Method for advertising on digital cellular telephones and reducing costs to the end user

• US 7,251,476 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2004
• Issued: 07/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xcellasave Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Xcellasave Incorporated
• Inventors: Cortegiano, Mark L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro, Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): FARAGALLA, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US10/978,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20060094410A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.01, 455/406, 455/3.02, 455/3.03, 455/3.04, 455/433, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/566, 370/331
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0192 Sponsored, subsidised calls via advertising, e.g. calling cards with ads or connecting to special ads, free calling time by purchasing goods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for displaying messages, such as advertisements, on digital wireless communication devices, such as digital cellular telephones, comprising the steps of creating at least one visual advertising message in the form of an information file for display on a digital wireless communication device, valuating the at least one advertising message, transmitting the at least one advertising message to a database, wherein the database is in communication with the wireless communication device via a wireless communications network or system, such as a cellular telephone network, transmitting according to a predetermined schedule the at least one advertising message from the database via the wireless communication system to the wireless communication device, wherein the wireless communication device chosen for reception of the at least one advertising message contains necessary software for displaying the advertising message and a display, recording the date and time the at least one wireless communication device receives the at least one advertising message, displaying the at least one advertising message on the digital wireless communication device such that the display does not interfere with the operation of the digital wireless communication device, and applying the valuation of the at least one advertising message as credit to a user account associated with the digital wireless communication device.

Claims

1. A method for providing information for display to a wireless communication device, comprising the steps of:

creating information for display on the wireless communication device, wherein the wireless communication device includes memory for storing information and a display;

recording the information onto a recording medium;

transferring the information from the recording medium to a database, wherein the database is in communication with a wireless communication network;

downloading the information from the database, via the wireless communication network, into the memory of the wireless communication device according to a predetermined schedule; and

displaying the information on the display of the wireless communication device according to a specified play sequence by displaying a first display message of a display sequence at power-up of the communication device and displaying a different display message of the display sequence at a subsequent power-up of the communication device, wherein displaying the information does not interfere with the normal use of the communication device.

2. The method for providing information for display to a wireless communication device of claim 1, including the step of providing the information as at least one advertisement to be displayed for a specified time interval.

3. The method for providing information for display to a wireless communication device of claim 2, comprising the step of providing the play sequence so that:

the at least one advertisement is played in specified order;

the at least one advertisement is played for a specified time interval and period; and

the at least one advertisement is displayed without interfering with the normal operation of the wireless communication device.

4. The method for providing information for display to a wireless communication device of claim 2, comprising the-step of providing a display sequence so that:

the at least one advertisement is not played during an interruption event; and

the display sequence resumes at the termination of an interruption event.

5. The method for providing information for display to a wireless communication device of claim 2, comprising the step of providing a display sequence so that:

the at least one advertisement is not displayed when the wireless communication device is off;

the display sequence resumes with the next specified advertisement upon activation of the wireless communication device; and

after the last advertisement of a display sequence is played, the display sequence repeats with the first specified at least one advertisement.

6. The method for providing information for display to a wireless communication device of claim 2, further comprising the step of marking the advertisement as played only after the advertisement is displayed for a specified time interval.

7. The method for providing information for display to a wireless communication device of claim 1, including displaying the information in at least one of an audio form and a visual form.

8. A method for providing information for display to a wireless communication device, comprising the steps of:

creating at least one display message in the form of an information file;

valuating the at least one display message;

transmitting the at least one display message to a database, wherein the database is in communication with a wireless communication network;

transmitting, via the wireless communication network, the at least one display message from the database to at least one wireless communications device, wherein the at least one wireless communication device includes memory for storing the at least one display message and a display;

displaying the at least one display message according to a specified order by displaying a first display message of a display sequence at power-up of the communication device and displaying a different display message of the display sequence at a subsequent power-up of the communication device for a specified period of time;

wherein the display of the at least one display message does not interfere with the normal use of the wireless communication device; and

applying the valuation of the at least one display message to a user account so as to adjust the outstanding monetary balance of the user account by the valuation amount of the at least one display message.

9. The method for providing information for display to a wireless communication device of claim 8, comprising the step of providing a display sequence so that:

the at least one display message is not played during an interruption event;

the display sequence resumes at the termination of an interruption event.

10. The method for providing information for display to a wireless communication device of claim 8, comprising the step of providing a display sequence so that:

the at least one display message is not displayed when the wireless communication device is off;

the display sequence resumes with the next specified display message upon activation of the wireless communication device; and

after the last display message of a display sequence is played, the display sequence repeats with the first specified display message.

11. The method for providing information for display to a wireless communication device of claim 8, including displaying the information in at least one of an audio form and a visual form.

12. A method for providing information for display to a wireless communication device, comprising the steps of:

creating a group of display messages in the form of an information file;

valuating at least one display message of the group;

transmitting the at least one display message of the group to a database, wherein the database is in communication with a wireless communication network;

transmitting, via the wireless communication network, the at least one display message from the database to at least one wireless communications device, wherein the at least one wireless communication device includes memory for storing the at least one display message and a display;

displaying the at least one display message according to a specified order by displaying a first display message of a display sequence at power-up of the communication device and displaying a different display message of the display sequence at a subsequent power-up of the communication device for a specified period of time;

wherein the display of the at least one display message does not interfere with the normal use of the wireless communication device; and

crediting a user account with the valuation of the at least one display message.

13. The method for providing information for display to a wireless communication device of claim 12, comprising the step of providing a display sequence so that:

the at least one display message is not played during an interruption event;

the display sequence resumes at the termination of an interruption event.

14. The method for providing information for display to a wireless communication device of claim 12, comprising the step of providing a display sequence so that:

the at least one display message is not displayed when the wireless communication device is off

the display sequence resumes with the next specified display message upon activation of the wireless communication device; and

after the last display message of a display sequence is played, the display sequence repeats with the first specified display message.

15. The method for providing information for display to a wireless communication device of claim 12, including displaying the information in at least one of an audio form and a visual form.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein valuating at least one display message of the group includes establishing a monetary value for displaying the at least one display message over the period of time.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein displaying the at least one display message according to the specified order includes repeating the display sequence after each display message of the display sequence has been displayed at a subsequent power-up.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the method includes:

transmitting the group of display messages from the database to the at least one wireless communication device; and

displaying the group of display messages according to a display sequence for the specified period of time, wherein the specified period of time is coordinated with a billing cycle of a provider of the wireless communication network.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein displaying the at least one display message according to the specified order includes providing a play sequence that includes at least one prioritized display message which is displayed depending on at least one factor selected from the group of:

a time of day;

a date;

a location of the wireless communication device;

a usage amount of the wireless communication device; and

a time between interruption events.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the method includes crediting a user account with the valuation of the at least one display message based on the valuation of the at least one display message that the user allows to be displayed on the at least one wireless communication device and independent of whether the user views the at least one display message.