Delivering targeted advertising to mobile devices

• US 9,298,677 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2009
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cellfire, Inc. (Catalina Marketing Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cellfire, Inc. (Catalina Marketing Corporation)
• Inventors: Tollinger, Preston, Dusing, Brent
• Primary Examiner(s): STORK, KYLE R
• Application Number:
  US12/639,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20100138303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,295 Days
• Field of Search: 715/234, 715/235, 715/236, 715/243, 715/254, 715/255
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0276 Advertisement creation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages

Abstract

A method for loading a layout with advertising item data is provided. Layout header data is parsed. A layout item object is then built. Global layout variables are replaced with values. Local layout variables are replaced with data from content objects. Displayed data is then created.

Claims

1. A method for loading a layout with advertising item data, comprising:

parsing, by a computing apparatus, a layout header data that represents a type of layout selected to display an advertising item onto a screen of the computing apparatus;

building, by the computing apparatus, a layout item object that corresponds to the layout identified by the layout header data, wherein the step of building a layout item object includes;

parsing a plurality of layout component strings in the layout; and

creating an object containing a plurality of data structures for each of the component strings in the layout;

replacing, by the computing apparatus, a plurality of global layout variables in the object with a plurality of values;

replacing, by the computing apparatus, a plurality of local layout variables in the object with data from a plurality of content objects, wherein the step of replacing the local layout variables with data from the content objects includes;

locating each of the local layout variables in the object containing the data structures;

looking up the local layout variables that are in an associated content object; and

replacing the local layout variables from the object containing the data structures with a value from the associated content object;

associating, by the computing apparatus, at least a first command string with a first user input based on information in the layout that specifies the association;

causing, by the computing apparatus, the advertising item associated with the layout to be displayed onto the screen of the computing apparatus based on the replaced local layout variables;

receiving, by the computing apparatus, the first user input;

identifying, by the computing apparatus, a first command to be performed based on the association between the first command string and the first user input;

causing, by the computing apparatus, the first command to be performed;

causing, by the computing apparatus, a communication link to be established with a remote computer via a network;

comparing, by the computing apparatus, a set of coupons to be deleted with a set of current coupons;

receiving, by the computing apparatus from the remote computer via the communication link, a command queue comprising one or more commands to be performed, wherein the command queue comprises at least a first command to delete an image that is no longer needed to display a coupon, and wherein the image that is no longer needed is identified based on the comparison; and

causing, by the computing apparatus, the one or more commands to be performed, wherein causing the one or more commands to be performed comprises deleting the image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertising item data is selected from, a list of merchants, a special event data, a coupon, an ad, a contest, and a loyalty card.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining for each layout item object if it is a loop layout item.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein each layout item object is duplicated based on a number of content objects when the layout item object is a loop layout item.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of parsing the layout header data that represents the type of layout selected to display the advertising item onto the screen of the computing apparatus includes parsing out identifier (ID) numbers located within the layout header data that represent the layout.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of replacing the global layout variables in the object with the values includes replacing with a global value from a settings file for each of the global variables in the object containing the data structures.

7. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

completing one or more calculations associated with the local layout variables.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing apparatus is a cell phone.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first command causes an update to a current screen that is displayed, causes another screen to be displayed, causes data to be stored, or causes a network operation to occur.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the first command to be performed based on the association between the first command string and the first user input comprising:

parsing the first command from the first command string after the first user input has been received.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the command queue further comprises at least a first command to delete an expired or used coupon, and wherein causing the one or more commands to be performed further comprises deleting the expired or used coupon from the computing apparatus.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the command queue further comprises at least a first command to add a coupon requested by the computing apparatus.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the coupon requested by the computing apparatus is made via a Short Message Service message.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the command queue further comprises at least a first command to add a coupon requested by a device different from the computing apparatus.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the command queue further comprises at least a first command to add a coupon requested, by a user of the computing apparatus, via a website link.