Methods, systems and computer program products for tailoring advertisements to a user based on actions taken using a portable electronic device

• US 9,129,309 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2014
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ruckart, John, Starr, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Hua, Quan M
• Application Number:
  US14/157,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20140136315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• 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: 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 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A method of advertising tailored based on usage patterns of a portable electronic device includes determining if a portable electronic device has entered an area associated with a local area network (LAN). A link is established between the portable electronic device and the LAN if it is determined that the portable electronic device has entered the area associated with the LAN. User services are established between the portable electronic device and a remote server using the established link based on a user profile associated with the portable electronic device. Devices associated with the remote server communicatively coupled to the LAN are controlled using the portable electronic device. Actions and/or behaviors of a user are tracked based on use of the portable electronic device. Advertisements are displayed and/or played on at least one of the controlled devices based on the tracked user actions and/or behaviors.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining, by a processor of a portable electronic device, a user profile via a communication link, wherein the user profile is obtained responsive to a presence of the portable electronic device in an area of a local area network;

providing, by the processor, user services at the portable electronic device according to the user profile;

enabling control, by the portable electronic device, of a controllable device associated with a system coupled to the local area network;

identifying, by the processor, interests associated with a user of the portable electronic device according to tracking of actions at the portable electronic device;

identifying, by the processor, first advertisements to be presented by the controllable device based on the interests that are identified;

identifying, by the processor, a response from the portable electronic device to a presentation of one of the first advertisements;

reanalyzing, by the processor, the actions that are tracked in conjunction with the response to identify refined interests associated with the user;

matching, by the processor, the refined interests to second advertisements;

presenting, by the processor, the second advertisements by way of the controllable device; and

terminating, by the processor, the communication link responsive to a determination that the portable electronic device is outside the area associated with the local area network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user profile comprises digital rights information associated with the user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a second communication link is established between the system and a second portable electronic device responsive to a determination that the second portable electronic device has entered the area associated with the local area network, and wherein other communication services between the second portable electronic device and the system are established using the second communication link based on a second user profile associated with the second portable electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the controllable device is controllable by the portable electronic device according to hierarchal user information obtained from the user profile.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is a cellular radio telephone.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the controllable device is a television.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the actions that are tracked comprise accessing a website via the portable electronic device.

8. A server comprising:

a memory that stores instructions; and

a processor coupled with the memory, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the instructions, performs operations comprising;

receiving a first user profile associated with a first portable electronic device via a local area network responsive to determining that the first portable electronic device is in an area associated with the local area network;

providing first communication services to the first portable electronic device based on the user profile;

facilitating control, by the first portable electronic device, of a controllable device associated with the server and coupled to the local area network;

providing second communication services to a second portable electronic device;

receiving a second user profile associated with the second portable electronic device;

determining hierarchical information from the first and second user profiles;

determining a priority between the first and second portable electronic devices according to the hierarchical information;

identifying first advertisements to be presented by the controllable device based on monitored behavior for the first portable electronic device;

detecting a response from the first portable electronic device to a presentation of one of the first advertisements;

reanalyzing the monitored behavior in conjunction with the response to identify refined interests associated with the user;

matching the refined interests to second advertisements to be presented by the controllable device; and

presenting the second advertisements by way of the controllable device.

9. The server of claim 8, wherein the receiving of the second user profile is via a second communication link that is established according to the second user profile.

10. The server of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

terminating the communication services with the portable electronic device responsive to determining that the portable electronic device is outside the area associated with the local area network.

11. The server of claim 8, wherein the controllable device is controllable by the first portable electronic device or by the second portable electronic device according to the priority.

12. The server of claim 8, wherein the user profile comprises digital rights information associated with the portable electronic device, digital rights information associated with the user, subscription information, digital video recorder information, hierarchical user information, control settings, or combinations thereof.

13. The server of claim 8, wherein the controllable device is a television.

14. The server of claim 8, wherein the monitored behavior includes accessing websites via the first portable electronic device.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which, responsive to being executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a user profile associated with a portable electronic device via a local area network responsive to determining that the portable electronic device is in an area associated with the local area network;

facilitating control, by the portable electronic device, of a controllable device coupled to the local area network;

identifying first advertisements to be presented by the controllable device based on monitored behavior associated with the portable electronic device, wherein the controllable device operates within the local area network and is configured to be controlled via the portable electronic device;

providing communication services to the portable electronic device by way of the local area network based on the user profile;

identifying refined interests of the user by reanalyzing the monitored behavior in conjunction with a response from the portable electronic device to a presentation of one of the first advertisements;

matching the refined interests to second advertisements to be presented by the controllable device;

presenting the second advertisements by way of the controllable device;

terminating the communication services with the portable electronic device responsive to determining that the portable electronic device is outside the area associated with the local area network;

receiving a second user profile associated with a second portable electronic device; and

providing other communication services to the second portable electronic device according to the second user profile.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the controllable device is controllable by the portable electronic device or by the second portable electronic device according to hierarchal user information obtained from the user profile or the second user profile.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the user profile comprises digital rights information associated with the portable electronic device, digital rights information associated with the user, subscription information, digital video recorder information, hierarchical user information, control settings, or combinations thereof.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the controllable device is one of a television or a stereo.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the monitored behavior includes accessing websites via the portable electronic device.