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

• US 9,904,940 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2016
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• 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:
  US15/254,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20160371742A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• 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:

receiving, by a processor of a remote server, a first user profile from a user of a first portable electronic device in communication with a local area network, wherein the first portable electronic device has supplied identification information to satisfy a security rule, and wherein the local area network has established a link to the first portable electronic device;

establishing, by the processor, user services provided by a controlled device on the local area network, wherein the user services are established with the first portable electronic device and are based on the first user profile;

receiving, by the processor, a second user profile from a user of a second portable electronic device in communication with a local area network, wherein the second portable electronic device has supplied identification information to satisfy the security rule, and wherein the local area network has established a link to the second portable electronic device;

establishing, by the processor, user services provided by the controlled device on the local area network with the second portable electronic device based on the second user profile;

comparing, by the processor, a priority for the first portable electronic device and the second portable electronic device based on hierarchical user information in the first and second user profiles; and

configuring, by the processor, the first and second portable electronic devices to enable direct control of the controlled device based on the priority established.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the direct control includes providing advertisements to the controlled device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to establishing the user services, identifying, by the processor, interests associated with the users of the first and second portable electronic devices according to tracking of actions, wherein the actions include accessing media content, and wherein the identifying of the interests includes determining a correlation between the media content accessed.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

identifying, by the processor, a response from the first portable electronic device to a presentation of a first advertisement on the controlled device, wherein the first advertisement is based on the interests that were identified;

re-analyzing, by the processor, the actions that are tracked in conjunction with the response, wherein the re-analyzing of the actions identifies refined interests associated with the user; and

identifying, by the processor, a second response from the first portable electronic device to a presentation of a second advertisement on the controlled device, wherein the second advertisement is selected according to the refined interests that were identified.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the actions that are tracked include:

determining voice calls to which the first portable electronic device was a party, and determining where the user is calling.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the actions that are tracked are determined by a tracking server that is part of the local area network.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the actions that are tracked comprise accessing a website via the first or second portable electronic devices.

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

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlled device is a television.

10. 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;

providing first communication services to a first portable electronic device;

enabling, by the processor, the first portable electronic device to control a controlled device associated with the server and coupled to a local area network responsive to a determination that the first portable electronic device is in an area associated with the local area network;

providing second communication services to a second portable electronic device;

enabling, by the processor, the second portable electronic device to control the controlled device responsive to a determination that the second portable electronic device is in the area associated with the local area network;

comparing a priority for the first portable electronic device and the second portable electronic device according to hierarchical user information received from the first and second portable electronic devices; and

configuring the first and second portable electronic devices for direct control of the controlled device based on the priority determined, wherein the direct control includes providing advertisements to the controlled device.

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

identifying a first advertisement to be presented by the controlled device based on monitored behavior for the first portable electronic device.

12. The server of claim 11, wherein the monitored behavior includes accessing media content.

13. The server of claim 11, wherein the monitored behavior includes voice calls to which the first portable electronic device was a party, and wherein the identifying of the first advertisement is based on determining a called party.

14. The server of claim 11, wherein the monitored behavior includes accessing websites via the first portable electronic device.

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

terminating control of the controlled device by the first portable electronic device responsive to determining that the first portable electronic device is outside the area associated with the local area network.

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

receiving a first user profile for a user of the first portable electronic device and a second user profile for a user of the second portable electronic device, wherein the hierarchal user information is obtained from the first and second user profiles.

17. The server of claim 10, wherein the controlled device is a television.

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

determining that a first portable electronic device is in an area associated with a local area network;

providing communication services to the first portable electronic device by way of the local area network;

receiving a first user profile from the first portable electronic device;

responsive to the communication services provided to the first portable electronic device, enabling the first portable electronic device to directly control a controlled device via a short range link, wherein the controlled device is communicatively coupled to the local area network;

determining that a second portable electronic device is in an area associated with a local area network;

providing communication services to the second portable electronic device by way of the local area network;

receiving a second user profile from the second portable electronic device;

responsive to the communication services provided to the second portable electronic device, enabling the second portable electronic device to directly control the controlled device via a short range link; and

arbitrating direct control of the controlled device based on hierarchal information obtained from the first and second user profiles.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the first and second user profiles comprise digital rights information associated with the first and second portable electronic devices, digital rights information associated with a user, subscription information, digital video recorder information, control settings, or combinations thereof.

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