AWARDING MESSAGE SLOTS FOR A CONSUMER MOBILE DEVICE CAMPAIGN

• US 20110065421A1
• Filed: 09/14/2009
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ipaj, LLC
• Original Assignee: Ipaj, LLC
• Inventors: Gluck, Allen, Hertel, Joachim
• Granted Patent: US 10,134,045 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: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages

Abstract

Techniques and systems are disclosed for forwarding a limited number of vendor messages during a consumer mobile device campaign, such as a CSC campaign. Opt-in events are received from an aggregator'"'"'s message service platform for a consumer mobile device (e.g., smart-phone), and a time interval is identified for the campaign that comprises a duration for the campaign. Campaign parameters are identified, where the parameters comprise a desired number of campaign messages for the “opted-in” consumer mobile device. Vendors are grouped into one or more campaign message categories (e.g., by service or products), and a bidding frequency is identified for campaign message categories for the campaign duration. Bids are received for message slots at the bidding frequency for a campaign message category, a desired bid is selected if it meets a threshold, and the corresponding vendor message is sent to the opted-in phone(s).

Claims

1. A method for forwarding a limited number of vendor messages during a consumer mobile device campaign based on real time data and event driven bidding, executed via a processor on a computer comprising a memory whereon computer-executable instructions comprising the method are stored, the method comprising:

receiving one or more opt-in events from an aggregator'"'"'s message service platform for a consumer mobile device;

identifying a time interval for the campaign comprising a campaign duration;

identifying a plurality of campaign parameters, comprising identifying a desired number of campaign messages for the consumer mobile device for which an opt-in event was received;

grouping a plurality of vendors into one or more campaign message categories;

identifying a bidding frequency for respective campaign message categories for the identified campaign time interval;

receiving bids from one or more of the plurality of vendors for campaign messages in accordance with the identified bidding frequency for a campaign message category, comprising;

receiving a vendor bid amount;

receiving vendor desired bid increments; and

receiving vendor campaign message information;

identifying a desired bid from the received bids for the campaign message category;

comparing the desired bid to a bid threshold for the campaign message category; and

providing for a vendor message to be transmitted to one or more consumer mobile devices for which an opt-in event was received using the aggregator'"'"'s message service platform if the desired bid meets the bid threshold for the campaign message category.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the time interval for the campaign comprises identifying a desired beginning and ending time for the campaign, wherein the time interval between the beginning and ending times comprises the campaign duration.

3. The method of claim 1, identifying the campaign'"'"'s parameters further comprising one or more of:

identifying a desired number of premium campaign messages for the consumer mobile device for which an opt-in event was received; and

identifying a desired number of category campaign messages for the consumer mobile device for which an opt-in event was received.

4. The method of claim 3, identifying the campaign'"'"'s parameters, further comprising identifying one or more bidding time intervals for premium message bidding events after receiving an opt-in event.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising scheduling one or more premium bidding events at desired premium event time intervals during the campaign after an opt-in event is received for the consumer mobile device, wherein the number of premium bidding events comprises the desired number of premium campaign messages for the consumer mobile device for which an opt-in event was received.

6. The method of claim 1, grouping a plurality of vendors into one or more campaign message categories wherein a number of categories is less than a number of potential vendors for the campaign.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising scheduling category bidding events for respective categories based on the identified bidding frequency for respective campaign message categories.

8. The method of claim 7, scheduling category bidding events for respective categories comprising scheduling a category message slot for bidding in a sequence of an index of the categories at timed intervals associated with the bidding frequency.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving bids from the vendors for campaign messages comprising one or more of:

receiving a campaign message time interval;

receiving a maximum bid amount;

receiving a bidder identification;

receiving a bid type;

receiving a bid segment index; and

receiving a desired number of consumer mobile devices for which an opt-in event was received for the campaign for the bid to be considered active.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the campaign message time interval comprises a time interval during which the bid is active.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the bid type comprises one of:

a regular bid comprising a bid specified for one corresponding message slot; and

a default bid comprising a bid that is utilized for more than one message slot.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the bid segment index comprises:

a message category indicator if the bid is for a category campaign message; and

a null indicator if the bid is for a premium campaign message.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the desired number of consumer mobile devices for which an opt-in event was received for the campaign comprises one or more of:

a desired minimum number of campaign opted-in consumer mobile devices for the bid to be active for the message slot; and

a desired maximum number of campaign opted-in consumer mobile devices for the bid to be active for the message slot.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired bid increments comprise an incremental amount to be added to the bid to resolve bidding conflicts.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a desired bid comprises one or more of:

identifying a desired bid for one or more premium messages; and

identifying a desired bid for one or more categories.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a common short code (CSC) to consumers to use for opting-in to the campaign using the consumer mobile device.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing one or more opt-in options to an opted-in consumer mobile device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein providing one or more opt-in options to an opted-in consumer mobile device comprises sending an option message to one or more consumer mobile devices using the aggregator'"'"'s message service platform wherein the option message provides a user with information that allows them to select campaign options.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the campaign options comprise campaign categories.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

assigning the consumer mobile device to a default category at a time of opting-in to the campaign, unless a user option is selected prior to assignment; and

removing the consumer mobile device from the default category when a user option is selected.

21. The method of claim 1, the consumer mobile device campaign comprising a common short code (CSC) based campaign.

22. A system for awarding a limited number of message slots to vendors during a consumer mobile device campaign based on real time data and event driven bidding, comprising:

a message communication component configured to communicate with an aggregator'"'"'s message platform to;

receive opt-in events from consumer mobile devices; and

send messages to consumer mobile devices;

a database component configured to store one of more of;

campaign information;

vendor information;

bidding information; and

information about a consumer mobile device for which an opt-in event was received;

a bidding event component configured to manage bidding events for campaign message slots, comprising;

a bidding event scheduler configured to determine a schedule for message slot bidding events; and

a bidding event initiator configured to initiate a message slot bidding event at a scheduled time;

a bid determination component configured to identify a desired bid for a campaign message slot bidding event based on one or more of;

bidding information;

vendor information;

campaign information; and

information about a consumer mobile device for which an opt-in event was received;

a bid awarding component configured to award the bidding event campaign message slot to a vendor corresponding to the desired bid if the desired bid meets a bidding threshold for the event campaign message slot; and

a vendor message communications component configured to provide a desired vendor message to the message communication component, wherein the vendor message corresponds to the vendor awarded the bidding event campaign message slot.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising a means for providing an opt-in message to a user of the consumer mobile device configured to enable a user to initiate an opt-in event for the campaign using their consumer mobile device.

24. The system of claim 22, further comprising a vendor management component operably coupled with the database component, comprising a user interface and configured to allow a vendor to manage vendor related account information.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the vendor management component comprises a web-based secure e-commerce application.

26. The system of claim 22, further comprising an operator management component operably coupled with the database component, comprising a user interface and configured to allow an operator to manage campaign related parameters.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the operator management component comprises a web-based secure e-commerce application.

28. A method for awarding a limited number of message slots during a common short code (CSC) campaign based on real time data and event driven bidding, executed via a processor on a computer comprising a memory whereon computer-executable instructions comprising the method are stored, the method comprising:

defining a CSC based campaign (CPM) as an entity {CSC, [Ti, Tf], Δ

T, oir}, wherein;

CSC comprises a Common Short Code;

[Ti, Tf] comprises a time interval starting at Ti and ending at Tf, and [Ti, Tf] describes a duration of the campaign;

Δ

T comprises a desired time value, wherein Ti+Δ

T<

Tf; and

oir comprises a rule that allows opt-in requests for the campaign to be accepted merely during a time interval [Ti, Ti+Δ

T];

setting campaign specific parameters N, N₁, N₂, Δ

t, wherein;

N comprises an integer having a value less than a variable that describes a desired upper number of campaign messages an opt-in device can receive during the duration of the campaign;

N₁ comprises an integer having a value greater than or equal to zero that describes a desired upper number of premium-vendor messages an opt-in phone can receive during the duration of the campaign;

N₂ comprises an integer having a value greater than or equal to zero that describes a desired upper number of category-vendor messages an opt-in phone can receive during the duration of the campaign; and

Δ

t comprises a desired value that describes one or more time intervals at which bidding events for premium messages are scheduled after a new opt in request has been accepted, wherein if at time (t_m) where Ti≦

t_m+N₁*Δ

t≦

Ti+Δ

T a new opt in request of mobile device (m) is accepted, bidding events for premium messages to device m are scheduled at times t_m+j*Δ

t, where 1≦

j≦

N₁, and where N=N₁+N₂;

grouping a plurality of vendors (A_s), where for A₁ through A_s s≧

1, into one or more categories (C_k), where for C₁ through C_k 1≦

k<

s;

sending a “

more opt in options”

message (M) at time t_m+(N₁+1)*Δ

t to a device m that has opted in at time t_m and that has not opted out prior to the more opt-in options message event, comprising;

inserting the device m into a default category (0at time t_m+(N₁+1)*Δ

t, unless a user selection is received prior; and

if a user selection comes after inserting the device m into default category 0, removing m from category 0; and

defining for respective categories C_i, where 1≦

i≦

k, a bidding frequency parameter (f_i), wherein for the duration of the campaign for every f_i timer unit a bidding event is scheduled for the category.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising providing for the s number of vendors (A_s) that are grouped into k number of categories (C_k) to submit a bid, wherein the bid comprises:

a bidder ID, comprising a unique identifier for the bidder that links the bidder to the bidder information;

a bid type, comprising one or more of;

a regular bid (R), comprising a higher priority bid; and

a default bid (D), comprising a lower priority bid;

a bid segment, comprising one or more of;

a premium bid segment (P) identifying a premium bid; and

a category bid segment (C) identifying a category bid;

a category index, comprising an index that identifies a category for the bid;

a time interval (TI) during which the bid is active;

a device index (SI) that identifies a desired number (r) of devices that have opted-in to the campaign for the bid to be active;

a bid amount for the message slot;

a bid increment comprising a increment that is added to the bid when two or more competing bids comprise a same bid amount; and

a message identifier that identifies the vendor message associated with the bid.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the index SI identifies a desired range of numbers of devices that have opted-in to the campaign for the bid to be active.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein if the bid segment is premium (P), the index SI is null.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein if the bid segment is category (C), the SI comprises one of:

r devices from a value of negative 1 through q, where the bid is active if r is a value less than or equal to q;

r devices from a value of p through negative 1, where the bid is active if p is a value less than or equal to r; and

r devices from a value of p through q, where the bid is active if p is a value less than or equal to r, which is less than or equal to q.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the message identifier comprise one of:

a pointer to a premium message list having no more than N₁ number of messages; and

a pointer to a category message list having no more than N₂ number of messages.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein the premium bidding events are scheduled at one or more times comprising:

t_m+j*Δ

t, wherein;

1≦

j≦

N₁;

t_m comprises a time that a mobile device m opted-in to the campaign; and

j comprises an event index that identifies the event from a plurality of events.

35. The method of claim 28, wherein a category specific bidding event for a category C_j is scheduled at times t_n;

where;