System and method for determining mobile device capabilities

• US 7,606,562 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: CVON
• Inventors: Romppanen, Timo, Ahopelto, Timo, Saru, Sami, Aaltonen, Janne
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): DESIR, PIERRE LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US12/020,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20080305778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/331, 455/414.1, 455/466, 455/414.2, 455/412.1, 455/419, 709/203, 709/219
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0244 Optimization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0245 Surveys
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• 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

Methodologies and system functionality are provided to determine mobile device capabilities and/or configuration setting and user abilities and/or inclinations as a precursor to or as part of the management, delivery and/or assessment of the efficacy of promotional material. The determination of the mobile device capabilities and/or configuration settings and user abilities and/or inclinations may be performed, for example, when provisioning a new service or after such a service has been utilized by a mobile device user. Further, such a determination may be performed in connection with a mobile device service that provides free or subsidized service to mobile device users.

Claims

1. A method for granting a mobile device user with rights to one or more services using an associated mobile device, the method comprising:

initiating, in a network element, transmission of a plurality of mobile device messaging queries to the associated mobile device, wherein the plurality of messaging queries is ordered so that an earlier transmitted messaging query is of a messaging format and/or has content different than the messaging format and/or content of a later transmitted messaging query;

determining whether at least one messaging response to the plurality of messaging queries has been received from the mobile device user using the associated mobile device, said at least one messaging response including data generated based on information input to the mobile device by the mobile device user in response to the messaging query;

analyzing the at least one messaging response to determine user profile information for the mobile device user and the associated mobile device;

granting the mobile device user with rights to one or more services using the associated mobile device based on the analysis of the at least one messaging received from the mobile device associated with the mobile device user;

wherein, if no mobile device query response is received the method further comprises;

transmitting at least one additional messaging query to the at least one mobile device in a messaging format that is less advanced than previously transmitted messaging queries; and

determining whether the mobile device user has responded to the any messaging query prior to granting the mobile device user with rights to one or more services;

and wherein analysis of messaging responses for a plurality of mobile device users is performed to generate data providing an indication of which message formats are most effective for eliciting messaging responses.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of messaging queries is a Multimedia Messaging Service welcome message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving messaging responses to the plurality of messaging queries from a plurality of mobile device users each associated respectively with the plurality of mobile devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one messaging query is sent as a precursor to enable continued use of a service.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, if no messaging query response is received, the method further comprises terminating the mobile device user'"'"'s access to the service.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of messaging queries is sent in response to a recognition that a mobile device user has changed mobile devices.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of messaging queries is sent in response to a recognition that a mobile device user has changed subscription type.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of messaging queries is sent in response to the mobile device user'"'"'s in-activity in response to material distributed to the mobile device user as part of the one or more services.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the material is promotional material distributed as part of an advertising campaign.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein analysis of the at least one messaging response determines whether the mobile device used by the mobile device user has one or more capabilities.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more capabilities includes any one of Short Messaging Service messaging, Multimedia Messaging Service messaging, WAP push messaging, Bluetooth messaging and Enhanced Messaging Service.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of messaging queries are ordered so that earlier transmitted messaging queries are in formats that are less technically advanced than the messaging formats of later transmitted messaging queries.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a plurality of messaging queries, wherein the plurality of messaging queries are ordered so that earlier transmitted messaging queries are in messaging formats that are more technically advanced than the messaging formats of later transmitted messaging queries.

14. A computer readable storage media having computer executable instructions arranged to cause a computer, or a suite of computers to implement the method of claim 1.

15. A system for granting a mobile device user with rights to one or more services using an associated mobile device, the system comprising:

a mobile device query system in a network element, the mobile bile device query system being configured to initiate transmission of a plurality of mobile device messaging queries to the associated mobile device, wherein the plurality of messaging queries are ordered so that an earlier transmitted messaging query is of a messaging format and/or has content different than the messaging format and/or content of a later transmitted messaging query;

a feedback analysis system configured to determine whether at least one messaging response to the plurality of messaging queries has been received from the mobile device user using the associated mobile device, said messaging response including data generated based on information input to the mobile device user using the associated mobile device, wherein the feedback analysis system is further configured to determine user profile information for the mobile device user and the associated mobile device by analyzing the at least one messaging response;

wherein the mobile device query system is configured to grant the mobile device user with rights to one or more services using the associate mobile device based on the analysis of the at least one messaging response received from the mobile device associated with the mobile device user;

wherein, if no messaging query response is received, the mobile device query system is configured to transmit at least on additional messaging query to the at least one mobile device in a messaging format that is less advanced than previously transmitted mobile device queries, and to determine whether the mobile device user has responded to the any messaging query prior to granting the mobile device user with rights to one or more services;

and wherein the feedback analysis system is further configured to generate data based on rates of messaging responses for a plurality of mobile device users, the data providing an indication of which message formats are most effective for eliciting messaging responses.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the plurality of messaging queries is a Multimedia Messaging Service welcome message.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the messaging query system is arranged to receive messaging responses to the plurality of messaging queries from a plurality of mobile device users each associated respectively with the plurality of mobile devices.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the plurality of messaging queries is sent as a precursor to enable continued use of a service.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein, if no messaging query response is received, the system is further arranged to terminate the mobile device user'"'"'s access to the service.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the plurality of messaging queries is sent in response to a recognition that a mobile device user has changed mobile devices.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the plurality of messaging queries is sent in response to a recognition that a mobile device user has changed subscription type.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the plurality of messaging queries is sent in response to the mobile device user'"'"'s in-activity in response to material distributed to the mobile device user as pan of the one or more services.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein analysis of the at least one messaging response determines whether the mobile device used by the mobile device user has one or more capabilities.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the one or more capabilities includes any one of Short Messaging Service messaging, Multimedia Messaging Service messaging, WAP push messaging, Bluetooth messaging and Enhanced Messaging Service.

25. The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of messaging queries are ordered so that earlier transmitted queries are in messaging formats that are less technically advanced than the messaging format of later transmitted messaging queries.

26. The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of messaging queries are ordered so that earlier transmitted queries are in messaging formats that are more technically advanced than the messaging format of later transmitted messaging queries.