System and method for telephone conference based communication, entertainment and advertising platform with accounting functionality

• US 8,239,454 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2008
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joseph Palermo
• Original Assignee: Joseph Palermo
• Inventors: Palermo, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Avellino, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): KHAN, AFTAB N
• Application Number:
  US12/029,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20090113316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,639 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 715/706, 715/753, 715/758, 715/962, 715/971, 379/114.03, 379/114.23, 379/114.14, 379/114.28
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1086 session scope modification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0192 Sponsored, subsidised calls via advertising, e.g. calling cards with ads or connecting to special ads, free calling time by purchasing goods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42017 Customized ring-back tones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/962 Operator interface for marketing or sales
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/971 Cooperative decision support systems for group of users

Abstract

This invention enables people from the at-home viewing or listening audience of any television or radio broadcast to talk with each other to discuss the program'"'"'s content on the telephone at any time before, during or after a show. In addition to discussion forums based on broadcast and print media content, the system provides premium priced telephone access to people with specific expertise, e.g., sports stars, politicians and a host of other specialists. Income is earned on a per-minute or flat-rate basis and billed to the caller primarily via credit card or their phone bill. Revenue can be derived from the sale of advertisement, e.g., mentions of the sponsor over the telephone during the initial greeting and within conferences, as well as from the licensing of the service to media networks as a value added service.

Claims

1. A method for providing a chat room service over at least one network, the method comprising the steps of:

sending a message inviting a recipient to enter a chat room, wherein the message is sent via at least one of TV, radio, internet or print media;

receiving a response to the invitation from a recipient;

providing the recipient a menu of chat rooms of selectable issues;

limiting the number of recipients that can be switched into a chat room for a selected issue as active recipients;

setting up a second chat room for a selected event when the number of recipients in the chat room reaches a defined limit;

identifying the point of view of a recipient about an issue prior to switching the recipient into a chat room of the event selected where the subject matter being discussed is at least debatable as to at least two distinctly different points of view;

switching the recipient to a chat room on the selected issue which has not reached the defined limit, wherein the recipient is switched into a chat room on the selected issue based on his point of view so as to populate the chat room with number of recipients balanced between the two distinct points of view to the nearest extent; and

charging a fee for participation in the chat room.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the provider of the chat room service determines which recipient goes into the second room.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said menu of selectable events comprises one of distance learning and cultural types of discussion, and making contact with another having a common interest.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein there is an auction so that entry of a limited number of active participants into the chat room will depend on how much they are willing to bid for the privilege.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein ongoing broadcast content is streamed into the conferences while the participants listen in on the chat room discussions related to the content.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

sending an advertising message by a sponsor to the recipient about a product or service other than the chat room service, subsequent to the response to the invitation.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the chat room provides audio and video communications between the participants.

7. A system for providing a chat room service over at least one network, comprising:

a process;

memory;

a conference manager processor causing a message chiron to be included in a content delivered to a recipient communications device inviting the recipient of the content to enter a chat room of selectable issues,

said processor receiving a response to the invitation from the recipient communications device, said processor further sending to the recipient communications device, a menu of chat rooms of selectable issues and receiving from the recipient communications device a signal representing a menu selection of an issue, said processor requesting from said recipient device a set of responses indicating a point of view of the recipient about the selected issue that is debatable as to at least two distinctly different points of view; and

a conference bridge which establishes one or more chat rooms, said conference manager processor causing the conference bridge to switch a recipient into a selected first chat rooms, but limiting the number of recipients that can be switched into the first chat room;

said conference manager processor causing the conference bridge to switch a recipient into a second chat room when the number of recipients in the first chat room reaches a defined limit, and causing the conference bridge to switch a recipient into a chat room based on his point of view so as to populate the chat room with recipients balanced to the nearest extent between the two distinct points of view and charging a fee participation in the chat room.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the conference manager processor, after the recipient has selected a chat room on a selected issue, indicates to the recipient communications device that is being switched into the chat room that requires a bid and indicates a current highest bid, receiving from the recipient communications device a bid and determining if it is the highest bid in a defined period of time, and switching the recipient into the chat room only where the recipient'"'"'s bid is the highest in the defined period of time.

10. The system of claim 7 further including a broadcast facility having broadcast content, and

wherein the conference manager processor causes the invitation message chiron to be included in the broadcast content delivered to a recipient;

and

wherein ongoing broadcast content is streamed into the chat room conferences while the participants engage in the chat room discussions related to that content.

11. The system of claim 7 further including an advertisement generator, wherein the conference manager processor causes an advertising message from the advertisement generator about a product or service of a sponsor, other than the chat room service, to be streamed into the chat room conference.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the chat room provides audio and video communications between the participants.