Method and system for providing geographically targeted information and advertising

• US 7,577,244 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2001
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John Taschereau
• Original Assignee: John Taschereau
• Inventors: Taschereau, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Vuong; Quochien B
• Application Number:
  US10/276,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20040076279A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,016 Days
• Field of Search: 379/206.01, 379/218.01, 379/88.01, 379/88.17, 379/88.19, 379/88.23, 379/207.12, 379/88.18, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/563
• US Class Current: 379/218.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages

Abstract

A system and method of providing information based on the location of the target. The system is ideal for use with voice based technology, and uses street segments to allow users to identify their location by cross street. The system can target advertisements to users based on the location of the user, a destination location related to the information requested by the user and/or the route to be taken by the user to reach such destination location.

Claims

1. A method of providing information to an information requestor, the information requestor located at first location, comprising the steps of:

(a) an information source receiving a request for a business associated with a second location different from said first location, from the information requestor;

(b) said information source obtaining an utterance from said information requestor, said utterance identifying said business and a location reference associated with said second location, said location reference including a first street;

(c) using a voice recognition system to identify said business and location reference from said utterance by comparing said utterance to a grammar of street names and a grammar of businesses;

(d) associating said location reference with one or more street segments within a group of street segments, each of said street segments representing a block;

(e) determining a listing of said business by locating an address for said business associated with one of said street segments within said group; and

(f) said information source providing said listing to said information requestor.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein an advertisement is provided to said information requestor.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said information source receives said request and provides said listing via phone.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said location reference also includes a second street that crosses said first street.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said business requested is a business within a type of business.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said advertisement is provided based on the location reference of the information requestor.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said advertisement is provided based on said second location.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein said advertisement is provided to said information requestor is further based on a time and the business requested.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein a route is requested and provided based on said location reference.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said route is selected based on the location of an advertiser.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said information provided is provided to personal information management system.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising, before step (a):

providing a database of street segments.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said street segments are organized into groups.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said group is a municipal territory.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said group is a street.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein said group is segments grouped by said information requestor.

17. The method claim 1 wherein said group is segments grouped by an advertiser.

18. A method of providing information to an information requestor, the information requestor located at first location, comprising the steps of:

(a) an information source receiving a request for a business associated with a second location different from said first location, from the information requestor;

(b) said information source obtaining first and second utterances from said information requestor, said first utterance identifying said business and said second utterance identifying a location reference associated with said second location, said location reference including a first street;

(c) using a voice recognition system to identify said business and location reference from said first and second utterances by comparing said second utterance to a grammar of street names and said first utterance to a grammar of businesses;

(d) associating said location reference with one or more street segments within a group of street segments, each of said street segments representing a block;

(e) determining a listing of said business by locating an address for said business associated with one of said street segments within said group; and

(f) said information source providing said listing to said information requestor.