SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO CONVERT A CALL GENERATED FROM AN ADVERTISEMENT

• US 20070162334A1
• Filed: 08/24/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thryv, Inc. (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Original Assignee: UTBK, Inc.
• Inventors: HIRSON, Ron, FABER, Scott, ALTBERG, Ebbe, VAN DER LINDEN, Sean
• Granted Patent: US 9,183,559 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.680
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0244 Optimization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0272 Period of advertisement exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0274 Split fees
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/12 Discriminative metering , charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/14 according to class of calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/18 according to duration of the call , or the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/26 with a meter or performing charging or billing at the exchange controlled by an operator
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/30 the meter or calculation of charges not being controlled from an exchange

Abstract

Methods and systems for converting a call generated from an advertisement. One embodiment includes: establishing a real time communication connection between a first entity and a second entity via a communication reference embedded in an advertisement that is presented on behalf of the second entity; billing the second entity for the advertisement in response to the communication connection being established via the communication reference; monitoring the communication connection between the first entity and the second entity to detect a pre-defined indication; and charging the first entity, on behalf of the second entity, for communications with the second entity over the communication connection in response to a detected occurrence of the pre-defined indication.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

establishing a real time communication connection between a first entity and a second entity via a communication reference embedded in an advertisement that is presented on behalf of the second entity;

billing the second entity for the advertisement in response to the communication connection being established via the communication reference;

monitoring the communication connection between the first entity and the second entity to detect a pre-defined indication; and

charging the first entity, on behalf of the second entity, for communications with the second entity over the communication connection in response to a detected occurrence of the pre-defined indication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first entity is not charged a fee for the communication connection between the first entity and the second entity before the detected occurrence of the pre-defined indication.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing the real time communication connection comprises establishing the real time communication connection without the first entity revealing an identity of the first entity.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

authenticating the first entity to continue the communication connection for communications with the second entity.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein after the detected occurrence, the first entity is charged a fee based on a time duration starting from the detected occurrence.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein after the detected occurrence, the first entity is charged a fee for a pre-determined amount of communication time with the second entity.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the real time communication connection is for communications in at least one of text, voice, image, audio, and video.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the real time communication connection comprises a telephone connection.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-defined indication includes one or more signals generated according to pressing at least one key of a phone.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one key includes a # key or a * key.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more signals includes a Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) signal.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said monitoring comprises detecting the one or more signals from the first entity;

and the fee is charged to the first entity.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

detecting signals indicating a fee the first entity is to be charged, after the detected occurrence of the pre-defined indication.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing a first voice prompt to the first entity to accept the fee to continue the connection between the first entity and the second entity.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first voice prompt is not provided to the second entity.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-defined indication includes one of a message received in response to a user input in a graphical user interface, a voice command, and a video signal.

17. The method of claim 1, the pre-defined indication includes expiration of a time period,

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the first connection and the second connection are initiated through a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one of the first connection and the second connection is partially over a packet switched network and partially over a circuit switched network.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning the communication reference to the second entity for inclusion in the advertisement.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the communication reference comprises a telephonic contact of a server.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

stopping charging the first entity for communication time over the communication connection in response to a detected occurrence of a pre-defined indication.

23. A machine readable media embodying instructions, the instructions causing a machine to perform a method, the method comprising:

establishing a real time communication connection between a first entity and a second entity via a communication reference embedded in an advertisement that is presented on behalf of the second entity;

billing the second entity for the advertisement in response to the communication connection being established via the communication reference;

monitoring the communication connection between the first entity and the second entity to detect a pre-defined indication; and

charging the first entity, on behalf of the second entity, for communications with the second entity over the communication connection in response to a detected occurrence of the pre-defined indication.

24. A data processing system, comprising:

means for establishing a real time communication connection between a first entity and a second entity via a communication reference embedded in an advertisement that is presented on behalf of the second entity;

means for billing the second entity for the advertisement in response to the communication connection being established via the communication reference;

means for monitoring the communication connection between the first entity and the second entity to detect a pre-defined indication; and

means for charging the first entity, on behalf of the second entity, for communications with the second entity over the communication connection in response to a detected occurrence of the pre-defined indication.