Conditional electronic coupon distribution method and system

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 to browse at least one e-coupon;

receiving location information for the requesting mobile electronic device;

determining at least one seller local to the location of the mobile electronic device and at least one corresponding e-coupon available from said at least one seller;

sending e-coupon availability data to the mobile electronic device in response to the user request;

receiving a request from the mobile electronic device for at least one e-coupon of a seller from among those identified in the e-coupon availability data sent to the mobile electronic device;

determining whether to provide said requested seller's e-coupon to the mobile electronic device in response to the request by

determining the number of pending mobile requests for the seller's e-coupons during a processing cycle;

calculating an initial threshold number of requests for the processing cycle based at least in part on the advertising cost associated with the distribution of the c-coupon, the seller's profit margin for the goods or services associated with the e-coupon and estimated rates of e-coupon redemption, so that the threshold number of distributed c-coupons will provide the minimum estimated number of redemptions necessary to make expected returns from redeemed e-coupons greater than advertising costs,

authorizing the provision of said e-coupon when the number of pending mobile requests during the processing cycle is equal to or greater than the threshold number; and

sending said e-coupon to the mobile electronic device upon authorization.

2. An e-coupon distribution method for distributing e-coupons redeemable for value in the purchase of goods or services from a seller, comprising:

(i) maintaining a mobile user profile and seller profile data in database memory;

(ii) receiving a request for at least one e-coupon from a mobile electronic device of a user;

(iii) receiving location information for the requesting mobile electronic device;

(iv) determining a seller local to the location of the mobile electronic device;

(v) determining an initial threshold number of user requests for the seller's e-coupons by making a calculation based at least in part on the seller's profit margin for the goods or services associated with the e-coupon, the advertising fee charged for 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 advertising fee;

(vi) determining whether the number of pending requests for said e-coupon is greater than or equal to the initial threshold; and

(vii) when the number of pending requests for said e-coupon is greater than or equal to the initial threshold, sending said e-coupon to the mobile electronic device.

3. An e-coupon distribution system for distributing e-coupons redeemable for value in the purchase of goods or services from a seller, comprising:

a memory for storing mobile user profile data and seller profile data;

a profile proxy server to receive a request to browse at least one e-coupon from a mobile electronic device of a user;

said profile proxy server to receive a location of the requesting mobile electronic device;

said profile proxy server to determine a at least one seller local to the location of the mobile electronic device and at least one corresponding e-coupon available from said sellers;

said profile proxy server to send e-coupon availability data to the mobile electronic device in response to the user request;

said profile proxy server to receive a request from the mobile electronic device for at least one e-coupon of a seller from among those identified in the e-coupon availability data sent to the mobile electronic device;

a commerce server to receive said request from said profile proxy server;

said commerce server to log said request in said mobile user profile and said seller profile;

said commerce server to determine whether to provide said requested seller's e-coupon to the mobile electronic device in response to the request by

determining the number of pending user mobile requests for the seller's e-coupons during a processing cycle;

calculating an initial threshold number of requests for the processing cycle based at least in part on the advertising cost associated with the distribution of the e-coupon, the seller's margin for the goods or services associated with 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 advertising cost;

at the end of the processing cycle, said commerce server to authorize the provision of said e-coupon when the number of pending mobile requests during the processing cycle is equal to or greater than the threshold number; and

said commerce server to send said e-coupon to the mobile electronic device responsive to said authorizing step.

4. A computer program product for use with an output device, said computer program product comprising:

a computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied in said medium for causing a distribution of e-coupons redeemable for value in the purchase of goods or services from a seller, said computer program product having:

computer-readable program code for causing a computer to maintain mobile user profile and seller profile data in database memory;

computer-readable program code for causing a computer to receive a request to browse at least one e-coupon from a mobile electronic device of a user;

computer-readable program code for causing a computer to receive a location of the requesting mobile electronic device;

computer-readable program code for causing a computer to determine a plurality of sellers local to the location of the mobile electronic device and a plurality of corresponding e-coupons available from said sellers;

computer-readable program code for causing a computer to provide e-coupon availability data to the mobile electronic device in response to the user request;

computer-readable program code for causing a computer to receive a request from the mobile electronic device for at least one e-coupon of a seller from among those identified in the e-coupon availability data sent to the mobile electronic device;

computer-readable program code for causing a computer to log said request for an e-coupon of a seller in said mobile user profile and said seller profile;

computer-readable program code for causing a computer to determine whether to provide said requested seller's e-coupon to the mobile electronic device in response to the request by

determining the number of pending user mobile requests for the seller's e-coupons during a processing cycle;

calculating an initial threshold number of requests for the processing cycle based at least in part on the advertising cost associated with the distribution of the e-coupon, the seller's margin for the goods or services associated with 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 advertising cost;

computer-readable program code for causing a computer, at the end of the processing cycle, to authorize the provision of said e-coupon when the number of pending mobile requests during the processing cycle is equal to or greater than the threshold number; and

computer-readable program code for causing a computer to provide said e-coupon to the mobile electronic device responsive to said authorizing step.