Systems and methods for tracking calls responsive to advertisements using back channel messaging and data channel communications

• US 9,407,767 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2014
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thryv, Inc. (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Original Assignee: YP Holdings LLC (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Inventors: Jain, Mehul, Laux, Kent William, Thakral, Deepak Kumar
• Primary Examiner(s): AL AUBAIDI, RASHA S
• Application Number:
  US14/448,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20150036817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.09, 379/266.02, 379/133
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5235 Dependent on call type or called number [DNIS]

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media are provided to track call information pertinent to calls responsive to advertisements. A message may be received via a data network from a communication device running an application. The application may be associated with a communication reference. Responsive to selection of a user-selectable option that may correspond to an advertisement presented via the communication device, the message may be sent, via the data network, to a call information handling system. The message may indicate call information. Unique identification of the communication device and/or a user may be determined. The call information may be stored in a tracking information repository in association with the unique identification.

Claims

1. A method to track call information pertinent to one or more calls responsive to one or more advertisements presented to a user of a communication device where a call information handling system utilizes communications via a data network to facilitate the tracking of call information, the method comprising:

receiving, by a call information handling system, a message via a data network from a communication device running an application, the communication device configured with the application to;

associate the application with a communication reference of the communication device;

detect a selection of a user-selectable option presented via the communication device;

responsive to the selection of the user-selectable option, send the message, via the data network, to the call information handling system, wherein the selection corresponds to an advertisement presented via the communication device, and wherein the message indicates call information corresponding to;

the communication reference;

the advertisement;

the communication device; and

a callee communication reference;

processing, by the call information handling system, the message and identifying the call information;

determining, by the call information handling system, unique identification of the communication device or a user of the communication device based at least in part on the message indicating call information received from the communication device, wherein the user is different from an advertiser corresponding to the advertisement; and

storing, by the call information handling system, the call information in a tracking information repository in association with the unique identification.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the advertiser corresponding to the advertisement; and

causing indication, via an advertiser interface of the call information handling system, of one or more items of the call information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication reference of the communication device comprises a telephone number or a subscriber identification.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication device configured with the application is further configured to present the advertisement via the application.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication device configured with the application is further configured to capture information about the advertisement, wherein the advertisement is presented via another application of the communication device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-selectable option comprises a click-to-call option corresponding to the advertisement.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-selectable option comprises a call button, wherein the communication device configured with the application is further configured to determine an association of the selection of the user-selectable option with the advertisement.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating a communication session, via the data network, with a callee communication device based at least in part on the callee communication reference.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

coordinating the communication session to facilitate voice communication between the callee communication device and the communication device via the data network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the message does not comprise the callee communication reference, and the call information handling system determines the callee communication reference based at least in part on the call information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection further corresponds to an initiation of a first communication session from the communication device, and the method further comprises:

initiating a second communication session, via the data network, with a callee communication device based at least in part on the callee communication reference; and

coordinating the first communication session and the second communication session to facilitate voice communication between the callee communication device and the communication device via the data network.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the callee communication device and the communication device are not mutually connected until the callee communication device is answered.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating a communication session, via the data network, with a callee communication device;

initiating a communication session, via the data network, with the communication device; and

facilitating voice communication, via the data network, between the callee communication device and the communication device.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating a plurality of communication sessions, via the data network, with a plurality of callee communication devices based at least in part on the callee communication reference; and

coordinating the plurality of communication sessions to facilitate voice communication, via the data network, between a selected one of the plurality of callee communication devices and the communication device.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining one or more characteristics of a data connection available to the communication device;

determining whether the one or more characteristics of the data connection satisfy a set of criteria;

contingent on determining that the one or more characteristics of the data connection satisfy the set of criteria, initiating the communication session over the data network with a callee communication device based at least in part on the callee communication reference; and

contingent on determining that the one or more characteristics of the data connection do not satisfy the set of criteria, allowing a call from the communication device to proceed with a telephony network.

16. A system to track call information pertinent to one or more calls responsive to one or more advertisements presented to a user of a communication device utilizing communications via a data network to facilitate the tracking of call information, comprising:

one or more network interfaces configured to receive communications via a data network from a communication device running an application, the communication device configured with the application to;

associate the application with a communication reference of the communication device;

detect a selection of a user-selectable option presented via the communication device;

responsive to the selection of the user-selectable option, send the message, via the data network, to the call information handling system, wherein the selection corresponds to an advertisement presented via the communication device, and wherein the message indicates call information corresponding to;

the communication reference;

the advertisement;

the communication device; and

a callee communication reference;

a tracking information repository to retain information relating to calls;

one or more processing devices coupled to the one or more network interfaces and the tracking information repository, the one or more processing devices configured to;

process the message and identifying the call information;

determine unique identification of the communication device or a user of the communication device based at least in part on the message indicating call information received from the communication device, wherein the user is different from an advertiser corresponding to the advertisement; and

store the call information in the tracking information repository in association with the unique identification.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more processing devices comprise one or more switches and are further configured to initiate a communication session, via the data network, with a callee communication device based at least in part on the callee communication reference.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more processing devices comprise one or more switches and are further configured to:

initiate a communication session, via the data network, with a callee communication device;

initiate a communication session, via the data network, with the communication device; and

facilitate voice communication, via the data network, between the callee communication device and the communication device.

19. One or more non-transitory, machine-readable media having machine-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more computers or other processing devices, cause the one or more computers or other processing devices to:

receive a message via a data network from a communication device running an application, the communication device configured with the application to;

associate the application with a communication reference of the communication device;

detect a selection of a user-selectable option presented via the communication device;

responsive to the selection of the user-selectable option, send the message, via the data network, to the one or more computers or other processing devices, wherein the selection corresponds to an advertisement presented via the communication device, and wherein the message indicates call information corresponding to;

the communication reference;

the advertisement;

the communication device; and

a callee communication reference;

process the message and identifying the call information;

determine unique identification of the communication device or a user of the communication device based at least in part on the message indicating call information received from the communication device, wherein the user is different from an advertiser corresponding to the advertisement; and

store the call information in a tracking information repository in association with the unique identification.

20. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable media of claim 19, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more computers or other processing devices to:

initiate a communication session, via the data network, with a callee communication device based at least in part on the callee communication reference.