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  Computer network page advertising methodUSPTO Application #: 20060041474Title: Computer network page advertising method Abstract: 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. (end of abstract) Agent: Reed Smith LLP - Philadelphia, PA, US Inventors: Mark Westling, Phillip Wherry, Craig Owensby USPTO Applicaton #: 20060041474 - Class: 705014000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Data Processing: Financial, Business Practice, Management, Or Cost/price Determination, Automated Electrical Financial Or Business Practice Or Management Arrangement, Distribution Or Redemption Of Coupon, Or Incentive Or Promotion Program The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060041474. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Technical Field [0002] This invention relates generally to methods and systems for advertising computer network pages that are accessible through a computer network. More particularly, the invention provides a method and system for broadcasting an audible advertisement for a computer network page and providing a convenient means for a user to access the advertised page when the user connects to the computer network. [0003] 2. Related Information [0004] Conventional wireless mobile stations, such as cellular telephones and personal digital assistants, use the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) for Internet communications. FIG. 1 shows a conventional configuration used by WAP enabled mobile stations 100 to access the Internet 102. A WAP gateway 104 receives requests from mobile station 100 for information provided on the Internet 102. WAP gateway 104 then gathers the appropriate Internet web page that is formatted in hypertext mark-up language (HTML) and converts the HTML format to wireless markup language (WML). Alternatively, some content providers make available WML content, which is retrieved by a WAP gateway and does not require any conversion. The "WAP page" is written in WML and transmitted to mobile station 100 using WAP. [0005] The capabilities of the displays available on wireless mobile stations are limited and, as a result, WML has not been used to create the type of graphics and eye catching layouts associated with traditional Internet web pages. Display 106 includes a typical WAP front page menu for accessing pages on the Internet with a mobile station. WAP gateway 104 transmits the front page in response to a user's request to access the Internet. The front page menu consists of a linear textual list of available web pages. Because of the lack of graphics and other eye catching devices used by traditional Internet web pages, operators of pages designed for use by mobile station users have found it increasingly difficult to attract users to their pages and promote the services offered by their pages. [0006] Therefore, there exists a need for a system and method that allows operators of computer network pages designed for wireless mobile stations to effectively promote their pages. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] The present invention overcomes the aforementioned problems by providing methods and systems for promoting computer network pages, such as WAP and web pages, to users. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for promoting a computer network page is provided. The method includes transmitting an audible advertisement for a network page that is accessible through a computer network to a mobile station and providing a menu including a selection choice for the advertised network. Users may be provided with an incentive to listen to the advertisement. [0008] A system for promoting and accessing computer network pages is provided in an alternative embodiment. The system includes a mobile station that allows a user to conduct telephone calls and connect to a computer network, a call management server and a gateway that provides a menu including a selection choice for connecting to the advertised computer network pages. The call management server includes 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 and a voice response unit. The processor 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. The voice response unit outputs the selected advertisement and an identification of the corresponding computer network. [0009] In yet another embodiment of the invention, a call management server receives an indication of the initiation of a telephone call and outputs a voice advertisement for a computer network page and the identification of a computer network page. The call management server includes 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 and a voice response unit. The processor 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. The voice response unit outputs the selected advertisement and an identification of the corresponding computer network. [0010] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent with reference to the following detailed description and the figures. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0011] FIG. 1 shows a conventional wireless mobile station and configuration for connecting to the Internet. [0012] FIG. 2 shows a method for advertising a computer network page in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. [0013] FIG. 3 shows a system for advertising and connecting to a wireless application protocol page in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. [0014] FIG. 4 shows a system for advertising and connecting to an Internet page in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0015] FIG. 2 illustrates a method 200 for promoting a computer network page, such as a WAP page, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. Method 200 will first be described generally with reference to FIG. 2 and then a more detailed explanation will be given while referring to FIG. 3. Furthermore, the following descriptions refers to WML, WAP sites and WAP pages for illustration purposes only and with the understanding that the invention may be implemented with a variety of languages, protocols and computer networks. Initially, in step 202, a user initiates a phone call. Next, in step 204, a call management server identifies the user placing the telephone call. The identification may be done with a caller identification device. [0016] In step 206, a computer compares the user's profile information stored in a database of user profiles to advertisements stored in a database of advertisements. User profile information is described in detail below. The computer is programmed to make the comparison and choose an advertisement that may be of interest to the user. In particular, the computer will choose an advertisement for a WAP page that may be of interest to the user. In one embodiment, the database of user profiles or the database of advertisements tracks the advertisements chosen for a particular user so that the user will not repeatedly receive the same advertisement. [0017] The user receives an audible advertisement for a computer network page, such as a WAP page, in step 208. The advertisement may be a short message describing the features or services offered by the page. The advertisement may also include an incentive to encourage the user to visit the page, such as by offering a limited time discount for products and services offered through the page. [0018] In step 210, a WAP gateway places a link to the advertised WAP page at the top of the user's WAP front page menu. Placing the link at the top of the user's WAP front page menu allows the user to conveniently connect to the WAP page without requiring the user to remember the particular address for the WAP page while listening to the advertisement. [0019] Finally, in step 212, after the voice advertisement is played, the call is connected. The user may receive a discount on the price of making the phone call after listening to the advertisement. Method 200 is shown for illustration purposes and with the understanding that the present invention may be practiced with several modifications. In one alternative embodiment, the user is given the option of listening to an advertisement at any time and not merely before placing a call. Furthermore, the user may accumulate credits to be applied to subsequent telephone calls after listening to one or more advertisements. In another embodiment of the invention, the user is given the option of listening to one or more advertisements after receiving a call to earn credits to apply to any charges incurred in connection with the received call. Additional methods for encouraging users to listen to advertisements that may be used with the present invention are disclosed in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/213,387, filed Dec. 12, 1998, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. [0020] Turning now to FIG. 3, a system 300 that includes components for carrying out the method of FIG. 2 will be described. A user places telephone calls and connects to the Internet via a mobile station 302. Mobile station 302 may be a cellular telephone, personal digital assistant or any other device that allows the user to connect to the Internet and send and receive telephone calls. Mobile station 302 includes a display 304 that may be used to display WAP pages. Display 304 may be a liquid crystal display, plasma display or any other thin screen display suitable for use in a mobile station. FIG. 3 shows a WAP front page menu 306 on display 304. WAP front page menu 306 includes a list of hyperlinks 306A-306C that allow the user to display WAP pages. Mobile station 302 also includes a speaker 308 for listening and an antenna 310 for communicating with a base transceiver station 312. Continue reading... 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