Real-time communications-based internet advertising

• US 10,116,796 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2015
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ooma Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ooma Incorporated
• Inventors: Im, James, Gillon, William M., Hart, Douglas E., Bryan, David A., Farrand, Tobin E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hashem, Lisa
• Application Number:
  US14/879,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20170104875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0246 Traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4365 based on information specified by the calling party, e.g. priority or subject
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet

Abstract

Provided are methods, systems, and media for Internet Advertising. Exemplary methods may include: providing an advertisement including a first identifier to a website using at least one of a template and an application programming interface (API), the advertisement to be displayed on the website; receiving a communications session initiated by an end customer using the first identifier, the communications session including a second identifier associated with the end customer; accepting the communications session when the second identifier is not included in a black list; retrieving a record associated with the end customer using the second identifier; determining to provide a promotional message to the end customer using the record; selecting an offer using the record; providing the promotional message to the end customer using the communications session, the promotional message including the offer and a request for an indication of interest.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for Internet advertising comprising:

providing an advertisement of a plurality of advertisements including a first identifier to a website of a plurality of websites using at least one of a template and an application programming interface (API) associated with the website, the advertisement to be displayed on the website;

receiving a communications session initiated by an end customer using the first identifier, the communications session including a second identifier associated with the end customer;

accepting the communications session when the second identifier is not included in a black list, the black list being produced using at least reported spam;

retrieving a record associated with the end customer using the second identifier;

determining to provide a customized message to the end customer using the record;

selecting a promotional offer using the record;

providing the customized message to the end customer using the communications session, the customized message including the promotional offer and a request for an indication of interest in the promotional offer;

directing the communications session to a live agent of a plurality of live agents in response to receiving the indication of interest from the end customer;

storing data associated with the communications session;

removing the advertisement from the website; and

re-assigning the first identifier to another advertisement of the plurality of advertisements when a number of calls received at the first identifier since the removing the advertisement is below a predetermined threshold.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a second advertisement to the website using at least one of the template and the API;

determining the website does not correctly receive the second advertisement;

changing at least one of the template and the API or directing a human operator to change the at least one of the template and the API, such that the website correctly receives the second advertisement using at least one of the changed template and the changed API; and

storing at least one of the changed template and the changed API.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining at least one of a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the advertisement was provided, a first number of calls received at the first identifier is below a first predetermined threshold, and a second number of calls received at the first identifier during the predetermined amount of time is below a second predetermined threshold; and

removing the advertisement from the website of the plurality of websites using at least one of the template and the API.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

recording the communications session;

storing the recorded communications session; and

offering the recorded communications session for sale.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the advertisement is at least one of a:

banner advertisement, social media posting, review on a crowd-sourced review site, blog post, daily deals, and coupon.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein:

the communications session is at least one of a;

telephone call, videotelephony call, instant messaging session, webpage communications, and communications from a mobile application, and

the first identifier is at least one of a;

telephone number, handle or user identifier for a communications service, and URL for webpage communications.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the record includes at least one of:

location information, demographic information, socioeconomic information, past promotional offers accepted information, keywords extracted from earlier communications sessions, and other web sites visited.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the promotional offer is selected using at least one of:

location information, demographic information, socioeconomic information, past promotional offers accepted information, keywords extracted from earlier communications sessions, prior communications with at least one third party, other web sites visited, a product or service purchased by consumers within a pre-defined radius from the end customer, and news or weather within the pre-defined radius.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the live agent is selected from the plurality of live agents using load balancing, the load balancing using at least one of:

temporal availability to receive the communications session, shortest wait time, the record, a live auction, committed amount to pay for receiving the communications session, and contract terms.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the promotional offer is by a different entity than the advertisement.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying to the live agent at least some information from the record associated with the end customer.

12. A system for Internet advertising comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, the memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions executable by the processor to perform a method comprising;

providing an advertisement of a plurality of advertisements including a first identifier to a website of a plurality of websites using at least one of a template and an application programming interface (API) associated with the website, the advertisement to be displayed on the website;

receiving a communications session initiated by an end customer using the first identifier, the communications session including a second identifier associated with the end customer;

accepting the communications session when the second identifier is not included in a black list, the black list being produced using at least reported spam;

retrieving a record associated with the end customer using the second identifier;

determining to provide a customized message to the end customer using the record;

selecting a promotional offer using the record;

providing the customized message to the end customer using the communications session, the customized message including the promotional offer and a request for an indication of interest in the promotional offer;

directing the communications session to a live agent of a plurality of live agents in response to receiving the indication of interest from the end customer;

storing data associated with the communications session;

removing the advertisement from the website; and

re-assigning the first identifier to another advertisement of the plurality of advertisements when a number of calls received at the first identifier since the removing the advertisement is below a predetermined threshold.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

providing a second advertisement to the website using at least one of the template and the API;

determining the website does not correctly receive the second advertisement;

changing at least one of the template and the API or directing a human operator to change the at least one of the template and the API, such that the website correctly receives the second advertisement using at least one of the changed template and the changed API; and

storing at least one of the changed template and the changed API.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

determining at least one of a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the advertisement was provided, a first number of calls received at the first identifier is below a first predetermined threshold, and a second number of calls received at the first identifier during a predetermined amount of time is below a second predetermined threshold; and

removing the advertisement from the website of the plurality of websites using at least one of the template and the API.

15. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

recording the communications session;

storing the recorded communications session; and

offering the recorded communications session for sale.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the advertisement is at least one of a:

banner advertisement, social media posting, review on a crowd-sourced review site, blog post, daily deals, and coupon.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein:

the communications session is at least one of a;

telephone call, videotelephony call, instant messaging session, webpage communications, and communications from a mobile application, and

the first identifier is at least one of a;

telephone number, a handle or user identifier for a communications service, and URL for webpage communications.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein the record includes at least one of:

location information, demographic information, socioeconomic information, past promotional offers accepted information, keywords extracted from earlier communications sessions, and other web sites visited.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein the promotional offer is selected using at least one of:

location information, demographic information, socioeconomic information, past promotional offers accepted information, keywords extracted from earlier communications sessions, prior communications with at least one third party, other web sites visited, a product or service purchased by consumers within a pre-defined radius from the end customer, and news or weather within the pre-defined radius.

20. The system of claim 12 wherein the live agent is selected from the plurality of live agents using load balancing, the load balancing using at least one of:

temporal availability to receive the communications session, shortest wait time, the record, a live auction, committed amount to pay for receiving the communications session, and contract terms.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying to the live agent at least some information from the record associated with the end customer.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a program embodied thereon, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method for Internet advertising, the method comprising:

providing an advertisement of a plurality of advertisements including a first identifier to a website of a plurality of websites using at least one of a template and an application programming interface (API) associated with the website, the advertisement to be displayed on the website;

receiving a communications session initiated by an end customer using the first identifier, the communications session including a second identifier associated with the end customer;

accepting the communications session when the second identifier is not included in a black list, the black list being produced using at least reported spam;

retrieving a record associated with the end customer using the second identifier;

determining to provide a customized message to the end customer using the record;

selecting a promotional offer using the record;

providing the customized message to the end customer using the communications session, the customized message including the promotional offer and a request for an indication of interest in the promotional offer;

directing the communications session to a live agent of a plurality of live agents in response to receiving the indication of interest from the end customer;

storing data associated with a communications session;

removing the advertisement from the website; and

re-assigning the first identifier to another advertisement of the plurality of advertisements when a number of calls received at the first identifier since the removing the advertisement is below a predetermined threshold.