IP Library Granted Patent US 10,565,623
Granted Patent B2
US 10,565,623 · App. 14/554,642 · Granted Feb 18, 2020

Systems and methods for ad-supported mobile data plans or in-app purchases

Inventors: Jeffrey B. Katz (Brookeville, MD); Chad Gallagher (Baltimore, MD); Lucas J. Matyja (Baltimore, MD)
Assignee: Oath Inc.
G06Q30/0267G06Q30/0272
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,565,623
App. No.
14/554,642
Granted
Feb 18, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods are disclosed for providing an ad-supported mobile data plan, where ad display may be tied to data usage levels and user input. A method includes receiving, using at least one processor, user interaction with advertisement content displayed on a device; retrieving, using the at least one processor, a data usage limit associated with the device; and causing a change in the data usage limit based on the user interaction with the advertisement content displayed on the device.

Claims (55)

1. A method for processing electronic transactions between a device and content provider, the method comprising:

receiving, from a user of the device, a selection of custom notifications specific to the user's preferences for receiving electronic advertising content on a lock screen of the user's device;

generating a display of electronic advertisement content on the lock screen of the device, the advertisement content being based on the selected custom notifications, wherein the advertisement content occupies a user-specific proportion of the lock screen, the user-specific proportion of the lock screen occupied by the advertisement content being determined according to user behavior including how frequently the lock screen is displayed or how frequently the user interacts with the displayed content of the lock screen;

receiving, using at least one processor, user interaction with the advertisement content in the user-specific proportion of the lock screen;

retrieving, using the at least one processor, a data usage limit associated with the user's device; and

increasing the data usage limit associated with the user's device based on the user interaction with the advertisement content displayed on the device, such that a greater amount of user interaction with the advertisement content causes a greater increase in the data usage limit.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a plurality of display options for the advertisement content;

retrieving a data consumption level associated with the device; and

selecting one or more of the plurality of display options based on the data consumption level associated with the device.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of display options vary according to user preferences, context information, and/or user interaction information.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

categorizing the plurality of display options; and

creating associations between the categories of the plurality of display options and data usage levels.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

creating a hierarchy of the plurality of display options from most prominent display formats to least prominent display formats;

defining the data usage levels as low data consumption or high data consumption;

associating the most prominent display options with low data consumption; and

associating the least prominent display options with high data consumption.

6. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

creating the plurality of display options for the advertisement content.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the custom notifications include one or more of health statistics provided by wearable technology, a personalized news feed, weather forecasts, and notifications from user-selected sources.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user-specific proportion of the lock screen occupied by the advertisement content is further determined according to user selected options.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

prompting a user to accept promotions in exchange for allowing display of advertisement content on the lock screen.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device includes a mobile phone or a tablet.

11. A system for processing electronic transactions between a between a device and content provider, the system comprising:

a data storage device storing instructions for processing electronic transactions; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions to perform a method comprising:

receiving, from a user of the device, a selection of custom notifications specific to the user's preferences for receiving electronic advertising content on a lock screen of the user's device;

generating a display of electronic advertisement content on the lock screen of the device, the advertisement content being based on the selected custom notifications, wherein the advertisement content occupies a user-specific proportion of the lock screen, the user-specific proportion of the lock screen occupied by the advertisement content being determined according to user behavior including how frequently the lock screen is displayed or how frequently the user interacts with the displayed content of the lock screen;

receiving, using at least one processor, user interaction with the advertisement content in the user-specific proportion of the lock screen;

retrieving, using the at least one processor, a data usage limit associated with the user's device; and

increasing the data usage limit associated with the user's device based on the user interaction with the advertisement content displayed on the device, such that a greater amount of user interaction with the advertisement content causes a greater increase in the data usage limit.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the system is further configured for:

determining a plurality of display options for the advertisement content;

retrieving a data consumption level associated with the device; and

selecting one or more of the plurality of display options based on the data consumption level associated with the device.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of display options vary according to user preferences, context information, and/or user interaction information.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the system is further configured for:

categorizing the plurality of display options; and

creating associations between the categories of the plurality of display options and data usage levels.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the system is further configured for:

creating a hierarchy of the plurality of display options from most prominent display formats to least prominent display formats;

defining the data usage levels as low data consumption or high data consumption;

associating the most prominent display options with low data consumption; and

associating the least prominent display options with high data consumption.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the custom notifications include one or more of health statistics provided by wearable technology, a personalized news feed, weather forecasts, and notifications from user-selected sources.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the user-specific proportion of the lock screen occupied by the advertisement content is further determined according to user selected options.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the system is further configured for:

associating lock screen displays with a particular goods or services provider; and

displaying advertisement content for the particular goods or services provider on the lock screen of the device.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the system is further configured for:

prompting a user to accept promotions in exchange for allowing display of advertisement content on the lock screen.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the device includes a mobile phone or a tablet.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 22, 2022
From: VERIZON MEDIA INC.
To: YAHOO AD TECH LLC
Reel/Frame 059471/0863 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 26, 2020
From: OATH INC.
To: VERIZON MEDIA INC.
Reel/Frame 054258/0635 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 29, 2017
From: AOL INC.
To: OATH INC.
Reel/Frame 043052/0401 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 19, 2014
From: KATZ, JEFFREY B.; GALLAGHER, CHAD; MATYJA, LUCAS J.
To: AOL INC.
Reel/Frame 034557/0229 →
Continuity (4)
Provisional Application 62046007 · Sep 4, 2014
Provisional Application 61955038 · Mar 18, 2014
Provisional Application 61932296 · Jan 28, 2014
Related Publication 20150213504A1 · Jul 30, 2015
Cited By (4)
US 12,236,734 US 12,276,946 US 12,277,570 US 12,493,865