System and Method for Delivering Targeted Promotional Announcements Over a Communications Network

• US 20090180599A1
• Filed: 01/15/2008
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Branded Marketing LLC
• Original Assignee: Branded Marketing LLC
• Inventors: Lehmann, Jack, Jackowitz, Richard
• Application Number:
  US12/014,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20090180599A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/93.120
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
• 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 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages

Abstract

A method for delivering targeted promotional announcements comprising: associating a financial card account with a subscriber; receiving an instruction to connect a call from the subscriber to a called party; selecting a promotional announcement from a plurality of promotional announcements based on information derived from the financial card account; delivering the promotional announcement to the subscriber; and connecting the subscriber to the called party.

Claims

1. A method for delivering targeted promotional announcements comprising:

associating a financial card account with a subscriber;

receiving an instruction to connect a call from the subscriber to a called party, wherein the call is made from a mobile device associated with the subscriber;

selecting a promotional announcement from a plurality of promotional announcements based on information derived from the financial card account;

delivering the promotional announcement to the subscriber; and

connecting the subscriber to the called party.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising,

transferring a plurality of calling minutes to the subscriber.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising,

maintaining the connection between the subscriber and the called party if the plurality of calling minutes is greater than zero.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the promotional announcement includes audio.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the promotional announcement includes a text message.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the promotional announcement includes video.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the financial card account is an open system stored value account.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving an instruction includes identifying the subscriber based on a caller ID.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising,

debiting the financial card account if the connection has a duration that exceeds the plurality of calling minutes.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising,

subtracting time from the plurality of calling minutes while the connection is maintained;

and

maintaining the connection between the subscriber and the called party while the plurality of calling minutes is greater than zero.

11. A method for processing incoming calls comprising:

receiving an authorization to deliver a promotional announcement in connection with incoming calls directed to a subscriber;

receiving an instruction to connect a call to the subscriber from a non-subscriber, wherein the call is directed to a mobile device associated with the subscriber;

selecting a promotional announcement from a plurality of promotional announcements;

delivering the promotional announcement to the non-subscriber; and

connecting the non-subscriber to the subscriber.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising transferring a value to the subscriber.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the value is the plurality of calling minutes.

14. A system for delivering promotional announcements comprising:

a store value card account associated with a calling party;

a calling account associated with the calling party;

a mobile device associated with the calling account;

a consumer profile database for retrievably storing a subscriber profile, wherein the subscriber profile includes information derived from the financial card account;

an ad database for retrievably storing a plurality of promotional announcements;

a switch in communication with the mobile device, the consumer profile database and the ad database;

a server configured to select a promotional announcement among the plurality of promotional announcements based on information in the consumer profile database and to deliver the promotional announcement to the calling party via the switch; and

wherein the switch is configured to receive a call made from the mobile device, deliver the promotional announcement to the mobile device, and connect the calling party to a called party.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the switch is a mobile programmable switch.