US5873068A — Display based marketing message control system an…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 193 words

A marketing system for use in a public switched telephone system having stored program control switches connected to screen based devices in customer premises, each said screen based device having means for visually displaying messages and means for sending at the option of a customer a response to a displayed message over the public switched telephone system, the marketing system comprising: means for storing predetermined information respecting each customer; means for assembling and managing messages including: means for creating and storing messages to be delivered to at least some of said screen based devices; and means for delivering the messages through the public switched telephone system to said at least some of said screen based devices; means for identifying the at least some of said screen based devices to which messages are delivered and storing this message delivery information; means for initiating the display of said messages on said means for visually displaying messages; means for identifying any responses from the screen based devices to the message delivered thereto and storing this message response information; and means for generating response measurement statistics based upon the message delivery information and the message response information.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 193 words

A marketing system for use in a public switched telephone system having stored program control switches connected to screen based devices in customer premises, each said screen based device having means for visually displaying messages and means for sending at the option of a customer a response to a displayed message over the public switched telephone system, the marketing system comprising: means for storing predetermined information respecting each customer; means for assembling and managing messages including: means for creating and storing messages to be delivered to at least some of said screen based devices; and means for delivering the messages through the public switched telephone system to said at least some of said screen based devices; means for identifying the at least some of said screen based devices to which messages are delivered and storing this message delivery information; means for initiating the display of said messages on said means for visually displaying messages; means for identifying any responses from the screen based devices to the message delivered thereto and storing this message response information; and means for generating response measurement statistics based upon the message delivery information and the message response information.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 28 words

A system as defined in claim 1 in which the messages are delivered to the screen based devices while they are on-hook without ringing the screen based devices.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 35 words

A system as defined in claim 1 in which screen based devices which are unable to receive messages while on-hook are provided with a default script which initiates a request, transmission and reception of messages.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 18 words

A system as defined in claim 1, in which said messages are delivered automatically or upon customer request.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 19 words

A system as defined in claim 1, in which the means for delivering the messages operates at predetermined times.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 24 words

A system as defined in claim 1, in which the screen based devices store and display the delivered messages until overwritten by new messages.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 21 words

A system as defined in claim 1, in which said means for initiating the display of the stored messages is automatic.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 25 words

A system as defined in claim 1, in which said means for initiating the display of the stored messages is in response to customer request.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 42 words

A system as defined in claim 1, in which the means for identifying any responses from the screen based devices comprises means for identifying a calling telephone number associated with a particular one of the screen based devices and a called number.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 58 words

A system as defined in claim 9, in which the means for identifying any responses from the screen based devices further comprises means for identifying an identification number associated with a respective one of the screen based devices, which in combination with the identified calling telephone number and called number identifies the message to which the customer responded.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 19 words

A system as defined in claim 1 in which the screen based devices are compliant with an ADSI standard.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 19 words

A system as defined in claim 11 in which the screen based devices are analog telephones with display screens.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 85 words

A system as defined in claim 1, in which the means for sending a response to a displayed message comprises means for selecting between at least two different possible responses, one of which establishes a call from the screen based device through the public switched telephone system to a source of further information regarding the message, the other of which communicates a request for a longer message to be delivered to the screen based device for display thereon providing further information regarding the initial message.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 20 words

A system as defined in claim 13 in which the source of further information is a sponsor of the message.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 31 words

A system as defined in claim 13 in which the source of further information is an interactive voice system and/or an interactive screen based text system and/or an interactive video system.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 31 words

A system according to claim 1 further comprising means for the customer to initialize said predetermined customer information, said predetermined information comprising language choice, areas of interest, shipping address, and demographics.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 19 words

A system according to claim 16 in which all of said predetermined customer information is maintainable by said customer.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 59 words

A system according to claim 16 in which said means for identifying the at least some of said screen based devices to which messages are delivered selects only messages relating to retailers located within the free calling area of each customer and with subject matter falling within each customer's areas of interest information, and screens out all other messages.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 42 words

A system according to claim 18 in which means are provided to deliver messages which were screened out by said areas of interest but still relate to retailers or service providers within the free calling area of the customer, upon customer request.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 44 words

A system as defined in claim 1, in which the means for assembling and managing messages includes means for selecting from the total number of screen based devices a set of specific screen based devices to which a particular message is to be delivered.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 33 words

A system as defined in claim 20 in which the set of screen based devices to which a particular message is to be delivered is based upon said predetermined information respecting each customer.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 31 words

A system as defined in claim 20 in which the set of screen based devices to which a particular message is to be delivered is based upon a previously stored list.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 40 words

A system as defined in claim 20 in which screen based devices which are unable to receive messages while on-hook are provided with a default script which prompts the customer to initiate a request, transmission and reception of the messages.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 42 words

A system as defined in claim 20 in which the set of screen based devices to which a particular message is to be delivered are all located in a toll-free calling area in relation to a retailer referred to in the message.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 185 words

A marketing system for use in a public switched telephone system having stored program controlled switches connected to screen based devices in customer premises, each said screen based device having means for storing and displaying delivered messages until overwritten with new messages and means for sending a response at the option of a customer to a delivered message; said system comprising: means for storing predetermined information respecting each customer; means for assembling and managing messages including, means for creating and storing messages to be delivered to one or more of said screen based devices; means for selecting one or more of said screen based devices to which each said message is to be delivered based on said predetermined information; means for delivering the messages in a non-obtrusive manner to the selected screen based devices at a predetermined time; means for identifying the screen based devices that each message is delivered to and storing this information; and means for identifying responses to each message from the screen based devices and storing this information; and means for accessing the stored information, and generating response statistics based thereupon.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 185 words

A marketing system for use in a public switched telephone system having stored program controlled switches connected to screen based devices in customer premises, each said screen based device having means for storing and displaying delivered messages until overwritten with new messages and means for sending a response at the option of a customer to a delivered message; said system comprising: means for storing predetermined information respecting each customer; means for assembling and managing messages including, means for creating and storing messages to be delivered to one or more of said screen based devices; means for selecting one or more of said screen based devices to which each said message is to be delivered based on said predetermined information; means for delivering the messages in a non-obtrusive manner to the selected screen based devices at a predetermined time; means for identifying the screen based devices that each message is delivered to and storing this information; and means for identifying responses to each message from the screen based devices and storing this information; and means for accessing the stored information, and generating response statistics based thereupon.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 104 words

A marketing system in which messages are created and stored on a backend server comprising: means for periodically transmitting said messages to a set of remote frontend servers; means for generating and periodically transmitting a target list of customer screen based devices from the backend server to each frontend server for each message such that each customer screen based device on a target list for a given frontend server is within the local calling area of that server; means for each frontend server to send out each message to its associated target list of customer screen based devices over the public switched telephone network.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 104 words

A marketing system in which messages are created and stored on a backend server comprising: means for periodically transmitting said messages to a set of remote frontend servers; means for generating and periodically transmitting a target list of customer screen based devices from the backend server to each frontend server for each message such that each customer screen based device on a target list for a given frontend server is within the local calling area of that server; means for each frontend server to send out each message to its associated target list of customer screen based devices over the public switched telephone network.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 40 words

The system of claim 26 in which said means for periodically transmitting said messages to a set of remote frontend servers only sends messages relating to stores or service providers located within the free calling area of each frontend server.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 195 words

An interactive home shopping system for use in a public switched telephone system having stored program controlled switches connected to screen based devices in customer premises, each screen based device having a screen for displaying information and means for transmitting instructions from said screen based device through the public switched telephone system, said system comprising: means for storing predetermined information respecting each customer, the predetermined information including shipping information; means at each said screen based device for a customer to select connection of said screen based device to the shopping system; means for the shopping system, in response to the customer selecting a connection, to present a set of stores or service providers to the customer upon said screen; means for the customer via said screen based device to select and interactively browse through the stores or service providers presented; means for the customer to order via said screen based device a product or service; means for identifying a calling telephone number of the screen based device; and means for retrieving on the basis of the calling telephone number the shipping information of the customer associated with the screen based device to complete the order.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 195 words

An interactive home shopping system for use in a public switched telephone system having stored program controlled switches connected to screen based devices in customer premises, each screen based device having a screen for displaying information and means for transmitting instructions from said screen based device through the public switched telephone system, said system comprising: means for storing predetermined information respecting each customer, the predetermined information including shipping information; means at each said screen based device for a customer to select connection of said screen based device to the shopping system; means for the shopping system, in response to the customer selecting a connection, to present a set of stores or service providers to the customer upon said screen; means for the customer via said screen based device to select and interactively browse through the stores or service providers presented; means for the customer to order via said screen based device a product or service; means for identifying a calling telephone number of the screen based device; and means for retrieving on the basis of the calling telephone number the shipping information of the customer associated with the screen based device to complete the order.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 62 words

A system as defined in claim 28 further comprising: means for a customer via said screen based device to select or update from a list of stores or service providers a personal mall consisting of stores and service providers chosen by said customer; and means for storing the personal mall as one of a set of service options presented to said customer.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 29 words

A system as defined in claim 28 further comprising: means for a customer to enter or update via the screen based device the predetermined customer information which is stored.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 28 words

A system according to claim 28 in which only stores or service providers located within the free calling area of a customer are made available to that customer.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 45 words

A system as defined in claim 28 further comprising means for identifying an identification number of each screen based device and wherein the means for retrieving the shipping information uses the identification number as well as the calling telephone number to retrieve the shipping information.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 67 words

A system as defined in claim 32 wherein the system has a computer and at least one of the stores or service providers has a computer and further comprising means for transferring from the system computer to the computer of the at least one of the stores or service providers when said at least one of the stores or service providers has been selected by a customer.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 22 words

The system according to claim 33 further comprising means for faxing completed orders from said system to said stores or service providers.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 32 words

A system as defined in claim 28 wherein an option is presented to a customer using a store or service provider on said system to request connection to a remote help agent.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 34 words

A system as defined in claim 35 further comprising means for identifying the customers obtaining information on a particular store or service provider, and the customers who request connection to a remote help agent.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 22 words

A system as defined in claim 36 in which the means for identifying comprises means for identifying calling and called telephone numbers.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-02-15	2002-08-17	2003-02-16	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-02-15	2006-08-17	2007-02-16	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-02-15	2010-08-17	2011-02-16	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Display based marketing message control system and method

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag