METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR OFFLINE SELECTION OF PAY-PER-CALL ADVERTISERS VIA VISUAL ADVERTISEMENTS

• US 20070121845A1
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: YellowPages.com LLC (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Original Assignee: UTBK, Inc.
• Inventors: Van Der Linden, Sean, Altberg, Ebbe, Faber, Scott, Hirson, Ron
• Application Number:
  US11/536,624
• Publication Number:
  US 20070121845A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/114.130
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0192 Sponsored, subsidised calls via advertising, e.g. calling cards with ads or connecting to special ads, free calling time by purchasing goods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/66 Third party billing, i.e. third party can also be the predetermined telephone line of the caller if he is calling from another telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses to connect telephone calls and track information about the telephone calls resulting from advertisements for groups of advertisers. In one embodiment, a method includes: a telephone-based directory receiving a telephone call from a mobile device; and providing an advertisement of a visual form to the mobile device in response to the telephone call, the advertisement to include a communication reference to be used by the mobile device to communicate with an advertiser; where the advertiser is to be billed for the advertisement in response to an initiation of a communication between the mobile device and the advertiser via the communication reference.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

a telephone-based directory receiving a telephone call from a mobile device; and

providing an advertisement of a visual form to the mobile device in response to the telephone call, the advertisement to include a communication reference to be used by the mobile device to communicate with an advertiser;

wherein the advertiser is to be billed for the advertisement in response to an initiation of a communication between the mobile device and the advertiser via the communication reference.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication between the mobile device and the advertiser comprises telephonic voice conversation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the telephone call comprises a query;

and said providing the advertisement comprises providing the advertisement in response to the query.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the query is received in voice.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the query is received via a human concierge or an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing the advertisement comprises providing the advertisement via Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) or Short Message Service (SMS).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing the advertisement comprises providing the advertisement via text.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input to request a communication link via the communication reference; and

establishing a communication link between the mobile device and the advertiser in response to the input.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said receiving the input to request a communication link comprises receiving an audio input from the mobile device to request a communication link.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said receiving the input to request a communication link comprises receiving digital data from the mobile device to request a communication link.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the digital data comprises at least a text message, a web request, or a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP).

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication reference includes a telephone number corresponding to the advertiser.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the communication reference identifies at least the advertiser or the telephone-based directory.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device comprises a wireless mobile phone.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing the advertisement to the mobile device comprises:

providing the advertisement to the mobile device via a same communication link used for the telephone call received at the telephone-based directory.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing the advertisement to the mobile device comprises:

providing the advertisement to the mobile device via a communication link separate from a communication link used for the telephone call received at the telephone-based directory.

17. A method, comprising:

receiving a query in a telephone call; and

providing an advertisement of a visual form via a wireless media to a receiving device in response to the query, the advertisement to include a communication reference to be used by the receiving device to communicate with an advertiser;

wherein the advertiser is to be billed for the advertisement in response to an initiation of a communication between the receiving device and the advertiser via the communication reference.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the communication between the receiving device and the advertiser is at least partially via Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

19. A method, comprising:

receiving a telephone call from a mobile phone; and

providing content information in a visual format to the mobile phone in response to the telephone call, the content information including a communication reference to be used by the mobile device to communicate with a third party;

wherein the third party is to be billed for the providing of the content information in response to an initiation of a communication between the mobile device and the third party via the communication reference.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the content information comprises an advertisement;

and the third party comprises an advertiser of the advertisement.