OA19171A - Method for the targeted delivery of advertising information to a mobile communication subscriber. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to methods of delivering advertising information in the mobile operator networks.The goal of present invention is to develop an efficient method for using erroneous call traffic as a channel of targeted delivery of advertising information to subscribers of mobile networks.The method of targeted delivery of advertising information to a mobile subscriber with the ability to immediately activate the advertised service, consists in automatically reproducing prerecorded voice messages when a subscriber calls a short number, preliminary configuration of the switching equipment for routing calls to the previously unused by the operator short numbers to the IVR platform, while the IVR-platform is programmed in such way, that it responds to the subscriber with an advertising message aimed at the subscriber, based on subscriber data received by the request to the billing subsystem (IN platform) directly at the time of making the call, and waits for the subscriber to respond with the request to activate the advertised service, and after receiving a response from the subscriber in the form of a DTMF signal, activâtes the advertised service by sending to the corresponding operator system requests on behalf of the subscriber, using either MAP USSD requests, or SMS messages, or an HTTP API call on the side of the activated service, or the exchange of TCP/IP packets according to the spécification provided by the operator.

Description

METHOD FOR THE TARGETED DELIVERY OF ADVERTISING INFORMATION TO A MOBILE

COMMUNICATION SUBSCRIBER.

The proposed solution refers to the field of télécommunications and mobile communication networks, and, in particular, is used to deliver advertising information in the mobile operator networks.

One of the aspects of work of mobile communication networks is the relatively large number of erroneous calls to unused numbers (numbers form range of 0-99999, *0-*99999, for which is not configured routing to provide any services). The use of the proposed solution can significantly increase the efficiency of mobile communication Systems by using the resource of erroneous calls as a way of targeted delivery of advertising information.

The author knows the method of delivery of pre-recorded sound messages to subscribers of mobile communication networks when the caller makes a call to the wrong number. [1]

This method consists in the following: when the calling subscriber mistakenly dials the called party's number, the call is routed to the IVR platform, which in pre-broadcast mode (i.e., without connection) reproduces pre-recorded voice messages to the subscriber.

The mentioned method and system do not provide for the possibility of using an erroneous call resource to deliver targeted advertising information to subscribers of mobile communication networks by automatically selecting relevant advertising messages based on subscriber information received in real time from the billing subsystem (IN platform).

The author also knows the method of targeted delivery of advertising information to mobile subscribers, which allows to send targeted advertising information to mobile network subscribers who previously activated the

19171 subscription to receive advertising. When subscribing to receive advertising, subscribers indicate which advertisement they want to receive. Thus, for each subscriber is formed a personal profile and the advertising messages are sent in accordance with the subscriber's previously stated interests. The transfer of advertising information is carried out by making voice calls from the IVR platform to subscribers. For the receipt of advertising messages subscribers of a mobile network can receive reward fee. [2]

This method contains a number of disadvantages. Firstly, the described method and System do not allow the operator to improve the efficiency of mobile communication Systems by using the resource of erroneous calls to unused numbers (numbers form range of 0-99999, *0-*99999, for which is not configured routing to provide any services). Whereas in the solution proposed by the author, the traffic of erroneous calls to unused numbers is used to deliver advertising information.

Secondly, this method does not provide for the possibility of instant activation (purchase) by the subscriber of the advertised service during the delivery of advertising information. After completing the advertising call from the IVR platform, the subscriber needs to take additional actions (for example, remember the service number and the activation command from the advertisement message, which must be dialed to purchase the service and then separately connect the service or perform another action after communication). This additional action, the additional subscriber’s effort significantly reduces the effectiveness of the advertising message and negatively affects the effectiveness of the method of delivery of advertising information.

Thirdly, targeting in this System is based on profiling, that means its criteria are set in advance (until the moment when advertising messages are sent). At the same time, the current state of the mobile subscriber is not taken into considération (subscriber's location, account balance, activated in the subscriber’s profile services, etc.). Thus, this solution is mostly aimed at serving the interests of the extemal advertisers and does not meet the needs of mobile operators.

The method of delivery of advertising information proposed by the author, allows to offer to the subscribers of mobile operator those services, which are relevant to the subscriber at the time of the call, since this solution allows checking the status of the subscriber in real time.

There is known a method of erroneous calls usage, counted as prototype, intended for delivery of advertising information to subscribers of mobile networks, which consists in the automatic playback of pre-recorded voice messages when the subscriber calls a short number, at which the switching equipment analyzes the called number and routes this call to the IVR platform, which provides a response to the subscriber, for example, provides a service of playing paid audio content. [3]

The disadvantage of this method is the lack of the possibility of targeting (automatic sélection of relevant services that correspond to the profile of the subscriber and the existing history of consumer preferences).

In the above-described known method, ail subscribers are offered the same services, without regard for the individual characteristics ofthe subscribers.

Another disadvantage of this method is the paid nature of the services provisioning. The subscriber calls an erroneous number, this call is charged and in fact the subscriber pays for a service that he did not intend to use, what negatively affects the subscriber's loyalty to the operator.

Another drawback of the existing method is the lack of the possibility of activating the operator's services that are suitable for the subscriber during the call.

The technical resuit achieved with the use of the claimed invention is the élimination of ail mentioned disadvantages. The set of the characteristics indicated in the invention is nowhere described and is unknown, namely this set provides the functional completeness, completeness of the technical solution to develop an effective way of using erroneous call traffic as a channel of targeted advertising for the operator.

The problem is solved by the fact, that in the method of targeted delivery of advertising information to a mobile subscriber, with the ability to immediately activate the advertised service, consisting in the automatic reproduction of prerecorded voice messages when the subscriber calls a short number, in the préconfiguration of switching equipment for routing calls to operators not previously used by the operator numbers on the IVR-platform, the IVR-platform is programmed in such a way, that it replies to the subscriber with an advertising message, targeted exact per this subscriber by his information, received on request to the billing subsystem (IN-platform) immediately at the time of making the call, and waits for the subscriber to respond to activate the advertised service and, receiving a response from the subscriber in the form of a DTMF signal, activâtes the advertised service by sending requests to the corresponding operator system on behalf of the subscriber, either using MAP USSD-requests, or SMS-messages, or calling the HTTP API on the side of the activated service, or exchanging TCP / IP packets according to the spécification provided by the operator.

Upon the completion of the command, received from the subscriber, the IVR platform sends an SMS message to the subscriber about the status of the service activation command.

The idea of the method is that if the subscriber makes an erroneous call to unused numbers (numbers form range of 0-99999, *0-*99999, for which is not configured routing to provide any services), the switching equipment is preconfigured in such way, that calls to unused numbers are routed to the IVRplatform, which responds to the subscriber with a message aimed at that exact subscriber, based on subscriber’s data, received by request to the billing subsystem (IN platform), and waits for the subscriber to respond with the request to activate the advertised service.

After receiving a response from the subscriber in the form of a DTMF signal, the IVR-platform activâtes the promoted service by sending the request on behalf 5 of the subscriber, in accordance with the service activation scheme which is configured in the operator's network, in particular, MAP USSD requests, SMS messages, the call of HTTP API on the side of the activated service, or any other protocol over TCP/IP.

In the proposed solution, the traffic of erroneous calls to unused numbers is 10 used to deliver advertising information.

Also, the claimed solution, by the request to the billing subsystem (IN platform), can in real time receive the information about the subscriber and on the basis of the received data answer the subscriber with a message targeted at this subscriber.

For example, the proposed solution can automatically select an advertising message based on the following criteria:

CRITERION	DESCRIPTION î I
Subscriber’s balance	Play advertising messages only about those services, that the] subscriber can purchase at the moment of making a call
Active services	Do not play advertising messages about services that are already activated
Tariff plan	Play advertising messages only about those services that are présent in the subscriber’s tariff plan

I play advertising messages only for subscribers in the

[Location j itargeted area i

_................. J..... ™ _ ______ _ _ ...

play advertising messages only for subscribers with the

Subscriber’s status [corresponding status (blocked/not blocked, physical

[ jperson/legal entity) play advertising messages considering the remained

Bundles balance [balances for bundles, such as activated SMS, Internet, Voice

[one-time bundles, etc.

Time and Date Play advertising messages only at certain dates and times

MSISDN prefix Play advertisements only for certain préfixés i | | play advertisements in the language which is specified by (Language l ( the subscriber as preferred

This list can be extended - the targeting options dépend on the possibility of the mobile operator's Systems to transfer data from their platforms to extemal 5 platforms.

In the process of implementing the method are used such hardware and software, which are traditional for mobile communication, widely described in the technical literature and well known to the specialists.

Figure 1 schematically shows the implémentation phases of the proposed 10 method of targeted delivery of advertising information to subscribers of mobile networks, where:

A - Subscriber’s mobile phone;

MSC - Mobile Switching Center, a core network element which controls the network switching subsystem éléments;

IN platform - Intelligent Network platform;

IVR-platform - System of sélection and playback of advertising messages.

Step-by-step implémentation of the proposed method of targeted delivery of advertising information to subscribers of mobile networks:

Step 1. The operator pre-configures routing of traffic coming to short service numbers, which are not used in the operator's network (of the ranges 0 ... -99999 and * 0 ... - * 99999) towards the IVR platform. The subscriber, who is in the mobile network of the operator, makes a call to any of these short service numbers.

Step 2. The MSC accepts a call from Subscriber A to a short number, routes the call to the IVR platform according to the configured routing scheme.

Step 3. The IVR platform accepts the call, checks this MSISDN for compliance with the targeting criteria. One of the checks is a query to the billing System of the mobile operator to request a subscriber balance.

Step 4. The billing System of the operator replies to the IVR-platform with information about balance for this MSISDN.

Step 5. IVR-platform, having received the information from the billing System, selects the appropriate advertising message based on subscriber data. Example: If the subscriber's balance is approaching zéro, the IVR platform plays an advertising message about the Balance Crédit service.

Step 6. The subscriber listens for the advertisement message, activâtes (buys) the service by dialing on the key mentioned in the advertisement message (by sending a DTMF signal).

Step 7. IVR-platform sends a request to operator’s provisioning platform to activate the Balance Crédit service for the subscriber.

Step 8. The platform responsible to provide the Balance Crédit service processes the received request and activâtes the service to the subscriber, then sends a response to the IVR platform about the status of the activation.

Step 9. IVR-platform by sending SMS-notification informs the subscriber about the successful activation of the service.

Spécifie example of the claimed invention.

Condition: the number 0958 or *0958 is not used in the mobile operator network for provisioning of any service.

1. The operator configures routing of this number to the IVR platform.

2. The subscriber dials the number 0958 or *0958. The IVR platform in on-line mode checks this MSISDN for compliance with the targeting criteria.

3. Suppose the subscriber's balance is close to the zéro value. For these subscribers is set a condition: to play advertising of the Balance Crédit service, which allows subscribers to instantly to add crédit balance to their account.

4. The subscriber listens to the voice message: Dear subscriber! Your account is running out of funds. You can crédit your account right now for $3, for this dial 1».

5. The subscriber dials 1, the IVR-platform sends to the operator a request to activate the Balance Crédit service for this MSISDN. The service is activated.

6.IVR-platform informs the subscriber about the activation status of the service.

The method of delivery of advertising information proposed by the author allows to significantly simplify the process of purchasing advertised services: the subscriber can activate the advertised service by sending DTMF signais directly in the process of receiving the call from the IVR platform. The IVR platform receives 5 the subscriber's reply and sends request to the corresponding mobile operator platforms on behalf of the subscriber to activate the service, in accordance with the service activation scheme configured in the operator's network, in particular, MAP USSD requests, SMS messages, HTTP API calls, or other protocol over TCP/IP. The solution offered by the author can also, in real time, via the request to the 10 billing subsystem (IN platform), receive data about the subscriber and based on the received information reply to the subscriber with an advertising message, aimed per this spécifie subscriber.

Sources of Information:

l.US 7548614

2.US 20070055565

3. https://moscow.megafon.ru/services/joy/nastroenie.html.

Claims (1)

1. d t The method of targeted delivery of advertising information to subscribers of mobile networks with the ability to immediately activate the advertised service, which consists in the automatic reproduction of pre-recorded voice messages when a 5 subscriber calls a short number, preliminary configuration of the switching equipment for routing calls to the previously unused by the operator short numbers to the IVR platform, particular in that the IVR-platform is programmed in such way, that it responds to the subscriber with an advertising message aimed at the subscriber, based on subscriber data received by the request to the billing subsystem 10 (IN platform) directly at the time of making the call, and waits for the subscriber to respond with the request to activate the advertised service, and after receiving a response from the subscriber in the form of a DTMF signal, activâtes the advertised service by sending to the corresponding operator system requests on behalf of the subscriber, using either MAP US SD requests, or SMS messages, or an HTTP API 15 call on the side of the activated service, or the exchange of TCP/IP packets according to the spécification provided by the operator.