Management of dynamic electronic coupons

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9524502-B2
Application number	US-14259708-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2008
Priority date	Jun 20, 2007
Publication date	Dec 20, 2016
Grant date	Dec 20, 2016

Abstract

Providing for management of a dynamic mobile coupon (DMC) at a mobile device is described herein. Particularly, dynamic characteristics associated with the DMC, such as a redeemable value, can be utilized to browse, sort, search, recall, or redeem the DMC utilizing a user interface of the mobile device. In other aspects, a DMC management application can interact with server components to backup and store DMC data, synchronize dynamic information (e.g., a dynamic redeemable value), access or manage a user profile, interface with other mobile devices to accomplish sharing, trading, exchanging, selling the DMC, and so on. Accordingly, provided is an efficient and personable way to manage mobile coupons in a mobile operating environment and provide increased value and utility for a user of such coupons.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of managing mobile coupons at a mobile device, comprising:
obtaining, by a transceiver of the mobile device, a mobile coupon application at least in part via wireless data exchange, wherein a mobile coupon integrated with the mobile coupon application comprises at least one variable characteristic;
facilitating, by a processor of the mobile device in conjunction with a user interface of the mobile device, browsing, sorting, and/or searching of the mobile coupon as a function of the at least one variable characteristic;
detecting, by the processor of the mobile device, one or more circumstances determinable by the mobile device;
determining, by the processor of the mobile device, whether the at least one variable characteristic will change based on the detected one or more circumstances; and
providing, by the processor of the mobile device in conjunction with a user interface of the mobile device, an audible, visual, or tactile indication of an impending change in the at least one variable characteristic at the user interface.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising employing a redeemable value, a product or service, a coupon ID, a redemption characteristic, or a state of supplier, product or service, manufacturer, or redemption entity profile information as the at least one variable characteristic.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending a wireless broadcast that requests identification of a mobile coupon available for distribution to the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising facilitating, by the processor of the mobile device, engaging or disengaging automatic downloading of available mobile coupons based on a user profile or user input.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising one or more of:
transmitting, by the transceiver of the mobile device, a first unicast message to a remote device in conjunction with obtaining the mobile coupon application;
receiving, by the transceiver of the mobile device, a second unicast message from the remote device based on a unique characteristic of the mobile device or user profile information of the mobile device, in conjunction with obtaining the mobile coupon; or receiving, by the transceiver of the mobile device, a broadcast message from the remote device based on a general characteristic associated with the mobile device, in conjunction with obtaining the mobile coupon.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising managing, by the processor of the mobile device, a state of the at least one variable characteristic by one or more of:
causing the at least one variable characteristic to be displayed at the user interface; or
extracting rules for altering the at least one variable characteristic from the mobile coupon application or the wireless data exchange and presenting the rules at the user interface.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising ranking, by the processor of the mobile device, the mobile coupon against a second mobile coupon based on data from a user profile, a coupon interaction history, a friends list or a network data store.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising one or more of:
associating, by the processor of the mobile device, a user coupon point with a user coupon profile based on receipt, exchange or redemption of the mobile coupon, wherein one or more such coupon points can be exchanged for the mobile coupon; or
associating, by the processor of the mobile device, the user coupon profile with a user loyalty card and applying a discount of the user loyalty card in conjunction with a transaction involving the mobile coupon.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising facilitating, by the processor of the mobile device, exchanging the mobile coupon with a target mobile device or target mobile coupon device and optionally updating a variable characteristic of a second mobile coupon, or adjusting coupon points of a user profile, based on the wireless data exchange of the mobile coupon.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising conditioning, by the processor of the mobile device, receipt of the mobile coupon application based at least in part on a distance to a providing device, a location of the mobile device, a location of a redemption entity associated with the mobile coupon, or user profile information.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising facilitating, by the processor of the mobile device, redemption of the mobile coupon based on one or more of:
causing the user interface to provide a visual indication of a unique ID of the mobile coupon;
causing the user interface to provide an auditory indication of the unique ID at the mobile device;
causing the transceiver to provide a wired or wireless electronic transmission of the unique ID to a redemption entity; or
providing a user profile ID associated with a user of the mobile device to the redemption entity.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
wirelessly receiving, by the transceiver of the mobile device, data that identifies a product or service;
determining, by the processor of the mobile device, whether the mobile coupon is redeemable in conjunction with a transaction involving the product or service; and
outputting, by the processor of the mobile device, a modified transaction characteristic for the product or service based on the at least one variable characteristic of the mobile coupon.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising wirelessly obtaining, by the transceiver of the mobile device, ID information pertaining to a product or service associated with a transaction.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising providing, by the mobile device, mobile coupon information to a point of sale device facilitating the transaction if the mobile coupon is redeemable for the transaction.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising coupling, by the mobile device, to a mobile network and updating a network database with mobile coupon information if the mobile coupon is redeemable for the transaction, wherein the network database is associated with a point of sale device facilitating the transaction.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising receiving, by the transceiver of the mobile device, an updated invoice from the network database that reflects a modification to the transaction based at least on the at least one variable characteristic of the mobile coupon.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising
accessing information stored at a remote device linked with the mobile device, wherein the information comprises evaluation of the mobile coupon by a remote user or community of remote users.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the community of remote users includes socially networked individuals and wherein the remote device is a social networking website.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the impending change in the at least one variable characteristic is a change in a value of the mobile coupon from a first value to a second value, after the mobile coupon has been obtained at the mobile device.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the change of the value is based on a physical proximity to a competing store or accessing a competing entity's website.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detected one or more circumstances are one or more of a location of the mobile device, proximity of the mobile device to a redemption entity, proximity of the mobile device to a mobile coupon supplier's competitor, a time of day, or an expiration

Assignees

• Rajan Rajeev D
• Moallemi Kamran
• Koenig Michal James
• Michaelis Oliver
• Jacobs Paul E
• Dos Santos Jose Ricardo
• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Rajan Rajeev D
• Moallemi Kamran
• Koenig Michal James
• Michaelis Oliver
• Jacobs Paul E
• Dos Santos Jose Ricardo

Classifications

• G06Q30/02 Primary

  Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising · CPC title

• G06Q30/0269

  based on user profile or attribute · CPC title

• G06Q30/0222 Primary

  During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions · CPC title

• G06Q30/0225

  Avoiding frauds · CPC title

• G06Q30/0273

  Determination of fees for advertising · CPC title