These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the exemplary embodiments are better understood when the following Detailed Description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. The exemplary embodiments may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. These embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those of ordinary skill in the art. Moreover, all statements herein reciting embodiments, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents as well as equivalents developed in the future (i.e., any elements developed that perform the same function, regardless of structure).
Thus, for example, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the diagrams, schematics, illustrations, and the like represent conceptual views or processes illustrating the exemplary embodiments. The functions of the various elements shown in the figures may be provided through the use of dedicated hardware as well as hardware capable of executing associated software. Similarly, any switches shown in the figures are conceptual only. Their function may be carried out through the operation of program logic, through dedicated logic, through the interaction of program control and dedicated logic, or even manually, the particular technique being selectable by the entity implementing this invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art further understand that the exemplary hardware, software, processes, methods, and/or operating systems described herein are for illustrative purposes and, thus, are not intended to be limited to any particular named manufacturer.
As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless expressly stated otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “includes,” “comprises,” “including,” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. Furthermore, “connected” or “coupled” as used herein may include wirelessly connected or coupled. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
It will also be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first device could be termed a second device, and, similarly, a second device could be termed a first device without departing from the teachings of the disclosure.
The user's communications device 20 receives the advertisement 26. A processor (“μP”) 34, ASIC, or other device visually and/or audibly processes the advertisement 26. When the advertisement 26 is viewed or listened to by the user, a credit application 36 initiates communication with an account database 38. The credit application 36 is a set of processor-executable instructions that are stored in memory 40 of the user's communications device 20. The credit application 36 is a software engine that instructs the processor 34 to send a request 42 for credit to the account database 38. The request 42 for credit may include the account number 32, the compensation 28 or the credit 30, and a device number 44. The account number 32 uniquely identifies an account associated with the advertisement 26. The device number 44 uniquely identifies the user's communications device to which the compensation 28 or credit 30 is applied. The device number 44 is any alphanumeric identifier or code that uniquely identifies the user's communications device 20. Because the advertisement 26 offers the compensation 28 and/or credit 30 for viewing or listening to the advertisement 26, the request 42 for credit seeks to have the compensation 28 and/or credit 30 applied to the device number 44. Here, then, the credit 30 (monetary credit, a service credit, or reward points/credits) may be device-specific, in that the credit 30 is redeemable only using the unique device number 44.
The account database 38 receives the request 42 for credit. The account database 38 compensates the user's communications device 20 for processing (e.g., displaying) the advertisement 26. The account database 38 may additionally or alternatively compensate the user or an account associated with the user. The account database 38 may additionally or alternatively prompt the user to specify which of several communications devices or accounts shall be credited with the compensation. The account database 38 is stored in the memory of an account server 46. The account database 38 associates the account number 32 and the compensation 28 or the credit 30 with the device number 44. The account database 38 tallies an account balance 48 for each account number associated with the device number 44. When the account database 38 compensates the account number 32 with the compensation 28 or the credit 30, the account database 38 may send a verification message 50. The verification message 50 verifies that a credit has been added to the account number 32 associated with the device number 44. The verification message 50 may include the account balance 48.
The user's communications device 20 receives the verification message 50. The credit application 36 may inspect the verification message 50 to ensure compensation was received for viewing or listening to the advertisement 26. If compensation was not received, the credit application 36 may attempt to send a second, redundant request 42 for credit. The credit application 36 may also instruct the processor 34 to display the account balance 48. The credit application 36 may also instruct the processor 34 to store the account balance 48 in the memory 40. The user may thus retrieve the account balance 48 and, at any time, review balances for any accounts associated with the communications device 20 (e.g., the device number 44). The credit application 36 may also compare the account balance 48 before the request 42 for credit is sent with the account balance 48 after the verification message 50 is received. If any difference equals the requested credit or compensation, then the credit application 36 knows credit was received and properly posted to the account number 32. If a discrepancy exists, then compensation was not properly posted and second, redundant request 42 for credit may be desired.
Exemplary embodiments thus compensate the user for experiencing the advertisement. The account number 32 and/or the device number 44 are automatically collected and associated in the account database 38. Because the user is compensated for experiencing the advertisement, an advertiser has greater confidence that the user will not ignore the advertisement 26. Moreover, users are more likely to only view advertisements that are relevant to their interests. No doubt a small number of users will accept compensation for any advertisement, regardless of its targeted audience, message, or content. As later paragraphs will explain, however, the account database 38 may be used to filter or “weed out” indiscriminate recipients, thus further helping to target advertisements to an intended user.
Exemplary embodiments may be applied regardless of networking environment. The user's communications device 20 and the content server 22 may operate using wired or wireless principles. The communications network 24 may be a cable network operating in the radio-frequency domain and/or the Internet Protocol (IP) domain. The communications network 24 may have POTS components and/or features. The communications network 24, however, may also include a distributed computing network, such as the Internet (sometimes alternatively known as the “World Wide Web”), an intranet, a local-area network (LAN), and/or a wide-area network (WAN). The communications network 24 may include coaxial cables, copper wires, fiber optic lines, and/or hybrid-coaxial lines. The communications network 24 may even include wireless portions utilizing any portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and any signaling standard (such as the I.E.E.E. 802 family of standards, GSM/CDMA/TDMA or any cellular standard, and/or the ISM band). The concepts described herein may be applied to any wireless/wireline communications network or communications device, regardless of physical componentry, physical configuration, or communications standard(s).
The users' communications device 20, the content server 22, and the account server 46 are only simply illustrated. Because the architecture and operating principles of computers, servers, communications devices, and other processor-controlled devices are well known, the hardware and software components are not further shown and described. If, however, the reader desires more details, the reader is invited to consult the following sources, all incorporated herein by reference in their entirety: A
Additionally, some aspects of advertisement compensation are known, so this disclosure does not greatly explain the known details. If the reader desires more details, the reader is invited to consult the following sources, all incorporated herein by reference in their entirety: U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,210 to Goldhaber et al. (Aug. 11, 1998); U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,811 to Angles et al. (Aug. 3, 1999); U.S. Pat. No. 6,477,509 to Hammons et al. (Nov. 5, 2002); U.S. Pat. No. 6,892,387 to Lee (May 10, 2005); U.S. Pat. No. 6,907,418 to Shin et al. (Jun. 14, 2005); Published U.S. Patent Application 2001/0034647 to Marks et al. (Oct. 25, 2001); Published U.S. Patent Application 2001/0056374 to Joao (Dec. 27, 2001); Published U.S. Patent Application 2002/0019774 to Kanter (Feb. 14, 2002); Published U.S. Patent Application 2004/0255322 to Meadows et al. (Dec. 16, 2004); and Published U.S. Patent Application 2005/0108092 to Campbell et al. (May 19, 2005.
The credit application 36 may be physically embodied on or in a computer-readable medium. This computer-readable medium may include CD-ROM, DVD, tape, cassette, floppy disk, memory card, and large-capacity disk (such as IOMEGA®, ZIP®, JAZZ®, and other large-capacity memory products (IOMEGA®, ZIP®, and JAZZ® are registered trademarks of Iomega Corporation, 1821 W. Iomega Way, Roy, Utah 84067, 801.332.1000, www.iomega.com). This computer-readable medium, or media, could be distributed to end-subscribers, licensees, and assignees. These types of computer-readable media, and other types not mention here but considered within the scope of the exemplary embodiments, allow the activation application 32 and/or the complementary activation application 50 to be easily disseminated. A computer program product comprises the credit application 36 stored on the computer-readable medium. The credit application 36 comprises computer-readable instructions/code for crediting accounts when advertisements are presented.
Exemplary embodiments may be physically embodied on or in any addressable (e.g., HTTP, I.E.E.E. 802.11, Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)) wireless device capable of presenting an IP address. Examples could include a computer, a wireless personal digital assistant (PDA), an Internet Protocol mobile phone, or a wireless pager.
While the exemplary embodiments have been described with respect to various features, aspects, and embodiments, those skilled and unskilled in the art will recognize the exemplary embodiments are not so limited. Other variations, modifications, and alternative embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments.