Patent ID: 8209412

Claim:
A method for managing localized devices providing voice/data services in a plurality of geographically diverse locations, comprising the steps of: providing a console system to coordinate management activities for software on the plurality of localized devices; providing a protectable communications protocol for communications between the console system and the plurality of localized devices; wherein the console system communicates with an individual device of the plurality of localized devices via the protectable communications protocol to provide software configuration information to the individual device; wherein the software configuration information provides the individual device with information sufficient to establish a direct link with a software distribution server in order to receive software data without requiting user initiation at the individual device, wherein the direct link is independent of the console system; wherein the protectable communications protocol includes an atomic error handling capability to enable one or more transaction instructions to be conditionally executed; wherein the individual device communicates with the console system via the protectable communications protocol; wherein data are provided from the plurality of localized devices to the console system; and wherein, based on the data are provided from the plurality of localized devices to the console system, marketing feedback is determined to assess a response to an advertisement.