System and method for facilitating targeted marketing over a telecommunications network

• US 7,751,548 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2002
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alex Mashinsky Family Trust, Governing Dynamics, LLC, Venturifx
• Original Assignee: Alex Mashinsky Family Trust
• Inventors: Mashinsky, Alex, Parness, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): AL Aubaidi, Rasha S
• Application Number:
  US10/098,667
• Time in Patent Office: 3,035 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.12, 379/114.24, 379/211.02, 379/221.01, 379/901, 370/352
• US Class Current: 379/221.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages

Abstract

A method and system for facilitating targeted marketing over a telecommunications network that includes a central controller which receives a data request from an originating party to a terminating party. The identity of the terminating party is established and targeted marketing material, for example, a coupon for the terminating party or a competitor of the terminating party, is offered to the originating party.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating targeted marketing over a telecommunication network, comprising:

receiving at a processor a telephone call from an originating party, the telephone call including routing information for routing the telephone call to a called terminating party, wherein the routing information includes one of a telephone number and IP address of the called terminating party;

upon receipt of the telephone call, routing the telephone call by the processor to the called terminating party based on the routing information;

determining an identity of the called terminating party based on a query, which occurs at the processor, of a directory database that stores information associating the routing information with the identity of the called terminating party;

determining at the processor targeted marketing material based on the identity of the called terminating party;

providing the targeted marketing material to the originating party;

offering the originating party an option to contact a second terminating party within the specific industry or business category identical to the industry or business category of the called terminating party, and

switching the call of the originating party from the called terminating party to the second terminating party, when a current hold time of the called terminating party is a first predetermined number of minutes and the current hold time of the second terminating party is a second predetermined number of minutes that is substantially less than the first predetermined number of minutes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the telephone call is a toll-free telephone call.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the originating party.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

providing targeted marketing materials to the originating party based on characteristics associated with the identity of the originating party.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a VoIP transaction from the originating party via a computer or wireless device;

identifying cookies or web site favorites as forming a part of the identity of the originating party;

determining targeted marketing materials based on the identity of the originating party; and

displaying the determined targeted marketing materials to the originating party on the computer or wireless device.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a VoIP transaction from the originating party;

identifying a user-specific characteristic associated with an IP address of a computer or wireless device ID as forming a part of the identity of the originating party;

determining targeted marketing materials based on the identity of the originating party; and

displaying the targeted marketing materials to the originating party based on the user-specific characteristic associated with the IP address of the computer or wireless device ID of the originating party.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the targeting marketing materials are displayed to the originating party one of before, during and after routing the telephone call from the originating party to the called terminating party.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the targeted marketing materials are displayed to the originating party one of before, during and after routing the telephone call from the originating party to the called terminating party.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the targeting marketing materials are displayed to the originating party at least one of before, during and after routing the telephone call from the originating party to the called terminating party.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the targeted marketing material comprises a coupon.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the coupon comprises a coupon for an airline ticket.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the first predetermined number of minutes is approximately 25 minutes and the second predetermined number of minutes is approximately 5 minutes.