Advertising management system and method with dynamic pricing

• US 8,352,320 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2008
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: MacDonald, Jonathan, Peppers, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Bekerman, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/075,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20080228893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,764 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.66, 705/14.64, 705/14.61, 705/14.69
• US Class Current: 705/14.66
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0249 based upon budgets or funds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0272 Period of advertisement exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0276 Advertisement creation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames

Abstract

Method and system for enabling advertisers to deliver advertisements to consumers in which a plurality of tiers of available advertisements are defined, each tier containing a number of advertisements, a price for allocation of an advertisement in each tier is set wherein a lowest tier has the lowest price and the price increases to a maximum at a highest tier, and advertisements are allocated to advertisers based on availability starting from a lowest tier with unallocated advertisements and progressing to higher tiers.

Claims

1. A method for allocating messaging slots for use in delivering messages to participating recipients within a mobile communications network during an allocated time period, the method comprising:

partitioning recipients of the advertising messages into a plurality of target profile groups wherein each recipient is allocated to more than one target profile group;

determining a total number of available messaging slots for each target profile group, each messaging slot enabling the transmittal of one advertising message from an advertising management system to recipients as a SMS, MMS, or WAP message, by multiplying the total number of recipients in each target profile group by the number of messages permitted to be delivered to each participating recipient per an advertising time period, and by the allocated time period;

defining a plurality of tiers of available messaging slots for each of the target profile groups, each tier containing an available inventory of messaging slots and a cost for delivering a message associated with a respective tier, wherein a lowest cost per message tier has a highest available inventory and a highest cost per message tier has a lowest available inventory, each said tier having a priority for use in scheduling the delivery of the advertising messages;

receiving from an advertiser parameters defining targeted recipients and a number of messages to be delivered; and

the advertising management system assigning messaging slots to transmit a message to specific recipients based on availability of messaging slots, the advertising management system initially assigning messaging slots from a lowest cost per message tier with unallocated messaging slots and then progressing to the next higher cost per message tier with available messaging slots to assign any of the number of messages to be delivered which were not assigned in the lowest cost per message tier due to all of the messaging slots in the lowest cost per message tier having been filled, and creating a transmitting schedule for messages to the allocated recipients, wherein the availability of the messaging slots in each other target profile group to which the specific recipient is allocated is decreased by a determined weight calculated based on the percentage of total recipients belonging to each target profile group.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the assignment of messages is performed according to supply and demand of advertising messages for each target profile group.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising assigning a percentage of a total message slot inventory to each tier, the available inventory of messaging slots in each tier being determined by multiplying the percentage by the total amount of available messaging slots.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the allocation of messaging slots to information providers is enabled via an interface available to the information providers.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

forming the interface to enable each information provider to at least one of;

enter a message to be delivered to recipients;

select a target profile group of recipients to receive messages;

select one or more parameters relating to the time of delivery of messages; and

perform either a message delivery campaign based on a budget or on delivery of a set number of messages.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein when an information provider elects to perform a message delivery campaign based on delivery of a set number of messages, further comprising:

allocating to each information provider, available messaging slots from a lowest cost per message tier having unallocated messaging slots, and then

providing the cost of utilizing the messaging slots to the information provider.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein when an information provider elects to perform a message delivery campaign based on a budget, further comprising:

allocating to each information provider, available messaging slots from a lowest cost per message tier having unallocated messaging slots until the cost of utilizing the messaging slots equals the budget, and then

providing the number of allocated messaging slots to the information provider.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the allocation of messaging slots to information providers is enabled via an interface available to the information providers.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

forming the interface to enable each information provider to at least one of;

enter a message to be delivered to recipients;

select a target profile group of recipients to receive messages;

select one or more parameters relating to the time of delivery of messages; and

perform either a message delivery campaign based on a budget or on delivery of a set number of messages.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein when an information provider elects to perform a message delivery campaign based on delivery of a set number of messages, further comprising:

allocating to each information provider, available messaging slots from a lowest cost per message tier having unallocated messaging slots, and then

providing the cost of utilizing the messaging slots to the information provider.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein when an information provider elects to perform a message delivery campaign based on a budget, further comprising:

allocating to each information provider, available messaging slots from a lowest cost per message tier having unallocated messaging slots until the cost of utilizing the messaging slots equals the budget, and then

providing the number of allocated messaging slots to the information provider.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning a percentage of a total message slot inventory to each tier, the available inventory of messaging slots in each tier being determined by multiplying the percentage by the total amount of available messaging slots.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the allocation of messaging slots to information providers is enabled via an interface available to the information providers.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

forming the interface to enable each information provider to at least one of;

enter a message to be delivered to recipients;

select a target profile group of recipients to receive messages;

select one or more parameters relating to the time of delivery of messages; and

perform either a message delivery campaign based on a budget or on delivery of a set number of messages.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein when an information provider elects to perform a message delivery campaign based on delivery of a set number of messages, further comprising:

allocating to each information provider, available messaging slots from a lowest cost per message tier having unallocated messaging slots, and then

providing the cost of utilizing the messaging slots to the information provider.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein when an information provider elects to perform a message delivery campaign based on a budget, further comprising:

allocating to each information provider, available messaging slots from a lowest cost per message tier having unallocated messaging slots until the cost of utilizing the messaging slots equals the budget, and then

providing the number of allocated messaging slots to the information provider.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the allocation of messaging slots to information providers is enabled via an interface available to the information providers.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

forming the interface to enable each information provider to at least one of;

enter a message to be delivered to recipients;

select a target profile group of recipients to receive messages;

select one or more parameters relating to the time of delivery of messages; and

perform either a message delivery campaign based on a budget or on delivery of a set number of messages.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein when an information provider elects to perform a message delivery campaign based on delivery of a set number of messages, further comprising:

allocating to each information provider, available messaging slots from a lowest cost per message tier having unallocated messaging slots, and then

providing the cost of utilizing the messaging slots to the information provider.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein when an information provider elects to perform a message delivery campaign based on a budget, further comprising:

allocating to each information provider, available messaging slots from a lowest cost per message tier having unallocated messaging slots until the cost of utilizing the messaging slots equals the budget, and then

providing the number of allocated messaging slots to the information provider.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of tiers is 2, 3, 4 or 5.

22. A system for enabling information providers to schedule delivery of messages, the system allocating messaging slots for use in delivering messages to participating recipients within a mobile communications network during an allocated time period, comprising:

a messaging management system comprising a processor and memory which partition recipients of the advertising messages into a plurality of target profile groups wherein each recipient is allocated to more than one target profile group and determine a total number of available messaging slots for each target profile group, each messaging slot enabling the transmittal of one advertising message to recipients as a SMS, MMS or WAP message, by multiplying the total number of recipients in each target profile group by the number of messages permitted to be delivered to each participating recipient per an advertising time period, and by the allocated time period, the messaging management system defining a plurality of tiers of available messaging slots for each of the target profile groups, each tier containing an available inventory of messaging slots and a cost for delivering a message associated with a respective tier, wherein a lowest cost per message tier has the highest available inventory and a highest cost per message tier has a lowest available inventory, each said tier having a priority for use in scheduling the delivery of the advertising messages, the messaging management system receiving from an advertiser defined target recipients and a number of messages to be delivered; and

an interface comprising a processor and memory operatively coupled to said messaging management system, the interface being accessible by information providers to enable the information providers to input messages to said message management system and obtain an allocation of messaging slots based on availability starting from a lowest cost per message tier with unallocated messaging slots and progressing to higher cost per message tiers, the message management system assigning messaging slots to transmit a message to specific recipients based on availability of messaging slots, the advertising management system initially assigning messaging slots from a lowest cost per message tier with unallocated messaging slots and then progressing to the next higher cost per message tier with available messaging slots to assign any of the number of messages to be delivered which are not assigned in the lowest cost per message tier due to all of the messaging slots in the lowest cost per message tier having been filled, and creating a transmitting schedule for messages to the allocated recipients, wherein the availability of the messaging slots in each other target profile group to which the specific recipient is allocated is decreased by a determined weight calculated based on the percentage of total recipients belonging to each target profile group.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising infrastructure comprising a processor operatively coupled to said message management system to enable delivery of messages from the information providers to a recipient'"'"'s telecommunications devices, said messages being entered via said interface in accordance with the allocation of said messaging slots.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the number of tiers is 2, 3, 4 or 5.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein said interface further comprises means for enabling each information provider to at least one of:

select a target profile group of recipients to receive messages;

select one or more parameters relating to the time of delivery of messages; and

perform either a message delivery campaign based on a budget or on delivery of a desired number of messages.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the number of tiers is 2, 3, 4 or 5.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein when an information provider elects to perform a message delivery campaign based on delivery of a desired number of messages, said message management system further comprises means for allocating to each information provider, available messaging slots from a lowest cost per message tier having unallocated messaging slots, and then provide the cost of the messaging slots to the information provider via said interface.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the number of tiers is 2, 3, 4 or 5.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein when an information provider elects to perform a message delivery campaign based on a budget, said message management system further comprises means for allocating to each information provider, available messaging slots from a lowest cost per message tier having unallocated messaging slots until the cost of the messages equals the budget, and then provide the number of messaging slots to the information provider via said interface.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the number of tiers is 2, 3, 4 or 5.

31. The system of claim 22, wherein said message management system further comprises means for assigning a percentage of messaging slot inventory to each tier, the number of messages in each tier being determined by multiplying the percentage by the total amount of available messages.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the number of tiers is 2, 3, 4 or 5.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein said interface further comprises means for enabling each information provider to at least one of:

select a target profile group of recipients to receive messages;

select one or more parameters relating to the time of delivery of messages; and

perform either a message delivery campaign based on a budget or on delivery of a desired number of messages.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the number of tiers is 2, 3, 4 or 5.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein when an information provider elects to perform a message delivery campaign based on delivery of a desired number of messages, said message management system further comprises means for allocating to each information provider, available messaging slots from a lowest cost per message tier having unallocated messaging slots, and then provide the cost of the messaging slots to the information provider via said interface.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the number of tiers is 2, 3, 4 or 5.

37. The system of claim 33, wherein when an information provider elects to perform a message delivery campaign based on a budget, said message management system further comprises means for allocating to each information provider, available messaging slots from a lowest cost per message tier having unallocated messaging slots until the cost of the messages equals the budget, and then provide the number of messaging slots to the information provider via said interface.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the number of tiers is 2, 3, 4 or 5.

39. The system of claim 22, wherein said interface further comprises means for enabling each information provider to at least one of:

select a target profile group of recipients to receive messages;

select one or more parameters relating to the time of delivery of messages; and

perform either a message delivery campaign based on a budget or on delivery of a desired number of messages.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the number of tiers is 2, 3, 4 or 5.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein when an information provider elects to perform a message delivery campaign based on delivery of a desired number of messages, said message management system further comprises means for allocating to each information provide, available messaging slots from a lowest cost per message tier having unallocated messaging slots, and then provide the cost of the messaging slots to the information provider via said interface.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the number of tiers is 2, 3, 4 or 5.

43. The system of claim 39, wherein when an information provider elects to perform a message delivery campaign based on a budget, said message management system further comprises means for allocating to each information provider, available messaging slots from a lowest cost per message tier having unallocated messaging slots until the cost of the messages equals the budget, and then provide the number of messaging slots to the information provider via said interface.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the number of tiers is 2, 3, 4 or 5.

45. The system of claim 22, wherein the number of tiers is 2, 3, 4 or 5.

46. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

partition recipients of advertising messages into a plurality of target profile groups wherein each recipient is allocated to more than one target profile group;

determine a total number of available messaging slots for each target profile group, each messaging slot enabling the transmittal of one advertising message from an advertising management system to recipients as a SMS, MMS, or WAP message, by multiplying the total number of recipients in each target profile group by the number of messages permitted to be delivered to each participating recipient per an advertising time period, and by the allocated time period;

define a plurality of tiers of available messaging slots for each of the target profile groups, each tier containing an available inventory of messaging slots and a cost for delivering a message associated with a respective tier, wherein a lowest cost per message tier has a highest available inventory and a highest cost per message tier has a lowest available inventory, each said tier having a priority for use in scheduling the delivery of the advertising messages;

receive from an advertiser parameters defining targeted recipients and a number of messages to be delivered; and

assign messaging slots to transmit a message to specific recipients based on availability of messaging slots, the advertising management system initially assigning messaging slots from a lowest cost per message tier with unallocated messaging slots and then progressing to the next higher cost per message tier with available messaging slots to assign any of the number of messages to be delivered which were not assigned in the lowest cost per message tier due to all of the messaging slots in the lowest cost per message tier having been filled, and creating a transmitting schedule for messages to the allocated recipients, wherein the availability of the messaging slots in each other target profile group to which the specific recipient is allocated is decreased by a determined weight calculated based on the percentage of total recipients belonging to each target profile group.