems, and products for distance-based discounting

• US 20060223508A1
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Starr, Robert J., Zellner, Samuel N.
• Granted Patent: US 7,627,310 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.200
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products are disclosed for providing a discount to a wireless device. One method obtains a location of the wireless device and retrieves the discount from memory. The discount is based on the location, and the discount increases as a distance from a reference location increases. The reference location may represent any location, such as a physical location of a merchant. As the distance between the wireless device and the merchant'"'"'s physical location increases, the merchant provides a greater discount to entice the wireless customer to travel to the merchant.

Claims

1. A method of providing a discount to a wireless device, comprising the steps of:

obtaining a location of the wireless device; and

retrieving the discount from memory, the discount based on the location, the discount increasing as a distance from a reference location increases.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising calculating the distance between the reference location and the location of the wireless device.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the reference location represents a physical location of a merchant.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising obtaining a billing address associated with the wireless device.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein if the billing address lies within a predetermined zone, then declining to provide the discount.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising querying a service provider for the location of the wireless device.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising querying to determine if the wireless device has a historical location that matches the reference location.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising querying to obtain historical purchases associated with the wireless device.

9. A system for providing a discount to a wireless device, the system comprising:

a discount module stored in a memory device, and a processor communicating with the memory device;

the discount module obtaining a location of the wireless device and retrieving the discount from the memory device, the discount based on the location, the discount increasing as a distance from a reference location increases.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the discount module calculates the distance between the reference location and the location of the wireless device.

11. A system according to claim 9, wherein the reference location represents a physical location of a merchant.

12. A system according to claim 9, wherein the discount module obtains a billing address associated with the wireless device.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein if the billing address lies within a predetermined zone, then declining to provide the discount.

14. A system according to claim 9, wherein the discount module queries a service provider for the location of the wireless device.

15. A system according to claim 9, wherein the discount module queries to determine if the wireless device has a historical location that matches the reference location.

16. A system according to claim 9, wherein the discount module queries to obtain historical purchases associated with the wireless device.

17. A computer program product providing a discount to a wireless device, the computer program product comprising a computer readable medium including instructions for performing the steps:

obtaining a location of the wireless device; and

retrieving the discount from memory, the discount based on the location, the discount increasing as a distance from a reference location increases.

18. A computer program product according to claim 17, further comprising instructions for calculating the distance between the reference location and the location of the wireless device.

19. A computer program product according to claim 17, further comprising instructions for obtaining a billing address associated with the wireless device and, if the billing address lies within a predetermined zone, then declining to provide the discount.

20. A computer program product according to claim 17, further comprising instructions for determining if the wireless device has a historical location that matches the reference location and, if so, querying to obtain historical purchases associated with the wireless device.