System and method for locational messaging

Abstract

Positional communication systems and methods include receiving a definition of a first geographic area including a first commercial location by a computer system and storing the first geographic area in a memory. The location of a mobile device in the possession of a customer is determined, and if the mobile device is determined to be at a location within the first geographic area, an incentive message for the customer to leave the location and go to a second commercial location is sent to the mobile device.

The claimed invention is: 
     
         1 . A computerized method of providing a customer incentive to leave a first commercial location and to arrive at a second commercial location, the method comprising:
 receiving a definition of a first geographic area including the first commercial location by a computer system and storing the first geographic area in a memory;   determining a location of a mobile device in the possession of the customer; and   if the mobile device is determined to be at a location within the first geographic area,
 then sending to the mobile device an incentive message for the customer to leave the location and go to the second commercial location. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining whether the mobile device has come to rest at a location within the first geographic area.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying the incentive message on the mobile device.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 sending a first alert message to the mobile device;   displaying the first alert message on the mobile device; and   displaying the incentive message on the mobile device in response to an input on the first alert message.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a definition of a second geographic area including the second commercial location by the computer system and storing the second commercial location in a memory;   determining the location of the mobile device; and   if the mobile device is determined to be at a location within the second geographic area, then sending to the mobile device a voucher for a merchant located at the second commercial location.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 sending a second alert message to the mobile device;   displaying the second alert message on the mobile device; and   displaying the voucher on the mobile device in response to an input on the second alert message.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 displaying a bar code representing the voucher on the mobile device.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying a map including the first commercial location;   displaying a grid including a plurality of cells on the map;   wherein receiving the definition of the first geographic area includes selecting cells of the grid.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the location of the mobile device includes receiving an indication of the location of the mobile device from the mobile device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 defining a first geographic region object that includes the first geographic area; and   sending the geographic region object to the mobile device in response to the mobile device entering the first geographic region.   
     
     
         11 . A system, comprising:
 a back-end including a server and a memory;   a front-end including a mobile device application;   a communications interface accessible by the back-end and the front-end;   the back-end being configured to determine a location of a mobile device including the mobile device application, and if the mobile device is determined to be at a location within a first geographic area, then sending to the mobile device an incentive message for a customer to leave the location and go to a second commercial location.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the front-end includes a merchant application configured to receive a definition of the first geographic area. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the back-end includes an API service, wherein the back end is configured to access a map including the first commercial location, and wherein the map is displayed by the merchant application to receive the definition of the first geographic area. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the back-end stores a definition of the first geographic area in the memory. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the mobile device application is configured to determine the location of the mobile device and send the location of the mobile device to the back-end. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the mobile device application is configured to determine whether the mobile device is at rest within the first geographic area. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the mobile device application is configured to display the incentive message on the mobile device. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the back-end is configured to send a voucher to the mobile device for a merchant located at the second commercial location if the mobile device is determined to be at a location within a second geographic area containing the second commercial location. 
     
     
         19 . A storage medium including an application for a mobile device, the application executing program instructions that implement a method comprising:
 determining a location of the mobile device;   if the mobile device is determined to be at a location within a first geographic area, then sending a notification to a back-end;   receiving an incentive message for a customer to leave the location and go to a second commercial location; and   displaying the incentive message on the mobile device.   
     
     
         20 . The storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the executed method further comprises:
 caching a definition of the first geographic area.   
     
     
         21 . The storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the executed method further comprises:
 accessing a GPS unit of the mobile device to determine the location of the mobile device.   
     
     
         22 . The storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the executed method further comprises:
 determining whether the mobile device has come to rest at a location within the first geographic area   
     
     
         23 . The storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the executed method further comprises:
 displaying the incentive message in response to receiving an input from a user.   
     
     
         24 . The storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the executed method further comprises:
 caching a definition of a second geographic area including the second commercial location;   if the mobile device is determined to be at a location within the second geographic area, then receiving a voucher for a merchant located at the second commercial location; and   displaying the voucher on the mobile device.