Patent Publication Number: US-2011071904-A1

Title: Method for transmitting advertisements to communication device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a method for transmitting advertisements, and more particularly, to a method for transmitting advertisements to communication apparatus. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     As the Internet emerges from its infancy and out of the Web 1.0 era, Web 2.0 emerges as the new generation of network applications. The Netscape web browser is a typical example of Web 1.0. The Netscape browser provides users with access to Internet servers, giving users capability for communication with the Internet. With Web 2.0, more emphasis is placed on content integration and sharing than on one-way communication from the Internet. Under the concept of Web 2.0, the Internet is considered a platform, and users are encouraged to share content so as to enrich the resources available to other users. The Google search engine is a typical example of Web 2.0. Compared to the Netscape web browser, the Google search engine possesses the capability of database management, which shows that content is more important in Web 2.0 than in Web 1.0. 
     Mashup is another concept in Web 2.0. The concept of mashup is to integrate information from different sources or with different elements together to share with other users. Google Map is an application of the mashup concept. Mashup applications represent convenient and fast information integration, and the integrated information is generated by accessing open application program interface (API) and information sources. In addition, internet service providers (ISP) can provide related advertisements to users based on keywords those users use for searching the Internet. For instance, the application AdSense, a popular advertising program provided by Google, can simultaneously provide links to the searched content and links to advertisements related to the search topic. Google charges the advertisers based on the number of times their links are clicked. However, since web browsers do not have the user&#39;s location, they fail to provide the users with more convenient, location-specific information. 
     For mobile communication devices, some ISPs also apply the concept of Web 2.0 to mobile search applications. Users can search information on the Internet via ISPs based on the user&#39;s present location and keywords typed. In addition, among the estimated 2.5 billion mobile phone users worldwide, about 74% use Short Message Service (SMS). As a result, transmitting by short message has become the main approach to transmitting advertisements to mobile communication devices. 
     Accordingly, it can be deduced that by combining the mobile search applications provided by ISPs with transmitted SMS advertisements, a new service similar to the AdSense application can be provided to users. However, previous technology would have required the advertiser to pay advertising costs to the ISPs as well as the cost of each short message sent to the ISPs. Further, since there are many ISPs, and most users contract with only one ISP, advertisers would need to cooperate with multiple ISPs in order to reach a broad range of users. Under such constraints, advertising would be expensive and advertising management would be quite complicated. 
     Therefore, there is a need to provide a method for transmitting advertisements to communication devices that does not include charging users, is not limited to only those ISPs the users contract with, and does not incur costs for short message transmission. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a method for transmitting advertisements to a communication device in which an Internet search is performed based on one or more keywords provided by the communication device. Integrated with the location of the communication device, the search result is then converted from hypertext markup language (HTML) format to extensible markup language (XML) format, and then is transmitted to the communication device. Meanwhile, related advertisements are also transmitted to the communication device based on the search keywords and the location of the communication device. The communication device retrieves the advertisement in an SMS format. 
     The method for transmitting advertisements to a communication device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of: a communication device transmitting a search instruction to a content aggregating apparatus, wherein the search instruction comprises one or more keywords, the location of the communication device, a user account and a time stamp; the content aggregating apparatus performing an Internet search based on the given keywords and the location of the communication device; the content aggregating apparatus optimizing the search results; the content aggregating apparatus transmitting the optimized content in an XML format via the Internet to the communication device; the content aggregating apparatus transmitting advertisements to the communication device according to the search keywords and the location of the communication device; a watchdog program of the communication device providing a short message to appear in the inbox of the communication device according to the advertisement; and the inbox notifying a user of the short message stored in the inbox. 
     The content aggregating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises an HTTP processor, a content searching and processing module, an HTTP analysis and filter module, a mashup engine and an XML encoder. The HTTP processor is configured to fetch the searching instruction. The content searching and processing module is configured to search the Internet based on one or more keywords and the location of the communication device. The HTTP analysis and filter module is configured to optimize the search results. The mashup engine is configured to integrate the optimized search results. The XML encoder is configured to encode the integrated search results in an XML format. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description and upon referring to the accompanying drawings of which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a system of transmitting advertisements to a communication device according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a flow chart of a method for transmitting advertisements to a communication device according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  shows a flow for transmitting advertisements to a communication device according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  shows a schematic view of a user interface of a mobile communication device according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  shows a schematic view of a user interface of a mobile communication device according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  shows a content aggregating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  shows a method for transmitting advertisements to a communication device according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a system of transmitting advertisements to a communication device according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the system  100  comprises a mobile communication device  110  and a content aggregating apparatus  120 . The mobile communication device  110  is provided with an installed software program, which when executed can transmit advertisements to a communication device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The mobile communication device  110  communicates with the content aggregating apparatus  120  by connecting to the Internet  150  via a base station  130 . In addition, if the mobile communication device  110  is provided with satellite positioning functionality, a satellite  140  can provide the mobile communication device  110  with its location information, e.g. the latitude and longitude coordinates of the mobile communication device  110 . 
       FIG. 2  shows a flow chart of a method for transmitting advertisements to a communication device according to one embodiment of the present invention. In step S 1 , a communication device transmits a search instruction to a content aggregating apparatus, and then step S 2  is executed. The search instruction comprises at least a keyword, the location of the communication device, a user account and a time stamp. In some embodiments of the present invention, the communication device may be a mobile phone, a video phone or a personal digital assistant. In step S 2 , the content aggregating apparatus performs an Internet search by a search engine based on the given keywords and the location of the communication device, and then step S 3  is executed. In some embodiments of the present invention, the search engine may be the Google search engine. In step S 3 , the search results are then forwarded by the search engine to the content aggregating apparatus, and then step S 4  is executed. In step S 4 , the content aggregating apparatus optimizes the search results, and then step S 5  is executed. In step S 5 , the content aggregating apparatus transmits the optimized results in an XML format via the Internet to the communication device, and then step S 6  is executed. 
     In step S 6 , an advertisement engine, which is in the content aggregating apparatus and monitors user preference, transmits advertisements through the Internet to the communication device according to the given keywords, the location of the communication device and an advertising policy, and then step S 7  is executed. In step S 7 , a watchdog program of the communication device generates a short message according to the advertisement and stores the message in an inbox of the communication device, and then step S 8  is executed. In step S 8 , the inbox notifies the user of the short message stored in the inbox. 
       FIG. 3  shows application of the method for transmitting advertisements to a communication device shown in  FIG. 2  to the system of transmitting advertisements to the communication device shown in  FIG. 1 . As mentioned, the mobile communication device  110  is operated by a user  160 , and is provided with an installed software program, which when executed can perform the method for transmitting advertisements to a communication device shown in  FIG. 2 . The software program comprises two application programs. One application program  1101  is configured to process the search results in XML format provided by the content aggregating apparatus  120 . Another application program  1102  is a watchdog program, e.g. a daemon, and is configured to generate a short message according to the received advertisement, wherein the short message is then stored in the inbox  1103  of the mobile communication device  110 . The mobile communication device  110  logs in to the content aggregating apparatus  120  when it is turned on. If the mobile communication device  110  has never logged in before, registration of a user account and password is required. 
       FIG. 4  shows a schematic view of a user interface of a mobile communication device according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the mobile communication device  110 , which can connect to 3G networks, is located at the user&#39;s location. The user of the mobile communication device  110  wishes to search for restaurants in his or her vicinity. As shown in  FIG. 4 , a program installed in the mobile communication device  110  displays a user interface  400  on the screen of the mobile communication device  110 . The user interface  400  comprises a plurality of shortcut keys  410  and a keyword display column  420 . Each shortcut key may correspond to a key of the mobile communication device  110 . When searching for information on the Internet using the mobile communication device  110 , the user  160  can manually input keywords, which will be displayed on the keyword display column  420 , or input keywords by pressing the key corresponding to the shortcut keys  410 . These shortcut keys  410  comprise news searching, restaurant searching, parking lot searching, shopping, café searching, convenience store searching, friend searching, hotel searching, e-learning and the location of the communication device. In this embodiment, the user  160  either uses these shortcut keys  410  or manually inputs a keyword, for example the keyword restaurant. If the mobile communication device  110  is provided with a satellite positioning function, and the mobile communication device  110  is currently located at a position where the satellite positioning function is functional, then the mobile communication device  110  can define its position based on latitude and longitude coordinates provided by the satellite  140 . If the mobile communication device  110  is not provided with a satellite positioning function, or if the mobile communication device  110  is currently located at a position where the satellite positioning function is not functional, e.g. an indoor environment, the mobile communication device  110  can define its position based on the cell ID of the base stations  130  shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , in step S 1 , the user  160  inputs the keyword restaurant into the mobile communication device  110 . The mobile communication device  110  then transmits a search instruction to the content aggregating apparatus  120 , wherein the searching instruction comprises the keyword restaurant, the location of the mobile communication device  110 , a user account of the mobile communication device  110  and a time stamp of the generation time of the searching instruction. In some embodiments of the present invention, the user account and the time stamp serve as bases for charging advertisers the fee for the advertisement. In step S 2 , the content aggregating apparatus  120  performs an Internet search  150  by a search engine based on the keyword restaurant and the location of the mobile communication device  110 . In step S 3 , the search results are forwarded by the search engine to the content aggregating apparatus  120 . In step S 4 , the content aggregating apparatus  120  optimizes the search results. In some embodiments of the present invention, the content aggregating apparatus  120  searches the Internet  150  based on specific weightings, which may be constructed according to distances between the locations of the stores that sell the searched item and the mobile communication device  110 , operating hours of the stores that sell the searched item, and the amount of the advertising purchased by the stores that sell the searched item. In this embodiment, the businesses meeting the search criteria, i.e., that sell the searched item, are the restaurants A, B and C shown in  FIG. 4 . In step S 5 , the content aggregating apparatus  120  transmits the optimized content in an XML format via the Internet  150  to the communication device  110 . 
       FIG. 5  shows a schematic view of a user interface of a mobile communication device according to another embodiment of the present invention. The mobile communication device  110  displays the optimized information on its screen. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the display order of the restaurants A, B and C may be based on the distances of the restaurants A, B and C and the user  160 , users&#39; endorsements of the restaurants A, B and C, the amount of advertising purchased by the restaurants A, B and C or the features of the restaurants A, B and C. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , in step S 6 , an advertisement engine, which is in the content aggregating apparatus  120 , transmits advertisements through the Internet  150  to the mobile communication device  110  according to the keyword restaurant, the location of the mobile communication device  110  and an advertising policy. The advertisement may be a text message or a graphic, such as discount information or bar code. In this embodiment, the advertisement is a discount ticket or the information of discount time period. The advertisement is transmitted to the mobile communication device  110  through the Internet based on a protocol between the mobile communication device  110  and the content aggregating apparatus  120 , not through a switchboard in a telephone office. Therefore, the transmission of the advertisement will not be charged by ISPs, and the cost is reduced accordingly. In step S 7 , the watchdog program installed in the mobile communication device  110  generates a short message or a multimedia message service (MMS) message according to the advertisement and stores the message in an inbox  1103  of the mobile communication device  110 . In step S 8 , the inbox  1103  notifies the user  160  of the message stored in the inbox  1103 . The user  160  reads the short message or the MMS message from the inbox  1103  of the mobile communication device  110 , which is consistent with an ordinary user&#39;s habit when reading a message sent by ISPs and is therefore convenient to the user  160 . 
       FIG. 6  shows a content aggregating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. The content aggregating apparatus  120  comprises an HTTP daemon  610 , an HTTP processor  620 , an XML encoder  630 , a mashup engine  640 , a content searching and processing module  650 , an HTTP analysis and filter module  660  and an Internet access module  670 . 
     The HTTP daemon  610  is connected with the mobile communication device  110 , and is configured to fetch an HTTP search instruction from the mobile communication device  110  to transmit a uniform resource identifier (URI) to the HTTP processor  620 . The mobile communication device  110  may be a mobile phone, a video phone or a personal digital assistant. The HTTP processor  620  extracts instructions and parameters from the received URI, and forwards the extracted instructions to the mashup engine  640 . The mashup engine  640  is configured to exchange data with the HTTP processor  620 , the XML encoder  630 , the content searching and processing module  650  and the HTTP analysis and filter module  660 . The content searching and processing module  650  and the HTTP analysis and filter module  660  are connected to the Internet  150  via the Internet access module  670 . The Internet access module  670  transmits HTTP instruction to the Internet  150  and receives HTTP content. The content searching and processing module  650  can search the Internet  150  by a content search application interface, such as Google search application interface. The content searching and processing module  650  can also retrieve information relating to the mobile communication device  110  from a database based on the data of the mobile communication device  110 , such as the user account of the mobile communication device  110 . The HTTP analysis and filter module  660  is configured to filter, reorder and optimize the search results. The mashup engine  640  is then configured to integrate the optimized search results. The XML encoder  630  is configured to encode the integrated search results in an XML format and transmit the integrated search results to the mobile communication device  110 . 
     Preferably, the content aggregating apparatus  120  further comprises a map controller  680 . The map controller  680  can also exchange data with the mashup engine  640 , and can also connect to the Internet  150  via the Internet access module  670 . The map controller  680  is configured to search the Internet  150  by a content search application interface, such as Google map service, for map information, such as a map with location marks. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , if the mobile communication device  110  is a mobile phone, it may be constrained by its screen size and may not be capable of displaying in HTTP. The content aggregating apparatus  120  then provides the optimized search results in XML format to the mobile communication device  110  to be displayed. 
       FIG. 7  shows application of the method for transmitting advertisements to a communication device shown in  FIG. 2  to the mashup engine  640  of the content aggregating apparatus  120  shown in  FIG. 6 . In step S 1 , the mobile communication device  110  transmits the location of the mobile communication device  110  and a keyword to the content aggregating apparatus  120 . In step S 2 , the content searching and processing module  650  of the content aggregating apparatus  120  performs an Internet search. In step S 4 , the HTTP analysis and filter module  660  of the content aggregating apparatus  120  optimizes the search results. For example, the HTTP analysis and filter module  660  may remove unrelated content, such as other advertisements, from the search results, or the HTTP analysis and filter module  660  may reorder the search results based on specific weightings, such as user endorsement. In step S 5 , the XML encoder  630  of the content aggregating apparatus  120  converts the optimized results to an XML format and transmits the optimized results via the Internet  150  to the mobile communication device  110 . 
     In conclusion, the method for transmitting advertisements to a communication device of the present invention can integrate content on the Internet and data of other communication devices for users on the Internet or those communication devices. Advertisements relating to search results are also provided to the users, wherein the transmission of the advertisements is not limited to ISPs and will not be charged by ISPs. Therefore, the method for transmitting advertisements to a communication device of the present invention is cost efficient, and the application utilizing the present invention can significantly broaden its application area under the concept of Web 2.0. 
     The above-described embodiments of the present invention are intended to be illustrative only. Those skilled in the art may devise numerous alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the following claims.