Advertisements for devices with call functionality, such as mobile phones

• US 20060004627A1
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Baluja, Shumeet
• Application Number:
  US10/880,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20060004627A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.400
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0033 Notification or handling of incoming calls by a computer

Abstract

The serving of one or more ads to a user device considers determined characteristics of a user device, such as whether or not the user device supports telephone calls. At least some ads may include call-on-select functionality. When such an ad is selected (e.g., via a button click), instead of loading a document (e.g., Web page) for rendering, a telephone number associated with the ad by an advertiser can be automatically dialed.

Claims

1. A method for serving one or more ads to a user device, the method comprising:

a) accepting a request for one or more ads;

b) determining characteristics of a user device associated with the request; and

c) determining a set of ads to serve using the determined characteristics.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the user device has characteristics of having a small display and call functionality, and

wherein the set of ads includes at least one ad which, if selected, initiates a telephone call.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the user device has a display having a diagonal measurement of about 3 inches or less.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the user device has a display having a diagonal measurement of about 1.5 inches or less.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the user device has characteristics of having a slow communications connection and call functionality, and wherein the set of ads includes at least one ad which, if selected, initiates a telephone call.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the user device has a communications connection speed of about 9.6 Kbps or less.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the act of determining a set of ads to serve using the determined characteristics includes scoring eligible ads using performance information associated with each of the ads.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the performance information is per user device type performance information.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the performance information is per user device characteristic performance information.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising determining a user device type from the determined characteristics of the user device, wherein the score is adjusted using the user device type.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the score is adjusted using at least some of the determined characteristics of the user device.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the user device characteristics is whether the user device has call functionality.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the user device characteristics is a home base telephone area code of the user device.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the user device characteristics is an area code of a current location of the user device.

15. A machine readable medium having stored thereon an ad data structure comprising:

a) a first machine-executable code for rendering an ad creative on a device; and

b) a second machine-executable code for initiating a telephone call in response to a user selection of at least a portion of the ad creative rendered.

16. The machine readable medium of claim 15 wherein the data structure further comprises:

c) a third machine-executable code for rendering a button which, when selected, invokes execution of the second machine-executable code.

17. A machine readable medium having stored thereon a message for requesting one or more ads, the message comprising:

a) a first set of information from which a user interest can be determined; and

b) a second set of information including

1) a first indicator for indicating whether or not a user device on which the one or more ads are to be rendered has a small display, and

2) a second indicator for indicating whether or not the user device supports telephone calls.

18. A machine readable medium having stored thereon a message for requesting one or more ads, the message comprising:

a) a first set of information from which a user interest can be determined; and

b) a second set of information including

1) a first indicator for indicating whether or not a user device on which the one or more ads are to be rendered has a slow communications connection speed, and

2) a second indicator for indicating whether or not the user device supports telephone calls.

19. A machine readable medium having stored thereon ad campaign information comprising:

a) ad creative information;

b) ad landing page information; and

c) a telephone number.

20. The machine readable medium of claim 19 wherein the ad campaign information further comprises:

d) a first offer for a selection of first type in which an ad landing page identified by the ad landing page information is loaded; and

e) a second offer for a selection of a second type in which a call to the telephone number is initiated.

21. The machine readable medium of claim 19 wherein the ad campaign information further comprises:

d) a first ad performance parameter related to a selection of first type in which an ad landing page identified by the ad landing page information is loaded; and

e) a second ad performance parameter related to a selection of a second type in which a call to the telephone number is initiated.

22. The machine readable medium of claim 19 wherein the ad campaign information further comprises:

d) one or more ad serving constraints concerning an end user device on which the ad is to be rendered.

23. Apparatus for serving one or more ads to a user device, the apparatus comprising:

a) an input for accepting a request for one or more ads;

b) means for determining characteristics of a user device associated with the request; and

c) means for determining a set of ads to serve using the determined characteristics.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the user device has characteristics of having a small display and call functionality, and

wherein the set of ads includes at least one ad which, if selected, initiates a telephone call.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the user device has a display having a diagonal measurement of about 3 inches or less.

26. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the user device has a display having a diagonal measurement of about 1.5 inches or less.

27. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the user device has characteristics of having a slow communications connection and call functionality, and

wherein the set of ads includes at least one ad which, if selected, initiates a telephone call.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the user device has a communications connection speed of about 9.6 Kbps or less.

29. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the means for determining a set of ads to serve using the determined characteristics include means for scoring eligible ads using performance information associated with each of the ads.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the performance information is per user device type performance information.

31. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the performance information is per user device characteristic performance information.

32. The apparatus of claim 29 further comprising means for determining a user device type from the determined characteristics of the user device, wherein the score is adjusted using the user device type.

33. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the score is adjusted using at least some of the determined characteristics of the user device.

34. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein at least one of the user device characteristics is whether the user device has call functionality.

35. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein at least one of the user device characteristics is a home base telephone area code of the user device.

36. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein at least one of the user device characteristics is an area code of a current location of the user device.

37. A machine readable medium having stored thereon ad campaign information comprising:

a) ad creative information;

b) a telephone number; and

c) an offer for a selection, associated with the ad, which initiates a call to the telephone number.