Providing effective advertising via synchronized telephone and data streams

• US 8,073,118 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2006
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vonage America LLC (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Vonage Network LLC (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Sterman, Baruch
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US11/883,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20090046704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,133 Days
• Field of Search: 379/114.13, 379/218.01, 370/352
• US Class Current: 379/114.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/40 Support for services or applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages

Abstract

Information, such as advertising, is presented to VoIP users (12) via a combination of telephone and data streams during session initiation via an IP phone or a personal computer (18). A proxy server (20) that receives the call request coordinates with a media server (30) to transmit targeted advertising to the caller during the post dial delay interval. After the advertisement concludes, the call continues normally.

Claims

1. A method for targeted advertising, comprising:

maintaining respective profiles of a group of individuals who are affiliated with an organization;

providing said individuals with access to a packet telephony service;

receiving a request from an individual in said group to establish a telephonic connection with a callee over a packet network using said packet telephony service;

in response to said request, transmitting over said packet network to said individual a notification provided by said organization and targeted according to a respective profile of said individual; and

completing said telephonic connection wherein said packet telephony service is provided to said individual without by said or organization.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of completing said telephonic connection is performed subsequent to completion of said step of transmitting over said packet network.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of completing said telephonic connection comprises establishing connectivity with a public switched telephone network.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said notification comprises multimedia data directed to a computer of said individual.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said organization is a commercial organization, and said individuals are customers of said organization.

6. The method according to claim 1, said profiles reflect purchases made respectively by said individuals from said organization.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said packet telephony service is provided by a VoIP service provider outside said organization, and wherein said organization pays said VoIP service provider for providing said packet telephony service to said individuals.

8. A method of synchronized communications, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from a caller via a packet-switched communications network to establish a telephonic connection with a callee;

thereafter instructing a content provider to transmit a notification to said caller via said network;

interactively communicating between said caller and said content provider responsively to said notification; and

completing said telephonic connection.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said step of completing said telephonic connection is delayed until said content provider has completed a transmission of said notification.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein said notification comprises multimedia data directed to a computer linked to said caller.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

accessing a database having descriptive information relating to said caller; and

composing said notification responsively to said descriptive information.

12. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

activating a search engine to obtain descriptive information relating to said caller; and

composing said notification responsively to said descriptive information.

13. A communications system of synchronized communications, comprising:

a proxy server operative for receiving a request from a caller via a packet-switched communications network to establish a telephonic connection with a callee; and

a media server connected to said network, wherein said proxy server is operative for thereafter instructing said media server to transmit a notification to said caller via said network; and

for completing said telephonic connection.

14. The communications system according to claim 13, wherein said proxy server is operative to delay a completion of said telephonic connection until said media server has completed a transmission of said notification.

15. The communications system according to claim 13, further comprising a search engine linked to said media server for activation thereof for obtaining descriptive information relating to said caller, wherein said media server is operative for composing said notification responsively to said descriptive information.

16. A method for targeted advertising, comprising:

maintaining respective profiles of a group of individuals who are affiliated with an organization;

providing said individuals with access to a packet telephony service;

receiving a request from an individual in said group to establish a telephonic connection with a callee over a packet network using said packet telephony service;

in response to said request, transmitting over said packet network to said individual a notification provided by said organization and targeted according to a respective profile of said individual; and

completing said telephonic connection, wherein said step of completing said telephonic connection comprises establishing connectivity with a public switched telephone network.

17. A method for targeted advertising, comprising:

maintaining respective profiles of a group of individuals who are affiliated with an organization, said profiles reflecting purchases made, respectively, by said individuals from said organization;

providing said individuals with access to a packet telephony service;

receiving a request from an individual in said group to establish a telephonic connection with a callee over a packet network using said packet telephony service;

in response to said request, transmitting over said packet network to said individual a notification provided by said organization and targeted according to a respective profile of said individual; and

completing said telephonic connection.

18. A method for targeted advertising, comprising:

maintaining respective profiles of a group of individuals who are affiliated with an organization;

providing said individuals with access to a packet telephony service, wherein said packet telephony service is provided by a VoIP service provider outside said organization, and wherein said organization pays said VoIP service provider for providing said packet telephony service to said individuals;

receiving a request from an individual in said group to establish a telephonic connection with a callee over a packet network using said packet telephony service;

in response to said request, transmitting over said packet network to said individual a notification provided by said organization and targeted according to a respective profile of said individual; and

completing said telephonic connection.