Patent Publication Number: US-2011078007-A1

Title: Real-time and localized matching method, platform and system for group purchase

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to Taiwan Application Serial Number 98133215, filed Sep. 30, 2009, which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to a matching method, platform and system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a real-time and localized matching method, platform and system for group purchase. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Nowadays, department stores or shopping malls often provide many different discount activities to attract consumers. Besides, many consumers are enthusiastic about the discount activities for saving money. Wherein, rebate for every fixed amount, discount for every fixed amount, free shipping rate with a target amount, gift with a target amount are the most popular discount activities. 
     Vendors often set minimal purchase threshold for joining discount activities. However, some consumers just want to buy a few goods, which is hard to satisfy discount conditions for joining discount activities. Hence, consumers may leave without buying anything. In addition, some other consumers may buy unneeded goods to satisfy discount conditions, which makes consumer spend more unexpected money. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one embodiment of this invention, a real-time and localized matching method for group purchase is provided. The steps of the real-time and localized matching method for group purchase executed by a real-time and localized matching platform for group purchase includes: a group purchase database is provided. The group purchase database stores information of several present group purchase activities. The information of the present group purchase activities includes positions, discount conditions, shopping lists and contact information of the present group purchase activities. A present position of a client is received. Several nearby group purchase activities held near the present position of the client are sifted from the present group purchase activities according to the positions of the present group purchase activities. The nearby group purchase activities to the client are provided to the client. A selection message is received from the client. The selection message includes information of a selected group purchase activity selected from the nearby group purchase activities. The client&#39;s shopping list for the selected group purchase activity is obtained from the client. The client&#39;s shopping list is registered to the shopping list of the selected group purchase activity stored in the group purchase database. Determine if the registered shopping list of the selected group purchase activity satisfies the discount condition of the selected group purchase activity. The contact information of the selected group purchase activity is transmitted to the client if the registered shopping list of the selected group purchase activity satisfies the discount condition of the selected group purchase activity. 
     According to another embodiment of this invention, a real-time and localized matching platform for group purchase is provided. The real-time and localized matching platform for group purchase includes a wireless communication unit, a storage unit and a processing unit. The processing unit is electrically connected with the wireless communication unit and the storage unit respectively. The storage unit stores a group purchase database. The group purchase database stores information of several present group purchase activities. The information of the present group purchase activities includes positions, discount conditions, shopping lists and contact information of the present group purchase activities. The processing unit includes a sifting module, a selecting module, a list-processing module and a contact information module. The sifting module receives at least one present location of at least one client through the wireless communication unit, sifts several nearby group purchase activities held near the present position of the client from the present group purchase activities according to the positions of the present group purchase activities and provides the nearby group purchase activities to the client through the wireless communication unit. The selecting module receives a selection message from the client through the wireless communication unit, wherein the selection message includes information of a selected group purchase activity selected from the nearby group purchase activities. The list-processing module obtains the client&#39;s shopping list for the selected group purchase activity from the client through the wireless communication unit. The list-processing module registers the client&#39;s shopping list to the shopping list of the selected group purchase activity stored in the group purchase database and determines if the registered shopping list of the selected group purchase activity satisfies the discount condition of the selected group purchase activity. If the registered shopping list of the selected group purchase activity satisfies the discount condition of the selected group purchase activity, the contact information module transmits the contact information of the selected group purchase activity to the client through the wireless communication unit. 
     According to another embodiment of this invention, a real-time and localized matching system for group purchase is provided. The real-time and localized matching system for group purchase includes at least one client and a real-time and localized matching platform for group purchase. The client includes a position-obtaining unit and a first wireless communication unit, which are electrically connected with each other. The position-obtaining unit obtains a present position of the client. The present position of the client is transmitted through the first wireless communication unit. The real-time and localized matching platform for group purchase includes a second wireless communication unit, a storage unit and a processing unit. The storage unit stores a group purchase database. The group purchase database stores information of several present group purchase activities. The information of the present group purchase activities includes positions, discount conditions, shopping lists and contact information of the present group purchase activities. The processing unit includes a sifting module, a selecting module, a list-processing module and a contact information module. The sifting module receives the present location of the client through the second wireless communication unit. The sifting module sifts several nearby group purchase activities held near the present position of the client from the present group purchase activities according to the positions of the present group purchase activities. The sifting module provides the nearby group purchase activities to the client through the second wireless communication unit. The selecting module receives a selection message from the client through the second wireless communication unit, wherein the selection message includes information of a selected group purchase activity selected from the nearby group purchase activities. The list-processing module obtains the client&#39;s shopping list for the selected group purchase activity from the first wireless communication unit of the client through the second wireless communication unit. The list-processing module registers the client&#39;s shopping list to the shopping list of the selected group purchase activity stored in the group purchase database and determines if the registered shopping list of the selected group purchase activity satisfies the discount condition of the selected group purchase activity. If the registered shopping list of the selected group purchase activity satisfies the discount condition of the selected group purchase activity, the contact information module transmits the contact information of the selected group purchase activity to the first wireless communication unit of the client through the second wireless communication unit. 
     These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are by examples, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention can be more fully understood by reading the following detailed description of the embodiments, with reference made to the accompanying drawings as follows: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of a real-time and localized matching system for group purchase according to one embodiment of this invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a flow diagram of a real-time and localized matching method for group purchase according to another embodiment of this invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an embodiment for the client to initiate a new present group purchase activity (step  430 ) in  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is a flow diagram of a real-time and localized matching method for group purchase according to another embodiment of this invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of a real-time and localized matching system for group purchase according to one embodiment of this invention. The real-time and localized matching system for group purchase includes at least one client  100  and a real-time and localized matching platform for group purchase  200 . The real-time and localized matching platform for group purchase  200  provides information of group purchase activities held around the client  100 . In addition, the client  100  may initiate another group purchase activity for others nearby to join in. 
     The client  100  includes a position-obtaining unit  110  and a wireless communication unit  120 , which are electrically connected with each other. The position-obtaining unit  110  obtains a present position of the client  100 . The present position of the client  100  is transmitted through the wireless communication unit  120 . The client  100  may be a mobile phone, a wireless to Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a laptop or other electrical devices with wireless communication function. The wireless communication unit  120  may utilize 2 G, 3 G, 4 G, Wi-Fi, IEEE 802.11 series, Zigbee, bluetooth or any other wireless communication protocol to transmit or receive data. 
     The client  100  may further include a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit  130 , which is electrically connected with the position-obtaining unit  110 . The GPS unit  130  generates the present position of the client  100  according to a GPS signal, such that the position-obtaining unit  110  can obtain the present position of the client  100  from the GPS unit  130 . In another embodiment, the client  100  may further include an input unit  140 , which is electrically connected with the position-obtaining unit  110 . The input unit  140  may be a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel or other types of input unit. Therefore, the position-obtaining unit  110  can obtain the present position of the client  100 , which is input through the input unit  140  by users. In other embodiments, the position-obtaining unit  110  may obtain the present position of the client  100  through other positioning method, which should not be limited in this disclosure. 
     The real-time and localized matching platform for group purchase  200  includes a wireless communication unit  210 , a storage unit  220  and a processing unit  230 . The wireless communication unit  210  may build connection with the wireless communication unit  120  of the client  100  through wireless communication protocol, such as 2 G, 3 G, 4 G, Wi-Fi, IEEE 802.11 series, Zigbee, bluetooth or any other wireless communication protocol. 
     The storage unit  220  stores a group purchase database  221 . The group purchase database  221  stores information of several present group purchase activities, which are still taking place. The information of the present group purchase activities includes positions, discount conditions, shopping lists, joined member lists, blacklists, whitelists of the present group purchase activities, contact information of persons who hold the present group purchase activities or any other present group purchase activities related information. The processing unit  230  includes a sifting module  231 , a selecting module  232 , a list-processing module  233  and a contact information module  234 . The sifting module  231  receives the present location of the client  100  from the wireless communication unit  120  through the wireless communication unit  210 . The sifting module  231  sifts several nearby group purchase activities held near the present position of the client  100  from the present group purchase activities stored in the group purchase database  221  according to the positions of the present group purchase activities. The sifting module  231  provides the nearby group purchase activities to the client  100  through the wireless communication unit  210 . Therefore, users of the client  100  can know the group purchase activities held nearby. 
     To provide users better shopping experience, the nearby group purchase activities may be further sifted according to blacklists or whitelists. Therefore, the processing unit may further include a blacklist module  237  or a whitelist module  238 . In one embodiment, the blacklist module  237  may determine if the client  100  is listed in the blacklists of the nearby group purchase activities. Wherein, the blacklists of the persons who initiate the nearby group purchase activities may be taken as the blacklists of the nearby group purchase activities respectively. If the client  100  is listed in at least one of the blacklists of the nearby group purchase activities, the blacklist module  237  removes at least one group purchase, in blacklist of which the client  100  is listed, from the nearby group purchase activities without providing to the client  100 . 
     In another embodiment, the blacklist module  237  may obtain at least a blacklist member of the client  100  and determine if the blacklist member of the client is listed in the member lists of the nearby group purchase activities. If is the blacklist member of the client  100  is listed in at least one of the member lists of the nearby group purchase activities, the blacklist module  237  removes at least one group purchase activity, in the member list of which the blacklist member of the client is listed, from the nearby group purchase activities without providing to the client  100 . Therefore, probability of terrible shopping experiences for the user of the client  100  may be reduced. 
     In addition, the whitelist module  238  may obtain at least a whitelist member of the client and determines if the whitelist member of the client is listed in the member lists of the nearby group purchase activities. If the whitelist member of the client  100  is listed in at least one of the member lists of the nearby group purchase activities, the whitelist module  238  marks at least one of the nearby group purchase activities, in the member list of which the whitelist member of the client is listed. Wherein, the whitelist module  238  may utilize highlight or other effect for marking. Hence, users of the client  100  can notice that the marked group purchase activity is the preferred choice. 
     Then, users of the client  100  can select one of the nearby group purchase activities to join. The client  100  generates and transmits a selection message, which includes information of the selected group purchase activity selected from the nearby group purchase activities, to the wireless communication unit  210  through the wireless communication unit  120 . The selecting module  232  receives the selection message from the wireless communication unit  120  of the client  100  through the wireless communication unit  210 . 
     The list-processing module  233  obtains the client&#39;s shopping list for the selected group purchase activity from the wireless communication unit  120  of the client  100  through the wireless communication unit  210 . The list-processing module  233  registers the client&#39;s shopping list to the shopping list of the selected group purchase activity stored in the group purchase database  221  and determines if the registered shopping list of the selected group purchase activity satisfies the discount condition of the selected group purchase activity. Wherein, the discount condition of the selected group purchase activity may be a threshold for accumulated pay up amount, a threshold for accumulated number of goods to be purchased or any other discount condition of the selected group purchase activity. 
     If the registered shopping list of the selected group purchase activity satisfies the discount condition of the selected group purchase activity, the contact information module  234  transmits the contact information of the selected group purchase activity to the wireless communication unit  120  of the client  100  through the wireless communication unit  210 . Wherein, the contact information of the selected group purchase activity may include a location for delivery, phone number of the person who initiates the selected group purchase activity or any other contact information of the selected group purchase activity. Therefore, the user of the client  100  can join the selected group purchase activity according to the contact information of the selected group purchase activity. In addition, the contact information of the selected group purchase activity may further include a map marked with the location for delivery, such that the user of the client  100  can go to the location for delivery according to the marked map. Moreover, the contact information module  234  may transmit the contact information of the selected group purchase activity to other members in the joined member lists of the selected group purchase activity. 
     Besides, the user of the client  100  may initiate another group purchase activity for others nearby to join in. Therefore, the client  100  may transmit adding signal to add (initiate) a new present group purchase activity through the wireless communication unit  120 . The processing unit  230  of the real-time and localized matching platform for group purchase  200  may further include an adding module  235  to receive the adding signal. Then, the adding module  235  obtains information of the new present group purchase activity and stores the information of the new present group purchase activity into the group purchase database  221 . 
     Wherein, the adding signal may be generated through the input unit  140 . In other words, the user of the client  100  may input the information of the new present group purchase activity to generate the adding signal through the input device  140 . In addition, the real-time and localized matching platform for group purchase  200  may provide client  100  information of discount activities held near the client  100 , which can be candidates for client  100  to initiate the new present group purchase activity. Therefore, the storage unit  220  may further store a discount activity database  222  storing information of several discount activities. The information of the discount activities includes positions and discount conditions of the discount activities. The adding module  235  sifts several nearby discount activities held near the present position of the client  100  from the discount activities according to the positions of the discount activities, and provides the nearby discount activities to the client  100 . Hence, the user of the client  100  can select the new present group purchase activity from the nearby discount activities. Besides, vendors can provide information of their discount activities to be stored in the discount activity database  222 . Therefore, the discount activities stored in the discount activity database  222  may be candidates for the user of the client  100  to initiate group purchase activities, which may raise turnover of the vendors. 
       FIG. 2  is a flow diagram of a real-time and localized matching method for group purchase according to another embodiment of this invention. In the real-time and localized matching method for group purchase, group purchase activities held near the position of the client are provided to the client. In addition, the client may initiate another group purchase activities for others nearby to join in. A computer-readable medium may be encoded with a computer program to execute the real-time and localized matching method for group purchase. Some steps of the real-time and localized matching method for group purchase are executed by a real-time and localized matching platform for group purchase, wherein the real-time and localized matching platform for group purchase may be a computer or any other electrical device. The real-time and localized matching method for group purchase  300  includes the following steps: 
     In step  310 , a group purchase database is provided. The group purchase database stores information of several present group purchase activities, which are still taking place. The information of the present group purchase activities includes positions, discount conditions, shopping lists, joined member lists, blacklists, whitelists of the present group purchase activities, contact information of persons who hold the present group purchase activities or any other present group purchase activity related information. 
     In step  320 , a present position of a client is received. The client may obtain its present position through GPS or any other positioning method. In addition, the present position may be obtained through an input device of the client. In other words, the user of the client may input the present position through the input device. 
     In step  330 , several nearby group purchase activities held near the present position of the client are sifted from the present group purchase activities stored in the group purchase database according to the positions of the present group purchase activities. 
     To provide users better shopping experience, the nearby group purchase activities may be further sifted according to blacklists or whitelists after step  330 . Therefore, after step  330 , if the client is listed in the blacklists of the nearby group purchase activities may be determined. Wherein, the blacklists of the persons who initiate the nearby group purchase activities may be taken as the blacklists of the nearby group purchase activities respectively. If the client is listed in at least one of the blacklists of the nearby group purchase activities, at least one group purchase activity, in blacklist of which the client  100  is listed, may be removed from the nearby group purchase activities without providing to the client. 
     In another embodiment, after step  330 , at least a blacklist member of the client may be obtained and determine if the blacklist member of the client is listed in the member lists of the nearby group purchase activities. If the blacklist member of the client is listed in at least one of the member lists of the nearby group purchase activities, at least one group purchase activity, in the member list of which the blacklist member of the client is listed, may be removed from the nearby group purchase activities without providing to the client. Therefore, probability of terrible shopping experiences for the user of the client may be reduced. 
     In addition, after step  330 , at least a whitelist member of the client may be obtained and if the whitelist member of the client is listed in the member lists of the nearby group purchase activities may be determined. If the whitelist member of the client listed in at least one of the member lists of the nearby group purchase activities, at least one of the nearby group purchase activities, in the member list of which the whitelist member of the client is listed, may be marked. Wherein, highlight or other effect may be utilized for marking. Hence, users of the client can notice that the marked group purchase activity is the preferred choice. 
     In step  340 , the nearby group purchase activities are provided to the client. Then, the user of the client can join one of the nearby group purchase activities. 
     In step  350 , if the client joins one of the nearby group purchase activities may be determined. In one embodiment, a request to inquire if the client joins one of the nearby group purchase activities may be transmitted to the client for determination of the step  350 . In step  430 , if the client doesn&#39;t join any of the nearby group purchase activities, the client may initiate a new present group purchase activity. In other words, if the user of the client doesn&#39;t want to join the nearby group purchase activities provided in step  340 , the user of the client can initiate a new present group purchase activity. 
     In step  360 , if the client wants to join one of the nearby group purchase activities, a selection message, which includes information of the selected group purchase activity selected from the nearby group purchase activities, is received from the client. Then, in step  370 , the selected group purchase activity is selected from the nearby group purchase activities. 
     In step  380 , the client&#39;s shopping list for the selected group purchase activity is obtained from the client. 
     In step  390 , the client&#39;s shopping list is registered to the shopping list of the selected group purchase activity stored in the group purchase database. 
     In step  400 , determine if the registered shopping list of the selected group purchase activity satisfies the discount condition of the selected group purchase activity. 
     In step  410 , if the registered shopping list of the selected group purchase activity satisfies the discount condition of the selected group purchase activity, the contact information of the selected group purchase activity is transmitted to the client. Wherein, the contact information of the selected group purchase activity may include a location for delivery, phone number of the person who initiates the selected group purchase activity or any other contact information of the selected group purchase activity. Therefore, the user of the client can join the selected group purchase activity according to the contact information of the selected group purchase activity. In addition, the contact information of the selected group purchase activity may further include a map marked with the location for delivery, such that the user of the client can go to the location for delivery according to the marked map. Moreover, the contact information of the selected group purchase activity may be transmitted to other members in the joined member lists of the selected group purchase activity if the registered shopping list of the selected group purchase activity satisfies the discount condition of the selected group purchase activity. 
     In step  420 , if the registered shopping list of the selected group purchase activity does not satisfy the discount condition of the selected group purchase activity, the client is registered to the joined member list of the selected group purchase activity stored in the group purchase database. Therefore, the client can wait until the discount condition of the selected group purchase activity is satisfied. 
     In addition, in the real-time and localized matching method for group purchase  300 , step  320 , step  340 , step  360 , step  380  and step  410  may be executed through a wireless communication protocol. Therefore, users can take a mobile phone, a wireless PDA, a laptop or other electrical devices with wireless communication function as the client for joining localized group purchase activities real-time. 
       FIG. 3  is an embodiment for the client to initiate a new present group purchase activity (step  430 ) in  FIG. 2 . The step for the client to initiate a new present group purchase activity (step  430 ) includes the following steps: 
     In step  431 , a discount activity database is provided. The discount activity database stores information of several discount activities. The information of the discount activities includes positions, discount conditions of the discount activities or any other discount activity related information. 
     In step  432 , several nearby discount activities held near the present position of the client are sifted from the discount activities stored in the discount activity database according to the positions of the discount activities. 
     In step  433 , the nearby discount activities are provided to the client. Hence, the user of the client can select a new present group purchase activity from the nearby discount activities to make the client generate an adding signal to add (initiate) the new present group purchase activity. 
     In step  434 , the adding signal to add (initiate) the new present group purchase activity is received from the client. 
     In step  435 , information of the new present group purchase activity is obtained from the client and stored into the group purchase database. Therefore, the discount activities stored in the discount activity database may be candidates for the user of the client to initiate group purchase activities. Besides, vendors can provide information of their discount activities to be stored in the discount activity database, which may raise turnover of the vendors. 
       FIG. 4  is a flow diagram of a real-time and localized matching method for group purchase according to another embodiment of this invention. In the real-time and localized matching method for group purchase, a client transmits its present position to obtain group purchase activities held nearby. In addition, the client may initiate another group purchase activity for others nearby to join in. A computer-readable medium may be encoded with a computer program to execute the real-time and localized matching method for group purchase. Some steps of the real-time and localized matching method for group purchase is executed by a client, wherein a mobile phone, a wireless PDA, a laptop or other electrical devices with wireless communication function may be utilized as the client thereof. The real-time and localized matching method for group purchase  500  includes the following steps: 
     The present position of the client is transmitted (step  510 ) to obtain the nearby group purchase activities held near the present position of the client (step  520 ). Wherein, the present position of the client may be generated through GPS or any other positioning method. In addition, the present position of the client may be obtained through an input device of the client. In other words, the user of the client may input the present position through the input device. Besides, transmission in step  510  may be executed through a wireless communication protocol, such as 2 G, 3 G, 3.5 G, 4 G, Wi-Fi, IEEE 802.11 series, Zigbee, bluetooth or any other wireless communication protocol. 
     In step  530 , determine if the client joins one of the nearby group purchase activities. In one embodiment, a request to inquire if the client joins one of the nearby group purchase activities may be provided to the client for determination of the step  530 . 
     In step  540 , if the client wants to join one of the nearby group purchase activities, a selected group purchase activity is selected from the nearby group purchase activities. 
     In step  550 , the selection message is generated according to the selected group purchase activity. 
     In step  560 , the client&#39;s shopping list for the selected group purchase activity is transmitted. If the discount condition of the selected group purchase activity is satisfied, the contact information of the selected group purchase activity may be received (step  570 ). 
     In step  580 , if the client doesn&#39;t want to join any of the nearby group purchase activities, an adding signal to add (initiate) a new present group purchase activity is generated. In step  590 , information of the new present purchase is transmitted to be stored into a group purchase database. Wherein, several nearby discount activities held near the present position of the client may be received to be the candidate for the new present purchase initiated by the client. 
     Above all, consumers can utilize an electrical device with wireless communication protocol to join a localized group purchase activity held nearby real-time for discount. In addition, consumers can raise a new group purchase activity to find others nearby, which are interested in the same discount activity. Besides, since group purchase activities, which may be joined by the user of the client, are held near the client, users of the client can obtain the goods they want once the discount condition is satisfied. Several consumers, which are interested in the same discount activity, can be gathered without knowing each other after matched. Vendors can provide information of their discount activities to be candidate for group purchase activity, which may raise turnover of the vendors. 
     Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims.