System and method for determining mobile device capabilities

• US 8,081,954 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2009
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Aaltonen, Janne, Saru, Sami, Ahopelto, Timo, Romppanen, Timo
• Primary Examiner(s): DESIR, PIERRE LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US12/573,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20100023383A1
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/419, 455/466, 709/219, 709/203
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0244 Optimization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0245 Surveys
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

Methodologies and system functionality are provided to determine mobile device capabilities and/or configuration setting and user abilities and/or inclinations as a precursor to or as part of the management, delivery and/or assessment of the efficacy of promotional material. The determination of the mobile device capabilities and/or configuration settings and user abilities and/or inclinations may be performed, for example, when provisioning a new service or after such a service has been utilized by a mobile device user. Further, such a determination may be performed in connection with a mobile device service that provides free or subsidized service to mobile device users.

Claims

1. A method of determining capability to output material to a user via an associated mobile device, the method comprising:

initiating, within a network element, transmission of at least one mobile device messaging query to the mobile device, the at least one messaging query requesting a messaging response from the mobile device user using the associated mobile device;

receiving a messaging response to the at least messaging query from the mobile device user, said at least one messaging response being transmitted from the user'"'"'s associated mobile device;

analyzing the received at least one messaging response to determine user profile information for the mobile device user and the associated mobile device including capabilities of the mobile device user in combination with capabilities of the associated mobile device, the messaging response including data generated based on information input to the mobile device by the mobile device user in response to the at least one messaging query; and

identifying material for distribution to the mobile device user via the associated mobile device based at least in part on the determined user profile information; and

analyzing the at least one messaging response to determine whether settings on the associated mobile device are optimized for receipt and output of particular formats of the identified material for distribution.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one messaging query is a Multimedia Messaging Service welcome message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a plurality of messaging queries to a plurality of mobile devices and receiving messaging responses to the at least messaging queries from the a plurality of mobile device users each associated respectively with the plurality of mobile devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one messaging query is sent as a precursor to granting the mobile device user with access to a service.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, if no messaging query response is received, the method further comprises terminating the mobile device user'"'"'s access to a service.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one messaging query is sent to enable continued use of a service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one messaging query is one of a plurality of messaging queries sent to the mobile device, the plurality of messaging queries being ordered to that an earlier transmitted messaging query is of a different messaging format than the messaging format of a later transmitted messaging query.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of messaging queries are ordered so that earlier transmitted messaging queries are in messaging formats that are either less or more technically advanced than the messaging formats of later transmitted messaging queries.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one messaging query is one of a plurality of messaging queries sent to the mobile device, the plurality of messaging queries being ordered to that an earlier transmitted messaging query includes different content than the content included in a later transmitted messaging query.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one messaging query is sent in response to a recognition that the mobile device user has changed mobile devices.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one messaging query is sent in response to a recognition that the mobile device user has changed subscription type.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one messaging query is sent in response to the mobile device user'"'"'s in-activity in response to material distributed to the mobile device user as part of the one or more services.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the material is promotional material distributed as part of an advertising campaign.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein analysis of the at least one messaging response determines whether the mobile device used by the mobile device user has one or more capabilities.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more capabilities includes at least one of Short Messaging Service messaging, Multimedia Messaging Service messaging, W AP push messaging, Bluetooth messaging and Enhanced Messaging Service.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein, if no messaging query response is received the method further comprises:

transmitting at least one additional messaging query to the at least one mobile device in a messaging format that is less advanced than a previously transmitted messaging query; and

determining whether the mobile device user has responded to any messaging query prior to distributing material to the mobile device user.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the analysis of at least one messaging response indicates at least one of the user'"'"'s mobile device configuration settings.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising transmitting at least one additional messaging query to the mobile device user based on the at least one of the user'"'"'s mobile device configuration settings, receiving a messaging response to the at least one additional messaging query, analyzing the messaging response to the at least one additional messaging query to formulate information indicating how the user'"'"'s mobile device may be optimized to receive and output promotional material, and transmitting information to the user'"'"'s mobile device to reconfigure the mobile device configuration settings to optimize receipt and output of subsequently distributed promotional material.

19. A computer readable, non-transitory storage media having computer executable instructions arranged to cause a computer, or a suite of computers, to implement the method of claim 1.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein analysis of the at least one messaging response is performed to generate data providing an indication of which message formats are most effective for eliciting messaging responses.

21. A system for determining capability to output promotional material to a user via an associated mobile device, the system comprising:

a mobile device query system configured to initiate transmission of at least one mobile device messaging query to the mobile device, the at least one messaging query requesting a messaging response from the mobile device user using the associated mobile device;

a feedback analysis system configured to receive at least one messaging response to the at least one messaging query from the mobile device user, the at least one messaging response being transmitted from the user'"'"'s associated mobile device, the feedback analysis system being further configured to analyze the at least one messaging response to determine user profile information for the mobile device user and the associated mobile device including capabilities of the mobile device user in combination with capabilities of the associated mobile device, the at least one messaging response including data generated based on information input to by the mobile device user into the associated mobile device; and

a transmission management system coupled to the feedback analysis system and configured to identify material for distribution to the mobile device user via the associated mobile device based on the user profile information,

wherein the feedback analysis system is further configured to analyze the at least one messaging response to determine whether settings on the associated mobile device are optimized for receipt and output of particular formats of the identified material for distribution.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one messaging query is a Multimedia Messaging Service welcome message.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising a gateway, coupled to the mobile device query system and configured to transmit the at least one messaging query under the direction of the mobile device query system and configured to distribute material under the direction of the transmission management system to the mobile device based at least in part on user profile information associated with the mobile device.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the feedback analysis system is configured to analyze the at least one messaging response to determine user profile information for the mobile device user.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one messaging query is sent as a precursor to enable continued use of a service.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein, if no messaging response is received, the mobile device query system is arranged to direct termination of the mobile device user'"'"'s access to a service.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one messaging query is sent as a precursor to enable continued use of a service.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one messaging query is sent in response to a recognition that the mobile device user has changed mobile devices.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one messaging query is sent in response to a recognition that the mobile device user has changed subscription type.

30. The system of claim 21, wherein at least one messaging query is sent in response to the mobile device user'"'"'s in-activity in response to material distributed to the mobile device user as part of the one or more services.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the material is promotional material and is distributed as part of an advertising campaign.

32. The system of claim 21, wherein analysis of the at least one messaging response determines whether the mobile device used by the mobile device user has one or more capabilities.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the one or more capabilities includes any one of Short Messaging Service messaging, Multimedia Messaging Service messaging, WAP push messaging, Bluetooth messaging and Enhanced Messaging Service.

34. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one messaging query is one of a plurality of messaging queries sent to the mobile device, the plurality of messaging queries being ordered to that an earlier transmitted messaging query is of a different messaging format than the messaging format of a later transmitted messaging query.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the plurality of messaging queries are ordered so that earlier transmitted messaging queries are in messaging formats that are either less or more technically advanced than the messaging formats of later transmitted messaging queries.

36. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one messaging query is one of a plurality of messaging queries sent to the mobile device, the plurality of messaging queries being ordered to that an earlier transmitted messaging query includes different content than the content included in a later transmitted messaging query.

37. The system of claim 21, wherein, if no messaging query response is received, the mobile device query system is configured to transmit at least one additional messaging query to the mobile device in a messaging format that is less advanced than previously transmitted messaging queries and to determine whether the mobile device user has responded to any messaging query prior to distributing material to the mobile device user.

38. The system of claim 21, wherein the analysis of the at least one messaging response indicates at least one of the user'"'"'s mobile device configuration settings.

39. The system of claim 21, wherein the mobile device query system is configured to direct transmission of at least one additional messaging query to the mobile device user based on the at least one of the user'"'"'s mobile device configuration settings, the feedback analysis system is configured to receive a messaging response to the at least one additional messaging query and analyze the messaging response to the at least one additional messaging query to formulate information indicating how the user'"'"'s mobile device may be optimized to receive and output promotional material, and the mobile device query system is configured to transmit information to the user'"'"'s mobile device to reconfigure the mobile device configuration settings to optimize receipt and output of subsequently distributed promotional material.

40. The system of claim 21, wherein the feedback analysis system is further configured to generate data based on rates of messaging responses for a plurality of mobile device users, the data providing an indication of which message formats are most effective for eliciting messaging responses.