System and method for generating effective offers to replace mobile devices

Abstract

A mobile communications device needs to be replaced. An evaluation is made as to which offers were effective in replacing devices of the same type as the mobile communications device. Based on the evaluation, an offer is generated to replace the mobile communications device with a replacement mobile communications device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 storing in a data store accessible to a server system, first profile information associated with a first mobile communications device belonging to a first user, the first profile information including the type of mobile communications device;   upon a determination that the first mobile communications device belonging to the first user needs to be replaced, accessing the first profile information by the server system;   at the server system, using the type of mobile communications device identified in the first profile information, evaluating information concerning most effective offers in replacing devices of the same type as the first mobile communications device; and   based on the first profile information and the evaluated offer information, at the server system, generating an offer to replace the first mobile communications device with a replacement mobile communications device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of:
 at the server system, transmitting the generated offer to the first user. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, during the evaluating step, additional information beyond the mobile communications device type contained in the first profile information is used to evaluate the most effective offers for replacement. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 at the server system, tracking whether or not the generated offer to replace the first mobile communications device with the replacement mobile communications device was accepted or rejected by the first user. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 at the server system, obtaining a backup of data from the first mobile communications device and storing the backup data in the data store. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the backup data is stored in an XML format. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 at the server system, transmitting the backup data from the first mobile communications device to the replacement mobile communications device obtained by accepting the generated offer. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first profile information specifies an operating system of the mobile communications device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the determination that the first mobile communications device belonging to the first user needs to be replaced includes:
 at the server system, receiving from the first user a message indicating that the first mobile communications device has been lost or stolen. 
 
     
     
         10 . A method comprising:
 a) storing in a data store accessible to a server first profile information associated with a first mobile communications device belonging to a first user, the first profile information including the type of mobile communications device and the first user's contact information;   b) receiving through an API at the server from mobile communication device vendors information about acceptances of offers to replace mobile communication devices, the received information including the types of mobile communication devices being replaced and the types of mobile communication devices offered as replacements, the received information thereafter being stored in a second data store accessible to the server;   c) upon determining by the server that the first mobile communications device belonging to the first user needs to be replaced, and using the first profile information, accessing the stored received offer acceptance information, generating an offer to replace the first mobile communication device with a replacement mobile communication device of the type included in the historically most effective offers of replacement.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the step of:
 at the server system, transmitting the generated offer to the first user. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the determination that the first mobile communications device belonging to the first user needs to be replaced includes:
 at the server, receiving from the first user a message indicating that the first mobile communications device has been lost or stolen.