Messaging system and service

• US 8,243,636 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2004
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Myllynen, Harri, Leino, Pasi, Ohrling, Antti
• Primary Examiner(s): Shedrick, Charles
• Application Number:
  US10/555,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20060194595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,022 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/466
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

Embodiments of ihe disclosure are concerned with modification of messages en route to a destination. One such modification is the addition of third party material, such as advertisement data, to a message. A service located in the network receives the sender'"'"'s message and decodes the indicated modification in order to decide how to modify the message. The message can include transmission data identifying one or more destinations and a message body identifying content thereof which is specified by a sending party. The service can select data on the basis of at least one parameter that is not directly related to the location of the sending party and the selected data are not directly related to the content of the message. The service can modify the message with the selected data. Thus, the decision as to the nature of the modification is unrelated to messages that are composed by the user.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, a message sent through a data communications network, the message including transmission data identifying a recipient destinations of the message and a message body identifying content thereof which is specified by a sending party, the message further being associated with a tag, wherein the tag is not directly related to the content of the message;

identifying, by the processor, a recipient of the message on the basis of the transmission data for message modification;

reviewing, by the processor, a schedule identifying entertainment activities, wherein the schedule is accessed from an electronically available entertainment listing;

selecting, by the processor, in response to receiving the message, data in accordance with an entertainment activity that overlaps, at least in part, with a time of transmission or reception of the message an advertisement corresponding to the tag, provided the recipient of the message has not opted out from receiving advertisements corresponding to the tag;

creating, by the processor, a modified message including the data selected in accordance with an entertainment activity that overlaps, at least in part, with a time of transmission or reception of the message; and

transmitting, by the processor, the modified message to the destination advertisement to the recipient.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement data is selected from a store of selectable data.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein the store is one of a plurality of stores, each store being associated with a different subject and each having selectable data therein, and wherein an identifier identifying one of the subjects has been received prior to receipt of the message, the identifier thereby identifying a store from which data are to be selected.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein the selectable data are specified in advance of receipt of the message.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the data are selected in accordance with data associated with the message.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the data is selected from advertising data.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the selection of data is performed on the basis of a parameter that is not directly related to the location of the sending party.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the data is selected on the basis of characteristics of the identified recipient, and wherein the characteristics include any of location, context, weather, age, and preference information associated with the recipient.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein, in response to identifying from the transmission data that there is a plurality of recipients of the message, identifying characteristics common to at least two of the recipients, and selecting data on the basis of the common characteristics.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the selected data with data identifying subject matter that the recipient is not interested in, and, in the event that the selected data matches data corresponding to the identified subject matter, the message is not modified prior to transmission to the recipient.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording the data that have been included in the transmitted messages;

comparing the recorded data with the data selected for inclusion in the message; and

repeating, in the event that the recorded data match the selected data, the element of selecting.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the data is selected based on location data.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a subscription request at a messaging service from the recipient indicating that the recipient desires to receive advertisements from the messaging service.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the tag is specified by the sending party.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving, from the sending party, at a messaging service, prior to receiving the message, a selection of tags to be associated with further messages.

16. A system comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a message sent through a data communications network, the message including transmission data identifying a recipient destinations of the message and a message body identifying content thereof which is specified by a sending party, the message further being associated with a tag, wherein the tag is not directly related to the content of the message;

a selector configured to review a schedule identifying entertainment activities, the selector further configured to select, in response to receiving the message, data in accordance with an entertainment activity that overlaps, at least in part, with a time of transmission or reception of the message an advertisement corresponding to the tag, provided the recipient of the message has not opted out from receiving advertisements corresponding to the tag, wherein the schedule is accessed from an electronically available entertainment listing; and

a message modifier configured to identify a recipient of the message on the basis of the transmission data for message modification and create a modified message including the data selected in accordance with an entertainment activity that overlaps, at least in part, with a time of transmission or reception of the message, the message transmitter further configured to transmit the modified message to the destination advertisement to the recipient.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a store of selectable data advertisements, wherein the selector selects the data advertisements from the store of selectable advertisements data.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the store is one of a plurality of stores, each store being associated with a different subject and each having selectable data therein, and wherein an identifier identifying one of the subjects has been received prior to receipt of the message, the identifier thereby identifying a store from which data are to be selected.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the selectable data are specified in advance of receipt of the message.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the selector selects data in accordance with data associated with the message.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the data is advertising data.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the selector selects data on the basis of a parameter that is not directly related to the location of the sending party.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the selector selects data based on characteristics of the identified recipient, and wherein the characteristics include any of location, context, weather, age, and preference information associated with the recipient.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the selector is further configured to identify, in response to the message transmitter identifying from the transmission data that there is a plurality of recipients of the message, characteristics common to at least two of the recipients, and select data on the basis of the common characteristics.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the message modifier is further configured to compare the selected data with data identifying subject matter that the recipient is not interested in, and, in the event that the selected data matches data corresponding to the identified subject matter, not modifying the message.

26. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a recorder configured to record the data that have been included in the transmitted messages; and

wherein the selector is further configured to compare the recorded data with the data selected for inclusion in the message, and in the event that the recorded data match the selected data, select different data.

27. The system of claim 16, wherein the selector selects data based on location data.

28. The system of claim 16, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive a subscription request from the recipient indicating that the recipient desires to receive advertisements from the messaging service.

29. The system of claim 16, wherein the tag is specified by the sending party.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising:

receiving, from the sending party, at a messaging service, prior to receiving the message, a selection of tags to be associated with further messages.

31. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon for causing a computing device to perform a method comprising:

receiving a message sent through a data communications network, the message including transmission data identifying a recipient destinations of the message and a message body identifying content thereof which is specified by a sending party, the message further being associated with a tag, wherein the tag is not directly related to the content of the message;

identifying a recipient of the message on the basis of the transmission data for message modification;

reviewing a schedule identifying entertainment activities, wherein the schedule is accessed from an electronically available entertainment listing;

selecting, in response to receiving the message, data in accordance with an entertainment activity that overlaps, at least in part, with a time of transmission or reception of the message an advertisement corresponding to the tag, provided the recipient of the message has not opted out from receiving advertisements corresponding to the tag;

creating a modified message including the data selected in accordance with an entertainment activity that overlaps, at least in part, with a time of transmission or reception of the message; and

transmitting the modified message to the destination advertisement to the recipient.

32. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 31, further comprising:

receiving a subscription request at a messaging service from the recipient indicating that the recipient desires to receive advertisements from the messaging service.

33. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the tag is specified by the sending party.

34. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 33, further comprising:

receiving, from the sending party, at a messaging service, prior to receiving the message, a selection of tags to be associated with further messages.