Method and system for providing a small business coupon distribution system

• US 8,364,522 B1
• Filed: 01/30/2008
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Gevelber, Lisa Cohen
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TIEN C
• Application Number:
  US12/022,339
• Time in Patent Office: 1,826 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/5, 705/10, 705/26
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history

Abstract

A method and system for providing a small business a coupon distribution system includes a process for coupon distribution to select consumers whereby a coupon provider defines at least one coupon eligibility criterion that must be met by a consumer in order for the consumer to be eligible to receive a given coupon. The coupon provider also provides coupon offer data including, but not limited to, the terms of the coupon, contact information for the coupon provider, and a logo and/or trademark associated with the coupon provider. The data representing the at least one coupon eligibility criterion and coupon offer data is then provided to the process for coupon distribution to select consumers. Financial data for one or more consumers is then obtained from one or more sources using a computing system implemented financial management system. Using the data representing the at least one coupon eligibility criterion and the consumer'"'"'s financial data, one or more consumers are identified that are eligible to receive the coupon from the coupon provider. The identified consumers are then provided the one coupons and/or coupon offer data.

Claims

1. A computing system implemented process for coupon distribution to select consumers comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more memories having stored therein processor executable instructions which when executed by the one or more processors perform a process comprising;

obtaining, from a coupon provider, data representing at least one coupon eligibility criterion that a consumer must meet in order to be eligible to receive a given coupon, wherein the coupon eligibility criterion at least including a maximum number of recipients of the coupon;

obtaining data representing the given coupon offer from the coupon provider, wherein a same user interface is used by the coupon provider to enter both the at least one coupon eligibility criterion and the coupon offer data;

obtaining one or more consumers'"'"' financial data using a computing system implemented financial management system, the one or more consumers'"'"' financial data being associated with one or more respective consumers;

analyzing one or more consumers'"'"' financial data and the data representing the at least one coupon eligibility criterion to identify one or more eligible consumers of the one or more consumers eligible to receive the given coupon, wherein the system is operable to consider the criterion that the eligible consumers must spend at least a defined threshold amount of money in a defined category of store, the criterion that the eligible consumers must spend at least a defined threshold amount of money on defined products and/or services, the criterion that the eligible consumers must spend at least a defined threshold amount of money in a defined category of financial transaction, and the criterion that the eligible consumers must shop with the coupon provider at least a threshold number of times; and

providing, wherein the number of prior recipients of the coupon is less than the maximum number of recipients previously obtained, the one or more eligible consumers access to the given coupon.

2. The computing system implemented process for coupon distribution to select consumers of claim 1, wherein;

the at least one coupon eligibility criterion that a consumer must meet in order to be eligible to receive a coupon comprises at least one coupon eligibility criterion chosen from the group of coupon eligibility criteria consisting of;

the criterion that the eligible consumers must live within a maximum distance from a designated location;

the criterion that the eligible consumers must have made purchases from one or more identified product and/or service providers;

the criterion that the eligible consumers must make purchases in a defined category of financial transaction a threshold number of times;

the criterion that the eligible consumers must have purchased defined products and/or services related to the products and/or services offered by the coupon provider;

the criterion that the eligible consumers must shop in a defined geographic location;

the criterion that the eligible consumers must have a defined income and/or discretionary spending budget;

the criterion that the eligible consumers must make purchases according to a defined pattern and/or with a defined frequency; and

the criterion that the eligible consumers must meet defined demographics.

3. The computing system implemented process for coupon distribution to select consumers of claim 1, wherein;

the computing system implemented financial management system is a computing system implemented personal financial management system.

4. The computing system implemented process for coupon distribution to select consumers of claim 1, wherein;

obtaining one or more consumers'"'"' financial data using a computing system implemented financial management system comprises obtaining at least part of at least one of the one or more consumers'"'"' financial data from one or more of the following sources;

a bank;

a debit card account;

a credit union;

a credit card account;

a marketing device distribution system; and

a network based shopping system.

5. The computing system implemented process for coupon distribution to select consumers of claim 1, wherein;

obtaining one or more consumers'"'"' financial data using a computing system implemented financial management system comprises obtaining at least part of at least one of the one or more consumers'"'"' financial data from two or more of the following sources;

a bank;

a debit card account;

a credit union;

or

a credit card account.

6. The computing system implemented process for coupon distribution to select consumers of claim 1, wherein;

obtaining one or more consumers'"'"' financial data using a computing system implemented financial management system comprises obtaining one or more consumers'"'"' financial transaction data.

7. The computing system implemented process for coupon distribution to select consumers of claim 1, wherein;

the one or more consumers'"'"' financial transaction data represents two or more payments made by a given one of the one or more consumers to one or more consumer payees from two or more payment sources.

8. The computing system implemented process for coupon distribution to select consumers of claim 1, wherein;

providing the one or more eligible consumers access to the given coupon comprises;

providing at least one of the one or more eligible consumers access to the given coupon automatically once the at least one of the eligible consumers is identified.

9. The computing system implemented process for coupon distribution to select consumers of claim 1, wherein;

providing the one or more eligible consumers access to the given coupon comprises;

storing data representing the given coupon and providing at least one of the one or more eligible consumers access to the data representing given coupon.

10. The computing system implemented process for coupon distribution to select consumers of claim 1, wherein;

providing the one or more eligible consumers access to the given coupon comprises;

transferring data representing the given coupon to a computing system accessible by at least one of the one or more eligible consumers.

11. The computing system implemented process for coupon distribution to select consumers of claim 10, wherein;

providing the one or more eligible consumers access to the given coupon comprises;

transferring data representing the given coupon to a computing system accessible by at least one of the one or more eligible consumers and displaying the given coupons on the computing system accessible by at the least one of one or more consumers within the context of one or more financial transactions.

12. The computing system implemented process for coupon distribution to select consumers of claim 10, wherein;

providing the one or more eligible consumers access to the given coupon comprises;

transferring data representing the given coupon to a computing system accessible by at least one of the one or more eligible consumers and displaying the given coupon on the computing system accessible by the at least one of the one or more eligible consumers within the context of one or more financial transactions that are part of a listing of transactions generated by the computing system implemented financial management system.

13. A computer program product for providing a process for coupon distribution to select consumers comprising:

a nontransitory computer readable medium;

and computer program code, encoded on the computer readable medium, comprising computer readable instructions which when executed by a processor, perform a process for;

obtaining, from a coupon provider, data representing at least one coupon eligibility criterion that a consumer must meet in order to be eligible to receive a given coupon, wherein the coupon eligibility criterion at least including a maximum number of recipients of the coupon;

obtaining data representing the given coupon offer from the coupon provider, wherein a same user interface is used by the coupon provider to enter both the at least one coupon eligibility criterion and the coupon offer data;

obtaining one or more consumers'"'"' financial data using a computing system implemented financial management system, the one or more consumers'"'"' financial data being associated with one or more respective consumers;

analyzing one or more consumers'"'"' financial data and the data representing the at least one coupon eligibility criterion to identify one or more eligible consumers of the one or more consumers eligible to receive the given coupon, wherein the system is operable to consider the criterion that the eligible consumers must spend at least a defined threshold amount of money in a defined category of store, the criterion that the eligible consumers must spend at least a defined threshold amount of money on defined products and/or services, the criterion that the eligible consumers must spend at least a defined threshold amount of money in a defined category of financial transaction, and the criterion that the eligible consumers must shop with the coupon provider at least a threshold number of times; and

providing, wherein the number of prior recipients of the coupon is less than the maximum number of recipients previously obtained, the one or more eligible consumers access to the given coupon.

14. The computer program product for providing a process for coupon distribution to select consumers of claim 13, wherein;

the at least one coupon eligibility criterion that a consumer must meet in order to be eligible to receive a coupon comprises at least one coupon eligibility criterion chosen from the group of coupon eligibility criteria consisting of;

the criterion that the eligible consumers must live within a maximum distance from a designated location;

the criterion that the eligible consumers must have made purchases from one or more identified product and/or service providers;

the criterion that the eligible consumers must make purchases in a defined category of financial transaction a threshold number of times;

the criterion that the eligible consumers must have purchased defined products and/or services related to the products and/or services offered by the coupon provider;

the criterion that the eligible consumers must shop in a defined geographic location;

the criterion that the eligible consumers must have a defined income and/or discretionary spending budget;

the criterion that the eligible consumers must make purchases according to a defined pattern and/or with a defined frequency; and

the criterion that the eligible consumers must meet defined demographics.

15. The computer program product for providing a process for coupon distribution to select consumers of claim 13, wherein;

obtaining one or more consumers'"'"' financial data using a computing system implemented financial management system comprises obtaining one or more consumers'"'"' financial transaction data.

16. The computer program product for providing a process for coupon distribution to select consumers of claim 13, wherein;

providing the one or more eligible consumers access to the given coupon comprises;

providing at least one of the one or more eligible consumers access to the given coupon automatically once the at least one of the eligible consumers is identified.

17. A system for providing a process for coupon distribution to select consumers comprising:

a computing system implemented financial management system;

means for obtaining, from a coupon provider, data representing at least one coupon eligibility criterion that a consumer must meet in order to be eligible to receive a given coupon, wherein the coupon eligibility criterion at least including a maximum number of recipients of the coupon;

means for obtaining data representing the given coupon offer from the coupon provider, wherein a same user interface is used by the coupon provider to enter both the at least one coupon eligibility criterion and the coupon offer data;

means for obtaining one or more consumers'"'"' financial data using a computing system implemented financial management system, the one or more consumers'"'"' financial data being associated with one or more respective consumers;

means for analyzing one or more consumers'"'"' financial data and the data representing the at least one coupon eligibility criterion to identify one or more eligible consumers of the one or more consumers eligible to receive the given coupon, wherein the system is operable to consider the criterion that the eligible consumers must spend at least a defined threshold amount of money in a defined category of store, the criterion that the eligible consumers must spend at least a defined threshold amount of money on defined products and/or services, the criterion that the eligible consumers must spend at least a defined threshold amount of money in a defined category of financial transaction, and the criterion that the eligible consumers must shop with the coupon provider at least a threshold number of times; and

means for providing, wherein the number of prior recipients of the coupon is less than the maximum number of recipients previously obtained, the one or more eligible consumers access to the given coupon.

18. The system for providing a process for coupon distribution to select consumers of claim 17, wherein;

the at least one coupon eligibility criterion that a consumer must meet in order to be eligible to receive a coupon comprises at least one coupon eligibility criterion chosen from the group of coupon eligibility criteria consisting of;

the criterion that the eligible consumers must live within a maximum distance from a designated location;

the criterion that the eligible consumers must have made purchases from one or more identified product and/or service providers;

the criterion that the eligible consumers must make purchases in a defined category of financial transaction a threshold number of times;

the criterion that the eligible consumers must have purchased defined products and/or services related to the products and/or services offered by the coupon provider;

the criterion that the eligible consumers must shop in a defined geographic location;

the criterion that the eligible consumers must have a defined income and/or discretionary spending budget;

the criterion that the eligible consumers must make purchases according to a defined pattern and/or with a defined frequency; and

the criterion that the eligible consumers must meet defined demographics.

19. The system for providing a process for coupon distribution to select consumers of claim 17, wherein;

the means for obtaining one or more consumers'"'"' financial data using the computing system implemented financial management system comprises means for obtaining one or more consumers'"'"' financial transaction data.

20. The system for providing a process for coupon distribution to select consumers of claim 17, wherein;

the means for providing the one or more eligible consumers access to the given coupon comprises;

means for providing at least one of the one or more eligible consumers access to the given coupon automatically once the at least one of the eligible consumers is identified.