IP Library Granted Patent US 9,407,767
Granted Patent B2
US 9,407,767 · App. 14/448,897 · Granted Aug 2, 2016

Systems and methods for tracking calls responsive to advertisements using back channel messaging and data channel communications

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,407,767
App. No.
14/448,897
Granted
Aug 2, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media are provided to track call information pertinent to calls responsive to advertisements. A message may be received via a data network from a communication device running an application. The application may be associated with a communication reference. Responsive to selection of a user-selectable option that may correspond to an advertisement presented via the communication device, the message may be sent, via the data network, to a call information handling system. The message may indicate call information. Unique identification of the communication device and/or a user may be determined. The call information may be stored in a tracking information repository in association with the unique identification.

Claims (73)

1. A method to track call information pertinent to one or more calls responsive to one or more advertisements presented to a user of a communication device where a call information handling system utilizes communications via a data network to facilitate the tracking of call information, the method comprising:

receiving, by a call information handling system, a message via a data network from a communication device running an application, the communication device configured with the application to:

associate the application with a communication reference of the communication device;

detect a selection of a user-selectable option presented via the communication device;

responsive to the selection of the user-selectable option, send the message, via the data network, to the call information handling system, wherein the selection corresponds to an advertisement presented via the communication device, and wherein the message indicates call information corresponding to:

the communication reference;

the advertisement;

the communication device; and

a callee communication reference;

processing, by the call information handling system, the message and identifying the call information;

determining, by the call information handling system, unique identification of the communication device or a user of the communication device based at least in part on the message indicating call information received from the communication device, wherein the user is different from an advertiser corresponding to the advertisement; and

storing, by the call information handling system, the call information in a tracking information repository in association with the unique identification.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying the advertiser corresponding to the advertisement; and causing indication, via an advertiser interface of the call information handling system, of one or more items of the call information.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication reference of the communication device comprises a telephone number or a subscriber identification.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication device configured with the application is further configured to present the advertisement via the application.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication device configured with the application is further configured to capture information about the advertisement, wherein the advertisement is presented via another application of the communication device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user-selectable option comprises a click-to-call option corresponding to the advertisement.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user-selectable option comprises a call button, wherein the communication device configured with the application is further configured to determine an association of the selection of the user-selectable option with the advertisement.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

initiating a communication session, via the data network, with a callee communication device based at least in part on the callee communication reference.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

coordinating the communication session to facilitate voice communication between the callee communication device and the communication device via the data network.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message does not comprise the callee communication reference, and the call information handling system determines the callee communication reference based at least in part on the call information.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selection further corresponds to an initiation of a first communication session from the communication device, and the method further comprises:

initiating a second communication session, via the data network, with a callee communication device based at least in part on the callee communication reference; and

coordinating the first communication session and the second communication session to facilitate voice communication between the callee communication device and the communication device via the data network.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the callee communication device and the communication device are not mutually connected until the callee communication device is answered.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

initiating a communication session, via the data network, with a callee communication device;

initiating a communication session, via the data network, with the communication device; and

facilitating voice communication, via the data network, between the callee communication device and the communication device.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

initiating a plurality of communication sessions, via the data network, with a plurality of callee communication devices based at least in part on the callee communication reference; and

coordinating the plurality of communication sessions to facilitate voice communication, via the data network, between a selected one of the plurality of callee communication devices and the communication device.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining one or more characteristics of a data connection available to the communication device;

determining whether the one or more characteristics of the data connection satisfy a set of criteria;

contingent on determining that the one or more characteristics of the data connection satisfy the set of criteria, initiating the communication session over the data network with a callee communication device based at least in part on the callee communication reference; and

contingent on determining that the one or more characteristics of the data connection do not satisfy the set of criteria, allowing a call from the communication device to proceed with a telephony network.

16. A system to track call information pertinent to one or more calls responsive to one or more advertisements presented to a user of a communication device utilizing communications via a data network to facilitate the tracking of call information, comprising:

one or more network interfaces configured to receive communications via a data network from a communication device running an application, the communication device configured with the application to:

associate the application with a communication reference of the communication device;

detect a selection of a user-selectable option presented via the communication device;

responsive to the selection of the user-selectable option, send the message, via the data network, to the call information handling system, wherein the selection corresponds to an advertisement presented via the communication device, and wherein the message indicates call information corresponding to:

the communication reference;

the advertisement;

the communication device; and

a callee communication reference;

a tracking information repository to retain information relating to calls;

one or more processing devices coupled to the one or more network interfaces and the tracking information repository, the one or more processing devices configured to:

process the message and identifying the call information;

determine unique identification of the communication device or a user of the communication device based at least in part on the message indicating call information received from the communication device, wherein the user is different from an advertiser corresponding to the advertisement; and

store the call information in the tracking information repository in association with the unique identification.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the one or more processing devices comprise one or more switches and are further configured to initiate a communication session, via the data network, with a callee communication device based at least in part on the callee communication reference.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the one or more processing devices comprise one or more switches and are further configured to:

initiate a communication session, via the data network, with a callee communication device;

initiate a communication session, via the data network, with the communication device; and

facilitate voice communication, via the data network, between the callee communication device and the communication device.

19. One or more non-transitory, machine-readable media having machine-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more computers or other processing devices, cause the one or more computers or other processing devices to:

receive a message via a data network from a communication device running an application, the communication device configured with the application to:

associate the application with a communication reference of the communication device;

detect a selection of a user-selectable option presented via the communication device;

responsive to the selection of the user-selectable option, send the message, via the data network, to the one or more computers or other processing devices, wherein the selection corresponds to an advertisement presented via the communication device, and wherein the message indicates call information corresponding to:

the communication reference;

the advertisement;

the communication device; and

a callee communication reference;

process the message and identifying the call information;

determine unique identification of the communication device or a user of the communication device based at least in part on the message indicating call information received from the communication device, wherein the user is different from an advertiser corresponding to the advertisement; and

store the call information in a tracking information repository in association with the unique identification.

20. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable media of claim 19 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more computers or other processing devices to:

initiate a communication session, via the data network, with a callee communication device based at least in part on the callee communication reference.

Assignments (14)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2025
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
To: YP LLC
Reel/Frame 069765/0785 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 10, 2024
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: DEX MEDIA, INC.; YP LLC; YELLOWPAGES.COM LLC; YP ADVERTISING & PUBLISHING LLC; PRINT MEDIA 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 24, 2020
From: YP LLC
To: THRYV, INC.
Reel/Frame 051906/0969 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2017
From: YP LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 043363/0386 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 12, 2017
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: YP LLC
Reel/Frame 042984/0497 →
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 7, 2016
From: YP LLC
To: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 040838/0137 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 5, 2015
From: JAIN, MEHUL; LAUX, KENT WILLIAM; THAKRAL, DEEPAK KUMAR
To: YP INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LLC
Reel/Frame 034894/0259 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 8, 2015
From: YP INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LLC
To: YP LLC
Reel/Frame 034667/0964 →