COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SERVING ELECTRONIC CONTENT

• US 20090157658A1
• Filed: 06/18/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bonev
• Original Assignee: Smooth Productions Inc.
• Inventors: PALAHNUK, Samuel Louis, Bonev, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,965,787 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0252 based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/963 Calendar or scheduling

Abstract

A method and system for serving electronic content for placement in a user interface provided by an online service provider system is described. The system stores user data in a user database based on user interaction with the user interface and stores filters associated with the electronic content. The user data is compared to the filters associated with the electronic content and it is determined if the user data matches conditions of the filters. If a match is determined the electronic content is provided for presentation by the user interface.

Claims

1. A method of serving electronic content for placement in a user interface provided by an online service provider system, the method comprising:

storing user data in a user database based on user interaction with the user interface;

storing filters associated with the electronic content;

comparing the user data to the filters associated with the electronic content;

determining the user data matches a condition of the filters; and

serving the electronic content for presentation by the user interface.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein comparing the user data to the filters includes comparing user data to filters indicating conditions for one of who the user is, what the user is going to do, where the user is, and when a time occurs.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein comparing the user data to the filters includes comparing user data to filters indicating conditions for who the user is, what the user is going to do, where the user is, and when a time occurs.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein who the user is includes relationships of the user to other people.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein where the user is includes one of a mobile location, a destination, and a home location of the user.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein what the person is going to do includes an indication of a user activity, a user event, a category of product or service, a brand, a product or service name, and a stock keeping unit.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein when a time occurs includes an indication of one of a current time and a scheduled time.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein comparing the user data to the filters includes comparing an event stored in association with one of a user calendar, a user to-do list, and a user shopping list.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein where the user is includes an indication of weather conditions at a location associated with the user.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein determining the user data matches a condition of the filters includes determining the user data matches a condition of each filter where a condition associated with a filter that is left unspecified is determined to match the user data.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein serving the electronic content includes providing a graphical advertisement (Glad) for presentation by the user interface.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the graphical advertisement provides information indicating one of an incentive, a coupon, a value, a price, a discount, an offer, and a rebate associated with a product or a service.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising monitoring indications of an interaction of a user with the Glad and storing data about the interaction.

14. A system to serve electronic content for placement in an online user interface, the system comprising:

a database storing user data in a user database based on user interaction with the user interface;

a database storing filters associated with the electronic content; and

a processing device to compare the user data to the filters associated with the electronic content;

determine the user data matches a condition of the filters; and

to transmit the electronic content to the user interface for presentation to the user.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the processing device is configured to compare the user data to filters indicating conditions for one of who the user is, what the user is going to do, where the user is, and when a time occurs.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the processing device is configured to compare the user data to filters indicating conditions for who the user is, what the user is going to do, where the user is, and when a time occurs.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein who the user is includes relationships of the user to other people.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein where the user is includes one of a mobile location, a destination, and a home location of the user.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein what the person is going to do includes an indication of a user activity, a user event, a category of product or service, a brand, a product or service name, and a stock keeping unit.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein when a time occurs includes an indication of one of a current time and a scheduled time.

21. The system of claim 15 wherein the user data includes an event stored in association with one of a user calendar, a user to-do list, and a user shopping list.

22. The system of claim 14 wherein where the user is includes an indication of weather conditions at a location associated with the user.

23. The system of claim 16 wherein the processing device is configured to determine the user data matches a condition of each filter where the user data is determined to satisfy any filter condition that is left unspecified.

24. The system of claim 14 wherein the electronic content is a graphical advertisement (Glad) for presentation by the user interface.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the graphical advertisement provides information indicating one of an incentive, a coupon, a value, a price, a discount, an offer, and a rebate associated with a product or a service.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the processing device is configured to monitor indications of an interaction of a user with the Glad and store data about the interaction in a database.