IP Library Granted Patent US 9,208,498
Granted Patent B2
US 9,208,498 · App. 11/559,866 · Granted Dec 8, 2015

Methods and apparatuses to track keywords for establishing communication links

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,208,498
App. No.
11/559,866
Granted
Dec 8, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatuses to track keywords used for matching advertisements that provide references to make calls for real time communications. One embodiment includes: selecting an advertisement based on a condition; providing a reference for presentation with the advertisement, to identify the condition and the advertisement; and charging an advertisement fee in response to a call via the reference for a real time communication session.

Claims (51)

1. A method to make and track connections for communications with a communication connection system, comprising:

creating, via the communication connection system, an advertisement of an advertiser comprising a plurality of advertisement keywords and storing the advertisement and the plurality of advertisement keywords in a database of the communication connection system;

selecting, via the communication connection system, a first reference to track the advertisement from a plurality of types of references to track advertisements, and storing the first reference in the database in association with the advertisement;

receiving, via one or more servers of the communication connection system, a first search request from a first user comprising a plurality of first search request keywords;

selecting, via the communication connection system, the advertisement from the database responsive to determining that a first condition is satisfied, the first condition comprising a plurality of first condition keywords, such that

a first one of the plurality of first condition keywords corresponds to at least a first one of the plurality of advertisement keywords of the plurality of advertisement keywords that matches at least a first one of the plurality of first search request keywords, and

a second one of the plurality of first condition keywords corresponds to at least a second one of the plurality of advertisement keywords of the plurality of advertisement keywords that does not match any of the plurality of first search request keywords;

providing, via the one or more servers of the communication connection system, the first reference for presentation with the advertisement, the first reference identifying the first condition and the advertisement, and facilitating establishing a real time communication session between the first user and the advertiser based at least in part on a voice over Internet protocol connection;

collecting, via the communication connection system, first statistics relating to calls made using the first reference via a router of the communication connection system, such that the first statistics are associated with the first condition;

determining, via the communication connection system, using the first statistics, a first performance of the advertisement associated with the first condition; and

selecting, via the communication connection system, a second reference from the plurality of types of references to track advertisements as a change from the first reference based on the first performance.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of advertisement keywords does not match any of the plurality of search keywords and is not included in the condition.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first reference includes one of an encoded and an encrypted version of the plurality of first condition keywords.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first reference includes an index to the plurality of first condition keywords in the database.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first reference further identifies a price bid for an advertisement fee.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first reference comprises one of a toll free phone number without an extension, a local phone number without an extension, a phone number with an extension, a session initiation protocol uniform resource identifier, or a click-to-call reference.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the real time communication session comprises one or more of communications in text, voice, audio, image, and/or video.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first performance indicates one or both of a frequency of calls for real time communication sessions generated from the advertisement, and a rate of conversion from presentations of the advertisement to received calls generated from the presentation for real time communication sessions.

9. The method of claim 1 , additionally comprising:

in response to a call made via the first reference for a real time communication session, charging the advertiser a fee.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the fee is a predetermined flat advertisement fee.

11. The method of claim 1 , additionally comprising:

receiving, via the communication connection system, a second search request from a second user comprising a plurality of second search request keywords;

selecting, via the communication connection system, the advertisement responsive to a second condition, the second condition comprising a plurality of second condition keywords, such that a first one of the plurality of second condition keywords corresponds to at least a third one of the plurality of advertisement keywords of the plurality of advertisement keywords that matches at least a third one of the plurality of second search request keywords, a second one of the plurality of second condition keywords corresponds to at least a fourth one of the plurality of advertisement keywords of the plurality of advertisement keywords that does not match any of the plurality of second search request keywords;

providing, via the communication connection system, a second reference for presentation with the advertisement, the second reference identifying the second condition and the advertisement, and facilitating establishing a real time communication session between the second user and the advertiser based at least in part on a second voice over Internet protocol connection; and

collecting second statistics relating to calls made using the second reference, such that the second statistics are associated with the second condition.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

determining, using the second statistics, a second performance of the advertisement associated with the second condition.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of types of references comprise at least two of the types selected from the list: local phone number, toll-free number, SIP address, click-to-assign reference and click-to-callback reference.

14. One or more non-transitory, machine-readable media storing instructions which, when executed on one or more servers of a communication connection system, computing device cause the communication connection system to perform a method to make and track connections for communications, the method comprising:

creating an advertisement of an advertiser comprising a plurality of advertisement keywords and storing the advertisement and the plurality of advertisement keywords in a database of the communication connection system;

selecting a first reference to track the advertisement from a plurality of types of references to track advertisements, and storing the first reference in the database in association with the advertisement;

receiving a first search request comprising a plurality of first search request keywords;

selecting the advertisement from the database responsive to determining that a first condition is satisfied, the first condition comprising a plurality of first condition keywords, such that

a first one of the plurality of first condition keywords corresponds to at least a first one of the plurality of advertisement keywords of the plurality of advertisement keywords that matches at least a first one of the plurality of first search request keywords, and

a second one of the plurality of first condition keywords corresponds to at least a second one of the plurality of advertisement keywords of the plurality of advertisement keywords that does not match any of the plurality of first search request keywords;

providing the first reference for presentation with the advertisement, the first reference identifying the first condition and the advertisement, and facilitating establishing a real time communication session between the user and the advertiser based at least in part on a voice over Internet protocol connection;

collecting first statistics relating to calls made using the first reference via a router of the communication connection system, such that the first statistics are associated with the first condition;

determining, using the first statistics, a first performance of the advertisement associated with the first condition; and

selecting a second reference from the plurality of types of references to track advertisements as a change from the first reference based on the first performance.

15. A communication connection system to make and track connections for communications, the communication connection system comprising:

one or more servers coupled to one or more network interfaces to facilitate access to a communication network, and memory coupled to the one or more servers and storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more servers, cause the communication connection system to:

creating an advertisement of an advertiser comprising a plurality of advertisement keywords and storing the advertisement and the plurality of advertisement keywords in a database of the communication connection system;

selecting a first reference to track the advertisement from a plurality of types of references to track advertisements, and storing the first reference in the database in association with the advertisement;

receive a first search request comprising a plurality of first search request keywords;

select the advertisement from the database responsive to determining that a first condition is satisfied, the first condition comprising a plurality of first condition keywords, such that

a first one of the plurality of first condition keywords corresponds to at least a first one of the plurality of advertisement keywords of the plurality of advertisement keywords that matches at least a first one of the plurality of first search request keywords, and

a second one of the plurality of first condition keywords corresponds to at least a second one of the plurality of advertisement keywords of the plurality of advertisement keywords that does not match any of the plurality of first search request keywords;

provide the first reference for presentation with the advertisement, the first reference identifying the first condition and the advertisement, and facilitating establishing a real time communication session between the user and the advertiser based at least in part on a voice over Internet protocol connection; and

collect first statistics relating to calls made using the first reference via a router of the communication connection system, such that the first statistics are associated with the first condition determine, using the first statistics, a first performance of the advertisement associated with the first condition; and

select a second reference from the plurality of types of references to track advertisements as a change from the first reference based on the first performance.

Assignments (31)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2025
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: UTBK LLC
Reel/Frame 069830/0322 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2025
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
To: YELLOWPAGES.COM LLC
Reel/Frame 069830/0495 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 10, 2024
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: PRINT MEDIA LLC; DEX MEDIA, INC.; YP LLC; YELLOWPAGES.COM LLC; YP ADVERTISING & PUBLISHING LLC; CERBERUS YP DIGITAL BLOCKER LLC; CERBERUS YP BLOCKER LLC; YP HOLDINGS LLC; PRINT MEDIA HOLDINGS LLC; YP INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS CORP.; YP WESTERN HOLDINGS CORP.; YP SOUTHEAST HOLDINGS CORP.; YP MIDWEST HOLDINGS CORP.; YP CONNECTICUT HOLDINGS CORP.; PLUSMO HOLDINGS CORP.; INGENIO HOLDINGS CORP.
Reel/Frame 067381/0745 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 7, 2024
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: THRYV, INC.
Reel/Frame 067341/0434 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 3, 2024
From: THRYV, INC.
To: CITIZENS BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 067310/0627 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2024
From: THRYV, INC.
To: CITIZENS BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 067287/0759 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Mar 2, 2021
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: THRYV, INC. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS DEX MEDIA, INC.); THRYV HOLDINGS, INC. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS DEX MEDIA HOLDINGS, INC.)
Reel/Frame 055472/0592 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 1, 2021
From: THRYV, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 055452/0258 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2020
From: YELLOWPAGES.COM, LLC
To: THRYV, INC.
Reel/Frame 052071/0589 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE NATURE OF CONVEYANCE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 043194 FRAME: 0505. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Aug 14, 2017
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: YP INTERACTIVE LLC
Reel/Frame 043544/0720 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE NATURE OF CONVEYANCE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 043170 FRAME: 0318. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Aug 10, 2017
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: UTBK LLC
Reel/Frame 043512/0799 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE NATURE OF CONVEYANCE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 043183 FRAME: 0734. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Aug 9, 2017
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: YELLOWPAGES.COM LLC
Reel/Frame 043493/0648 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2017
From: YELLOWPAGES.COM LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 043363/0518 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 17, 2017
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: INGENIO LLC
Reel/Frame 043217/0875 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 14, 2017
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: YP INTERACTIVE LLC
Reel/Frame 043194/0585 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2017
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: YELLOWPAGES.COM LLC
Reel/Frame 043183/0734 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 12, 2017
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: UTBK LLC
Reel/Frame 043170/0318 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2017
From: YP LLC; YELLOWPAGES.COM LLC; YP ADVERTISING & PUBLISHING LLC; PRINT MEDIA LLC; DEX MEDIA HOLDINGS, INC.; CERBERUS YP DIGITAL BLOCKER LLC; CERBERUS YP BLOCKER LLC; YP HOLDINGS LLC; PRINT MEDIA HOLDINGS LLC; YP INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS CORP.; YP WESTERN HOLDINGS CORP.; YP SOUTHEAST HOLDINGS CORP.; YP MIDWEST HOLDINGS CORP.; YP CONNECTICUT HOLDINGS CORP.; PLUSMO HOLDINGS CORP.; INGENIO HOLDINGS CORP.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 043074/0794 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 1, 2016
From: YELLOWPAGES.COM LLC
To: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 040540/0948 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 9, 2015
From: YP INTERACTIVE LLC
To: YELLOWPAGES.COM LLC
Reel/Frame 034747/0850 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 4, 2014
From: INGENIO LLC
To: YP INTERACTIVE LLC
Reel/Frame 033085/0126 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST -- PATENTS Recorded Feb 28, 2014
From: YP INTERACTIVE LLC (FORMERLY KNOWN AS INGENIO LLC)
To: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 032372/0639 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 2, 2013
From: INGENIO LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 030740/0085 →
RELEASE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST -- PATENTS Recorded Jun 5, 2013
From: CERBERUS YP ARRANGER, LLC
To: INGENIO LLC (FORMERLY KNOWN AS INGENIO, INC.)
Reel/Frame 030554/0356 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 3, 2013
From: UTBK LLC
To: INGENIO LLC
Reel/Frame 030341/0882 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 19, 2012
From: UTBK LLC
To: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 029342/0075 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 16, 2012
From: FORTRESS CREDIT CO LLC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: INGENIO, INC.
Reel/Frame 029453/0560 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 9, 2012
From: UTBK, INC.
To: UTBK LLC
Reel/Frame 029275/0129 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST - PATENTS Recorded May 8, 2012
From: INGENIO, INC.
To: FORTRESS CREDIT CO LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 028177/0004 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST - PATENTS Recorded May 8, 2012
From: INGENIO, INC.
To: CERBERUS YP ARRANGER, LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 028177/0081 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 16, 2006
From: FABER, SCOTT; ALTBERG, EBBE; HIRSON, RON; VAN DER LINDEN, SEAN; YANG, VIRGINIA HONG-JIA
To: UTBK, INC.
Reel/Frame 018529/0316 →