ADVERTISING SERVER FOR DELIVERING TARGETED ADVERTISEMENTS TO A MOBILE WIRELESS DEVICE AND ASSOCIATED METHODS

• US 20100222036A1
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Griffin, Jason, Wormald, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 8,606,248 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• 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 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages

Abstract

A communications system includes at least one mobile wireless communications device for contacting a given entity having a telephone number associated therewith and an advertising server. The advertising server is configured to identify the given entity based upon the telephone number and identifying at least one property associated with the given entity. The advertising server is also configured to selectively send a targeted advertisement to the at least one mobile wireless device based upon the at least one property.

Claims

1. A communications system comprising:

at least one mobile wireless communications device for contacting a given entity having a telephone number associated therewith; and

an advertising server configured to

identify the given entity based upon the telephone number,

identify at least one property associated with the given entity, and

selectively send a targeted advertisement to said at least one mobile wireless device based upon the at least one property.

2. The communications system of claim 1, wherein said advertising server is further configured to store a contact history for said at least one mobile wireless communications device;

and wherein said advertising server is further configured to selectively send the targeted advertisement based upon the contact history.

3. The communications system of claim 1, wherein said advertising server is further configured to store identities of accepted advertisers;

and wherein said advertising server is configured to selectively send the targeted advertisement based upon the accepted advertisers.

4. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said advertising server is configured to identify the given entity based upon a separate communication with said at least one mobile wireless communications device.

5. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said advertising server is configured to identify the given entity based upon a communication between said at least one mobile wireless communications device and the given entity.

6. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the at least one property comprises a business category.

7. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said advertising server is configured to selectively send the targeted advertisement based upon a duration of the corresponding contact.

8. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said advertising server is configured to selectively send the targeted advertisement based upon at least one of a date or a time of a prior contact.

9. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said advertising server is configured to selectively send the targeted advertisement during the corresponding contact.

10. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said advertising server is configured to selectively send the targeted advertisement after the corresponding contact.

11. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the targeted advertisement comprises at least one of an audio message or a visual message.

12. An advertising server configured to cooperate with at least one mobile wireless communications device for contacting a given entity having a telephone number associated therewith, the advertising server comprising:

a processor and at least one memory cooperating therewith and configured to

identify the given entity based upon the telephone number,

identify at least one property associated with the given entity, and

selectively send a targeted advertisement to the at least one mobile wireless device based upon the at least one property.

13. The advertising server of claim 12 wherein said processor and said at least one memory are further configured to store a contact history for the at least one mobile wireless communications device;

and wherein said processor and said at least one memory are further configured to selectively send the targeted advertising based upon the contact history.

14. The advertising server of claim 12 wherein said processor and said at least one memory are further configured to store accepted advertisers;

and wherein said processor and said at least one memory are configured to selectively send the targeted advertisement based upon the accepted advertisers.

15. A method of sending a targeted advertisement to at least one mobile wireless communications device using an advertising server, the method comprising:

identifying a given entity based upon a telephone number associated therewith being contacted by the at least one mobile wireless communications device;

identifying at least one property associated with the given entity; and

selectively sending the targeted advertisement to the at least one mobile wireless device based upon the at least one property.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising storing a contact history for the at least one mobile wireless communications device;

and wherein the targeted advertisement is also selectively sent based upon the contact history.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising storing accepted advertisers;

and wherein the targeted advertisement is also selectively sent based upon the accepted advertisers.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the at least one property comprises a business category.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the targeted advertisement is also selectively sent based upon a duration of the corresponding contact.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the targeted advertisement is also selectively sent based upon at least one of a date or a time of a prior contact.

21. A computer readable medium to store computer executable modules for use by an advertising server to cooperate with at least one mobile wireless communications device for contacting a given entity having a telephone number associated therewith, the computer executable modules comprising:

a computer executable reverse look-up module to identify the given entity based upon the telephone number, and identify at least one property associated with the given entity; and

a computer executable advertising module to selectively send a targeted advertisement to the at least one mobile wireless device based upon the at least one property.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21 further comprising a computer executable database module for storing a contact history for the at least one mobile wireless communications device;

and wherein the computer executable advertising module further selectively sends the targeted advertising based upon the contact history.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 21 further comprising a computer executable bidding module for storing accepted advertisers;

and wherein the computer executable advertising module further selectively sends the targeted advertisement based upon the accepted advertisers.