(12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT)
`
`(19) World Intellectual Property Organization
`International Bureau
`
`(43) International Publication Date
`23 August 2001 (23.08.2001)
`
`
`
`PCT
`
`(10) International Publication Number
`W0 01/6 1 559 A1
`
`(51) International Patent Classification7:
`17/60, 19/00, G01C 21/00
`
`G06F 17/30,
`
`Robert [CA/CA]; 4381 Lions Avenue, North Vancouver,
`BC V7R 3S2 (CA). BAERGEN, L., Evan [CA/CA]; 5290
`Oak Place, Delta, BC V4K 1L9 (CA).
`
`(21) International Application Number:
`
`PCT/USOl/03684
`
`(22) International Filing Date: 16 February 2001 (16.02.2001)
`
`(74) Agent: CHAMBERS, Scott; Arnold & Porter, 555 12th
`Street, NW, Washington, DC 20004—1206 (US).
`
`(25) Filing Language:
`
`(26) Publication Language:
`
`English
`
`English
`
`(30) Priority Data:
`09/507,774
`
`18 February 2000 (18.02.2000)
`
`US
`
`(81) Designated States (national): AT, AU, CA, CH, CN, DE,
`DK, FI, GB, IL, JP, KP. KR, NO, NZ, SE, SG, US.
`
`(84) Designated States (regional): European patent (AT, BE,
`CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, F1, FR, GB, GR, IE, IT, LU, MC,
`NL, PT, SE, TR).
`
`(71) Applicant flor all designated States except US): SUM-
`MEDIA.COM, INC. [US/US]; 1200—1055 West Hasting
`Street, Vancouver, BC V6E 2E9 (CA).
`
`Published:
`
`7 with international search report
`
`(72) Inventors; and
`(75) Inventors/Applicants (for US only): NOBLE, David,
`
`For two-letter codes and other abbreviations, refer to the ”Guid-
`ance Notes on Codes andAbbreviations ” appearing at the begin-
`ning ofeach regular issue ofthe PCT Gazette.
`
`(54) Title: CELLULAR COUPON SYSTEM
`
`
`
`
`WIRELESS PROTOCOL
`
`204
`
`WIRELESS
`
`WIRELESS
`PROTOCOL
`ON-LINE
`
`MERCHANT
`
`
`
`
`
`
`GATEWAY
`
`||||||Illllllllllllllllllll||||lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllll
`
`1559A1
`
`
`
`
`
`(57) Abstract: A system (200) and method are provided for promotional information distribution and/or redemption via a wireless
`communication network (210). Upon an occurrence of one or more triggering events, promotional information, such as a discount
`
`\9 coupon, IS automatically sent to the wireless communication device of a subscriber from a distribution server (201). In a preferred
`\ embodiment, promotional information can be sent to the wireless device even without a specific request from the device user. The
`distribution server has stored therein a subscriber profile, including buying preferences, personal, family and/or friends’ biographical
`data, calendar/schedule information, etc. The distribution server preferably selects particular promotional information based, in part,
`0 on the type of triggering event and the subscriber profile. The received promotional information may be used (or redeemed) by
`a the subscriber via an e-mail message, a facsimile or a telephone call (or by on an on-screen verification by a merchant) without
`necessarily printing the promotional information.
`
`Snap's Exhibit No. 1003
`Page 001
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`Snap's Exhibit No. 1003
`Page 001
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`

`

`WO 01/61559
`
`PCT/U501/03684
`
`CELLULAR COUPON SYSTEM
`
`W T
`
`he invention relates to computers and computer networks. More particularly,
`
`the invention relates to distribution and redemption of promotion information over a
`
`communications network.
`
`Background of the Invention
`
`Promotional information, i.e., advertisements, discount coupons, gift
`
`10
`
`15
`
`certificates, etc., have been used by retailers, distributors and/or manufacturers of goods
`
`and services as a way to attract, and to induce, customers to visit their store and buy
`
`their products and services. In particular, discount coupons have a potential to serve as
`
`a useful market planning tool by providing demographics information, e.g., consumer
`
`preferences, peak demand periods, etc.
`i The traditional paper coupons, however, are inefficient in achieving the above
`
`marketing objectives due at least in part to low utilization of such by consumers. Paper
`
`coupons require consumers to search newspapers, magazines, mailers, etc. to find,
`
`select and save relevant paper coupons for later redemption. The search for particular
`
`coupons takes a significant amount of time and, once gathered, quantities of paper
`
`coupons become bulky and are difficult to organize in a useful manner.
`
`20
`
`Moreover, consumers may be further deterred from using discount coupons on a
`
`regular basis due to the extra time and/or embarrassment during redemption thereof at a
`
`retailer. Redemption may take a significant time when the check-out line is long, which
`
`may exacerbate a customer’s embarrassment.
`
`Snap's Exhibit No. 1003
`Page 002
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`Furthermore, the paper coupon industry suffers from an enormous problem of
`
`fraudulent redemption practices by unscrupulous individuals who trade and/or redeem a
`
`large number of coupons in bulk wholly unrelated to any sale of the products for which
`
`the coupons were meant to apply. These fraudulent redemption practices not only cost
`
`the manufacturer’s an enormous amount of money in lost profits and wasted marketing
`
`expenses, but also result in a corruption of market research data by posting a large
`
`number of redemptions unrelated to any true purchasing activities of consumers. Thus,
`
`the paper coupon redemption patterns fail to serve as an accurate market indicator.
`
`Recently, a small but growing number of Internet web sites that offer electronic
`
`discount coupons on-line have appeared. For example, Fig. 1 shows an example of an
`
`online electronic coupon distribution network 100, which includes a wide area network
`
`(WAN) 103 (e. g., the Internet), through which a consumer PC 105 communicates with
`
`the coupon server 101. The consumer 105 “Visits” (i.e., finds and initiates a
`
`communication to) the server 101, which may list a number of available discount
`
`coupons stored in storage 102. After downloading a selected discount coupon(s), the
`
`consumer 105 may print the coupon from the printer 106 connected to the consumer PC
`
`105, and present the paper form coupon to an “off-line” merchant for redemption. The
`
`consumer 105 may also visit an on-line merchant 104 (e.g., a web site) and redeem the
`
`coupon during an on-line purchase.
`
`Unfortunately, some of the conventional on-line electronic coupon distribution
`
`methodology described above suffers from the same disadvantages of the traditional
`
`paper coupon. For example, consumers may be required to print the coupons and then
`
`present the printed coupons to a retail store at the time of purchase.
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`10
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`15
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`20
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`Moreover, the conventional on-line redemption described above can be even
`
`more inconvenient than the paper coupons because of the limited number of available
`
`on—line merchants, and because the consumer is required to access a computer terminal.
`
`Conventional electronic coupons are not portable (i.e., cannot be stowed in pockets or
`
`wallets, etc), and thus do not allow redemption during spontaneous, spur of the
`
`moment, purchases. This is particularly disadvantages in modern society, which is
`
`becoming increasingly mobile. Current consumer redemption of a conventional on—line
`
`electronic coupons is, as can be expected, even less than that of the traditional paper
`
`coupons.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`Furthermore, conventional discount coupons (both in paper and electronic form)
`
`suffer from a fundamental flaw in that they require consumers to “pull” the coupons
`
`(i.e., initiate the search and acquisition process). In other words, consumers are the
`
`active initiator, while the distribution coupons are effective only to the extent
`
`consumers succeed in finding the particular coupons, and only when consumers already
`
`have the inclination for the purchases. Thus, conventional discount coupons are limited
`
`in their effectiveness in promoting new sales.
`
`In addition, because the distribution process and the redemption process of the
`
`conventional discount coupons are, for the most part, disconnected from each other, a
`
`complete tracking of a coupon from the issuance to the redemption cannot be made.
`
`Thus, there is a need for more efficient method and device for promotional
`
`information delivery and redemption system, which promotes participation by a larger
`
`number of consumers.
`
`Snap's Exhibit No. 1003
`Page 004
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`Snap's Exhibit No. 1003
`Page 004
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`WO 01/61559
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`There is a further need for promotional information delivery and redemption
`
`system, which provides a seamless integration of delivery and redemption process to
`
`provide a secure redemption that prevents fraud.
`
`Summary of Invention
`
`A system and method are provided for promotional information distribution
`
`and/or redemption via wireless communication network. Upon an occurrence of one or
`
`more triggering events, promotional information, such as a discount coupon, is
`
`automatically sent to the wireless communication device of a subscriber from a
`
`distribution server. In a preferred embodiment, promotional information can be sent to
`
`the wireless device even without a specific request from the device user. The
`
`distribution server has stored therein a subscriber profile, including buying preferences,
`
`personal, family and/or friends’ biographical data, calendar/schedule information, etc.
`
`The distribution server preferably selects particular promotional information based, in
`
`part on the type of triggering event and the subscriber profile. The received
`
`promotional information may be used (or redeemed) by the subscriber via an e—mail
`
`10
`
`15
`
`message, a facsimile or a telephone call (or by on-screen verification by a merchant)
`
`without necessarily printing the promotional information. The wireless communication
`
`device can also be equipped with an automatic scanner, such as a bar-code reader, to
`
`facilitate a seamlessly integrated completion of promotional information delivery and
`
`20
`
`redemption without the need for a conventional point-of-sale (POS) station.
`
`In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a method of
`
`distributing promotional information is provided. At least one triggering event is
`
`provided and detected. Upon detection of such a triggering event, a push delivery of
`
`Snap's Exhibit No. 1003
`Page 005
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`Snap's Exhibit No. 1003
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`PCT/US01/03684
`
`promotional information is initiated to a mobile unit at least in part Via wireless
`
`communications network.
`
`In addition, in accordance wit the principles of the present invention, a
`
`promotional information distribution and redemption system comprises a distribution
`
`5
`
`server, a mobile until and a communication network, Where the distribution server
`
`pushes the promotional information to the mobile unit through the communication
`
`network.
`
`Description of Drawings
`
`Features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those
`
`10
`
`skilled in the art from the following description with reference to the drawings, in
`
`which:
`
`Figure l is a block diagram showing a conventional electronic coupon
`
`distribution/redemption network.
`
`Figure 2 is a block diagram showing relevant portions of an exemplary
`
`15
`
`embodiment of the promotional information delivery/redemption system in accordance
`
`with the principles of the present invention.
`
`Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the mobile until and the server of Figure 2
`
`in more detail.
`
`Figure 4 is an exemplary flow diagram of the user sign-up process in the
`
`20
`
`promotional information delivery/redemption system in accordance with the principles
`
`of the present invention.
`
`Snap's Exhibit No. 1003
`Page 006
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`Figure 4a is an exemplary flow diagram of the user profile setup process in the
`
`promotional information delivery/redemption system in accordance with the principles
`
`of the present invention.
`
`Figure 4b is an exemplary flow diagram of the user option selection/change
`
`process in the promotional information delivery/redemption system in accordance with
`
`the principles of the present invention.
`
`Figure 5a is a block diagram showing relevant portions of the mobile unit and
`
`the server, and an illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the event triggered
`
`promotional information delivery process and system in accordance with the principles
`
`10
`
`of the present invention.
`
`Figure 5b is a block diagram showing relevant portions of the mobile unit and
`
`the server, and an illustration of an alternative embodiment of the event triggered
`
`promotional information delivery process and system in accordance with the principles
`
`of the present invention.
`
`15
`
`Figure 6 is an exemplary flow diagram illustrating the mobile unit software
`
`component of the promotional information delivery/redemption system in accordance
`
`with the principles of the present invention.
`
`Figure 7a is an exemplary flow diagram illustrating the user interface in the
`
`server of the promotional information delivery/redemption system in accordance with
`
`20
`
`the principles of the present invention.
`
`Figure 7b is an exemplary flow diagram illustrating the redemption method
`
`selection process of the promotional information delivery/redemption system in
`
`accordance with the principles of the present invention.
`
`Snap's Exhibit No. 1003
`Page 007
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`
`Figure 8 is an illustrative exemplary flow diagram of handling of a calendar
`
`event trigger in the promotional information delivery/redemption system in accordance
`
`with the principles of the present invention.
`
`Figure 9 is an illustrative exemplary flow diagram of handling of a
`
`location/favorite event trigger in the promotional information delivery/redemption
`
`system in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
`
`Figure 10 is an illustrative exemplary flow diagram of the friend notification
`
`feature of the promotion information delivery/redemption system in accordance with
`
`the principles of the present invention.
`
`Figure 11 is an illustrative exemplary flow diagram of the redemption through
`
`bar-code reader process of the promotional information delivery/redemption system in
`
`accordance with the principles of the present invention.
`
`Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments
`
`In accordance with the principles of the present invention, an apparatus for and a
`
`method of promotional information distribution to (and/or redemption from) a wireless
`
`communication device, through a communication network are described. Upon an
`
`occurrence of one or more triggering event, promotional information (e.g., a discount
`
`coupon, advertisement messages, gift certificates, etc.) are automatically sent to the
`
`wireless communication device of a subscriber from a distribution server. Preferably,
`
`thee promotional information can be sent even without a specific request from the
`
`subscriber. The distribution sever has stored therein a subscriber profile, e.g., buying
`
`preferences, personal, family and/or friends biographic data, calendar/schedule .
`
`information, etc. The distribution sever selects particular promotional information
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`Snap's Exhibit No. 1003
`Page 008
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`PCT/U501/03684
`
`based on the type of triggering event and/or the subscriber profile. The received
`
`promotional information may be used (or redeemed) by the subscriber via an e—mail
`
`message, a facsimile or a telephone call (or by on screen verification by a merchant).
`
`Optionally, redemption can be accomplished without requiring the user to print the
`
`promotional information. Alternatively, the promotional information could provide a
`
`unique code to be entered on a retailer’s web site or a retailer’s on-premises payment
`
`system. The wireless communication device can also be equipped with a bar-code
`
`reader or other scanning device to facilitate a seamlessly integrated completion of
`
`promotional information delivery and redemption transactional loop. This eliminates
`
`the need for a conventional point—of-sale (POS) station, thus ensuring secured
`
`redemption of the promotional information.
`
`In particular, Fig. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of the promotional
`
`information delivery/redemption system 200 in accordance with the principles of the
`
`present invention. The promotional information delivery/redemption system 200
`
`preferably comprises a wide area network (WAN) 203, e.g., the Internet, the public
`
`switched telephone network (PSTN), and the like, through with a consumer PC 205
`
`communicates with a server 201. The network 203, however, could alternately also be
`
`a private network or intranet. The WAN 203, the consumer PC 205, printer 206 and the
`
`on-line merchant 204 each operate in similar manner as those of the conventional
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`system shown in Fig. 1.
`
`In addition, , the inventive promotional information delivery/redemption system
`
`200 comprises a wireless communication network 210, e.g., a cellular or PCS telephone
`
`network. The wireless communication network provides communications between
`
`Snap's Exhibit No. 1003
`Page 009
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`various wireless communications devices, such as cellular phones 212a—212c, a
`
`personal digital assistant (PDA) 213, and a portable computer 214. The wireless
`
`communication devices are collectively referred herein as mobile units (MU), which
`
`can be any devices that may be utilized to effectuate communication through the
`
`wireless network 210. In some instances, as used herein, “mobile unit” may include
`
`stationary Wireless devices, such as appliances using “blue tooth” wireless technology.
`
`The wireless communication network 210 can be any network providing wireless
`
`communication channel(s), and may utilize any of the wireless communication .
`
`standards and protocols, such as a personal communications service (PCS) network, a
`
`code division multiple access (CDMA) network, a time division multiple access
`
`network (TDMA), the global system for mobile communications (GSM), or the like,
`
`each of which are known to those familiar with wireless communications.
`
`The base stations (BS) 2113 and 211b act as wireless interfaces between the
`
`wireless network 210 and the mobile units 212a-212c, 213 and 214. The wireless
`
`communication network 210 may additional comprise, one or more home location
`
`registers (HLR) (not shown), several Visitor location registers (VLR) (also not shown),
`
`mobile switching center(s) (MSC) (also not shown), all of which are well known to
`
`those familiar with wireless telecommunication networks.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`Additionally, the inventive promotional information delivery/redemption system
`
`20
`
`200 includes a wireless/WAN gateway 207, which allows a mobile unit to
`
`communication with the server 201 across the wireless network 210 and the WAN 203,
`
`by providing a translation between the wireless communications protocol 209 and the
`
`WAN protocol 208.
`
`Snap's Exhibit No. 1003
`Page 0010
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`PCT/U801/03684
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`In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the wireless communication
`
`protocol 209 utilizes the wireless markup language (WML) of the wireless applications
`
`protocol (Vi/AP), the WAP protocol 208 utilizes the hypertext transport
`
`protocol/Internet protocol (HTTP/1P). The wireless/WAN gateway of the preferred
`
`embodiment comprises a WAP/HTTP gateway, e.g., ones commercially available from
`
`the Phone.com, Inc. of Redwood City, California. It should, however, be readily
`
`apparent to one of ordinary skill that the wireless communication protocol 208 may
`
`comprise any other communications protocol, without departing from the true spirit and
`
`scope of the present invention.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`Shown in Fig. 3, are block diagrams of exemplary embodiments of the mobile
`
`unit 310 and the server 301, which may be utilized as the mobile units 212a—212c, 213
`
`and 214 and the server 201 shown in Fig. 2, respectively.
`
`In accordance with the
`
`principles of the present invention, the server 301 may include a communication
`
`interface 302, through which messages can be sent and received to and from the WAN
`
`203. The user interface 303 enables a user/consumer to have access to the server 301
`
`through the WAN 203 and the communication interface 302. Merchants who wish to
`
`place promotional information for their goods and services preferably access the server
`
`301 through the WAN 203, the communication interface 302 and the merchant interface
`
`304.
`
`20
`
`In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the server 301 accesses each
`
`of the merchants through the communication interface 302 and the WAN 203 to
`
`monitor the inventory of goods and/or services to provide a real time inventory control
`
`and/or inventory level based promotional events. For example, if the on—line merchant
`
`10
`
`Snap's Exhibit No. 1003
`Page 0011
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`204 has an excessive surplus in its inventory, the server 301 may generate and send
`
`promotional information to selected users in order to promote more sales. In the
`
`alternative, the server 301 may initiate an inventory level based promotional event
`
`when, e.g., a merchant reports via the merchant interface 304 an excessive surplus in its
`
`inventory. Preferably, the server 301 includes an inventory web site accessible by
`
`merchants. On-line inventory tracking services are known in the art. By allowing
`
`merchants to keep track of their inventory on sewer 301, however, server 301 can
`
`provide additional information to users about how and where to redeem their coupons
`
`or other promotional materials. This is explained in greater depth hereinafter.
`
`The server 301 may also include a financial institution interface 305 in order to
`
`access and provide access to financial institutions, e.g., credit card companies and
`
`banks, to process transactions involving payments by consumers to the merchants. The
`
`Administration portion 306 includes the operating system (OS) for the server 301. This
`
`portion 306 controls the communication sessions and the database operations. The
`
`database storage 307, may be a disk array and stores a user profile database,
`
`promotional information from the merchants, and the like. An example is the
`
`AUTORAID available from Hewlett Packard Company of Fort Collins, CO, USA.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`The mobile unit 310 of the present invention may comprise a radio frequency
`
`(RF) front end 312 to communicate to and from the base station (BS) of the wireless
`
`20
`
`network 210. The mobile unit may further include a memory 316 to store data, e. g.,
`
`phone numbers, names, etc., and a CPU 314 and the operating system (OS) 315 to
`
`collectively control the overall operation of the mobile unit, in a manner well known to
`
`those familiar with operations of a cellular handset. The memory 316 can be RAM,
`
`11
`
`Snap's Exhibit No. 1003
`Page 0012
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`ROM, disk, or other form of electronic storage, though it is preferred that memory 316
`
`not erase its contents when mobile unit 310 is turned off.
`
`In addition, the mobile unit 310 may include a programmable timer 318, which
`
`may be set to expire after a specified time duration, e. g., 10 minutes, etc. The mobile
`
`unit software component (MU SW) 317 is preferably a JAVA® applet downloaded
`
`from the server 301. Component 317 controls the promotional information
`
`delivery/redemption portion of the mobile unit 310 as will be described in more detail
`
`below. The mobile unit 310 may optionally comprise a bar-code reader 311 for reading
`
`product information, e. g., the UPC code and the like, from packages of goods.
`
`In a preferred embodiment, each of the user interface 303, the merchant
`
`interface 304 and the financial institution interface 305 comprises at least a hypertext
`
`markup language (HTML) page and/or a wireless markup language (WML) page, also
`
`referred to as web pages, allowing the users, the merchants and the financial institutions
`
`to communicate with the server 301 through a web browser. Examples of acceptable
`
`browsers include the NAVIGATOR® from the Netscape Communications Corporation
`
`of Mountain View, CA, USA, or the INTERNET EXPLORER® from the Microsoft
`
`Corporation of Redmond, Washington, USA.
`
`For example, a consumer may access the user interface 303 (e.g., a web page)
`
`via consumer PC 205 using a web browser and/or via a mobile unit 310 using a micro—
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`browser, which is a version of web browser specifically made for wireless
`
`communication devices.
`
`Figure 4 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the user sigh-up
`
`procedure in accordance with the principles of the present invention. In step 401, a
`
`12
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`consumer chooses to sign up as a user by clicking on the selection link from the user
`
`interface web page, for example. The server 301 determines whether the identification
`
`of the mobile unit of the new user is known in step 402. The mobile unit identification
`
`can be obtained by having the user enter an identifier such as the mobile-unit phone
`
`number, if the new user is communicating via a PC. Alternatively, if the new user is
`
`communicating via the mobile unit, the mobile unit identification can be obtained by
`
`obtaining a unique identifying number, such as the mobile—unit identification number
`
`(MIN) or the like directly from the mobile unit.
`
`If the mobile unit identification is known, in step 404, the server 301 preferably
`
`contacts the operator of the wireless network, to which the mobile unit subscribes, to
`
`obtain the personal biographical information. Information such as the user’s name,
`
`address, telephone and facsimile numbers and the like can thus be obtained without
`
`requiring the new user to manually enter the information. This feature is particularly
`
`useful when the user is accessing the server web page via the mobile unit because the
`
`manual entry of information may be more difficult due to the limited input capabilities
`
`10
`
`15
`
`of the mobile unit.
`
`If on the other hand, in step 402, it is determined that the mobile unit
`
`identification is not readily available, or if the wireless network operator is unavailable
`
`or unwilling to provide the information, the new user is prompted to manually enter
`
`20
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`his/her personal biographical information in step 403. Once the preliminary
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`biographical information is obtained, the new user is prompted, in step 405, to set user
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`profile and select option settings, the processes of which are described in detail below.
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`After the user sets the user profile and the option settings, the server 301 determines, in
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`step 406, if the mobile unit is currently tumed on. If the mobile unit is on, the server
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`sends a mobile unit software component, e. g., a JAVA® applet, to the mobile unit in
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`step 408.
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`If, on the other hand, the mobile unit is currently turned off, the server 301
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`places the mobile unit software component in a queue, in step 407, for later transmittal
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`to the mobile unit the next time the mobile unit is tumed on.
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`Once the mobile unit 318 receives the mobile unit software component, the
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`sign-up process is complete. In step 409, the server 301 may send a message (such as
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`an e—mail and/or call) the mobile unit 310 to confirm the acceptance of the new user and
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`the availability of the promotional delivery/redemption service.
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`Figure 4a shows a flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the user profile
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`setup process. When a user wishes to set up a user profile as a part of the initial sign-up
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`process, or to make a change in the user profile previously created, lie/she selects the
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`user profile set up menu by, e.g., clicking on the corresponding selection link from the
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`user interface web page, the server 301 provides the user with three areas of the user
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`profile to set-up and/or change, namely the personal profile 451, favorite profile 452,
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`and the calendar event profile 453.
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`Within the personal profile menu, the user may set—up/change the personal data,
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`e. g., the name, e—mail address, telephone numbers, credit card information, bank
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`account information, etc. in steps 454 to 456 as shown. In steps 457 to 459, the user
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`may specify or change the default method of payment for future purchases that may be
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`made through the promotional information delivery/redemption system of the present
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`invention.
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`In steps 460 to 463, within the favorite profile menu 452, the user may set-
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`up/change his preference data such as his favorite types and/or color of clothing, his
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`favorite coffee shop, his favorite brand of cereal, etc. He may also be permitted to
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`specify the date and times to be notified for the corresponding coupon categories.
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`Finally, in steps 464 through 468, within the calendar event profile menu 453,
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`the user may specify one or more important dates. These dates might include wedding
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`anniversaries, birthdays, etc. The user may also specify corresponding coupon
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`categories for each date. For example, the user may specify toys for the birthday of a
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`child.
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`Figure 4b shows a flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the user option
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`selection/change process, which is initiated when the user chooses the select/change
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`option menu by clicking on the selection link from the user interface web page in step
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`470.
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`In step 471 , the server 301 queries the user if the user wishes to de-activate the
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`promotional information delivery service, which is activated as a default. If the user
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`answers yes, then the server sets the service disable flag in the option setting of the user
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`in step 474, and saves the change in the option setting in step 487. If the user answers
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`no, the server 301 queries, in step 473, whether the user wishes to enable (or disable)
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`any of the “event based triggers” — occurrences of which may initiate the promotional
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`information delivery process.
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`If the user answers yes, the enable/disable setting of the calendar event trigger
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`and location/favorite event trigger, both of which are described in more detail below,
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`may be modified in steps 474 to 484. If the question of step 473 is answered “no,” then
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`the process proceeds to step 475, in which the sewer prompts the user to decide whether
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`the user wants to activate the “notify a friend” feature, which is described in more detail
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`below. Similarly, in steps 477 through 482, the default display setting of the mobile
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`unit and the user home page selection may be modified. The modification(s) made in
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`steps 475 to 482 are used by the server 301 to update the user profile.
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`In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the promotional information
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`is arranged in terms of the geographical location(s) of the merchants who offer the
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`goods and services to which the promotional information relates. At step 481, the user
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`is permitted to specify a web page listing promotional information that is limited to a
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`particular geographical area of the offering merchants, as the home or log—in web page
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`from which to start the promotional information delivery service.
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`Figure 5a shows a block diagram of the relevant portions of the mobile unit 501
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`and the server 507. The mobile unit 501 may include a memory 501. Memory 502
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`stores the mobile unit software component (MUSW) 504, and a list of triggering events
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`503. In this example, the MUSW 504 updates the location of the mobile unit 501 and
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`sends the updated location of the mobile unit to the server 508 via the signal path 505.
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`The MUSW 504 according to this embodiment also determines if any of the triggering
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`events have occurred, and, if so, sends a trigger signal to the server upon an occurrence
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`of a triggering event via the signal path 505. In response to the trigger signal, the server
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`507, examines the trigger event type and selects the relevant promotional information
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`based on the user profile 508.
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`Figure 5b shows an alternative embodiment of the mobile unit 5013 and the
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`server 507a. Figure 5b shows the triggering event being stored at the server 407a rather
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`at the mobile unit 501a. The mobile unit 501a sends an update of the location of the
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`mobile unit 501a to the server 5073 via the signal path 505a