Method and system for managing delivery of communications

• US 8,213,946 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2010
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ahopelto, Timo, Romppanen, Timo, Ahtisaari, Marko, Antikainen, Ismo
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumming, William D
• Application Number:
  US12/828,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20100291953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 455/450, 455/466
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Method and system for managing delivery of communications such as advertisements to mobile telephone subscribers where delivery to subscribers is temporarily prevented or blocked at the request of the subscribers. In particular, a subscriber can temporarily suspend delivery of advertisements when they are roaming.

Claims

1. A method for managing delivery of communications to a user of a mobile communications device, comprising:

enabling the user to set at least one parameter relating to delivery of communications to their mobile communications device, one of the at least one parameter being a parameter relating to temporary suspension of at least one type of communication, wherein the user is assigned a home communications network and the at least one parameter relates to temporary suspension of delivery of communications when the user is using a roaming communications network which is not the user'"'"'s home communications network;

determining whether a communications network being operatively used by the user is the user'"'"'s home communications network or a roaming communications network;

preventing delivery of communications to the user when the user has set the at least one parameter to suspend delivery of communications when the user is using a roaming communications network and the user is operatively determined to be using a roaming communications network; and

delivering communications to the user in accordance with the set at least one parameter.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one type of communication comprises an advertisement or a message from an operator of the user'"'"'s home communications network.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising preventing delivery of communications to the user when the user has set the at least one parameter to temporarily suspend delivery of communications.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one parameter relates to temporary suspension of delivery of communications based on the user'"'"'s location, further comprising:

determining a location of the user based on a communications network the user is using; and

maintaining location information about the user in a database,

the step of delivering communications to the user comprising accessing the database to determine the location of the user and managing the delivery of communications based on the location of the user and the at least one parameter.

5. A system for managing delivery of communications to a user of a mobile communications device, comprising:

a communications management system arranged to receive communications from advertisers for delivery to the user, wherein the communications to be delivered to the user comprise an advertisement or a message;

a database containing at least one user-determined parameter relating to delivery of communications to their mobile communications device, one of the at least one parameter being a parameter relating to temporary suspension of delivery of communications; and

a communications network coupled to said communications management system and said database for delivering communications from said communications management system to the user in accordance with the at least one user-determined parameter in said database, wherein said at least one parameter relates to suspension of delivery of communications when the user is using a roaming communications network which is not the user'"'"'s home communications network.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a determining system for determining the communications network being used by the user, said database containing data about the communications network being used by the user as determined by said determining system and providing the data to said communications management system, said communications management system being arranged to manage delivery of communications to the user via said communications network based on the communications network being used by the user and the at least one user-determined parameter in said database.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said determining system is a home location register.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein said communications management system is arranged to manage delivery of communications to the user based on whether the user is using a home communications network or a roaming network and whether the user set the at least one parameter to suspend delivery of communications when using a roaming communications network.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

enable a user to manage at least one parameter for delivery of communications to a mobile device, wherein the communications comprise an advertisement or a message and the at least one parameter relates to temporary suspension of delivery of advertisements while the user is using a communications network which is not the user'"'"'s home communications network;

maintain the at least one parameter managed by the user in a database; and

check the database prior to delivery of communications to the user to ascertain whether the user has permitted or blocked the delivery of such communications.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions stored thereon further cause the computing device to limit the user'"'"'s ability to temporarily suspend delivery of advertisements.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the time during which a user can temporarily suspend delivery of advertisements is limited to a set number of days within a predetermined period of time set by a service agreement for use of the mobile device that the user can temporarily suspend delivery of advertisements.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions stored thereon further cause the computing device to enable the user to manage the at least one parameter using an Internet interface.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions stored thereon further cause the computing device to enable the user to manage the at least one parameter using their mobile device.