WO2010012555A1

WO2010012555A1 - Inline advertisements in messaging

Info

Publication number: WO2010012555A1
Application number: PCT/EP2009/058085
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ritu Tandon
Original assignee: Alcatel Lucent
Priority date: 2008-07-29
Filing date: 2009-06-29
Publication date: 2010-02-04
Also published as: CN102084640A; EP2308220A1

Abstract

A method and system sending Multimedia Message (MMS) with advertisement is disclosed. The method includes the subscriber sending an MMS, MMS proxy relay receiving the MMS from the subscriber, MMS proxy relay sending the MMS to Multimedia Message Service Center, Multimedia Message Service Center (MMSC) verifying the subscriber information in the subscriber list, MMSC checks the size of MMS in Multimedia Message Service Packet Data Unit (MMS PDU), MMSC appending the advertisement information to the MMS, MMSC delivering the MMS to the receiver; and a Billing system/ Service Control Point (SCP) performing a discounted billing of the subscriber. The MMSC has a database for storing the subscriber list and advertisement information to be appended in the MMS. The Multimedia Message Service Center of the subscriber includes logic to determine the size of MMS information in MMS PDU.

Description

Inline Advertisements in Messaging

The following specification particularly describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed: - Technical Field

1. The embodiments herein relate to telecommunications, and, more particularly, to mobile messaging services including appending advertisement information.

Description of the Related Art

2. Short Message Service (SMS) advertising is fast emerging as the most suitable and effective medium for advertising. There have been many concepts that have emerged wherein the advertisers send advertisements to the mobile.

3. SMS text advertising is a quick and easy way of marketing to mobile phone users. SMS Text Advertising companies collect a great number of mobile numbers from the users on an opt-in basis with permission to send the users SMS text advertising messages. The companies send the SMS text advertising message to users once the company is provided with the chosen message and the target profile. Most commercial SMS text service providers provide access to SMS text Application Programmable Interfaces (APIs). APIs allow users to control sending and receiving of SMS text via web, PC or MAC application.

4. As wireless text messaging (SMS) has grown into a mainstream communication tool for consumers, reaching them via SMS marketing has become increasingly important strategy for businesses. High speed access over 3G and high-end mobile handsets have expanded the base for mobile advertising, and new methods and advertising models are being introduced. However, similar to other media mix components, SMS advertising methods also exhibit drawbacks such as spamming, fraud, and illegal use of the Short Message Service Center (SMS-C) addresses. Certain firms are bound to start sending out unsolicited and undesirable (spam) commercial advertisements through text messaging to mobile handsets and other communication devices capable of receiving SMS. Further, faked SMS traffic and spoofing lead to revenue leakage and unpredictable loads on the network. Furthermore, such drawbacks may lead to customer dissatisfaction, cause errors in communication devices and so on.

5. Generally, advertisements are sent as separate SMS to subscriber which are ignored or deleted without reading by the user. The advertising agencies get very little return on investment as few people read the advertisements and the advertising agencies end up paying the operators for sending such SMS advertisements. Moreover, most SMS messaging services charge a per-use fee to a user for every SMS received.

6. Tn view of the foregoing, an embodiment herein provides a method for sending a Multimedia Message (MMS) by a subscriber to a MMS proxy relay, the MMS proxy relay forwarding the multimedia message to a Multimedia Message Service Center (MMSC), the method comprising steps of Multimedia Message Service Center (MMSC) verifying the information of the subscriber in a subscriber list, the MMSC appending at least one advertisement to the MMS if the subscriber information is present in the subscriber list, and the MMSC delivering the MMS to a receiver. In the embodiment disclosed herein, MMSC appends the advertisement information to the MMS if the size of the MMS is less than a predetermined value.

7. Embodiments further disclose a method of billing the subscriber for the MMS services by a Service Control Point (SCP) triggered by an MMS proxy relay by performing discounted billing to the subscriber on finding the subscriber in an inline MMS Profile.

8. Embodiments further disclose a method of billing the subscriber for the MMS services, the method comprising the steps of MMSC generating tickets for MMS delivery, MMSC providing tickets to the billing system, and the billing system performing discounted billing to the subscriber. 9. Embodiments further disclose a system adapted for sending a Multimedia

Message (MMS), where the MMS is sent by a subscriber to an MMS proxy relay and the MMS proxy relay forwarding the MMS to a Multimedia Message Center (MMSC). The system further comprising of means adapted for verifying the information of the subscriber in a subscriber list, appending at least one advertisement to the MMS if information of the subscriber is present in the subscriber list, and delivering said MMS to the receiver. In the embodiments herein, MMSC includes a means adapted for checking the subscriber information present in the subscriber list and comparing size of the MMS with a predetermined value. Further, MMSC comprises a database for storing the subscriber list and the advertisements to be appended in the MMS.

10. Embodiments further disclose a system with a Service Control Point (SCP) triggered by MMS proxy relay for performing billing of the subscriber. The SCP comprising at least one means adapted for receiving information about the MMS from the MMS proxy relay, checking for the subscriber in an MMS profile, performing discounted billing on finding the subscriber in the MMS profile, and sending a message to the MMS proxy relay to continue sending of the MMS. The embodiments further includes a billing system triggered by MMSC to perform billing for the subscriber by receiving information about the MMS from MMSC and performing billing of the subscriber.

11. Embodiments disclosed use a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) between the MMS proxy relay and SCP triggered by proxy relay. ϊ 2. These and other aspects of the embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings.

13. The embodiments herein will be better understood from the following detailed description with reference to the drawings, in which:

14. FlG, 1 is a block diagram depicting a system for appending an advertisement information in an MMS, according to an embodiment herein;

15. FIG. 2 illustrates a sequence diagram depicting the network call flow for appending an advertisement in an MMS, according to an embodiment herein;

16. FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart depicting a method of appending an advertisement in an MMS, according to an embodiment herein; 17. FIG. 4 illustrates a sequence diagram depicting the network call flow for billing the subscriber by a Service Control Point (SCP), according to an embodiment herein;

18. FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart depicting the method of billing the subscriber by a Service Control Point (SCP), according to an embodiment herein; 19. FIG. 6 illustrates a sequence diagram depicting the network call flow for billing the subscriber by a billing system, according to an embodiment herein; and

20. FIG. 7 illustrates a flowchart depicting a method of billing the subscriber for the service by a billing system, according to an embodiment herein.

2 L The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not bo construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.

22. The embodiments herein achieve a method for sending a Multimedia message with appended advertisement information from an acquaintance resulting in discounted MMS tariff for the subscriber, advertisement options for advertising agencies and revenue for operators. Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 through 7, where similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the figures, there are shown embodiments.

23. Embodiments herein disclose enable a method for sending MMS with advertisements. The subscriber initiates an MMS to a concerned receiver. The MMS proxy relay accepts the MMS from the subscriber and transmits the MMS to Multimedia Message Sendee Center (MMSC). The MMSC of the network of subscriber comprises logic for checking the size of MMS in MMS PDU and if the size of MMS is less than a predefined value, MMSC then appends the advertisements at the end of the MMS and further delivers the MMS with the advertisements to the receiver. An SCP (triggered by SMS proxy relay) or Billing system (triggered by MMSC) performs a discounted billing of the subscriber for the service. The SCP/Billing system is available as a configurable option at SCP/Billing in subscriber account profile or as a subscription. Also, the operator earns revenue from the advertisements that are appended in the MMS.

24. FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting a system 100 for appending an advertisement in a Multimedia Message Service (MMS), according to an embodiment herein. The system 100 comprises a subscriber 101, MMS proxy relay 102, Multimedia Message Service Center (MMSC) 103, Billing system/Service Control Point (SCP) 104 and a receiver 105. The subscriber 101 initiates sending an MMS from the mobile to the receiver 105. The MMS proxy relay 102 receives the MMS from the subscriber 101 and transmits the message to the MMSC 103. MMSC 103 includes database 107 comprising information of subscriber list and advertisement information to be appended and an appending module 106. MMSC 103 checks for the subscriber 101 in subscriber list in database 107. If the subscriber 101 has subscribed for the service, then the appending module 106 in the MMSC 103 appends the advertisement to the MMS and delivers the MMS to the receiver 105. Further, MMSC 103 generates tickets for the subscription of the service and provides the tickets to billing system/SCP 104. The billing system/SCP 104 performs discounted billing to the subscriber 101.

25. FIG. 2 illustrates a sequence diagram 200 depicting the network call flow for appending an advertisement in art MMS, according to an embodiment herein. The subscriber 101 sends an MMS from the mobile and the MMS proxy relay 102 receives the MMS from the subscriber 101. The MMS proxy relay 102 then transmits the MMS to Multimedia Message Service Center (MMSC) 103. MMSC 103 checks if the subscriber 101 is present in the subscriber list in the database 107 and if the MMS size is less than a predetermined value, where the predetermined value can be decided upon by the service provider. If the size of MMS is less than the predetermined value and if the subscriber is present in the subscribers list, then the appending module 106 of the MMSC 103 appends the advertisement information stored in the database 107 to the MMS MMSC 103 then delivers the MMS with the appended advertisement to the receiver 105. Further, the billing system/SCP 104 performs billing of the subscriber 101.

26. FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart depicting a method of appending advertisements in MMS, according to an embodiment herein. The subscriber 101 sends

(301) an MMS from the mobile and the MMS proxy relay (102) receives (302) the MMS from the subscriber 101. The MMS proxy relay (102) then transmits (303) the MMS to Multimedia Message Service Center (MMSC) (103). MMSC 103 checks (304) if the subscriber (101) is present in the subscriber list in the database 107. If the subscriber 101 is present in the subscriber list, then MMSC 103 further performs (305) a check to find if the size of MMS is less than the predetermined value or not. If the size of MMS is less than the predetermined value and if the subscriber is present in the subscribers list, then the appending module 106 of the MMSC 103 appends (306) the advertisement information to the MMS. If the size of MMS is more than the predetermined value or if the subscriber is not present in the subscriber list in the database, then the appending module 106 of the MMSC 103 does not append the advertisement text to the MMS. The MMSC 103 delivers (307) the MMS message to the receiver 105. The various actions in method 300 may be performed in the order presented, in a different order or simultaneously. Further, in some embodiments, some actions listed in FIG. 3 may be omitted. 27. FIG. 4 illustrates a sequence diagram depicting the network call flow for billing the subscriber 101 by SCP, according to an embodiment herein. The MMS proxy relay 102 receives the MMS sent by the subscriber 101 and transmits a DEBIT REQUEST for charging the subscriber to Service Control Point (SCP), The debit request message comprises fields like Mobile Subscriber International ISDN (International Subscriber Directory Number) Number (MSISDN), transaction ID, message identifier, destination number operator code of the message, time of message being sent and any customized messages. The SCP 104 then verifies the subscriber 101 information and checks if the subscriber 101 is present in the inline MMS profile. If the subscriber 101 information is present in the inline MMS profile, then SCP 104 performs a discounted billing of the subscriber 101 registered for the service. Further, SCP 104 sends a DEBIT_ACKNOWLEDGEMENT message 402 to MMS proxy relay 102 for delivering the MMS. The MMS proxy relay 102 then transmits the MMS to MMSC 103. MMSC 103 checks for the subscriber 101 in the subscriber list. The subscriber list comprises information as to services the subscriber has subscribed to, including if the subscriber has subscribed to the service of appending the advertisement to MMS. If the subscriber has subscribed to this particular service, the MMSC 103 checks the size of the MMS message. If the size of MMS is less than a predetermined value and if the subscriber is present in the subscribers list, then the appending module 106 of the MMSC 103 appends the advertisement to the MMS and delivers the MMS to the receiver 105. If the subscriber has not subscribed to this service or the size of the MMS is greater than the predetermined value, then the MMSC 103 sends the MMS message to the receiver 105 without appending any advertisement.

28, FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart depicting the method of SCP billing the subscriber, aeeording to an embodiment herein. The MMS proxy relay 102 receives (501) the MMS sent by the subscriber 101 and transmits (502) a DEBIT REQUEST for charging the subscriber to Service Control Point (SCP). The DEBIT REQUEST message comprises fields like Mobile Subscriber International ISDN (International Subscriber Directory Number) Number (MSISDN), transaction ID, message identifier, destination number operator code of the message, time of message being sent and any customized messages. The SCP 104 then verifies (503) the subscriber 101 information and checks (504) if the subscriber 101 is present in the inline MMS profile. If the subscriber 101 information is present in the inline MMS profile, then SCP 104 performs (506) discounted billing for the subscriber 101 registered for the service. If the subscriber information is not present in the inline MMS profile, then discounted billing is not performed (505). Further, SCP 104 sends (507) a DEBIT_^ACKNOWLEDGEMENT message 402 to MMS proxy relay 102 to continue the delivery of the MMS. The MMS proxy relay 102 then transmits (508) the MMS to MMSC 103. MMSC 103 checks (509) if the subscriber 101 is present in the subscriber list in the database. If the subscriber 101 is present in the subscriber list, then MMSC 103 further performs (510) a check to find if the MMS size is less than a predetermined value. If the size of MMS is less than the predetermined value and if the subscriber is present in the subscribers list, then the appending module 106 of the MMSC 103 appends (51 1) the advertisement information to the MMS. If the size of MMS is more than the predetermined value or if the subscriber is not present in the subscriber list in the database, then the appending module 106 of the MMSC (103) does not append the advertisement information to the MMS. Thereafter, the MMSC delivers (512) the MMS to the recipient 105. The various actions in method 500 may be performed in the order presented, in a different order or simultaneously. Further, in some embodiments, some actions listed in FIG. 5 may be omitted.

29. FIG. 6 illustrates a sequence diagram depicting the network call flow for billing the subscriber by the billing system, according to an embodiment herein. The MMS proxy relay 102 receives the MMS sent by the subscriber 101 and delivers the MMS 601 to MMSC 103. MMSC 103 checks for the subscriber 101 in the subscriber list. The subscriber list comprises information as to services the subscriber has subscribed to, including if the subscriber has subscribed to the service of appending advertisement information to MMS. If the subscriber has subscribed to this particular service, the MMSC 103 checks the size of MMS message. If the size of the MMS is less than a predetermined value and if the subscriber is present in the subscribers list, then the appending module 106 of the MMSC 103 appends the advertisement information to the MMS and delivers the MMS to the receiver 105. Further, MMSC103 generates tickets for MMS delivery and provides the tickets to the billing system 104. Thereafter, the MMSC 103 sends tickets 602 to the billing system 104, so that the billing system can bill the subscriber 101 for the service. If the subscriber has not subscribed to this service or the size of MMS is greater than the predetermined value, the MMSC 103 sends the MMS message to the receiver 105 without appending any advertisement.

30. FIG. 7 illustrates a flowchart depicting a method of billing the subscriber for the service by a billing system, according to an embodiment herein. The MMS proxy relay 102 receives the MMS sent by the subscriber 101 and transmits (701) the MMS to MMSC 103. MMSC 103 checks (702) if the subscriber 101 is present in the subscriber list in the database. If the subscriber 101 is present in the subscriber list, then send MMSC 103 further performs (703) a check to find if the MMS size is less than the predetermined value. If the size of MMS text less than the predetermined value and if the subscriber is present in the subscriber list, then the appending module 106 of the MMSCl 03 appends (704) the advertisement to the MMS. Thereafter, the MMSC 103 delivers (705) the MMS to the receiver. If the subscriber 101 is not present in the subscriber list in the database or if the MMS size is greater than the predetermined value, then the advertisement information is not appended to the MMS and the MMSC 103 delivers (705) to the recipient. Further, MMSC103 generates (706) tickets for MMS delivery and provides (707) the tickets to the billing system 104, Thereafter, the billing system 104 performs (708) billing of the subscriber 101 for the service. The various actions in method 700 may be performed in the order presented, in a different order or simultaneously. Further, in some embodiments, some actions listed in FIG. 7 may be omitted. 31. The embodiments disclosed herein establish MMS as a successful communication medium for sending advertising information, by creating an opportunity in the advertising and marketing domains. The embodiments preferably use a Hypertext Transfer Protocoi (HTTP) between the MMS proxy relay and SCP. Further, charging the MMSs at a less tariff creates more MMSs as the subscribers have an incentive to send more MMSs as the service is cheap, resulting in more advertisements and benefits to the subscriber and service provider as no additional network capacity is required as advertisement is appended to the MMS.

32. The advantages of the embodiments disclosed include the fact that there is no need for an advertising agent to send separate advertisement MMS messages. Furthermore, embodiments disclosed increase the probability of a receiver reading an advertisement, and therefore create more options for revenue generation for the operator/service provider.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A method for sending a Multimedia Message (MMS), said MMS being sent by a subscriber (101) to a MMS proxy relay (102), said MMS proxy relay (102) forwarding said multimedia message to a Multimedia Message Service Center (MMSC) (103), said method comprising steps of said Multimedia Message Service Center (MMSC) (103) verifying if information of said subscriber (101) in a subscriber list; said MMSC (103) appending (306, 511) atleast one advertisement to said MMS if said subscriber (101 ) information is present in said subscriber list; and said MMSC ( 103) delivering (307, 512) said MMS to a receiver ( 105).

2. The method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said Multimedia Message Service Center (103) appends (306, 511) said advertisement to said MMS, if size of said MMS is less than a predetermined value.

3. The method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein a Service Control Point (SCP) (104) is triggered by said MMS proxy relay (102) for billing said subscriber (101) comprises performing (506) discounted billing to said subscriber (101), on finding said subscriber (101) in an inline MMS Profile.

4. The method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said subscriber (101) is billed according to the following steps of said Multimedia Message Service Center (103) generating (706) tickets for said MMS delivery; said Multimedia Message Service Center (103) providing (707) tickets to a billing system (104) and said billing system performing (708) discounted billing to said subscriber (101).

5. A system adapted to send a Multimedia Message (MMS) to a receiver, said MMS being sent by a subscriber (101) to a MMS proxy relay (102), said MMS proxy relay (102) forwarding said MMS to a Multimedia Message Service Center (103), said system comprising a means adapted for verifying if information of said subscriber (101) in a subscriber list; appending (306, 511) atleast one advertisement to said MMS if information of said subscriber (101) is present in said subscriber list: and delivering (307, 512) said MMS to the receiver (105).

6. The system, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said Multimedia Message Service Center (103) comprises atleast one means adapted for checking (304) said subscriber (101) information present in said subscriber list; and comparing size of said MMS with a predetermined value.

7. The system, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said Multimedia Message Service Center (103) further comprises a database (Ϊ07) for storing said subscriber list and said advertisements to be appended in said MMS.

8. The system, as claimed in claim 5, wherein a Service Control Point (SCP) (104) is triggered by said MMS proxy relay (102) for performing billing for said subscriber (101), said SCP (104) comprising atleast one means adapted for receiving information about said MMS from said MMS proxy relay (102); checking (504) for said subscriber (101) in an MMS profile; performing (506) discounted billing on finding said subscriber in said MMS profile; and sending (507) a message to said MMS proxy relay (102) to continue sending of said MMS.

9. The system, as claimed in claim 5, wherein a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HHTP) is used between said MMS Proxy relay (102) and said SCP (104).

10. The system, as claimed in claim 5. wherein a billing system (104) triggered by MMSC performs billing for said subscriber (101), said billing system (104) comprising atleast one means adapted for receiving (707) information about said MMS from said Multimedia Message Service Center ( 103); and performing (708) billing for said subscriber (101).