Sponsored information distribution method and apparatus

• US 20060072724A1
• Filed: 10/25/2005
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John J. Csaszar, Marc A. Cohen, Michael Cudemo III
• Original Assignee: John J. Csaszar, Marc A. Cohen, Michael Cudemo III
• Inventors: Cohen, Marc A., Cudemo, Michael III, Csaszar, John J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,483,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/93.250
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

A database having information sought by a consumer, a database containing consumer attributes, and a database of advertising messages are made responsive to telephone calls placed to an interactive voice response (IVR) system. Alternatively, the databases can be linked to a web site responsive to consumer input. Either system can deliver the advertising messages to the consumer. The database of consumer attributes contains information already known about the consumer that can be used to decide on which advertising message to deliver. The consumer initiates activity by calling the interactive voice response system or accessing the web site. Software identifies the consumer via the consumer-inputted identification and delivers an advertising message likely appeal to the consumer. The advertising message can include an offer to purchase a product or service. The offer can be taken during the advertising period and recorded so as to be sent to a sponsor. The system then disseminates information sought by the customer, such as student grades. Alternatively, software resident at the Web site reads the identity of the customer who is accessing the Web site and recognizes and ascribes various attributes to the customer. The customer has the opportunity to either view the information or, preferably, interactively respond to the advertisement or offer by seeking additional advertisements or by placing an order for the products or services of the sponsoring vendor.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

23. A method of providing advertising over the Internet, comprising:

applying an informational database at a web site, the informational database comprising information sought by one or more individuals, an identifier code for each of the one or more individuals, and at least one attribute which is unique for each of the one or more individuals,

applying an advertising database at a web site, the advertising database having at least one advertising message that is transmittable over the Internet,

receiving a visit to the web site over the Internet from an individual,

determining the identity of the individual based on the identifier code,

culling the at least one attribute for the individual from the second database based on the identifier code,

tailoring a message based on the at least one culled attribute,

transmitting the tailored message to the individual over the Internet, and

transferring the information to the individual over the Internet.

24. A method of advertising over the Internet as claimed in claim 23 further comprising:

(i) tailoring an additional advertising message based on the at least one culled attribute,

(ii) transmitting the additional advertising message to the individual over the Internet,

(iii) transferring additional information to the individual over the Internet, and

(iv) repeating steps (i)-(iii).

25. A method of directed advertising over the Internet as claimed in claim 24, wherein each additional advertising message differs from advertising message previously transmitted.

30. A method of providing advertising over the Internet according to claim 23, wherein the information sought by the one or more individuals comprises student grades.

32. A method of providing advertising over the Internet, according to claim 23, wherein the at least one attribute is the name of the one or more individuals.

34. A method of providing advertising over the Internet, according to claim 23, wherein the informational database is a single database.

35. A method of providing advertising over the Internet, according to claim 23, wherein the informational database comprises more than one database.

36. A method of providing advertising over the Internet, according to claim 23, wherein at least one of the informational database and the advertising database is physically resident on at least one server at the web site.

37. A method of providing advertising over the Internet, according to claim 23, wherein at least one of the informational database and the advertising database is located remote from the web site and connected to the web site over a suitable connection.

44. A method of providing advertising over the Internet according to claim 23, wherein the informational database is provided by a first party and the advertising database is provided by a second party.

46. A method of directed advertising over the Internet as claimed in claim 24, wherein each additional advertising message is the same as the advertising message previously transmitted.

26. A method of making offers over the Internet, comprising:

applying an informational database at a web site, the informational database comprising information sought by one or more individuals, an identifier code for each of the one or more individuals, and at least one attribute which is unique for each of the one or more individuals,

applying an advertising database at a web site, the advertising database having at least one advertising message that is transmittable over the Internet and a vendor link for contacting over the Internet a vendor sponsoring the advertising message,

receiving a visit to the web site over the Internet from an individual, determining the identity of the individual based on the identifier code,

culling at least one attribute for the individual from the second database based on the identifier code,

tailoring an advertising message based on the at least one culled attributes,

transmitting the tailored message to the individual over the Internet,

transferring the information to the individual over the Internet,

transmitting the vendor link over the Internet, and

connecting the individual to the vendor when the individual activates the vendor link.

27. A method of making offers over the Internet as claimed in claim 26 further comprising:

(i) tailoring an additional advertising message based on the at least one culled attribute,

(ii) transmitting the additional advertising message to the individual over the Internet,

(iii) transferring additional information to the individual over the Internet, and

(iv) repeating steps (i)-(iii).

28. A method of making offers over the Internet as claimed in claim 26, wherein each additional advertising message differs from the advertising message previously transmitted.

29. A method of making offers over the Internet as claimed in claim 26, wherein each additional advertising message is the same as the advertising message previously transmitted.

31. A method of making offers over the Internet, according to claim 26, wherein the information sought by the one or more individuals comprises student grades.

33. A method of making offers over the Internet, according to claim 26, wherein the at least one attribute is the name of the one or more individuals.

38. A method of making offers over the Internet, according to claim 26, wherein the informational database is a single database.

39. A method of making offers over the Internet, according to claim 26, wherein the informational database comprises more than one database.

40. A method of making offers over the Internet, according to claim 26, wherein at least one of the informational database and the advertising database is physically resident on at least one server at the web site.

41. A method of making offers over the Internet, according to claim 26, wherein at least one of the informational database and the advertising database is located remote from the web site and connected to the web site over a suitable connection.

45. A method of making offers over the Internet, according to claim 26, wherein the informational database is provided by a first party and the advertising database is provided by a second party.

42. A method of providing advertising over the Internet, comprising:

applying an informational database at a web site, the informational database comprising information sought by one or more individuals and at least one attribute which is unique for each of the one or more individuals, wherein access to the information sought by one or more individuals is based on a code authorization,

applying an advertising database at a web site, the advertising database having at least one advertising message that is transmittable over the Internet,

determining the identity of the individual based on the code authorization,

culling at least one attribute for the individual from the second database based on the code authorization,

tailoring a message based on the at least one culled attribute,

transmitting the tailored message to the individual over the Internet, and

transferring the information to the individual over the Internet.

43. A method of making offers over the Internet, comprising:

applying an informational database at a web site, the informational database comprising information sought by one or more individuals and at least one attribute which is unique for each of the one or more individuals, wherein access to the information sought by one or more individuals is based on a code authorization,

applying an advertising database at a web site, the advertising database having at least one advertising message that is transmittable over the Internet and a vendor link for contacting over the Internet a vendor sponsoring the advertising message,

receiving a visit to the web site over the Internet from an individual,

determining the identity of the individual based on the code authorization,

culling the at least one attribute for the individual from the second database based on the code authorization,

tailoring an advertising message based on the at least one culled attribute,

transmitting the tailored message to the individual over the Internet,

transferring the information to the individual over the Internet,

transmitting the vendor link over the Internet, and

connecting the individual to the vendor when the individual activates the vendor link.