Systems and methods for advertising

• US 20080221982A1
• Filed: 03/06/2007
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Instream Media Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Instream Media Incorporated
• Inventors: Bittman, Andrew Vincent, Harkins, Robin Michel
• Application Number:
  US11/714,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20080221982A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0249 based upon budgets or funds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods for selecting and placing advertisements via one or more advertising agents and/or advertising mediums. In one aspect of the present invention, the advertising agents are retail merchants who utilize a common card processing service and the advertisements are text, logos, coupons, or the like printed on the face of a card receipt. In another aspect, the rights to print such card receipt advertisements at particular retail advertising agent locations are auctioned to potential advertisers via an Internet-based auction system. Auctions may be segmented based upon criteria such as area code, zip code, industry of product to be advertised, amount of card charge for receipt upon which the advertisement shall be printed, etc. In another aspect, the Internet-based system transmits the winning advertisements to the retail merchants in the form of an advertisement data string appended to an authorization data string.

Claims

1. A system for placing advertisements provided by advertisers on at least a portion of receipts generated by at least one advertising agent comprising:

at least one advertiser interface for submission of said advertisements and placement information relating to placement of said advertisements;

at least one receipt printing machine for printing said receipts;

at least one advertisement data server in communication with said at least one advertiser interface, said at least one advertisement data server configured to receive advertising agent information, said at least one advertisement data server configured to receive said advertisements and said placement information, said at least one advertisement data server configured to match each of said advertisements with a specific one or more of said at least one advertising agent based upon said placement information and said advertising agent information; and

said advertisement data server configured to convert said advertisement to advertisement data; and

at least one card verification server in communication with said at least one advertisement data server and said at least one receipt printing machine, said at least one card verification server configured to receive proposed card transactions from said at least one receipt printing machine, said at least one card verification server configured to transmit an approval or a denial of said proposed card transactions to said at least one receipt printing machine, said at least one card verification server configured to communicate said approval or said denial to said advertisement data server prior to transmission of said approval or said denial to said at least one receipt printing machine for attachment of advertisement data to said transmission, and said at least one card verification server configured to transmit said advertisement data and said approval or said denial to said at least one receipt printing machine.

2. A system according to claim 1,

wherein said placement information includes at least one price to be paid by said advertiser for said placement;

and

wherein said price is at least one of the group consisting of a maximum per print price, a maximum budget per campaign, an average price to be paid for placement of consecutive ones of said advertisements, and combinations thereof.

3. A system according to claim 2,

wherein said at least one price is placed into at least one auction;

wherein said matching includes comparing each of said prices received from said advertisers to determine at least one of the group consisting of a winner, a runner-up, and combinations thereof; and

wherein at least one of the group consisting of a winner, a runner-up, and combinations thereof is awarded placement of said at least one advertisement with at least a portion of said at least one advertising agent.

4. A system according to claim 3,

wherein said at least one advertisement of a first of said runners-up is placed upon exhaustion of said placement of said at least one advertisement of said winner;

and

wherein said at least one advertisement of each subsequent one of said runners-up is placed upon exhaustion of said placement of said at least one advertisement of said previous one of said runners-up.

5. A system according to claim 3,

wherein said auction is a location auction;

and

wherein said price is placed into at least one of said location auctions based upon said placement information.

6. A system according to claim 3, wherein said placement is awarded for at least one of the group consisting of a quantity of said placements of said at least one advertisement, a time period, and combinations thereof.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein each of said at least one advertising agent consents to printing of said advertisements on said at least a portion of said receipts generated by said advertising agents in exchange for elimination or reduction of card processing fees.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein said advertising agent information includes at least one of the group consisting of a retail location of said advertising agent, an identification number of said advertising agent, gross card sales of said advertising agent, average card sales of said advertising agent, types of goods sold by said advertising agent, area code in which said advertising agent is located, zip code in which said advertising agent is located, an industry of said advertising agent, and combinations thereof.

9. A system according to claim 1,

wherein said advertisement data server reads proposed transaction data included in said approval or said denial received from said card verification server;

and

wherein said advertisement data server performs said matching based at least in part upon such proposed transaction data.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein said proposed transaction data includes at least one of the group consisting of a target charge amount, a date, an identification number of said advertising agent requesting said proposed transaction, an area code of said advertising agent requesting said proposed transaction, a zip code of said advertising agent requesting said proposed transaction, and combinations thereof.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein advertising agent information is retrieved automatically from said at least one card verification server by said at least one advertisement data server to perform at least one of the group consisting of adding a new one of said advertising agents to said advertisement data server, updating said advertising agent information in said advertisement data server for an existing one of said advertising agents, deleting advertising agent information in said advertisement data server for an inactive one of said advertising agents, deactivating advertising agent information in said advertisement data server for said inactive one of said advertising agents, and combinations thereof.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein advertising agent information is retrieved automatically by said advertisement data server from said approval or said denial whenever said advertising agent information varies from said advertising agent information in said advertisement data server.

13. A system according to claim 1 further comprising:

at least one database server for storage of at least one of the group consisting of said placement information, said advertising agent information, said advertisements, said advertisement data, and combinations thereof.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein advertising agent information is retrieved automatically from said at least one card verification server by said at least one database server to perform at least one of the group consisting of adding a new one of said advertising agents to said database server, updating said advertising agent information in said database server for an existing one of said advertising agents, deleting advertising agent information in said database server for an inactive one of said advertising agents, deactivating advertising agent information in said database server for said inactive one of said advertising agents, and combinations thereof.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein advertising agent information is retrieved automatically by said database server from said approval or said denial whenever said advertising agent information varies from said advertising agent information in said database server.

16. A system according to claim 1, wherein a first database of at least one of the group consisting of said advertisement data server, said database server, and combinations thereof and a second database of said card verification server are synchronized via replication.

17. A system according to claim 1,

wherein said approval and said denial are in the form of authorization data strings;

wherein said advertisement data is an advertisement data string; and

wherein said advertisement data string is inserted into the authorization data string prior to an end command.

18. A system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one advertiser interface, said at least one receipt printing machine, said at least one advertisement data server, and said at least one card verification server communicate via an Internet connection.

19. A system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one advertiser interface is at least one of the group consisting of a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, a cellular telephone, a wireless electronic mail device, an Internet-equipped television, an Internet-equipped radio, and combinations thereof.

20. A system according to claim 1, wherein said placement information is at least one of the group consisting of an area code in which said receipt is generated, a zip code in which said receipt is generated, an industry of a product in said at least one advertisement, a target charge amount, an average charge amount, a duration of said placement, correlation between said product in said at least one advertisement and advertising agent products sold by said advertising agents, an average age of purchaser, an average education level of purchaser, and combinations thereof.

21. A system according to claim 1, wherein said advertisement includes at least one marketing code.

22. A system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one advertisement data server stores at least one of the group consisting of advertisement placement information, advertising availability information, advertising agent information, said advertisements, and combinations thereof.

23. A system according to claim 1,

wherein said advertisement is tagged with an identifier;

and

wherein said identifier indicates at least a portion of said placement information.

24. A system according to claim 1, wherein said matching is performed by an advertisement placement engine in said advertisement data server.

25. A system according to claim 1, wherein said advertisement data facilitates printing of at least one of the group consisting of a high resolution graphic, a color graphic, and combinations thereof.

26. A system according to claim 1 further comprising:

tallying said attachment of said advertisement data to said transmission for recording at least one of the group consisting of a quantity of said advertisements printed on said receipts, said advertising agents responsible for printing said advertisements, a date of said printing of said advertisements, a time of said printing of said advertisements, a charge amount of said receipt upon which said advertisement is printed, and combinations thereof.

27. A method for placing advertisements provided by advertisers on at least a portion of an advertising medium generated by at least one advertising agent comprising the steps of:

receiving advertising agent information for each of said at least one advertising agent;

receiving said advertisements and placement information relating to placement of said advertisements from said advertisers;

receiving proposed transaction data;

matching each of said advertisements with at least one proposed transaction of said at least one advertising agent based upon said placement information, said advertising agent information, and said proposed transaction data; and

including said at least one advertisement matched to said proposed transaction on at least a portion of said advertising medium generated by said advertising agent for said proposed transaction.

28. A method according to claim 27,

wherein said advertising medium is a printed sales receipt;

and

wherein said including said at least one advertisement is printing said at least one advertisement on said advertising medium.

29. A method according to claim 27,

wherein said proposed transaction data is received in the form of an authorization data string;

and

wherein said including said at least one advertisement includes the sub-steps of;

inserting an advertisement data string in said authorization data string; and

transmitting said advertisement data string and said authorization data string to a receipt printing machine.

30. A method according to claim 27,

wherein said placement information includes at least one price to be paid by said advertiser for said placement;

and

wherein said price is at least one of the group consisting of a maximum per print price, a maximum budget per campaign, an average price to be paid for placement of consecutive ones of said advertisements, and combinations thereof.

31. A method according to claim 30,

wherein said at least one price is placed into at least one auction;

wherein said matching includes comparing each of said prices received from said advertisers to determine at least one of the group consisting of a winner, a runner-up, and combinations thereof; and

wherein at least one of the group consisting of a winner, a runner-up, and combinations thereof is awarded placement of said at least one advertisement with at least a portion of said at least one advertising agent.

32. A method according to claim 31,

wherein said at least one advertisement of a first of said runners-up is placed upon exhaustion of said placement of said at least one advertisement of said winner;

and

wherein said at least one advertisement of each subsequent one of said runners-up is placed upon exhaustion of said placement of said at least one advertisement of said previous one of said runners-up.

33. A method according to claim 31,

wherein said auction is a location auction;

and

wherein said price is placed into at least one of said location auctions based upon said placement information.

34. A method according to claim 31, wherein said placement is awarded for at least one of the group consisting of a quantity of said placements of said at least one advertisement, a time period, and combinations thereof.

35. A method according to claim 27, wherein each of said at least one advertising agent consents to said including of said at least one advertisement matched to said proposed transaction on at least a portion of said advertising medium generated by said advertising agent for elimination or reduction of card processing fees.

36. A method according to claim 27, wherein said advertising agent information includes at least one of the group consisting of a retail location of said advertising agent, an identification number of said advertising agent, gross card sales of said advertising agent, average card sales of said advertising agent, types of goods sold by said advertising agent, area code in which said advertising agent is located, zip code in which said advertising agent is located, an industry of said advertising agent, and combinations thereof.

37. A method according to claim 27, wherein said proposed transaction data includes at least one of the group consisting of a target charge amount, a date, an identification number of said advertising agent requesting said proposed transaction, an area code of said advertising agent requesting said proposed transaction, a zip code of said advertising agent requesting said proposed transaction, and combinations thereof.

38. A method according to claim 27, wherein said placement information is at least one of the group consisting of an area code in which said advertising medium is generated, a zip code in which said advertising medium is generated, an industry of a product in said at least one advertisement, a target charge amount, an average charge amount, a duration of said placement, correlation between said product in said at least one advertisement and advertising agent products sold by said advertising agents, an average age of purchaser, an average education level of purchaser, and combinations thereof.

39. A method according to claim 27, wherein said advertisement includes at least one marketing code.

40. A method according to claim 27,

wherein said advertisement is tagged with an identifier;

and

wherein said identifier indicates at least a portion of said placement information.

41. A method according to claim 29 further comprising:

tallying said inserting of said advertisement data string in said authorization data string for recording at least one of the group consisting of a quantity of said advertisements printed on said receipts, said advertising agents responsible for printing said advertisements, a date of said printing of said advertisements, a time of said printing of said advertisements, a charge amount of said receipt upon which said advertisement is printed, and combinations thereof.

42. A method according to claim 27, said advertising agent is a merchant.

43. A method according to claim 27 further comprising the step of:

receiving payment from said advertisers for said including of said at least one advertisement matched to said proposed transaction on at least a portion of said advertising medium generated by said advertising agent.

44. A method according to claim 45, wherein said payment minimizes or offsets the card processing fees paid by said at least one advertising agent to at least one card processing service provider.

45. A method according to claim 27, wherein said at least one advertising agent provides consent for including said at least one advertisement matched to said proposed transaction on said at least a portion of said advertising medium generated by said advertising agent for said proposed transaction in exchange for a reduction in fees to be paid by said at least one advertising agent for provision of services.

47. A method according to claim 47, wherein said advertising agent information is received from at least one provider of said services.

46. A method according to claim 47, wherein said services are card processing services.

48. A method for increasing a quantity of merchants subscribing to at least one service provided by a card processing service provider comprising the steps of:

receiving merchant information for each of said merchants, at least a portion of said merchant information including a consent to print advertisements provided by at least one advertiser on at least a portion of receipts printed by said merchant;

receiving said advertisements and placement information relating to placement of said advertisements from said advertisers;

receiving proposed transaction data;

matching each of said advertisements with at least one proposed transaction of said at least one merchant based upon said placement information, said merchant information, and said proposed transaction data;

forwarding said at least one advertisement matched to said proposed transaction to said merchant responsible for said proposed transaction for inclusion of said at least one advertisement on said at least a portion of said receipt printed for said proposed transaction by said merchant;

receiving payment from said at least one advertiser for inclusion of said at least one advertisement on said at least a portion of said receipt printed for said proposed transaction by said merchant; and

eliminating at least a portion of fees charged to said merchant for provision of said at least one service by paying said at least a portion of fees charged with said payment received from said at least one advertiser.

49. A system for placing advertisements provided by advertisers on at least a portion of receipts generated by at least one advertising agent comprising:

at least one advertiser interface for submission of said advertisements and placement information relating to placement of said advertisements;

at least one receipt printing machine for printing said receipts; and

at least one card verification server in communication with said at least one advertiser interface and said at least one receipt printing machine, said at least one card verification server configured to receive advertising agent information, said at least one card verification server configured to receive said advertisements and said placement information, said at least one card verification server configured to receive proposed card transactions from said at least one receipt printing machine, said at least one card verification server configured to transmit an approval or a denial of said proposed card transactions to said at least one receipt printing machine, said at least one card verification server configured to match each of said advertisements with a specific one or more of said proposed card transactions based upon said placement information and said advertising agent information; and

said card verification server configured to transmit each of said advertisements with said approval or said denial for said matched proposed transaction to said at least one receipt printing machine.