Method and apparatus for content presentation in association with a telephone call

• US 8,977,242 B1
• Filed: 09/18/2009
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vusura Technology LLC
• Original Assignee: Wendell Brown
• Inventors: Brown, Wendell
• Primary Examiner(s): HTUN, SAN A
• Application Number:
  US12/563,102
• Time in Patent Office: 1,999 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.2, 455/412.1, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/415, 455418-4221, 455457-461, 455/466, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455/566, 455/567, 370/310.2, 370/328, 370/338, 370351-356, 379 1502- 1504, 379/27.02, 379/32.01, 379/32.03, 379/32.04, 379 8811- 8813, 379/88.18, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/88.22
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/00 Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers subscriber services or facilities provided at exchanges H04M3/00; prepayment telephone coin boxes H04M17/00; current supply arrangements H04M19/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72439 for image or video messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/61 based on the service used
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8351 before establishing a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8353 during the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8355 after the end of the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/846 optical, e.g. icon
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/848 Tone, e.g. beeper
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/85 characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6054 Biometric subscriber identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7231 by SIM, e.g. smart card account in SCP, SDP or SN
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42051 where the notification is included in the ringing tone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4365 : based on information specified by the calling party, e.g. priority or subject
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 : Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0036 : where the data service is an information service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0051 : where the data service is a multimedia messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 : Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• 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 4/20 : Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 : for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/23 : for mobile advertising

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for presenting multimedia content to caller and/or a called party in association with a telephone call. Content may be presented pre-ring (before the called party'"'"'s telephone rings), in-call and/or post-call. Content presented to a party may be related to or selected by another party participating in the call, or may be related to a third party (e.g., an advertiser that paid for the ability to have its content presented). Presented content may be actuable, and allow a caller to change the destination of a call, take advantage of an offer presented to him, redeem a coupon, schedule or queue a subsequent call, etc. To find a desired destination party, a caller may initiate a manual or automatic search of his local contacts (on his telephone) and/or a central or global directory or contact list.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating presentation of content to a user of a communication device in association with a call placed from the communication device to a destination party, the method comprising:

at the destination party, prior to receipt of signaling of a voice channel of the call;

receiving notification of initiation of the call to the destination party;

identifying to the communication device a storage location of initial content to be presented to the user in association with the call; and

instructing the communication device to present the initial content to the user; and

at the destination party, after the voice channel is established between the communication device and the destination party;

identifying to the communication device a storage location of updated content that visually depicts one or more details of a transaction between the user and the destination party other than a recording of a conversation between the user and the destination party;

instructing the communication device to present the updated content to the user;

selecting final content to be presented to the user after the call is terminated; and

instructing the communication device to present the final content to the user after the call is terminated;

wherein the final content is different than the initial content and the updated content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial content is presented to the user before the destination party answers the voice channel of the call.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at the destination party, after receiving notification of initiation of the call, instructing the communication device to delay placement of the voice connection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the updated content comprises details of a transaction currently being conducted between the user and the destination party.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the updated content comprises details of a previous transaction conducted between the user and the destination party.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the updated content comprises an offer from the destination party to the user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating, one or more times during the call:

said identifying to the communication device a storage location of updated content; and

said instructing the communication device to present the updated content to the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said instructing the communication device to present the initial content comprises transmitting the initial content to the communication device; and

said instructing the communication device to present the updated content comprises transmitting the updated content to the communication device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial content is selected based on whether the destination party has an existing relationship with the user.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of facilitating presentation of content to a user of a communication device in association with a call placed from the communication device to a destination party, the method comprising:

at the destination party, prior to receipt of signaling of a voice channel of the call;

receiving notification of initiation of the call to the destination party;

identifying to the communication device a storage location of initial content to be presented to the user in association with the call; and

instructing the communication device to present the initial content to the user; and

at the destination party, after the voice channel is established between the communication device and the destination party;

identifying to the communication device a storage location of updated content that visually depicts one or more details of a transaction between the user and the destination party other than a recording of a conversation between the user and the destination party;

instructing the communication device to present the updated content to the user;

selecting final content to be presented to the user after the call is terminated; and

instructing the communication device to present the final content to the user after the call is terminated;

wherein the final content is different than the initial content and the updated content.

11. A communication apparatus operated by a destination party for facilitating presentation of content to a user of a communication device in association with a call placed from the communication device to the communication apparatus, the communication apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the communication apparatus to;

prior to receipt at the communication apparatus of signaling of a voice channel of the call;

receive notification of initiation of the call to the destination party;

identify to the communication device a storage location of initial content to be presented to the user in association with the call; and

instruct the communication device to present the initial content to the user; and

after the voice channel is established between the communication device and the communication apparatus;

identify to the communication device a storage location of updated content that visually depicts one or more details of a transaction between the user and the destination party other than a recording of a conversation between the user and the destination party;

instruct the communication device to present the updated content to the user;

select final content to be presented to the user after the call is terminated; and

instruct the communication device to present the final content to the user after the call is terminated;

wherein the final content is different than the initial content and the updated content.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the initial content is presented to the user before the destination party answers the voice channel of the call.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the communication apparatus to:

after receiving notification of initiation of the call, instructing the communication device to delay placement of the voice connection.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the updated content comprises details of a transaction currently being conducted between the user and the destination party.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the updated content comprises details of a previous transaction conducted between the user and the destination party.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the updated content comprises an offer from the destination party to the user.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the communication apparatus to repeat, one or more times during the call:

said identifying to the communication device a storage location of updated content; and

said instructing the communication device to present the updated content to the user.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

said instructing the communication device to present the initial content comprises transmitting the initial content to the communication device; and

said instructing the communication device to present the updated content comprises transmitting the updated content to the communication device.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the initial content is selected based on whether the destination party has an existing relationship with the user.