Abstract:
A system and method for adjusting the frequency of content delivery to a communication device based on the frequency of a user&#39;s interaction with the communication device. A method of scheduling and displaying content on a communication device includes collecting data representing a user&#39;s interaction with the communication device, transmitting the data from the communication device to a scheduler, assigning the communication device to a use category, the use category assigned based on the number of interactions the user has with the communication device during a period of time, transmitting a signal to the scheduler upon an interaction with the communication device, incrementing a counter at the remote scheduler upon receiving the signal, and periodically displaying content on the communication device based on the use category and the counter.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY UNDER 35 U.S.C. §119 
       [0001]    The present Application for patent claims priority to Provisional Application No. 61/103,171 entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THE THROTTLED DELIVERY OF ADVERTISEMENTS AND CONTENT BASED ON A SLIDING SCALE OF USAGE,” filed on Oct. 6, 2008, and assigned to the assignee hereof and hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field 
         [0003]    The invention relates generally to the field of content (e.g., advertisements, media, promotions, etc.). More specifically, the invention relates to a system and method for the throttled delivery of advertisements and content based on a sliding scale of usage. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Improvements in communications technologies have led to an increase in the number of products/offerings provided by service providers (e.g., cable providers, internet providers, telephone companies, etc.), device manufacturers, content providers and companies offering and/or enabling value added services. Service providers offer numerous products which might include: voice services; data services such as text messaging and multimedia messaging; location based services; and internet access. Service providers also offer entertainment and a variety of content such as games, ring-tones and streaming music/video. As voice revenue diminishes and service providers become increasingly reliant on customers&#39; use of data services and consumption of content, these service providers are continuously searching for new revenue streams to augment the declining average revenue per user (ARPU). 
         [0006]    Wireless devices have incorporated many improvements in wireless communication technologies. For example, traditional mobile phones now feature more memory, more processing capabilities and larger screens for the viewing of content. In order to maintain and/or increase market share and revenue, device manufacturers must integrate applications/features that increase ARPU for service providers. That is, service providers may choose to integrate applications/features that are a direct or indirect source of new revenues. 
         [0007]    The communications industry has created stiff competition amongst service providers. That is, service providers must offer new content and access to content from third party providers in order to remain competitive in the marketplace. Furthermore, service providers must aggregate or develop content that matches the interests of their customers. Moreover, service providers must transform themselves into media companies and failure to do so may result in decreasing ARPU. The cost of providing increasingly sophisticated services and content may be offset if service providers increase ARPU. Hence, service providers must persuade their customers to use more of their products to remain viable. 
         [0008]    Automation of business practices and procedures has led many organizations to implement a business model referred to as Customer Relationship Management (CRM). CRM enables organizations to effectively promote acquisition, retention and revenue optimization through the use of reliable systems, processes and procedures. CRM calls for the automation of basic business practices and the analysis of customer behavior and communication with customers through a variety of channels. 
         [0009]    Service providers have long recognized the need to increase ARPU. One way to increase ARPU is through targeted, unobtrusive and engaging promotions and advertising. Content providers (e.g., advertisers, brands, marketers, promoters and media companies) have long recognized the mobile communications channel as a pervasive and powerful way of connecting with their desired consumers (i.e., consumers they want to reach). Content providers have been searching for an effective model by which mobile communication devices may become a new medium to reach consumers. The invention addresses these needs by providing a system and method that advances the art. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0010]    The invention comprises a system and a method for consumer engagement and revenue optimization. The method provides for the display of content on a communication device as a result of user actions that are intended to trigger events on the device unrelated to the display of the content. The content displays as soon as the user&#39;s action is taken. The length of the display is determined by the time necessary to actuate the event and may be visible until the intended event has been actuated. In some cases, a user&#39;s action might trigger an event on another user&#39;s device. Storing the content in the memory allow the user to intentionally access the content at the user&#39;s leisure. Some content, for example, a call to action or value proposition, might be available to a user for a limited period of time or require a response within a specified period of time. Users can interact with the content at the time it is displayed, thereby interrupting the intended event, or interact with the content as a result of accessing the content within the memory. Users can share content with others through various means; the memory is a means to facilitate user interaction which may involve mobile commerce. 
         [0011]    The system comprises a network, a management platform, and a communication device. The management platform may function as the network center for the system. The management platform may host a computer system, a database and a server. The system may be configured to communicate with providers of content, promotional sponsors and advertisers, collectively, content providers, interne and service providers, and communication devices. The system may update the database and may also store content; the database may store information about content providers. Consistent with the CRM model, the database may also store data associated with individual users or communication devices. The database is continually updated as information about individual users becomes available. The server may execute program scripts and may transmit content to and from targeted communication devices. The server may also transmit information about communication device usage and user responses which, in turn, may trigger additional content to be transmitted to targeted communication devices. A communications network may transmit data between the management platform and the communication device. 
         [0012]    The communication device may host software that facilitates storage and presentation of content received from the management platform. Content may also be transmitted through the service provider, directly from content providers&#39; servers, platforms, etc. The content may be displayed in real time or stored for later use. The display of content on the communication device may be the result of a user&#39;s actions that are intended to trigger events on the communication device unrelated to the display of the content. 
         [0013]    In an embodiment, content is displayed on a communication device based on a scheduler that determines how frequently a user interacts with their communication device. Based on this usage data, the scheduler determines the frequency in which content, such as advertisements, are sent to the user&#39;s communication device. For example, a user who interacts with their communication device an average of fifty times a day will be scheduled to receive less frequent advertisements than a user who interacts with their communication device only five times day. The scheduler ensures that a frequent user will not be inundated with advertisements for the many times that they interact with their communication device. On the other hand, a less frequent user of the communication device will receive more frequent advertisements. 
         [0014]    A communication device for scheduling and displaying content including an interaction recorder for recording a number of user interactions with the communication device during a time period, a scheduler for assigning a use category to the communication device based on the number of user interactions during the time period, a memory for storing content, and a display for displaying the content after a specified user interaction defined by the use category. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a system for scheduling and delivering content to communication or mobile devices in accordance with various embodiments of the invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a communication or mobile device in accordance with various embodiments of the invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  shows Fandango® movie content being displayed on the display of the communication device because it has the highest probability of engagement by the user in accordance with various embodiments of the invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  shows a plurality of banners displayed on the display of the communication device in accordance with various embodiments of the invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  shows a plurality of banners displayed on the display of the communication device in accordance with various embodiments of the invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  shows a plurality of alert frequencies displayed on the display of the communication device in accordance with various embodiments of the invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  shows QR scanner guide lines of the camera feature of the communication device which allows the camera to automatically focus onto and automatically capture a QR code in accordance with various embodiments of the invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  is a screen shot of the selected content being displayed on the display of the communication device in accordance with various embodiments of the invention; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 9  is a flow diagram of a method for scheduling and delivering content to communication or mobile devices in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0024]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a system for delivering content to communication or mobile devices in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.  FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a communication or mobile device  114  in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the system  100  includes a management platform  102 , content providers  106  and  108 , service providers  112  and communication devices  114 . The management platform  102 , the content providers  106  and  108 , the service providers  112  and the communication devices  114  may each have a processor  204 , a memory  206 , a display  202  and a keyboard  208 . The processor  204  may be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, middleware, microcode, or any combination thereof. The processor  204  may be an Advanced RISC Machine (ARM), a controller, a digital signal processor (DSP), a microprocessor, an encoder, a decoder, circuitry, a processor chip, or any other device capable of processing data, and combinations thereof. The term “circuitry” may include processor circuitry, memory circuitry, RF transceiver circuitry, power circuitry, video circuitry, audio circuitry, keyboard circuitry, and display circuitry. 
         [0025]    The memory  206  may include or store various routines and data. The term “memory” and “machine readable medium” include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM), flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), EPROM, EEPROM, registers, hard disk, removable disk, CD-ROM, DVD, wireless channels, and various other mediums capable of storing, containing or carrying instruction(s) and/or data. The machine readable instructions may be stored in the memory  206  and may be executed by the processor  204  to cause the processor  204  to perform various functions as described in this disclosure. The display  202  may be a LCD, LED or plasma display screen and the keyboard  208  may be a standard keyboard (e.g., a QWERTY layout) having letters and numbers. 
         [0026]    The management platform  102  functions as the nerve center of the system  100 . The management platform  102  (e.g., a server) connects through the internet or other communication system  104  with content providers  108  and content providers  106  who are sponsors. The management platform  102  also connects with service providers  112  through, for example, a high bandwidth telephone line  110  (such as a T3 line), or other communication system (e.g., the internet). The content provider  108  or the service providers  112  may transmit data or content between the management platform  102  and the communication devices  114 . The communication devices  114  may wireless receive the content using an antenna  201  and a wireless transmitter/receiver  203  and forward the content to the processor  204  for storage in the memory  206 . The content may be received at a plurality of predetermined times. 
         [0027]    The internet  104  may provide the primary communications channel between the management platform  102 , the content providers  108  and the service providers  112 . However, telephone lines, power lines, cable, satellite and mail service may also be used. The high bandwidth telephone line  110  may provide the voice and/or data channel between the management platform  102  and the service providers  112 . However, the internet  104  or a dedicated fiber, power line or satellite may be used. The management platform  102  may be co-located with the service providers  112  or embedded in the service providers&#39;  112  computer systems; it may also be centralized with an ASP server or a third party  118 . The service providers  112  may communicate with the communication devices  114  through a wireless network or via the internet. However, alternate embodiments may feature wired networks with wired communication devices  114 . 
         [0028]    In an embodiment, the communication device  114  collects data representing a user&#39;s interactions with the communication device  114 . Software and/or hardware installed on the communication device  114  can be used to capture these interactions. In one embodiment, an interaction recorder  212  may be used to capture these interactions. Interactions may include, but are not limited to, placing or receiving calls, sending or receiving a text or multimedia message, or browsing the Internet using a mobile browser. Each time an interaction occurs, the communication device  114  records or stores the interaction using its interaction recorder  212  (block  902 ). The data record of the interactions may include information such as the type of interaction (e.g., phone call, text message, Internet browsing, etc.), time of day of the interaction, duration of the interaction, and any other identifying characteristics relating to the interaction. Alternatively, the data record of the interactions can simply be an increment to a counter which tracks the number of interactions per time period (e.g., an hour, a day, a week, etc.). The data record of the interactions can be stored in the memory  206  and/or the interaction recorder  212  of the communication device  114  or, alternatively, can be stored at a remote location, such as a remote server. The data record of the interactions can be transmitted to the service providers  112  and/or the management platform  102 . 
         [0029]    On a periodic basis, the data record is transmitted to a remote scheduler (also referred to as a scheduler  210 ) (block  904 ). The remote scheduler can be located at the management platform  102 , at a central location provided by the communication network provider, at a third-party location, or at the communication device  114 . The data record can be sent to the remote scheduler at any pre-determined interval, such as each minute, hour, day, week, month, etc. The remote scheduler receives the data record in such frequency that it can accurately assign a use category to each communication device  114 , as discussed below. Alternatively, the data record may be sent to the remote scheduler on a random basis. 
         [0030]    In another embodiment, the data record can be sent to the remote scheduler after a pre-determined number of interactions by the user. For example, on every tenth interaction with the communication device  114 , the data record is sent to the remote scheduler. 
         [0031]    Upon receiving the data record, the remote scheduler assigns a use category to the communication device  114  (block  906 ). Table 1 shows exemplary values which can be used to assign the use category: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Interactions 
                 Use Category 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 0-5 
                 Low 
               
               
                  6-15 
                 Medium 
               
               
                 &gt;15 
                 High 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0032]    A low use category is assigned if the data record contains, for example, 0 to 5 interactions for a pre-determined period of time. For instance, the remote scheduler can be programmed to receive a data record once every hour. Upon receipt of the data record, the remote scheduler assigns a use category. In the following hour, after receiving another data record, the remote scheduler may adjust the use category if the data record shows a higher or lower number of interactions than in the previous hour. 
         [0033]    In another embodiment, the data record can be sent to the remote scheduler once a day, i.e., once every 24 hours. Here, the remote scheduler would update the use category if the data record shows a higher or lower number of interactions than in the previous day. 
         [0034]    Upon a user interacting with the communication device  114 , the communication device  114  sends a signal to the interaction recorder  212  (block  908 ). For example, the signal may be triggered if the communication device  114  has a clam-shell design. When a user opens the cover, it may indicate that the user is preparing to interact with the communication device  114 . In another example, the signal may be triggered if the user unlocks their communication device  114  from a locked state. Unlocking the communication device  114  may involve entering a sequence of keystrokes or verbally speaking a password into the communication device  114 . The interaction recorder  212  records the action or content of each interaction, the number of interactions, and the duration of each interaction. 
         [0035]    In another embodiment, a signal may be triggered and sent to the interaction recorder  212  upon, for example, the user pressing the “Send” button to place a call or to transmit a text message or the “End” button to end a call. Before the call is actually connected, or the text message is actually transmitted, the signal is sent to the interaction recorder  212  to record the user interacting with the communication device  114 . The remote scheduler then determines based on the use category whether or not to transmit content to the communication device  114  or to display content on the display  202  of the communication device  114 . 
         [0036]    In an embodiment, the interaction recorder  212  increments a counter upon receiving a signal from the communication device  114  (block  910 ). The counter tracks the number of interactions a user has with the communication device  114 , and uses the counter information with the data record to determine an appropriate time to transmit content to the communication device  114  or to display content on the display  202  of the communication device  114  (block  912 ). 
         [0037]    Table 2 shows exemplary times of when the remote scheduler may transmit content to the communication device  114  or to display content on the display  202  of the communication device  114 : 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                 TABLE 2 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Use Category 
                 Ad Frequency 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 Low 
                 Every interaction 
               
               
                   
                 Medium 
                 Every 3rd interaction 
               
               
                   
                 High 
                 Every 5th interaction 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0038]    If the communication device  114  is assigned to the high use category, then the remote scheduler will transmit or display content to the communication device  114 , for example, once every fifth interaction that the user has with the communication device  114 . As described above, these interactions are tracked by the counter located at the interaction recorder  212 . Upon the counter reaching the fifth interaction, the counter is reset to zero. Likewise, for a low use category, the remote scheduler will transmit or display content to the communication device  114  at every interaction, and the counter will be reset to zero after reaching one. 
         [0039]    In another embodiment, the remote scheduler and the counter may be located physically (via software and/or hardware) on the communication device  114 . The communication device may transmit counter information to the remote scheduler upon every increment to the counter. The remote scheduler and the counter may be implemented on the communication device  114  using software, hardware, and combinations thereof. 
         [0040]    The values presented in Tables 1 and 2 are merely examples, and can be modified to fit a specific content delivery scheme. Furthermore, there can be numerous use categories, and this invention is not limited to just three use categories. Furthermore, the use categories can be user-defined, allowing the content delivery scheme to be highly customizable by content providers  106  and  108  and/or service providers  112 . 
         [0041]    In another embodiment, the scheduler is not remote, but rather locally housed in the communication device  114  in the form of software, hardware and/or combinations thereof. The scheduler  210  interacts with a remote data center and requests delivery of content (e.g., advertisements, media, etc.) based on a user&#39;s interaction with the communication device  114 . The content may be stored in the memory  206 . In one embodiment, a predetermined number of items of content are delivered or transmitted, from the management platform  102  (or the content provider  108  or the service provider  112 ) to the communication device  114 , a predetermined number of times per day and at predetermined times and the content is stored in the memory  206  for later retrieval and display by the processor  204  based on a schedule determined by the scheduler  210 . For example, it may be predetermined that the content should be delivered to each communication device  114 , 4 times a day, at 5 am, noon, 5 pm, and 9 pm. In addition, 6 items of content are to be delivered to the communication device  114  at 5 am, 2 items of content are to be delivered to the communication device  114  at noon, 2 items of content are to be delivered to the communication device  114  at 5 pm, and 2 items of content are to be delivered to the communication device  114  at 9 pm. 
         [0042]    The scheduler  210  determines how often the communication device  114  should display the content and what content should be displayed based upon the user&#39;s interactions and assigned use category as described above. The scheduler  210  also determines which item is displayed based on the highest probability of engagement by the user. For example, the interaction recorder  212  may have recently recorded an interaction to a movie web site. The scheduler  210  is aware of this recent interaction and accordingly retrieves content (e.g., movie content) from the memory  206  because it has the highest probability of engagement by the user of the communication device  114 .  FIG. 3  shows Fandango® movie content being displayed on the display  202  of the communication device  114  because it has the highest probability of engagement by the user. The highest probability of engagement can be determined based on one or more factors such as recent interactions, most recent interaction, time of day, type of content or web site having the largest number of interactions, age or sex of the user, income level of the user, etc. 
         [0043]    The content delivered or displayed by the remote scheduler may be advertisements relating to goods and services offered for sale, means by which to enter contests and promotions, personalized messages, content with embedded links to mobile portals, content with embedded links to the Internet or WAP pages, interactive content and content with response mechanism which enable a user to receive additional data from specific goods and service providers, or provide personal information or queries to specific goods and service providers. 
         [0044]      FIG. 4  shows a plurality of banners  404  displayed on the display  202  of the communication device  114  in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. A content icon or soft key  402  may be pushed or selected by the user to display the plurality of banners  404 . When the content icon or soft key  402  is pushed or selected, a banner  404  for each item of content stored in the memory  206  is displayed on the display  202 . The user may scroll through all the banners  404  by moving the text up or down. Using the example above, since 12 items of content are downloaded to the memory  206 , 12 banners are available to view indicating that the memory  206  has 12 items of content. The plurality of banners  404  allow the user to get a brief look at each item of content stored in the memory  206  to determine whether he/she would like to view the entire contents or more details or information about the content. Clicking on a particular banner  404  retrieves the content corresponding to the banner  404  from the memory  206  and displays the content on the display  202  to allow the user to view the content. Alternatively, clicking on a particular banner  404  may also direct the user to a web site corresponding or related to the banner  404 . 
         [0045]    The display of the content may be triggered as a result of or in response to a user&#39;s designated action that is intended to trigger events on the communication device  114  that are unrelated to the display of the content. For example, the user may initiate a phone call, and during the network connection time, the content may be retrieved from the memory  206  and displayed on the display  202 . This can be referred to as an alert being sent to the user to view the content. The alert may also cause the processor  204  to open an application stored in the memory  206  or access a web site. The alert may include content that the user is most likely to engage in. The content may be displayed as soon as the user&#39;s action is initiated or completed. The displayed content may disappear automatically as soon as the intended event has been actuated. In some embodiments, the length of the display may be determined by the time necessary to actuate the event; for example, the display may be visible until the intended event is actuated. In some embodiments, a user&#39;s action may trigger an event on another user&#39;s communication device  114 . Storing the content in the memory  206  allow the user to intentionally access the content at the user&#39;s leisure. Some content, for example, a call to action or value proposition, might be available to a user for a limited period of time or require a response within a specified period of time. Users can interact with the content at the time it is displayed thereby interrupting the intended event, or interact with the content as a result of accessing the content within the memory  206 . If the user interacts with the content, it may be displayed until the user instructs the communication device  114  to remove the content from being displayed. 
         [0046]      FIG. 5  shows a plurality of banners  404  displayed on the display  202  of the communication device  114  in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. A favorite icon or soft key  406  may be pushed or selected by the user to display the plurality of banners  404  that are the user&#39;s favorites. When the favorite icon or soft key  406  is pushed or selected, a banner  404  for each favorite item of content stored in the memory  206  is displayed on the display  202 . The user may scroll through all the favorite banners  404  by moving the text up or down. The favorite banners  404  may be the ones that the user has clicked on in the past. The plurality of banners  404  allow the user to get a brief look at each item of content stored in the memory  206  to determine whether he/she would like to view the entire contents or more details or information about the content. Clicking on a particular banner  404  retrieves the content corresponding to the banner  404  from the memory  206  and displays the content on the display  202  to allow the user to view the content. Alternatively, clicking on a particular banner  404  may also direct the user to a web site corresponding or related to the banner  404 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 6  shows a plurality of alert frequencies  410  displayed on the display  202  of the communication device  114  in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. A user settings icon or soft key  408  may be pushed or selected by the user to display the plurality of alert frequencies  410 . When the user settings icon or soft key  408  is pushed or selected, a list of alert frequencies  410  is displayed on the display  202 . The user may scroll through all the alert frequencies  410  by moving the text up or down. The plurality of alert frequencies  410  allow the user to select how often the user wants an alert or content displayed on the display  202 . Clicking on a particular alert frequency  410  sets up the alert or content to be displayed according to the frequency specified. 
         [0048]      FIG. 7  shows QR scanner guide lines  414  of the camera feature of the communication device  114  which allows the camera to automatically focus onto and automatically capture a QR code  416  in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. The QR code  416  is a 2-dimensional code that can be read using QR scanner software and/or hardware. The QR code  416  can be scanned and the processor  204  can extract the data from the QR code. The processor  204  can retrieve content from its memory  204 , content providers  108  and/or service providers  112  based on the QR code  416 . 
         [0049]      FIG. 8  is a screen shot of the selected content  801  being displayed on the display  202  of the communication device  114  in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. A plurality of action icons or soft keys  802  are displayed below the selected content  801 . The plurality of action icons  802  may include a call icon  804  to place a call or send an SMS or MMS text message, a web icon  806  to access an Internet related to the content displayed on the display  202 , a share icon  808  to share the content displayed with a person identified by a name or a phone number, a ratings icon  810  to rate the content displayed on the display screen  202 , and the content icon  402  to display the banner  404  of content stored in the memory  206 . Once selected, the rating icon  810  displays a thumbs up icon, a thumbs down icon, and an unrated icon to allow the user to select a rating for the current content being displayed on the display  202 . Other icons or soft keys may be displayed such as an add icon to add the content shown on the display  202  to the memory  206 , a video icon to play a video, a buy icon to buy the item displayed on the display  202 , and a gift icon to gift a song, video, or item to another person identified by a name or a phone number. 
         [0050]    Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithms described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinations of both. To illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithms have been described above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present disclosure. 
         [0051]    The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a general purpose processing device, a digital signal processing device (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processing device may be a microprocessing device, but in the alternative, the processing device may be any conventional processing device, processing device, microprocessing device, or state machine. A processing device may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessing device, a plurality of microprocessing devices, one or more microprocessing devices in conjunction with a DSP core or any other such configuration. 
         [0052]    The apparatus, methods or algorithms described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, software, or combination thereof. In software the methods or algorithms may be embodied in one or more instructions that may be executed by a processing device. The instructions may reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processing device such the processing device can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processing device. The processing device and the storage medium may reside in an ASIC. The ASIC may reside in a user terminal. In the alternative, the processing device and the storage medium may reside as discrete components in a user terminal. 
         [0053]    The previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present disclosure. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein. 
         [0054]    The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive and the scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.