IP Library Granted Patent US 11,756,080
Granted Patent B1
US 11,756,080 · App. 14/980,656 · Granted Sep 12, 2023

Prescient and adaptive point-of-sale systems

Inventors: Sri Viswanath (Palo Alto, CA); David Gomez-Rosado (Petaluma, CA); Andrey Zaytsev (Palo Alto, CA); Josh Krall (San Mateo, CA); Seth Harris (Greenwich, CT); David Scott Parker (Mountain View, CA); Travis Chow (Sausalito, CA); Qi Li (San Francisco, CA); Samuel Thorpe (San Francisco, CA); Clive Richard Beavis (Half Moon Bay, CA); Tihomir Tsankov Georgiev (Menlo Park, CA); Gabe Nydick (Fremont, CA); Robert James Skillington (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: GROUPON, INC.
G06Q30/0268G06F16/24578G06Q20/202G06Q20/203G06Q50/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,756,080
App. No.
14/980,656
Granted
Sep 12, 2023
Kind
B1
Abstract

Systems, apparatus, methods, and non-transitory media for providing prescient and adaptive point-of-sale services via electronic networks are discussed herein. Some embodiments may include a system with one or more servers. The one or more servers may be configured to generate digital consumer tokens and provide the digital consumer tokens to consumer devices for sharing with merchant devices. When a merchant device receives the digital consumer token, the merchant device may forward the digital consumer token to the one or more servers in exchange for consumer data to facilitate consumer service. In some embodiments, the one or more servers may be configured to provide point-of-sale interfaces that adapt to different consumer preferences or consumer device signals. Some embodiments may provide for consumer interfaces that allow consumers to manage their electronic identity at various (e.g., merchant) locations.

Claims (141)

1 . A system comprising:

one or more servers including:

communications circuitry configured to connect with consumer devices and merchant devices via a network;

consumer profile service circuitry configured to:

generate a digital consumer token;

associate the digital consumer token with a consumer account record of a consumer database; and

provide, via the network, the digital consumer token to a consumer device of the consumer devices associated with the consumer account record; data collection circuitry configured to:

receive consumer location data associated with one or more location sensors of the consumer device;

receive real-time consumer condition data associated with one or more other sensors that are different than the one or more location sensors, wherein the one or more other sensors comprise at least a biological sensor related to a real-time consumer condition;

access one or more rules from a repository associated with generation of one or more point-of-sale interfaces;

apply the one or more rules to the consumer location data and the real-time consumer condition data to generate two or more anonymized profiles related to respective merchant category types and respective profile authorization types;

update the consumer account record associated with the digital consumer token based on the two or more anonymized profiles associated with the consumer location data and the real-time consumer condition data; and point-of-sale service circuitry configured to:

receive, via the network, the digital consumer token from a merchant device of the merchant devices to facilitate indication that the consumer device has provided the digital consumer token to the merchant device; and

in response to the digital consumer token being received by the point-of-sale service circuitry:

identify the consumer account record based on the digital consumer token;

determine a merchant category type associated with the merchant device;

determine, based on a consumer account identifier for the consumer account record, a profile authorization type for the merchant device with respect to the consumer account record;

based on (i) the merchant category type associated with the merchant device and (ii) the profile authorization type for the merchant device with respect to the consumer account record, select an anonymized profile from the two or more anonymized profiles;

determine inventory data, indicative of available ingredients of menu items offered by a merchant associated with the merchant device, based on transaction data associated with the menu items;

determine candidate menu items for presentation via a point-of-sale interface based on the inventory data associated with the merchant;

determine respective menu item scores for the candidate menu items for presentation via the point-of-sale interface based on the consumer location data and the real-time consumer condition data associated with the selected anonymized profile;

rank the candidate menu items based on the respective menu items scores to generate a ranking of selectable menu items;

generate the point-of-sale interface based on the ranking of the selectable menu items, wherein the selectable menu items are configured for rendering via the point-of-sale interface, and wherein the point-of-sale interface includes a menu display that includes the selectable menu items; and

provide, via the network, the point-of-sale interface to at least one of the merchant device and the consumer device.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the point-of-sale service circuitry is configured to:

determine the candidate menu items based on menu item data that indicates associated ingredients of the menu items; and

determine the selectable menu items from the candidate menu items based on the ranking of the selectable menu items.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein:

the menu item data includes price data that indicates prices associated with the menu items offered by the merchant; and

the point-of-sale service circuitry configured to determine the respective menu item scores includes the point-of-sale service circuitry being configured to compare the price data with a consumer price preference determined based on one or more of transaction data, clickstream data, and discretionary data.

4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the selectable menu items are ordered via the point-of-sale interface based at least in part on the ranking of the selectable menu items.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the data collection circuitry is further configured to receive, via the network, menu item data from the merchant device that indicates menu items offered by the merchant and associated ingredients of the menu items; and

the point-of-sale service circuitry is further configured to determine the selectable menu items from menu items offered by the merchant based on the menu item data that indicates the associated ingredients of the menu items and electronic marketing data that indicates an undesirable ingredient, wherein a menu item that includes the undesirable ingredient is:

excluded from the selectable menu items; or

included with the selectable menu items with an indication that the menu item includes the undesirable ingredient.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the data collection circuitry is further configured to receive, via the network, menu item data from the merchant device indicating menu items offered by the merchant and associated ingredients of the menu items; and

the point-of-sale service circuitry is further configured to:

receive input data that indicates a selected menu item from the selectable menu items of the menu display; and

in response to the input data being received, determine whether the selected menu item includes an undesirable ingredient based on the menu item data that indicates the ingredients of the menu items; and

provide a warning indication to the point-of-sale interface when the selected menu item includes the undesirable ingredient.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein: the data collection circuitry is further configured to receive, via the network, menu item data from the merchant device that indicates menu items offered by the merchant and associated ingredients of the menu items; and

the point-of-sale service circuitry is further configured to

receive input data that indicates a selected menu item from the selectable menu items of the menu display;

in response to the input data being received, determine whether the selected menu item includes an undesirable ingredient based on the menu item data that indicates the ingredients of the menu items;

provide a remove ingredient button to the point-of-sale service interface when the selected menu item includes the undesirable ingredient; and

associate the selected menu item without the undesirable ingredient with a tab in response to a selection of the remove ingredient button being received.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the data collection circuitry is further configured to:

receive discretionary data from the consumer device, wherein the discretionary data indicates one or more of consumer interests, hobbies, age, gender, and group membership;

the consumer profile service circuitry is configured to create a plurality of consumer profiles associated with the consumer account record based on the discretionary data; and

the point-of-sale service circuitry is further configured to:

in response to the digital consumer token being received:

determine a selected consumer profile from the plurality of consumer profiles based on the real-time consumer condition data; and

provide the selected consumer profile to the merchant device via the network.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein:

the discretionary data further indicates eligible merchants that are allowed to receive consumer profiles created based on the discretionary data; and

the point-of-sale service circuitry is configured to:

determine whether the merchant associated with the merchant device is an eligible merchant allowed to receive the selected consumer profile based on the discretionary data; and

provide the selected consumer profile to the merchant device in response to a determination that the merchant associated with the merchant device is an eligible merchant.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the point-of-sale service circuitry is further configured to determine the selectable menu items of the menu display based on the selected consumer profile.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the digital consumer token is generated based on a random code that is independent of consumer identifying data and the real-time consumer condition data.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the merchant device is a point-of-sale device.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein consumer profile service circuitry is further configured to:

receive, via the network and from the consumer device, discretionary data;

generate a public consumer profile based on a first portion of the discretionary data;

generate a private consumer profile based on a second portion of the discretionary data; and

in response to the digital consumer token being received, provide, via the network, at least one of the public consumer profile and the private consumer profile to the merchant device.

14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the consumer account record of the consumer database includes one or more sharing rules that defines merchants authorized to receive consumer information.

15 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the selectable menu items include at least one custom menu item not included in the candidate menu items, wherein the at least one custom menu item is determined based on the consumer account record, wherein the menu display is characterized by a menu ordering of the selectable menu items, and wherein the menu ordering is determined based on the consumer account record.

16 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the consumer location data includes first consumer location data associated with a first consumer device location, wherein the consumer location data includes second consumer location data associated with a second consumer device location, and wherein the point-of-sale service circuitry is configured to generate the point-of-sale interface based on the inventory data, the first consumer location data associated with the first consumer device location, and the second consumer location data associated with the second consumer device location.

17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the biological sensor is a thermometer, wherein the real-time consumer condition data comprises real-time consumer temperature data, and wherein the point-of-sale service circuitry is configured to determine the respective menu item scores for the candidate menu items based on the real-time consumer temperature data.

18 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the biological sensor is a heart rate monitor device, wherein the real-time consumer condition data comprises real-time consumer heart rate data, and wherein the point-of-sale service circuitry is configured to determine the respective menu item scores for the candidate menu items based on the real-time consumer heart rate data.

19 . A machine-implemented method, comprising:

generating, by processing circuitry of one or more servers, a digital consumer token, wherein the one or more servers are configured to connect with consumer devices and merchant devices via a network;

associating, by the processing circuitry, the digital consumer token with a consumer account record of a consumer database; and

providing, by the processing circuitry and via the network, the digital consumer token to a consumer device of the consumer devices associated with the consumer account record;

receiving, by the processing circuitry, consumer location data associated with one or more location sensors of the consumer device;

receiving, by the processing circuitry, real-time consumer condition data associated with one or more other sensors that are different than the one or more location sensors, wherein the one or more other sensors comprise at least a biological sensor related to a real-time consumer condition;

accessing, by the processing circuitry, one or more rules from a repository associated with generation of one or more point-of-sale interfaces;

applying, by the processing circuitry, the one or more rules to the consumer location data and the real-time consumer condition data to generate two or more anonymized profiles related to respective merchant category types and respective profile authorization types;

updating, by the processing circuitry, the consumer account record associated with the digital consumer token based on the two or more anonymized profiles associated with the consumer location data and the real-time consumer condition data; and

receiving, by the processing circuitry and via the network, the digital consumer token from a merchant device of the merchant devices indicating that the consumer device has provided the consumer device to the merchant device;

in response to the receiving the digital consumer token, and by the processing circuitry:

identifying the consumer account record based on the digital consumer token;

determining a merchant category type associated with the merchant device;

determining, based on a consumer account identifier for the consumer account record, a profile authorization type for the merchant device with respect to the consumer account record;

based on (i) the merchant category type associated with the merchant device and (ii) the profile authorization type for the merchant device with respect to the consumer account record, selecting an anonymized profile from the two or more anonymized profiles;

determining inventory data, indicative of available ingredients of menu items offered by a merchant associated with the merchant device, based on transaction data associated with the menu items;

determining candidate menu items for presentation via a point-of-sale interface based on the inventory data associated with the merchant;

determining respective menu item scores for the candidate menu items for presentation via the point-of-sale interface based on the consumer location data and the real-time consumer condition data associated with the selected anonymized profile;

ranking the candidate menu items based on the respective menu items scores to generate a ranking of selectable menu items;

generating the point-of-sale interface based on the ranking of the selectable menu items, including configuring the selectable menu items for rendering via the point-of-sale interface and providing a menu display including the selectable menu items via the point-of-sale interface; and

providing, via the network, the point-of-sale interface to at least one of the merchant device and the consumer device.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein

the generating the point-of-sale interface includes:

determining the candidate menu items based on menu item data indicating associated ingredients of the menu items; and

determining the selectable menu items from the candidate menu items based on the ranking of the selectable menu items.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein:

the menu item data includes price data indicating prices associated with the menu items offered by the merchant; and

the determining the respective menu item scores includes comparing the price data with a consumer price preference determined based on one or more of transaction data, clickstream data, and discretionary data.

22 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising ordering, by the processing circuitry, the selectable menu items via the point-of-sale interface based at least in part on the ranking of the selectable menu items.

23 . The method of claim 19 , wherein:

the method further includes, by the processing circuitry:

receiving, via the network, menu item data from the merchant device indicating menu items offered by the merchant and associated ingredients of the menu items; and

determining the selectable menu items from menu items offered by the merchant based on the menu item data indicating the associated ingredients of the menu items and electronic marketing data indicating an undesirable ingredient, wherein a menu item including the undesirable ingredient is:

excluded from the selectable menu items; or

included with the selectable menu items with an indication that the menu item includes the undesirable ingredient.

24 . The method of claim 19 , wherein:

the method further includes, by the processing circuitry:

receiving, via the network, menu item data from one or more of the merchant device indicating menu items offered by the merchant and associated ingredients of the menu items;

receiving input data indicating a selected menu item from the selectable menu items of the menu display;

in response to receiving the input data indicating the selected menu item, determining whether the selected menu item includes an undesirable ingredient based on the menu item data indicating the ingredients of the menu items; and

providing a warning indication to the point-of-sale interface when the selected menu item includes the undesirable ingredient.

25 . The method of claim 19 , wherein:

the method further includes, by the processing circuitry:

receiving, via the network, menu item data from one or more of the merchant device indicating menu items offered by the merchant and associated ingredients of the menu items; and

receiving input data indicating a selected menu item from the selectable menu items of the menu display;

in response to the receiving the input data indicating the selected menu item, determining whether the selected menu item includes an undesirable ingredient based on the menu item data indicating the ingredients of the menu items;

providing a remove ingredient button to the point-of-sale service interface when the selected menu item includes the undesirable ingredient; and

associating the selected menu item without the undesirable ingredient with a tab in response to receiving a selection of the remove ingredient button.

26 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising, by the processing circuitry:

receiving discretionary data from the consumer device, the discretionary data indicating one or more of consumer interests, hobbies, age, gender, and group membership;

creating a plurality of consumer profiles associated with the consumer account record based on the discretionary data;

in response to receiving the digital consumer token:

determining a selected consumer profile from the plurality of consumer profiles based on the real-time consumer condition data; and

providing the selected consumer profile to the merchant device via the network.

27 . The method of claim 26 , wherein:

the discretionary data further indicates eligible merchants that are allowed to receive consumer profiles created based on the discretionary data; and

the method further includes, by the processing circuitry:

determining whether the merchant associated with the merchant device is an eligible merchant allowed to receive the selected consumer profile based on the discretionary data; and

providing the selected consumer profile to the merchant device in response to determining the merchant associated with the merchant device is an eligible merchant.

28 . The method of claim 26 , further comprising, by the processing circuitry, determining the selectable menu items of the menu display based on the selected consumer profile.

29 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising, generating, by the processing circuitry, the digital consumer token based on a random code that is independent of consumer identifying data and the real-time consumer condition data.

30 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising, by the processing circuitry:

receiving, via the network and from the consumer device, discretionary data;

generating a public consumer profile based on a first portion of the discretionary data;

generating a private consumer profile based on a second portion of the discretionary data; and

in response to receiving the digital consumer token, providing, via the network, at least one of the public consumer profile and the private consumer profile to the merchant device.

Assignments (6)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 12, 2024
From: GROUPON, INC.
To: BYTEDANCE INC.
Reel/Frame 068833/0811 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 26, 2024
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: GROUPON, INC.; LIVINGSOCIAL, LLC (F/K/A LIVINGSOCIAL, INC.)
Reel/Frame 066676/0001 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS Recorded Feb 26, 2024
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: GROUPON, INC.; LIVINGSOCIAL, LLC (F/K/A LIVINGSOCIAL, INC.)
Reel/Frame 066676/0251 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 9, 2023
From: GOMEZ-ROSADO, DAVID; PARKER, DAVID SCOTT; LI, QI; THORPE, SAMUEL; GEORGIEV, TIHOMIR TSANKOV
To: GROUPON, INC.
Reel/Frame 063912/0510 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 29, 2021
From: VISWANATH, SRI; GOMEZ-ROSADO, DAVID; ZAYTSEV, ANDREY; KRALL, JOSH; HARRIS, SETH; PARKER, DAVID SCOTT; CHOW, TRAVIS; LI, QI; THORPE, SAMUEL; BEAVIS, CLIVE RICHARD; GEORGIEV, TIHOMIR TSANKOV; NYDICK, GABE; SKILLINGTON, ROBERT JAMES
To: GROUPON, INC.
Reel/Frame 056093/0600 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 23, 2020
From: GROUPON, INC.; LIVINGSOCIAL, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053294/0495 →