Conditional electronic coupon distribution method and system

Abstract

A conditional e-coupon distribution method distributes e-coupons predefined by sellers to mobile users only if the number of mobile users requesting such e-coupons equals or exceeds a threshold. The method receives a request to browse e-coupons from a mobile user. The method receives the location of the mobile user and determines a plurality of sellers local to the mobile electronic device and a plurality of corresponding e-coupons available from the local sellers. The method receives a request for a particular e-coupon from a seller and authorizes the provision of said e-coupon to the mobile user. At the end of a processing cycle, the mobile user receives the requested e-coupon if all conditions, such as a period of time and threshold, have been met. A computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein allows for storage of the method.

1 . An e-coupon distribution method for distributing e-coupons redeemable for value in the purchase of goods or services from a seller, comprising:
 receiving a request from a mobile electronic device of a user for at least one e-coupon from a seller local to the location of the mobile electronic device;   determining an initial threshold number of user requests for the seller's e-coupon by making a calculation based at least in part on the number of pending requests, the seller's profit margin for the goods or services associated with the e-coupon, the fee associated with the distribution of the e-coupon, and estimated rates of e-coupon redemption, so that the threshold number of distributed e-coupons will provide the minimum estimated number of redemptions necessary to make expected returns from redeemed e-coupons greater than the fee associated with the distribution of the e-coupon; and   sending the requested e-coupon to the mobile electronic device if the number of pending requests for said e-coupon is greater than or equal to the initial threshold.   
     
     
         2 . The e-coupon distribution method of  claim 1  wherein the fee associated with the distribution of the e-coupon is an advertising fee charged for the e-coupon. 
     
     
         3 . The e-coupon distribution method of  claim 2  wherein said initial threshold number is determined by dividing the advertising fee by a product of the estimated rate of e-coupon redemption times the seller's profit margin for the goods or services associated with the e-coupon. 
     
     
         4 . The e-coupon distribution method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 calculating an initial threshold number for requests for e-coupons for additional sellers,   determining the sellers having pending numbers of requests for an e-coupon that are not greater than or equal to the initial threshold calculated for them, and   applying an optimizing consolidation process to all sellers with insufficient pending requests, including eliminating at least one such seller to obtain increased estimated rates of e-coupon redemption, recalculating using such increased estimated rates of e-coupon redemption to determine an optimized threshold number, and   sending the requested e-coupon to the mobile electronic device if the number of pending mobile requests for said e-coupon is greater than or equal to the optimized threshold number.   
     
     
         5 . The e-coupon distribution method of  claim 4  further comprising, when the number of pending requests for said e-coupon is determined to be less than the optimized threshold number, the additional step of sending a notification to the mobile user that no e-coupon for the seller will be provided. 
     
     
         6 . The e-coupon distribution method of  claim 1  further comprising
 maintaining mobile user profile data and seller profile data in database memory;   maintaining in the mobile user profile a quota of e-coupons the user is allowed to receive;   determining whether an e-coupon sent to the mobile user has been redeemed; and   upon determining said e-coupon has been redeemed, increasing the quota of e-coupons by one in the mobile user profile.   
     
     
         7 . An e-coupon distribution system for distributing e-coupons redeemable for value in the purchase of goods or services from a seller, comprising:
 a server to receive a request from a mobile electronic device of a user for at least one e-coupon from at least one seller local to the location of the mobile electronic device;   said server determining an initial threshold number of user requests for the seller's e-coupon by making a calculation based at least in part on the number of pending requests, the seller's profit margin for the goods or services associated with the e-coupon, the fee associated with the distribution of the e-coupon, and estimated rates of e-coupon redemption, so that the threshold number of distributed e-coupons will provide the minimum estimated number of redemptions necessary to make expected returns from redeemed e-coupons greater than the fee associated with the distribution of the e-coupon; and   said server sending the requested e-coupon to the mobile electronic device if the number of pending requests for said e-coupon is greater than or equal to the initial threshold.   
     
     
         8 . The e-coupon distribution system of  claim 7  wherein the fee associated with the distribution of the e-coupon is an advertising fee charged for the e-coupon. 
     
     
         9 . The e-coupon distribution system of  claim 8  wherein said initial threshold is determined by dividing the advertising fee by a product of the estimated rate of e-coupon redemption times the seller's profit margin for the goods or services associated with the e-coupon. 
     
     
         10 . The e-coupon distribution system of  claim 7  further comprising:
 said server calculating an initial threshold number for requests for e-coupons for additional sellers,   said server determining the sellers having pending numbers of requests for an e-coupon that are not greater than or equal to the initial threshold calculated for them, and   said server applying an optimizing consolidation process to all sellers with insufficient pending requests, including eliminating at least one such seller to obtain increased estimated rates of e-coupon redemption, recalculating using such increased estimated rates of e-coupon redemption to determine an optimized threshold number, and   said server sending the requested e-coupon to the mobile electronic device if the number of pending mobile requests for said e-coupon is not greater than or equal to the initial threshold calculated for them, but is greater than or equal to the optimized threshold number.   
     
     
         11 . The e-coupon distribution system of  claim 10  further comprising, when the number of pending requests for said e-coupon is determined to be less than the optimized threshold number, the server sending a notification to the mobile user that no e-coupon for the seller will be provided. 
     
     
         12 . The e-coupon distribution system of  claim 7  further comprising
 said server maintaining mobile user profile data and seller profile data in database memory;   said server maintaining in the mobile user profile a quota of e-coupons the user is allowed to receive;   said server determining whether said e-coupon sent to the mobile user has been redeemed; and   upon determining said e-coupon has been redeemed, said server increasing the quota of e-coupons by one in the mobile user profile.