Patent ID: 8086488

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for advertisers to define and distribute Short Messaging Service (SMS) and/or Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) coupons to consumers, and for consumers to redeem received coupons, comprising the steps of: via a computational device providing an advertisement that is used to publicize SMS coupons and/or MMS coupons, wherein said advertisement is displayed on any of digital signs, televisions, billboards, newspapers, magazines, other printed media, and Internet Web pages; said advertisement comprising at least an SMS dialing number comprising a predetermined code that is used to retrieve a coupon, a coupon code, and advertising content that describes products, services, or/and promotions, said advertisement instructing consumers to send an SMS text message to said SMS dialing number to retrieve a coupon; via a computational device, providing any of an SMS coupon message and/or MMS coupon message that comprises a promotion code for an advertiser to use later in identifying a promotion when the coupon is presented and an authentication code comprising a globally unique serial number that is used to verify authenticity of the coupon; responsive to an SMS message sent by a consumer to said SMS dialing number via an SMS/MMS-enabled device, via a computational device, using said coupon code to cross reference an identity code defined in an SMS and/or MMS coupon; and via a computational device, sending to said SMS/MMS-enabled device any of an SMS coupon comprising at least an identity code that uniquely identifies the coupon and a text message that describes details of a promotion for products and/or services and an MMS coupon comprising at least an identity code that uniquely identifies the coupon and a multimedia message that describes details of a promotion for products and/or services; said consumer presenting to a physical store, via said SMS/MMS-enabled device, said SMS and/or MMS coupon to obtain said promotion; said physical store, responsive to said physical store asking said consumer for additional information necessary to obtain said promotion, said additional information comprising at least an identity code and an authentication code included in said coupon, receiving said additional information via said SMS/MMS-enabled device; said physical store using said identity code to look up details of said promotion via a computational device; said physical store using said authentication code to validate authenticity of said coupon via a computational device; and upon verification of said authentication code, said physical store providing said promotion to said consumer for products and services associated with said promotion via a computational device.