METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTING DATA TO MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20110171932A1
• Filed: 03/28/2011
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CVON
• Original Assignee: CVON
• Inventors: Öhrling, Antti, Leino, Pasi, Myllynen, Harri
• Granted Patent: US 8,781,449 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1471 splitting of costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are concerned with a method and a system for distributing mobile applications, in particular to aspects of receiving, processing and displaying advertisements on mobile terminals. In one aspect, embodiments provide a software component for controlling movement for an advertisement image on a mobile terminal, the mobile terminal comprising a display area and a processor, the software component comprising processable instructions defining movement of the advertisement image relative to the display area, wherein the instructions are wirelessly transmissible to the mobile terminal and the processor is arranged to process said instructions in order to more the advertisement image.

Claims

1. A method of controlling operation of a mobile terminal, the mobile terminal comprising a processing system and a software component having a plurality of operational statuses associated therewith, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring, via the processing system in the mobile terminal, the software component in the mobile terminal so as to identify a trigger for a change from a first, operational status to a second, different, operational status;

responsive to identification of said trigger, the processing system issuing a request message, the request message including a request for user data associated with the mobile terminal;

arranging for the processing system to retrieve said user data and the processing system automatically transmitting the user data to an authentication system; and

the processing system receiving an unlocking code from said authentication system and the processing system displaying an advertisement and using the received unlocking code so as to change the operational status of the software component to the second, different, operational status.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting the retrieved user data to the authentication system using the short messaging system.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising transmitting the software component to the mobile terminal via a radio link.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting the software component to the mobile terminal via a radio link.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

sending a visualization request to the processing system when said software component is operating according to the first operational status; and

suppressing any visualization request when said software component is operating according to the second, different, operational status.

6. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

sending a visualization request to the processing system when said software component is operating according to the first operational status; and

suppressing any visualization request when said software component is operating according to the second, different, operational status.

7. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

sending a visualization request to the processing system when said software component is operating according to the first operational status; and

suppressing any visualization request when said software component is operating according to the second, different, operational status.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

sending a visualization request to the processing system when said software component is operating according to the first operational status; and

suppressing any visualization request when said software component is operating according to the second, different, operational status.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

requesting selection of data in accordance with the visualization request when said software component is operating according to the first operational status; and

displaying the selected data in a display area of the mobile terminal.

10. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

requesting selection of data in accordance with the visualization request when said software component is operating according to the first operational status; and

displaying the selected data in a display area of the mobile terminal.

11. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

requesting selection of data in accordance with the visualization request when said software component is operating according to the first operational status; and

displaying the selected data in a display area of the mobile terminal.

12. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

requesting selection of data in accordance with the visualization request when said software component is operating according to the first operational status; and

displaying the selected data in a display area of the mobile terminal.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising pausing said software component during display of the selected data.

14. The method according to claim 9, further comprising pausing said software component during display of the selected data.

15. The method according to claim 10, further comprising pausing said software component during display of the selected data.

16. The method according to claim 11, further comprising pausing said software component during display of the selected data.

17. The method according to claim 9, further comprising selecting data for display to the user in response to said software component reaching a predetermined execution point when said software component is operating according to the first operational status.

18. The method according to claim 10, further comprising selecting data for display to the user in response to said software component reaching a predetermined execution point when said software component is operating according to the first operational status.

19. The method according to claim 11, further comprising selecting data for display to the user in response to said software component reaching a predetermined execution point when said software component is operating according to the first operational status.

20. The method according to claim 12, further comprising selecting data for display to the user in response to said software component reaching a predetermined execution point when said software component is operating according to the first operational status.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein said software component comprises a game having a plurality of levels, further comprising detecting an end of a given level and selecting data for display to the user at the end of the given level when said software component is operating according to the first operational status.

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein said software component comprises a game having a plurality of levels, further comprising detecting an end of a given level and selecting data for display to the user at the end of the given level when said software component is operating according to the first operational status.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein said software component comprises a game having a plurality of levels, further comprising detecting an end of a given level and selecting data for display to the user at the end of the given level when said software component is operating according to the first operational status.

24. The method according to claim 20, wherein said software component comprises a game having a plurality of levels, further comprising detecting an end of a given level and selecting data for display to the user at the end of the given level when said software component is operating according to the first operational status.

25. The method according to claim 17, further comprising selecting data for display to the user of the terminal based on demographic data relating to the user.

26. The method according to claim 18, further comprising selecting data for display to the user of the terminal based on demographic data relating to the user.

27. The method according to claim 19, further comprising selecting data for display to the user of the terminal based on demographic data relating to the user.

28. The method according to claim 20, further comprising selecting data for display to the user of the terminal based on demographic data relating to the user.

29. The method according to claim 17, further comprising selecting advertisement data for display to the user of the terminal based on demographic data relating to the user.

30. The method according to claim 18, further comprising selecting advertisement data for display to the user of the terminal based on demographic data relating to the user.

31. The method according to claim 19, further comprising selecting advertisement data for display to the user of the terminal based on demographic data relating to the user.

32. The method according to claim 20, further comprising selecting advertisement data for display to the user of the terminal based on demographic data relating to the user.

35. An apparatus for use in controlling operation of a mobile terminal, the apparatus being arranged to perform the method according to claim 1.

36. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-readable program code which, when executed by a computer system, causes said computer system to perform the method according to claim 1.

33. A mobile terminal comprising a processing system and a radio interface configured to receive data and software components over a radio link, the mobile terminal being adapted to receive and install a software component via the radio interface, said software component having a plurality of operational statuses associated therewith,

wherein the processing system is arranged to monitor operation of the software component in the mobile terminal so as to identify a trigger for a change from a first, operational status to a second, different, operational status, and

wherein, responsive to identification of said trigger, the processing system is arranged to retrieve user data associated with the user of the mobile terminal and to transmit the user data to an authentication system and, responsive to data indicative of an unlocking code, the processing system displaying an advertisement and said software component is arranged to co-operate with the received unlocking code so as to change the operational status of the software component to the second, different, operational status.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the mobile terminal is arranged to transmit the retrieved user data to the authentication system using the short messaging system via the radio interface.

37. A method of controlling operation of a mobile terminal, the mobile terminal comprising a processing system and a software component having a plurality of operational statuses associated therewith, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring, via the processing system in the mobile terminal, the software component in the mobile terminal so as to identify a trigger for a change from a first, operational status to a second, different, operational status;

responsive to identification of said trigger, the processing system issuing a request message, the request message including a request for user data associated with the mobile terminal;

arranging for the processing system to retrieve said user data and the processing system_transmitting the user data to an authentication system; and

responsive to authentication of said user data, configuring the software component in the_mobile terminal to operate according to the second, different, operational status,

wherein said software component instructs the mobile terminal to send a visualization request to the processing system when operating according to the first operational status of the software component, and the software component in the mobile terminal instructing the mobile terminal to suppress any such visualization request when operating according to the second, different, operational status of the software component.

38. A method of controlling operation of a mobile terminal, the mobile terminal comprising a processing system and a trial game comprising an executable portion that, during execution of the trial game, is locked, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring, via the processing system, the trial game to identify a need for an unlocking code;

responsive to identifying said need for the unlocking code, automatically issuing a request message via the processing system, the request message including a request for user data associated with the mobile terminal;

retrieving via the processing system, said user data;

transmitting the user data to an authentication system;

the processing system automatically receiving an unlocking code from said authentication system; and

using the received unlocking code to unlock the executable portion of the trial game so as to allow a user of the trial game full access to the executable portion of the trial game.