METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR USING WI-FI LOCATION DATA FOR LOCATION BASED REWARDS
Providing a purchase incentive to a mobile device based for example the user's location, predicted route of travel, and prior transactions. A tracking server computer determines a number of locations of a mobile device as it travels along a route and an associated timeframe when it is at each of the locations. The tracking server computer records the locations and associated timeframes in a location log and analyzes the location log to predict a subsequent location and associated timeframe that the mobile device will be at that location. The tracking server computer then determines a merchant proximate to the predicted subsequent location of the mobile device and generates a purchase incentive for use at the merchant and delivers the purchase incentive to the mobile device. In the alternative, the incentive may be generated by a merchant computer or the mobile device.
1 . A method of providing a reward to a mobile device comprising:
a mobile device communicating via a wi-fi hot spot;
the mobile device determining its location by analyzing data from the wi-fi hot spot;
the mobile device recording its location and associated timeframe in a location log;
the mobile device automatically generating a reward as a function of the location of the mobile device; and
the mobile device displaying the reward on a display screen.
2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of the mobile device generating a notification of the reward.
3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the notification comprises an audible notification.
4 . The method of claim 2 wherein the notification comprises a visual notification.
5 . The method of claim 2 wherein the notification comprises a tactile notification.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device automatically generates the reward as a function of a plurality of locations stored in the location log of the mobile device.
7 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the mobile device recording in the location log a timeframe associated with the location.
8 . The method of claim 7 wherein the mobile device automatically generates the reward as a function of the location and the associated timeframe stored in the location log of the mobile device.
9 . The method of claim 7 wherein the mobile device automatically generates the reward as a function of a plurality of locations and associated timeframes stored in the location log of the mobile device.
10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the reward comprises a purchase incentive for use at a merchant at the location of the mobile device.
11 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of redeeming the reward.
12 . The method of claim 1 wherein the reward expires after a predetermined time.
13 . The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device automatically generates a reward on the occurrence of a triggering event.
14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the triggering event comprises a predetermined condition.
15 . The method of claim 13 wherein the triggering event comprises a user request.
16 . The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device accumulates a plurality of rewards.
17 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
the mobile device analyzing a prior transaction log associated with the mobile device, the prior transaction log comprising records of prior transactions executed by the mobile device; and
the mobile device generating the reward based on the prior transaction log.
18 . The method of claim 17 wherein the reward is generated for use with a merchant associated with the prior transaction log.
19 . The method of claim 17 wherein the reward is generated for use with a merchant not associated with the prior transaction log.
20 . The method of claim 17 wherein the reward is based on a type of prior transactions executed by the mobile device.
21 . The method of claim 17 wherein the reward is based on a value of prior transactions executed by the mobile device.
22 . The method of claim 17 wherein the prior transaction log is stored on the mobile device.
23 . The method of claim 17 wherein the prior transaction log is stored on an external server computer.
24 . The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is a handheld computing device.
25 . The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is a smartphone.
26 . The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is a tablet computer.
27 . A mobile device comprising wireless communications circuitry, processing circuitry, a display screen, and a memory, wherein the processing circuitry is programmed to execute an app on the mobile device which performs the steps of:
the mobile device communicating via a wi-fi hot spot;
the mobile device determining its location by analyzing data from the wi-fi hot spot;
the mobile device recording its location and associated timeframe in a location log;
the mobile device automatically generating a reward as a function of the location of the mobile device; and
the mobile device displaying the reward on the display screen.
28 . The mobile device of claim 27 wherein the app is further programmed to perform the step of the mobile device generating a notification of the reward.
29 . The mobile device of claim 28 wherein the notification comprises an audible notification.
30 . The mobile device of claim 28 wherein the notification comprises a visual notification.
31 . The mobile device of claim 28 wherein the notification comprises a tactile notification.
32 . The mobile device of claim 27 wherein the app is further programmed to automatically generate the reward as a function of a plurality of locations stored in the location log of the mobile device.
33 . The mobile device of claim 27 wherein the app is further programmed to record in the location log a timeframe associated with the location.
34 . The mobile device of claim 33 wherein the app is further programmed to automatically generate the reward as a function of the location and the associated timeframe stored in the location log of the mobile device.
35 . The mobile device of claim 33 wherein the app is further programmed to automatically generate the reward as a function of a plurality of locations and associated timeframes stored in the location log of the mobile device.
36 . The mobile device of claim 27 wherein the reward comprises a purchase incentive for use at a merchant at the location of the mobile device.
37 . The mobile device of claim 27 wherein the app is further programmed to perform the step of redeeming the reward.
38 . The mobile device of claim 27 wherein the reward expires after a predetermined time.
39 . The mobile device of claim 27 wherein the mobile device automatically generates a reward on the occurrence of a triggering event.
40 . The mobile device of claim 39 wherein the triggering event comprises a predetermined condition.
41 . The mobile device of claim 39 wherein the triggering event comprises a user request.
42 . The mobile device of claim 27 wherein the app is further programmed to perform the step of accumulating a plurality of rewards.
43 . The mobile device of claim 27 further comprising the app on the mobile device performing the steps of:
the mobile device analyzing a prior transaction log associated with the mobile device, the prior transaction log comprising records of prior transactions executed by the mobile device; and
the mobile device generating the reward based on the prior transaction log.
44 . The mobile device of claim 43 wherein the reward is based on a type of prior transactions executed by the mobile device.
45 . The mobile device of claim 43 wherein the reward is based on a value of prior transactions executed by the mobile device.
46 . The mobile device of claim 43 wherein the prior transaction log is stored on the mobile device.
47 . The mobile device of claim 27 wherein the mobile device is a handheld computing device.
48 . The mobile device of claim 27 wherein the mobile device is a smartphone.
49 . The mobile device of claim 27 wherein the mobile device is a tablet computer.