U.S. patent application number 13/408155 was filed with the patent office on 2013-03-07 for system and method for managing and redeeming offers with a location-based service.
The applicant listed for this patent is Tim Julien, Jason Liszka, Tristan Walker, Noah Weiss. Invention is credited to Tim Julien, Jason Liszka, Tristan Walker, Noah Weiss.
Application Number | 20130060623 13/408155 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46798517 |
Filed Date | 2013-03-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130060623 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Walker; Tristan ; et
al. |
March 7, 2013 |
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING AND REDEEMING OFFERS WITH A
LOCATION-BASED SERVICE
Abstract
A location-based service is provided that may be integrated with
venue systems, credit card processing systems, and/or loyalty
systems for purposes of increasing the likelihood that offers will
be accepted and sales of products and services will be made. Such a
system according to various embodiments may leverage a social
network of the user, and extend particular brand loyalties
throughout the social network. That is, certain offers may be
passed among users of the social network, permitting others to take
advantage of offers thereby increasing the brand awareness and
loyalty of particular venues. Further, according to certain
embodiments, because an offer management and redemption system may
be integrated with a location-based service, offers may be extended
at or near the venue location. To this end, users may be provided
one or more tools for accepting, purchasing and/or redeeming
offers.
Inventors: |
Walker; Tristan; (Palo Alto,
CA) ; Weiss; Noah; (New York, NY) ; Liszka;
Jason; (New York, NY) ; Julien; Tim; (New
York, NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Walker; Tristan
Weiss; Noah
Liszka; Jason
Julien; Tim |
Palo Alto
New York
New York
New York |
CA
NY
NY
NY |
US
US
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
46798517 |
Appl. No.: |
13/408155 |
Filed: |
February 29, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61449233 |
Mar 4, 2011 |
|
|
|
61450616 |
Mar 8, 2011 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
705/14.27 ;
705/14.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0259 20130101;
G06N 5/04 20130101; G06F 16/24578 20190101; G06Q 50/01 20130101;
H04L 67/22 20130101; H04M 1/72572 20130101; G06Q 30/0261 20130101;
H04L 67/306 20130101; H04W 4/021 20130101; H04M 1/72586 20130101;
G06F 16/29 20190101; H04W 4/21 20180201 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/14.27 ;
705/14.1 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 30/00 20120101
G06Q030/00 |
Claims
1. A method for processing an offer, the method comprising acts of:
storing, in a distributed computer system of a location-based
service, at least one offer; storing, in the distributed computer
system, an association of the at least one offer with a loyalty
program; determining a location of a mobile device associated with
a user; determining that the determined location is proximate to a
venue at which the at least one offer may be accepted; presenting,
to the user in a display of the mobile device associated with the
user, an indication of the at least one offer responsive to the act
of determining that the determined location is proximate to a venue
at which the at least one offer may be accepted; and permitting the
user to accept the offer.
2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of
storing an indication in the distributed computer system of the
location-based service, the indication identifying that the user is
checked in to the venue.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of presenting
the indication of the at least one offer is responsive to an act of
providing a control of the mobile device that, when activated,
displays one or more offers that are capable of being accepted at
the location of the mobile device.
4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of
associating an identity of the user in the location-based service
with an identity of the user in the loyalty program.
5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising an act of
permitting the user to select, within the display of the at least
one offer, a control that associates the at least one offer with
the identity of the user in the loyalty program.
6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising an act of
storing, by the distributed computer system of a location-based
service, an indication of the association of the at least one offer
associated with the identity of the user in the loyalty
program.
7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising an act of
accepting, from the user at the venue, the identity of the user in
the loyalty program, retrieving the indication of the association
of the at least one offer associated with the identity of the user
in the loyalty program, and applying the at least one offer to a
transaction involving the user at the venue.
8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the act of accepting,
from the user at the venue, the identity of the user in the loyalty
program comprises an act of scanning a loyalty program card at the
venue.
9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising an act of
sending, by a computer system associated with the venue to the
distributed computer system of the location-based service, an
indication that the at least one offer was accepted at the
venue.
10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising indicating,
to the user in the display of the mobile device, the indication
that the at least one offer was accepted at the venue.
11. A system for processing an offer, the system comprising: a
location-based service including a distributed computer system
having at least one processor and a memory; a component for
storing, in the memory, at least one offer; a component for
storing, in the memory, an association of the at least one offer
with a loyalty program; a component for determining a location of a
mobile device associated with a user; a component that determines
that the determined location is proximate to a venue at which the
at least one offer may be accepted; a display component configured
to present, to the user in a display of the mobile device
associated with the user, an indication of the at least one offer
responsive to determining that the determined location is proximate
to a venue at which the at least one offer may be accepted; and a
component that permits the user to accept the offer.
12. The system according to claim 11, further comprising a
component configured to store an indication in the distributed
computer system of the location-based service, the indication
identifying that the user is checked in to the venue.
13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the display component
configured to present the indication of the at least one offer is
responsive to a control of the mobile device that, when activated,
displays one or more offers that are capable of being redeemed at
the location of the mobile device.
14. The system according to claim 11, further comprising a
component configured to associate an identity of the user in the
location-based service with an identity of the user in the loyalty
program.
15. The system according to claim 14, further comprising a
component configured to permit the user to select, within the
display of the at least one offer, a control that associates the at
least one offer with the identity of the user in the loyalty
program.
16. The system according to claim 15, further comprising a
component configured to store, by the distributed computer system
of a location-based service, an indication of the association of
the at least one offer associated with the identity of the user in
the loyalty program.
17. The system according to claim 16, further comprising a
component configured to accept, from the user at the venue, the
identity of the user in the loyalty program, a component to
retrieve the indication of the association of the at least one
offer associated with the identity of the user in the loyalty
program, and a component configured to apply the at least one offer
to a transaction involving the user at the venue.
18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the component
configured to accept, from the user at the venue, the identity of
the user in the loyalty program comprises a scanner configured to
scan a loyalty program card at the venue.
19. The system according to claim 17, further comprising a
component configured to send, from a computer system associated
with the venue to the distributed computer system of the
location-based service, an indication that the at least one offer
was accepted at the venue.
20. The system according to claim 19, further comprising a
component configured to indicate, to the user in the display of the
mobile device, the indication that the at least one offer was
accepted at the venue.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.
61/449,233, entitled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING AND REDEEMING
OFFERS WITH A LOCATION-BASED SERVICE," filed on Mar. 4, 2011, which
application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
This application also claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119(e)
to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/450,616,
entitled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS WITH A
LOCATION-BASED SERVICE," filed on Mar. 8, 2011, which application
is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] There are many location-based systems in use today. In
particular, location-based services such as the Foursquare system
(available on the Internet at http://www.foursquare.com) permit
users to verify their locations using one or more computer systems.
Some services permit users to use their locations for the purpose
of interacting within a social network. For instance, within one
type of location-based social network, users are permitted to
"check in" to particular locations, including venues such as
businesses, retail locations, points of interest, or other
locations. Such location-based social networks permit users to
interact with friends, find venues of interest, leave comments
regarding particular venues, among other functions.
SUMMARY
[0003] It may be useful and particularly advantageous to third
party providers to engage customers using location-based services.
Although location-based advertisements using location-based
services are known, it would be beneficial to more adequately
engage customers using a location-based service. Further, it is
appreciated that it may be more effective to make offers to and
otherwise engage a user while the user is located at or near the
venue location, as the user is more likely to accept an offer at
that particular location.
[0004] To this end, a location-based service may be provided that
may be integrated with venue systems, credit card processing
systems, and/or loyalty systems for purposes of increasing the
likelihood that offers will be accepted and sales of products and
services will be made. Such a system according to various
embodiments may leverage a social network of the user, and extend
particular brand loyalties throughout the social network. That is,
certain offers may be passed among users of the social network,
permitting others to take advantage of offers thereby increasing
the brand awareness and loyalty of particular venues. For instance,
in one embodiment, a first user may send another user within
his/her social network an indication of an offer that may be
available. In another example, a user may be provided the ability
to permit other users in his/her social network to redeem offers
originally made to the user.
[0005] Further, according to certain embodiments, because an offer
management and redemption system may be integrated with a
location-based service, offers may be extended at or near the venue
location. To this end, users may be provided one or more tools for
accepting, redeeming, and fulfilling offers. Further, tools may be
provided for making an associated purchase, and fulfilling that
purchase (e.g., receiving goods or services at a venue
location).
[0006] According to one embodiment, offers are made to loyalty
cardholders having loyalty program memberships. In one embodiment,
such offers are capable of being viewed by users who are not
members currently of the loyalty program, but they may be provided
an opportunity to join the loyalty program to be permitted to
redeem the offer. When a user "checks in" to a particular venue
location, offers associated with that venue are displayed to the
user in the display of a mobile device (e.g., smart phone, cell
phone, etc.). The user may then accept and/or redeem one or more
offers at the venue. For instance, the user may select one or more
offers within the display to be redeemed at the venue location.
Such offers may be displayed to the user based on any number of
criteria, including previous purchase history of the user, offers
redeemed by people in the user's social network, rating information
collected on a particular offer, or other criteria, either alone or
in combination with other information or criteria.
[0007] In another embodiment, offers are made to credit card
holders that have a credit card account with a particular company.
According to one embodiment, an offer may be made to a credit card
holder that can be applied to the credit card holder's statement
removing the need for a merchant to be involved in the redemption
and crediting of a discount. Because the merchant does not have to
be involved in the processing of the offer, it becomes easier to
roll out particular offers to various locations, and to create
offers that are independent of particular merchants. In one
embodiment, a location-based service may be used to assist in
processing such offers and notifying users that these offers have
been applied to their accounts.
[0008] According to one embodiment, the location-based service may
provide a control, that, when activated by a user at a merchant
location, will notify a credit card system that the user intends to
accept and/or redeem a particular offer. When the credit card is
swiped at the location and the transaction completed, the credit
card system may send transaction details to the location-based
service, and the location-based service may notify the user that
the transaction was completed. Further, the notification may be
displayed to the user and may indicate that the offer was accepted,
and any savings that the user might receive on his/her credit card
statement.
[0009] According to various embodiments of the present invention, a
location-based service may present offers that can be accepted by a
user in a variety of ways. For instance, the location-based service
may display offers in a disabled state within a display of the
mobile device until the user of the mobile device "checks in" to
that particular venue location. When the user checks in, the system
may permit the user to accept and/or redeem that particular offer.
A credit card company or other provider may provide a number of
offers correlated to particular venue locations. These venue
locations may be "owned" and maintained within the location-based
service by a merchant. When users "check in," they may be permitted
to accept offers correlated with the checked in venue location.
[0010] In another embodiment, a user may selectively allow the
location-based service to send offers to the user's mobile device
as the user changes his/her location. These offers may be targeted
to particular graphical areas or regions. Venue owners may be
permitted to associate, within a management interface of a
location-based service, one or more offers to a particular region.
If a user having a mobile device and location-based service program
enters that region, an indication of an offer may be presented to
the user. In this way, the likelihood of an offer being accepted is
higher, as the indication is provided to the user while they are
within the targeted region.
[0011] Further, particular offers may be targeted to particular
users based on one or more criteria. For instance, certain users
may be presented particular offers based on demographic
information, information provided by the user, or other
information, along or in combination with other information. In one
example implementation, a user may be targeted for a particular
offer based on an indication that the user would like to visit a
particular venue location in the future (e.g., a "to do" list). For
instance, if a particular user indicated that he/she wanted to
visit a Starbucks location, an offer system may target the user to
receive an offer at that particular entry in the user's "to-do"
list.
[0012] To enable acceptance and/or redemption of particular offers,
a location-based service may pass an indication (e.g., a message
using a communication protocol) to a credit card system, the
message including one or more data items. For instance, the
indication may include an identifier of the venue (e.g., a unique
venue identifier), a user identifier (e.g., a user id of the
location-based service or credit card username), and/or an
identifier of the offer that is to be accepted and/or redeemed. In
one implementation, the offer identifier may be associated with a
particular discount or the message may indicate what discount
should be applied to the user's account. The credit card system may
associate that offer identifier with a credit card account for the
user (e.g., to apply a discount to his/her statement). In response
to this offer being accepted, the credit card system may send an
acknowledgement message to the location-based service indicating
that the offer is associated with the credit card account of the
user. The location-based service may in turn notify the user (e.g.,
via the mobile device), that the offer was accepted and applied to
his/her account.
[0013] In another embodiment, a third party provider of offers may
be capable of distributing such offers via the location-based
service. For instance, a third party provider of coupons may
indicate particular coupon offers that are available to the user
based on their location (e.g., as determined by the location of a
mobile device, such as a smartphone). The third party may associate
certain offers with certain venue locations in the location-based
service by creating the offer in the location-based service,
determine venues to which the offer applies, and associate the
offer with the venue location in the location-based service. Once
created, the user may be capable of redeeming the offer when they
are proximate to the venue location with which the offer is
associated.
[0014] According to another embodiment it is appreciated that while
some offers will need to be redeemed from the venue location, other
types of offers can be redeemed from any location. In one
implementation, the user is notified about the offer when the user
is close to a particular location (e.g., the venue location). Such
a notification may be presented to the user, for example, using an
interface of a mobile device. For instance, an indicator in a
display of the mobile device may show an offer to a user responsive
to the user moving to a particular location (e.g., proximate to a
particular venue location).
[0015] In one embodiment, the offer redemption may be completed on
the mobile device, and the user may proceed to the venue to claim
the product or service. In another embodiment, an interface may be
provided on the mobile device or a merchant device located at the
venue that receives information from the user required to accept
the offer. In one embodiment, coupon offers may be printed at
check-out at a venue location (e.g., as printed by a Catalina
printer or other method) and may be redeemed during the current
transaction (e.g., if there is a qualifying purchase).
[0016] In yet another embodiment, a merchant may be capable of
providing one or more offers responsive to a user "checking in" to
a particular location. In one embodiment, an association is made
between a location-based service user identification and a loyalty
program identity. Because an association is made using the user
identification of the location-based service that tracks the user's
location, actions performed using the location-based service at
that location can be applied to the loyalty program account.
Conversely, use of a loyalty program account at a venue location
can be used to "check in" the user to that particular venue
location (e.g., an action of a user "swiping" their loyalty program
card at the venue location may be used to automatically "check in"
the user within the location-based service.
[0017] In one embodiment, an interface may be provided on the
mobile device that lists offers available nearby the location of
the user. For instance, the offers may be shown as an ordered list
within the interface based on distance. Such a display may be
useful for notifying a user of an offer that he/she would likely
accept based on his/her interests and the location of the user.
Such a display may also include offers based on the interest(s) of
other users within the social network of the user, recommendations
by users in their network, and/or popularity of the offer (e.g., as
determined by acceptances, rating in the social network, etc.). In
one embodiment, users may opt in to receive offers that are
available nearby the user's location. Such offers may be "pushed"
to users as the user changes location. Location along with any
other criteria may be used to determine whether a user may be
presented with an offer.
[0018] According to another aspect, it is appreciated that a
location-based service may assist with the management and
redemption of offers for a number of third party services. For
instance, a location-based service may be used to manage offers for
credit card providers, wireless (e.g., Bluetooth) payment systems,
"powered" cards such as dynamic credit cards that create unique
codes to perform transactions, loyalty programs and cards, NFC
sticker programs (e.g., that are placed on mobile phones to perform
transactions), NFC-capable devices (e.g., a mobile phone, NFC card,
etc.), rewards points programs, third party coupon providers,
merchants, or any other provider or service. There may be certain
programs that have different aspects of different types of programs
(e.g., certain "powered" cards permit purchases to be applied to a
credit card account or loyalty points may be used for conducting a
transaction by activating a switch on the powered card).
[0019] Tools may be provided that associate offers with particular
identities of a user in the location-based service, as well as
identities of the user within the third party program (e.g., a to
credit card account, loyalty account, or other identity in any
other program). Tools may also be provided to discern between
different accounts to which the offer may apply (e.g., a credit
card account vs. a loyalty account). As discussed above, there may
be an interface tool presented on a display of a mobile device that
permits an association of an offer with a particular program and/or
identity of the user within that program. For instance, an
interface control may be provided that when selected by the user,
permits an offer to be associated with an account (e.g., a credit
card or other type of account). In other implementations, offers
may be associated dynamically based on the user's location as
determined by the location-based service.
[0020] Yet other aspects of the present invention allow a
location-based service to provide offers in real time to users
based on users' locations. Such offers may be sourced from within
the location-based service (e.g., provided by venue owners and
defined on their venue objects), or may be sourced from locations
outside of the location-based system. For instance, offers may be
associated with venue locations via an API provided to companies
that create offers such as merchants or companies that receive and
process offers on behalf of providers (e.g., Groupon). In yet
another implementation, the location-based service may be
integrated with one or more offer providers, and the system may be
adapted to pull offers into the location-based system and provide
them to users.
[0021] Other embodiments of the present invention may relate to
targeting offers to particular users based on one or more criteria.
For instance, particular offers may be made and/or presented to the
user of a mobile device based on the determined location of that
particular device. Offers presented may also be determined based on
whether a particular user "checked-in" to the venue associated with
the offer previously and/or presently. Further, offers may be
targeted to users based on their social network relation to other
users. For instance, some people may "follow" other users,
companies, or products on a social network such as the Twitter
network, Facebook network or other network types, and based on that
following, certain offers may be targeted responsive to that
relation. In yet another implementation, users that are friends of
other users that follow particular users, companies or products may
also be targeted for offers based on that relation.
[0022] In another embodiment, the user may be presented an
indication that identifies a justification for an offer presented
to a user. For instance, a user may be shown an indication that
identifies a social relation to another user (e.g., "Your friend
Fred recommended this restaurant") within the interface that
displays the offer. Because there is a context being presented
along with the offer, the user may be more likely to redeem
particular offers based on the justification provided. According to
one embodiment, a location-based service may present personal
justifications for particular offers (e.g., "You have been to 7
related places") that indicate a user's behavior that led to an
offer being presented.
[0023] In another example, the location-based service may present
to a user a social network related justification that depends on
what the user's social network has done at a particular venue. For
instance, a social justification may indicate "7 friends have been
here" and a search may be performed of the user's network based on
a particular venue to determine appropriate offers to be targeted
to a particular user. Offers may also be targeted to users within a
social network (e.g., a user and their immediate friends), whereby
a notification may be sent targeting a particular offer to a group
of users in a social network. Such targeting may be in response to
one or more of the users having a social connection purchasing or
otherwise accepting a particular offer.
[0024] Offers may be targeted based on social information or other
information, either alone or in combination. For instance, offers
may also be targeted to users based on the rate at which a
particular offer is being accepted, loyalty metrics such as
frequency of visit, recency of visit, spend amount (e.g., average,
peak, volume, etc.), or other information relating to the user such
as the behavior of the user, demographic information, among other
types.
[0025] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method
for processing an offer is provided. The method comprises acts of
storing, in a distributed computer system of a location-based
service, at least one offer; associating the at least one offer
with a credit card program, determining a location of a mobile
device associated with a user, determining that the determined
location is proximate to a venue at which the at least one offer
may be redeemed, presenting, to the user in a display of the mobile
device associated with the user, an indication of the at least one
offer responsive to the act of determining that the determined
location is proximate to a venue at which the at least one offer
may be redeemed, and permitting the user to redeem the offer at the
venue. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the
method further comprises an act of storing an indication in the
distributed computer system of the location-based service, the
indication identifying that the user is checked in to the venue.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the act of
presenting the indication of the at least one offer is responsive
to an act of providing a control of the mobile device that, when
activated, displays one or more offers that are capable of being
redeemed at the location of the mobile device. According to another
embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises an act of
associating an identity of the user in the location-based service
with an identity of the user in the credit card program. According
to another embodiment of the invention, one or more offers are
displayed only if the user is an authorized account holder in the
credit card program.
[0026] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the
method further comprises an act of permitting the user to select,
within the display of the at least one offer, a control that
associates the at least one offer with the identity of the user in
the credit card program. According to another embodiment of the
invention, the method further comprises an act of storing, by the
distributed computer system of a location-based service, an
indication of the association of the at least one offer associated
with the identity of the user in the credit card program. According
to another embodiment of the invention, the method further
comprises an act of accepting, from the user at the venue, the
identity of the user in the credit card program, retrieving the
indication of the association of the at least one offer associated
with the identity of the user in the credit card program, and
applying the at least one offer to a transaction involving the user
at the venue. According to another embodiment of the invention, the
act of accepting, from the user at the venue, the identity of the
user in the credit card program comprises an act of scanning a
credit card at the venue.
[0027] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the
method further comprises an act of sending, by a computer system
associated with the venue to the distributed computer system of the
location-based service, an indication that the at least one offer
was redeemed at the venue. According to another embodiment of the
invention, the method further comprises indicating, to the user in
the display of the mobile device, the indication that the at least
one offer was redeemed at the venue. According to another
embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises applying,
by a computer system operated by a credit card company, the at
least one redeemed offer to a credit card associated with the
user.
[0028] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method
for processing an offer is provided. The method comprises acts of
storing, in a distributed computer system of a location-based
service, at least one offer; associating the at least one offer
with a credit card program, determining a location of a mobile
device associated with a user, determining that the determined
location is proximate to a venue at which the at least one offer is
available, presenting, to the user in a display of the mobile
device associated with the user, an indication of the at least one
offer responsive to the act of determining that the determined
location is proximate to a venue at which the at least one offer is
available, and permitting the user to accept the offer. According
to one embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises an
act of storing an indication in the distributed computer system of
the location-based service, the indication identifying that the
user is checked in to the venue. According to another embodiment of
the invention, the act of presenting the indication of the at least
one offer is responsive to an act of providing a control of the
mobile device that, when activated, displays one or more offers
that are capable of being accepted at the location of the mobile
device. According to another embodiment of the invention, the
method further comprises an act of associating an identity of the
user in the location-based service with an identity of the user in
the credit card program. According to another embodiment of the
invention, one or more offers are displayed only if the user is an
authorized account holder in the credit card program.
[0029] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the
method further comprises an act of permitting the user to select,
within the display of the at least one offer, a control that
associates the at least one offer with the identity of the user in
the credit card program. According to another embodiment of the
invention, the method further comprises an act of storing, by the
distributed computer system of a location-based service, an
indication of the association of the at least one offer associated
with the identity of the user in the credit card program. According
to another embodiment of the invention, the method further
comprises an act of accepting, from the user at the venue, the
identity of the user in the credit card program, retrieving the
indication of the association of the at least one offer associated
with the identity of the user in the credit card program, and
applying the at least one offer to a transaction involving the user
at the venue. According to another embodiment of the invention, the
act of accepting, from the user at the venue, the identity of the
user in the credit card program comprises an act of scanning a
credit card at the venue.
[0030] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the
method further comprises an act of sending, by a computer system
associated with the venue to the distributed computer system of the
location-based service, an indication that the at least one offer
was accepted. According to another embodiment of the invention, the
method further comprises indicating, to the user in the display of
the mobile device, the indication that the at least one offer was
accepted. According to another embodiment of the invention, the
method further comprises applying, by a computer system operated by
a credit card company, the at least one accepted offer to a credit
card associated with the user. According to another embodiment of
the invention, the method further comprises an act of permitting
the user to accept the at least one offer using the mobile device.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the method
further comprises an act of permitting the user to accept the at
least one offer at the venue. According to another embodiment of
the invention, the method further comprises an act of indicating to
the user in the display of the mobile device an acceptance of the
at least one offer.
[0031] According to one embodiment of the present intention, the
method further comprises an act of permitting the user to fulfill
the acceptance of the at least one offer at the venue responsive to
the display of the acceptance of the at least one offer. According
to another embodiment of the invention, the method further
comprises acts of displaying information relating to the acceptance
of the at least one offer and using, at the venue, the displayed
information to fulfill the acceptance of the at least one offer.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the method
further comprises an act of permitting the user to execute a
purchase associated with the at least one offer using the mobile
device.
[0032] According to one aspect of the present invention, a system
for processing an offer is provided. The system comprises a
location-based service including a distributed computer system
having at least one processor and a memory, a component for
storing, in the memory, at least one offer, a component for
storing, in the memory, an association of the at least one offer
with a credit card program, a component for determining a location
of a mobile device associated with a user, a component that
determines that the determined location is proximate to a venue at
which the at least one offer may be accepted, a display component
configured to present, to the user in a display of the mobile
device associated with the user, an indication of the at least one
offer responsive to determining that the determined location is
proximate to a venue at which the at least one offer may be
accepted, and a component that permits the user to accepted the
offer. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the
system further comprises a component configured to store an
indication in the memory of the distributed computer system of the
location-based service, the indication identifying that the user is
checked in to the venue. According to another embodiment of the
invention, the display component configured to present the
indication of the as least one offer is responsive to a control of
the mobile service that, when activated, displays one or more
offers that are capable of being accepted at the location of the
mobile device.
[0033] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the
system further comprises a component configured to associate an
identity of the user in the location-based service with an identity
of the user in the credit card program. According to another
embodiment of the invention, one or more offers are displayed only
if the user is an authorized account holder in the credit card
program. According to another embodiment of the invention, the
system further comprises a component that permits the user to
select, within the display of the at least one offer, a control
that associates the at least one offer with the identity of the
user in the credit card program. According to another embodiment of
the invention, the system further comprises a component for
storing, in the memory of the distributed computer system of the
location-based service, an indication of the at least one offer
associated with the identity of the user in the credit card
program. According to another embodiment of the invention, the
system further comprises a component configured to accept, from the
user at the venue, the identity of the user in the credit card
program, a component configured to retrieve the indication of the
association of the at least one offer associated with the identity
of the user in the credit card program, and a component configured
to apply the at least one offer to a transaction involving the user
at venues.
[0034] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the
component configured to accept the identity of the user in the
credit card program comprises a scanner configured to scan a credit
card at the venue. According to another embodiment of the
invention, the system further comprises a component of a computer
system associated with the venue, the component being configured to
send to the distributed computer system of the location-based
service, an indication that the at least one offer was accepted.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the system
further comprises a component adapted to indicate, to the user in
the display of the mobile device, the indication that the at least
one offer was accepted. According to another embodiment of the
invention, the system further comprises a component adapted to
apply the as least one accepted offer to a credit card account
associated with the user.
[0035] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method
for processing an offer is provided. The method comprises acts of
storing, in a distributed computer system of a location-based
service, at least one offer, storing, in the distributed computer
system, an association of the at least one offer with a loyalty
program, determining a location of a mobile device associated with
a user, determining that the determined location is proximate to a
venue at which the at least one offer may be accepted, presenting,
to the user in a display of the mobile device associated with the
user, an indication of the at least one offer responsive to the act
of determining that the determined location is proximate to a venue
at which the at least one offer may be accepted, and permitting the
user to accept the offer. According to one embodiment of the
present invention, the method further an act of storing an
indication in the distributed computer system of the location-based
service, the indication identifying that the user is checked in to
the venue. According to another embodiment of the present
invention, the act of presenting the indication of the at least one
offer is responsive to an act of providing a control of the mobile
device that, when activated, displays one or more offers that are
capable of being accepted at the location of the mobile device.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the
method further comprises an act of associating an identity of the
user in the location-based service with an identity of the user in
the loyalty program.
[0036] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the
method further comprises an act of permitting the user to select,
within the display of the at least one offer, a control that
associates the at least one offer with the identity of the user in
the loyalty program. According to another embodiment of the
invention, the method further comprises an act of storing, by the
distributed computer system of a location-based service, an
indication of the association of the at least one offer associated
with the identity of the user in the loyalty program. According to
another embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises
an act of accepting, from the user at the venue, the identity of
the user in the loyalty program, retrieving the indication of the
association of the at least one offer associated with the identity
of the user in the loyalty program, and applying the at least one
offer to a transaction involving the user at the venue. According
to another embodiment of the invention, the act of accepting, from
the user at the venue, the identity of the user in the loyalty
program comprises an act of scanning a loyalty program card at the
venue.
[0037] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the
method further comprises an act of sending, by a computer system
associated with the venue to the distributed computer system of the
location-based service, an indication that the at least one offer
was accepted at the venue. According to another embodiment of the
invention, the method further comprises indicating, to the user in
the display of the mobile device, the indication that the at least
one offer was accepted at the venue.
[0038] According to one aspect of the present invention, a system
for processing an offer is provided. The system comprises a
location-based service including a distributed computer system
having at least one processor and a memory, a component for
storing, in the memory, at least one offer, a component for
storing, in the memory, an association of the at least one offer
with a loyalty program, a component for determining a location of a
mobile device associated with a user, a component that determines
that the determined location is proximate to a venue at which the
at least one offer may be accepted, a display component configured
to present, to the user in a display of the mobile device
associated with the user, an indication of the at least one offer
responsive to determining that the determined location is proximate
to a venue at which the at least one offer may be accepted, and a
component that permits the user to accept the offer. According to
one embodiment of the present invention, the system further
comprises a component configured to store an indication in the
distributed computer system of the location-based service, the
indication identifying that the user is checked in to the venue.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the display
component configured to present the indication of the at least one
offer is responsive to a control of the mobile device that, when
activated, displays one or more offers that are capable of being
redeemed at the location of the mobile device. According to another
embodiment of the invention, the system further comprises a
component configured to associate an identity of the user in the
location-based service with an identity of the user in the loyalty
program.
[0039] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the
system further comprises a component configured to permit the user
to select, within the display of the at least one offer, a control
that associates the at least one offer with the identity of the
user in the loyalty program. According to one embodiment of the
present invention, the system further comprises a component
configured to store, by the distributed computer system of a
location-based service, an indication of the association of the at
least one offer associated with the identity of the user in the
loyalty program. According to another embodiment of the invention,
the system further comprises a component configured to accept, from
the user at the venue, the identity of the user in the loyalty
program, a component to retrieve the indication of the association
of the at least one offer associated with the identity of the user
in the loyalty program, and a component configured to apply the at
least one offer to a transaction involving the user at the venue.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the
component configured to accept, from the user at the venue, the
identity of the user in the loyalty program comprises a scanner
configured to scan a loyalty program card at the venue. According
to another embodiment of the present invention, the system further
comprises a component configured to send, from a computer system
associated with the venue to the distributed computer system of the
location-based service, an indication that the at least one offer
was accepted at the venue. According to another embodiment of the
present invention, the system further comprises a component
configured to indicate, to the user in the display of the mobile
device, the indication that the at least one offer was accepted at
the venue.
[0040] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method
for processing an offer is provided. The method comprises acts of
determining, in a distributed computer system of a location-based
service, a location-based service identity of a user, defining, in
a computer system of a loyalty program, a loyalty program identity
associated with the a loyalty program account, associating, within
the distributed computer system of a location-based service, the
location-based service identity of the user with the loyalty
program identity, determining a location of a mobile device
associated with the user, and performing an action relating to the
loyalty program identity associated with the a loyalty program
account responsive to the determined location. According to one
embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises
an act of storing, in the distributed computer system of a
location-based service, at least one offer associated with a
loyalty program. According to another embodiment of the invention,
the method further comprises an act of determining that the
determined location is proximate to a venue at which the at least
one offer may be accepted. According to another embodiment of the
invention, the method further comprises an act of presenting, to
the user in a display of the mobile device associated with the
user, an indication of the at least one offer responsive to the act
of determining that the determined location is proximate to a venue
at which the at least one offer may be accepted. According to
another embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises
an act of permitting the user to redeem the offer at the venue.
[0041] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the
method further comprises an act of storing an indication in the
distributed computer system of the location-based service, the
indication identifying that the user is checked in to the venue.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the act of
presenting the indication of the at least one offer is responsive
to an act of providing a control of the mobile device that, when
activated, displays one or more offers that are capable of being
accepted at the location of the mobile device. According to another
embodiment of the invention, one or more offers are displayed only
if the user is an authorized account holder in the loyalty program.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the method
further comprises an act of receiving loyalty program
identification information at the venue, and responsive to
receiving the loyalty program identification information, providing
the at least one offer associated with a loyalty program to the
user. According to another embodiment of the invention, the method
further comprises an act of providing an indication of the at least
one offer to the user proximate to a location of the venue.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the method
further comprises an act of printing, at the venue location, a
coupon identifying the at least one offer during a checkout of the
user.
[0042] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the
method further comprises an act of indicating, to the user in a
display of the mobile device, the at least one offer. According to
another embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises
an act of storing, by the distributed computer system of a
location-based service, an indication of the association of the
location-based service identity of the user with the loyalty
program identity. According to another embodiment of the invention,
the act of accepting act of receiving loyalty program
identification information at the venue comprises an act of swiping
a loyalty program card at the venue. According to another
embodiment of the invention, the act of accepting act of receiving
loyalty program identification information at the venue comprises
an act of receiving, from the user, loyalty program account
information at the venue. According to another embodiment of the
invention, the method further comprises an act of sending, by a
computer system associated with the venue to the distributed
computer system of the location-based service, an indication that
the at least one offer was redeemed at the venue. According to
another embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises
indicating, to the user in the display of the mobile device, the
indication that the at least one offer was redeemed at the
venue.
[0043] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method
for processing an offer is provided. The method comprises acts of
receiving, in a distributed computer system of a location-based
service, a location of a mobile device associated with the user,
determining a location-based service identity of the user,
defining, in the distributed computer system of a location-based
service, a plurality of offers that may be accepted by users of the
location-based service, and responsive to the received location and
parameters associated with the location-based service identity of
the user, targeting at least one of the plurality of offers to the
user. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the act
of targeting is responsive to an act of determining a social
relation of the user to one or more other users in a social
network. According to another embodiment of the present invention,
the act of targeting is responsive to an act of determining an
interest of the one or more other users in the social network.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the act
of targeting is responsive to an act of determining a rating of the
at least one offer by the one or more other users in the social
network. According to another embodiment of the present invention,
the act of targeting is responsive to an act of determining a
popularity of the at least one offer. According to another
embodiment of the present invention, the act of targeting is
responsive to the user activating a selection indicating that the
user desires to receive targeted offers. According to another
embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the plurality
of offers is received from a third party offer service. According
to another embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the
plurality of offers is defined by a venue operator within a
management interface of the location-based service.
[0044] According to one embodiment of the present invention, at
least one of the plurality of offers is received from an external
system via an API of the location-based service. According to
another embodiment of the present invention, the method further
comprises acts of determining a ranking of the plurality of offers
and displaying, in the interface of the mobile device, the
determined ranking of the plurality of offers. According to another
embodiment of the present invention, the act of determining a
ranking is responsive to an act of determining a relation of the
user to one or more other entities defined within a social network.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the act
of determining a ranking of the plurality of offers is responsive
to an act of determining an action or relation of the one or more
other entities within the social network to at least one of the
plurality of offers. According to another embodiment of the present
invention, the act of determining a ranking is responsive to an act
of determining one or more parameters relating to the user.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the one
or more parameters includes at least one of a group comprising
loyalty metrics relating to the user, behavioral information of the
user, purchasing behavior of the user, offer acceptance information
relating to the user, and demographic information relating to the
user.
[0045] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the
ranking is determined, at least in part, based on a location of the
mobile device associated with the user and respective locations of
venues associated with the plurality of offers. According to
another embodiment of the present invention, the method further
comprises an act of determining that the determined location of the
mobile device is proximate to a venue at which at least one of the
plurality of offers may be accepted.
[0046] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method
for processing an offer is provided. The method comprises acts of
receiving, by a distributed computer system of a location-based
service, at least one offer, determining a location of a mobile
device associated with a user, determining that the determined
location is proximate to a venue at which the at least one offer is
available, presenting, to the user in a display of the mobile
device associated with the user, an indication of the at least one
offer responsive to the act of determining that the determined
location is proximate to a venue at which the at least one offer is
available, and permitting the user to accept the offer. According
to another embodiment of the present invention, the method further
comprises an act of storing, in a memory of the distributed
computer system of the location-based service, the at least one
offer. According to another embodiment of the invention, the method
further comprises an act of associating the at least one offer with
at least one of a group comprising a credit card program, a loyalty
program, and a third party offeror. According to another embodiment
of the invention, the method further comprises an act of targeting
the at least one offer to the user responsive to the determined
location. According to another embodiment of the invention, the act
of targeting the at least one offer to the user is further
responsive to the one or more parameters associated with the user.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the one or more
parameters comprise at least one user parameter relating to at
least one of the group comprising demographic information of the
user, behavioral information of the user, and psychographic
information of the user. According to another embodiment of the
invention, the act of receiving the at least one offer includes an
act of receiving the at least one offer from a source of offers
separate from the location-based service.
[0047] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the
method further comprises an act of presenting, in the display of
the mobile device, a control that, when selected by the user,
permits the user to accept the at least one offer. According to
another embodiment of the invention, the act of permitting the user
to accept the offer further comprises an act of automatically
accepting the offer without user intervention. According to another
embodiment of the invention, the act of determining that the
determined location is proximate to the venue at which at which the
at least one offer may be fulfilled by the user. According to
another embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises
an act of permitting the user to accept the at least one offer
using the mobile device. According to another embodiment of the
present invention, the method further comprises an act of
permitting the user to accept the at least one offer at the venue.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the
method further comprises an act of indicating to the user in the
display of the mobile device an acceptance of the at least one
offer. According to another embodiment of the invention, the method
further comprises an act of permitting the user to fulfill the
acceptance of the at least one offer at the venue responsive to the
display of the acceptance of the at least one offer.
[0048] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the
method further comprises acts of displaying information relating to
the acceptance of the at least one offer and using, at the venue,
the displayed information to fulfill the acceptance of the at least
one offer. According to another embodiment of the invention, the
method further comprises an act of permitting the user to execute a
purchase associated with the at least one offer using the mobile
device.
[0049] According to one aspect of the present invention, a system
for processing an offer is provided. The system comprises a
location-based service including a distributed computer system
having at least one processor and a memory, a component adapted to
receive, by the distributed computer system of the location-based
service, at least one offer, a component adapted to determine a
location of a mobile device associated with a user, a component
adapted to determine that the determined location is proximate to a
venue at which the at least one offer may be accepted, a component
adapted to present, to the user in a display of the mobile device
associated with the user, an indication of the at least one offer
responsive to the act of determining that the determined location
is proximate to a venue at which the at least one offer may be
accepted, and a component adapted to permit the user to accept the
offer. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the
system further comprises a component adapted to store, in a memory
of the distributed computer system of the location-based service,
the at least one offer. According to another embodiment of the
invention, the system further comprises a component adapted to
associate the at least one offer with at least one of a group
comprising a credit card program, a loyalty program, and a third
party offeror. According to another embodiment of the invention,
the system further comprises a component adapted to target the at
least one offer to the user responsive to the determined location.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the component
adapted to target the at least 103 one offer to the user is further
responsive to the one or more parameters associated with the user.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the one or more
parameters comprise at least one user parameter relating to at
least one of the group comprising demographic information of the
user, behavioral information of the user, and psychographic
information of the user.
[0050] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the
component adapted to receive the at least one offer is further
adapted to receive the at least one offer from a source of offers
separate from the location-based service. According to one
embodiment of the present invention, the system further comprises a
component adapted to present, in the display of the mobile device,
a control that, when selected by the user, permits the user to
accept the at least one offer. According to another embodiment of
the invention, the component that is adapted to permit the user to
redeem the offer at the venue further comprises a component that
automatically accepts the offer at the venue without user
intervention.
[0051] Still other aspects, examples, and advantages of these
exemplary aspects and examples, are discussed in detail below.
Moreover, it is to be understood that both the foregoing
information and the following detailed description are merely
illustrative examples of various aspects and examples, and are
intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the
nature and character of the claimed aspects and examples. Any
example disclosed herein may be combined with any other example in
any manner consistent with at least one of the objects, aims, and
needs disclosed herein, and references to "an example," "some
examples," "an alternate example," "various examples," "one
example," "at least one example," " this and other examples" or the
like are not necessarily mutually exclusive and are intended to
indicate that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic
described in connection with the example may be included in at
least one example. The appearances of such terms herein are not
necessarily all referring to the same example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0052] Various aspects of at least one example are discussed below
with reference to the accompanying figures, which are not intended
to be drawn to scale. The figures are included to provide an
illustration and a further understanding of the various aspects and
examples, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this
specification, but are not intended as a definition of the limits
of a particular example. The drawings, together with the remainder
of the specification, serve to explain principles and operations of
the described and claimed aspects and examples. In the figures,
each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in
various figures is represented by a like numeral. For purposes of
clarity, not every component may be labeled in every figure. In the
figures:
[0053] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a location-based service
and system suitable for incorporating various aspects of the
present invention;
[0054] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a distributed system
suitable for performing various aspects of the present
invention;
[0055] FIG. 3 shows a process for crediting an accepted offer to a
credit card account according to one embodiment of the present
invention;
[0056] FIG. 4 shows a process for locating available offers and
redeeming offers at a particular venue location according to one
embodiment of the present invention;
[0057] FIG. 5 shows a process for communicating between a
location-based service and a credit card system for processing
offers according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0058] FIG. 6 shows a process for interacting between a
location-based system and a loyalty program system according to one
embodiment of the present invention;
[0059] FIG. 7 shows a process for interacting between a
location-based service and a loyalty program according to one
embodiment of the present invention;
[0060] FIG. 8 shows a process for interacting between a credit card
system and a location-based service according to one embodiment of
the present invention;
[0061] FIG. 9 shows a process for interacting between a credit card
system and a location-based service according to one embodiment of
the present invention;
[0062] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a process for
authenticating to a service that uses location-based service
resources;
[0063] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a process for processing
and redeeming offers using a location-based service according to
one embodiment of the present invention;
[0064] FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a process for verifying
redeemed offers using a to location-based service according to one
embodiment of the present invention;
[0065] FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a process for redeeming
offers using a location-based service according to one embodiment
of the present invention;
[0066] FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a process for redeeming
credit card offers using a location-based service according to one
embodiment of the present invention;
[0067] FIG. 15 shows a process for authorizing access by a
location-based service to a credit card account according to one
embodiment of the present invention;
[0068] FIG. 16 shows a process for processing purchases of
third-party offers using a location-based service according to one
embodiment of the present invention;
[0069] FIG. 17 shows a process for presenting offers to users in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
[0070] FIG. 18 shows a process targeting offers to users according
to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0071] FIG. 19 shows a process that permits a user to control
whether or not the user receives offers from a location-based
system according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0072] FIG. 20 shows an example computer system with which various
aspects of the invention may be practiced;
[0073] FIG. 21 shows an example storage system capable of
implementing various aspects of the present invention;
[0074] FIG. 22 shows one example implementation of a process where
the offers may be purchased in redeemed using a mobile device
according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0075] FIG. 23 shows an example interface of a mobile device
according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0076] FIG. 24 shows another example interface of a mobile device
according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0077] FIG. 25 shows a process for redeeming offers associated with
a credit card account in processing such offers using a
location-based system according to one embodiment of the present
invention;
[0078] FIG. 26 shows an example interface of the a mobile device
that displays an indication to the user according to one embodiment
of the present invention;
[0079] FIGS. 27A-27B show an example of a loyalty program
integrated with a location-based service according to one
embodiment of the present invention;
[0080] FIG. 28 shows an example website interface 2800 for use with
a loyalty program in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention; and
[0081] FIG. 29 shows another example website interface for use with
a loyalty program in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0082] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a location-based service and
system suitable for incorporating various aspects of the present
invention. For instance, a location-based service 102 may permit
one or more users (e.g., user 101) to interact with one or more
other users, systems and services based on their location. To this
end, the user's location may be determined using one or more
location-aware devices (e.g., devices 104), such as, for example, a
cell phone, smart phone, PDA, tablet computer, laptop or other
system. Users may use other methods for interacting with the system
to receive and redeem offers, such as by using a "powered" card as
discussed above, an NFC terminal (e.g., an NFC sticker placed on
the back of a mobile phone), a loyalty club card, a credit card or
other methods.
[0083] In one embodiment, service 102 may include one or more
components. Such components may be implemented using one or more
computer systems. In one embodiment, location-based service 102 may
be implemented on a distributed computer system using one or more
communication networks (e.g., the Internet). In one implementation,
the service is implemented in a cloud-based computing platform,
such as the well-known EC2 platform available commercially from
Amazon.com, Seattle, Wash. In another example, a distributed
application may be provided using servers and client systems
provided by an application provider. Other implementations are
possible and are within the scope and spirit of the invention, and
it is appreciated that other platforms in any combination may be
used.
[0084] Service 102 may include a web server 106 which is capable of
serving as a front end to the location-based service 102. Devices
may communicate and display data provided by server 106 to the user
(e.g., user 101). Notably, devices may include controls that
perform various functions in a location-based application (such as
one or more of application(s) 108), such as viewing venues
proximate to the user's location, reviewing information regarding
proximate venues left by other users, communicating with other
users, among other functions. Further, such devices may provide the
location of the user to the location-based service 102, and this
location information may be used to perform one or more
functions.
[0085] Service 102 may also provide one or more related services
(e.g., services 107), such as a service for recommending venues,
storing pictures based on location, location-based games, or other
service that utilizes location information relating to its users.
Services 107 may be integral to location-based service 102 or many
alternatively operate in conjunction with location-based service
102, (e.g., by communicating with the location-based service
through an Application Programming Interface (API)). Notably,
according to one aspect of the present invention, credit card
companies, merchant, and third party offerors may create offers
associated with particular venue locations defined within service
102.
[0086] Service 102 may also be capable of storing information in
one or more databases (e.g., database 103). For instance, service
102 may be configured to store user-based information (e.g.,
user-based information 104) such as a user identification,
identifications of friends associated with the user identification,
any history information such as locations visited, preference
information for particular venue locations, notes regarding venue
locations visited, among other user-related information. Service
102 may also be capable of storing venue information (e.g., venue
information 105) that may include, for example, location
information (e.g., address, latitude, longitude, altitude, etc.),
contact information, venue description, among other information.
Venue information may also include, according to one embodiment,
offers associated with a particular venue location.
[0087] One commercially-available system that may be suitable for
implementing various aspects of the present invention may include
the Foursquare service, available at http://www.foursquare.com and
provided by Foursquare Labs, Inc., New York. Other systems capable
of providing location-based services are available and are capable
of implementing various aspects of the present invention.
[0088] FIG. 2 shows a system incorporating various aspects of the
present invention. In particular, a distributed computer system
(e.g., system 200) may be provided that is capable of providing
offers in association with a location-based system (e.g., system
203). Such offers may be defined and managed among one or more
systems that work integrally with location-based service 203. For
instance, a third party offer system (e.g., system 205) may be
capable of defining and managing offers for one or more venue
locations. The third party offer system may be capable of defining
offers that extend across different venues, merchants, and
locations. One example of an offer management system includes the
well-known Groupon system (available on the Internet at
http://www.groupon.com) used for managing coupon offers for various
products and venue locations.
[0089] Such offers may be presented to users (e.g., user 201) at
one or more venue locations (e.g., venue location 202) on one or
more location-aware devices (e.g., device 204). For instance,
offers may be presented, viewed, accepted, purchased, and/or
redeemed using one or more applications 209 that execute on a
location-aware device.
[0090] Device 204 may be any device, system, or item that can be
used to locate a user. For instance, a user may use a "powered"
credit card 204A to redeem an offer at the venue location or any
other location. In another implementation, a user may use a device,
system, or item as a payment method. For instance, a user may use
an NFC terminal as is known in the art, such as one created by
providing an NFC reader in a phone, affixing NFC sticker to non-NFC
devices or otherwise providing a payment capability to a mobile
phone (e.g., element 204B). Other systems may be used such as a
tablet computer (element 204C), smartphone (element 204D), cell
phone (204E), personal computer (element 204F), or other system
type, either with or without payment capabilities.
[0091] Offers may be "free" offers in that they are received
without a qualifying purchase. However, some offers may require a
purchase, which may be performed online or at the venue location.
In the case of an online purchased offer, a voucher or other
indication of purchase may be provided to a user (e.g.,
electronically) to permit the user to fulfill the purchased offer
at the venue location or any other location. In one embodiment, the
voucher may be presented to the user in the form of an identifier
or other information displayed on the mobile device that permits
the user to purchase and/or redeem the offer at the venue location
(e.g., a bar code, transaction number, offer number or other
identification information). Some redemption of offers may be
seamless, and require no intermediate step. For instance, the offer
may be applied directly during a transaction performed at the venue
location.
[0092] According to another embodiment, location-based service may
be integrated with a merchant purchasing system (e.g., system 206).
For instance, a merchant purchasing system may be capable of
performing checkout functions at the venue location, such as
scanning or otherwise inputting items to be purchased, and
accepting payment from a consumer. According to one aspect, the
merchant purchasing system may be capable of determining whether
offers created in a location-based system apply to a particular
transaction. For instance, merchants may define one or more offers
using an interface of the location-based service (e.g., through a
management interface or an API that attaches an offer to a
particular venue location). When the location-based service
determines that the user is located in a venue in which the offer
may be redeemed, the merchant purchasing system may be notified
that a particular offer applies. Certain offers may be redeemed by
the merchant within the same transaction, and/or an offer may be
provided that may be redeemed by the user in a future transaction
(e.g., in the form of a coupon printed at the vendor location).
Offers may be accepted and applied in real time at the vendor
location (e.g., as a discount applied to the current transaction).
In other embodiments, offers may include purchases that may be
performed at locations other than the venue location. Further, such
offers need not require a swipe of a credit card but can include
any method of payment using any number of systems.
[0093] According to another embodiment, location-based service may
be integrated with a credit card transaction system (e.g., system
207). In one example, the credit card transaction system may be
capable of determining whether an offer applies to a transaction
performed by a user using a location-based service. Further, in
another embodiment, the credit card transaction system may be
configured to apply an accepted offer to a user's statement without
any interaction by the venue location. Alternatively, the
redemption of the offer may be applied to the current transaction,
without the need to wait for a credit to be applied to the user's
statement. Some implementations may involve systems that perform
the transaction at the venue location to apply the offer credit in
real-time.
[0094] According to another embodiment, location-based service may
be integrated with a loyalty system (e.g., system 208). In one
embodiment, particular offers may be created and extended to
loyalty card members based on their location (e.g., as determined
by a location-based service). According to one embodiment, a user
may be presented offers available to loyalty program members when
the user "checks in" to a particular venue location and/or is
displayed certain offers when the user is located in proximity to
the location. In one implementation, an association may be
maintained and stored by a distributed computer system that
associates an identity of the user in the location-based service
with an identity of the user in the loyalty program. Responsive to
the user being located proximate the venue location, the user may
be displayed (e.g., in the display of a mobile device) certain
offers available to the user by virtue of being a loyalty card
program member.
[0095] In one embodiment, the location-based service may accept a
fee from an offer provider for the opportunity to promote offers
using the location-based service. Offers may be paid for by the
offer provider in any manner or on any basis, including impressions
of an offer, redemption of an offer, display of an offer in an
ordered search, among other bases for payment.
[0096] In another embodiment, a user is displayed certain offers
that are available, and a control presented within the interface of
the mobile device, when selected by the user, permits selected
offers to be associated with the user (e.g., a credit card account,
loyalty card account, or other account and/or identity).
[0097] In one embodiment, the user "checks in" using an application
executing on the mobile device, and responsive to the user
"checking in," that user is notified of one or more offers that can
be accepted and/or redeemed. Such offers may be accepted and/or
redeemed proximate a location of the venue where the user "checked
in." In certain embodiments, the user may be permitted to check in
using a number of different applications (e.g., CheckIn4Me,
4squareSMS, Foursquare, etc.) into the same location-based service
or from another location-based service that shares location and
check-in information regarding users. In one implementation,
application providers may be permitted to receive offers from the
location-based service for display to their users. Also, the
location-based service may track the acceptance and/or redemption
of offers through such applications, and provide application
providers with a portion of the revenue realized by the transaction
to which the offer is applied.
[0098] In yet another implementation, authentication to distributed
resources in distributed system 200 may be provided using an
authorization server (not shown) that permits access to distributed
resources without sharing authorization information among services.
Rather, authentication is performed directly with the authorization
system which issues access tokens that are used to access
particular information.
[0099] FIG. 3 shows a process 300 for crediting an accepted offer
to a credit card account according to one embodiment of the present
invention. At block 301, process 300 begins. At block 302, the
location-based system makes an offer to a cardholder at a merchant
location. For instance, as discussed above, this may be done within
an interface of a mobile device. At block 303, the mobile device
may be configured to present a control within the interface to a
user at the merchant location. This control, when selected, may
activate a particular offer that was displayed to the user.
[0100] At block 304, the mobile device receives an activation of
the control by the user including activation information relating
to the particular offer that was accepted. At block 305, a
transaction is completed at the merchant location using the credit
card associated with a particular credit card holder account. For
instance, the credit card may be swiped or manually entered into a
credit card processing device provided at the merchant location. In
an alternative embodiment, the user may accept and/or redeem the
offer outside of the venue location, either with or without
providing the credit card information. At block 306, information
relating to the transaction is sent to the credit card company.
Such information may identify details of the transaction performed
by the user at the merchant location.
[0101] According to one embodiment, a method is provided for
associating particular offers with credit card accounts and having
those offers be automatically associated with credit card holder
accounts when used at the merchant location. For instance, at block
307, any savings applied to a particular offer may be automatically
applied to a credit card holder account. For instance, an
association may be made between a particular offer and a credit
card holder account, and afterwards when the user performs a
transaction that relates to the particular offer, a credit card
system applies that offer to the cardholder's statement. One
advantage of such a system may include, in one embodiment, that the
user may be able to redeem offers in real-time at merchant
locations by using only their credit cards, and thus the offer may
be applied automatically to the user's account. At block 308,
process 300 ends.
[0102] FIG. 4 shows a process for locating available offers and
redeem offers at a particular venue location according to one
embodiment of the present invention. At block 401, process 400
begins. At block 402, a location-based system determines the user
location. This may be accomplished, for example, by a mobile device
having GPS capability or other method of locating the location of
the device. At block 403, the location-based system performs a
search of available offers associated with particular venues near
the user's location. For instance, there may be a number of offers
associated with venue locations within the particular distance of
the determined mobile device, within a defined area entered by the
user, or other location parameter.
[0103] At block 404, the mobile device presents (e.g., in a
display) available offers to the user within a list or other
display construct. At block 405, the user "checks in" to a
particular venue location. According to one embodiment, a user may
be required to check-in prior to regaining any offers at that
particular venue. At block 406, the location-based system permits a
user to accept and/or redeem a selected offer associated with the
venue location. At block 407, a merchant system completely
transaction at the merchant location associated with the defined
venue. At block 408, process 400 ends.
[0104] FIG. 5 shows a process for communicating between a
location-based service and a credit card system for processing
offers according to one embodiment of the present invention. At
block 501, process 500 begins. At block 502, a location-based
service sends a message to a credit card system that processes
transactions, the message identifying a particular user identifier
and an offer. At block 503, the credit card system associates the
particular offer with an account of the user and applies the offer
to the account. At block 504, the credit card system sends a
message to a location-based system indicating that the offer has
been (or will be) applied to the user's credit card account.
Notably, an offer that is accepted using the credit card is
performed at any location using the location-based service, and
notification of the accepted offer associated with the credit card
account is indicated to the user in real-time using the mobile
device and location-based service. At block 505, the location-based
system displays an indication to the user indicating that the offer
has been applied to the credit card account. At block 506, process
500 ends.
[0105] FIG. 6 shows a process for interacting between a
location-based system and a loyalty program system according to one
embodiment of the present invention. At block 601, process 600
begins. At block 602, a location-based system stores an association
between a location-based identity and a loyalty program identity.
For instance, the location-based identity may include a username
within the location-based system. The loyalty program identity may
include, for example, a loyalty program account that identifies a
particular member. At block 603, the location-based system monitors
location-based user activity. For instance, the user may change
their location within the location-based system, the user may view
and/or accept offers within an interface of a mobile device, or
perform other actions within the location-based system. At block
604 responsive to that location-based activity, an action may be
applied to a loyalty program account. For instance, the user may
receive loyalty points, may receive special offers, offers may be
applied to transactions, or the loyalty system may perform other
functions relating to the loyalty account of the user. At block
605, process 600 ends.
[0106] FIG. 7 shows a process for interacting between a
location-based service and a loyalty program according to one
embodiment of the present invention. At block 701, process 700
begins. At block 702, a loyalty program system stores an
association between a location-based identity and loyalty program
identity. As discussed above, a location-based identity may include
the username identified within the location-based system. A loyalty
program identity may include a member number or other identifier
that identifies a user within a loyalty system. At block 703, the
loyalty system monitors activity within the loyalty program. For
instance, a user may "swipe" their loyalty card at a store, the
user may login to an online loyalty program, or perform any other
action involving the loyalty system. At block 704, the loyalty
system applies the loyalty program activity to a location-based
service status. For instance, the user may receive, be permitted to
view and/or accept special offers from the loyalty program (e.g.,
while the user is physically located at a store associated with the
loyalty program) from the location-based service, may be permitted
to associate offers accepted in the location-based service with a
membership in the loyalty program, or perform other actions. At
block 705, process 700 ends.
[0107] FIG. 8 shows process for interacting between a credit card
system and a location-based service according to one embodiment of
the present invention. At block 801, process 800 begins. At block
802, a location-based system stores an association between a credit
card account identity and a location-based identity. As discussed
above, the location-based identity may include a username defined
within a location-based service. A credit card account identity may
include, for example, a credit card account number, user name of a
website associated with the credit card account, and/or any other
information used to identify a credit card account. At block 803,
the location-based service monitors location-based activity of the
user. For instance, the user may change their location, check-in to
particular venues, look for available offers or perform other
activities within the location-based system. At block 804,
location-based system applies location-based activity to a credit
card account. For example, the user may request an association of
one or more selected offer(s) with a credit card account and those
selected offers may be applied to the specific account. At block
805, process 800 ends.
[0108] FIG. 9 shows a process for interacting between a credit card
system in a location-based service according to one embodiment of
the present invention. At block 901, process 900 begins. At block
902, a credit card system stores an association between a credit
card account identity and a loyalty program identity. As discussed
above, a credit card account identity may include a credit card and
card holder username, or any other information that identifies a
credit card account. A loyalty program identity may include, and
the indication identifying a user within the location-based system.
At block 903, the credit card system monitors credit card account
activity. For instance, the user uses his/her credit card to make a
qualifying purchase at a venue location defined in a location-based
system. At block 904, the credit card system applies credit card
activity to a location-based service status. For example, the user
is automatically "checked-in" to the location-based on a
transaction performed at the venue, the user is sent an indication
that a particular offer is accepted and applied to the user's
credit card account, or other action relating to the location-based
service. At block 905, process 900 ends.
[0109] FIG. 10 shows an example process (e.g., process 1000) for
authenticating to a service that uses location-based service
resources in accordance with one embodiment. At block 1001, process
1000 begins. At block 1002, a website or other application (e.g., a
location-aware application executing on the mobile device) may be
displayed to the user. Such a website or other application may be,
for example, a website operated by a loyalty program, credit card
company, third-party offeror, or other service that is configured
to create and manage resources in a location-based service. For
instance, resources such as offers may be defined within the
location-based service as more fully discussed below, and these
offers may be accessed by users.
[0110] At block 1003, the users may be authenticated to a loyalty
program, credit card program, third party provider, or other
entity. In one implementation, a resource owner such as the loyalty
program, credit card program, third party provider, or other entity
may grant access by a client (e.g., a user) to particular defined
offers in the location-based service without sharing a username and
password defined at the loyalty program, credit card program, third
party provider, or other entity's service. Rather, the client may
authenticate directly to a server trusted by the location-based
service (e.g., an authorization server) which issues an access
token to the client to permit access to the location-based
resource. Alternatively, an authorization server may be maintained
by the loyalty program, credit card program, third party provider,
or other entity's service. In one embodiment, the location-based
service may use the OAuth 2.0 Authorization Protocol defined by
IETF draft-ietf-oauth-v2-13 to permit users to access objects.
However, it should be appreciated that other authentication
protocols may be used.
[0111] At block 1004, the service records an indicator that
identifies that the user has successfully authenticated. Such an
indicator may be stored in a memory associated with a
location-based service or a third party provider system. Notably,
the indicator may be associated with a unique user identity of the
user within the location-based service. This indicator may be used
to unlock offers associated with particular venue locations. For
instance, the location-based service may permit the user to access
location-based service entities (e.g., offers) at block 1005. In
one embodiment, after unlocking such offers, a user may be
permitted to accept and/or redeem one or more of the unlocked
offers. At block 1006, process 1000 ends.
[0112] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an example process (e.g.,
process 1100) for processing and redeeming offers using a
location-based service according to one embodiment of the present
invention. At block 1101, process 1100 begins. At block 1102, a
third party or other entity that integrates with the location-based
service defines an offer within the location-based service. For
instance, the location-based service may include a management
interface, API or other interface with which the third party or any
other entity may define offers. For one or more third parties or
other entities, the location-based service may automatically import
offers from the third party and make them available to users of the
location-based service. For instance, such offers may be imported
from a data feed, storage location, website, API, or other data
source.
[0113] In one embodiment, a number of parameters may be defined on
the offer, such as the offer name, information displayed to the
user when the offer is unlocked (e.g., by checking in to a
particular venue location), a type of offer depending on the status
of the user (e.g., the "mayor" of a particular venue location),
frequency the user visits the venue location (e.g., the offer is
unlocked every X number of check-ins), the number of friends that
check-in to a location, or other parameter. It should by
appreciated that offers could be created by one of any number of
entities, including, but not limited to merchants, credit card
company, loyalty program provider, product or service producer,
application provider, location-based service provider, or any other
entity.
[0114] In one embodiment, the third party may create one or more
offers that can be associated with a particular venue location
defined in a memory associated with a location-based service (e.g.,
at block 1103). To this end, the location-based service may provide
a management interface, API or other interface with which the third
party or other entity may "attach" or otherwise associate defined
offers to particular venue locations. Venues may be tracked by a
venue identifier, which in one embodiment may be a unique
identifier associated with a venue location. Parameters may be
defined in relation to the attached offer, such as defining when
the offer expires, when the offer is activated, among other
criteria that may apply to the offer as defined on that particular
venue location.
[0115] Once defined, the offer may be accepted by a user. According
to one optional embodiment, the user is required to authenticate
with a third party offeror or other entity prior to redeeming or
purchasing any offers (or particularly designated offers).
Optionally, at block 1104, the user authenticates with the third
party offeror, location-based service, or other entity that
provides an authentication service as discussed above with
reference to FIG. 3. According to another embodiment, one criteria
that may be required as a prerequisite for the user to view,
accept, and/or redeem offers is that the user must be located near
the venue location where the offers are redeemed. Such information
may be determined by, for example, a mobile device and provided to
the location-based service. For instance, location may be
determined by one or more methods, including, but not limited to
GPS, cell triangulation methods, WiFi, WLAN, Bluetooth, RFID, NFC,
or other technologies or combinations of technologies.
[0116] At block 1105, the user proceeds to the venue location, such
as a retail location where goods and/or services are sold. At block
1106, the user is displayed, on an interface of a mobile device, an
indication of one or more offers made by the third party or other
entity. A user may be permitted to select one or more of those
offers to be accepted and/or redeemed (e.g., within an interface of
a mobile device as discussed above). Alternatively, block 1106 may
not be required, as the system may permit seamless acceptance of
offers during a transaction (e.g., when the user "checks out" at
the venue location). At block 1107, the user is permitted to accept
and/or redeem the one or more offers. For instance, the user may
select the offers to be accepted and/or redeemed within the
interface of the mobile device, and those offers are associated
with a transaction that the user is performing at the venue
location. The defined offers may be permitted to be accepted and/or
redeemed, according to one embodiment, when the user "checks in" to
the venue location within the location-based service. In another
embodiment, the user may be required to perform another action to
accept and/or redeem the offer, such as, for example, selecting the
offer to be redeemed within an interface of the mobile device, or
by purchasing the offer and receiving a voucher. Such offers may be
credited towards the current transaction, or may be provided to the
user for use in a future transaction. At block 1108, process 1100
ends.
[0117] FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing an example process (e.g.,
process 1200) for verifying accepted and/or redeemed offers using a
location-based service according to one embodiment of the present
invention. At block 1201, process 1200 begins. At block 1202, a
merchant verifies that a user has accepted and/or redeemed a
particular offer. Such an offer may include an offer defined in a
location-based service as discussed above. Responsive to the
acceptance and/or redemption, a computer system associated with the
merchant may send a notification to a location-based service (e.g.,
at block 1203), and the location-based service may in turn notify
the user that the offer has been accepted and/or redeemed (e.g., at
block 1204). Notably, the location-based service may be used to
notify the user that the offer has been accepted and that the other
may be, in one embodiment, applied to the current transaction. At
block 1205, process 1200 ends.
[0118] FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing an example process (e.g.,
process 1300) for redeeming or purchasing offers using a
location-based service according to one embodiment of the present
invention. At block 1301, process 1300 begins. In one embodiment, a
credit card account holder is permitted to accept and redeem offers
associated with credit card account holders. Such offers may be
made available to credit card account holders through the
location-based service. At block 1302, the cardholder enrolls in
the location-based service. For instance, a website may permit a
user to login using credentials of the cardholder, and enable an
option that links the cardholder's identity (e.g., by credit card
account number or other account identification) with the user's
identity within the location-based service. Once to identified with
the location-based service as an authorized cardholder, that user
may be permitted to view, accept, and/or redeem offers. For
instance, at block 1303, the user (cardholder) proceeds to a point
of sale location where the user can use his/her credit card or
other payment instrument.
[0119] In one embodiment, if the user is not a cardholder, that
user may be permitted to view offers (e.g., on an interface of a
mobile device), but not accept or redeem them. The user may be
provided an opportunity to become a cardholder in order to accept
and/or redeem such offers, and the opportunity to accept and/or
redeem such offers may result in increased cardholder memberships.
In another embodiment, a user may not be capable of accepting
and/or redeeming certain offers until the user/cardholder is
authenticated as a cardholder.
[0120] At block 1304, the cardholder according to one embodiment
activates a control on his/her mobile device that causes a display
of offers available to be redeemed at the point of sale (e.g., the
venue location as defined in the location-based service). As a
prerequisite to viewing, purchasing, accepting, and/or redeeming
particular offers, the user (cardholder) may be required to
"check-in" to the venue location. In some embodiments, the user may
be required to perform another action to redeem the offer, such as,
for example, selecting the offer to be redeemed within an interface
of the mobile device, or by purchasing the offer and receiving a
voucher. At block 1305, the cardholder selects one or more offers
to be redeemed (e.g., within an interface presented to the user in
a display of the mobile device). Further, once selected, the offers
may be "transferred" to the user's credit card or other payment
instrument, in that the offers are then associated with the credit
card account. At block 1306, the cardholder may use the card at the
point of sale location to purchase goods or services, and accept
any offers which may apply to the transaction. At block 1307,
process 1300 ends.
[0121] FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing an example process (e.g.,
process 1400) for redeeming credit card offers using a
location-based service according to one embodiment of the present
invention. At block 1401, process 1400 begins. At block 1402, a
cardholder completes a transaction involving an offer that was
previously associated with the user's card or otherwise generally
applied to a credit card program. Such an association may be stored
in a memory of a system of a location-based service. To complete a
transaction, for instance, at the point of sale location, the
cardholder "swipes" his/her credit card at a card reader device.
The transaction is cleared, and point of sale transaction
information is sent to the credit card company (e.g., a computer
system that handles transactions) at block 1403 over a
communication network. The credit card company system communicates
offer acceptance information to the location-based service (e.g.,
at block 1404). At block 1405, the location-based service sends a
message to the user (e.g., via the user's mobile device) confirming
that the offer has been accepted and applied to the user's account.
In this way, the user may be notified separately and independently
from the merchant sale transaction systems that the credit card
offer was successfully applied to a particular transaction.
[0122] FIG. 15 shows a process 1500 for authorizing access by a
location-based service to a credit card account. At block 1501,
process 1500 begins. At block 1502, a credit card company presents
a website to a cardmember. For instance, a website interface may be
provided that allows the cardmember to access their account
information and configure access to their account. For instance,
the cardmember may provide authentication information such as a
username and/or password to gain access. Other information for
authenticating the user may also be used.
[0123] At block 1503, the website verifies the credit card holder
in the credit card holder is authenticated to the website. In one
embodiment, the website may include a control that when presented
to the user (e.g., at block 1504), allows the user to authorize
access to an application or service, such as a location-based
service. At block 1505, the cardholder activates a control (e.g., a
button or other user interface control) that when activated,
initiates an authentication handshake authorizing access to a
location-based service (e.g., at block 1506). For instance,
authorization information may be stored at a credit card system
that allows access to particular information relating to the credit
card account by the location-based service. It should be
appreciated also that the authentication handshake may be performed
earlier in the process (e.g., prior to or at block 1503). At block
1507, process 1500 ends.
[0124] FIG. 16 shows a process 1600 for processing purchases of
third-party offers using a location-based service. At block 1601,
process 1600 begins. At block 1602, an offer as defined in
association with a venue location. For instance, a venue owner may
be permitted to define one or more offers within a location-based
service. In one implementation, the venue owner may define offers
using a user interface to a venue management website that permits
the creation an association of offers to particular venues. In
another implementation, offers may be imported by the
location-based service such as from an offer provider (e.g., the
well-known Groupon offer site). In yet another implementation, an
API may be provided that permits applications to create offers and
associate them with venues within the location-based service.
[0125] At block 1603, a user performs a check in at one or more
particular venue locations. For instance, in a location-based
service, that user may select a control that allows the user to
check in to one or more venues. According to one embodiment, the
location-based service may display offers at a venue once a user is
checked in to the location. For instance, at block 1604, a mobile
device may display offers defined at the venue location to the user
within the display.
[0126] At block 1605, a user optionally selects a control presented
within the interface of the device to purchase a particular offer.
In another embodiment, the user does not need to affirmatively
accept the offer (e.g., by selecting a control), but can perform
another action such as by making a qualifying purchase at the venue
location. At block 1606, a request is sent from the location-based
service to a third party offeror. For instance, the location-based
service may send a message to a system associated with the third
party offeror. The third party offer system may indicate in return
that the particular offer may be purchased, and may send such an
indication to the location-based service. At block 1607, the user
may enter billing information on the device, or the system may
otherwise transmit any billing information to the third party offer
system for purchasing the offer selected by the user. In one
embodiment, such billing information may be preloaded or otherwise
associated with the user prior to any of these steps. For instance,
the billing information may be obtained prior to offer display
and/or loading. At block 1608, the third party offeror system
communicates information indicating success to the location-based
service, and success information is displayed at the user device.
For instance, at block 1609, a success message may be displayed on
the user device including identification of the offer that was
purchased.
[0127] The user may then proceed to redeem the purchased offer at
the venue location at block 1610. In one embodiment, information
displayed within the device may be used to redeem the offer at the
venue location. For instance, a bar code or other proof of purchase
information may be used or presented at the venue location for the
user to receive goods or services. At block 1611, process 1600
ends.
[0128] FIG. 17 shows a process 1700 for presenting offers to users
in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. At
block 1701, process 1700 begins. At block 1702, one or more offers
are defined within for instance a location-based service. Such
offers may be defined in many ways as discussed above. At block
1703, a quality metric is defined that permits the user to filter
the offers received within the interface of the device. For
instance, a user may only want to see the best offers that are
applicable to that user. In one embodiment, the quality metric may
be a numerical ranking of particular offers, and the user may be
permitted to select a particular level of quality metric so that
offers having a minimum level of the quality metric may be shown
within the device interface. In another embodiment, the
location-based service automatically selects and ranks offers that
are presented to a particular user. In one implementation, offers
are ranked without user intervention.
[0129] According to one embodiment, the metric may relate to one or
more parameters that are tracked by the location-based service. For
instance, a quality metric may relate to the number of times a
particular offer has been purchased by other users, such as users
within the user's social network. Offers may also be ranked based
on the amount of purchases of the offer that have occurred within a
fixed amount of time (e.g., a conversion rate of the offer measured
over the last 4 hours, 8 hours, 24 hours, etc.). Offers may also be
ranked based on the value that they may provide to a particular
user. For instance, offers may be ranked according to a percentage
savings or amount of money saved. In one embodiment, a personalized
ranking signal may be determined for a particular user based on
information relating to that user. In this way, offers may be
selectively presented to the particular user so that they are more
likely to be accepted by that user. Further, because in some
embodiments such offers are presented on a mobile device (e.g., a
phone) that has limited display area, it is appreciated that such
offers should be highly targeted to that user.
[0130] At block 1705, the location-based system determines a
ranking of one or more offers, and such offers as ranked are
presented within the interface of the mobile device at block 1706.
At block 1707, process 1700 ends.
[0131] FIG. 18 shows a process 1800 targeting offers to users
according to one embodiment of the present invention. At block
1801, process 1800 begins. At block 1802, one or more offers are
defined within a location-based system. As discussed above, offers
may be created in a number of ways and associated with particular
venue. At block 1803, a user associated with a particular venue is
capable of creating offers within the location-based system. This
may be accomplished, for instance, using a management interface,
API, or other interface associated with the location-based
service.
[0132] At block 1803, the location-based system receives targeting
criteria for one or more selected offers. According to one
embodiment, the user may define criteria that when evaluated,
causes a particular offer to be made to a user of the
location-based system. For instance, when particular criteria are
fulfilled, an indication of an offer is displayed within an
application interface of the location-based system (e.g., as
presented on an interface of a mobile device).
[0133] As discussed, one or more criteria may be used to determine
whether a particular offers targeted to a particular user. At block
1804, the location-based system determines social network criteria
associated with the user. For instance, the system may be able to
determine whether certain deals have been targeted to particular
users in that user's social network. In one example, using Twitter,
offers may be sent to followers of a particular user, or offers may
be sent to friends of particular followers. In one embodiment, an
offer may be matched to a user and if the user accepts or purchases
that particular offer, that offer may be extended to other users as
determined by the location-based system.
[0134] The block 1805, the location-based system may determine the
location of the user. Based on that person's location, particular
offers may be targeted to that user. Location information along
with other information may be used to determine whether or not that
user receives a particular offer. For instance, as discussed above,
particular offers may be targeted to particular users based on
criteria associated with each respective user. The user criteria
may include, without limitation, demographic information (e.g.,
residence information, income, gender, age, etc.), behavioral
information of the user (e.g., check-in history, purchase history,
offer acceptance history, etc.), psychographic information (e.g.,
interests, opinions, information relating to user values, etc.),
among other types of user information, either alone or in
combination with any data. At block 1806, the location-based system
may also determine one or more loyalty metrics that are used to
target particular offers to particular users.
[0135] At block 1807, the location-based system targets one or more
offers to particular users. According to one embodiment, the system
at block 1808, presents an offer to the user within the device
interface. This may be done, for example, in association with a
venue where the user has checked in. For instance, there may be a
user interface element that displays offers associated with a
particular venue. Further, depending on whether the offers are
targeted to that particular user, certain offers may be displayed
to the user within the interface. At block 1809, process 1800
ends.
[0136] FIG. 19 shows a process 1904 permitting the user to control
whether or not the user receives offers from a location-based
system according to one embodiment of the present invention. At
block 1900, process 1900 begins. At block 1902, a location-based
interfaces present to the user. For instance, the interface may be
provided to a user via a website, a user device, or other computer
system that permits the user to control whether or not the user
will receive offers. For example, a user device may be configured
to present a user interface control to allow the user to opt in to
receiving offers on that particular user device (e.g., at block
1903).
[0137] At block 1904, a venue operator or other user may define
offers associated with one or more regions. These regions may be
set location areas or may be a location that is relative to another
particular location (e.g., the location of the user at a particular
point in time, within X feet of the current location of the user,
within X miles of the venue location, etc.). According to one
embodiment, a venue operator that defines offers associated with
his/her location may be permitted to define the location area in
which a particular offer is triggered. This may be accomplished,
for example, within a management interface within which venue
operators define offers that are presented to users.
[0138] At block 1905, a user enters a particular region (e.g.,
within a particular distance of a venue location), and at block
1906, the location-based system presents an offer to the user
within a device interface. For instance, if the location-based
application is currently executing within the interface, an
indication may be provided that notifies a user of an offer that
can be redeemed. In another embodiment, where the location-based
application is not currently executing, the notification may be
provided by the device (e.g., a message, pop-up window, or other
notification type) indicating an offer to the user. Notably,
because notifications may be based at least in part on the location
of the user, location data may be used to filter what offers are
provided. In one example, when the user is near a particular
location, the location-based service may send push notifications to
that user. In yet another embodiment, recommendations may be
provided to the user based on the user's location relative to the
location of the venue relating to the recommendation.
[0139] In another implementation, if a user opts-in to receiving
notifications, the user's device will send the location-based
service the location of the device from time to time. For instance,
the device may send an updated location to the location-based
service after the user moves a specific distance. In one
implementation, notifications are based on the user's interaction
with regions. In one example, the device includes a process that
monitors the user's location (referred to herein as a location
manager process (such as provided in an iPhone OS by Apple
Computer)) that persists between launches of an application (e.g.,
a location-based application). If a region crossing occurs while
the user's application is not running, the system may automatically
wake up the application (or relaunches the application) in the
background so that the application can process the event. When
relaunched, all of the regions configured previously are made
available in a property of any location manager objects that are
created.
[0140] Therefore, when the user moves a set distance, the
application (e.g., the location-based application residing on the
user device) will wake up and the location will be sent to the
location-based service. The location-based service then sends the
user push notifications about interesting things nearby (e.g.,
friends checked-in, things on the user's "to do" list, and offers
located nearby). As discussed, such offers may be created in the
location-based service, or may be third-party offers provided by
one or more systems that provide offers (e.g., Groupon,
LivingSocial, American Express, etc.). At block 1907, process 1900
ends.
Example Computer Implementations
[0141] Processes described above are merely illustrative
embodiments of systems that may create and manage offers in
association with a location-based service. Such illustrative
embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present
invention, as any of numerous other implementations for performing
the invention. None of the claims set forth below are intended to
be limited to any particular implementation of a method of offers
in a location-based system, unless such claim includes a limitation
explicitly reciting a particular implementation.
[0142] Processes and methods associated with various embodiments,
acts thereof and various embodiments and variations of these
methods and acts, individually or in combination, may be defined by
computer-readable signals tangibly embodied on a computer-readable
medium, for example, a non-volatile recording medium, an integrated
circuit memory element, or a combination thereof. According to one
embodiment, the computer-readable medium may be non-transitory in
that the computer-executable instructions may be stored permanently
or semi-permanently on the medium. Such signals may define
instructions, for example, as part of one or more programs, that,
as a result of being executed by a computer, instruct the computer
to perform one or more of the methods or acts described herein,
and/or various embodiments, variations and combinations thereof.
Such instructions may be written in any of a plurality of
programming languages, for example, Java, Visual Basic, C, C#, or
C++, Fortran, Pascal, Eiffel, Basic, COBOL, etc., or any of a
variety of combinations thereof. The computer-readable medium on
which such instructions are stored may reside on one or more of the
components of a general-purpose computer described above, and may
be distributed across one or more of such components.
[0143] The computer-readable medium may be transportable such that
the instructions stored thereon can be loaded onto any computer
system resource to implement the aspects of the present invention
discussed herein. In addition, it should be appreciated that the
instructions stored on the computer-readable medium, described
above, are not limited to instructions embodied as part of an
application program running on a host computer. Rather, the
instructions may be embodied as any type of computer code (e.g.,
software or microcode) that can be employed to program a processor
to implement the above-discussed aspects of the present
invention.
[0144] Various embodiments according to the invention may be
implemented on one or more computer systems. These computer systems
may be, for example, general-purpose computers such as those based
on Intel PENTIUM-type processor, Motorola PowerPC, Sun UltraSPARC,
Hewlett-Packard PA-RISC processors, ARM Cortex processor, Qualcomm
Scorpion processor, or any other type of processor. It should be
appreciated that one or more of any type computer system may be
used to partially or fully automate extending offers to users and
redeeming offers according to various embodiments of the invention.
Further, the software design system may be located on a single
computer or may be distributed among a plurality of computers
attached by a communications network.
[0145] The computer system may include specially-programmed,
special-purpose hardware, for example, an application-specific
integrated circuit (ASIC). Aspects of the invention may be
implemented in software, hardware or firmware, or any combination
thereof. Further, such methods, acts, systems, system elements and
components thereof may be implemented as part of the computer
system described above or as an independent component.
[0146] A computer system may be a general-purpose computer system
that is programmable using a high-level computer programming
language. Computer system may be also implemented using specially
programmed, special purpose hardware. In a computer system there
may be a processor that is typically a commercially available
processor such as the well-known Pentium class processor available
from the Intel Corporation. Many other processors are available.
Such a processor usually executes an operating system which may be,
for example, the Windows NT, Windows 2000 (Windows ME), Windows XP,
Windows Vista or Windows 7 operating systems available from the
Microsoft Corporation, MAC OS X Snow Leopard, MAC OS X Lion
operating systems available from Apple Computer, the Solaris
Operating System available from Sun Microsystems, iOS, Blackberry
OS, Windows 7 Mobile or Android OS operating systems, or UNIX
available from various sources. Many other operating systems may be
used.
[0147] Some aspects of the invention may be implemented as
distributed application components that may be executed on a number
of different types of systems coupled over a computer network. Some
components may be located and executed on mobile devices, servers,
tablets, or other system types. Other components of a distributed
system may also be used, such as databases (e.g., the mongoDB
database available from 10gen, Inc.) or other component types.
[0148] The processor and operating system together define a
computer platform for which application programs in high-level
programming languages are written. It should be understood that the
invention is not limited to a particular computer system platform,
processor, operating system, or network. Further, it should be
appreciated that multiple computer platform types may be used in a
distributed computer system that implement various aspects of the
present invention. Also, it should be apparent to those skilled in
the art that the present invention is not limited to a specific
programming language or computer system. Further, it should be
appreciated that other appropriate programming languages and other
appropriate computer systems could also be used.
[0149] One or more portions of the computer system may be
distributed across one or more computer systems coupled to a
communications network. These computer systems also may be
general-purpose computer systems. For example, various aspects of
the invention may be distributed among one or more computer systems
configured to provide a service (e.g., servers) to one or more
client computers, or to perform an overall task as part of a
distributed system. For example, various aspects of the invention
may be performed on a client-server system that includes components
distributed among one or more server systems that perform various
functions according to various embodiments of the invention. These
components may be executable, intermediate (e.g., IL) or
interpreted (e.g., Java) code which communicate over a
communication network (e.g., the Internet) using a communication
protocol (e.g., TCP/IP). Certain aspects of the present invention
may also be implemented on a cloud-based computer system (e.g., the
EC2 cloud-based computing platform provided by Amazon.com), a
distributed computer network including clients and servers, or any
combination of systems.
[0150] It should be appreciated that the invention is not limited
to executing on any particular system or group of systems. Also, it
should be appreciated that the invention is not limited to any
particular distributed architecture, network, or communication
protocol.
[0151] Various embodiments of the present invention may be
programmed using an object-oriented programming language, such as
SmallTalk, Java, C++, Ada, or C# (C-Sharp). Other object-oriented
programming languages may also be used. Alternatively, functional,
scripting, and/or logical programming languages may be used.
Various aspects of the invention may be implemented in a
non-programmed environment (e.g., documents created in HTML, XML or
other format that, when viewed in a window of a browser program,
render aspects of a graphical-user interface (GUI) or perform other
functions). Various aspects of the invention may be implemented as
programmed or non-programmed elements, or any combination
thereof.
[0152] Further, on each of the one or more computer systems that
include one or more components of distributed system 100, each of
the components may reside in one or more locations on the system.
For example, different portions of the components of system 100 may
reside in different areas of memory (e.g., RAM, ROM, disk, etc.) on
one or more computer systems. Each of such one or more computer
systems may include, among other components, a plurality of known
components such as one or more processors, a memory system, a disk
storage system, one or more network interfaces, and one or more
busses or other internal communication links interconnecting the
various components.
[0153] Any number of systems of distributed system 100 may be
implemented on a computer system described below in relation to
FIGS. 20 and 21. In particular, FIG. 20 shows an example computer
system 2000 used to implement various aspects. FIG. 21 shows an
example storage system that may be used.
[0154] System 2000 is merely an illustrative embodiment of a
computer system suitable for implementing various aspects of the
invention. Such an illustrative embodiment is not intended to limit
the scope of the invention, as any of numerous other
implementations of the system, for example, are possible and are
intended to fall within the scope of the invention. For example, a
virtual computing platform may be used. None of the claims set
forth below are intended to be limited to any particular
implementation of the system unless such claim includes a
limitation explicitly reciting a particular implementation.
[0155] Various embodiments according to the invention may be
implemented on one or more computer systems. These computer systems
may be, for example, general-purpose computers to such as those
based on Intel PENTIUM-type processor, Motorola PowerPC, Sun
UltraSPARC, Hewlett-Packard PA-RISC processors, or any other type
of processor. It should be appreciated that one or more of any type
computer system may be used to partially or fully automate
integration of the location-based services with the other systems
and services according to various embodiments of the invention.
Further, the software design system may be located on a single
computer or may be distributed among a plurality of computers
attached by a communications network.
[0156] For example, various aspects of the invention may be
implemented as specialized software executing in a general-purpose
computer system 2000 such as that shown in FIG. 20. The computer
system 2000 may include a processor 2003 connected to one or more
memory devices 2004, such as a disk drive, memory, or other device
for storing data. Memory 2004 is typically used for storing
programs and data during operation of the computer system 2000.
Components of computer system 2000 may be coupled by an
interconnection mechanism 2005, which may include one or more
busses (e.g., between components that are integrated within a same
machine) and/or a network (e.g., between components that reside on
separate discrete machines). The interconnection mechanism 2005
enables communications (e.g., data, instructions) to be exchanged
between system components of system 2000. Computer system 2000 also
includes one or more input devices 2002, for example, a keyboard,
mouse, trackball, microphone, touch screen, and one or more output
devices 2001, for example, a printing device, display screen,
and/or speaker. In addition, computer system 2000 may contain one
or more interfaces (not shown) that connect computer system 2000 to
a communication network (in addition or as an alternative to the
interconnection mechanism 2005.
[0157] The storage system 2006, shown in greater detail in FIG. 21,
typically includes a computer readable and writeable nonvolatile
recording medium 2101 in which signals are stored that define a
program to be executed by the processor or information stored on or
in the medium 2101 to be processed by the program. The medium may,
for example, be a disk or flash memory. Typically, in operation,
the processor causes data to be read from the nonvolatile recording
medium 2101 into another memory 2102 that allows for faster access
to the information by the processor than does the medium 2101. This
memory 2102 is typically a volatile, random access memory such as a
dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or static memory (SRAM). It may
be located in storage system 2006, as shown, or in memory system
2004, not shown. The processor 2003 generally manipulates the data
within the integrated circuit memory 2004, 2102 and then copies the
data to the medium 2101 after processing is completed. A variety of
mechanisms are known for managing data movement between the medium
2101 and the integrated circuit memory element 2004, 2102, and the
invention is not limited thereto. The invention is not limited to a
particular memory system 2004 or storage system 2006.
[0158] The computer system may include specially-programmed,
special-purpose hardware, for example, an application-specific
integrated circuit (ASIC). Aspects of the invention may be
implemented in software, hardware or firmware, or any combination
thereof. Further, such methods, acts, systems, system elements and
components thereof may be implemented as part of the computer
system described above or as an independent component.
[0159] Although computer system 2000 is shown by way of example as
one type of computer system upon which various aspects of the
invention may be practiced, it should be appreciated that aspects
of the invention are not limited to being implemented on the
computer system as shown in FIG. 20. Various aspects of the
invention may be practiced on one or more computers having a
different architecture or components that that shown in FIG.
20.
[0160] Computer system 2000 may be a general-purpose computer
system that is programmable using a high-level computer programming
language. Computer system 2000 may be also implemented using
specially programmed, special purpose hardware. In computer system
2000, processor 2003 is typically a commercially available
processor such as the well-known Pentium, Core, Core Vpro, Xeon, or
Itanium class processors available from the Intel Corporation. Many
other processors are available. Such a processor usually executes
an operating system which may be, for example, the Windows NT,
Windows 2000 (Windows ME), Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7
operating systems available from the Microsoft Corporation, MAC OS
Snow Leopard, MAC OS X Lion operating systems available from Apple
Computer, the Solaris Operating System available from Sun
Microsystems, iOS, Blackberry OS, Windows 7 Mobile or Android OS
operating systems, or UNIX available from various sources. Many
other operating systems may be used.
[0161] The processor and operating system together define a
computer platform for which application programs in high-level
programming languages are written. It should be understood that the
invention is not limited to a particular computer system platform,
processor, operating system, or network. Also, it should be
apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is
not limited to a specific programming language or computer system.
Further, it should be appreciated that other appropriate
programming languages and other appropriate computer systems could
also be used.
[0162] One or more portions of the computer system may be
distributed across one or more computer systems (not shown) coupled
to a communications network. These computer systems also may be
general-purpose computer systems. For example, various aspects of
the invention may be distributed among one or more computer systems
configured to provide a service (e.g., servers) to one or more
client computers, or to perform an overall task as part of a
distributed system. For example, various aspects of the invention
may be performed on a client-server system that includes components
distributed among one or more server systems that perform various
functions according to various embodiments of the invention. These
components may be executable, intermediate (e.g., IL) or
interpreted (e.g., Java) code which communicate over a
communication network (e.g., the Internet) using a communication
protocol (e.g., TCP/IP).
[0163] It should be appreciated that the invention is not limited
to executing on any particular system or group of systems. Also, it
should be appreciated that the invention is not limited to any
particular distributed architecture, network, or communication
protocol.
[0164] Various embodiments of the present invention may be
programmed using an object-oriented programming language, such as
SmallTalk, Java, C++, Ada, or C# (C-Sharp). Other object-oriented
programming languages may also be used. Alternatively, functional,
scripting, and/or logical programming languages may be used.
Various aspects of the invention may be implemented in a
non-programmed environment (e.g., documents created in HTML, XML or
other format that, when viewed in a window of a browser program,
render aspects of a graphical-user interface (GUI) or perform other
functions). Various aspects of the invention may be implemented
using various Internet technologies such as, for example, the
well-known Common Gateway Interface (CGI) script, PHP Hyper-text
Preprocessor (PHP), Active Server Pages (ASP), HyperText Markup
Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML), Java,
JavaScript, Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX), Flash, and
other programming methods. Further, various aspects of the present
invention may be implemented in a cloud-based computing platform,
such as the well-known EC2 platform available commercially from
Amazon.com, Seattle, Wash., among others. Various aspects of the
invention may be implemented as programmed or non-programmed
elements, or any combination thereof.
Example Implementations
[0165] Below are several implementations according to various
embodiments of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 22 shows
one example implementation of a process 2200 where the offers may
be purchased in redeemed using a mobile device. For instance, a
user utilizing a mobile device may be displayed in a list of places
2201 that identifies venues near the user. At 2202, a user selects
(e.g., clicks on) a venue having an offer (e.g., a "special")
defined for that particular venue. When selected, at 2203,
information regarding the venue is displayed to the user.
[0166] At 2204, the user selects a branded special associated with
particular venue. However, in 2204, the location-based service may
prohibit a particular offer from being redeemed if the user has not
checked in to the venue, or has satisfied some other criteria for
redeeming a particular offer (e.g., the user has not logged into
the service, the user has not provided authentication information
for an offer server, the user does not belong to a particular
loyalty program, among other criteria). At 2205, the particular
offer may be indicated to the user on the device is being locked,
and therefore cannot be redeemed.
[0167] If checked in, the user may select a branded special that is
unlocked and may proceed to purchase the offer at 2206. At 2208, a
method of buying the application by selecting a control within the
user face of the mobile device may be performed. For instance, the
user may be provided a one-click control that permits the user to
purchase the offer with a single input. According to one
embodiment, the location-based service sends a purchase request to
an offer server 2210 that processes the offer purchase. The request
can timeout, and a button may be displayed that permits the user to
buy the offer again at 2207. The purchase may fail for some
particular reason at 2209, and a message may be displayed to the
user. If billing information is not already known by the device at
2210, the user device may display a billing information entry
interface 2212 where billing information is entered (e.g., at
2213).
[0168] If the purchase is successful at 2211, a confirmation may be
displayed to the user on the mobile device at 2214. Further, if the
transaction is successful, a redeemable offer may be shown on the
display of the mobile device (e.g., at 2215). FIG. 23 shows one
example interface that may be displayed to the user from a
location-based service application of a mobile device according to
one embodiment of the present invention. In another implementation,
the device may show within the interface (e.g., 2216) information
identifying the purchased offer along with information that may
allows the user to redeem the offer at the venue location. For
instance, a bar code may be shown identifying the purchase that
when scanned at the venue location, allows the user to receive the
goods or services associated with a particular offer. For instance,
FIG. 24 shows another example interface of a mobile device where
the purchased offer includes a bar code that may be scanned at the
merchant location. The offer display may include other identifying
information, such as, for example, an offer code, serial number or
other information that would allow a merchant to verify the
offer.
[0169] FIG. 25 shows a process 2500 for redeeming offers associated
with a credit card account in processing such offers using a
location-based system. In the example shown, one or more offers may
be displayed to the user at a mobile device 2501. In one embodiment
of the present invention, the user device includes a control that
allows a user to associate a particular offer with a particular
credit card account. In one implementation, the control "loads" a
selected offer (e.g., at 2502) to credit card. It should be
appreciated, however, that such a capability may be used with a
loyalty account, user account, particular mobile device of the
user, system, or other identity of the user.
[0170] At 2503, the display of the user device may indicate that a
particular offer is being associated with a credit card along with
any details of the offer. At 2504, the user redeems the request and
a notification is sent to a location-based server 2505. Information
relating to the offer to be associated with a particular credit
card account is sent to a credit card server 2507. In one example,
the information may include a venue identifier, an offer
identifier, a user identifier for the credit card server, among
other information related to the offer.
[0171] The credit card server responds with the state of the
redemption request for that particular offer to the location-based
service 2505. The location-based server may indicate success 2508
to the user within an interface (e.g., 2509) identifying that the
offer will be automatically applied to a credit card statement
associated with the cardholder. The location-based server may also
indicate that the offer is loaded already onto the credit card
account (e.g. at 2510), and may display an indicator to the user
within the device interface (e.g., 2511). Further, the
location-based server may indicate that the requested failed (2512)
and that the system could not associate the offer with the
particular card. An indication may be provided to the user within
the interface (2513) that the offer could not be associated with
the card. Further, the location-based server may indicate that the
request has timed out (2514) and that the user should attempt to
upload the offer to their card again (2515).
[0172] After a user has successfully associated an offer with a
particular credit card, that user may use the credit card to make a
qualifying purchase at a particular location. Once the credit card
company receives details regarding the transaction, that offer may
be applied to the user's credit card account automatically. In yet
another embodiment, an indication may be sent to a user of a
location-based service when the particular offer is redeemed and
applied to the user's credit card account. FIG. 26 shows an
interface 2601 of the device 2600 that displays such an indication
to the user. The indication may include information relating to the
offer such as the discount applied to a particular user's account
and any other related information.
[0173] FIGS. 27A-27B show an embodiment of a loyalty program
integrated with a location-based service according to one
embodiment of the present invention. There may be an online 2700
component of the loyalty program process where a particular user
(e.g., a customer of a vendor having a loyalty program) goes to a
website (e.g., at 2701) and the customer is directed to a
particular landing page (e.g., at 2701) associated with a loyalty
account. For instance, there may be a loyalty program associated
with a particular vendor, venue location, or other provider of
goods and/or services. That customer may access the website to
access loyalty program information, account details, redeem offers,
or perform other functions and receive other information.
[0174] At 2703, the customer links their location-based service
identity (e.g., a username, device identifier, and/or other
information) with a loyalty account. This may be accomplished, for
instance, by providing a control, that when selected, allows the
customer to provide information regarding a location-based service
identity to a loyalty account system and associate that identity
with the loyalty program identity (e.g., a loyalty program
username, ID, account number, home or mobile phone number or other
identification information). The information may also allow the
user to specify particular parameters related to the link, such as
preferences of the user relating to opting in to receive offers,
notifications, emails, or other communications between systems.
[0175] There may be an in-store 2710 component of the loyalty
program process where a particular customer goes to the store
(e.g., at 2711) to make purchases and redeem particular offers. At
2712, the customer swipes his/her credit card at a checkout along
with the customer's loyalty card (e.g., at 2713). At 2714, it is
determined whether the customer should get one or more coupon
offers printed at the redemption location. If it is determined that
an award should be printed at the redemption location (e.g., 2715),
then an award is printed (e.g., 2716). It may also be permitted for
a customer to instantly redeem an award if a qualifying purchase is
made during the current transaction. If the printed award is a
qualifying purchase, then the award may be applied to the
transaction.
[0176] In one embodiment, it may determined whether the customer is
"checked-in" to the venue (e.g., at 2718) within the location-based
service. In one embodiment, if the user is not checked in (2720),
the location-based system automatically checks the user in and
sends a message to the user regarding that particular printed award
so that they are aware that the award may apply to the current
transaction. If it is determined that the user is already checked
in, at 2719, the user may be notified that the award may be
redeemed. Notably, because the loyalty program identity and the
location-based service identity are linked, the customer's use of
one of the identities may be updated in the other. For instance, a
swipe of a loyalty club card at a particular venue location may
cause the user to be automatically checked-in to that venue within
the location-based service. At 2721, process 2710 ends.
[0177] FIG. 28 shows an example website interface 2800 for use with
a loyalty program in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention. For instance, there may be defined a loyalty program in
association with a retail store. In one embodiment, a landing page
may be provided that allows a customer to link a loyalty club
account with a location-based service (LBS) identity. In one
embodiment, the loyalty club member inputs their loyalty program
identifier and any authentication information (e.g., the member
"logs in" to their account in an interface of the website such as
that shown in FIG. 29 (interface 2900)). Once authenticated, the
member is permitted to enter an identifier of a
location-based-service account (e.g., a username, unique
identifier, device identifier, or other identifier type) to which
the member is associated. The user identifier or other information
may be stored by the loyalty program server to permit the
location-based application to communicate and perform functions
within the loyalty system.
[0178] In one embodiment, the user is permitted to check in to the
venue, shop for items at the location, and unlock rewards. Such
rewards may be printed at the venue (e.g., via a printer located at
the check-out such as a Catalina printer), received through the
location-based service (e.g., within an interface of the device,
such as a popup or message), or may be applied directly to the
user's loyalty account. For instance, when the user swipes his/her
card at the venue location, that member may receive the award. In
another embodiment, the member receives an indication of the award
within an application associated with the location-based service.
For instance, a notification is displayed in an interface of a
mobile device. Many other embodiments may be possible, such as
applying a particular offer to a credit card statement in addition
to any loyalty program savings for the transaction. In this way,
offers may be applied and redeemed in real time, without the
necessity of the user knowing apriori what items that he/she would
like to purchase, clipping coupons for particular deals ahead of
time, and redeeming the deals at the merchant location.
[0179] Having thus described several aspects of at least one
embodiment of this invention, it is to be appreciated various
alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to
those skilled in the art. Such alterations, modifications, and
improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure, and are
intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of
example only.
* * * * *
References