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  System and method of marketing using a multi-media communication systemUSPTO Application #: 20080040227Title: System and method of marketing using a multi-media communication system Abstract: A system method of advertising using a multi-media application system is disclosed. The multi-media application relates to the delivery of multi-media messages using animated entities that audibly deliver messages created by a sender using text-to-speech technologies. The method provides targeted advertising based on information learned about both the sender of a multi-media message and the recipient of the multi-media message. The information may relate to an analysis of a text message created by the sender, emoticons chosen by the sender and inserted into the text of the message, the choice by the sender of an animated entity, or other parameters such as background music chosen for which template is chosen by the sender. Advertising messages may be delivered before the recipient receives the multi-media message, during the reception by the recipient of the multi-media message or following the reception of the multi-media message. A decision regarding whether to include an advertising message may be based on a text analysis or an analysis of the emoticons or other tags inserted into the text by the sender. Further, animated entities such as professionally designed face models, templates, additional emoticons, animation or sound effects may also be purchased by the sender for a limited number of multi-media messages, for limited amount of time or longer for use in creating multi-media messages. The system comprises a server to handle the reception and processing of sender multi-media messages and client software for both creating multi-media messages and receiving multi-media messages. (end of abstract) Agent: At&t Corp. - Bedminster, NJ, US Inventors: Joern Ostermann, Mehmet Reha Civanlar, Barbara Buda, Thomas M. Isaacson USPTO Applicaton #: 20080040227 - 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 20080040227. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
PRIORITY APPLICATION [0001] The present application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/999,525, filed Nov. 2, 2001, which claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 60/245,521 filed Nov. 3, 2000, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety. RELATED APPLICATIONS [0002] The present application is related to the following U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/003,094, filed Nov. 2, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,203,648; Ser. No. 11/259,883, filed Oct. 27, 2005; Ser. No. 11/679,905, filed Feb. 28, 2007; Ser. No. 10/003,091, filed Nov. 2, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,976,082; Ser. No. 11/212,267, filed Aug. 27, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,203,759; Ser. No. 11/679,911, filed Feb. 28, 2007; Ser. No. 10/003,350, filed Nov. 2, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,990,452; Ser. No. 11/214,666, filed Aug. 30, 2005; Ser. No. 10/003,093, filed Nov. 2, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,035,803; Ser. No. 11/276,556, filed Mar. 6, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,177,811; Ser. No. 11/615,079, filed Dec. 22, 2006; Ser. No. 10/003,092, filed Nov. 2, 2001; Ser. No. 09/999,526, filed Nov. 2, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,963,839; Ser. No. 11/195,934, filed Aug. 3, 2005; and Ser. No. 09/999,505, filed Nov. 2, 2001. These applications are commonly assigned and are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] 1. Field of the Invention [0004] The present invention relates to multi-media messages and more specifically to a system and method of advertising using multi-media messages where an animated entity audibly delivers messages created by a sender using text-to-speech technologies. [0005] 2. Discussion of Related Art [0006] There is a growing popularity for text-to-speech ("TTS") enabled systems that combine voice with a "talking head" or a computer-generated face that literally speaks to a person. Such systems improve user experience with a computer system by personalizing the exchange of information. Systems for converting text into speech are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,173,263 B1 to Alistair Conkie, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses a system and method of performing concatenative speech synthesis. The contents of this patent are incorporated herein by reference. [0007] One example associated with the creation and delivery of e-mails using a TTS system is LifeFX.TM.'s Facemail.TM.. FIG. 1 illustrates how a sender creates a message using the LifeFX.TM. system. A window 10 presents fields for inserting the sender's e-mail address 12 and the recipient's e-mail address 14. Standard features such as control buttons 16 for previewing and delivering the message are provided. A standard subject line is also provided 18. The sender chooses from a variety of faces 20 to deliver the message. The currently chosen face 22 appears in the window 10 as well. The sender inserts the message text as with a traditional e-mail in a text area 24 and a box 26 below the text area gives illustrations of some of the available emoticons, explained further below. [0008] This system enables a sender to write an e-mail and choose a talking head or "face" to deliver the e-mail. The recipient of the e-mail needs to download special TTS software in order to enable the "face" to deliver the message. The downloaded software converts the typewritten e-mail from the e-mail sender into audible words, and synchronizes the head and mouth movements of the talking head to match the audibly spoken words. Various algorithms and software may be used to provide the TTS function as well as the synchronization of the speech with the talking head. For example, the article, "Photo-realistic Talking-heads From Image Samples," by E. Cosatto and H. P. Graf, IEEE Transactions on Multimedia, September 2000, Vol. 2, Issue 3, pages 152-163, describes a system for creating a realistic model of a head that can be animated and lip-synched from phonetic transcripts of text. The contents of this article are incorporated herein by reference. Such systems, when combined with TTS synthesizers, generate video animations of talking heads that resemble people. One drawback of related systems is that the synthesized voice bears no resemblance to the sender voice. [0009] The LifeFX.TM. system presents the user with a plurality of faces 20 from which to choose. Once a face is chosen, the e-mail sender composes an e-mail message. Within the e-mail, the sender inserts features to increase the emotion showed by the computer-generated face when the e-mail is "read" to the e-mail recipient. For example, the following will result in the message being read with a smile at the end: "Hi, how are you today?:-)". These indicators of emotion are called "emoticons" and may include such features as: :-((frown); -o (wow); :-x (kiss); and ;-) (wink). The e-mail sender will type in these symbols which are translated by the system into the emotions. Therefore, after composing a message, inserting emoticons, and choosing a face, the sender sends the message. The recipiant will get an e-mail with a notification that he or she has received a facemail and that they will need to download a player to hear the message. [0010] The LifeFX.TM. system presents its emoticons when delivering the message in a particular way. For example, when an emoticon such as a smile is inserted in the sentence "Hi, Jonathon, :-) how are you today?" the "talking head" 22 speaks the words "Hi, Jonathan" and then stops talking and begins the smiling operation. After finishing the smile, the talking head completes the sentence "how are you today?" [0011] The LifeFX.TM. system only enables the recipient to hear the message after downloading the appropriate software. There are several disadvantages to delivering multi-media messages in this manner. Such software requires a large amount of disc space and the recipient may not desire to utilize his or her space with the necessary software. Further, with viruses prevalent on the Internet, many people are naturally reluctant to download software when they are unfamiliar with its source. [0012] FIG. 2 illustrates a received Facemail.TM. 40. The chosen talking head 22 delivers the message. Buttons such as "say again" 42, "new" 44, "forward" 26, "reply" 48, "reply all" 50, and "show text" 52 enable the recipient to control to some degree how the message is received. Buttons 42, 44, 46, 48 and 50 are commonly used button features for controlling messages. Button 52 allows the user to read the text of the message. When button 52 is clicked, the text of the message is shown in a window illustrated in FIG. 3. A separate window 54 pops up typically over the talking head 22 with the text. When the window is moved or does not cover the talking head, the sound continues but if the mouth of the talking head is showing, it is clear that when the text box is up, the mouth stops moving. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0013] What is needed in the art is a system and method to enable targeted advertising using multi-media messages using TTS technology for delivering messages by an animated entity. The present invention addresses the need in the art for a system and method of presenting advertising messages in the context of TTS multi-media messages. [0014] The first embodiment of the present invention relates to a method of advertising in a multi-media message. The multi-media message is prepared by a sender and delivered by an animated entity. The method uses a plurality of stored advertising messages from which to choose an advertising message to display. The method comprises gathering information regarding the sender's current and/or previous multi-media messages, if any, and choosing an advertising message from the plurality of stored advertising messages based on the gathered information. The chosen advertising message is displayed to either the sender or the recipient of the multi-media message. The information may relate to the sender's previous emoticons used, templates used, a trend of messages created by the sender, or other information that may be gained based on the sender's previous use of multi-media messages. [0015] The information may also relate to recipient data. The recipient data may be gleaned from the text of the message (the tone of the message through a text analysis, for example), the name of the recipient (male or female), or previous messages sent to that recipient. The system may use the recipient data exclusively or in connection with the sender data to present advertisements. [0016] In another aspect of the first embodiment of the present invention, other information associated with a current multi-media message may be used to determine and select advertisements associated with that multi-media message. For example, a text analysis may be performed of the text written by the sender in order to choose an appropriate advertising message from a plurality of stored advertising messages. As an example, if from the text analysis it is clear that the message relates to an offer to sell a computer, an advertisement related to computers may be chosen. [0017] In yet another aspect of the first embodiment of the present invention, the information used for choosing an advertising message may relate to the emoticons or other music or video tags inserted in the text of the message by the sender. In this regard, the system analyzes the inserted emoticons or tags to determine, for example, whether the message is a positive message or a negative message. From this analysis, the system chooses an advertisement to match as closely as possible the tone of the message. The decision on which advertisements to insert into the multi-media message may depend on one or more of the parameters disclosed herein, as well as on the language in which the receiver chooses to receive the message, in order to optimize the targeting of advertisements within the context of multi-media messages. [0018] The second embodiment of the present invention relates to a method of providing features available for purchase by the sender for use in creating multi-media messages. The method comprises presenting at least one feature to the sender for sale. The features presented to the sender may relate to any aspect of the process of creating a multi-media message using text-to-speech technology and animated entity for delivering a text message. The method further comprises receiving an order from the sender to purchase at least one feature to use in creating multi-media messages. Once purchased, the method comprises enabling the sender to use the purchased feature for creating multi-media messages. [0019] The features available for sale may comprise, for example, certain animated entities such as a famous character, actor, professionally created entities and the like. The features may also relate to accessories to associate with the animated entity such as sunglasses, hats, earrings, make-up, scarves or cloths. Furthermore the features may relate to the background effects such as video templates, emoticons, animation, backgrounds, or sound effects. [0020] The sender may purchase any of these features for continuous use, for use in a limited number of multi-media messages, or for a limited amount of time. Furthermore, additional arrangements are contemplated such that the distributor of, for example, sunglasses that may be associative with a soon-to-be released movie may offer the sender a free pair of sunglasses if the sender uses the particular sunglasses within a certain number of multi-media messages before the debut of the movie. Continue reading... Full patent description for System and method of marketing using a multi-media communication system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this System and method of marketing using a multi-media communication system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. 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