Marketing method

• US 7,805,130 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2006
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Northmobile Tech LLC
• Original Assignee: Ian Gregory Smith, Paul Edwards
• Inventors: Edwards, Paul, Smith, Ian Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro, Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lebassi, Amanuel
• Application Number:
  US11/419,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20070123225A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,589 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 705/14
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices

Abstract

A server implements a marketing method. The server may receive a wireless call or message originating at a given facility and return a menu of choices particular to that facility. On receiving a choice selected from said menu, the server may return one or more messages with information particular to a part of said given facility. The information may be a marketing incentive, marketing information, or a promotion.

Claims

1. A marketing method comprising:

at a server system;

receiving from a mobile wireless communications device a wireless call or message;

determining that said mobile wireless communications device is located at a given shopping facility;

correlating a menu of choices specific to said given shopping facility with said given shopping facility;

responsive to said receiving, returning to said wireless communications device information to provision said wireless communications device with said menu of choices;

subsequent to said returning said information, on receiving from said wireless communications device a choice selected from said menu, returning to said wireless communications device one or more text-based marketing messages, at least one of said text-based marketing messages comprising a marketing incentive particular to a store in said given shopping facility.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said marketing incentive comprises a promotional code.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving from a wireless device a wireless call or message comprises receiving said call or message with an associated geographic indication.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said geographic indication is a GPS location indicator.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said geographic indication is a cell sector identifier.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising, subsequent to said returning said one or more text-based marketing messages to said wireless device, receiving updated message content for at least one of said one or more text-based marketing messages.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising storing at least one updated text-based marketing message based on said message content.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said updated text-based marketing message replaces one of said one or more text-based marketing messages.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising returning to said wireless device said at least one updated text-based marketing message.

10. The method of claim 6 further comprising returning to said wireless device said at least one updated text-based marketing message if a time between said receiving a choice selected from said menu and said receiving updated text-based marketing message content is less than a pre-determined time.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving a wireless call or message comprises receiving a short messaging service message.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving a wireless call or message comprises receiving a wireless cellular telephone call.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said wireless cellular telephone call is made to a destination number terminated at said server system and wherein said server system terminates a plurality of destination numbers and wherein said determining that said mobile wireless communications device is located at a given shopping facility comprises identifying said shopping facility by said destination number.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein, said returning to said wireless communications device information to provision said wireless communications device with a menu of choices is further returning information to provision said wireless communications device with a further menu of choices and prior to said further returning, first returning to said wireless device information to provision said wireless communications device with a first menu of choices comprising a list of retail verticals and wherein said further returning is responsive to receiving a choice selected from said first menu.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said promotional code is time limited.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one of said messages further comprises an indicator of a location of said store in said shopping facility.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein said menu is a further menu and said choice is a further choice and wherein said returning returns information to provision said wireless communications device with a first menu and, upon selection of a first choice from said first menu, with said further menu.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said first menu comprises a menu of retail verticals, each retail vertical associated with stores of one type and further comprising arranging a transaction charge to all stores associated with said first choice and arranging a further transaction charge to said store.

19. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions which, when executed by a processor of a server cause said server to:

on receiving a wireless call or message from a mobile wireless communications device, determining that said mobile wireless communications device is located at a given shopping facility, correlating a menu of choices specific to said given shopping facility with said given shopping facility and returning to said wireless communications device information to provision said wireless communications device with said menu of choices;

subsequent to returning said information, on receiving from said wireless communications de vice a choice selected from said menu, return to said wireless communications device one or more text-based marketing messages, at least one of said messages comprising a marketing incentive particular to a store in said given shopping facility.