Advertising substitution payment system

• US 20080235332A1
• Filed: 03/21/2008
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Venture Capital And Consulting Group LLP
• Original Assignee: Venture Capital And Consulting Group LLP
• Inventors: McClain, Thomas P., McChesney, Jeffrey A.
• Application Number:
  US12/077,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20080235332A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks

Abstract

There is provided a method that includes sending information to a first device, receiving a confirmation that a user of the first device acknowledged receipt of the information, and facilitating a communication between the first device and a second device via a peer-to-peer network in return for the confirmation.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending information to a first device;

receiving a confirmation that a user of said first device acknowledged receipt of said information; and

facilitating a communication between said first device and a second device via a peer-to-peer network, in return for said confirmation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said second device is external to said peer-to-peer network.

3. The method of claim 2,

wherein said communication comprises a telephone call, and

wherein said facilitating comprises facilitating a connection for said telephone call.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said connection comprises a path through a public switch telephone network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said information comprises an advertisement.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising, prior to said sending:

receiving, from said first device, a message that indicates a user of said first device has consented to receive an advertisement,

wherein said sending is performed in response to said request, and

wherein said information comprises said advertisement.

7. The method of claim 3,

wherein said telephone call involves a called telephone, and

wherein said method further comprises sending an advertisement to said called telephone.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein said communication was in progress prior to said sending, and

wherein said method further comprises, prior to said sending:

interrupting said communication;

sending, to said first device, an inquiry as to whether said user is willing to receive an advertisement in exchange for said facilitating said communication; and

receiving a response to said inquiry indicating that said user has consented to receive said advertisement,

wherein said information comprises said advertisement.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said facilitating comprises:

crediting an account, and

debiting said account when said communication is conducted.

10. A method comprising:

presenting information via a user interface of a first device;

receiving a confirmation that a user of said first device received said information; and

facilitating a communication between said first device and a second device via a peer-to-peer network, in return for said confirmation.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said second device is external to said peer-to-peer network.

12. The method of claim 11,

wherein said communication comprises a telephone call, and

wherein said facilitating comprises facilitating a connection for said telephone call.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said connection comprises a path through a public switch telephone network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said information comprises an advertisement.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising, prior to said presenting:

receiving a prompt indicating that said user has consented to receive an advertisement,

wherein said presenting is performed in response to said request, and

wherein said information comprises an advertisement.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said prompt is generated by an input from said user.

17. The method of claim 12,

wherein said telephone call involves a called telephone, and

wherein said method further comprises sending an advertisement to said called telephone.

18. The method of claim 10,

wherein said communication was in progress prior to said presenting, and

wherein said method further comprises, prior to said presenting:

interrupting said communication;

presenting, via said user interface, an inquiry as to whether said user is willing to receive an advertisement in exchange for said facilitating said communication; and

receiving a response to said inquiry indicating that said user has consented to receive said advertisement,

wherein said information comprises said advertisement.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein said facilitating comprises:

crediting an account, and

debiting said account when said communication is conducted.

20. A system comprising a module that performs a method that includes:

sending information to a first device;

receiving a confirmation that a user of said first device acknowledged receipt of said information; and

facilitating a communication between said first device and a second device via a peer-to-peer network, in return for said confirmation.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said second device is external to said peer-to-peer network.

22. The system of claim 21,

wherein said communication comprises a telephone call, and

wherein said facilitating comprises facilitating a connection for said telephone call.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said connection comprises a path through a public switch telephone network.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said information comprises an advertisement.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein said method further includes, prior to said sending:

receiving, from said first device, a message that indicates a user of said first device has consented to receive an advertisement,

wherein said sending is performed in response to said request, and

wherein said information comprises said advertisement.

26. The system of claim 22,

wherein said telephone call involves a called telephone, and

wherein said method further includes sending an advertisement to said called telephone.

27. The system of claim 20,

wherein said communication was in progress prior to said sending, and

wherein said method further includes, prior to said sending:

interrupting said communication;

sending, to said first device, an inquiry as to whether said user is willing to receive an advertisement in exchange for said facilitating said communication; and

receiving a response to said inquiry indicating that said user has consented to receive said advertisement,

wherein said information comprises said advertisement.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein said facilitating comprises:

crediting an account, and

debiting said account when said communication is conducted.

29. A system comprising a module that performs a method that includes:

presenting information via a user interface of a first device;

receiving a confirmation that a user of said first device received said information; and

facilitating a communication between said first device and a second device via a peer-to-peer network, in return for said confirmation.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said second device is external to said peer-to-peer network.

31. The system of claim 30,

wherein said communication comprises a telephone call, and

wherein said facilitating comprises facilitating a connection for said telephone call.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said connection comprises a path through a public switch telephone network.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said information comprises an advertisement.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein said method further includes, prior to said presenting:

receiving a prompt indicating that said user has consented to receive an advertisement,

wherein said presenting is performed in response to said request, and

wherein said information comprises an advertisement.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein said prompt is generated by an input from said user.

36. The system of claim 31,

wherein said telephone call involves a called telephone, and

wherein said method further includes sending an advertisement to said called telephone.

37. The system of claim 29,

wherein said communication was in progress prior to said presenting, and

wherein said method further includes, prior to said presenting:

interrupting said communication;

presenting, via said user interface, an inquiry as to whether said user is willing to receive an advertisement in exchange for said facilitating said communication; and

receiving a response to said inquiry indicating that said user has consented to receive said advertisement,

wherein said information comprises said advertisement.

38. The system of claim 29, wherein said facilitating comprises:

crediting an account, and

debiting said account when said communication is conducted.

40. The storage medium of claim 29, wherein said second device is external to said peer-to-peer network.

41. The storage medium of claim 40,

wherein said communication comprises a telephone call, and

wherein said facilitating comprises facilitating a connection for said telephone call.

42. The storage medium of claim 41, wherein said connection comprises a path through a public switch telephone network.

43. The storage medium of claim 42, wherein said information comprises an advertisement.

44. The storage medium of claim 42, wherein said method further includes, prior to said sending:

receiving, from said first device, a message that indicates a user of said first device has consented to receive an advertisement,

wherein said sending is performed in response to said request, and

wherein said information comprises said advertisement.

45. The storage medium of claim 41,

wherein said telephone call involves a called telephone, and

wherein said method further includes sending an advertisement to said called telephone.

39. A storage medium comprising a program encoded thereon that is executable in a processor to perform a method that includes:

sending information to a first device;

receiving a confirmation that a user of said first device acknowledged receipt of said information; and

facilitating a communication between said first device and a second device via a peer-to-peer network, in return for said confirmation.

46. The storage medium of claim 39,

wherein said communication was in progress prior to said sending, and

wherein said method further includes, prior to said sending:

interrupting said communication;

sending, to said first device, an inquiry as to whether said user is willing to receive an advertisement in exchange for said facilitating said communication; and

receiving a response to said inquiry indicating that said user has consented to receive said advertisement,

wherein said information comprises said advertisement.

47. The storage medium of claim 39, wherein said facilitating comprises:

crediting an account, and

debiting said account when said communication is conducted.

48. A storage medium comprising a program encoded thereon that is executable in a processor to perform a method that includes:

presenting information via a user interface of a first device;

receiving a confirmation that a user of said first device received said information; and

facilitating a communication between said first device and a second device via a peer-to-peer network, in return for said confirmation.

49. The storage medium of claim 48, wherein said second device is external to said peer-to-peer network.

50. The storage medium of claim 49,

wherein said communication comprises a telephone call, and

wherein said facilitating comprises facilitating a connection for said telephone call.

51. The storage medium of claim 50, wherein said connection comprises a path through a public switch telephone network.

52. The storage medium of claim 51, wherein said information comprises an advertisement.

53. The storage medium of claim 51, wherein said method further includes, prior to said presenting:

receiving a prompt indicating that said user has consented to receive an advertisement,

wherein said presenting is performed in response to said request, and

wherein said information comprises an advertisement.

54. The storage medium of claim 53, wherein said prompt is generated by an input from said user.

55. The storage medium of claim 50,

wherein said telephone call involves a called telephone, and

wherein said method further includes sending an advertisement to said called telephone.

56. The storage medium of claim 48,

wherein said communication was in progress prior to said presenting, and

wherein said method further includes, prior to said presenting:

interrupting said communication;

presenting, via said user interface, an inquiry as to whether said user is willing to receive an advertisement in exchange for said facilitating said communication; and

receiving a response to said inquiry indicating that said user has consented to receive said advertisement,

wherein said information comprises said advertisement.

57. The storage medium of claim 48, wherein said facilitating comprises:

crediting an account, and

debiting said account when said communication is conducted.