Granted Patent B2

US 8,620,732 · App. 10/937,367 · Granted Dec 31, 2013

Abstract

Claims (82)

1. A computer-implemented system for generating advertisements based on user profile information, the system comprising:

at least one server, the at least one server configured to:

receive user profile information from a user via a user device operatively connected to the at least one server via a communication link;

receive location information for the user, the location information comprising a start location and a destination location defining a travel route along which the user is willing to receive advertisements related to providers that are within a specified proximity of a given location along the travel route;

receive proximity preference information that includes the specified proximity;

generate at least one advertisement for a particular product or service for the user based on the user profile information, the location information, and the proximity preference information, wherein the at least one advertisement is associated with a provider of the particular product or service that is located within the specified proximity of the given location along the travel route; and

transmit the at least one advertisement to the user device via the communication link, wherein the at least one advertisement includes a direct selectable link to the user profile information.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one advertisement includes a selectable link to content about an incentive associated with the at least one advertisement.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the direct selectable link to the user profile information comprises a user identifier.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the user identifier is the name of the user.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the location information comprises an address associated with the user for the start location or the destination location.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the proximity preference information comprises a distance range, specified by the user, that the user is willing to travel from the given location along the travel route to redeem an incentive.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the proximity preference information comprises a distance range, specified by the provider, that the provider is targeting as a range of advertisement exposure such that when a distance between the given location along the travel route and an identified redemption facility associated with the provider is within the distance range specified by the provider and the specified proximity, the at least one advertisement related to the provider is generated.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the user-specified distance range comprises a radius, in miles, from the given location along the travel route.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the provider-specified distance range comprises a radius, in miles, from the identified redemption facility associated with the provider.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one server is further configured to:

receive an indication that the at least one advertisement has been selected or activated; and

responsive to the received indication, communicate an incentive page that includes information that describes the particular product or service, an incentive related to the particular product or service, and the direct selectable link to the user profile information such that both the at least one advertisement and the incentive page includes the direct selectable link.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the proximity preference information comprises a distance range specified by the provider, and wherein the at least one server is further configured to:

determine a first price associated with a first distance range for which the provider would like advertising exposure, wherein the at least one advertisement is transmitted to the user device when a distance between a location of an identified redemption facility associated with the provider and the given location along the travel route is within the first distance range;

determine a second price associated with a second distance range for which the provider would like advertising exposure, wherein the at least one advertisement is transmitted to the user device when a distance between the location of the identified redemption facility associated with the provider and the given location along the travel route is within the second distance range; and

cause the first price or the second price to be offered to the provider based on a provider selection of the first distance range or the second distance range.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one server is further configured to:

determine a value of an incentive for the particular product or service based on a distance between an identified redemption facility associated with the provider and the given location along the travel route such that the determined value of the incentive varies based on the distance; and

include the incentive and the value of the incentive with the at least one advertisement based on a distance between an identified redemption facility associated with the provider and the given location along the travel route.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the value of the incentive increases as the distance decreases.

14. A method for generating advertisements based on user profile information, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server, user profile information from a user via a user device in operative communication with the server via a communications link;

storing the received user profile information in a database;

receiving location information for the user, the location information comprising a start location and a destination location defining a travel route along which the user is willing to receive advertisements related to providers that are within a specified proximity of a given location along the travel route;

receiving proximity preference information that includes the specified proximity;

generating, by the server, at least one advertisement for a particular product or service for the user based on the user profile information, the location information, and the proximity preference information, wherein the at least one advertisement is associated with a provider of the particular product or service that is located within the specified proximity of the given location along the travel route; and

transmitting the at least one advertisement from the server to the user device via the communications link, wherein the at least one advertisement includes a direct selectable link to the user profile information.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the at least one advertisement includes a selectable link to content about an incentive associated with the at least one advertisement.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein, the direct selectable link to the user profile information comprises a user identifier.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the user identifier is the name of the user.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the location information comprises an address associated with the user for the start location or the destination location.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the proximity preference information comprises a distance range, specified by the user, that the user is willing to travel from the given location along the travel route to redeem an incentive.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the proximity preference information comprises a distance range, specified by the provider, that the provider is targeting as a range of advertisement exposure such that when a distance between the given location along the travel route and an identified redemption facility associated with the provider is within the distance range specified by the provider and the specified proximity, the at least one advertisement related to the provider is generated.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the user-specified distance range comprises a radius, in miles, from the given location along the travel route.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the provider-specified distance range comprises a radius, in miles, from the identified redemption facility associated with the provider.

23. A computer-implemented system for generating at least one advertisement relating to a search query, the system comprising:

at least one server, the at least one server configured to:

receive a search query from a user regarding a topic of interest to the user;

generate search results in response to the search query;

generate at least one advertisement for a particular product or service for the user that is related to one or more of the generated search results, and that is additionally based on user profile information stored for the user and location information that includes a start location and a destination location defining a travel route along which the user is willing to receive advertisements related to providers that are within a specified proximity of a given location along the travel route, and wherein the at least one advertisement is associated with a provider of the particular product or service that is located within the specified proximity of the given location along the travel route;

generate a display that includes the generated search results and the at least one advertisement for communication to the user, wherein the at least one advertisement includes a direct selectable link to the stored user profile information; and

associate at least one incentive with the at least one advertisement.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one incentive is a targeted incentive.

25. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one incentive is a geographically targeted incentive.

26. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one incentive is targeted based on a zip code associated with the user.

27. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one incentive is targeted based on the user profile information.

28. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one incentive is targeted based on user-specific information.

29. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one incentive is targeted based on prior user action.

30. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one incentive is targeted based on user location.

31. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one incentive is targeted based on user proximity to a particular location.

32. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one incentive is targeted based on a predetermined range of distances.

33. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one incentive is targeted based on the user profile information and proximity information.

34. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one incentive is targeted based on proximity information received from the user.

35. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one incentive is targeted based on proximity information received from an incentive provider.

36. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one incentive is targeted based on proximity information received from both the user and an incentive provider.

37. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one incentive is targeted based on user profile information, user location information, and proximity preference information.

38. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one server is further configured to:

determine a retail location having availability of a product or service of interest to a user, and wherein the at least one incentive is targeted based on user location information relative to the retail location.

39. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one server is further configured to:

determine a retail location having availability of a product or service of interest to a user, and wherein the at least one incentive is targeted based on user location information relative to the retail location and proximity preference information.

40. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one advertisement includes a selectable link that enables the user to display the at least one incentive.

41. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one server is further configured to:

receive user location information.

42. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one server is further configured to:

receive user location information from the user.

43. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one server is further configured to:

receive user location information from a device associated with the user.

44. The system of claim 23 , wherein the user profile information includes information regarding at least one category of interest to the user, and wherein the at least one advertisement relates to the at least one category.

45. A computer-implemented system for generating advertisements based on user profile information and travel route information, the system comprising:

at least one server, the at least one server configured to:

receive user profile information for a user;

receive location information for the user, the location information comprising a start location and a destination location defining a travel route along which the user is willing to receive advertisements related to providers that are within a specified proximity of a given location along the travel route;

receive proximity preference information that includes: (i) the specified proximity and (ii) a distance range specified by a provider that the provider is targeting as a range of advertisement exposure;

determine that a distance between the given location along the travel route and an identified redemption facility associated with the provider is within both the distance range specified by the provider and the specified proximity;

generate at least one advertisement for a particular product or service for the user based on the user profile information, the location information, and the determination that the distance between the given location along the travel route and the identified redemption facility associated with the provider is within both the distance range specified by the provider and the specified proximity, wherein the at least one advertisement is associated with the provider of the particular product or service that is located within the specified proximity of the given location along the travel route; and

transmit the at least one advertisement to the user.

Assignments (13)