Method and System for Using Advertisement to Sponsor International Mobile Phone Calls for Cellular Telephone Networks

• US 20090190730A1
• Filed: 04/03/2009
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 7-Tel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: 7-Tel Incorporated
• Inventors: LIU, Jing, Qin, Xiaolei
• Application Number:
  US12/418,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20090190730A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/114.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A method for making telephone calls whereby advertisers sponsor free calling minutes to telephone customers. In addition, the platform is useful for placing targeted advertising. To this end, advertisers are allowed to insert audio, text and video advertising in an active telephone connection, typically at the beginning of a circuit connection, and a statistical method is exploited to accurately identify and target customers with advertisements based on profiles and past calling activities. In addition, a mathematic modeling system provides a guide to a delivery pattern so that advertiser sponsorship benefits the most customers and permits low cost advertisement placement directed to specific customers and telephone systems.

Claims

1. A method for making telephone calls allowing free sponsored calling to telephone customers in a telecommunication system comprising:

providing through said telecommunication system a device identity to a telephone client device that identifies said telephone client device as a sponsored device;

in response to a request for a telephone connection, determining through said telecommunication system whether said request is from the sponsored device; and

thereafter,

carrying out a telephone call connection in association with sending at least one advertisement to said sponsored device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said advertisement is an audio message.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said advertisement is a text message.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said advertisement is a video message

5. The method of claim 1 further including:

offering through said telecommunication system an option to respond to said advertisement.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said advertisement is an audio message.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said advertisement is a text message.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein said advertisement is a video message.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein said option is to save the advertisement.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein said option is to contact a merchant associated with said advertisement.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

making use of the telecommunication system by;

extracting information from said telephone system; and

building from said information and other available data a multiple-layer optimization model for distribution of advertising, wherein said layers are

1. a target layer, said target layer operative to choose profit of advertisement investment as the top layer;

2. a criteria layer, said criteria layer being operative to reflect primary factors in a social and economic system which are related closely to distribution, including economic situation, social life, geographical environment, time, and type of product or service; and

3. a factor layer, said factor layer including criteria based on customer characteristics.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein said customer characteristics are selected from the group:

1) Average income of each family

2) Consumer level

3) Population

4) Career

5) Race

6) Unemployment rate

7) Education

8) Transportation Utility

9) Season

10) Time of day.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said factor layer further includes product type and service type.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein a specific target function is:

Max.

15. A system for making telephone calls allowing free sponsored calling to telephone customers in a telecommunication system comprising:

a device identity provided through said telecommunication system to a telephone client device that identifies said telephone client device as a sponsored device;

a subsystem in said telecommunication system to determine through said telecommunication system in response to a request for a telephone connection whether said request is from the sponsored device; and

a subsystem for carrying out a telephone call connection in association with sending at least one advertisement to said sponsored device.