CA2287359A1 - A method relating to telephone communications that include the transmission of advertising messages - Google Patents

A method relating to telephone communications that include the transmission of advertising messages Download PDF

Info

Publication number
CA2287359A1
CA2287359A1 CA002287359A CA2287359A CA2287359A1 CA 2287359 A1 CA2287359 A1 CA 2287359A1 CA 002287359 A CA002287359 A CA 002287359A CA 2287359 A CA2287359 A CA 2287359A CA 2287359 A1 CA2287359 A1 CA 2287359A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
subscriber
telephone
advertiser
code
call
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA002287359A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Carl Ander
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
GRATISTEL INTERNATIONAL AB
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of CA2287359A1 publication Critical patent/CA2287359A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04MTELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M15/00Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
    • H04M15/80Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
    • H04M15/8083Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04MTELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M15/00Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04MTELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/42Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
    • H04M3/487Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
    • H04M3/4872Non-interactive information services
    • H04M3/4878Advertisement messages
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04MTELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M2215/00Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
    • H04M2215/01Details of billing arrangements
    • H04M2215/0184Details of billing arrangements involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Marketing (AREA)
  • Telephonic Communication Services (AREA)
  • Meter Arrangements (AREA)
  • Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)

Abstract

A method in a telecommunication system wherein a call connection between two subscribers is billed to a third subscriber. The first subscriber dials a subscriber number, preferably preceded by a prefix, that leads to said third subscriber and dials a subscriber number that leads to the second subscriber. An advertisement is sent on the call connection established between first and second subscriber. In conjunction with the advertising message, the first and/or second subscriber is asked whether or not they wish to establish further contact with the advertiser.

Description

A METHOD RELATING TO TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS THAT INCLUDE
THE TRANSMISSION OF ADVERTISING MESSAGES
The present invention pertains to a method relating to telecommunications systems in which a call connection is setup between two subscribers and the call is billed to a first subscriber and wherein advertisements are transmitted during the course of the call.
Swedish Patent Nos. 9403793-4 and 9700334-7 teach a method of forwarding and billing a telephone call wherein the telephone of a first subscriber is connected to the telephone of a second subscriber via a standard telephone network. The standard telephone network may be either a fixed network or a mobile telephone network.
According to these patent specifications, a call connection is setup by virtue of the first subscriber dialling a subscriber number, a prefix or the like, followed by a subscriber number that leads to a third subscriber and then dialling a subscriber number that leads to a second subscriber. This procedure results in the setup of a connection between the first and the second subscribers while billing the third subscriber for the call between said first and second subscribers.
The prefix or corresponding code causes the telephone network to connect the call through the telephone network to a network-connected computer unit associated with the third subscriber. The prefix also causes the computer unit to forward the call to the second subscriber via said computer unit, so as to connect the first subscriber with the second subscriber. According to the aforesaid patent specifications, the computer unit is caused to transmit advertisements at given time intervals during the duration of the call connection setup between the first and the second subscribers.
For instance, a chain of hamburger restaurants or a chain of gas stations may transmit during the course of the call connection advertisements relating to sales offers or ongoing marketing campaigns.
The computer unit is caused to collect advertising data from a database in a predetermined order and to transmit these advertisements on the ongoing call connection. Because information relating to the respective telephone numbers of the first and the second subscribers is found in the database, the computer unit is able to fetch advertisements that are local to respective areas or regions in which the two subscribers are located. The subscribers may also be categorised in another database, or in one and the same database, in which a profile of each calling subscriber that has a subscription agreement with the third subscriber is stored, as described in Swedish Patent Specification No.
9700096-2. The computer unit can also be caused to collect advertisements that suit the respective profiles of the subscriber concerned and send these advertisements to said subscriber.
In this case, the first subscriber is not billed for the call to the second subscriber on the understanding that a company or an organisation is able~to advertise its activities to the first and the second subscribers.
The object of the present invention is to enable an advertiser to intensify promulgation of advertisements to those subscribers that can be thought to be interested in the goods or the services to which the advertisements refer.
This object is achieved by the present invention.
The present invention thus pertains to a method relating to telecommunications wherein a call connection is setup between two subscribers, wherein the call is billed to a third subscriber, wherein the first subscriber telephone is connected to a second subscriber telephone via a standard telephone network, wherein the first subscriber dials a subscriber number, preferably preceded by a prefix, that leads to the third subscriber and then dials a subscriber number that leads to the second subscriber, wherein the telephone network is caused to connect the call to a telephone network connected computer unit that forwards the call to said second subscriber such as to connect said first subscriber with said second subscriber, wherein the call between the first and the second subscribers is billed to the third subscriber, and wherein advertisements are sent on the call connection between the first and the second subscribers, said advertisements belonging to a company that wishes to promote its services or products, hereinafter referred to as the advertiser, wherein the invention is characterized by causing at least one question to be sent to the first and/or the second subscriber in conjunction with the advertising message asking whether the subscribers concerned are interested in establishing further contact with the advertiser, wherein in the computer unit is caused to sense any code or the like that might be entered by the subscriber concerned in response to such a question,; and wherein the computer unit is caused to store at least the telephone number of the subscriber concerned or some other subscriber identifying information, at least when sensing a code that indicates that further contact is desired.
The invention will now be described in more detail, partially with reference to an exemplifying embodiment thereof and partly with reference to the accompanying drawing, where Figure 1 is a block schematic illustrating an arrangement of apparatus for carrying out the present invention.
Figure 1 illustrates an inventive arrangement for forwarding and billing a telephone call, where a first subscriber telephone 1 is connected to a second subscriber telephone 2 via a standard telephone network, generally designated 3.
The arrangement includes a third subscriber having a computer unit 4 that is connected to the telephone network 3. The computer unit 4 is adapted to sense a prefix dialled by a first consumer and followed by a subscriber number that leads to the third subscriber. The third subscriber may have a local telephone exchange 5 to which the computer unit 4 is connected. The telephone exchange S may be programmed to connect an incoming call to the computer unit when sensing the prefix. When sensing the prefix, the computer unit 4 functions to forward the call, via the telephone network, to a subscriber number that the first subscriber has dialled after said first-mentioned subscriber number and that leads to a second subscriber, so as to establish a call connection from the first subscriber to said second subscriber.
T

The telephone network 3 is also adapted to bill the cost of the call between the first and the second subscribers to the subscription of the third subscriber, when sensing said prefix. In this regard, either the full cost of the call may 5 be billed to the third subscriber, or a part of the cost may be billed to the third subscriber and the remainder of the cost billed to the calling subscriber. Ideally, the prefix is sensed in a telephone exchange in a telephone station 6 belonging to the telephone network for billing purposes.
Advertisements are sent simultaneously to the first and the second subscribers on the subscriber call connection at different time intervals.
In this regard, the computer unit 4 is connected to a database 7 that contains advertising messages.
The database 7, or another database, contains a number of advertising messages in the form of recordings on data media.
These advertising messages are ideally categorised in an appropriate order. For instance, the messages may be categorised in accordance with age, sex, income and housing district of respective subscribers.
In accordance with the present invention, at least one question is sent to the first and/or the second subscriber in respect of the advertising message, asking whether or not the subscribers concerned desire further contact with the advertiser, i.e. the company whose products or services are advertised. When the subscriber or subscribers concerned enter a code or the like in response to this question, the computer unit 4 is caused to sense the code. The computer unit is caused to at least store the telephone .number of the subscriber concerned or some other subscriber identification information, at least when the computer unit senses a code that indicates that further contact is desired.
According to one embodiment, the code is a code entered on the button pad of the subscriber's telephone. For instance, the subscriber will press one on his keypad when the answer to the question is Yes, and two when the answer is No.
According to another method, the code is a voice message given by the subscriber, a so-called voice response. The subscriber will then, for instance, answer Yes or No to the aforesaid question. In this regard, the computer unit is programmed to analyze the voice message and convert it to a digitalized signal.
Thus, when advertisements are transmitted whilst two subscribers are in conversation, the advertiser is able to ask the subscribers concerned whether they wish to establish further contact with the advertiser, for instance by the advertiser making contact with the subscriber by telephone or by sending information material to the subscriber.
For instance, when the advertiser is a travel agency advertising cheap holidays in the Mediterranean area, the actual advertisement can be terminated with the following messages: If you would like to receive our catalogue, press 1 on your telephone keypad. If you would like us to contact you by telephone, press 2 on your telephone keypad.
T _ ___.__- ...
Naturally, the advertising messages sent to the two conversing subscribers may be different. Moreover, the advertising messages may be adapted to the subscriber concerned, as described in Swedish Patent Specification No.
9700096-2, wherewith the computer unit is coupled to a database that contains information concerning different subscribers.
After sensing the code and the telephone number of the subscriber concerned, the computer unit is caused to disclose at least the telephone number to the advertiser. This can be effected by sending via the telephone network those telephone numbers which have expressed an interest in. establishing further contact with the advertiser.
However, the computer unit may send further information in addition to the telephone number, for instance. When the database contains subscriber information, this information can be sent to the advertiser. When the database of the computer unit includes information relating to the addresses of different subscribers, the computer unit may, instead, produce a list of names and addresses and send this list to the advertiser.
The aforesaid further contact with the advertiser may, for instance, consist in the advertiser sending advertisement material to the subscriber concerned, or a personal visit from a representative of the advertising compan~r. This latter approach may, for instance, be applicable with regard to advertisements from insurance companies concerning insurance policies.
It may also be the case that the subscriber concerned wishes to be contacted by telephone. In this case, the advertiser is able to call the subscriber after having been informed by the computer unit of those subscribers who desire telephone contact.
According to one preferred embodiment, in the case of a subscriber who desires telephone contact, the computer unit is caused to setup a call connection between the subscriber and the advertiser at the end of an ongoing call.
It will be obvious from the aforegoing, that the object of the invention is achieved with the present invention.
The aforesaid prefix may be the subscriber number of the third subscriber or some other number or a code that includes the star symbol or the square symbol. Both subscriber number and prefix may be numerical or alphanumerical or contain only letters.
The invention shall therefore not be considered to be limited to the aforedescribed exemplifying embodiments thereof, since variations can be made within the scope of the following Claims.
__..__T_ _. _. __..__.___ __..... _...... _ _ _... _ ~.r

Claims (5)

1
1. A method relating to telecommunications, wherein a call connection is setup between two subscribers, wherein the call is billed to a third subscriber, wherein a first subscriber telephone is connected to a second subscriber telephone via a standard telephone network, wherein the first subscriber dials a subscriber number, preferably preceded by a prefix, that leads to said third subscriber and dials a subscriber number that leads to the second subscriber, wherein the telephone network is caused to connect the call to a computer unit (4) which is connected to the telephone network and which forwards the call to said second subscriber, such as to connect said first subscriber with said second subscriber, wherein the call between the first and the second subscriber is billed to the third subscriber, and wherein an advertisement is sent on the call connection established between the first and the second subscriber, and wherein a company wishing to promote its products or services is the advertiser, characterized by causing at least one question to be sent to the first and/or the second subscriber in conjunction with the advertising message, asking whether or not the subscriber concerned wishes to establish further contact with the advertiser, wherein in the event of the subscriber concerned responding to such a question by entering a code or the like, the computer unit is caused to sense said code; wherein the computer unit is caused to at least store the telephone number of the subscriber concerned or other subscriber identification information, at least when sensing a code that indicates that the subscriber concerned wishes to make further contact with the advertiser, and wherein the computer unit is caused to transfer said number of the subscriber or said other subscriber identification information to the advertiser when the subscriber wishes further contact with the adviser.
2. A method according to Claim 1, characterized in that after sensing said code and the telephone number of the subscriber concerned, the computer unit (4) is caused to send at least the telephone number to the advertiser.
3. A method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said code is a code keyed on the keypad of the subscriber's telephone.
4. A method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the code is a message spoken by the subscriber, i.e. a so-called voice response.
5. A method according to Claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that when said code indicates that the subscriber concerned desires telephone contact with the advertiser, the computer unit is caused to setup a call connection between the subscriber and the advertiser at the end of the ongoing call.
CA002287359A 1997-04-28 1998-04-01 A method relating to telephone communications that include the transmission of advertising messages Abandoned CA2287359A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE9701584A SE9701584D0 (en) 1997-04-28 1997-04-28 Procedure for telecommunications where advertising messages are broadcast
SE9701584-6 1997-04-28
PCT/SE1998/000604 WO1998049826A1 (en) 1997-04-28 1998-04-01 A method relating to telephone communications that include the transmission of advertising messages

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2287359A1 true CA2287359A1 (en) 1998-11-05

Family

ID=20406741

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002287359A Abandoned CA2287359A1 (en) 1997-04-28 1998-04-01 A method relating to telephone communications that include the transmission of advertising messages

Country Status (13)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0990342A1 (en)
JP (1) JP2001522555A (en)
KR (1) KR20010020261A (en)
CN (1) CN1254467A (en)
AU (1) AU733258B2 (en)
BR (1) BR9808696A (en)
CA (1) CA2287359A1 (en)
HU (1) HUP0002153A3 (en)
NO (1) NO995243L (en)
NZ (1) NZ500392A (en)
PL (1) PL336477A1 (en)
SE (1) SE9701584D0 (en)
WO (1) WO1998049826A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
SE520424C2 (en) * 1998-03-28 2003-07-08 Telia Ab Method of forwarding between different subscribers using voice commands
US6223165B1 (en) * 1999-03-22 2001-04-24 Keen.Com, Incorporated Method and apparatus to connect consumer to expert
SG105454A1 (en) * 2000-03-21 2004-08-27 Checkfree Corp Distributed data accessing technique
KR20020003933A (en) * 2000-06-27 2002-01-16 강민구 System And Method For Bi-Directional Advertisement Related with Wire, Wireless, and Mobile Communication Network
WO2008110656A1 (en) * 2007-03-09 2008-09-18 Cvon Innovations Ltd Method and apparatus for monitoring user communications
WO2008110657A1 (en) * 2007-03-09 2008-09-18 Cvon Innovations Ltd Method and apparatus for controlling user communications
CN108259189B (en) * 2016-12-29 2021-06-01 中国移动通信集团浙江有限公司 Call payment processing method and system

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5146491A (en) * 1991-08-08 1992-09-08 Pilgrim Telephone, Inc. Telephone billing method
US5524139A (en) * 1994-07-15 1996-06-04 Boston Technology, Inc. System for automatic access to automated telephonic information services
SE504958C2 (en) * 1994-11-04 1997-06-02 Gratistelefon Svenska Ab Procedure for telephone communication and apparatus for this

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
SE9701584D0 (en) 1997-04-28
HUP0002153A2 (en) 2000-10-28
BR9808696A (en) 2000-10-03
EP0990342A1 (en) 2000-04-05
NZ500392A (en) 2001-10-26
NO995243D0 (en) 1999-10-27
PL336477A1 (en) 2000-06-19
KR20010020261A (en) 2001-03-15
NO995243L (en) 1999-12-23
JP2001522555A (en) 2001-11-13
CN1254467A (en) 2000-05-24
WO1998049826A1 (en) 1998-11-05
HUP0002153A3 (en) 2002-03-28
AU733258B2 (en) 2001-05-10
AU7352998A (en) 1998-11-24

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
AU726412B2 (en) A method relating to telephone communications including the transmission of advertising messages
US8107602B2 (en) Directory assistance with data processing station
US5940471A (en) Method and apparatus for obtaining feedback regarding network services
KR20010050295A (en) Advertised ring back in a telecommunication switching system
WO2007015531A1 (en) Call connecting device, call connecting method, call connecting program, and call accepting server
CN101208942A (en) Method for protection against undesirable telemarketing advertisements for communication networks
AU691357B2 (en) A method and a device for telecommunication
KR20000058947A (en) Commercial pay service system and method be linked with advertisements through location tracing system of mobile phone
AU733258B2 (en) A method relating to telephone communications that include the transmission of advertising messages
KR19980072205A (en) Coupon service wireless transmission system and method using mobile communication network
US20080208675A1 (en) Directory assistance with SMS and data support
US20080212765A1 (en) Directory assistance with advertisement from category related to request category
KR19980072140A (en) Advertising service method by phone
MXPA99009832A (en) A method relating to telephone communications that include the transmission of advertising messages
KR20020013350A (en) An advertisement method using a mobile phone or a telephone
KR20060034023A (en) Method and system for providing advertisement service during a period of standing by tele-phone conversation
CZ375399A3 (en) Telephone communication method comprising transmission of advertising information
KR20130016180A (en) Realtime ad marketing method using callback message and device therefor
RU99125120A (en) METHOD RELATING TO PHONE COMMUNICATION, WHICH INCLUDES TRANSMISSION OF ADVERTISING MESSAGES
KR20010070737A (en) A system transmits new information as such news, weather forecast, sports and advertisements...etc
MXPA99006738A (en) A method relating to telephone communications including the transmission of advertising messages
KR20040061674A (en) Telecommunication service system to compensate the response of telemarketing and method therefor
KR20000074808A (en) Method And Apparatus For Selective Auto Advertisement Service Of Voice Supplementary Apparatus
KR20010064666A (en) Specific message outgoing device and mobile communication system

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
FZDE Discontinued