Method of embedding advertisements in communication

• US 8,041,604 B1
• Filed: 03/16/1999
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Corrino Holdings LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nixon Peabody LLP, Studebaker & Brackett PC
• Inventors: Glaser, Lawrence F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Retta; Yehdega
• Application Number:
  US09/270,710
• Time in Patent Office: 4,599 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/14.4, 705/26
• US Class Current: 705/14.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages

Abstract

A system and method for advertising wherein a communication from a sending party to a receiving party includes one or more advertisements. Such communication could include one or more of an email, a voice mail, a voice communication (i.e. a telephone call or internet based telephony communication), a facsimile message, a pager message, or any other suitable electronic communication. In a preferred embodiment, the communication is an email sent from a sending party to a receiving party, wherein the email includes an advertisement for a product or service used by the sending party. Such advertisement could include a “testimonial” from the sending party, who'"'"'s credibility is established with the receiving party. In another preferred embodiment, the advertisement could be for a software program installed and operated on a computer system used by the sending party. The advertisement is included in the email message of the sending party as a result of an election made by the sending party during installation of the software program. The advertisements can be structured in a multi-level marketing type organization including trusted and credible reporting systems to account for each participant'"'"'s advertising efforts.

Claims

1. A method of automatically transmitting an advertisement from a user of a data processing system to a receiving party, comprising the steps of:

installing hardware on the data processing system, said data processing system establishing an agreement with the user of the data processing system to include an advertisement associated with the installed hardware in e-mail communications transmitted from the data processing system using an email communications application associated with the user;

initiating an e-mail communication via said email communications application, said email communication addressed to the receiving party;

automatically embedding an advertisement associated with the hardware in said e-mail communication in accordance with said agreement, said embedding being done with the data processing system; and

transmitting, to the receiving party, the e-mail communication with the advertisement automatically embedded therein.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement associated with the hardware is automatically sent for a pre-selected time period.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement associated with the hardware is automatically sent up to a pre-selected number of times.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement associated with the hardware is electronically obtained from a third party data processing system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is compensated for entering into the agreement.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement associated with the identified sending party is at least one of visual and aural.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement associated with the hardware is incorporated in setup software for the hardware.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising offering to the receiving party of the e-mail communication and the advertisement associated with the hardware, an option of being an advertiser.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the offer to the receiving party includes fraud avoidance means for reducing or eliminating fraud associated with a transaction.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the advertisement associated with the hardware is electronically obtained from a third party data processing system using the Internet.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement associated with the hardware is displayed automatically to the receiving party during a period of at least one of before, during and after the e-mail communication.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the data processing system is at least one of a computer and telephone.

13. method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement associated with the hardware is automatically embedded in the e-mail communication by a third party.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement associated with the hardware is automatically determined at least in part by a demographic of the receiving party.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the demographic is at least one of location, language, gender, age, income, and physical handicap.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically embedding the advertisement associated with the hardware with the e-mail communication further comprises automatically embedding a personal testimonial by the user thereby lending credibility to the advertisement associated with the hardware.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement associated with the hardware is under the local control of the user.

18. A method of claim 1, wherein said advertisement associated with the hardwire includes a hyperlink.

19. A method of transmitting an advertisement from a user of a data processing system to a receiving party, comprising the steps of:

installing a product on a data processing system associated with the user, said data processing system establishing an agreement with the user to include an advertisement associated with said product in communications transmitted from the data processing system using a communications application associated with the user;

receiving a request from the user, via said communications application, to initiate a communication from said data processing system;

automatically embedding, by said data processing system, an advertisement associated with said product with said initiated communication in accordance with said agreement; and

transmitting, to the receiving party, said communication with said advertisement automatically embedded therein.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the product is one of software or hardware.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the communication is at least one of e-mail, facsimile, voice-over-IP, voice-over-Internet, voice mail, video mail, video teleconferencing, and an animated presentation.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the embedded advertisement is electronically obtained from a third party data processing system.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the embedded advertisement is incorporated in setup software for one of software or hardware.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising offering to a receiver of the transmitted communication and advertisement an option of being an advertiser.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the offer to the receiving party includes fraud avoidance means for reducing or eliminating fraud associated with a transaction.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the user is compensated for entering into the agreement.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the data processing system is at least one of a computer and telephone.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein the advertisement associated with the hardware is automatically determined at least in part by a demographic of the receiving party.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the demographic is at least one of location, language, gender, age, income, and physical handicap.

30. A method of transmitting an advertisement from a user of a data processing system to a receiving party, comprising the steps of:

subscribing to a service to be used by the user operating the data processing system, establishing an agreement with the user to include an advertisement associated with said service in communications transmitted from the data processing system using a communications application associated with the user;

receiving a request from the user, via said communications application, to initiate a communication from said data processing system;

automatically embedding an advertisement associated with said service with said initiated communication in accordance with said agreement; and

transmitting, to the receiving party, said communication with said advertisement automatically embedded therein.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the communication is at least one of e-mail, facsimile, voice-over-IP, voice-over-Internet, voice mail, video mail, video teleconferencing, and an animated presentation.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the embedded advertisement is electronically obtained from a third party data processing system.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the embedded advertisement is incorporated in setup software for one of software or hardware.

34. The method of claim 30, further comprising offering to a receiver of the transmitted communication and advertisement an option of being an advertiser.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the offer to the receiving party includes fraud avoidance means for reducing or eliminating fraud associated with a transaction.

36. The method of claim 30, wherein the user is compensated for entering into the agreement.

37. The method of claim 30, wherein the data processing system is at least one of a computer and telephone.

38. The method of claim 30, wherein the advertisement associated with the hardware is automatically determined at least in part by a demographic of the receiving party.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the demographic is at least one of location, language, gender, age, income, and physical handicap.