Targeted incentive actions based on location and intent

Abstract

A method and a system offer an incentive to a user of a mobile device based on a geographic location of the mobile device and the intent of the user. A processor-implemented location identification module determines the geographic location of the mobile device of the user. A processor-implemented item identification module identifies an item specified by the user at the geographic location of the mobile device. A processor-implemented incentive module offers an incentive from at least one merchant within a predefined distance based on the identified item and the geographic location of the mobile device.

1 . A system comprising:
 a first module configured to determine a geographic location of a mobile device;   a second module configured to identify an item specified at the geographic location of the mobile device via an optical input of the mobile device; and   a processor-implemented incentive module configured to generate a limited-time incentive offer from at least one merchant within a predefined geographic area determined using the geographic location of the mobile device, the limited-time incentive offer based on the item specified at the geographic location of the mobile device.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor-implemented incentive module further comprises:
 a local merchant module configured to identify at least one merchant within the predefined geographic area having at least one limited-time incentive offer;   a first incentive match module configured to determine whether the item corresponds to an item identified in the at least one limited-time incentive offer of the at least one merchant within the predefined geographic area; and   a first communication module configured to communicate the at least one limited-time incentive offer of the item from the at least one merchant within the predefined geographic area to the mobile device.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the processor-implemented incentive module further comprises:
 an item category module configured to determine a category of the item;   a second incentive match module configured to determine whether the category of the item corresponds to a category of items identified in at least one limited-time incentive offer of the at least one merchant within the predefined geographic area; and   a second communication module configured to communicate the at least one limited-time incentive offer of the category of items from the at least one merchant within the predefined geographic area to the mobile device.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor-implemented incentive module further comprises further comprises:
 a user preference module configured to request from a user of the mobile device whether to update a search radius preference of the predefined geographic area; and   a local merchant module configured to identify at least one merchant with at least one limited-time incentive offer based on the updated search radius preference.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor-implemented incentive module further comprises:
 an incentive code module configured to communicate a code associated with the at least one limited-time incentive offer to the mobile device, wherein the code is valid for a predetermined period of time at the corresponding merchant within the predefined geographic area.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first module further comprises:
 a triangulation service or a global positioning service (GPS) configured to determine the location of the mobile device based on a triangulation service or a GPS service;   a location input module configured to determine the location of the mobile device based on a user input at the mobile device;   a location-dependent search term input module configured to determine the location of the mobile device based on a location-dependent search term user input at the mobile device; and   a tag module configured to determine the location of the mobile device based on a tag from the mobile device, the tag associated with a unique geographic location.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second module further comprises:
 a text identification module configured to identify the item based on a text input from a user at the geographic location of the mobile device;   an audio identification module configured to identify the item based on an audio input from the user at the geographic location of the mobile device;   a machine-readable symbol module configured to identify the item based on a machine-readable symbol scanned by the user at the geographic location of the mobile device;   an image identification module configured to identify the item based on an image taken by the user at the geographic location of the mobile device; and   a video identification module configured to identify the item based on a video taken by the user at the geographic location of the mobile device.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor-implemented incentive module further comprises:
 a user preference module configured to generate a user preference setting, the user preference setting comprising a user-defined search radius preference, and a merchant preference.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an incentive receiver module configured to receive attributes of limited-time incentive offers from at least one merchant within the predefined geographic area;   a storage device configured to store the attributes of the limited-time incentive offers in a database,   wherein the attributes of the limited-time incentive offers for an item comprises at least one of a name attribute of the merchant within the predefined distance, a name attribute of the item, a brand attribute of the item, a model attribute of the item, a category tag of the item, a sub-category tag of the item, a financial promotion attribute of the item, and a financial promotion term attribute of the item.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the limited-time incentive offer comprises a coupon, a discount, or a recommendation. 
     
     
         11 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 determining a geographic location of a mobile device;   identifying an item specified at the geographic location of the mobile device via an optical input of the mobile device; and   generating, using at least one processor, a limited-time incentive offer from at least one merchant within a predefined geographic area using the geographic location of the mobile device, the limited-time incentive offer based on the item specified at the geographic location of the mobile device.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 identifying at least one merchant within the predefined geographic area having at least one limited-time incentive offer;   determining whether the item corresponds to an item identified in the at least one limited-time incentive offer of the at least one merchant within the predefined geographic area; and   communicating the at least one limited-time incentive offer of the item identified from the at least one merchant within the predefined geographic area to the mobile device.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 determining a category of the item identified by the mobile device;   determining whether the category of the item identified by the user corresponds to a category of items identified in at least one limited-time incentive offer of the at least one merchant within the predefined geographic area; and   communicating the at least one limited-time incentive offer of the category of items from the at least one merchant within the predefined geographic area to the mobile device.   
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 requesting from a user of the mobile device whether to update a search radius preference of the predefined geographic area; and   identifying at least one merchant with at least one limited-time incentive offer based on the updated search radius preference.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 communicating a code associated with the at least one limited-time incentive offer to the mobile device, wherein the code is valid for a predetermined period of time at the corresponding merchant within the predefined geographic area.   
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining the geographic location of the mobile device based on at least one of a triangulation service or a global positioning service (GPS) of the mobile device, a location input from a user of the mobile device, a location-dependent search term input from the user of the mobile device, and a tag associated with a unique geographic location.   
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 identifying the item based on at least one of a text input from a user of the mobile device, an audio input from the user of the mobile device, a machine-readable symbol input from the user of the mobile device, an image input from the user of the mobile device, and a video input from the user of the mobile device.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein the limited-time incentive offer is generated based on a preference setting of a user of the mobile device, the preference setting comprising a user-defined search radius preference, and a merchant preference. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving attributes of limited-time incentive offers from at least one merchant within the predefined geographic area;   storing the attributes of the limited-time incentive offers in a database,   wherein the attributes of the limited-time incentive offers for an item comprises at least one of a name attribute of the merchant within the predefined distance, a name attribute of the item, a brand attribute of the item, a model attribute of the item, a category tag of the item, a sub-category tag of the item, a financial promotion attribute of the item, and a financial promotion term attribute of the item.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein the limited-time incentive offer comprises a coupon, a discount, or a recommendation. 
     
     
         21 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a set of instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations, comprising:
 determining a geographic location of a mobile device;   identifying an item specified at the geographic location of the mobile device via an optical input of the mobile device; and   generating a limited-time incentive offer from at least one merchant within a predefined geographic area using the geographic location of the mobile device, the limited-time incentive offer based on the item specified at the geographic location of the mobile device.