Targeted Advertisements to Social Contacts

• US 20100093317A1
• Filed: 10/09/2008
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Karlsson, Karl P., Lu, Bo, Ghotge, Vishal V.
• Granted Patent: US 8,265,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

Targeted advertisements to social contacts is described. In embodiment(s), social contacts can be correlated based on messaging interactions between mobile communication devices that are associated with the social contacts. Feedback about an advertisement can be received from mobile communication devices that are associated with the social contacts, and the advertisement can then be targeted to one or more of the social contacts based on the feedback about the advertisement.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

correlating social contacts based on messaging interactions between mobile communication devices that are associated with the social contacts;

receiving feedback about an advertisement from one or more of the mobile communication devices that are associated with the social contacts; and

targeting the advertisement to one or more of the social contacts based on the feedback about the advertisement.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein targeting the advertisement includes communicating the advertisement to the mobile communication devices that are associated with the respective one or more social contacts.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising targeting a different advertisement to the one or more social contacts based on the feedback about the advertisement.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the feedback received about the advertisement includes a selectable input to one or more of the mobile communication devices to initiate rendering the advertisement at the one or more mobile communication devices.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein rendering the advertisement at a mobile communication device includes displaying at least one of a video, an image, a graphic, or text of the advertisement.

6. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein rendering the advertisement at a mobile communication device includes playing audio of the advertisement.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the feedback received about the advertisement includes a selectable input to one or more of the mobile communication devices to dismiss the advertisement.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the feedback received about the advertisement includes a selectable input to one or more of the mobile communication devices to rate the advertisement.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the feedback received about the advertisement includes a selectable input to a mobile communication device as a recommendation of the advertisement for a social contact.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein targeting the advertisement includes communicating the advertisement to the mobile communication device that is associated with the social contact based on the recommendation of the advertisement.

11. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein targeting the advertisement includes communicating the advertisement to the mobile communication devices that are associated with the social contacts based on the recommendation of the advertisement.

12. A messaging service, comprising:

social contacts correlated based on messaging interactions between mobile communication devices that are associated with the social contacts;

a messaging interface configured to receive feedback about an advertisement from one or more of the mobile communication devices that are associated with the social contacts; and

an advertisement targeting service configured to target the advertisement to one or more of the social contacts based on the feedback about the advertisement.

13. A messaging service as recited in claim 12, wherein the advertisement targeting service is further configured to target a different advertisement to the one or more social contacts based on the feedback about the advertisement.

14. A messaging service as recited in claim 12, wherein the feedback received about the advertisement includes a selectable input to one or more of the mobile communication devices to initiate rendering the advertisement at the one or more mobile communication devices.

15. A messaging service as recited in claim 14, wherein rendering the advertisement at a mobile communication device includes at least one of displaying the advertisement or playing audio of the advertisement.

16. A messaging service as recited in claim 12, wherein the feedback received about the advertisement includes a selectable input to one or more of the mobile communication devices to dismiss the advertisement.

17. A messaging service as recited in claim 12, wherein the feedback received about the advertisement includes a selectable input to one or more of the mobile communication devices to rate the advertisement.

18. A messaging service as recited in claim 12, wherein the feedback received about the advertisement includes a selectable input to a mobile communication device as a recommendation of the advertisement for a social contact.

19. A messaging service as recited in claim 18, wherein the advertisement targeting service is further configured to target the advertisement to the mobile communication device that is associated with the social contact based on the recommendation of the advertisement.

20. A messaging service as recited in claim 18, wherein the advertisement targeting service is further configured to target the advertisement to the mobile communication devices that are associated with the social contacts based on the recommendation of the advertisement.