Advertisements in an alert interface

• US 20060282312A1
• Filed: 06/10/2005
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Biggs, Todd S., Looi, Mark T.K., Carlson, Matthew C.
• Application Number:
  US11/150,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20060282312A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.500
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0252 based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices

Abstract

Advertisements are incorporated into alerts generated for a user. A server-side alert delivery system can be used by a partner server, client device, or other server to deliver an alert to a user about some event the user has requested. A relevant advertisement is selected based upon the content of the alert and other data. In some cases, the time of day of the alert and/or the location to which the alert is delivered may be considered in selecting the advertisement. The alert may be provided to a user through different services and devices, including an instant messaging service, mail service, or through a mobile device.

Claims

1. A method for providing an alert, comprising:

receiving event data associated with an alert for a user;

determining a relevant advertisement associated with the event data; and

providing the relevant advertisement and the alert to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the event data includes location information for a mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the event data includes time data, the relevant advertisement determined in part from the time data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining a relevant advertisement includes:

receiving the relevant advertisement in response to transmitting the event data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing the relevant advertisement and an alert to the user includes:

determining a user routing preference for receiving alerts.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the relevant advertisement includes a URL link in an alert interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing the relevant advertisement and an alert to the user includes:

providing an alert through an instant messaging service.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing the relevant advertisement and an alert to the user includes:

providing an alert to a mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing the relevant advertisement and an alert to the user includes:

providing an alert through a mail service.

10. A system for providing an alert, comprising:

an alert generation engine able to generate an alert in response to receiving event data for a user, the alert having alert data and advertisement data; and

an alert delivery engine able to deliver the alert to a user.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the event data includes location data for a mobile device.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the event data includes time data associated with the event data.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said alert generation engine is able to retrieve advertising data associated with the event data.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein said alert delivery engine provides an interface containing an advertisement and the alert, the advertisement associated with the advertisement data.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said alert delivery engine provides the alert and advertisement to a user through a mobile device.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said alert delivery engine provides the alert and advertisement to a user through an instant messaging application.

17. A method for providing an alert, comprising:

receiving alert data and advertisement data by an application, the alert data and advertisement data associated with a user; and

providing the alert data and advertisement data to the user in an alert interface.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the alert interface is provided through an instant messaging system.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the alert interface is provided through a mobile device.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said step of receiving alert data and advertisement data includes:

receiving alert data by the application; and

retrieving advertisement data by the application in response to said receiving alert data.