Method and apparatus for transmitting frequency division multiplexed targeted in-store advertisements

• US 10,552,873 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2014
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Innes, Timothy Watson
• Primary Examiner(s): Stoltenberg, David J
• Application Number:
  US14/542,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20160140612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,908 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute

Abstract

A method, computer-readable storage device and apparatus for transmitting frequency division multiplexed targeted in-store advertisements are disclosed. For example, the method receives a plurality of advertisements from a third party entity, wherein each one of the plurality of advertisements targets one of a plurality of different demographics of customers for a retailer, frequency division multiplexes the plurality of advertisements into the electronic media package, identifies each one of the plurality of different demographics of customers is at the retailer for each one of a plurality of different time periods, and transmits the electronic media package and an instruction regarding which frequency to tune to for each one of the plurality of different time periods based on one of the plurality of different demographics of customers who is at the retailer during the each one of the plurality of different time periods.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting an electronic media package, the method comprising:

receiving, by a processor of an application server of a communication network, a plurality of advertisements from a third party entity, wherein each one of the plurality of advertisements targets one of a plurality of different demographics of customers for a retailer;

frequency division multiplexing, by the processor, the plurality of advertisements into the electronic media package, wherein the each one of the plurality of advertisements is multiplexed onto a respective one of a plurality of different frequencies that is associated with a respective one of the plurality of different demographics of customers for the retailer, wherein each one of the plurality of different frequencies carries a separate signal within the electronic media package;

identifying, by the processor, each one of the plurality of different demographics of customers who is at the retailer for each one of a plurality of different time periods;

transmitting, by the processor, to a tuner module of the retailer, via a single transmission medium, the electronic media package with an instruction regarding which frequency to dynamically tune to for displaying a respective advertisement on an endpoint of the retailer for each one of the plurality of different time periods based on one of the plurality of different demographics of customers who is at the retailer during the each one of the plurality of different time periods, wherein the electronic media package that is transmitted comprises the plurality of advertisements, wherein the each one of the plurality of advertisements may be obtained by tuning to the respective one of the plurality of different frequencies;

receiving, by the processor, customer demographic data from the retailer for the plurality of different time periods; and

updating, by the processor, the identifying of the each one of the plurality of different demographics of customers who is at the retailer for each one of the plurality of different time periods by using the customer demographic data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of different demographics of customers comprises an age group.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of different demographics of customers comprises an ethnicity group.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of different demographics of customers comprises an income group.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of different demographics of customers comprises a gender group.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying and the transmitting are repeated periodically to update the instruction for different time periods of the plurality of different time periods.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of advertisements comprises different advertisements for a plurality of different products for the plurality of different demographics of customers for the retailer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting to a plurality of different locations of the retailer, wherein each one of the plurality of different locations is sent a different instruction regarding which frequency to tune to in the electronic media package.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device storing a plurality of instructions, which when executed by a processor of an application server of a communication network, cause the processor to perform operations for transmitting an electronic media package, the operations comprising:

receiving a plurality of advertisements from a third party entity, wherein each one of the plurality of advertisements targets one of a plurality of different demographics of customers for a retailer;

frequency division multiplexing the plurality of advertisements into the electronic media package, wherein the each one of the plurality of advertisements is multiplexed onto a respective one of a plurality of different frequencies that is associated with a respective one of the plurality of different demographics of customers for the retailer, wherein each one of the plurality of different frequencies carries a separate signal within the electronic media package;

identifying each one of the plurality of different demographics of customers who is at the retailer for each one of a plurality of different time periods;

transmitting to a tuner module of the retailer, via a single transmission medium, the electronic media package with an instruction regarding which frequency to dynamically tune to for displaying a respective advertisement on an endpoint of the retailer for each one of the plurality of different time periods based on one of the plurality of different demographics of customers who is at the retailer during the each one of the plurality of different time periods, wherein the electronic media package that is transmitted comprises the plurality of advertisements, wherein the each one of the plurality of advertisements may be obtained by tuning to the respective one of the plurality of different frequencies;

receiving customer demographic data from the retailer for the plurality of different time periods; and

updating the identifying of the each one of the plurality of different demographics of customers who is at the retailer for each one of the plurality of different time periods by using the customer demographic data.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein one of the plurality of different demographics of customers comprises an age group.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein one of the plurality of different demographics of customers comprises an ethnicity group.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein one of the plurality of different demographics of customers comprises an income group.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein one of the plurality of different demographics of customers comprises a gender group.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the identifying and the transmitting are repeated periodically to update the instruction for different time periods of the plurality of different time periods.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of advertisements comprises different advertisements for a plurality of different products for the plurality of different demographics of customers for the retailer.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting to a plurality of different locations of the retailer, wherein each one of the plurality of different locations is sent a different instruction regarding which frequency to tune to in the electronic media package.

17. An apparatus for transmitting an electronic media package, the apparatus comprising:

a processor of an application server for a communication network; and

a computer-readable storage device storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving a plurality of advertisements from a third party entity, wherein each one of the plurality of advertisements targets one of a plurality of different demographics of customers for a retailer;

frequency division multiplexing the plurality of advertisements into the electronic media package, wherein the each one of the plurality of advertisements is multiplexed onto a respective one of a plurality of different frequencies that is associated with a respective one of the plurality of different demographics of customers for the retailer, wherein each one of the plurality of different frequencies carries a separate signal within the electronic media package;

identifying each one of the plurality of different demographics of customers who is at the retailer for each one of a plurality of different time periods;

transmitting to a tuner module of the retailer, via a single transmission medium, the electronic media package with an instruction regarding which frequency to dynamically tune to for displaying a respective advertisement on an endpoint of the retailer for each one of the plurality of different time periods based on one of the plurality of different demographics of customers who is at the retailer during the each one of the plurality of different time periods, wherein the electronic media package that is transmitted comprises the plurality of advertisements, wherein the each one of the plurality of advertisements may be obtained by tuning to the respective one of the plurality of different frequencies;

receiving customer demographic data from the retailer for the plurality of different time periods; and

updating the identifying of the each one of the plurality of different demographics of customers who is at the retailer for each one of the plurality of different time periods by using the customer demographic data.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein one of the plurality of different demographics of customers comprises an age group.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein one of the plurality of different demographics of customers comprises an ethnicity group.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein one of the plurality of different demographics of customers comprises an income group.