Method and system for number indexing for advertising

• US 20070130030A1
• Filed: 12/08/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blake Bookstaff
• Original Assignee: Blake Bookstaff
• Inventors: Bookstaff, Blake
• Granted Patent: US 8,130,928 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• 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 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
• 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 2215/62 Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900

Abstract

A method and system for number indexing for advertising. Alphanumeric identifiers (e.g., telephone number, voice-over-Internet Protocol identifier, an Internet Protocol identifier, an instant message identifier or an e-mail address identifier) are used to categorize and associate pre-determined advertising with the alphanumeric identifiers. When the alphanumeric identifier is received on a communications network, the pre-determined advertising associated with the alphanumeric identifier is sent to a target device.

Claims

1. A method for automatically indexing alphanumeric identifiers, comprising:

receiving a plurality of alphanumeric identifiers on a source network device via a communications network;

categorizing the plurality of alphanumeric identifiers into a plurality of pre-determined advertising categories;

storing the categorized plurality of alphanumeric identifiers in a database associated with the source network device; and

associating a plurality of pre-determined advertisements with the plurality of categorized alphanumeric identifiers stored in the database.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising a computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing one or more processors to execute the steps of the method.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving a plurality of alphanumeric identifiers includes receiving a bulk transfer of the plurality of alphanumeric identifiers before any individual alphanumeric identifiers are received on the communications network.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving a plurality of alphanumeric identifiers includes dynamically receiving the plurality of alphanumeric identifiers as they are received on the communications network.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the alphanumeric identifier includes a telephone number, voice-over-Internet Protocol identifier, an Internet Protocol identifier, an instant message identifier, an e-mail address identifier or a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of pre-determined advertising categories includes pre-determined advertising categories for goods, services, public service announcements or political advertisements.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the pre-determined advertisement includes a recorded audio, video, graphical, electronic text advertisement or combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the associating step includes associating a plurality of pre-determined advertisements with the plurality of categorized alphanumeric identifiers stored in the database based on advertising purchased by one advertiser.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the associating step includes associating a plurality of pre-determined advertisements with the plurality of categorized alphanumeric identifiers stored in the database based on advertising purchased by a plurality of advertisers.

10. A method for automatically indexing alphanumeric identifiers, comprising:

receiving an alphanumeric identifier from a target network device on a source network device via a communications network;

determining an advertising category being queried by the alphanumeric identifier using a database associated with the source network device;

retrieving a pre-determined advertisement for the advertising category from the database;

sending a message to the target device, wherein the message allows the target device to receive information based on the alphanumeric identifier or receive the pre-determined advertisement instead.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising a computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing one or more processors to execute the steps of the method.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the alphanumeric identifier includes a telephone number, voice-over-Internet Protocol identifier, an Internet Protocol identifier, an instant message identifier, an e-mail address identifier or a combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of pre-determined advertising categories includes pre-determined advertising categories for goods, services, public service announcements or political advertisements.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the pre-determined advertisement includes a recorded audio, video, graphical, electronic text advertisement or combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the retrieving step includes retrieving a pre-determined advertisement based on advertising purchased by one advertiser.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the retrieving step includes retrieving a pre-determined advertisement based on advertising purchased by a plurality of advertisers.

17. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

generating a pre-determined print advertisement; and

sending the pre-determined print advertisement to a subscriber associated with the alpha numeric identifier.

18. An advertising indexing system, comprising in combination:

means for receiving a plurality of alphanumeric identifiers on a source network device via a communications network, for categorizing the plurality of alphanumeric identifiers into a plurality of pre-determined advertising categories, for storing the categorized plurality of alphanumeric identifiers in a database associated with the source network device, and for associating a plurality of pre-determined advertisements with the plurality of categorized alphanumeric identifiers stored in the database; and

means for receiving an alphanumeric identifier from a target network device on a source network device via a communications network, for determining an advertising category being queried by the alphanumeric identifier using a database associated with the source network device, for retrieving a pre-determined advertisement for the advertising category from the database, and for sending a message to the target device, wherein the message allows the target device to receive information based on the alphanumeric identifier or receive the pre-determined advertisement instead.

19. system of claim 18 wherein the alphanumeric identifier includes a telephone number, voice-over-Internet Protocol identifier, an Internet Protocol identifier, an instant message identifier, an e-mail address identifier or a combination thereof.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the plurality of pre-determined advertising categories includes pre-determined advertising categories for goods, services, public service announcements or political advertisements.