Dynamically modifying the display of a computing device to provide advertisements

• US 7,840,689 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2006
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wayport, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wayport, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stewart, Brett B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Thu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoang; Hieu T
• Application Number:
  US11/402,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20060183467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,687 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/203, 709/227, 709/228, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0295 Proximity-based methods, e.g. position inferred from reception of particular signals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices

Abstract

A geographic-based communications service system has a mobile unit for transmitting/receiving information, and access points connected to a network. The access points are arranged in a known geographic locations and transmit and receive information from the mobile unit. When one of the access points detects the presence of the mobile unit, it sends a signal to the network indicating the location of the mobile unit and the information requested by the mobile unit. Based on the signal received from the access point, the network communicates with information providers connected to the network and provides data to the mobile unit through the access point corresponding to the location of the mobile unit.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

identifying a plurality of wireless connections of a plurality of wireless client devices to a wireless access point, wherein identifying a first wireless connection of the plurality of wireless connections comprises identifying a first user of a first wireless client device of the plurality of wireless client devices and identifying at least one of a geographic location of the wireless access point and a geographic location of the first wireless client device, wherein identifying a second wireless connection of the plurality of wireless connections comprises identifying a second user, different than the first user, of a second wireless client device, different than the first device, of the plurality of wireless client devices and identifying at least one of the geographic location of the wireless access point and a geographic location of the second wireless client device;

in response to identifying the first wireless connection of the first wireless client device to the wireless access point, retrieving information identifying at least a first action related to the first user of the first wireless client device;

in response to identifying the second wireless connection of the second wireless client device to the wireless access point, retrieving information identifying at least a second action related to the second user of the second wireless client device;

providing a plurality of network accesses onto a network to the plurality of wireless client devices through the wireless access point, wherein a first network access of the plurality of network accesses is provided to the first wireless client device based on identifying the first user and the at least the first action, wherein the first network access onto the network permits the first wireless client device to send first information to the network and receive second information from the network, wherein a second network access of the plurality of network accesses is provided to the second wireless client device based on identifying the second user and the at least the second action, wherein the second network access onto the network permits the second wireless client device to send third information to the network and receive fourth information from the network; and

transmitting a plurality of advertisements to the plurality of wireless client devices via the plurality of network accesses through the wireless access point, wherein a first advertisement of the plurality of advertisements promotes at least one of a first good and a first service, is suitable for display by the first wireless client device, and is selected for transmission based on a first user profile associated with the first user of the first wireless client device and based on the at least one of the geographic location of the wireless access point and the geographic location of the first wireless client device, wherein the first user profile indicates the first user and the at least the first action, wherein a second advertisement, different than the first advertisement, of the plurality of advertisements promotes at least one of a second good and a second service, is suitable for display by the second wireless client device, and is selected for transmission based on a second user profile, different than the first user profile, associated with the second user of the second wireless client device and based on the at least one of the geographic location of the wireless access point and the geographic location of the second wireless client device, wherein the second user profile indicates the second user and the at least the second action.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least the first action comprises payment of a fee in order to be provided the first network access.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless access point provides the first network access to the first wireless client device and provides the second network access to the second wireless client device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying advertisements relating to a provider of the wireless access point on a display of the first wireless client device.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the at least the first action comprises a first past action of the first user of the first wireless client device;

wherein the at least the second action comprises a second past action of the second user of the second wireless client device; and

wherein the second past action is different than the first past action.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least the first action comprises contracting for network access.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least the first action comprises contracting for network access for a fee.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first wireless client device and the second wireless client device is a portable wireless client device operable to be carried by a respective user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the portable wireless client device is a wireless telephone.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the first information from the first wireless client device, wherein the first information from the first wireless client device comprises at least one of an e-mail message, a request for information from a service provider, and a request for a current geographic location.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the request for information from the service provider comprises a request for at least one of text data, voice data, map data, and video data.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the request for information from the service provider comprises a request for directions to a geographic location where a service is performed.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the request for information from the service provider comprises a request for directions to a geographic location of the service provider.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the first information from the first wireless client device, wherein the first information from the first wireless client device is input by the first user of the first wireless client device.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the first information from the first wireless client device, wherein the first information from the first wireless client device is automatically generated by the first wireless client device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least the first action comprises arriving at a geographic location.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least the first action comprises at least one of arriving at an airport, renting a car, renting a hotel room, scheduling a trip for travel, scheduling restaurant reservations, requesting a current geographic location of the wireless client device, and requesting a geographic location of an establishment.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the at least one of the geographic location of the wireless access point and the geographic location of the first wireless client device comprises receiving the at least one of the geographic location of the wireless access point and the geographic location of the first wireless client device from the first wireless client device.

19. An article of manufacture comprising a computer readable memory medium including instructions that, when executed on a processing system, cause the processing system to perform functions, comprising:

identifying a plurality of wireless connections of a plurality of wireless client devices to a wireless access point, wherein identifying a first wireless connection of the plurality of wireless connections comprises identifying a first user of a first wireless client device of the plurality of wireless client devices and identifying at least one of a geographic location of the wireless access point and a geographic location of the first wireless client device, wherein identifying a second wireless connection of the plurality of connections comprises identifying a second user, different than the first user, of a second wireless client device, different than the first wireless client device, of the plurality of wireless client devices and identifying at least one of the geographic location of the wireless access point and a geographic location of the second wireless client device;

in response to identifying the first wireless connection of the first wireless client device to the wireless access point, retrieving information identifying at least a first action related to the first user of the first wireless client device;

in response to identifying the second wireless connection of the second wireless client device to the wireless access point, retrieving information identifying at least a second action related to the second user of the second wireless client device;

providing a plurality of network accesses onto a network to the plurality of wireless client devices through the wireless access point, wherein a first network access of the plurality of network accesses is provided to the first wireless client device based on identifying the first user and the at least the first action, wherein the first network access onto the network permits the first wireless client device to send first information to the network and receive second information from the network, wherein a second network access of the plurality of network accesses is provided to the second wireless client device based on identifying the second user and the at least the second action, wherein the second network access onto the network permits the first wireless client device to send third information to the network and receive fourth information from the network; and

transmitting a plurality of advertisements to the plurality of wireless client devices via the plurality of network accesses through the wireless access point, wherein a first advertisement of the plurality of advertisements promotes at least one of a first good and a first service, is suitable for display by the first wireless client and is selected for transmission based on a first user profile associated with the first user of the first wireless client device and based on the at least one of the geographic location of the wireless access point and the geographic location of the first wireless client device, wherein the first user profile indicates the first user and the at least the first action, wherein a second advertisement, different than the first advertisement, of the plurality of advertisements promotes at least one of a second good and a second service, is suitable for display by the second wireless client device, and is selected for transmission based on a second user profile, different than the first user profile, associated with the second user of the second wireless client device and based on the at least one of the geographic location of the wireless access point and the geographic location of the second wireless client device, wherein the second user profile indicates the second user and the at least the second action.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the at least the first action comprises payment of a fee in order to be provided the first network access.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the wireless access point provides the first network access to the first wireless client device and provides the second network access to the second wireless client device.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the instructions that, when executed on the processing system, cause the processing system to perform functions, further comprising:

displaying advertisements relating to a provider of the wireless access point on a display of the first wireless client device.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 19,

wherein the at least the first action comprises a first past action of the first user of the first wireless client device;

wherein the at least the second action comprises a second past action of the second user of the second wireless client device; and

wherein the second past action is different than the first past action.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the at least the first action comprises contracting for network access.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the at least the first action comprises contracting for network access for a fee.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein at least one of the first wireless client device and the second wireless client device is a portable wireless client device operable to be carried by a respective user.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein the portable wireless client device is a wireless telephone.

28. A system comprising:

a processor coupled to a network; and

a memory medium coupled to the processor;

wherein the memory medium comprises program instructions executable by the processor to perform functions, comprising;

identifying a plurality of wireless connections of a plurality of wireless client devices to a wireless access point, wherein identifying a first wireless connection of the plurality of wireless connections comprises identifying a first user of a first wireless client device of the plurality of wireless client devices and identifying at least one of a geographic location of the wireless access point and a geographic location of the first wireless client device, wherein identifying a second wireless connection of the plurality of wireless connections comprises identifying a second user of a second wireless client device of the plurality of wireless client devices and identifying at least one of a geographic location of the wireless access point and a geographic location of the second wireless client device;

in response to identifying the first wireless connection of the first wireless client device to the wireless access point, retrieving information identifying at least a first action related to the first user of the first wireless client device;

in response to identifying the second wireless connection of the second wireless client device to the wireless access point, retrieving information identifying at least a second action related to the second user of the second wireless client device;

providing a plurality of network accesses onto the network to the plurality of wireless client devices through the wireless access point, wherein a first network access of the plurality of network accesses is provided to the first wireless client device based on identifying the first user and the at least the first action, wherein the first network access onto the network permits the first wireless client device to send first information to the network and receive second information from the network, wherein a second network access of the plurality of network accesses is provided to the second wireless client device based on identifying the second user and the at least the second action, wherein the second network access onto the network permits the second wireless client device to send third information to the network and receive fourth information from the network; and

transmitting a plurality of advertisements to the plurality of wireless client devices via the plurality of network accesses through the wireless access point, wherein a first advertisement of the plurality of advertisements promotes at least one of a first good and a first service, is suitable for display by the first wireless client device, and is selected for transmission based on a first user profile associated with the first user of the first wireless client device, wherein the first user profile indicates the first user and the at least the first action, wherein a second advertisement, different than the first advertisement, of the plurality of advertisements promotes at least one of a second good and a second service, is suitable for display by the second wireless client device, and is selected for transmission based on a second user profile, different than the first user profile, associated with the second user of the second wireless client device, wherein the second user profile indicates the second user and the at least the second action.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the at least the first action comprises payment of a fee in order to be provided the first network access.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the wireless access point provides the first network access to the first wireless client device and provides the second network access to the second wireless client device.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the program instructions executable by the processor to perform functions, further comprising:

displaying advertisements relating to a provider of the wireless access point on a display of the first wireless client device.

32. The system of claim 28,

wherein the at least the first action comprises a first past action of the first user of the first wireless client device;

wherein the at least the second action comprises a second past action of the second user of the second wireless client device; and

wherein the second past action is different than first past action.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein the at least the first action comprises contracting for network access.

34. The system of claim 28, wherein the at least the first action comprises contracting for network access for a fee.

35. The system of claim 28, wherein at least one of the first wireless client device and the second wireless client device is a portable wireless client device operable to be carried by a respective user.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the portable wireless client device is a wireless telephone.