Computer network page advertising method
The invention provides a system for promoting computer network pages. The system includes a mobile station that allows a user to conduct telephone calls and connect to a computer network. A call management server selects and transmits an audible advertisement for a network page to a user, based on profile information of the user. A gateway then causes a menu including a selection choice for connecting to the advertised computer network page to appear on the mobile station when the user connects to the computer network.
1 . A method of promoting a computer network page to a user, comprising the steps of:
transmitting an audible advertisement for the computer network page to a mobile station; and
providing a menu including a selection choice for the advertised network page.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the computer network page is a WAP page.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further including the step of providing an incentive to a user for listening to the advertisement.
4 . The method of claim 3 , further including the step of using the mobile station to make a telephone call; and
wherein the incentive comprises providing a discount for at least a portion of the charges incurred for the telephone call.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selection choice for the network page is the first choice on the menu.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the menu includes links to WAP pages and is displayed on the mobile station.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the menu is provided when the mobile station connects to the computer network.
8 . The method of claim 1 , further including the step of selecting the advertisement based on profile information of the user.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the profile information includes personal preference data.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the profile information includes demographic data.
11 . The method of claim 1 , further including the step of selecting the advertisement based on the user's location.
12 . A method of promoting an Internet web page to a user, comprising the steps of:
transmitting an audible advertisement for the Internet web page to a mobile station; and
providing a menu including a selection choice for the advertised Internet web page.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the menu includes links to Internet pages and is displayed on an Internet web page.
14 . The method of claim 12 , further including the step of providing an incentive to a user for listening to the advertisement.
15 . The method of claim 14 , further including the step of using the mobile station to make a telephone call; and
wherein the incentive comprises providing a discount for at least a portion of the charges incurred for the telephone call.
16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the selection choice for the Internet web page is the first choice on the menu.
17 . The method of claim 12 , further including the step of selecting the advertisement based on profile information of the user.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the profile information includes personal preference data.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the profile information includes demographic data.
20 . A system for promoting and accessing computer network pages comprising:
a mobile station that allows a user to conduct telephone calls and connect to a computer network;
a call management server comprising;
a caller identification device that identifies a user;
a profile database containing profile information of at least one user;
an advertisement database containing audible advertisements for computer network pages on the computer network;
a processor that receives the identification of the user from the caller identification device, retrieves the user's profile information from the profile database and selects an audible advertisement from the advertisement database based on the user's profile;
a voice response unit that sends the audible advertisement to the mobile station; and
a gateway that provides a menu including a selection choice for connecting to a advertised computer network page.
21 . The system of claim 20 , further including a billing device that calculates a subsidy to the user for listening to the advertisement for at least a portion of the charges incurred for the telephone call.
22 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the subsidy is a function of the length of the advertisement.
23 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the menu includes links to WAP pages and is displayed on the mobile station.
24 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the menu includes links to Internet pages and is displayed on an Internet web page.
25 . A call management server that receives an indication of the initiation of a telephone call and outputs a voice advertisement for a computer network page and the identification of the computer network page comprising:
a caller identification device that identifies a user;
a profile database containing profile information of at least one user;
an advertisement database containing audible advertisements for computer network pages;
a processor that receives the identification of the user from the caller identification device, retrieves the user's profile information from the profile database and selects an audible advertisement from the advertisement database based on the user's profile; and
a voice response unit that outputs the selected advertisement and an identification of the corresponding computer network page.
26 . The call management server of claim 25 , further including a billing device that tracks subsidies to apply to the user based on the advertisements provided to the user.
27 . The call management server of claim 26 , wherein the subsidy is a function of the length of the advertisement.
28 . The call management server of claim 25 , wherein the advertisement is selected based on profile information of the user.
29 . The call management server of claim 28 , wherein the profile information includes personal preference data.
30 . The call management server of claim 28 , wherein the profile information includes demographic data.