Patent Application
20060274740
This invention relates generally to content services, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for business to consumer channeling over wireless access networks.
The number of publicly accessible wireless access networks has grown substantially over the years. Many retailers are providing such services as a means to draw patrons to their locations, thereby encouraging additional business. Retailers generally employ service providers such as, for example, SBC Communications or other like carriers, to provide wireless services (e.g., IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n).
Consumers who take advantage of such services by way of a wireless PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a cell phone, or wireless laptop can interact on the Internet with conventional browsers. Generally, service providers of wireless access networks provide content to consumers in ad hoc fashion with poorly managed data or revenue mining. A need therefore arises for a method and apparatus for business to consumer channeling over wireless access networks.
Embodiments in accordance with the invention provide a method and apparatus for business to consumer channeling over wireless access networks.
In a first embodiment of the present invention, a network service provider (NSP) has a communications interface coupled to one or more wireless access networks and one or more content service providers (CSPs), a memory, and a processor. The processor can be programmed to establish a content profile for each of the wireless access networks according to one or more attributes of the wireless access networks and the CSPs, receive a content access request from one or more selective call radios (SCRs) at one among the wireless access networks, and supply each SCR content from one or more of the CSPs according to the content profile.
In a second embodiment of the present invention, a network service provider (NSP) has a computer-readable storage medium including computer instructions for establishing a content profile for each of the wireless access networks according to one or more attributes of the wireless access networks and the CSPs, receiving a content access request from one or more selective call radios (SCRs) at one among the wireless access networks, and supplying each SCR content from one or more of the CSPs according to the content profile.
In a third embodiment of the present invention, a network service provider (NSP) operates according to a method having the steps of establishing a content profile for each of the wireless access networks according to one or more attributes of the wireless access networks and the CSPs, receiving a content access request from one or more selective call radios (SCRs) at one among the wireless access networks, and supplying each SCR content from one or more of the CSPs according to the content profile.
While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of embodiments of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the embodiments of the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward.
The communications interface 102 can comprise conventional technology for routing content between content service providers (CSPs) 110 and wireless access networks 120 under the control of the processor 106 in accordance with the present invention. CSPs 110 offer limitless services including, for instance, downloadable content services like music and gaming, travel services such as car rentals, airplane reservations, and so on. The wireless access networks 120 can provide access to these services by providing a wireless environment for connectivity.
Wireless access networks 120 can utilize conventional wireless technology such as IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n or other like wireless technologies. Retailers can employ a service provider to install a wireless access network 120 (referred to as a hotspot in common parlance) to draw patrons who have wireless devices capable of communicating with the wireless access network 120. Such devices include, for example, a wireless PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a cell phone, a laptop, or other suitable wireless device. Each of these devices are referred to herein as a selective call radio (SCR).
The SCRs utilize conventional browser technology (e.g., Microsoft Explorer, or microbrowsers) for searching and manipulating content accessed by way of the wireless access networks 120 on public networks such as the Internet or private/Intranet networks. It would be obvious to an artisan with skill in the art that any present or future conventional wireless technology for communicating with the wireless access networks 120 is suitable for the present invention. Similarly, data communication links between the wireless access networks 120 and CSPs 110 can use any conventional data protocol such as IP (Internet Protocol), ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode), FR (Frame Relay), MPLS (Multi-protocol label switching), or Ethernet, just to mention a few.
With this in mind, method 200 begins with step 202 where the NSP 101 establishes a content profile for each wireless access network 120 according to one or more attributes of the wireless access networks 120 and CSPs 110. Wireless access network 120 attributes can be represented by any characteristics relevant to the operation of content delivery. For instance, a relevant wireless access network 120 attribute can be its location, its business function, a density of SCR users at the wireless access network 120 on average or at any particular time, a demographic profile of SCR users, and/or fees paid by retailers for the use of a wireless access network 120 at their place of business. Similarly, CSP 110 attributes can include, for example, a content type offered by each of the CSPs, and a presentation ranking of content from each CSPs determined according to fees offered and paid to the service provider of the NSP 101 for such ranking.
Any of the foregoing attributes can be analyzed by the NSP 101 to establish a content profile for each wireless access network 120. To illustrate this point, the reader's attention is referred back to
It would be evident from the foregoing example to one of ordinary skill in the art that any method for establishing a content profile that can improve business for any one of the service provider of the NSP 101, retailers offering wireless services to its patrons through a wireless access network 120 located in their facility, and the CSPs 110 is suitable for the present invention. It would also be evident to said artisan that the content profile can be dynamically updated.
That is, by monitoring the behavior of SCR users while exploring content, a use behavior can be developed and exploited by dynamically adapting the content profile associated with each wireless access network 120. It should be apparent also that a content profile can be developed for each SCR user individually, thereby providing a means for micro-segmentation. In either case, the content profile can be continuously or periodically updated so as to optimize revenue opportunities for all parties including the retailers serviced by the wireless access network 120, the CSPs 110, and ultimately the service provider of the NSP 101.
In a first embodiment, step 202 breaks down into step 220 where the NSP 101 monitors content requests from SCR users at each of the wireless access networks 120. In this embodiment, a content utilization profile is established in step 222 for each of the wireless access networks 120 according to the monitored requests. The content utilization profile can be developed by any conventional pattern recognition technique such as statistical demographic and/or psychographic analysis of SCR users on the basis of the content they explore and purchase. In step 228 the content profile of each wireless access network 120 can be updated according to the content utilization profile. These steps provide a means to dynamically adapt the content profile of a wireless access network 120 as use behaviors evolves. The foregoing embodiment can be repeated as frequently as needed to remain up to date with trend cycles.
In an aggressive micro-segmentation embodiment, step 220 can be proceeded by step 224 where the NSP 101 establishes an SCR user profile according to the monitored requests. In this embodiment, each SCR can be uniquely identified by, for example, its MAC (Medium Access Control) address. A use behavior for each SCR user can be determined over the course of one or more sessions across one or more of the wireless access networks 120. As before, any technique for recognizing a patterned behavior can be used to hone in on the content and/or behavioral needs of each SCR user wherefrom an SCR user profile can be established. The SCR user profile can in turn be used in step 228 to update the content profile of the wireless access network 120, or a more targeted technique can be used whereby a content profile can be established for each SCR user.
Step 226 illustrates yet a third embodiment where the NSP 101 establishes a revenue optimization profile according to the requests monitored at the wireless access network 120. Any conventional method for mining revenue on the basis of observed behaviors of the SCR users can be used to develop this profile. Once developed, it can be used to update the content profile in step 228 similar to what has been described above.
Thus, the content profile developed in step 202 can be updated as a background process for each cycle of the flowchart of
Fees can be collected according to, for example, each occurrence of content presented to the SCRs, presentation of CSP 110 and/or wireless access network 120 advertising to the SCRs, presentation of CSP 110 and/or wireless access network 120 services to the SCRs, and/or content purchases made by SCR users—just to mention a few. It would be obvious to an artisan with skill in the art that any fee and/or revenue sharing arrangement between the service provider of the NSP 101 and the CSPs 110 and wireless access networks 120 can be applied to the present invention.
In yet another embodiment, the NSP 101 can auction the CSPs 110 access to consumers utilizing the wireless access networks 120. If auctioning is activated in step 210, the NSP 101 can be programmed to receive in step 212 fees offered by the CSPs 110 for access to these consumers, and can thereby respond according to predetermined business criteria established by the service provider of the NSP 101. Said criteria can be a simple algorithm such as supplying access according to the highest fee bid by the CSPs 110. Alternatively, more sophisticated criteria can be employed that factor in who is bidding, fees offered, customer satisfaction, service agreements with retailers, and so on.
It should be evident by now that the present invention can be realized in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. Moreover, the present invention can be realized in a centralized fashion, or in a distributed fashion where different elements are spread across several interconnected processors. Any kind of computer device or other apparatus adapted for carrying out method 200 described above is suitable for the present invention.
Additionally, the present invention can be embedded in a computer program product, which comprises all the features enabling the implementation of method 200, and which when loaded in a computer system is able to carry out these methods as computer instructions. A computer program in the present context means any expression, in any language, code or notation, of a set of instructions intended to cause a system having an information processing capability to perform a particular function either directly or after either or both of the following: a) conversion to another language, code or notation; b) reproduction in a different material form. It should be also evident that the present invention may be used for many applications. Thus, although the description is made for particular arrangements and methods, the intent and concept of the invention is suitable and applicable to other arrangements and applications not described herein. For example, method 200 can be reduced to steps 202, 204, and 206 without departing from the claimed invention. It would be clear therefore to those skilled in the art that modifications to the disclosed embodiments described herein could be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
In accordance with various embodiments of the present invention, the methods described herein are intended for operation as software programs running on a computer processor. Dedicated hardware implementations including, but not limited to, application specific integrated circuits, programmable logic arrays and other hardware devices can likewise be constructed to implement the methods described herein. Furthermore, alternative software implementations including, but not limited to, distributed processing or component/object distributed processing, parallel processing, or virtual machine processing can also be constructed to implement the methods described herein.
It should also be noted that the software implementations of the present invention as described herein are optionally stored on a tangible storage medium, such as: a magnetic medium such as a disk or tape; a magneto-optical or optical medium such as a disk; or a solid state medium such as a memory card or other package that houses one or more read-only (non-volatile) memories, random access memories, other re-writable (volatile) memories or Signals containing instructions. A digital file attachment to e-mail or other self-contained information archive or set of archives sent through signals is considered a distribution medium equivalent to a tangible storage medium. Accordingly, the invention is considered to include a tangible storage medium or distribution medium, as listed herein and including art-recognized equivalents and successor media, in which the software implementations herein are stored.
Although the present specification describes components and functions implemented in the embodiments with reference to particular standards and protocols, the invention is not limited to such standards and protocols. Each of the standards for Internet and other packet switched network transmission (e.g., TCP/IP, UDP/IP, HTML, HTTP) represent examples of the state of the art. Such standards are periodically superseded by faster or more efficient equivalents having essentially the same functions. Accordingly, replacement standards and protocols having the same functions are considered equivalents.
Accordingly, the described embodiments ought to be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. It should also be understood that the claims are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents. Therefore, equivalent structures that read on the description should also be construed to be inclusive of the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. Thus, reference should be made to the following claims, rather than to the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention.
