Information distribution system and method for a mobile network

• US 8,244,225 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2007
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Afrigis (Pty), Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Afrigis (Pty), Ltd.
• Inventors: Scheffer, Francois Petrus, Rademeyer, Ignatius Marthinus, Smit, Riana, Danzfuss, Theodor Louis Ferdinand
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US12/301,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20100234002A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,911 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/412.1, 455/550.1, 455/418, 705/14
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A method of and system for distributing information forming part of an information campaign to a user'"'"'s mobile device in a mobile communication network are provided. The method comprises receiving campaign message information defining campaign messages to be distributed on behalf of an information provider to a mobile device. A campaign message request associated with a mobile device is received by the system, with the campaign message being generated by embedded architecture content forming part of an application program of a mobile device service provider. The system associates the campaign request with target profile information defined by the information provider in order to select a suitable campaign message for distribution and distributes the selected campaign message to the service provider or mobile device, in response to the received campaign request.

Claims

1. A system for distributing information forming part of an information campaign to a user'"'"'s mobile device in a mobile communication network, the system comprising:

a campaign message capturing module to capture information defining campaign messages to be distributed on behalf of an information provider to a mobile device;

a communication module to receive a campaign message request associated with a mobile device, the campaign message request generated by embedded architecture content forming part of art application program of a mobile device service provider, the campaign message request being generated on the activation or use of the application program of the service provider on the mobile device, and

distribute a selected campaign message to the mobile device or mobile device service provider, in response to the received campaign message request; and

a distribution management module to associate the campaign message request with target profile information defined by the information provider in order to select a suitable campaign message for distribution by the communication module.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the campaign message request is received from a mobile device on which the application program of a mobile device service provider has been downloaded or preloaded.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the campaign message request is received from the mobile device service provider.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the campaign message request includes a unique identifier to identify the mobile device user.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the unique identifier is a MSISDN number or an application program user name for the mobile device user.

6. A system according to claim 4, further comprising a monitoring module to monitor information received from the service provider or the mobile device in response to the distributed campaign message.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein the monitoring module tracks actions of or a user response message from the mobile device user in response to the distributed campaign message from a different bearer through the unique identifier.

8. A system awarding to claim 1, wherein the communication module is configured to receive a user response message from the mobile device or service provider, in response to the distributed campaign message.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the user response message identifies a further action to be taken in response to the distributed campaign message.

10. A system according to claim 8, wherein the user response message includes a confirmation message to indicate that the campaign message was delivered to received by the mobile device.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein the communication module is to provide the service provider with the campaign architecture content to be embedded in the service provider application program.

12. A system according to claim 8, wherein the campaign message request includes profile data associated with the mobile device user, the profile data being compared to the target profile information by the distribution management module to select a suitable campaign message for distribution to the mobile device or mobile device service provider.

13. A system according to claim 12, further comprising a profiling module to store the profiling data received and to update profile data associated with the user of the mobile device, in response to the received user response message.

14. A system according to claim 12, wherein the distribution management module selects a number of suitable campaign messages for distribution by the communication module, and wherein the system further comprises a random distribution module to manage a bidding process to select a campaign message for distribution from the number of suitable campaign messages.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein the random distribution module selects the campaign message from the number of suitable campaign messages based on a priority assigned to the campaign messages.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein the priority assigned to the campaign messages is associated with a monetary amount information providers associated with the number of suitable campaign messages are willing to pay for each campaign message.

17. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a registration module to capture information provider data and mobile device service provider data.

18. A method of distributing information forming part of an information campaign to a user'"'"'s mobile device in a mobile communication network, the method comprising:

receiving campaign message information defining campaign messages to be distributed on behalf of an information provider to a mobile device;

receiving a campaign message request associated with a mobile device, the campaign message request generated by embedded architecture content forming part of an application program of a mobile device service provider and being generated on the activation or use of the application program of the service provider on the mobile device;

associating the campaign message request with target profile information defined by the information provider in order to select a suitable campaign message for distribution; and

distributing the selected campaign message to the service provider or mobile device, in response to the received campaign message request.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the campaign message request is received from a mobile device on which the application program of a mobile device service provider has been downloaded or preloaded.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein the campaign message request is received from the mobile device service provider.

21. A method according to claim 18, wherein the campaign message request includes a unique identifier to identify the mobile device user.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the unique identifier is a MSISDN number or an application program user name for the mobile device user.

23. A method according to claim 21, further comprising tracking actions of or information received from the mobile device user in response to the distributed campaign message from a different bearer through the unique identifier.

24. A method according to claim 18, further comprising receiving a user response message from the mobile device or service provider, in response to the distributed campaign message.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein the response message identifies a further action to be taken in response to the campaign message.

26. A method according to claim 24, wherein the user response message includes a confirmation message to indicate that the campaign message was delivered or received by the mobile device user.

27. A method according to claim 18, wherein the campaign message request includes profile data associated with the mobile device user.

28. A method according to claim 27, further comprising storing profile data received and updating profile data associated with the user of the mobile device, in response to the received user response message.

29. A method according to claim 18, wherein the step of associating the campaign request with target profile information in order to select a suitable campaign message for distribution to the mobile device comprises comparing the profile data to the target profile information in order to select a suitable campaign message for distribution to the mobile device.

30. A method according to claim 18, further comprising receiving information provider registration data and mobile device service provider registration data.

31. A method according to claim 18, further comprising providing the service provider with the campaign architecture content to be embedded in the service provider application program.