Methods, systems and computer program products for providing information using an advertising message with a dynamic field

Methods, systems and computer program products for updating information for an identified location on a mobile device are provided. A broadcast advertising message is provided to a mobile device. The advertising message identifies a location and includes a dynamic field configured to provide updated information about the identified location. When the advertising message is activated by the mobile device, a current position of the mobile device is determined. The dynamic field of the advertising message is automatically populated based on the current position of the mobile device to provide updated information about the identified location.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to targeted advertising on a mobile device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional advertising is experiencing a reduction in viewers, in part, because automatic digital recording devices enable viewers to view broadcast television without commercials. Various forms of targeted advertising have been used in an attempt to regain viewers and provide alternative modes of advertising.

For example, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0064346 to Steenstra et al. discusses techniques for displaying advertising information based on a user profile and the geographic location of the device.

U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0184089 to Tsou et al. is directed to “real-time instant presence with advertising” (RIPA). Instant messaging topology and wireless technology are used to setup and update information of an instant messaging user. Advertising and network marketing of a business using presence information sent to instant messaging users are also provided.

U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0198396 to Fransioli is directed to methods for providing location-based messaging to a mobile user with a wireless portable receiving device, including content based on the location and the travel direction of the device.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0184089 to Tsou et al. proposes methods for promotion, advertising and network marketing of a business using presence information sent to instant messaging users and instantly propagated through instant messaging address lists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to certain embodiments of the present invention, a method of updating information for an identified location on a mobile device includes providing a broadcast advertising message to a mobile device. The advertising message identifies a location and includes a dynamic field configured to provide information about the identified location. The advertising message is activated by the mobile device. A current position of the mobile device is determined. The dynamic field of the advertising message is automatically populated based on the current position of the mobile device to provide updated information about the identified location.

In certain embodiments, the updated information includes directions from the current position of the mobile device to the identified location. In some embodiments, the broadcast messages broadcast to at least one mobile device in a selected geographic region.

In particular embodiments, the advertising message is configured to display and integrated graphical image including advertising information about an enterprise at the identified location and directions from the current position of the mobile device to the identified location. The enterprise can include a plurality of related enterprises and a corresponding plurality of identified locations. One of the plurality of related enterprises may be selected based on the current position of the mobile device. Automatically populating the dynamic fields may be based on the selected enterprise and the corresponding identified location.

In certain embodiments of the present invention, when the advertising message is activated, a velocity of the mobile device is determined. Directions may be provided that include first directions if the velocity is greater than a threshold amount and second directions if velocity is less than the threshold amount, wherein the first and second direction are different.

In some embodiments, a user may be notified when an advertising message is received, such as with an audible, tactile and/or visual notification.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It will be understood that, although the terms “first”, “second”, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Thus, a “first” element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could also be termed a “second” element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the present invention. The sequence of operations (or steps) is not limited to the order presented in the claims or figures unless specifically indicated otherwise.

The present invention is described below with reference to block diagrams and/or flowchart illustrations of methods, apparatus (systems) and/or computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It is understood that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustrations, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustrations, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, and/or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer and/or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the block diagrams and/or flowchart block or blocks.

Various embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference toFIGS. 1-8.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, a broadcast advertising message can be provided to a mobile device at Block2. The advertising message can identify location and included a dynamic field configured to provide directions to the identified location. When a mobile device activates the advertising message, the current position of the mobile device is determined at Block4. The dynamic field of the advertising message is automatically populated at Block6based on the current position of the mobile device to provide updated information such as directions from the current position of the mobile device to be identified location. Accordingly, a user can receive a broadcast advertising message at one position and open the advertising message at a later time in a different position and be provided with directions from the current position of the mobile device.

As used herein, the term “broadcast message” refers to a message that is transmitted to one or more mobile devices in a selected geographic region. A broadcast message can be sent to all of the devices in a selected geographic region, or to selected devices in a geographic region, such as based on the user profile for each device. For example, the user or a system administrator can set up a user profile that includes options to receive or not to receive certain types of broadcast messages.

The advertising message may be in any suitable format, including SMS, HTML, e-mail instant messaging, etc. The advertising message can include a dynamic field that may be populated by the current location of mobile device and/or associated directions, distance, landmarks, or other references with respect to an identified location. In some embodiments, the advertising message can include an embedded link for directions, maps, location details, including story details, etc. In some embodiments, the dynamic field may be populated by directional information, including the name of the street, neighborhood, direction or speed of device.

A base station22is shown inFIG. 2for transmitting a broadcast message to selected ones of a plurality of mobile devices12A-12G. As shown inFIG. 2, the mobile devices12A-12G are each located at a position with respect to two commercial enterprises50A and50B, and a geographic region60is selected in an area adjacent the commercial enterprise50A. The base station22transmits an advertising message to the mobile devices12A,12B, and12C, which are located in the select a geographic region60. The advertising message can include information about the commercial enterprise50A, including information about services or products available at the commercial enterprise50A, coupons, promotional items, and the like.

Although the devices12A,12B, and12C, may notify the user when the advertising message is received, such as with an audible or visual notification, a user may not open or activate the advertising message until a later time. For example, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, the mobile devices12B and12C receive the advertising message at initial positions P0when the devices12B and12C are within the geographic region60. However, at a later time, the devices12B and12C are located at new respective positions P1. For example, the mobile device service provider or a GPS or tracking service may track the location of the devices12A,12B and12C. The devices12A,12B and12C may be tracked continuously or at selected times or on a request basis, such as when the user opens an advertising message.

In some embodiments, the commercial enterprises50A and50B may be related businesses, such as franchises operated under the same trademark and/or offering the same or similar products or services. As shown inFIG. 4, if the commercial enterprises50A and50B are related, then one of the enterprises50A-50B may be selected based on the current position P1of the devices12B and12C. As shown inFIG. 4, if the advertising message is activated by the mobile device12B from the position P1, the advertising message provides directions from the position P1to the commercial enterprise50A because the commercial enterprise50A is closer to the mobile device12B than the commercial enterprise50B. However, the current location P1of the device12C is closer to the enterprise50B than to the enterprise50A, and therefore, directions are provided from the device12B to the enterprise50B.

As illustrated inFIGS. 1-4, directions can be provided to the mobile device12A-12G in real time in response to the activation of a message that was received previously. In some embodiments, the advertising message can include a dynamic field configured to provide directions to an identified location. The dynamic field of the advertising message can be automatically populated based on the current position of the mobile device to provide directions from the current position of the mobile device to the identified location when the advertising message is activated. The dynamic field can include data for displaying the directions, such as the font or formatting of the directions, including integrated maps, landmarks, and the like.

In particular embodiments, the advertising message is an integrated graphical image that includes advertising information about the commercial enterprise and a dynamic field for providing real-time directions to the commercial enterprise based on the current position of the mobile device. For example, the dynamic field can include data for displaying the direction so that the directions are integrated in a graphical advertising image.

The current location of the devices12A,12B and12C can be determined, for example, using GPS techniques and/or signal triangulation techniques. Examples of suitable techniques include assisted GPS, enhanced observed time difference (E-OTD), uplink time difference of arrival (U-TDPA), advanced forward link trilateration (AFLT), and cell ID positioning.

The directions may be customized for a particular device and/or environment. For example, the velocity of the device can be determined by determining the rate of change of the position of the device using the techniques discussed above, in different directions may be provided based on a velocity of the device. If the device is traveling greater than a threshold speed, such as 15 mph, then it is likely that the device is in a car, and the directions can be customized for an automobile (e.g., using freeways and roads used by automobiles). However, if the device is traveling less than the threshold speed, such as 15 mph, then it is likely that the device is being carried by a pedestrian, and the directions can be customized for a pedestrian (e.g., using walkways that may be unavailable to an automobile).

FIG. 5illustrates a network environment in which embodiments of the present invention may be utilized. As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, however, the operations of embodiments of the present invention may be carried out on a processing system that communicates with one or more other devices with or without access to a network such as an intranet or the Internet. As seen inFIG. 5, mobile devices12A,12C, and12C can communicate over a network14. The mobile devices12A,12C, and12C can be radiotelephones or other handheld devices, such as a personal wirelessly enabled digital assistants (personal data assistants (PDAs), such as Palm Pilot™ or a Pocket PC™), smartphones, pagers, wireless messaging devices (such as a Blackberry™ wireless handheld device), wireless enabled laptop computers, other mobile communications devices and/or combinations thereof. The mobile devices12A,12C, and12C can communicate through one or more mobile telecommunications switching offices (MTSOs)24via base stations22. The MTSO24may provide communications with a public telecommunications switching network (PTSN)20, which can, in turn, can provide communications with the network14. The mobile devices12A,12C, and12C may be connected to the network14using various techniques, including those known to those of skill in the art, such as using a Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) or Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (Wi-Max) connection.

It should be understood that the various devices12A,12B, and12C can communicate with the network14directly or indirectly, such as via other networks, including wireless networks. Moreover, devices can be provided that combine certain functionalities of the various devices12A,12B, and12C. For example, a single device may be configured to connect to the network14through either the base station22, the MTSO24, the PTSN20, a modem, a wireless network or a combination thereof.

The devices12A,12B, and12C may utilize applications to communicate over the base station (s)22, the MTSO24, and/or network14to another mobile device, stationary device, or data processing system, such as a server16. The network14may be an intranet or the Internet or other networks known to those of skill in the art. The devices12A,12B, and12C can include applications that can display the data in a display window, which can be provided on the devices12A,12B, and12C and viewed and manipulated by the user.

As is further illustrated inFIG. 5, the server16can be in communication with data sources30A,30B, and/or30C and/or the PTSN20. The data sources30A,30B, and30C can be computer servers, processing systems, and/or other network elements that can send data to the clients12A,12B and12C over the network14.

Referring toFIG. 6, exemplary embodiments of a mobile device12having a data processing system230in accordance with embodiments of the present invention are shown. The mobile device12may include input device(s)232(such as a keyboard or keypad, touch sensitive screen, light sensitive screen, and/or mouse), a display234, and a memory236that communicate with a processor238. The mobile device12may further include a speaker244, and an I/O data port(s)246that also communicates with the processor238. The I/O data port(s)246can be used to transfer information between the data processing system230and another computer system or a network (e.g., the Internet). These components may be conventional components such as those used in many conventional data processing systems, which may be configured to operate as described herein. The mobile device12may include a wireless transceiver220coupled to an antenna226and the processing system230. The transceiver220includes a wireless transceiver including a transmitter222and a receiver224configured to establish a wireless connection, such as a cellular telephone connection, with at least one other mobile electronic device and/or base station within the range of the transceiver220. In some embodiments, the antenna226may be a directional antenna array configured to be used to determine a traveling vector (including speed, distance, direction of movement, and/or relative positional data) for the mobile electronic device12based on a signal received from the antenna226by a base station. While only a single antenna365is illustrated inFIG. 6by way of example, multiple antennas may be provided.

FIG. 7is a block diagram of embodiments of data processing systems that illustrates systems, methods, and computer program products in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. For example, the systems illustrated inFIG. 7may be incorporated as part of the server16and/or the mobile devices12A,12B and/or12C ofFIG. 5. As shown inFIG. 7, a processor238communicates with memory236via an address/data bus248. The processor238can be any commercially available or custom microprocessor. The memory236is representative of the overall hierarchy of memory devices containing the software and data used to implement the functionality of the data processing system230A. The memory236can include, but is not limited to, the following types of devices: cache, ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory, SRAM, and DRAM.

As shown inFIG. 7, the memory236may include several categories of software and data used in the data processing system230A: an operating system252; application programs254; input/output (I/O) device drivers258; and data256. As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, the operating system252may be any operating system suitable for use with a data processing system, such as OS/2, AIX or System390 from International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, N.Y., Windows95, Windows98, Windows2000, Windows NT, WindowsXP, or Windows Mobile from Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash., Palm 05, Unix or Linux. The I/O device drivers258may include software routines accessed through the operating system252by the application program254to communicate with devices such as the input devices232, the display234, the speaker244, the I/O data port(s)246, and certain components of the memory236. The application programs254are illustrative of the programs that implement the various features of the data processing system230A and can include at least one application that provides operations of embodiments of the present invention. The data256represents the static and dynamic data used by the application programs254, the operating system252, the I/O device drivers258, and other software programs that may reside in the memory236.

In some embodiments, the data processing systems illustrated with respect toFIG. 7may be included as part of the server16and/or the mobile devices12A,12B and12C inFIG. 5. As is further seen inFIG. 7, the application programs254can include a broadcasting/directions module260.

The data256can include account profiles262and directions/maps264. For example, the data256can be used by the broadcasting directions module260to select a geographic region, to select mobile devices in the geographic region (for example, based on a user profile), and/or to provide directions/maps264that can be customized to provide directions to a specific location.

The broadcasting/directions module260may carry out operations as described herein for broadcasting an advertising message to at least one mobile device in a selected geographic region and/or for providing directions to a mobile device.

For example, the broadcasting/directions module260and data256may be included as part of the server16ofFIG. 5and may select a geographic region and provide instructions to a base station22to transmit a particular advertising message to mobile devices12A,12B and12C within the selected geographic region. Account profiles262may be used to select a subset of the mobile devices12A,12B and/or12C to receive the advertising message, for example, based on individual user profiles. The maps264may be used by the broadcasting/directions module260to provide real-time directions when the advertising message is activated.

As another example, the broadcasting/directions module260and data256may be included as part of one or more of the mobile devices12A,12B and/or12C. The broadcasting/directions module260may receive a broadcast advertising message, activate the message at a later date, and/or determine directions based on the maps264.

Real-time directions may be transmitted to a mobile device12A,12B and/or12C or the devices12A,12B and/or12C may include maps264or other geographic data for providing the directions to the user without requiring an outside transmission of data. In some embodiments, functions of the broadcasting/directions module260may be included as part of the mobile devices12A,12B and/or12C and the server16ofFIG. 5. For example, a broadcasting module at the server16can control the broadcasting of an advertising message to the mobile devices12A,12B and12C and a directions module on the mobile devices12A,12B and12C can control providing real-time directions.

Although the present invention is illustrated, for example, with reference to broadcasting directions module260, account profiles262, and directions/maps264, as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, the broadcasting directions module260, account profiles262, and directions/maps264may also be incorporated into other components, such as the operating system252. Thus, the present invention should not be construed as limited to the configurations illustrated but is intended to encompass any configuration capable of carrying out the operations described herein.

The device12and an exemplary display234are shown inFIG. 8. The display234includes a graphical image300. The image300includes integrated directions data310and advertising content320. For example, as illustrated, the advertising content320is displayed overlapping the directions data310; however, non-overlapping formats may also be used. Although the directions data310shown inFIG. 8includes a map, it should be understood that other formats, including text, may be used. The advertising content320and the directions data310may be displayed so that the advertising content320is prominent or larger than the directions data310or the directions data310may be prominent or larger than the advertising content320.

Although some embodiments according to the invention are described herein with respect to commercial enterprises, it should be understood that any location, including landmarks, public places, non-profit organizations, etc., may be used.

It should be understood that various techniques that can be used for providing directions to identified locations are within the scope of the invention. For example, an advertising message can be sent to a mobile device in a selected region by a base station or other suitable transmission technique. When the user activates a message, the current location of the mobile device can be determined using a variety of techniques, including GPS or triangulation at the mobile device and/or at the base station. In some embodiments, the location can be transmitted to a server (such as server16inFIG. 5) and/or directions can be generated at the server. The server can transmit directions to the mobile device and/or the base station(s) can transmit directions to the mobile device. In some embodiments, the mobile device can generate directions, for example, using geographic data that is stored by the mobile device and/or the server.

Although embodiments of the current invention are described herein with respect to providing directions to a mobile device, it should be understood that the dynamic field of the advertising message can be populated to provide various types of updated information. For example, the dynamic field can be populated with information about the status of the identified location or enterprise in the advertising message, including, e.g., contact information (such as an address or a phone number) for the nearest business in the chain or franchise of business and/or the status of the business (such as open, closed, an advertised price, the length of customer queue, capacity (whether the business is full or empty), promotions for sales, sale time remaining, quantity of products remaining and the like).