MOBILE CONTEXTUAL SMS ADVERTISING

• US 20080311934A1
• Filed: 06/14/2007
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Soderstrom, Gustav
• Granted Patent: US 9,430,772 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication

Abstract

A mobile device, system, and method are directed towards employing a social SMS question and response interaction to identify and provide an advertisement to questioner, along with the response. In one embodiment, the questioner may register for discounts to the SMS server in return for receiving advertisements. As the questioner sends a question to another user, the question may be intercepted and a copy stored. When the other user provides a response to the question, the response may be intercepted and used to socially refine the question. The refined question may then be used to select a contextual advertisement sent with the response. In one embodiment, the questioner may receive a discount for receiving the contextual advertisement.

Claims

1. A mobile device that is operative to provide an advertisement to a mobile device, comprising:

a memory component for storing data; and

a processing component for executing data that enables actions, including;

sending a text message to another computing device, wherein the text message includes at least one question;

receiving a text response to the question from a user of the other computing device, along with link information to a contextual advertisement, wherein the contextual advertisement is automatically selected by an intermediate computing device based, in part, on refining the question based on analysis of the response with the question, and searching for an advertisement using the refined question.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the question is detected based on analysis of the sent text message for at least one of a keyword, or a defined symbol.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein refining the question further comprises:

searching the test response for at least one keyword;

searching the question for at least one other keyword; and

combining the at least one keyword with the at least one other keyword to refine the question.

4. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein a user associated with the mobile device is provided compensation for at least one of receiving the contextual advertisement, or selecting the contextual advertisement.

5. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the text message and text response is communicated using at least one of Short Message Service (SMS), Instant Messaging (IM), Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), or an Enhanced Message Service (EMS) messaging protocols.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the link information further comprises at least one of a WAP link or an instruction indicating how to access the contextual advertisement.

7. A processor readable medium that includes instructions, wherein the execution of the instructions within a processor provides access to an advertisement on a mobile device by enabling actions, including:

receiving a text message from a user of the mobile device;

examining the received text message to detect a question to another user of another mobile device; and

when a question is detected;

monitoring for a response text message;

when the response text message is received, employing the response text message to refine the question;

employing the refined question to search for a contextual advertisement;

modifying the response text message to include link information to the contextual advertisement; and

providing the modified response text message to the user of the mobile device.

8. The processor readable medium of claim 7, wherein employing the response text message to refine the question further comprises:

extracting at least one keyword from the response text message;

modifying the question to include the at least one extracted keyword to generate the refined question.

9. The processor readable medium of claim 7, wherein examining the received text message to detect a question further comprises, searching the received text message for at least one of question mark, or a question-oriented keyword.

10. The processor readable medium of claim 7, wherein execution of the instructions enable further actions, including:

providing compensation to the user of the mobile device based on at least one of receipt of the contextual advertisement, or selection of the contextual advertisement by the user.

11. The processor readable medium of claim 7, wherein the text message and the response text message employ Short Message Service (SMS).

12. A network device to manage a display of an advertisement at a mobile device, comprising:

a transceiver to send and receive data over the network; and

a processor that is operative to perform actions, including;

receiving a text message from a user of the mobile device to another user of another computing device;

when a question is detected within the received text message;

receiving a response text message;

refining the detected question by combining at least a portion of the response text message with at least a portion of the detected question;

employing the refined question to select a contextual advertisement;

modifying the response text message to include link information to the contextual advertisement; and

providing the modified response text message to the user of the mobile device.

13. The network device of claim 12, wherein detecting a question comprises analyzing the received text message for at least one of a defined symbol, or a question-oriented keyword.

14. The network device of claim 12, wherein refining the detected question further comprises:

selecting at least one keyword from the response text message;

selecting at least one keyword from the detected question; and

combining the at least one selected keyword from the response with the at least one selected keyword from detected question to refine the detected question.

15. The network device of claim 12, wherein the contextual advertisement further comprises a sponsored advertisement.

16. The network device of claim 12, wherein the link information further comprises at least one of a hyperlink, a phone number, or a text instruction indicating how to access the contextual advertisement.

17. A method of managing a display of an advertisement on a client device over a network, comprising:

receiving an Short Message Service (SMS) message over the network from the client device;

analyzing the SMS message to detect a question to another client device;

when a question is detected within the received SMS message;

intercepting a response SMS from a user of the other client device;

refining the detected question by combining at least a portion of the response SMS message with at least a portion of the detected question;

employing the refined question to select a contextual advertisement;

modifying the response SMS message to include link information to the contextual advertisement; and

providing the modified response SMS message to the mobile device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein analyzing the SMS message further comprises:

analyzing the SMS message using heuristics to detect at least one of a question-oriented phrase, or question-oriented keyword.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein refining the detected question further comprises employing a social context of the response to modify the detected question.

20. A modulated data signal configured to include program instructions for performing the method of claim 17.