Advertising in Yellow Book for the Phone

• US 20070111712A1
• Filed: 05/24/2006
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nitesh Ratnakar
• Original Assignee: Nitesh Ratnakar
• Inventors: Ratnakar, Nitesh
• Granted Patent: US 7,593,721 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: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42178 by downloading data to substation equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

The present invention relates to apparatus, method and system for advertising on communication devices such as cellular phones. A ‘central contact information database’ containing contact information of businesses and individuals is created. The ‘central contact information database’ is saved in a ‘central server’. One or more advertisements in the form of data, audio, video, or image file or a combination thereof is paired to one or more contact information contained in the ‘central contact information database’. Advertisement is paired with contact information by means of attachment to corresponding contact information or by means of a link to corresponding contact information. According to one aspect, means is provided for callers to download contact information and corresponding advertisements from the ‘central contact information database’ into the contact list of communication device. Advertisement is displayed on communication device when corresponding contact information is displayed or when corresponding contact information is retrieved from the contact list of communication device. The invention of our U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/164,318 filed on Nov. 17, 2005 enables callers to download and save contact information of a large number of local businesses and individuals into the contact list of communication device; without having to manually enter each contact information, which can be cumbersome and unfeasible; especially when the contact information data is large. The present invention provides means for businesses and individuals to advertise in conjunction with contact information saved in contact list of communication devices such as cellular phones.

Claims

1. A method of advertising on communication devices comprising of:

1) one or more advertisement in a server;

     2) one or more contact information in a server;

     3) one or more advertisement paired with one or more contact information;

     4) means to transmit contact information from server to one or more communication devices;

     5) means to transmit advertisement corresponding to contact information from server to one or more communication devices;

     6) means in communication device to display contact information;

     6) means in communication device to display advertisement.

2. The method of advertising of claim 1 wherein advertisement is in form of audio, video, image, data or a combination thereof.

3. The method of advertising of claim 1 wherein advertisement is displayed on communication device when corresponding contact information is displayed on communication device.

4. The method of advertising of claim 1 wherein advertisement is displayed on communication device when corresponding contact information is retrieved from contact list of communication device.

5. The method of advertising of claim 1 wherein means is provided in communication device to save advertisement.

6. The method of advertising of claim 1 wherein means is provided in communication device to save contact information in contact list.

7. A method of advertising on communication devices comprising of:

1) one or more advertisements in a server;

     2) one or more contact information in a server;

     3) advertisement attached to one or more contact information;

4) means to transmit contact information and advertisement attached thereto;

to one or more communication devices;

5) means in communication device to display contact information;

6) means in communication device to display advertisement.

8. The method of advertising of claim 7 wherein advertisement is in form of audio, video, image, data or a combination thereof.

9. The method of advertising of claim 7 wherein advertisement is displayed on communication device when corresponding contact information is displayed on communication device.

10. The method of advertising of claim 7 wherein advertisement is displayed on communication device when corresponding contact information is retrieved from contact list of communication device by caller.

11. The method of advertising of claim 7 wherein means is provided in communication device to save advertisement.

12. The method of advertising of claim 7 wherein means is provided in communication device to save contact information in contact list.

13. A method of advertising on communication devices comprising of:

1) one or more advertisements in a server;

     2) one or more contact information in a server;

     3) advertisement paired with one or more contact information by means of a link;

     4) link to advertisement attached to corresponding contact information;

     5) means to transmit contact information to one or more communication devices;

     6) means to transmit link attached to contact information to one or more communication devices;

     7) means in communication device to display contact information;

     8) means in communication device to display advertisement.

14. The method of advertising of claim 13 wherein advertisement is in form of audio, video, image, data or a combination thereof.

15. The method of advertising of claim 13 wherein means is provided in communication device to save contact information in contact list.

16. The method claim 13 wherein means is provided in communication device to save link attached to contact information.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein link in communication device is activated when corresponding contact information is displayed on communication device.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein link in communication device is activated when corresponding contact information is retrieved from contact list of communication device.

19. The method of advertising of claim 13 wherein means is provided to transmit active link from communication device to server containing advertisement corresponding to active link.

20. The method of advertising of claim 19 wherein means is provided in server to retrieve advertisement in response to query by corresponding active link.

21. The method of advertising of claim 20 wherein means is provided to transmit advertisement retrieved in response to query from corresponding active link from server to communication device where active link originated.

22. The method of advertising of claim 21 wherein means is provided in communication device to pair advertisement received from server with corresponding contact information saved in communication device.

23. The method claim 22 wherein means is provided in communication device to save advertisement received from server.

24. The method of advertising of claim 13 wherein advertisement is displayed on communication device when corresponding contact information is displayed on communication device.

25. The method of advertising of claim 13 wherein advertisement is displayed on communication device when corresponding contact information is retrieved from contact list of communication device.