System for providing a service to venues where people aggregate

• US 7,788,188 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2006
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hoozware Incorporated
• Inventors: Kramer, James Frederick
• Primary Examiner(s): OUELLETTE, JONATHAN P
• Application Number:
  US11/307,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20070179792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,674 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.58, 705/319
• US Class Current: 705/319
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A system and method for providing a service to promoters, including venues and advertising sponsors, who wish to provide promotions. The service includes making promoter promotions accessible by the mobile phones of members associated with an organization. Typically a promotion and member are matched based on the member'"'"'s geographical position, as determined automatically by a position sensor in their mobile phone, and by the member'"'"'s traits and behaviors. By accepting a promotion, a member receives reward points which can be used to obtain goods and services. In addition to accessing promotions, members have mobile access to real-time information about the venues, such as the demographics of venue attendees and media posted by attendees concerning venue characteristics. Using the system, members can determine before going to a venue, such as a nightclub or bar, which venue has their preferred attendee demographic, atmosphere, music, cover charge, drink specials, friends, etc.

Claims

1. A system for providing a service to venues where people aggregate, said system comprising members associated with an organization for processing and transmitting information to said venues, said members or non-members, said members having mobile communication devices, said system comprising:

a data processor, said data processor;

receiving real-time data comprising information about attendees from a mobile communication device of at least one member presently at a venue;

processing said real-time data to provide processed data comprising a demographic of said attendees at said venue for the present time; and

communicating said processed data to at least one of said venues, said members or said non-members;

wherein said processed data comprises;

(A) said real-time data correlated with trait information of said at least one member, said data processor comprising said trait information;

or

(B) said real-time data processed to at least a portion, or said real-time data of more than one member presently at said venue combined.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said demographic of attendees comprises a demographic of (a) only said members or (b) said members and said non-members combined.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein a demographic of said members and said non-members combined is estimated from a demographic of said members presently at said venue.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said demographic of attendees comprises other than the number of people at said venue.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein said demographic of attendees comprises the number or percentage (a) of one gender, (b) in predefined age ranges, (c) of an education level (d) of an occupation, (e) of a predefined marital status, (f) of a predefined parental status, (g) from a predefined zip code, (h) of a predefined political affiliation, (i) within predefined salary ranges, (j) liking a predefined genre of music, (k) liking a predefined performer, (l) liking a particular avocation, (m) having a particular sexual orientation, (n) being of a predefined race, (o) practicing a predefined religion or (p) who smoke.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein said real-time data comprises said at least one member'"'"'s estimate of the number of attendees, gender mix, attendee age or type of clientele.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein said real-time data further comprises said at least one member'"'"'s posting of at least one of the following real-time characteristics of said venue:

type of music, genre of music, atmosphere, lighting, cover charge, attire, expensiveness, drinks and food available, drink specials, dancing, coat check, closing time, rating, comment, photo, audio clip and video clip.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein said real-time data comprises said at least one member'"'"'s real-time estimate of a demographic of attendees at said venue, said real-time estimate received in response to a prompt transmitted to said mobile communication device from said data processor, said prompt associated with said at least one member indicating said at least one member'"'"'s presence in said venue.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said data processor processes time-stamped location information to provide behavior information or to predict whether a member is at a venue.

10. A system according to claim 1, said real-time data comprising location information, wherein said at least one member manually enters said location information into said mobile communication device.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein said location information of said at least one member is provided to a second member.

12. A system according to claim 1, said data processor having location information, wherein said data processor receives said location information from a mobile communication device of a member who is not at a venue.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein each of said venues is a bar, nightclub or lounge.

14. A system according to claim 1, wherein said real-time data comprises location information that is updated in real time or at predetermined times.

15. A system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile communication device of said at least one member has a position sensor for automatically determining the location of said at least one member.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein said data processor automatically determines at which of said venues said at least one member is present using said location from said position sensor.

17. A system according to claim 15, wherein said position sensor comprises a global positioning system, an enhanced-observed-time-difference capability, a BlueTooth wireless system, a WiFi wireless system or pseudolites.

18. A system according to claim 1, wherein said data processor transmits member-intended information to a requesting member, said member-intended information based on any of the following being communicated to said data processor as desired or ranked by said requesting member:

a demographic, a characteristic, closest venue to member'"'"'s current location, most offers available, most members present, most male members present, most female members present, highest rating from other members, and best match to custom demographic.

19. A system according to claim 1, wherein said data processor transmits or receives SMS messages, MMS messages, video, audio or text.

20. A system according to claim 1, wherein member-intended information is transmitted to a mobile communication device of a member at other than said venue, said member-intended information comprising said demographic of attendees at said venue.

21. A system according to claim 1, wherein member-intended information is presented on a mobile communication device in the form of a map or text.

22. A system according to claim 1, wherein said data processor transmits trait information from said at least one member to a second member, said transmitted trait information being in the same categories of trait information received from said second member by said data processor.

23. A system according to claim 1, wherein said real-time data comprises location information of said at least one member, said at least one member'"'"'s estimate of a demographic of attendees at said venue or characteristic information of said venue, or said data processor comprises trait information of said at least one member or behavior information of said at least one member.

24. A system according to claim 23, said data processor communicating said demographic of attendees, said trait information or said behavior information to a venue.

25. A system according to claim 23, said data processor communicating said demographic of attendees, said characteristic information, said trait information, or venue or sponsor promotional material to any of said members, wherein when said venue or sponsor promotional material is communicated, said data processor comprises said venue or sponsor promotional material.

26. A system according to claim 23, wherein said data processor comprises promotional material and selects mobile communication devices of members to which to transmit said promotional material based on (a) said demographic of attendees, (b) said characteristic information, (c) said trait information, (d) said behavior information, (e) instructions provided by a venue or (f) instructions provided by a sponsor.

27. A system according to claim 26, wherein said promotional material comprises drink specials, cover charge discounts, access to VIP lounges, transportation offers, parking specials, food specials, merchandise offers, lodging specials, music downloads, passes to events or retail gift cards.

28. A system according to claim 23, wherein said data processor comprises promotional material from a promoter having a communication device accessing an application provided by said organization for selecting mobile communication devices of members to which to transmit said promotional material based on (a) said demographic of attendees, (b) said characteristic information, (c) said trait information, (d) said behavior information or (e) instructions provided by said promoter.

29. A system according to claim 23, wherein said data processor comprises information of a reward and informs said at least one member of said reward receivable by said at least one member for (a) providing said trait information, (b) providing said behavior information, (c) providing said location information, (d) providing said demographic of attendees, (e) providing said characteristic information, (f) accepting a promoter'"'"'s promotion, (g) recruiting new members or (h) having become a member of said organization.

30. A system according to claim 29, wherein said reward comprises promotional material, rewards points, cash, credit, a coupon, a discount or organization honors.

31. A system according to claim 30, wherein said promotional material comprises, or said rewards points are used to receive, drink specials, cover charge discounts, access to VIP lounges, transportation offers, parking specials, food specials, merchandise offers, lodging specials, music downloads, passes to events or retail gift cards.

32. A system according to claim 1, wherein said data processor comprises (a) a computer server or (b) a processor in said mobile communication device.

33. A system for providing a service to venues where people aggregate, said system comprising members associated with an organization for processing and transmitting information to said venues, said members or non-members, said members having mobile communication devices, said system comprising:

a data processor, said data processor;

receiving real-time data comprising information about attendees from a mobile communication device of at least one member presently at a venue;

processing said real-time data to provide processed data comprising a demographic of said attendees at said venue for the present time; and

communicating said processed data to a recipient being at least one of said venues, said members or said non-members;

wherein said processed data comprises;

(A) location information of said at least one member correlated with trait information of said at least one member, said data processor comprising said trait information, and said real-time data comprising said location information indicating said at least one member'"'"'s presence in said venue for the present time provided by

(1) a position-sensing device, or

(2) said at least one member manually entering said location information into said mobile communication device;

or

(B) a posting processed to at least a portion based on said recipient'"'"'s preferences or interests, importance, weighting factors, classification algorithms, said real-time data'"'"'s quality, said real-time data'"'"'s usefulness, or said real-time data compared to historical data, wherein said real-time data comprises said posting;

or said real-time data of more than one member presently at said venue combined to determine or estimate said demographic of attendees.

34. A system according to claim 33, wherein said real-time data is received from mobile communication devices of at least two members presently at said venue.

35. A system according to claim 34, wherein said processing comprises determining, for members indicating their presence at said venue for the present time, the number of said indicating members, the percentage of said indicating members possessing a particular trait, or another statistic of the trait categories of said indicating members.

36. A system according to claim 34, wherein said demographic of attendees comprises other than the number of people at said venue.

37. A system according to claim 34, wherein said communicating is at the present time.

38. A system according to claim 34, wherein said data processor comprises (a) a computer server or (b) a processor in said mobile communication device.

39. A method for providing a service to venues where people aggregate, said method comprising members associated with an organization for processing and transmitting information to said venues, said members or non-members, said members having mobile communication devices, said method employing a data processor, said data processor:

receiving real-time data comprising information about attendees from a mobile communication device of at least one member presently at a venue;

processing said real-time data to provide processed data comprising a demographic of said attendees at said venue for the present time; and

communicating said processed data to at least one of said venues, said members or said non-members;

wherein said processed data comprises;

(A) said real-time data correlated with trait information of said at least one member, said data processor comprising said trait information;

or

(B) said real-time data processed to at least a portion, or said real-time data of more than one member presently at said venue combined.

40. A system for providing a service to venues where people aggregate, said system comprising members associated with an organization for processing and transmitting information to said venues, said members or non-members, said members having mobile communication devices, said system comprising:

a data processor, said data processor;

receiving real-time data comprising information about attendees from a mobile communication device of at least one member presently at a venue;

processing said real-time data to provide processed data comprising a demographic of said attendees at said venue for the present time; and

communicating said processed data to a recipient being at least one of said venues, said members or said non-members;

wherein said processed data comprises location information of said at least one member correlated with trait information of said at least one member, said data processor comprising said trait information, and said real-time data comprising said location information indicating said at least one member'"'"'s presence in said venue for the present time provided by a position-sensing device.

41. A system according to claim 40, wherein said real-time data is received from mobile communication devices of at least two members presently at said venue, said mobile communication devices are mobile phones, said communicating is at the present time, and said demographic of attendees comprises other than the number of people at said venue.

42. A system for providing a service to venues where people aggregate, said system comprising members associated with an organization for processing and transmitting information to said venues, said members or non-members, said members having mobile communication devices, said system comprising:

a data processor, said data processor;

receiving real-time data comprising information about attendees from a mobile communication device of at least one member presently at a venue;

processing said real-time data to provide processed data comprising a demographic of said attendees at said venue for the present time; and

communicating said processed data to a recipient being at least one of said venues, said members or said non-members;

wherein said processed data comprises location information of said at least one member correlated with trait information of said at least one member, said data processor comprising said trait information, and said real-time data comprising said location information indicating said at least one member'"'"'s presence in said venue for the present time provided by said at least one member manually entering said location information into said mobile communication device.

43. A system according to claim 42, wherein said real-time data is received from mobile communication devices of at least two members presently at said venue, said mobile communication devices are mobile phones, said communicating is at the present time, and said demographic of attendees comprises other than the number of people at said venue.

44. A system for providing a service to venues where people aggregate, said system comprising members associated with an organization for processing and transmitting information to said venues, said members or non-members, said members having mobile communication devices, said system comprising:

a data processor, said data processor;

receiving real-time data comprising information about attendees from a mobile communication device of at least one member presently at a venue;

processing said real-time data to provide processed data comprising a demographic of said attendees at said venue for the present time; and

communicating said processed data to a recipient being at least one of said venues, said members or said non-members;

wherein said processed data comprises a posting processed to at least a portion based on said recipient'"'"'s preferences or interests, importance, weighting factors, classification algorithms, said real-time data'"'"'s quality, said real-time data'"'"'s usefulness, or said real-time data compared to historical data, wherein said real-time data comprises said posting.

45. A system according to claim 44, wherein said posting comprises said at least one member'"'"'s real-time estimate of at least one demographic of attendees at said venue, said real-time estimate received in response to a prompt transmitted to said mobile communication device from said data processor, said prompt associated with said at least one member indicating said at least one member'"'"'s presence in said venue.

46. A system according to claim 45, wherein a said posting is received from mobile communication devices of at least two members presently at said venue, said mobile communication devices are mobile phones, said communicating is at the present time, and said demographic of attendees comprises other than the number of people at said venue.

47. A system for providing a service to venues where people aggregate, said system comprising members associated with an organization for processing and transmitting information to said venues, said members or non-members, said members having mobile communication devices, said system comprising:

a data processor, said data processor;

receiving real-time data comprising information about attendees from a mobile communication device of at least one member presently at a venue;

processing said real-time data to provide processed data comprising a demographic of said attendees at said venue for the present time; and

communicating said processed data to a recipient being at least one of said venues, said members or said non-members;

wherein said processed data comprises said real-time data of more than one member presently at said venue combined to determine or estimate said demographic of attendees.

48. A system according to claim 47, wherein said real-time data comprises said at least one member'"'"'s real-time estimate of a demographic of attendees at said venue, said real-time estimate received in response to a prompt transmitted to said mobile communication device from said data processor, said prompt associated with said at least one member indicating said at least one member'"'"'s presence in said venue.

49. A system according to claim 48, wherein said mobile communication devices are mobile phones, said communicating is at the present time, and said demographic of attendees comprises other than the number of people at said venue.

50. A system for providing a service to venues where people aggregate, said system comprising members associated with an organization for processing and transmitting information to said venues, said members or non-members, said members having mobile communication devices, said system comprising:

a data processor, said data processor comprising software capable of;

receiving real-time data comprising information about attendees or characteristics of a venue from a mobile communication device of at least one member presently at said venue;

correlating location information of said at least one member with trait information on said data processor of said at least one member to provide a demographic of attendees at said venue for the present time, said real-time data comprising said location information;

processing to at least a portion said real-time data comprising a posting of at least one demographic of attendees at said venue for the present time;

combining said real-time data of more than one member presently at said venue to determine or estimate a demographic of attendees at said venue for the present time;

communicating at the present time a demographic of attendees at said venue for the present time to at least one of said venues, said members or said non-members;

receiving and storing promotional material from a venue or sponsor; and

communicating said promotional material to any of said members.

51. A system according to claim 50, wherein said software is capable of projecting the number of people that will attend said venue in the future.