Mobile advertising and directory assistance

• US 20050245241A1
• Filed: 04/28/2005
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cenciarelli, Fulvio, Durand, Terry
• Granted Patent: US 7,873,708 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

Rich multimedia content is provided to a wireless device, particularly in response to a request for directory assistance generated by a client application. The multimedia content is provided as a multimedia message including bundled multimedia elements such as images, sound, text, and video files. The multimedia elements are compiled into a single multimedia presentation or deck that includes multiple screens that are automatically advanced for the convenience of the wireless device user. The user can interact with elements of the multimedia presentation, for example by placing orders, providing payment information, controlling playback, and forwarding or saving the deck to the wireless device. Multiple decks may be retrieved by a single request, and the decks are presented in an order determined by a bidding system or according to user preferences. Elements can be presented visually and/or audibly, and the user can interact using voice commands, manual entries, or stored entries.

Claims

1. A method for wirelessly providing bundled entity-related multimedia content to a wireless device in a wireless telecommunications network, comprising:

receiving a request for content from the wireless device, the request including at least one of the following parameters;

location of the wireless device, geographic target location, location of the entity, entity type, entity name, product type, entity characteristics, search radius;

forwarding the request to a content server that;

generates and processes a query that compares the request parameters to one or more records stored in a publishing system, each record containing a bundle of multimedia content related to at least one entity, the multimedia content being compiled into a multimedia presentation; and

retrieves at least one match from the publishing system, each match identifying one or more of the records that correspond at least in part to the query; and

transmitting the at least one match to the wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request further includes a server destination code that identifies the content server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the request comprises receiving the request via a text transport system, and sending the at least one match comprises sending via a multimedia transport system.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the wireless device access to a content delivery application for:

generating the request for content;

receiving the at least one match;

presenting the multimedia presentation to a user of the wireless device; and

performing at least one of the following actions in response to a command;

storing the at least one match in a memory on the wireless device, forwarding the at least one match to another wireless device;

deleting the at least one match, initiating a transaction with an entity associated with the at least one match;

sending a status to the content server.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically sending an update to one of the at least one matches transmitted to the wireless device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to a user command, sending an update to one of the at least one matches transmitted to the wireless device.

7. A system for wirelessly providing bundled entity-related multimedia content to a wireless device in a wireless telecommunications network, comprising:

a publishing database containing a plurality of records, each record containing a bundle of multimedia content related to at least one entity, the multimedia being compiled into a multimedia presentation;

a network node for forwarding a request for content from the wireless device according to server destination code included in the request; and

a content server associated with the server destination code, the content server being for;

receiving the request via the network node;

generating and processing a query that compares the request parameters to one or more records stored in the publishing system;

retrieving at least one match from the publishing system, each match identifying one or more of the records that correspond at least in part to the query; and

sending the at least one match as a multimedia message to the wireless device.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising an authoring system for developing each of the bundles of multimedia content and for uploading the bundles to the publishing database.

9. The system of claim 7, the content server further being for sending an update to the wireless device, the update being associated with one of the at least one matches sent to the wireless device.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the network node is a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN).

11. The system of claim 7, further comprising a billing system for assessing a fee for receiving the bundled multimedia content, the fee being based on at least one of the following:

quantity of requests issued;

the size of the matches transmitted;

the quantity matches displayed by the wireless device;

value of transactions associated with the matches;

types of entities associated with the matches;

time received;

date received;

day of the week received;

periodic assessments;

a predefined rate schedule.

12. A system for processing bundled entity-related multimedia content for a wireless device in a wireless telecommunications network, comprising:

a processor;

an interface for receiving user input defining parameters and for relaying the user input to the processor;

a memory;

a content delivery application stored in the memory, the content delivery application comprising instructions that when executed, cause the processor to process the parameters by;

generating a request for content, the request including at least one of the following parameters;

location of the wireless device, geographic target location, location of the entity, entity type, entity name, product type, entity characteristics, search radius;

transmitting the request for content to a content server;

receiving at least one bundle of multimedia content related to at least one entity identified by the request, the multimedia content being compiled into a multimedia presentation;

presenting the multimedia presentation to the user of the wireless device; and

by performing at least one of the following actions;

storing the multimedia presentation in the memory;

forwarding the multimedia presentation as a multimedia message;

sending a status to the content server indicating that the multimedia presentation has been presented;

sending a status to the content server indicating that the multimedia presentation has been stored in the memory;

sending a status to the content server indicating that the multimedia presentation has been forwarded;

receiving an update to the multimedia presentation from the content server.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the content server is for:

generating and processing a query that compares the request parameters to one or more records stored in a publishing system, each record containing a bundle of multimedia content related to at least one entity, the multimedia being compiled into a multimedia presentation; and

retrieving at least one match from the publishing system, each match identifying one or more of the records that correspond at least in part to the query.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising a preferences module stored in the memory, wherein the preferences module includes default values for at least some of the parameters.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the interface comprises output means for presenting the multimedia presentation and for soliciting user input, the output means comprising at least one of the following devices:

a display screen for viewing any combination of text, images, pictures, and video;

a printer;

an audio playback device.

16. A system for publishing bundled entity-related multimedia content for retrieval by a wireless device in a wireless telecommunications network;

an authoring system comprising;

a user interface for receiving instructions for processing multimedia content; and

an authoring application for instructing a first processor to compile the multimedia content into a multimedia presentation and to upload the multimedia presentation; and

a publishing system comprising;

a publishing application for instructing a second processor to download and to store the multimedia presentation; and

a publishing database for associating the multimedia presentation with at least one entity and with at least one of the following parameters;

location of the entity, entity type, entity identifier, product type, entity characteristics, contact information associated with the entity.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the publishing application is further for permitting access to the publishing database in response to a query defining a request for the multimedia presentation.

18. A method for wirelessly providing bundled entity-related multimedia content to a wireless device in a wireless telecommunications network, comprising:

receiving a request for content from the wireless device, the request including at least one of a set of search parameters;

identifying two or more bundles of multimedia content that correspond at least in part to at least some of the search parameters; and

transmitting the bundles to the wireless device with instructions for ordering the presentation of the bundles, the order being determined at least in part by at least one of the following variables;

the relative popularity of the bundles;

preference expressed by the user of the wireless device;

the relative priority of one or more entities that are associated with each of the bundles;

the relative geographic location of the entity associated with each of the bundles;

the relative degree to which the characteristics of each bundle correspond to the search parameters

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the relative popularity of the bundles is determined by comparing one of the following variables:

the relative frequency of previous transmissions of each of the bundles to the wireless device;

the relative frequency of previous transmissions of each of the bundles to other wireless devices;

the relative frequency of previous downloads of each of the bundles to the wireless device;

the relative frequency of previous downloads of each of the bundles to other wireless devices;

the relative frequency of instances where each of the bundles has been saved to the wireless device;

or

the relative frequency of instances where each of the bundles has been saved to other wireless devices.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the priority is determined according to a method for keyword bidding, comprising:

selling a keyword to an entity;

ascribing the keyword as a characteristic of a favored bundle, the favored bundle being a bundle associated with the entity, the characteristic belonging to the set of search parameters; and

determining whether the search parameters in the request for content include the keyword.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein:

if the search parameters in the request for content include the keyword, then transmitting the bundles comprises transmitting the bundles to the wireless device with instructions for presenting the favored bundle before the other bundles transmitted to the wireless device.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the priority is determined according to a method for keyword bidding, comprising:

allocating a plurality of unique relational rankings to keyword;

selling to a first entity a first ranking associated with the keyword;

selling to a second entity a second ranking associated with the keyword, the second ranking having lower positional priority;

ascribing the keyword as a characteristic of at least one bundle associated with the first entity and of at least one bundle associated with the second entity, the characteristic belonging to the set of search parameters; and

determining whether the search parameters in the request for content include the keyword;

wherein if the search parameters in the request for content include the keyword, then transmitting the bundles comprises transmitting the bundles to the wireless device with instructions for presenting the bundle associated with the first entity before the bundle associated with the second entity.

23. A method for placing an order via a wireless device in a wireless telecommunications network, comprising:

generating a request for content, the request including at least one search parameter;

transmitting the request for content to a content server via the telecommunications network;

wirelessly receiving at least one bundle of multimedia content related to at least one entity identified by the at least one search parameter, the multimedia being compiled into a multimedia presentation;

presenting the multimedia presentation to the user of the wireless device, the presentation including a menu including at least one item associated with the entity;

receiving an interaction from the user of the wireless device, the interaction comprising selecting one of the items presented in the multimedia presentation; and

transmitting to the entity a request for the item.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the at least one search parameter is selected from the following variables:

location of the wireless device, geographic target location, location of the entity, entity type, entity name, product type, entity characteristics, search radius.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the item request includes order details comprising at least one of the following elements:

user identification information, payment method, billing address, delivery address, email address, telephone number, fulfillment method, quantity, color, size.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein order details are automatically submitted with the item request, including at least one of the following elements:

user identification information, payment method, billing address, delivery address, email address, telephone number, fulfillment method, quantity, color, size.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the fulfillment method is one of the following:

pickup, delivery, download.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the fulfillment method is one of the following:

pickup, delivery, download.

29. A method for redeeming a coupon via a wireless device in a wireless telecommunications network, comprising:

generating a request for content, the request including at least one search parameter;

transmitting the request for content to a content server via the telecommunications network;

wirelessly receiving at least one bundle of multimedia content related to at least one entity identified by the at least one search parameter, the multimedia being compiled into a multimedia presentation;

presenting the multimedia presentation to the user of the wireless device via an output means, the presentation including a coupon applicable to an item associated with the entity, the coupon having a redemption code, the output means comprising one of the following;

a display screen, an audio playback device, a printer;

communicating the redemption code to the entity.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

receiving an interaction from the user of the wireless device, the interaction comprising selecting one of the items presented in the multimedia presentation; and

wherein communicating the redemption code comprises transmitting to the entity a request for the item, the request for the item including the redemption code.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein communicating the redemption code comprises communicating the redemption code to the entity via the output means.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein communicating the redemption code comprises transmitting data to the entity.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein communicating the redemption code comprises communicating the redemption code comprises placing a voice call to the entity.

34. A method for receiving payment information from a wireless device in a wireless telecommunications network, comprising:

receiving a request for content from the wireless device, the content request including at least one of the following parameters;

location of the wireless device, geographic target location, location of the entity, entity type, entity name, product type, entity characteristics, search radius;

forwarding the content request to a content server that;

generates and processes a query that compares the content request parameters to one or more records stored in a publishing system, each record containing a bundle of multimedia content related to at least one entity, the multimedia content being compiled into a multimedia presentation including a menu including at least one item associated with the entity; and

retrieves at least one match from the publishing system, each match identifying one or more of the records that correspond at least in part to the query; and

transmitting the bundle of multimedia content associated with the at least one match to the wireless device;

receiving a request for one of the items presented in the multimedia presentation, the item request including a user identifier; and

querying a secure database containing a plurality of records including payment information facilitating electronic transactions;

retrieving from the secure database a record associated with the user identifier;

utilizing the payment information to fulfill the item request.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the user identifier comprises a digital certificate.

36. A method for receiving entity-related directory assistance data using a wireless device in a wireless telecommunications network, comprising:

generating a text message including a request for content, the request including at least one of the following parameters;

location of the wireless device, geographic target location, location of the entity, entity type, entity name, product type, entity characteristics, search radius;

transmitting the request for content to a content server; and

receiving at least one text message including content related to at least one entity identified by the request, the content including at least one of the following elements;

contact information, directions, coupon codes, advertisements.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein generating a text message comprises dialing a feature code using the wireless device.