# US 10,121,167 B2 · Customer purchasing preference profiles based on coupon choices

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- Number: US 10,121,167 B2
- Document ID: US10121167B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/510,643
- Filed: 2014-10-09
- Published: 2015-04-30
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2013-10-31
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: Ajay A. Deshpande; Kimberly D. Hendrix; Herbert S. McFaddin; Chandrasekhar Narayanaswami
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10121167B2

## CPC

- G06Q 30/0269: {based on user profile or attribute}
- G06Q 30/0201: Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
- G06Q 30/0224: {based on user history}
- G06Q 30/0226: Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
- G06Q 30/0257: {User requested}
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

According to an aspect, a method for creating or improving customer preference profiles includes providing a decision coupon to a customer with two or more promotional options directed to related items selected to ascertain a purchasing preference associated with the related items through selection of one of the promotional options. A selection of one of the promotional options is received and an indication of the selected promotional option is stored in a purchasing preference profile for the customer. The indication of the selected option is used to update an affinity for a product or product category for the customer within the customer's purchasing preference profile.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for creating or improving customer purchasing profiles, the system comprising:
a memory having computer readable instructions; and
a processor for executing the computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions including:
providing, via a mobile device display through a mobile app installed on a mobile device associated with a customer, a first decision coupon to the customer with two or more promotional options directed to related items selected to ascertain a purchasing preference associated with the related items through selection of one of the promotional options, wherein the selection of one of the promotional options eliminates each unselected two or more promotional options, and
wherein the selection of one of the promotional options indicates a preference of a first product category of the one of the promotional options over one or more product categories of the unselected two or more promotional options, and
wherein the mobile app causing the mobile device to display the first decision coupon;
receiving, via the mobile app, a first selection of one of the promotional options;
eliminating, from a display of the mobile device by the mobile app, each of the unselected two or more promotional options;
storing an indication of the first selection in a customer purchasing preference profile;
using the indication of the first selection to update an affinity for a product or product category for the customer within the customer purchasing preference profile;
responsive to the first selection, providing, via the mobile app, a second decision coupon to the customer with two or more promotional options based on the first selection of one of the promotional options;
receiving, via the mobile app, a second selection of the two or more promotional options based on the first selection of one of the promotional options;
storing an indication of the second selection in a customer purchasing preference profile; and
providing, via the mobile app, a text message notification of a targeted advertisement, wherein the targeted advertisement is based on the affinity for the product or product category for the customer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising delivering the targeted advertisement in response to receiving a notification that the customer is located in a store premises associated with the decision coupon.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising delivering the targeted advertisement in response to receiving a notification that the customer is located in a particular location within a store premises associated with the decision coupon.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, further comprising delivering the targeted advertisement in further response to receiving an opt-in notification that the customer has consented to receiving the targeted advertisement.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 further comprising:
determining a target preference for the customer's purchasing preference profile, wherein the target preference comprises one or more products or product categories; and
providing a third decision coupon to the customer with two or more promotional options directed to related items selected to ascertain the target preference in the customer's purchasing preference profile.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the customer's purchasing preference profile includes customer data comprising demographics of the customer; and
wherein the target preference is determined based at least in part on comparing transactions of the customer with transactions of one or more other customers, wherein the one or more other customers include other customer data similar to the customer data.

### Claim 7

A computer program product creating or improving customer purchasing profiles, the computer program product comprising:
a tangible storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit to perform a method comprising:
providing, via a mobile device display through a mobile app installed on a mobile device associated with a customer, a first decision coupon to the customer with two or more promotional options directed to related items selected to ascertain a purchasing preference associated with the related items through selection of one of the promotional options, wherein the selection of one of the promotional options eliminates each unselected two or more promotional options, and
wherein the selection of one of the promotional options indicates a preference of a first product category of the one of the promotional options over one or more product categories of the unselected two or more promotional options, and
wherein the mobile app causing the mobile device to display the first decision coupon;
receiving, via the mobile app, a first selection of one of the promotional options;
eliminating, from a display of the mobile device by the mobile app, each of the unselected two or more promotional options;
storing an indication of the first selection in a customer purchasing preference profile;
using the indication of the first selection to update an affinity for a product or product category for the customer within the customer's purchasing preference profile;
responsive to the first selection, providing, via the mobile app a second decision coupon to the customer with two or more promotional options based on the first selection of one of the promotional options, wherein the two or more promotional options are related to the one of the promotional options;
receiving, via the mobile app, a second selection of the two or more promotional options based on the first selection of one of the promotional options;
storing an indication of the second selection of the two or more promotional options based on the first selection of one of the promotional options; and
providing, via the mobile app, a text message notification of a targeted advertisement, wherein the targeted advertisement is based on the affinity for the product or product category for the customer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising delivering the targeted advertisement in response to receiving a notification that the customer is located in a store premises associated with the decision coupon.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising delivering the targeted advertisement in response to receiving a notification that the customer is located in a particular location within a store premises associated with the decision coupon.