Method and system for managing delivery of communications

• US 8,254,917 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2009
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• 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): Pérez-Gutiérrez, Rafael
• Assistant Examiner(s): VIANA DI PRISCO, GERMAN
• Application Number:
  US12/496,833
• Publication Number:
  US 20090270068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/432.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0208 Trade or exchange of goods or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0247 Calculate past, present or future revenues
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers

Abstract

Method and system for managing delivery of communications such as advertisements to mobile telephone subscribers where delivery to roaming subscribers is prevented or blocked when the subscriber is determined to be using a roaming network and revenue derived from delivery of the advertisements to a roaming subscriber is less than the cost for delivering the advertisements to the roaming subscribers.

Claims

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

determining a communications network being used by a user;

determining whether the communications network being used by the user is a home communications network or a roaming network;

varying delivery of communications to the user based on the determination of whether the communications network being used by the user is a home communications network or a roaming network; and

using a billing system for billing advertisers for delivery of communications to the user at different rates depending on the communications network being used by the user when receiving the communications, wherein said billing system is coupled to a communications management system, and receives the data about the communications network being used by the user, said billing system being arranged to bill advertisers at a subsidized rate for a communication delivered to a user using their home communications network and at a non-subsidized or higher rate when the user is roaming using a roaming network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the communications delivered to the user comprise advertisements.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

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

maintaining location information about the user in a database,

the step of varying delivery of 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.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of varying delivery of communications to the user comprises preventing delivery of communications to the user if it is determined that the user is using a communications network different than his home communications network.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

deriving revenue from delivery of communications to the user; and

comparing revenue derived from the delivery of communications to the user using a roaming network to a cost for delivering such communications,

the step of varying delivery of communications to the user comprising managing delivery of communications based on the comparison of the revenue derived from delivery of communications to the cost for delivering communications to the user using a roaming network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of varying delivery of communications to the user comprises preventing delivery of communications to the user using a roaming network when the cost for delivery of the communications exceeds the revenue derived from the delivery of the communications.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the communication services to the user in exchange for a requirement that the user receive communications.

8. A system for managing delivery of communications to at least one user of a mobile communications device, comprising:

means for determining a communications network being used by a user;

means for determining whether the communications network being used by the user is a home communications network or a roaming network;

means for varying delivery of communications to the user based on the determination of whether the communications network being used by the user is a home communications network or a roaming network; and

a billing system for billing advertisers for delivery of communications to the user at different rates depending on the communications network being used by the user when receiving the communications, wherein said billing system is coupled to a communications management system and receives the data about the communications network being used by the user, said billing system being arranged to bill advertisers at a subsidized rate for a communication delivered to a user using their home communications network and at a non-subsidized or higher rate when the user is roaming using a roaming network.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the communications delivered to the user comprise advertisements.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

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

a database in which location information about the user is maintained,

said means for varying delivery of communications to the user being arranged to access said database to determine the location of the user and manage the delivery of communications based on the location of the user.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said means for varying delivery of communications to the user is arranged to prevent delivery of communications to a user determined to be using a communications network in a country different than his home communications network.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising means for comparing revenue derived from the delivery of communications to a user using a roaming network to a cost for delivering such communications, said means for varying delivery of communications to the user being arranged to prevent delivery of communications to a user using a roaming network when the cost for delivery of the communications exceeds the revenue derived from the delivery of the communications.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising means for billing advertisers for delivery of communications to the user at different rates depending on the communications network being used by the user when receiving the communications.

14. A system for managing delivery of communications to at least one user of a mobile communications device, comprising:

a communications management system arranged to receive communications from advertisers for delivery to the user;

a determining system for determining the communications network being used by the user;

a database coupled to said determining system and said communications management system, 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 based on the communications network being used by the user, and

a billing system arranged to bill advertisers for delivery of communications to the user at different rates depending on the communications network being used by the user when receiving the communications, wherein said billing system is coupled to said communications management system and receives the data about the communications network being used by the user, said billing system being arranged to bill advertisers at a subsidized rate for a communication delivered to a user using their home communications network and at a non -subsidized or higher rate when the user is roaming using a roaming network.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said billing system is arranged to compare revenue derived from the delivery of communications to the user when using a roaming network to a cost for delivering such communications, said billing system being arranged to direct said communications management system to prevent delivery of communications to the user when the cost for delivery of the communications exceeds the revenue derived from the delivery of the communications.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said determining system is a home location register.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the communications delivered to the user comprise advertisements.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said determining system is arranged to determine whether the user is using a home communications network or a roaming network, said communications management system being arranged to manage delivery of communications to the user based on whether the user is using a home communications network or a roaming network.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein said determining system is arranged to determine a country in which the user is situated when roaming, said communications management system being arranged to manage delivery of communications to the user based on the country in which the user is situated when roaming.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein said determining system is arranged to determine an operator of the roaming network being used by the user when roaming, said communications management system being arranged to manage delivery of communications to the user based on the operator of the roaming network being used by the user when roaming.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein said database further includes at least one user-determined preference relating to delivery of communications, said communications management system being arranged to manage delivery of communications to the user based on the communications network being used by the user and the at least one user-determined preference.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising an interface for enabling the user to interface with said database and manage his delivery preferences.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein said at least one user-determined delivery preference includes preferences relating to a list of different communication sources from which the user could receive communications and preferences relating to a list of different communication types which the user could receive.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein said communications management system includes a secondary communications management system arranged to manage communications to the user, said secondary communications management system being arranged to receive communications intended for the user, data from the database about the user'"'"'s delivery preferences and data about the communications network being used by the user from said determining system, to determine whether the communications should be delivered to the user, and if so, to control a communications network element to deliver the communications to the user.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said secondary communications management system is arranged to receive an indication of the sender and recipient of communications and optionally the communications via the communications network element.

26. The system of claim 14, wherein said communications management system includes tools which enable each advertiser to define rules of advertisement campaigns.

27. The system of claim 14, further comprising a billing system coupled to said communications management system for monitoring usage of the communications networks by the user and monitoring usage and payments of or for communications being delivered to each user'"'"'s mobile device.

28. A computer program resident on non-transitory computer-readable media and arranged to manage delivery of communications to at least one user'"'"'s mobile device, by

maintaining data about the user and which communications network he is using in a database;

determining whether to deliver communications to the user by checking the database to ascertain which communications network the user is using and allowing or preventing delivery of communications to the user based on which communications network he is using; and

using a billing system for billing advertisers for delivery of communications to the user at different rates depending on the communications network being used by the user when receiving the communications, wherein said billing system is coupled to a communications management system and receives the data about the communications network being used by the user, said billing system being arranged to bill advertisers at a subsidized rate for a communication delivered to a user using their home communications network and at a non-subsidized or higher rate when the user is roaming using a roaming network.

29. The computer program of claim 28, wherein the computer program is arranged to prevent delivery of communications to a user determined to be using a roaming network which is not his home communications network.

30. The computer program of claim 28, wherein the data in the database includes an indication of the user'"'"'s home communications network and the computer program is arranged to prevent delivery of communications to the user when using a roaming network which is not his home communications network.

31. The computer program of claim 28, wherein the computer program is arranged to monitor the user'"'"'s usage of a communications network to determine which communications network the user is using.

32. The computer program of claim 28, wherein the communications comprise advertisements.