PROVIDING PROMOTIONAL DATA TO REGISTERED WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICES

• US 20100179877A1
• Filed: 01/15/2009
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lam, Fiona
• Application Number:
  US12/354,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20100179877A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.550
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices

Abstract

Functionality can be implemented to transmit advertisements to customers who have registered to receive promotional messages from a business. Detecting wireless devices in the vicinity of the business, determining if the detected wireless device is registered to receive promotional messages, and transmitting the promotional messages to the detected wireless device can help businesses build customer loyalty, increase brand recognition, provide positive brand association against competitors, and receive repeat sales. Providing registered customers with additional options of rejecting incoming promotional messages or unsubscribing from the customer database can reduce the number of unsolicited messages transmitted.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

detecting the presence of a wireless device within transmission range of a wireless transmitting device, wherein the wireless transmitting device is associated with a business;

determining that the detected wireless device is indicated in an information repository associated with the wireless transmitting device;

determining that the information repository indicates a transmission status that allows transmitting promotional messages of the business to the wireless device; and

transmitting the promotional messages to the detected wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information repository is one or more of a database, a spreadsheet, a hardware table, and a text file.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the presence of the wireless device within transmission range of the wireless transmitting device comprises detecting any one of the wireless device'"'"'s phone number, the wireless device'"'"'s identification number, the wireless device'"'"'s media access control address, and the wireless device'"'"'s hardware address.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the promotional messages are transmitted to the detected wireless device using a communication protocol comprising any one of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Short messaging service, multimedia messaging service, wireless application protocols, and wireless communications transfer protocol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the detected wireless device is any one of a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a pager, and a laptop.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the promotional messages are in any one or more of a plain text format, a rich text format, an audio format, a video format, and an image format.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining receiving capabilities of the detected wireless device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

selecting a communication protocol based at least in part on the determined receiving capabilities of the detected wireless device and a distance between the detected wireless device and the wireless transmitting device; and

transmitting the promotional messages to the detected wireless device using the selected communication protocol.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving a profile of a customer associated with the detected wireless device; and

customizing the promotional messages based on the profile of the customer.

10. A computer-implemented method comprising:

detecting the presence of a wireless device within transmission range of a wireless transmitting device, wherein the wireless transmitting device is associated with a business;

determining that the detected wireless device is indicated in an information repository associated with the wireless transmitting device, wherein the information repository comprises a list of wireless devices registered with the business;

receiving a message from the detected wireless device, wherein the message indicates that promotional messages of the business should no longer be transmitted to the wireless device; and

modifying the information repository associated with the wireless transmitting device to indicate a transmission status that prevents transmitting promotional messages of the business to the wireless device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the information repository is one or more of a database, a spreadsheet, a hardware table, and a text file.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the list of wireless devices registered with the business is stored in any one of a localized and a centralized information repository.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the promotional messages are any one or more of notifications of sales, details about new products, coupons for products sold by the business, and incentives to reward customers.

14. A computer program product for transmitting promotional messages to registered wireless devices, the computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code comprising;

computer usable program code configured to;

detect the presence of a wireless device within transmission range of a wireless transmitting device, wherein the wireless transmitting device is associated with a business;

determine that the detected wireless device is indicated in an information repository associated with the wireless transmitting device;

determine that the information repository indicates a transmission status that allows transmitting promotional messages of the business to the wireless device; and

transmit the promotional messages to the detected wireless device.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the information repository is one or more of a database, a spreadsheet, a hardware table, and a text file.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein said computer usable program code being configured to detect the presence of the wireless device within transmission range of the wireless transmitting device comprises the computer usable program code being configured to detect any one of the wireless device'"'"'s phone number, the wireless device'"'"'s identification number, the wireless device'"'"'s media access control address, and the wireless device'"'"'s hardware address.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the promotional messages are transmitted to the detected wireless device using a communication protocol comprising any one of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Short messaging service, multimedia messaging service, wireless application protocols, and wireless communications transfer protocol.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer usable program code is further configured to determine receiving capabilities of the detected wireless device.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer usable program code is further configured to:

select a communication protocol based at least in part on the determined receiving capabilities of the detected wireless device and a distance between the detected wireless device and the wireless transmitting device; and

transmit the promotional messages to the detected wireless device using the selected communication.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the computer usable program code is further configured to:

retrieve a profile of a customer associated with the detected wireless device; and

customize the promotional messages based on the profile of the customer.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a set of one or more processors;

a memory unit coupled with the set of one or more processors

a registered customer database comprising a list of one or more of phone numbers and device serial numbers associated with registered wireless devices; and

a promotions management agent configured to

detect the presence of a wireless device within transmission range of a wireless transmitting device, wherein the wireless transmitting device is associated with a business;

determine that the detected wireless device is indicated in an information repository associated with the wireless transmitting device;

determine that the information repository indicates a transmission status that allows transmitting promotional messages of the business to the wireless device; and

transmit the promotional messages to the detected wireless device.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the information repository is one or more of a database, a spreadsheet, a hardware table, and a text file.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the promotions management agent comprises one or more machine-readable media.