Method and apparatus for delivering advertisements to mobile users
Techniques for delivering advertisements and similar promotional messages to mobile users using USSD technology are disclosed. USSD provides session-based communication in which transactions occur only during a session. Advertisements may be delivered through USSD in several ways: by inserting a short text into a message in a mobile-initiated USSD session, by temporarily diverting a mobile-initiated USSD session toward an advertisement sub-session, by triggering a network-initiated USSD session the main purpose of which is the delivery of an advertisement, and by causing a mobile user to initiate a USSD session the main purpose of which is the delivery of an advertisement. Also disclosed is a process for inserting advertisements into USSD messages, a process for inserting advertisement sub-sessions into USSD sessions, and a process for delivering advertisements with network-initiated USSD sessions.
1. A process for inserting an advertisement into a USSD message, the process comprising:
identifying a USSD message to be sent by a service provider to a mobile user of a mobile device in response to a request initiated by the mobile user;
selecting a specific advertisement to be inserted in the USSD message, wherein the mobile user is a target and intended recipient of the specific advertisement;
generating a transcoded advertisement by transcoding the specific advertisement to adapt to a character set of the USSD message;
modifying the USSD message by inserting the transcoded advertisement into the USSD message;
forwarding the modified USSD message to the mobile user;
monitoring the mobile user's response to the modified USSD message, wherein the mobile user's response is sent through the mobile device; and
displaying to the mobile user an advertising sub-session when the mobile user elects to view the advertising sub-session in response to the modified USSD message, wherein the advertising sub-session includes at least one of:
one or more USSD messages related to the specific advertisement; or
one or more USSD responses from the mobile user.
2. The process of claim 1 , further comprising:
causing the mobile device to alert the mobile user prior to triggering the USSD session by performing at least one of:
initiating a voice call to the mobile user; or
sending a text message to the mobile user,
wherein the mobile device is used by the mobile user to receive the USSD message.
3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the specific advertisement is based on the specific WAP service that the mobile user accesses.
4. The process of claim 1 , further comprising:
logging to a database to examine how the mobile user responded to the specific advertisement to enable a mobile operator to bill an advertiser and/or compensate the service provider.
5. The process of claim 1 , wherein a decision by the USSD server to insert a particular advertisement into the USSD message is based on at least one of:
a first length of the USSD message;
a second length of the particular advertisement; or
a maximum allowable length of the USSD message.
6. The process of claim 1 , wherein a decision to display advertisements to the mobile user is based on at least one of:
looking-up in a database to determine whether the mobile user has requested not to receive advertisements; or
looking-up in a database to determine whether the service provider has requested not to receive advertisements.
7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the specific advertisement is selected by using at least one of:
information that the service provider explicitly attaches to its messages;
detecting words in the USSD message;
detecting the brand and/or model of the mobile device used by the mobile user;
marketing preferences supplied by the mobile user;
a database including a list of advertisers or categories of advertisers that the mobile user has blacklisted; or
a database including a list of advertisers or categories of advertisers that the service provider has blacklisted.
8. The process of claim 1 , wherein one or more steps of the process are performed off-line and a corresponding set of results are stored in a database until the mobile user accesses the USSD service.
9. A process for inserting an advertisement sub-session into a USSD session, the process comprising:
monitoring message traffic between a service provider and a mobile user of a mobile device;
identifying the service provider and the mobile user;
identifying an appropriate time to display advertisements in a particular USSD session between the service provider and the mobile user;
selecting a specific advertisement for delivery to the mobile user to be inserted into the particular USSD session, wherein the mobile user is a target and intended recipient of the specific advertisement; and
diverting the particular USSD session to an advertisement sub-session, the advertising sub-session including one or more USSD messages related to the specific advertisement and one or more USSD responses from the mobile user.
10. The process of claim 9 , wherein the appropriate time includes a session time when the mobile user utilizes or completes at least one of:
a mobile-initiated USSD session;
a voice call;
a text message; or
a WAP session.
11. The process of claim 10 , wherein the session time for the voice call or the text message is determined by at least one of:
monitoring calling records generated by Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs) associated with the service provider;
monitoring CAMEL transactions between MSCs and SCPs; or
monitoring messages between MSCs and Short Message Service Centers.
12. The process of claim 10 , wherein the session time for the WAP session is determined by at least one of:
monitoring WAP traffic between the mobile user and a WAP gateway;
monitoring WAP traffic between the WAP gateway and a WAP service provider;
requiring WAP service providers to generate a notification event when a user accesses a WAP service.
13. The process of claim 9 , further comprising:
causing the mobile device to alert the mobile user prior to triggering the USSD session by performing at least one of:
initiating a voice call to the mobile user; or
sending a text message to the mobile user,
wherein the mobile device is used by the mobile user to receive during the USSD session.
14. The process of claim 9 , wherein the specific advertisement is based on the specific WAP service that the mobile user accesses.
15. The process of claim 9 , further comprising:
logging to a database to examine how the mobile user responded to the specific advertisement to enable a mobile operator to bill an advertiser and/or compensate the service provider.
16. The process of claim 9 , wherein a decision by the USSD server to display advertisements to the mobile user is based on at least one of:
looking-up in a database to determine whether the mobile user has requested not to receive advertisements; or
looking-up in a database to determine whether the service provider has requested not to receive advertisements.
17. The process of claim 9 , wherein the specific advertisement is selected by using at least one of:
information that the service provider explicitly attaches to its messages;
detecting words in the USSD message;
detecting the brand and/or model of a mobile device used by the mobile user;
marketing preferences supplied by the mobile user;
a database including a list of advertisers or categories of advertisers that the mobile user has blacklisted; or
a database including a list of advertisers or categories of advertisers that the service provider has blacklisted.
18. The process of claim 9 , wherein one or more steps of the process are performed off-line and a corresponding set of results are stored in a database until the mobile user accesses the USSD service.
19. The process of claim 9 , wherein the appropriate time to display advertisements is determined based on at least one of:
detecting a specific marker that the service provider inserts to indicate a suitable time for displaying advertisements;
detecting a marker that indicates an end of a particular USSD session; or
detecting transitions within a given USSD session.
20. A process for delivering an advertisement using a network-initiated USSD session, the process comprising:
monitoring message traffic between a service provider and a mobile user;
selecting an appropriate time for delivering advertisements to the mobile user;
selecting an advertiser and a specific advertisement to be delivered to the mobile user, wherein the mobile user is the target and intended recipient of the specific advertisement;
triggering a network-initiated USSD session; and
delivering the advertisement to the mobile user.
21. The process of claim 20 , wherein the appropriate time includes a session time when the mobile user utilizes or completes at least one of:
a mobile-initiated USSD session;
a voice call;
a text message; or
a WAP session.
22. The process of claim 21 , wherein the session time for the voice call or the text message is determined by at least one of:
monitoring calling records generated by Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs) associated with the service provider;
monitoring CAMEL transactions between MSCs and SCPs; or
monitoring messages between MSCs and Short Message Service Centers.
23. The process of claim 21 , wherein the session time for the WAP session is determined by at least one of:
monitoring WAP traffic between the mobile user and a WAP gateway;
monitoring WAP traffic between the WAP gateway and a WAP service provider;
requiring WAP service providers to generate a notification event when a user accesses a WAP service.
24. The process of claim 20 , further comprising:
causing a mobile device to alert the mobile user prior to triggering the USSD session by performing at least one of:
initiating a voice call to the mobile user; or
sending a text message to the mobile user, wherein the mobile device is used by the mobile user to receive during the USSD session.
25. The process of claim 20 , wherein the specific advertisement is based on the specific WAP service that the mobile user accesses.
26. The process of claim 20 , further comprising:
logging to a database to examine how the mobile user responded to the specific advertisement to enable a mobile operator to bill an advertiser and/or compensate the service provider.
27. The process of claim 20 , wherein a decision by the USSD server to display advertisements to the mobile user is based on at least one of:
looking-up in a database to determine whether the mobile user has requested not to receive advertisements; or
looking-up in a database to determine whether the service provider has requested not to receive advertisements.
28. The process of claim 20 , wherein the specific advertisement is selected by using at least one of:
information that the service provider explicitly attaches to its messages;
detecting words in the USSD message;
detecting the brand and/or model of a mobile device used by the mobile user;
marketing preferences supplied by the mobile user;
a database including a list of advertisers or categories of advertisers that the mobile user has blacklisted; or
a database including a list of advertisers or categories of advertisers that the service provider has blacklisted.
29. The process of claim 20 , wherein one or more steps of the process are performed off-line and a corresponding set of results are stored in a database until the mobile user accesses the USSD service.
30. The process of claim 20 , wherein the appropriate time to display advertisements is determined based on at least one of:
detecting a specific marker that the service provider inserts to indicate a suitable time for displaying advertisements;
detecting a marker that indicates an end of a particular USSD session; or
detecting transitions within a given USSD session.