Systems, methods and computer program products for providing time and location specific advertising via the internet

• US 6,332,127 B1
• Filed: 01/28/1999
• Issued: 12/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bandera, Daniel Quinto, Bregman, Mark F., Gopal, Ajei S., Singhal, Sandeep
• Primary Examiner(s): GRAVINI, STEPHEN MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US09/238,474
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/14, 705/50, 705/86, 709/218, 709/227
• US Class Current: 705/14.55
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

Systems, methods and computer program products are provided for selecting an advertising object to be displayed within a Web page requested by a user based on the geographic location of the user and/or on the time of day. Systems, methods and computer program products are provided for validating an offer within an advertising object of a Web page displayed within a Web client in communication with a Web server. Systems, methods and computer program products are also provided for changing content within an object displayed within a Web page based on changes in geographic location of a user. In addition, systems, methods and computer program products are provided for redeeming an electronic coupon stored within a first computing device, wherein the electronic coupon is valid within a designated geographic region and for a designated period of time.

Claims

1. A method of selecting an object to be displayed within a Web page requested by a user from a Web server, wherein the user makes the Web page request via a mobile Web client in communication with the Web server, the method comprising the following steps:

obtaining user location information in response to a user request for a Web page to be displayed via a mobile Web client, wherein the user location information is obtained by the mobile Web client;

transmitting the user request for the Web page to the Web server, wherein the Web page request contains the user location information;

receiving the user request for the Web page at the Web server, along with the obtained user location information that is contained within the Web page request;

selecting an object to include within the requested Web page based on the obtained user location information contained within the Web page request;

generating the requested Web page, wherein the generated Web page includes the selected object; and

serving the generated Web page to the mobile Web client.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining user location information comprises obtaining user location information from a Global Positioning System (GPS) in communication with the mobile Web client.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining user location information comprises obtaining user location information from a telephone number associated with the mobile Web client.

4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of selecting an object to include within the requested Web page based on a time of day that the Web page request is received by the Web server.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting the user request for the Web page to the Web server comprises transmitting the obtained user location information to the Web server in a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of selecting an object to include within the requested Web page comprises selecting an object from a plurality of objects wherein each respective object has user location information associated therewith.

7. A method according to claim 4 wherein the step of selecting an object to include within the requested Web page comprises selecting an object from a plurality of objects wherein each respective object has time of day information associated therewith.

8. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of validating content within the displayed object based on time of day.

9. A method according to claim 1:

wherein the step of selecting an object comprises selecting, from a plurality of objects having respective location and time of day information associated therewith, an object having location and time of day information matching the obtained user location information and time of day that the Web page request is received by the Web server.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the step of obtaining user location information comprises obtaining user location information from a GPS in communication with the mobile Web client.

11. A method according to claim 9 wherein the step of obtaining user location information comprises obtaining user location information from a telephone number associated with the mobile Web client.

12. A method according to claim 9 wherein the step of transmitting the user request for the Web page to the Web server comprises transmitting the obtained user location information to the Web server in a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header.

13. A method according to claim 9 further comprising the step of validating content within the displayed object based on time of day.

14. A system for selecting an object to be displayed within a Web page requested by a user from a Web server, wherein the user makes the Web page request via a mobile Web client in communication with the Web server, comprising:

means for obtaining user location information in response to a user request for a Web page to be displayed via a mobile Web client, wherein the user location information is obtained by the mobile Web client;

means for transmitting the user request for the Web page to the Web server, wherein the Web page request contains the user location information;

means for receiving the user request for the Web page at the Web server along with the obtained user location information that is contained within the Web page request;

means for selecting an object to include within the requested Web page based on the obtained user location information contained within the Web page request;

means for generating the requested Web page, wherein the generated Web page includes the selected object; and

means for serving the generated Web page to the mobile Web client.

15. A system according to claim 14 wherein the means for obtaining user location information comprises means for obtaining user location information from a Global Positioning System (GPS) in communication with the mobile Web client.

16. A system according to claim 14 wherein the means for obtaining user location information comprises means for obtaining user location information from a telephone number associated with the mobile Web client.

17. A system according to claim 14 further comprising means for selecting an object to include within the requested Web page based on a time of day that the Web page request is received by the Web server.

18. A system according to claim 14 wherein the means for transmitting the user request for the Web page to the Web server comprises means for transmitting the obtained user location information to the Web server in a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header.

19. A system according to claim 14 wherein the means for selecting an object to include within the requested Web page comprises means for selecting an object from a plurality of objects wherein each respective object has user location information associated therewith.

20. A system according to claim 17 wherein the means for selecting an object to include within the requested Web page comprises means for selecting an object from a plurality of objects wherein each respective object has time of day information associated therewith.

21. A system according to claim 14 further comprising means for validating content within the displayed object based on time of day.

22. A system according to claim 14,

wherein the means for selecting an object comprises means for selecting, from a plurality of objects having respective location and time of day information associated therewith, an object having location and time of day information matching the obtained user location information and time of day that the Web page request is received by the Web server.

23. A system according to claim 22 wherein the means for obtaining user location information comprises means for obtaining user location information from a GPS in communication with the mobile Web client.

24. A system according to claim 22 wherein the means for obtaining user location information comprises means for obtaining user location information from a telephone number associated with the mobile Web client.

25. A system according to claim 22 wherein the means for transmitting the user request for the Web page to the Web server comprises means for transmitting the obtained user location information to the Web server in a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header.

26. A system according to claim 22 further comprising means for validating content within the displayed object based on time of day.

27. A computer program product for selecting an object to be displayed within a Web page requested by a user from a Web server, wherein the user makes the Web page request via a mobile Web client in communication with the Web server, the computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in the medium, the computer readable program code means comprising:

computer readable program code means for obtaining user location information in response to a user request for a Web page to be displayed via a mobile Web client, wherein the user location information is obtained by the mobile Web client;

computer readable program code means for transmitting the user request for the Web page to the Web server, wherein the Web page request contains the user location information;

computer readable program code means for receiving the user request for the Web page at the Web server along with the obtained user location information that is contained within the Web page request;

computer readable program code means for selecting an object to include within the requested Web page based on the obtained user location information contained within the Web page request;

computer readable program code means for generating the requested Web page, wherein the generated Web page includes the selected object; and

computer readable program code means for serving the generated Web page to the mobile Web client.

28. A computer program product according to claim 27 wherein the computer readable program code means for obtaining user location information comprises computer readable program code means for obtaining user location information from a Global Positioning System (GPS) in communication with the mobile Web client.

29. A computer program product according to claim 27 wherein the computer readable program code means for obtaining user location information comprises computer readable program code means for obtaining user location information from a telephone number associated with the mobile Web client.

30. A computer program product according to claim 27 further comprising computer readable program code means for selecting an object to include within the requested Web page based on a time of day that the Web page request is received by the Web server.

31. A computer program product according to claim 27 wherein the computer readable program code means for transmitting the user request for the Web page to the Web server comprises computer readable program code means for transmitting the obtained user location information to the Web server in a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header.

32. A computer program product according to claim 27 wherein the computer readable program code means for selecting an object to include within the requested Web page comprises computer readable program code means for selecting an object from a plurality of objects wherein each respective object has user location information associated therewith.

33. A computer program product according to claim 30 wherein the computer readable program code means for selecting an object to include within the requested Web page comprises computer readable program code means for selecting an object from a plurality of objects wherein each respective object has time of day information associated therewith.

34. A computer program product according to claim 27 further comprising computer readable program code means for validating content within the displayed object based on time of day.

35. A computer program product according to claim 27,

wherein the computer readable program code for selecting an object comprises computer readable program code means for selecting, from a plurality of objects having respective location and time of day information associated therewith, an object having location and time of day information matching the obtained user location information and time of day that the Web page request is received by the Web server.

36. A computer program product according to claim 35 wherein the computer readable program code means for obtaining user location information comprises computer readable program code means for obtaining user location information from a GPS in communication with the mobile Web client.

37. A computer program product according to claim 35 wherein the computer readable program code means for obtaining user location information comprises computer readable program code means for obtaining user location information from a telephone number associated with the mobile Web client.

38. A computer program product according to claim 35 wherein the computer readable program code means for transmitting the user request for the Web page to the Web server comprises computer readable program code means for transmitting the obtained user location information to the Web server in a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header.

39. A computer program product according to claim 35 further comprising computer readable program code means for validating content within the displayed object based on time of day.