MANAGEMENT OF DYNAMIC MOBILE COUPONS

• US 20160012489A1
• Filed: 09/18/2015
• Published: 01/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: RAJAN, Rajeev, DOS SANTOS, Jose Ricardo, JACOBS, Paul E.
• Application Number:
  US14/858,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20160012489A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0214 Referral reward systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/888 severing connection after predetermined time or data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0192 Sponsored, subsidised calls via advertising, e.g. calling cards with ads or connecting to special ads, free calling time by purchasing goods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

Providing for network-based management of dynamic mobile coupons (DMCs) employed in mobile device-related commerce is described herein. Management can include mitigating processing load involved in processing dynamic characteristics of a set of DMCs, facilitating post-transaction evaluation of DMCs, or facilitating a virtual shopping experience in conjunction with redeeming DMCs in a mobile-commerce environment. Communicative association between a mobile device and network components can be implemented to leverage data collected by the mobile device with communication and processing capabilities of the network. Dynamic DMC states are determined from the collected data, which are implemented to facilitate the mobile-commerce. The disclosure provides an integrated mechanism for efficient utilization of DMCs to enhance user experience and satisfaction with mobile commerce.

Claims

1-35. -35. (canceled)

36. A method for facilitating management of mobile coupons, comprising:

employing a data processor to execute rules for maintaining a DMC associated with a mobile device user account, the rules causing the data processor to;

obtain an assignment of the DMC to the mobile device user account;

obtain a rule for calculating variability of the DMC; and

monitor data pertinent to the variability specified by the calculating rule;

employing a wireless communication interface to submit the data to a network entity identified by the rule; and

employing the wireless communication interface to obtain a network response to the submission, wherein the response affects the mobile device user account or the DMC.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising stopping the monitoring of data pertinent to the variability of the DMC as a result of the network response.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising re-initiating stopped monitoring of the data based on a second network response and obtaining a current state of the DMC.

39. The method of claim 36, further comprising obtaining a default or previous state of the DMC from the network response and applying the default or previous state to the DMC in conjunction with stopping the monitoring of the data.

40. The method of claim 36, further comprising obtaining a rule from the network entity establishing post-redemption activity associated with the mobile device user account affecting commercial value of the DMC.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising monitoring the post-redemption activity and submitting data pertaining to such activity to the network entity.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising obtaining and displaying a report of an update to the mobile device user account based on the post-redemption activity.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein the post-redemption activity comprises at least one of:

sharing and subsequent redemption of a copy of the DMC with a second user account;

or

progression of a multi-product transaction associated with the DMC.

44. The method of claim 36, further comprising wirelessly coupling with a commercial entity pertaining to an ID of the mobile device user account.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising submitting the ID to such entity and obtaining a product or service of the commercial entity affected by the DMC.

46. The method of claim 44, further comprising receiving an updated offer of the commercial entity based on a current status of the DMC or of a loyalty account associating the mobile device user account with the commercial entity.

47. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

wirelessly obtaining data descriptive of a product or service of the commercial entity; and

displaying the descriptive data at a display of a mobile device associated with the mobile device user account.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising referencing the DMC for relevance to the product or service and displaying a modified offer with the descriptive data based on a current state of the DMC.

49. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

obtaining a user-selection of the product or service;

wirelessly conveying the selection to the commercial entity or the network entity; and

obtaining a virtual invoice of the product or service reflecting a modified offer based on a current state of the DMC or a current status of a user loyalty account associating the mobile device user account with the commercial entity.

50. The method of claim 36, further comprising employing electronic media recognition to identify a sponsor of the DMC from media data pertinent to the DMC, and searching for or retrieving additional DMCs provided by the sponsor.

51. The method of claim 36, further comprising at least one of:

identifying retail or network locations that facilitate redemption of the DMC;

or

initiating a navigation application that provides navigation instructions or mapping to at least one identified retail location.

52. An apparatus for facilitating management of mobile coupons, comprising:

a data processor for executing a set of modules configured to support the mobile coupon management, the modules comprising;

an assignment module that associates a DMC with a user of the apparatus based on assignment of the DMC to a user account;

a tracking module that monitors data pertinent to variability of the DMC; and

a communication module that submits the pertinent data to a network management apparatus and obtains a response affecting the user account or a status of the DMC; and

memory for storing the monitored data or the response.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, further comprising a termination module that stops monitoring of the pertinent data based on a command in the response.

54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the termination module re-initiates monitoring of the data based on a message from the network management apparatus.

55. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the termination module applies a default state or previously determined state of the DMC in conjunction with stopping the monitoring.

56. The apparatus of claim 52, further comprising a post-redemption module that monitors activity pertinent to the user account after redemption of the DMC, the pertinent data comprises the pertinent activity.

57. The apparatus of claim 56, further comprising a peer-to-peer communication interface that monitors the pertinent activity via wireless communication with a peer wireless apparatus.

58. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the response comprises an update to the user account based on the monitored activity.

59. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the monitored activity comprises at least one of:

a multi-item transaction specified by the DMC that involves the user account;

or

sharing and redemption of a copy of the DMC by a second user account associated with a wireless peer apparatus.

60. The apparatus of claim 52, further comprising a virtual shopping module that employs a wireless interface of the apparatus to couple with a commercial entity in conjunction with association of the DMC with products or services of such entity.

61. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein the virtual shopping module accesses a product or service list of the commercial entity and displays products or services relevant to the DMC.

62. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein the virtual shopping module submits an ID of the user account or of the DMC to the commercial entity and obtains a set of products or services relevant to the DMC in response to the submission.

63. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein the virtual shopping module submits an ID of a frequent shopper account to the commercial entity to integrate benefits provided by the frequent shopper account with benefits provided by the DMC.

64. The apparatus of claim 60, further comprising a mapping module that obtains a digital map of a retail store associated with the commercial entity, and populates locations of the products or services on the digital map.

65. The apparatus of claim 64, further comprising a location module that determines a position location of the apparatus and updates the digital map with the position location.

66. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein:

the commercial entity comprises a checkout device of a retail store;

the virtual shopping module submits an ID of the user account to the virtual shopping module; and

the virtual shopping module employs the ID to obtain an invoice of products or services selected by the apparatus, wherein the selection is conveyed wirelessly to a network server associated with the retail store.

67. An apparatus for facilitating management of mobile coupons, comprising:

means for processing rules configured to manage a DMC associated with a mobile device user account, the rules causing the means for processing to;

obtain an assignment of the DMC to the mobile device user account; and

monitor data pertinent to variability of the DMC; and

means for submitting the data to a network entity and for obtaining a network response to the submission, wherein the response affects the mobile device user account or the DMC.

68. At least one processor configured to facilitate management of mobile coupons, comprising:

a first module for obtaining an assignment of a DMC to a mobile device user account;

a second module for monitoring data pertinent to variability of the DMC; and

a third module for submitting the data to a network entity and for obtaining a network response to the submission, wherein the response affects the mobile device user account or the DMC.

69. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising:

at least one instruction for causing a computer to obtain an assignment of a DMC to a mobile device user account;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to monitor data pertinent to variability of the DMC; and

at least one instruction for causing the computer to submit the data to a network entity and obtain a network response to the submission, wherein the response affects the mobile device user account or the DMC.