Merchant Deal Creation And Redemption System

Abstract

A merchant application is installed on a mobile device and can be used by a merchant to create a real-time deal for one or more products or services provided by the merchant. The deal is provided by the merchant application to a deal server for offering the deal to consumers based at least in part on geographic proximity of the consumers to the location at which the deal can be used. The merchant application can receive real-time information regarding purchased deals from the deal server in response to transactions made between the deal server and consumers to purchase the deal. The merchant application can display a listing of purchased deals, which can be updated in response to receiving input indicating that a particular purchased deal has been redeemed.

1 .- 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method comprising:
 receiving, from an application running on a merchant device via input at a user interface of the merchant device, via a network, at a deal server, parameters of a deal, wherein the parameters of the deal comprise one or more of a price for the deal, a discount associated with the deal, the merchant location, and an open period for the deal;   generating the deal, at the deal server, via a processor of the deal server, and in response to receiving the parameters of the deal;   receiving at the deal server, via the network, from an application running on a consumer mobile device, data indicative of a geographic location of the consumer device;   determining, via a processor of the deal server, that the geographic location of the consumer mobile device is within a predefined proximity to the merchant location indicated by the deal;   transmitting a push notification, from the deal server, via the network, to the consumer mobile device, wherein the push notification comprises information indicative of the deal, wherein the information indicative of the deal is displayed via a user interface of the consumer mobile device, and comprises a map display and an icon corresponding to the merchant location, and an indication that the consumer device is within the predefined proximity to the merchant location;   receiving, at the deal server, via the network, from the consumer mobile device, a request to purchase the deal; and   transmitting, from the deal server, via the network, to the merchant mobile device, a notification, instantaneously, comprising information associated with the consumer that purchased the deal;   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 receiving at the deal server, via the network, from each of a plurality of consumer mobile devices, data indicative of a respective geographic location of a transmitting consumer device; and   determining, via the processor, a subset of the plurality of consumer mobiles devices that are within the predefined proximity to the merchant location indicated by the deal.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 determining, via the processor, at least one consumer mobile device from among the subset of the plurality of consumer mobiles devices based on other relevant data to receive the deal; and   transmitting the push notification, from the deal server, via the network, to the at least one consumer mobile device.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 transmitting, from the deal server, via the network, to the application running on the merchant device, a listing of purchased deals, the listing including an identifier of each purchased deal and a redemption status of each purchased deal; and   updating the listing of purchased deals to include an indication of the purchase of the deal.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 receiving at the deal server, via the network, from the consumer mobile device, a request for an instant deal,   wherein the push notification comprising the deal is transmitted in response to the request.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 determining, via the processor of the deal server, each of a plurality of instant deals within the predefined proximity to the geographic location of the consumer mobile device; and   aggregating each the plurality of instant deals within the predefined proximity to the geographic location of the consumer mobile device,   wherein the push notification transmitted from the deal server, via the network, to the consumer mobile device comprises information indicative of the plurality of instant deals within the predefined proximity to the geographic location of the consumer mobile device.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the information indicative of the plurality of instant deals within the predefined proximity to the geographic location of the consumer mobile device is configured to be displayed via the user interface of the consumer mobile device, and comprises the map display and a plurality of icons corresponding to each of a plurality of merchant locations corresponding to the plurality of instant deals within the predefined proximity to the geographic location of the consumer mobile device. 
     
     
         29 . An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:
 receive, from an application running on a merchant device via input at a user interface of the merchant device, via a network, at a deal server, parameters of a deal, wherein the parameters of the deal comprise one or more of a price for the deal, a discount associated with the deal, the merchant location, and an open period for the deal;   generate the deal, at the deal server, via a processor of the deal server, and in response to receiving the parameters of the deal;   receive at the deal server, via the network, from an application running on a consumer mobile device, data indicative of a geographic location of the consumer device;   determine, via the at least one processor of the deal server, that the geographic location of the consumer mobile device is within a predefined proximity to the merchant location indicated by the deal;   transmit a push notification, from the deal server, via the network, to the consumer mobile device, wherein the push notification comprises information indicative of the deal, wherein the information indicative of the deal is displayed via a user interface of the consumer mobile device, and comprises a map display and an icon corresponding to the merchant location, and an indication that the consumer device is within the predefined proximity to the merchant location;   receive, at the deal server, via the network, from the consumer mobile device, a request to purchase the deal; and   transmit, from the deal server, via the network, to the merchant mobile device, a notification, instantaneously, comprising information associated with the consumer that purchased the deal;   
     
     
         30 . The apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
 receive at the deal server, via the network, from each of a plurality of consumer mobile devices, data indicative of a respective geographic location of a transmitting consumer device; and   determine, via the at least one processor, a subset of the plurality of consumer mobiles devices that are within the predefined proximity to the merchant location indicated by the deal.   
     
     
         31 . The apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
 determine, via the at least one processor, at least one consumer mobile device from among the subset of the plurality of consumer mobiles devices based on other relevant data to receive the deal; and   transmit the push notification, from the deal server, via the network, to the at least one consumer mobile device.   
     
     
         32 . The apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
 transmit, from the deal server, via the network, to the application running on the merchant device, a listing of purchased deals, the listing including an identifier of each purchased deal and a redemption status of each purchased deal; and   update the listing of purchased deals to include an indication of the purchase of the deal.   
     
     
         33 . The apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
 receive at the deal server, via the network, from the consumer mobile device, a request for an instant deal,   wherein the push notification comprising the deal is transmitted in response to the request.   
     
     
         34 . The apparatus according to  claim 33 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
 determine, via the at least one processor of the deal server, each of a plurality of instant deals within the predefined proximity to the geographic location of the consumer mobile device; and   aggregate each the plurality of instant deals within the predefined proximity to the geographic location of the consumer mobile device,   wherein the push notification transmitted from the deal server, via the network, to the consumer mobile device comprises information indicative of the plurality of instant deals within the predefined proximity to the geographic location of the consumer mobile device.   
     
     
         35 . The apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein the information indicative of the plurality of instant deals within the predefined proximity to the geographic location of the consumer mobile device is configured to be displayed via the user interface of the consumer mobile device, and comprises the map display and a plurality of icons corresponding to each of a plurality of merchant locations corresponding to the plurality of instant deals within the predefined proximity to the geographic location of the consumer mobile device. 
     
     
         36 . A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising program code instructions for:
 receiving, from an application running on a merchant device via input at a user interface of the merchant device, via a network, at a deal server, parameters of a deal, wherein the parameters of the deal comprise one or more of a price for the deal, a discount associated with the deal, the merchant location, and an open period for the deal;   generating the deal, at the deal server, via a processor of the deal server, and in response to receiving the parameters of the deal;   receiving at the deal server, via the network, from an application running on a consumer mobile device, data indicative of a geographic location of the consumer device;   determining, via a processor of the deal server, that the geographic location of the consumer mobile device is within a predefined proximity to the merchant location indicated by the deal;   transmitting a push notification, from the deal server, via the network, to the consumer mobile device, wherein the push notification comprises information indicative of the deal, wherein the information indicative of the deal is displayed via a user interface of the consumer mobile device, and comprises a map display and an icon corresponding to the merchant location, and an indication that the consumer device is within the predefined proximity to the merchant location;   receiving, at the deal server, via the network, from the consumer mobile device, a request to purchase the deal; and   transmitting, from the deal server, via the network, to the merchant mobile device, a notification, instantaneously, comprising information associated with the consumer that purchased the deal;   
     
     
         37 . The computer program product of  claim 36 , wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions for:
 receiving at the deal server, via the network, from each of a plurality of consumer mobile devices, data indicative of a respective geographic location of a transmitting consumer device; and   determining, via the processor, a subset of the plurality of consumer mobiles devices that are within the predefined proximity to the merchant location indicated by the deal.   
     
     
         38 . The computer program product of  claim 37 , wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions for:
 determining, via the processor, at least one consumer mobile device from among the subset of the plurality of consumer mobiles devices based on other relevant data to receive the deal; and   transmitting the push notification, from the deal server, via the network, to the at least one consumer mobile device.   
     
     
         39 . The computer program product of  claim 36 , wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions for:
 transmitting, from the deal server, via the network, to the application running on the merchant device, a listing of purchased deals, the listing including an identifier of each purchased deal and a redemption status of each purchased deal; and   updating the listing of purchased deals to include an indication of the purchase of the deal.   
     
     
         40 . The computer program product of  claim 36 , wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions for:
 receiving at the deal server, via the network, from the consumer mobile device, a request for an instant deal,   wherein the push notification comprising the deal is transmitted in response to the request.   
     
     
         41 . The computer program product of  claim 40 , wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions for:
 determining, via the processor of the deal server, each of a plurality of instant deals within the predefined proximity to the geographic location of the consumer mobile device; and   aggregating each the plurality of instant deals within the predefined proximity to the geographic location of the consumer mobile device,   wherein the push notification transmitted from the deal server, via the network, to the consumer mobile device comprises information indicative of the plurality of instant deals within the predefined proximity to the geographic location of the consumer mobile device.   
     
     
         42 . The computer program product of  claim 41 , wherein the information indicative of the plurality of instant deals within the predefined proximity to the geographic location of the consumer mobile device is configured to be displayed via the user interface of the consumer mobile device, and comprises the map display and a plurality of icons corresponding to each of a plurality of merchant locations corresponding to the plurality of instant deals within the predefined proximity to the geographic location of the consumer mobile device.