Method, system and apparatus for targeting an offer

• US 8,321,267 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mindspark Interactive Network, Inc. (Match Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mindspark Interactive Network, Inc. (Match Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hoerenz, Chris P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lastra, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US10/610,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20040267611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,438 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/14.1
• US Class Current: 705/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• 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 30/0241 Advertisements

Abstract

A system, apparatus, means, computer code, and method may include receiving data indicative of information associated with a user, determining a value of a metric associated with the user based on the data indicative of information associated with the user, verifying that the value of the metric associated with the user is valid, selecting an offer from a plurality of offers where each of the offers has a score associated with the value of the metric, and providing data indicative of the selected offer.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving at a server computer system from a user computer system at least one signal indicative of information associated with a user;

determining at the server computer system a value of a metric associated with said user based on said at least one signal indicative of information associated with said user;

verifying at the server computer system said value of said metric associated with said user;

selecting a first offer from a plurality of offers based at least in part on said value of said metric, each of said plurality of offers having a score associated with said value of said metric;

selecting a second offer from said plurality of offers based at least in part on said value of said metric, wherein said score of said second offer is lower than said score of said first offer;

transmitting from the server computer system at least one signal indicative of said selected first and second offers such that said first and second offers are simultaneously displayed to said user in a tiered fashion such that said first offer is displayed in a first tier and said second offer is displayed in a second tier, said signal including a first fulfillment path for responding to said first offer and a second fulfillment path for responding to said second offer;

storing a value of a metric in response to said user utilizing at least one of said first and second fulfillment paths; and

updating the score associated with at least one of the selected first and second offers in response to said user utilizing said fulfillment path.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at the server computer system at least one response signal associated with said selected offer.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising:

generating at the server computer system a report on said selected offer, said report including said response data.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating at the server computer system scores for a plurality of offers based on said value of said metric associated with said user.

5. A method according to claim 4, further comprising:

creating at the server computer system at least one table of scores for said plurality of offers for a plurality of said values of said metric associated with said user.

6. A method according to claim 4, further comprising:

updating at the server computer system said scores based on offer response data.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at the user computer system said at least one signal indicative of said selected offer.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said receiving said at least one signal indicative of said selected offer includes receiving said at least one signal indicative of said selected offer from a content providing device.

9. A method according to claim 7, wherein said receiving said at least one signal indicative of said selected offer includes receiving said at least one signal indicative of said selected offer from a content advertising device.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said receiving said at least one signal indicative of information associated with said user includes receiving at an offer server said at least one signal indicative of information associated with said user from a content providing device.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein said receiving said at least one signal indicative of information associated with said user includes receiving at the server computer system said at least one signal indicative of information associated with said user from a user device.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein said determining said value of said metric includes:

determining at the server computer system a zip+4 code associated with said user based on said at least one signal indicative of information associated with said user.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein verifying that said value of said metric associated with said user is valid includes:

comparing at the server computer system said value of said metric associated with said user to at least one known value of said metric.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein verifying that said value of said metric associated with said user is valid includes;

receiving at an offer server at least one signal associated with said value of said metric from an information device.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein verifying said value of said metric associated with said user includes:

correcting at the server computer system said value of said metric associated with said user.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein said selecting an offer from said plurality of offers includes:

selecting at the server computer system at least one offer type based at least in part on a score of said at least one offer type associated with said value of said metric.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein said selecting an offer from said plurality of offers includes:

selecting at the server computer system at least one offer from said selected at least one offer type.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein said selecting an offer from said plurality of offers includes:

selecting at the server computer system multiple offers from said plurality of offers.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein said multiple offers are selected for simultaneous display on a web page.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein said selecting multiple offers from said plurality of offers includes:

selecting at the server computer system at least one primary offer; and

selecting at the server computer system at least one secondary offer.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein said at least one primary offer is selected based at least in part on said score associated with said value of said metric.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein said at least one secondary offer is selected based at least in part on said score associated with said value of said metric.

23. A method according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting at least one signal indicative of said selected offer includes:

transmitting at least one signal indicative of said selected offer from an offer sever to at least one content providing device.

24. A method according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting at least one signal indicative of said selected offer includes:

transmitting at least one signal indicative of said selected offer from the server computer system to at least one user device.

25. A method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one signal indicative of said selected offer includes an offer code associated with said selected offer.

26. A method according to claim 1, wherein said metric is a first metric and said verifying of said value of said metric associated with said user includes:

determining at the server computer system at least one value of a second metric associated with said user; and

determining at the server computer system a correct value of said first metric based at least in part on said value of said second metric.

27. A method according to claim 1, wherein said score is a profit score.

28. A method according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting said at least one signal indicative of said selected offer includes:

transmitting from the server computer system said at least one signal providing-said-data indicative of said selected offer on a web page.

29. A method according to claim 1, wherein transmitting said at least one signal indicative of said selected offer includes:

transmitting from the server computer system said at least one signal indicative of said selected offer in an e-mail message.

30. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause said processor to;

receive data indicative of information associated with a user;

determine a value of a metric associated with said user based on said data indicative of information associated with said user;

verify said value of said metric associated with said user;

select a first offer from a plurality of offers based at least in part on said value of said metric, each of said plurality of offers having a score associated with said value of said metric;

select a second offer from said plurality of offers based at least in part on said value of said metric, wherein said score of said second offer is lower than said score of said first offer;

transmit at least one signal indicative of said selected first and second offers such that said first and second offers are simultaneously displayed to said user in a tiered fashion such that said first offer is displayed in a first tier and said second offer is displayed in a second tier, said signal including a first fulfillment path for responding to said first offer and a second fulfillment path for responding to said second offer;

storing a value of a metric in response to said user utilizing at least one of said first and second fulfillment paths; and

updating the score associated with at least one of the selected first and second offers in response to said user utilizing said fulfillment path.

31. An article of manufacture according to claim 30, wherein said stored instructions, when executed by a processor, further cause said processor to:

receive response data associated with said selected offer.

32. An article of manufacture according to claim 30, wherein said stored instructions, when executed by a processor, further cause said processor to:

generate scores for a plurality of offers based on said value of said metric associated with said user.

33. An article of manufacture according to claim 30, wherein said offer is selected from said plurality of offers by:

selecting at least one offer type based at least in part on a score of said at least one offer type associated with said value of said metric.

34. An article of manufacture according to claim 30, wherein said offer is selected from said plurality of offers by:

selecting multiple offers from said plurality of offers.

35. An article of manufacture according to claim 34, wherein said selecting multiple offers from said plurality of offers includes:

selecting at least one primary offer; and

selecting at least one secondary offer.

36. An offer targeting system, comprising:

a processor;

a communication port coupled to said processor and adapted to communicate with a plurality of network devices; and

a storage device coupled to said processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to;

receive data indicative of information associated with a user;

determine a value of a metric associated with said user based on said data indicative of information associated with said user;

verify said value of said metric associated with said user;

select a first offer from a plurality of offers based at least in part on said value of said metric, each of said plurality of offers having a score associated with said value of said metric;

select a second offer from said plurality of offers based at least in part on said value of said metric, wherein said score of said second offer is lower than said score of said first offer;

transmit at least one signal indicative of said selected first and second offers such that said first and second offers are simultaneously displayed to said user in a tiered fashion such that said first offer is displayed in a first tier and said second offer is displayed in a second tier, said signal including a first fulfillment path for responding to said first offer and a second fulfillment path for responding to said second offer;

storing a value of a metric in response to said user utilizing at least one of said first and second fulfillment paths; and

updating the score associated with at least one of the selected first and second offers in response to said user utilizing said fulfillment path.