Targeted distribution of commercial incentives

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product is described that matches commercial incentives to consumers based on targeting data associated with the commercial incentive and user data associated with consumers in a manner that advantageously allows for highly-targeted delivery of commercial incentives to the consumers that are most likely to use them. Because both the targeting data and the user data may include spatial, temporal, social and topical data, matching may be performed based on any or all of these data types, as well as based on any combination of these data types.

1 . A method for distributing a commercial incentive to a consumer, comprising:
 accessing a commercial incentive and targeting data associated with the commercial incentive;   accessing user data associated with a consumer, wherein the user data comprises at least one of spatial data, temporal data, social data and topical data associated with the consumer;   matching the commercial incentive to the consumer based at least in part on the targeting data and the user data; and   distributing the commercial incentive to the consumer over a network responsive to the matching step.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 obtaining the commercial incentive and the targeting data from an advertiser.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 obtaining the commercial incentive from an advertiser; and   inferring the targeting data from a source, content and/or terms associated with the commercial incentive.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user data comprises spatial data corresponding to the current location of the consumer, and wherein matching the commercial incentive to the consumer comprises:
 determining if the current location of the consumer is within a target area associated with the commercial incentive.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user data comprises temporal data, and wherein matching the commercial incentive to the consumer comprises:
 determining if the temporal data falls within a target time period associated with the commercial incentive.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user data comprises social data, wherein the social data includes an identification of a plurality of users with whom the consumer is socially connected, and wherein matching the commercial incentive to the consumer comprises:
 determining if another user that has received the commercial incentive is within the plurality of users with whom the consumer is socially connected.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user data comprises topical data indicating an area of interest of the consumer, and wherein matching the commercial incentive to the consumer comprises:
 determining if the commercial incentive relates to the area of interest of the consumer.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 populating the commercial incentive into a graph of commercial incentives available for distribution to consumers prior to accessing the commercial incentive.   
     
     
         9 . A system, comprising:
 a matching manager configured to access a commercial incentive and targeting data associated with the commercial incentive, to access user data associated with a consumer, wherein the user data comprises at least one of spatial data, temporal data, relationship data and topical data associated with the consumer, and to match the commercial incentive to the consumer based at least in part on the targeting data and the user data; and   a communications manager communicatively connected to the matching manager, the communications manager configured to distribute the commercial incentive to the consumer over a network responsive to the performance of the matching function by the matching manager.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a commercial incentive manager configured to obtain the commercial incentive and the targeting data from an advertiser.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a commercial incentive manager configured to obtain the commercial incentive from an advertiser and to infer the targeting data from a source, content and/or terms associated with the commercial incentive.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the user data comprises spatial data corresponding to the current location of the consumer, and wherein the matching manger is configured to match the commercial incentive to the consumer by determining if the current location of the consumer is within a target area associated with the commercial incentive. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the user data comprises temporal data, and wherein the matching manager is configured to match the commercial incentive to the consumer by determining if the temporal data falls within a target time period associated with the commercial incentive. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the user data comprises social data, wherein the social data includes an identification of a plurality of users with whom the consumer is socially connected, and wherein the matching manager is configured to match the commercial incentive to the consumer by determining if another user that has received the commercial incentive is within the plurality of users with whom the consumer is socially connected. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the user data comprises topical data indicating an area of interest of the consumer, and wherein the matching manager is configured to match the commercial incentive to the consumer by determining if the commercial incentive relates to the area of interest of the consumer. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a distribution manager configured to populate the commercial incentive into a graph of commercial incentives available for distribution to consumers;   wherein the matching manager is configured to access the commercial incentive by accessing the graph.   
     
     
         17 . A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processing unit to distribute a commercial incentive to a consumer, the computer program logic comprising:
 first means for enabling the processing unit to access a commercial incentive and targeting data associated with the commercial incentive;   second means for enabling the processing unit to access user data associated with a consumer, wherein the user data comprises at least one of spatial data, temporal data, social data and topical data associated with the consumer;   third means for enabling the processing unit to match the commercial incentive to the consumer based at least in part on the targeting data and the user data; and   fourth means for enabling the processing unit to distribute the commercial incentive to the consumer over a network responsive to the matching step.   
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the computer program logic further comprises:
 means for enabling the processing unit to obtain the commercial incentive and the targeting data from an advertiser.   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the computer program logic further comprises:
 means for enabling the processing unit to obtain the commercial incentive from an advertiser; and   means for enabling the processing unit to infer the targeting data from a source, content and/or terms associated with the commercial incentive.   
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the user data comprises spatial data corresponding to the current location of the consumer, and wherein the third means comprises:
 means for enabling the processing unit to determine if the current location of the consumer is within a target area associated with the commercial incentive.   
     
     
         21 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the user data comprises temporal data, and wherein the third means comprises:
 means for enabling the processing unit to determine if the temporal data falls within a target time period associated with the commercial incentive.   
     
     
         22 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the user data comprises social data, wherein the social data includes an identification of a plurality of users with whom the consumer is socially connected, and wherein the third means comprises:
 means for enabling the processing unit to determine if another user that has received the commercial incentive is within the plurality of users with whom the consumer is socially connected.   
     
     
         23 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the user data comprises topical data indicating an area of interest of the consumer, and wherein the third means comprises:
 means for enabling the processing unit to determine if the commercial incentive relates to the area of interest of the consumer.   
     
     
         24 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the computer program logic further comprises:
 means for enabling the processing unit to populate the commercial incentive into a graph of commercial incentives available for distribution to users.