Abstract:
An apparatus, method and computer program for quantifying coverage of an advertising ringtone in a telephony system, the apparatus comprising: a receive component for receiving a request for an electronic device; a generate component, responsive to the receiver receiving the request, for playing the advertising ringtone on the electronic device; and a monitor component, responsive to the electronic device playing the advertising ringtone, for collecting coverage information from a personal device, wherein the monitor component comprises: a proximity component for identifying a local electronic resource; a select component, responsive to the proximity component identifying the local electronic resource, for determining the local electronic resource is the personal device; and a gather component, responsive to the select component determining the personal device, for gathering coverage information from the personal device.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     The present invention relates to a telephony system. In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for quantifying coverage of an advertising ringtone in a telephony system. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Cellular phones are increasingly becoming used for a variety of rich media purposes, such as taking photographs, playing music and performing more complex computational tasks. As such, advertisers are now viewing the mobile platform as a medium not just for displaying adverts, but broadcasting them to a wider group of people. 
     Third parties, such as advertisers, are increasingly seeking detailed information about phone calls. For example, advertisers may wish to find the effect of their campaigns, and to influence the use of their advertisements. 
     When a user sends a call to another user&#39;s phone, an advertisement can be provided as a ringtone on the call sender&#39;s phone, so that the call sender will listen to the advertisement until the call recipient picks up the phone. In exchange for listening to the advertisement the call sender receives a monetary benefit, for example a discount on the call, or free text messages. 
     An example of prior art that suggests the concept of compensating the call recipient for using their device as an advertising platform is to be found in US Patent Publication US 2008-0167921 A1 (Seo, Mi Jung, et. al. “Advertisement Method Using Ring Tone Providing Service and Advertisement System Thereof, And Computer-Readable Media for Recording Advertisement Method Program”). 
     Information can be provided to the advertiser on how many times the advertisement has been played, and for how long. However, no coverage information is provided to assess the penetration of the advertisement. 
     Therefore, there is a need in the art to address the aforementioned problem. 
     SUMMARY 
     Viewed from a first aspect the present invention provides an apparatus for quantifying coverage of an advertising ringtone in a telephony system, the apparatus comprising: a receive component for receiving a request for an electronic device; a generate component, responsive to the receiver receiving the request, for playing the advertising ringtone on the electronic device; and a monitor component, responsive to the electronic device playing the advertising ringtone, for collecting coverage information from a personal device, wherein the monitor component comprises: a proximity component for identifying a local electronic resource; a select component, responsive to the proximity component identifying the local electronic resource, for determining the local electronic resource is the personal device; and a gather component, responsive to the select component determining the personal device, for gathering coverage information from the personal device. 
     Preferably, the present invention provides an apparatus, wherein the monitor is further operable for gathering coverage information from the electronic device. 
     Preferably, the present invention provides an apparatus, wherein the apparatus further comprises: a collate component, responsive to the gather component gathering coverage information from at least one of the electronic device and the personal device, for collating the coverage information; and a send component for sending the collated coverage information. 
     Preferably, the present invention provides an apparatus, wherein the apparatus further comprises: a sensor for transmitting a transmittal signal to the local electronic resource, and for receiving a received signal from the local electronic resource. 
     Preferably, the present invention provides an apparatus, wherein the transmittal signal and the received signal are Bluetooth signals. Alternatively, the present invention provides an apparatus, wherein the transmitted signal and the received signal are global positioning signals. 
     Preferably, the present invention provides an apparatus, wherein the gather component is further operable for gathering coverage information from a telephony cell associated with the electronic device. Preferably, the present invention provides an apparatus, wherein the apparatus further comprises: a timer for starting a timer, and wherein the coverage information comprises time-related coverage information. 
     Viewed from a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for quantifying coverage of an advertising ringtone in a telephony system, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a request for an electronic device; in response to receiving the request, playing the advertising ringtone on the electronic device; and in response to playing the advertising ringtone, collecting coverage information from a personal device, wherein the step of collecting coverage information comprises the steps of: identifying a local electronic resource; in response to identifying the local electronic resource, determining the local electronic resource is the personal device; and in response to determining the personal device, gathering coverage information from the personal device. 
     Preferably, the present invention provides a method, wherein the step of collecting coverage information further comprises the step of gathering coverage information from the electronic device. 
     Preferably, the present invention provides a method, wherein the method further comprises the steps of: in response to gathering coverage information from at least one of the electronic device and the personal device, collating the coverage information; and sending the collated coverage information. 
     Preferably, the present invention provides a method, wherein the method further comprises the steps of: transmitting a transmittal signal to the local electronic resource, and receiving a received signal from the local electronic resource. 
     Preferably, the present invention provides a method, wherein the steps of transmitting a transmittal signal and receiving a received signal comprise steps of transmitting and receiving Bluetooth signals. Alternatively, the present invention provides a method, wherein the steps of transmitting a transmittal signal, and receiving a received signal comprise steps of transmitting and receiving global positioning signals. 
     Preferably, the present invention provides a method, wherein the method further comprises the step of gathering coverage information from a telephony cell associated with the electronic device. 
     Preferably, the present invention provides a method, wherein the method further comprises the step of: starting a timer, and wherein the step of gathering coverage information comprises gathering time-related coverage information. 
     Viewed from a third aspect, the present invention provides a computer program comprising computer code to, when loaded into a computer system and executed thereon, cause said computer system to perform all of the steps of the invention. 
     Advantageously, the present invention allows metrics to be provided to telephony service providers concerning phone calls on their telephony system. For example, coverage of an advertising ringtone in a telephony system advertisement penetration can be quantified, so that charging levels for advertisers can be calculated. Levels of rewards to a mobile phone owner, who allow their phones to be used to emit advertising, can also be calculated. 
     Advantageously, the number of personal devices, such as mobile phones, that are within range of an electronic device playing an advertising ringtone is indicative of how many people can hear the advertisement. Therefore, by measuring the number of personal devices within range of the ringing electronic device, the number of people also hearing the advertisement can be assessed, thereby assessing advertisement coverage. 
     Advantageously, information can also be gathered from the electronic device that the advertisement is being played on, and therefore coverage information can be associated with further parameters, for example location of the electronic device, and the volume of the electronic device. 
     Advantageously, the information can be collated and sent to the advertisement service provider. Advantageously, information can be gathered from local devices through an existing protocol, for example, Bluetooth signals, or through global positioning signals. 
     Advantageously, information can also be gathered from any associated telephony cell, which can provide locational information about the electronic device itself, for example, if the electronic device is within a shopping center. Advantageously, time-related coverage information can also be assessed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to preferred embodiments, as illustrated in the following figures: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram depicting a telephony system, in accordance with the prior art, and in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention may be implemented; 
         FIG. 2  is a high-level exemplary schematic flow diagram depicting operation method steps for identifying ringtone context associated with a call, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram depicting a telephony system, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  depicts an apparatus operable on a mobile phone, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram depicting a telephony system  100 , in accordance with the prior art, and in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention may be implemented. The telephony system  100  comprises personal electronic devices, such as phones  115 ,  130 ,  140  and personal digital assistants (PDAs)  118  connectable through a network  114 , which may comprise a wired network  110 , or wireless networks  112 . The telephony system  100  also comprises a telephony cell  125 . The personal electronic devices  115 ,  118 ,  130  may be connectable through the network  114  through a radio mast  155  or a satellite  160 . The personal electronic devices  115 ,  118 ,  130  may also be connectable through a peer-to-peer (P2P) connection  116 , which may be wired or wireless. Typically, an operating system (OS)  120  is operable on the personal electronic device. A call sender  105  initiates a call from a caller personal electronic device  115  to the recipient personal electronic device  130  of a call recipient  135 . Additional personal electronic devices  140 ,  145  may be in the physical vicinity of the recipient personal electronic device  130 . These additional personal electronic devices may be connected to the same network as the recipient personal electronic device  130 , may be connected to an alternative network (not shown), or may be visible to other network devices through Bluetooth or wireless connection polling. The phones  115 ,  130 ,  140  may be mobile phones, or wired phones. Personal electronic devices  115 ,  118 ,  130 ,  140 ,  145  may also be connectable to each other through alternative communication means, for example through a Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or other wireless short distance connection protocols  190 . 
     Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances between electronic devices. Many electronic devices have Bluetooth technologies incorporated, for example, mobile phones, watches, modems, headsets, memory devices, and in-car electronic systems. 
       FIG. 2 , which should be read in conjunction with  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , is a high-level exemplary schematic flow diagram  200  depicting operation method steps for identifying ringtone context associated with a call, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 3  is a block diagram depicting a telephony system  300 , in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 4  depicts an apparatus  405  operable on a mobile phone  330 , in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is set forth as a logical flow chart diagram. As such, the depicted order and labelled steps are indicative of one embodiment of the presented method. Other steps and methods may be conceived that are equivalent in function, logic, or effect of one or more steps or portions thereof, of the illustrated method. Additionally the format and symbols employed are provided to explain the logical steps of the method and are understood not to limit the scope of the method. 
     The method starts at step  201 . At step  205 , a sender  305  initiates a call from a mobile phone  315  to a mobile phone  330  of a receiver  335 . A signal is sent through wireless network  312  through a telephony cell  325 . A receive component  410  operable in the apparatus  405  of the receiver mobile phone  330  receives the signal from the telephony system  300 . A user profile (not shown) determines criteria for which ringtone context is to be measured. In a preferred embodiment, ringtone context is to be measured to provide coverage information concerning ringtones that carry advertisements. However, in alternative embodiments, ringtone context can be measured to provide coverage information about other aspects of the ringtone, and of the period when the ringtone is playing. For example, criteria could be established to measure ringtone context for calls received from predetermined senders, or between certain times. At step  210 , an analyze component  415  analyzes the user profile, and the incoming signal to determine its content. If ringtone context is not to be measured the method ends at step  299 . If ringtone context is to be measured the method moves to step  215 . At step  215  a timer component  420  starts a timer. At step  220 , a generate component  425  retrieves a ringtone signature from a ringtone library  428 , and generates a ringtone that is played on a speaker  435  of the mobile phone  330 . The ringtone is in the form of an advertisement. In a preferred embodiment, the advertisement ringtone signature is to be found in the library  428 . In an alternative embodiment, the advertisement ringtone signature is encapsulated in the incoming signal. 
     At step  225 , a monitor component  430  monitors the telephony system  300  for a ringtone context. At step  230 , the monitor component  430  monitors the mobile phone  330 , collecting internal coverage information. Examples of internal coverage information include:
         An identification for the advertisement being played;   A length of time the ringtone is played for before the call is answered;   A volume of the ringtone for the duration of the call;   A volume capacity of the phone, through recording the make and model of that phone.       

     A locate component  440  also accesses a global positioning system (GPS) network  314  with a GPS satellite  360  to determine a location of the mobile phone  330 . The locate component  440  also accesses the telephony cell  325  to gather locational coverage information about the telephony cell  325  and, therefore, further coverage information about the location of the mobile phone  330 . The telephony cell  325  may also provide coverage information about electronic devices local to the mobile phone  330 . Further locational coverage information may also be gathered from a related coverage information technology (IT) resource set, such as a computer cloud  328 . 
     At step  235 , a proximity component  445  locates local electronic devices within proximity of the mobile phone  330 . This can be determined by devices identified using a short range method such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Any short-distance protocol could be used, but a Bluetooth protocol will be used to illustrate the method. In a preferred embodiment, the proximity component  445  requests a Bluetooth transmitter  450  to transmit a Bluetooth signal within a Bluetooth range  365  on a Bluetooth wireless network  190 . The Bluetooth signal identifies all Bluetooth enabled active electronic devices  340 ,  345 ,  350 ,  355  within the Bluetooth range  365 . The Bluetooth signal does not identify an electronic device that is outside of the Bluetooth range  365 , such as electronic device  370 . At step  240 , a select component  460  of the apparatus  405  analyzes any Bluetooth signals received back from local electronic devices to determine personal local electronic devices  340 ,  345  whose user  336  is in a position to hear the ringtone of the mobile phone  330 . For example, a user of a personal digital assistant  340 , or another mobile phone  345  may be able to hear the ringtone. However, a user of headphones  350 , or a Bluetooth enabled car  355  may not hear the ringtone. Locational coverage information gathered by the locate component  440  is also used in the analysis to determine local electronic devices  340 ,  345 . For example, if the location of the mobile phone  330  is a shopping center, the users of local electronic devices  340 ,  345  should be able to hear the ringtone, whereas, if the location can be identified as being inside a car  355 , then users of local electronic devices  340 ,  345  outside of the car will not be able to hear the ringtone. 
     It will be evident to the skilled person that other methods to identify other local electronic devices, and for locational coverage information gathering, are possible. For example, the use of the GPS network  314  can also identify the location of local electronic devices  340 ,  345  if GPS-enabled, as well as the location of the mobile phone  330 . This can be achieved through recording GPS co-ordinates for enabled mobile phones  330 ,  340 ,  345 . 
     At step  245 , the apparatus polls the determined local electronic devices  340 ,  345  for coverage information to determine whether ringtone context can be gathered. Coverage information is gathered from such local electronic devices  340 ,  345 . Examples of gathered coverage information are type of device, and location of device. Coverage information is also gathered on the number of connections. Additional scoring is associated based on the type of device. At step  250 , the apparatus  405  evaluates whether the ringtone is still playing. For example, if the receiver  335  has answered the mobile phone  330 . If it is still playing steps  230 ,  235 ,  240 ,  245  are repeated to assess whether there is any change in the coverage information from local electronic devices, for example, if a local electronic device  340 ,  345  has moved out of Bluetooth range  365 . 
     At step  255 , the timer component  420  stops the timer. A collate component  455  collates all coverage information gathered in step  225 , including any time-related coverage information. At step  260 , a send component  465  sends the collated coverage information back to the network provider via the telephony cell  325 . The coverage information can be augmented with server held coverage information, for example coverage information about the subscriber cell. In a preferred embodiment, the coverage information is encapsulated with call tear down coverage information, for example, the total length of the call. The appropriate compensation for the receiver  335  of the mobile phone  330  is calculated by the network provider. Alternatively, this calculation process could take place on the apparatus  405  with the results simply sent. 
     In an alternative embodiment, calls to action relayed via the audio advertisement can be made available using the short range protocol to allow those in ear shot to follow up on items of interest. 
     In an alternative embodiment, context information is gathered for the duration of the whole call, and not just for the period of time that the ringtone is playing. 
     In an alternative embodiment, coverage information is gathered for the duration of the ringtone period or for the duration of the whole call at the mobile phone  315  of the sender  305 . 
     For the avoidance of doubt, the term “comprising”, as used herein throughout the description and claims is not to be construed as meaning “consisting only of”.