Call to action lockout system and method

• US 8,150,386 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2007
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Urban Marketing Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: John Forrester, Sam Wilson, Tim Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Tim, Forrester, John, Wilson, Sam
• Primary Examiner(s): Rampuria, Sharad
• Application Number:
  US12/299,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20090191855A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,791 Days
• Field of Search: 455418-420, 4554141-4144, 455 301- 306, 455/466, 455/566
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages

Abstract

A Call-To-Action Lockout on a mobile device coupled to a data network is disclosed as a method and apparatus comprising providing a media application configured to respond to a control point associated with media content, providing media content which has at least one associated control point, triggering at least one control point while experiencing the media content; and performing an appropriate Call To Action Script (CTAS) in response to the triggered control point.

Claims

1. A method for Call To Action Lockout on a mobile device coupled to a data network, said method comprising:

providing a media application configured to respond to a control point associated with media content;

providing a playable media content item which has at least one associated control point;

commencing playback of said media content item;

triggering at least one said control point during playback of said media content item; and

performing an appropriate Call To Action Script (CTAS) in response to the triggered said control point;

wherein playback of said media content item is locked out subject to said CTAS, and playback of said media content item resumes following a user response to said CTAS; and

wherein said control point is triggered by reference to any one or more of the following;

a timing track;

a counter;

or parsing of the media content received by the media application.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

prompting for a response in respect of said CTAS; and

transmitting said response to CTAL application server.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said prompting for a response mechanism is in the form of any one of or more selected from the set comprising:

a question, poll, competition entry, feedback and data collection.

4. The method according to claim 2 comprising:

storing said response.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein said media content is any data format suitable for processing by said media application.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein said media content is in the form of any one or more selected from the set comprising:

audio, animation, video, text and an image.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein said media content is provided by being downloaded, preloaded or streamed Over The Air (OTA).

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein said media player is provided to said mobile device over said data network via a protocol in the form of any one or more selected from the set comprising:

SMS, MMS, WAP and GPRS.

9. An apparatus for Call To Action Lockout on a mobile device coupled to a data network, said apparatus comprising:

a CTAL Application Server configured to provide media content items, each media content item having at least one associated control point;

said CTAL Application Server is coupleable to a data network for providing said media content;

wherein, during playback of one of said media content items, the associated control point is triggered thereby to initiate a CTAS, wherein playback of said media content item is locked out subject to said CTAS, and playback of said media content item resumes following a user response to said CTAS; and

wherein said control point is triggered by reference to any one or more of the following;

a timing track;

a counter;

or parsing of the media content received by the media application.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 comprising:

a CTAS Application Server for providing an associated CTAS to define said control point, wherein said CTAS Application Server is coupled to said network and configured to provide said corresponding CTAS to said CTAL Application Server.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 comprising:

a Media Database containing media content; and

a Media Server configured to retrieve said media content said Media Server further configured to provide said media content to said CTAL Application Server for subsequently providing to a mobile device coupled to said network.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9 comprising:

a Media Database containing media content; and

a Media Server configured to retrieve said media content;

said Media Server further configured to provide said media content to said CTAL Application Server for subsequently providing to a mobile device coupled to said network;

wherein said CTAL Application Server provides said corresponding CTAS for defining said control point.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9 comprising:

a mobile device coupled to said data network, and configured to have a media application;

said mobile device is further configurable to trigger at least one control point and perform an appropriate Call To Action Script (CTAS) in response to the triggered said control point.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9 comprising:

a Response Database Server coupled to said network for receiving and storing a response from a mobile device in response to a triggered Call-To-Action.

15. An apparatus for Call To Action Lockout on a mobile device coupled to a data network, said apparatus comprising:

a mobile device coupled to a data network, and configured to have a media application for playback of media content items;

wherein said mobile device is configured to, during playback of one of said media content items, trigger at least one control point associated with the media content item and perform an appropriate Call To Action Script (CTAS) in response to the triggered said control point;

wherein said mobile device is configured to lockout playback of said media content item pending a response to the CTAS, and playback of said media content item resumes following said response;

wherein said mobile device is further configured to transmitting said response to a CTAL application server;

wherein said control point is triggered by reference to any one or more of the following;

a timing track;

a counter;

or parsing of the media content received by the media application.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 comprising:

a CTAL Application Server configured to provide said media content having at least one associated control point;

said CTAL Application Server is coupleable to a data network for providing said media content.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 comprising:

a CTAS Application Server for providing an associated CTAS to define said control point, wherein said CTAS Application Server is coupled to said network and configured to provide said corresponding CTAS to said CTAL Application Server.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17 comprising:

a Media Database containing media content; and

a Media Server configured to retrieve said media content;

said Media Server further configured to provide said media content to said CTAL Application Server for subsequently providing to a mobile device coupled to said network.

19. The apparatus according to claim 16 comprising:

a Media Database containing media content; and

a Media Server configured to retrieve said media content;

said Media Server further configured to provide said media content to said CTAL Application Server for subsequently providing to a mobile device coupled to said network;

wherein said CTAL Application Server provides said corresponding CTAS for defining said control point.