Method and a system for delivering messages

• US 20080312948A1
• Filed: 06/11/2008
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: CVON
• Inventors: Kalliola, Janne
• Granted Patent: US 8,676,682 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices

Abstract

A system for generating a schedule for use in triggering transmission of message content in a telecommunications network is provided. The system comprises a store for storing profiles of a plurality of recipients, and a plurality of message delivery campaigns with one or more criteria. The campaigns to be executed in relation to a given inventory, which may relate to a predetermined time period, may be arranged into one or more campaign clusters. A suitable allocation method may be used individually for each of said plurality of campaign clusters to allocate, among the plurality of recipients, target recipients for each of the campaign clusters based on campaign criteria and the profiles. The allocation process may be repeated to obtain, for example as high a number of messages as possible with the network resources available without exceeding a predetermined maximum number of messages per any given recipient. After the allocation process is completed, the campaign messages are delivered to the allocated target recipients via a communications network.

Claims

1. A scheduling method for generating a schedule for use in triggering transmission of message content in a telecommunications network according to an available inventory of messaging events, the method comprising the steps of:

i) maintaining group data identifying a plurality of message groups, each of said groups being associated with one or more predefined criteria;

ii) maintaining profile information relating to potential message recipients;

iii) using a first allocation algorithm to define a first allocation of messages relating to one or more of the groups based on said one or more predefined criteria and the profile information;

iv) using a second allocation algorithm, different to the first allocation algorithm, to define a second allocation of messages relating to the one or more of groups based on said one or more predefined criteria and the profile information;

v) selecting, on the basis of one or more selection criteria, one of said first allocation and said second allocation; and

vi) inserting scheduling data into said schedule on the basis of the selected allocation,

wherein the selected allocation defines message recipients and respective message content to be sent to the defined recipients.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

selecting a first plurality of message groups and performing step iii) to step vi) with respect to the first plurality of message groups; and

performing steps iii) to step vi) with respect to a second plurality of messages groups, different to the first plurality of message groups, using different allocation algorithms to those used with respect to the first plurality of message groups.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first plurality of message groups is selected on the basis of a similarity of or commonality between respective predefined criteria with which the groups are associated.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first allocation algorithm is executed prior to the second allocation algorithm being executed and the second allocation algorithm is used in response to determining that a predetermined time period has not expired, said predetermined time period relating to an available time for running allocation algorithms.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining, on the basis of the one or more selection criteria, whether said first allocation is satisfactory, and in which the second allocation algorithm is used in response to determining that the first allocation is not satisfactory.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein determining whether the first allocation is satisfactory comprises determining whether one or more thresholds of said one or more selection criteria is reached.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more selection criteria comprises a criterion relating to a number of messages allocated.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said selecting is done on the basis of which of the first allocation and the second allocation results in a greater number of messages being allocated within a specified message delivery period.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more selection criteria comprise a value criterion relating to an importance of a message to a sending party.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more predetermined criteria comprises a message distribution criterion.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the message distribution criterion comprises a maximum number of messages to be sent to a user.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the selecting is done on the basis of which of the first allocation and the second allocation results in a greater number of message recipients.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the message content is based on message sending requests, and the one or more selection criteria vary according to a condition relating to the sending requests.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the inventory relates to a predetermined time period.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more predetermined criteria relate to the profile information.

29. A computer program product containing executable instructions which, when implemented, cause a computing device to perform the method of claim 1.

16. A system for generating a schedule for use in triggering transmission of message content in a telecommunications network according to an available inventory of messaging events, the system comprising:

a store for storing data identifying a plurality of message groups, each of said groups being associated with one or more predefined criteria;

a store for storing profile information relating to potential message recipients; and

a processing means, the processing means being arranged to;

use a first allocation algorithm to define a first allocation of messages relating to one or more of the groups based on said one or more predefined criteria and the profile information;

use a second allocation algorithm, different to the first allocation algorithm, to define a second allocation of messages relating to the one or more of groups based on said one or more predefined criteria and the profile information;

select, on the basis of one or more selection groups, one of said first allocation and said second allocation; and

insert scheduling data into said schedule on the basis of the selected allocation,

wherein the selected allocation defines message recipients and respective message content to be sent to the defined recipients.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the first allocation and second allocation relate to a first plurality of message groups, and the processing means is arranged to select the first plurality of message groups on the basis of the one or more predefined criteria.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the processing means is arranged to select the plurality of message groups on the basis of a similarity of or commonality between respective predefined criteria with which the groups are associated.

19. The system according to claim 16, wherein the processing means is arranged to use the first allocation algorithm is used prior to using the second allocation algorithm being and the second allocation algorithm is used in response to determining that a predetermined time period has not expired.

20. The system according to claim 16, wherein the processing means is arranged to determine, on the basis of the one or more selection criteria, whether said first allocation is satisfactory, and to use the second allocation algorithm in response to determining that the first allocation is not satisfactory.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the processing means is arranged to determine whether one or more thresholds of said one or more selection criteria is reached.

22. The system according to claim 16, wherein the one or more selection criteria comprises a criterion relating to a number of messages allocated, and the processing means is arranged to select a message allocation on the basis of which of the first allocation and the second allocation results in a greater number of messages being allocated.

23. The system according to claim 16, wherein the one or more predetermined criteria comprises a message distribution criterion.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the message distribution criterion comprises a maximum number of messages to be sent to a user.

25. The system according to claim 23, wherein the processing means is arranged to select a message allocation on the basis of which of the first allocation and the second allocation results in a greater number of message recipients.

26. The system according to claim 16, wherein the message content is based on message sending requests, and the one or more selection criteria vary according to a condition relating to the sending requests.

27. The system according to claim 16, wherein the inventory relates to a predetermined time period.

28. The system according to claim 16, wherein the one or more predetermined criteria relate to the profile information.