SYSTEM & METHOD FOR TELEPHONE CONFERENCE BASED COMMUNICATION, ENTERTAINMENT AND ADVERTISING PLATFORM WITH ACCOUNTING FUNCTIONALITY

• US 20090113316A1
• Filed: 02/11/2008
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joseph Palermo
• Original Assignee: Joseph Palermo
• Inventors: Palermo, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 8,239,454 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/758
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1086 session scope modification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• 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 3/42017 Customized ring-back tones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/962 Operator interface for marketing or sales
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/971 Cooperative decision support systems for group of users

Abstract

This invention enables people from the at-home viewing or listening audience of any television or radio broadcast to talk with each other to discuss the program'"'"'s content on the telephone at any time before, during or after a show. In addition to discussion forums based on broadcast and print media content, the system provides premium priced telephone access to people with specific expertise, e.g., sports stars, politicians and a host of other specialists. Income is earned on a per-minute or flat-rate basis and billed to the caller primarily via credit card or their phone bill. Revenue can be derived from the sale of advertisement, e.g., mentions of the sponsor over the telephone during the initial greeting and within conferences, as well as from the licensing of the service to media networks as a value added service.

Claims

1. A method for providing a chat room service over at least one network, the method comprising the steps of:

sending a message inviting a recipient of a media presentation to enter a chat room;

receiving a response to the invitation from a recipient;

providing the recipient a menu of chat rooms of selectable events;

limiting the number of recipients that can be switched into a chat room for a selected event as active recipients; and

setting up a second chat room for a selected event when the number of recipients in the chat room reaches a defined limit.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the message inviting the recipient is via TV, radio or print media.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the provider of the chat room service determines which recipient goes into the second room.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein communication in said chat room is via one of voice and characters.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said at least one network is a telephone network, the internet, a LAN, a WAN or a network from a specialized service provider.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said menu of selectable events comprises one of distance learning and culture types of discussion, and making contact with another having a common interest.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein there is an auction so that entry of a limited number of active participants into the chat room will depend on how much they are willing to bid for the privilege

8. A method for providing a chat room service over at least one network, the method comprising the steps of;

sending a message inviting a recipient of a program being transmitted via RF signals to enter a chat room;

receiving a response to the invitation from a recipient;

providing the recipient a menu of chat rooms with different topics;

switching the recipient to a chat room of the selected topic;

charging a sponsor a fee for sponsoring the chat room service.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the number of participants in the chat room is limited.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the number of participants in the chat room is determined by participants already in the chat room.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the ongoing broadcast content is streamed into the conferences while the participants listen in on the chat room discussions related to that content.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of:

sending an advertising message by the sponsor to the recipient about a product or service other than the chat room service, subsequent to the response to the invitation.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said message is sent at least once to a recipient.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said message is sent as the recipient is being switched into the chat room.

15. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of:

sending a message by the sponsor to the recipient responding to the invitation to enter a chat room upon receiving a response to the invitation from a recipient.

16. A method for providing a chat room service over at least one network, the method comprising the steps of;

sending a message inviting a recipient of a program being transmitted via RF signals to enter a chat room;

receiving a response to the invitation from a recipient;

providing the recipient a menu of chat rooms with different topics;

switching the recipient to a chat room with the selected topic;

identifying the point of view of a recipient about an issue within the topic prior to switching the recipient into a chat room for the selected topic where the subject matter being discussed relates to a debatable issue.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of:

selecting a recipient to be switched into a chat according to the recipient'"'"'s view about an issue.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of:

switching recipients into the chat room according to their views about an issue to provide a chat room where the views of the recipients are as balanced as possible.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of:

charging the recipient a fee for entering the chat room of the event selected.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein charges to the recipient are added to the bill sent by the network used by the recipient.

21. A method for providing a chat room service over at least one network, the method comprising the steps of;

sending a message inviting a recipient to enter a chat room with an expert on a particular topic;

receiving a response to the invitation from a recipient;

providing a chat room with said expert; and

switching the recipient to said chat room with said expert.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein there is an auction so that entry of a limited number of active participants into the chat room will depend on how much they are willing to bid for the privilege

23. The method of claim 21 wherein said chat room is moderated by said expert.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the recipient is charged a fee for participating in said chat room with an expert.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein at least a portion of the fee for said chat room with said expert is paid by the network.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the expert receives a fee.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the fee received by the expert is fixed.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the fee received by the expert is not fixed.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein a part of the profit from said chat room with said expert is shared with said expert.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein the expert is proficient in at least one area such as sports, politics, medicine, science and the like.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the expert is a special participant such as a celebrity in sports or entertainment.

32. A method for providing a chat room service over at least one network, the method comprising the steps of;

sending a message inviting a recipient to enter a chat room;

receiving a response to the invitation from a recipient;

determining if the response is from a recipient know to the service;

providing the recipient a menu of chat rooms of selectable events;

limiting the number of recipients that can be switched into a chat room for a selected event as active recipients;

setting up a second chat room for a selected event when the number of recipients in the chat room reaches a defined limit; and

switching a recipient to a chat room of the event selected which has not reached the defined limit.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein, subsequent to entering a chat room, an invitation is extended to enter a chat room offered only to recipients of the chat room.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein communication in said chat room is via voice or characters.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein said at least one network is a telephone network, the internet, LAN, WAN and a network operated by a specialized service provider.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein said menu of selectable events comprises distance learning, culture types of home discussion and communication with at least one other with a common interest.

37. The method of claim 32 wherein the recipient receives a program transmitted via RF signals, and the invitation is transmitted by said RF signals.

38. The method of claim 32 wherein the recipient receives a printed publication and the invitation is transmitted by said printed publication or RF signals.

39. A method for providing a chat room service over at least one network, the method comprising the steps of;

sending a message inviting a recipient to enter a chat room;

receiving a response to the invitation from a recipient;

determining if the response is from a recipient known to the service;

providing the registered recipient a menu of chat rooms of selectable events;

inviting a recipient to become a registered recipient;

limiting the number of recipients that can be switched into a chat room for a selected event as active recipients to those recipients who are registered recipients;

setting up a second chat room for a selected event when the number of recipients in the chat room reaches a defined limit; and

switching a recipient to a chat room of the event selected which has not reached the defined limit; and

charging a fee for the chat room service of the event selected to a sponsor.

40. The method of claim 39 further comprising the step of sending an advertising message by the sponsor to the recipient about a product or service other than the chat room service, subsequent to being switched into a chat room.

43. The method of claim 39 further comprising the step of:

sending a message by the sponsor to the recipient responding to the invitation to enter a chat room upon receiving a response to the invitation from a recipient.

41. The method of claim 41 wherein said message is sent at least once to a recipient.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein said message is sent as the recipient is being switched into the chat room.

44. A method for providing a chat room service over at least one network, the method comprising the steps of;

sending a message inviting a recipient to enter a chat room;

receiving a response to the invitation from a recipient;

determining if the response is a registered recipient;

providing the registered recipient a menu of chat rooms of selectable issues;

limiting the number of recipients that can be switched into a chat room for a selected issue as active recipients;

setting up a second chat room for a selected event when the number of recipients in the chat room reaches a defined limit;

identifying the point of view of a recipient about an issue prior to switching the recipient into a chat room of the event selected where the subject matter being discussed may be controversial;

switching the recipient to a chat room of the event selected which has not reached the defined limit; and

charging a fee for the chat room of the event selected to a sponsor.

45. The method of claim 44 further comprising the step of:

selecting a recipient to be switched into the chat room according to the recipient'"'"'s point of view.

46. The method of claim 45 further comprising the step of:

switching recipients of different points of view into the chat room to populate the chat room with recipients having views as balanced as possible between those of different views.

47. The method of claim 44 wherein at least a portion of the charges to the recipient are subsidized.

48. The method of claim 44 wherein the charges to the recipient are added to the bill from the network used by the recipient.

49. A method for providing a chat room service over at least one network, the method comprising the steps of;

sending a message inviting a recipient to enter a chat room with an expert person;

receiving a response to the invitation from a recipient;

determining if the recipient is known to the service;

limiting the number of recipients that can be switched into the chat room;

setting up a second chat room when the number of recipients in the chat room reaches a defined limit;

identifying the point of view of a recipient on an issue being discussed in the chat room prior to switching the recipient into the chat room where the subject matter being discussed relates to an issue which may be controversial;

switching a recipient to a chat room which has not reached the defined limit; and

charging at least a fee the chat room for the event selected to a sponsor.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein the recipient is charged a fee for participating in said chat room with an expert.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein at least a portion of the cost to the recipient for participating in said chat room with an expert person is paid by another.

52. The method of claim 50 wherein the expert receives a fee.

53. The method of claim 50 wherein the fee received by the expert is fixed.

54. The method of claim 50 wherein the fee received by the expert is not fixed.

55. The method of claim 50 wherein a part of the profit from said event is shared with the expert.

56. The method of claim 50 wherein the expert is knowledgeable in at least one area such as sports, politics, medicine, science and the like.

57. The method of claim 50 wherein the expert is a celebrity in sports or entertainment.