SYSTEM FOR MARKETING CAMPAIGN SPECIFICATION AND SECURE DIGITAL COUPON REDEMPTION

• US 20120089453A1
• Filed: 12/18/2011
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hoozware Incorporated
• Inventors: Kramer, James F., Ning, Paul C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,583,447 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Product vendors are provided with a system for performing a marketing campaign to mobile communication device users, providing offers as instruments, such as digital coupons, to a selected group of users of the mobile communication devices and validating the integrity of the instruments. The invention has two phases: the selection of the components of the instrument from a menu provided by a social networking organization; and validating the instrument upon redemption from the product vendor. In the first phase, the product vendor selects elements from the menu relevant to the campaign, such as timing, nature of the offer, targeting of the recipients, etc. In the second phase, the instrument is encoded as to the marketing campaign and an arbitrary designation which initiates a pattern as the instrument is redeemed. The product vendor inspects the instrument to ensure that the encoding is correct during the redemption process.

Claims

1. A system for validating the proper use of an instrument presented on a mobile communication device by a device user who is a member of a social networking organization, where said instrument is associated with a marketing campaign giving awards to members upon presentation of said instrument to an award provider and redeeming of said instrument, said system comprising:

a data processor having data comprising information of said members and said marketing campaign;

a mobile communication device having a display, said mobile communication device associated with a member;

said data processor originating said instrument;

transmitting to said data processor redemption of said instrument, whereby said data processor determines a sequence designator for said instrument; and

displaying said sequence designator on said display of said mobile communication device.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said instrument is a digital coupon and said sequence designator is a number, said number appearing on said display comprising said instrument after said instrument is redeemed.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein when a request to verify said digital coupon is selected on said mobile communication device, said data processor provides said number to said award provider.

4. A system according to claim 2, wherein said number starts from a random seed and is incremented by one each time an instrument for said marketing campaign is redeemed.

5. A system for validating the proper use of an instrument presented on a mobile communication device by a device user who is a member of a social networking organization, where said instrument is associated with a marketing campaign giving awards to members upon presentation of said instrument to an award provider and redeeming of said instrument, said system comprising:

a data processor having data comprising information of said members and said marketing campaign;

a mobile communication device having a display, said mobile communication device associated with a member;

said data processor originating said instrument;

transmitting to said data processor redemption of said instrument, whereby said data processor determines the time of redemption; and

displaying said time of redemption on said display of said mobile communication device.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said instrument is a digital coupon, said time of redemption appearing on said display comprising said instrument after said instrument is redeemed.

7. A system according to claim 5, wherein when a request to verify said digital coupon is selected on said mobile communication device, said data processor provides said time of redemption to said award provider.

8. A system for validating the proper use of an instrument presented on a mobile communication device by a device user who is a member of a social networking organization, where said instrument is associated with a marketing campaign giving awards to members upon presentation of said instrument to an award provider and redeeming of said instrument, said system comprising:

a data processor having data comprising information of said members and said marketing campaign;

a mobile communication device having a display, said mobile communication device associated with a member;

said data processor originating said instrument;

transmitting to said data processor redemption of said instrument, whereby said data processor determines the time since redemption; and

displaying said time since redemption on said display of said mobile communication device.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein said instrument is a digital coupon, said time since redemption appearing on said display comprising said instrument after said instrument is redeemed.

10. A system according to claim 8, wherein when a request to verify said digital coupon is selected on said mobile communication device, said data processor provides said time since redemption to said award provider.

11. A system for performing a marketing campaign for a product vendor directed to mobile-communication-device users who are members of a social networking organization to encourage said members to obtain a product from said product vendor, said organization maintaining data of said members using a data processor, said data processor further including an account for each member, said system comprising:

said product vendor selecting timing aspects of an offer to provide a targeted offer, said timing aspects including the day and arbitrary time said targeted offer is provided;

said data processor originating a digital coupon from said targeted offer;

providing said digital coupon to said member.

12. A system according to claim 11, whereby said digital coupon is provided to said member'"'"'s account, and said member can access said digital coupon using a mobile communication device.

13. A system for performing a marketing campaign for a product vendor directed to mobile-communication-device users who are members of a social networking organization to encourage said members to obtain a product from said product vendor, said organization maintaining data of said members using a data processor, said data processor further including an account for each member, said system comprising:

said product vendor selecting timing aspects of an offer to provide a targeted offer, said timing aspects including the day and arbitrary time said targeted offer becomes valid;

said data processor originating a digital coupon from said targeted offer;

providing said digital coupon to said member.

14. A system according to claim 13, whereby said digital coupon is provided to said member'"'"'s account, and said member can access said digital coupon using a mobile communication device.

15. A system for performing a marketing campaign for a product vendor directed to mobile-communication-device users who are members of a social networking organization to encourage said members to obtain a product from said product vendor, said organization maintaining data of said members using a data processor, said data processor further including an account for each member, said system comprising:

said product vendor selecting timing aspects of an offer to provide a targeted offer, said timing aspects including the day and arbitrary time said targeted offer stops being valid;

said data processor originating a digital coupon from said targeted offer;

providing said digital coupon to said member.

16. A system according to claim 15, whereby said digital coupon is provided to said member'"'"'s account, and said member can access said digital coupon using a mobile communication device.