System for marketing campaign specification and secure digital coupon redemption

• US 8,583,447 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2011
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Inventors: Kramer, James F., Ning, Paul C.
• Primary Examiner(s): OUELLETTE, JONATHAN P
• Application Number:
  US13/329,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20120089453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 695 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Product vendors are provided with a system for performing a marketing campaign to mobile communication device users, providing offers as instruments, such as digital coupons, to a selected group of users of the mobile communication devices and validating the integrity of the instruments. The invention has two phases: the selection of the components of the instrument from a menu provided by a social networking organization; and validating the instrument upon redemption from the product vendor. In the first phase, the product vendor selects elements from the menu relevant to the campaign, such as timing, nature of the offer, targeting of the recipients, etc. In the second phase, the instrument is encoded as to the marketing campaign and an arbitrary designation which initiates a pattern as the instrument is redeemed. The product vendor inspects the instrument to ensure that the encoding is correct during the redemption process.

Claims

1. A system for validating the proper use of an instrument presented on a mobile communication device by a device user who is a member of a social networking organization, where said instrument is associated with a marketing campaign giving awards to members upon presentation of said instrument to an award provider and redeeming of said instrument, said system comprising:

a data processor having data comprising information of said members and said marketing campaign;

a mobile communication device having a display, said mobile communication device associated with a member;

said data processor originating said instrument;

said validation comprising;

transmitting to said data processor redemption of said instrument, whereby said data processor determines the time since redemption; and

displaying said time since redemption on said display of said mobile communication device.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said instrument is a digital coupon, said time since redemption appearing on said display comprising said instrument after said instrument is redeemed.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein when a request to verify said digital coupon is selected on said mobile communication device, said data processor provides said time since redemption to said award provider.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

said data processor is configured to;

validate said instrument upon receiving data indicating redemption of said instrument by;

determining a sequence designator of said instrument; and

sending said sequence designator to said mobile communication device;

and

said mobile communication device is configured to display said sequence designator on said display of said mobile communication device.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein:

said instrument is a digital coupon;

said sequence designator is a number; and

said mobile communication device is further configured to display said number on said display after said instrument has been validated.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein when a request to verify said digital coupon is selected on said mobile communication device, said data processor is further configured to provide said number to an award provider.

7. A system according to claim 5, wherein said data processor is further configured to determine said number by starting from a random seed and incrementing said number each time an instrument for said marketing campaign is redeemed.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

said data processor is configured to;

validate said instrument upon receiving data indicating redemption of said instrument by;

determining a time of redemption of said instrument; and

sending said time of redemption to said mobile communication device;

and

said mobile communication device is configured to display said time of redemption on said display of said mobile communication device.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein said instrument is a digital coupon and said mobile communication device is further configured to display said time of redemption after said instrument has been validated.

10. A system according to claim 8, wherein when a request to verify said digital coupon is selected on said mobile communication device, said data processor is further configured to provide said time of redemption to an award provider.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein said data processor is further configured to:

receive timing aspects of a targeted offer from a product vendor device associated with a product vendor, said timing aspects including a date and a clock time;

originate said instrument associated with said targeted offer based on said date and said clock time; and

associate said instrument with said device user.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein said timing aspects include said date and said clock time said targeted offer is provided.

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein said timing aspects include said date and said clock time said targeted offer becomes valid.

14. A system according to claim 11, wherein said timing aspects include said date and said clock time said targeted offer stops being valid.

15. A system according to claim 11, wherein said instrument is a digital coupon associated with an account of said device user.

16. A system according to claim 1, wherein said data processor originates said instrument by sending said instrument to the mobile communication device.