Method and apparatus for delivering advertisements to mobile users
First Claim
1. A process for inserting an advertisement into a USSD message, the process comprising:
- identifying a USSD message to be sent by a service provider to a mobile user of a mobile device in response to a request initiated by the mobile user;
selecting a specific advertisement to be inserted in the USSD message, wherein the mobile user is a target and intended recipient of the specific advertisement;
generating a transcoded advertisement by transcoding the specific advertisement to adapt to a character set of the USSD message;
modifying the USSD message by inserting the transcoded advertisement into the USSD message;
forwarding the modified USSD message to the mobile user;
monitoring the mobile user'"'"'s response to the modified USSD message, wherein the mobile user'"'"'s response is sent through the mobile device; and
displaying to the mobile user an advertising sub-session when the mobile user elects to view the advertising sub-session in response to the modified USSD message, wherein the advertising sub-session includes at least one of;
one or more USSD messages related to the specific advertisement;
orone or more USSD responses from the mobile user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques for delivering advertisements and similar promotional messages to mobile users using USSD technology are disclosed. USSD provides session-based communication in which transactions occur only during a session. Advertisements may be delivered through USSD in several ways: by inserting a short text into a message in a mobile-initiated USSD session, by temporarily diverting a mobile-initiated USSD session toward an advertisement sub-session, by triggering a network-initiated USSD session the main purpose of which is the delivery of an advertisement, and by causing a mobile user to initiate a USSD session the main purpose of which is the delivery of an advertisement. Also disclosed is a process for inserting advertisements into USSD messages, a process for inserting advertisement sub-sessions into USSD sessions, and a process for delivering advertisements with network-initiated USSD sessions.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A process for inserting an advertisement into a USSD message, the process comprising:
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identifying a USSD message to be sent by a service provider to a mobile user of a mobile device in response to a request initiated by the mobile user; selecting a specific advertisement to be inserted in the USSD message, wherein the mobile user is a target and intended recipient of the specific advertisement; generating a transcoded advertisement by transcoding the specific advertisement to adapt to a character set of the USSD message; modifying the USSD message by inserting the transcoded advertisement into the USSD message; forwarding the modified USSD message to the mobile user; monitoring the mobile user'"'"'s response to the modified USSD message, wherein the mobile user'"'"'s response is sent through the mobile device; and displaying to the mobile user an advertising sub-session when the mobile user elects to view the advertising sub-session in response to the modified USSD message, wherein the advertising sub-session includes at least one of; one or more USSD messages related to the specific advertisement;
orone or more USSD responses from the mobile user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A process for inserting an advertisement sub-session into a USSD session, the process comprising:
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monitoring message traffic between a service provider and a mobile user of a mobile device; identifying the service provider and the mobile user; identifying an appropriate time to display advertisements in a particular USSD session between the service provider and the mobile user; selecting a specific advertisement for delivery to the mobile user to be inserted into the particular USSD session, wherein the mobile user is a target and intended recipient of the specific advertisement; and diverting the particular USSD session to an advertisement sub-session, the advertising sub-session including one or more USSD messages related to the specific advertisement and one or more USSD responses from the mobile user. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A process for delivering an advertisement using a network-initiated USSD session, the process comprising:
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monitoring message traffic between a service provider and a mobile user; selecting an appropriate time for delivering advertisements to the mobile user; selecting an advertiser and a specific advertisement to be delivered to the mobile user, wherein the mobile user is the target and intended recipient of the specific advertisement; triggering a network-initiated USSD session; and delivering the advertisement to the mobile user. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification