Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02293974 2000-O1-17
2 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
2.1 AREA OF THE ART
This invention relates to systems and methods of delivery of advertisements
to the wireless telephony users , targeting of advertisements delivered over
wireless networks and in particular relates to a system that assures integrity
and confidentiality of the stored wireless subscriber's personal information.
This invention relates to systems and methods of delivery of advertisements
to the wireless telephony users and targeting of advertisements delivered over
wireless networks based on non-personally identifiable information of
wireless subscriber's behavior.
CA 02293974 2000-O1-17
-3-
Herein, promotional messages include advertisements, public service
announcements, surveys, and the like, delivered in text, video and/or graphic
formats.
2.2 DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIG ART
Wireless users pay network access and/or usage based fees and/or
administration charges to wireless carriers in exchange for the ability to
communicate with other users. In recent years, systems have been proposed
which enable telephony users to receive free and/or subsidized calls in
exchange for listening promotional messages provided by third party
sponsors. So far these systems have been deployed within the framework of
traditional telephony services operating based on recorded voice messages.
Moreover, such systems have been designed to carry out the message
selection (targeting) process based on personal information voluntarily
provided by users via questionnaires upon sign up of the contract between the
system and the subscriber. The information received over questionnaires
enables profiling of static parameters, providing no insights into evolution
of
user's profile and user's current conditions.
In advertising, it is considered highly desirable to target advertisements to
the
appropriate potential customer base, rather than to broadcast advertisements
in general. One of the very informative sources of information to be used for
targeting is historical track of user's whereabouts and instantaneous
geographical positioning of the user . Proximity of users to something may
lead to conclusion about what kind of information the users would be
interested to receive. Historical mobility information allows to segment
wireless users according to the visiting locations and behavior of the user's
mobility patterns. Presently mobility information is available through Call
Detail Records output for user billing purposes. Introduction of GPS based on
location tracking, MPS, and the like will foster more precise location
dependant targeting.
User mobility information presents personally sensitive material about users
therefore it is important for the system tracking user's locality to assure
privacy of user personal information.
CA 02293974 2000-O1-17
-4-
Presently wireless operators offer SMS service enabling exchange of alpha-
numeric messages between wireless users and message centers. In the near
future wireless operators expect offer WAP services giving advantage of full
Internet access over wireless terminals. All that creates a strong opportunity
for offering subsidized wireless service in exchange for presentation of
advertising messages.
3 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system which delivers
user's mobility pattern targeted advertisements and promotional messages to
groups/or individuals via packet/or switched wireless networks and telephony
devices including SMS enabled wireless voice terminals and WAP terminals.
According to one aspect of the invention, a network system for delivering
advertising messages to wireless users is provided and includes a plurality of
network clusters consisting of a mediation servers and profiling servers, the
mediation server functions as a conduit communicating messages between
the user and the profiling server, the profiling server acts as a collector of
the
messages coming from the mediation server.
According to another aspect of the invention, a network system for delivering
promotional messages to wireless users is provided and includes a data base
containing continually accumulated user's geographical mobility data stored in
non-personally identifiable format; a profiling module for obtaining
identification numbers of the targeted group of users based on preset
targeting criteria of each promotional message; a mediation module for
interfacing with telecommunications devices carrying out delivery of the
messages to the wireless terminals of users and receiving user's mobility
data, and for protecting privacy of user's personal identities.
CA 02293974 2000-O1-17
-5-
The system includes a data base for storing user's mobility data such as
user's instantaneous positioning data in unified coordinates and time of
registration in the geographical locality. The user's location parameters are
identified in the data base by unique profile identification numbers
corresponding to unique mobile identification numbers representing true
user's identity. The profile identification number does not allow to determine
calling number or any other identity of users.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for delivering
advertising messages to wireless users is provided and includes profiling of
user's mobility data according to targeting criteria of each promotional
message to obtain each of the personal identification numbers associated
with the targeting criteria; delivering to the user an advertising message
according to the presentation parameters associated with the message.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for delivering
promotional messages to wireless users in a wireless system is provided and
includes storing data indicative of advertising messages associated with
descriptive attributes of the targeting group of users; list of targeting
attributes
associated with the descriptive attributes of advertising messages for
automatic profiling of the data base containing user's historical mobility
data.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for delivering
promotional messages to wireless users is provided and includes securing of
personal data of users to ensure that no personally identifiable information
is
collected by an advertising agency in the historical data base to target
promotional messages. Security of user's personal information is achieved
through substitution of user specific identifiers (e.g. mobile identification
number, international mobile system identity, etc.) such that profiling data
bases within an advertising network are prevented from determining the true
identity of users. The substitute identifiers are constructed by the mediation
module processing profiling server specific substitute identifiers constructed
from data specific to users.
CA 02293974 2000-O1-17
-6-
The present invention uses mobility information to determine the profile of a
wireless user, and in particular the behavioural profile in terms of user's
interests, habits and preferences suggested by a user's mobility pattern. To
accomplish this, the present invention provides (i) a tracking and profiling
data
base for recording user mobility with respect to location and time received
from the wireless network; (ii) a target profile data base containing profiles
of
targeting groups; (iii) management processor handling selection of targeting
users. Over time, the tracking and profiling data base holds a history and/or
pattern which in turn is interpreted as a user's habits and/or preferences. In
that respect, a behavioural profile is deduced from the recorded mobility in
the
tracking and profiling data base.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is a data
base that records history of user's mobility. For each wireless user, the data
base records estimates of the user's location and time of registration in the
recorded location.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method a
network solution for exchange of profile data is provided and includes format
of profile data standardized across said advertising network and rules of
exchange of said profile data between communicating entities.
4 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG.1 is a conceptual diagram of tow-way exchange between advertisement
third part sponsors and wireless operators using the system of the present
invention;
FIG.2 illustrates top level block diagram of the network cluster of the
present
embodiment consisting of a Profiling Server and a Mediation Server. The
network cluster shown communicates with a wireless network receiving
mobility data from the wireless network, and transmitting advertisements to
the wireless network;
FIG.3 is a top level architectural diagram of a Profiling Server including
essential modules and data bases;
CA 02293974 2000-O1-17
-Z-
FIG. 4 illustrates formats of data records stored in the data stores of a
Profiling Server;
FIG. 5 is a flow-chart illustrating operation of a Targeting Processor of a
Profiling Server
FIG. 6 is a top level architectural diagram of a Mediation Server including
essential modules and data bases;
FIG. 7 illustrates a high-level block diagram of an exemplary distributed
network with which the principles of the present invention may be suitably
used to provide a central Mediation Server for coordinating mobility profile
data exchange between individual Profiling Servers;
FIG. 8 is a flow-chart illustrating operation of the system of the present
embodiment in the mode of execution of a marketing campaign;
FIG. 9 is a flow-chart illustrating operation of the system of the present
embodiment in the mode of collecting and storing mobility data;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention is a network communications system for delivering
highly targeted advertisements to individual and/or group wireless users via
wireless networks and wireless user terminals including SMS and WAP
enabled terminals. The systems offers high precision of selecting targeted
group of wireless users through tracking and profiling of user's mobility data
collected from wireless networks. The systems collects and stores user
mobility data in non-personally identifiable format to protect the privacy of
wireless users.
As illustrated in Fig. 1, the system of the present invention facilitates a
two-
way exchange between wireless operators holding subscribed wireless users
and third party sponsors (e.g., advertisers) with the purpose to enable access
of the sponsors to the targeted wireless users.
CA 02293974 2000-O1-17
_g_
The system of the present invention enables wireless operators to offer
subsidized telecommunications services to wireless users in exchange for
delivering advertisements provided by the third party sponsors. The system
enables third party sponsors to deliver advertising messages to the target
groups of wireless users via wireless telephony networks in exchange for
message distribution fees (i.e., analogous to fees paid to obtain space and/or
time on traditional advertising media like print, radio and television). The
wireless operators would receive payment for providing (i) access to the
subscriber base and (ii) connectivity with telecommunications devices for the
delivery of advertisements and the collection of user mobility data.
To facilitate a complete understanding of the invention, the remainder of the
detailed description is arranged within the following sections and
subsections:
I. Glossary of Terms and Acronyms
II. Overview of the Preferred System
III. Implementation of the Preferred System
A. Profiling Server
B. Mediation Server
C. Network Architecture
IV. Method for Encryption of User Identities
V. Method for Profile Exchange
VI. System Operation
I. Glossary of Terms and Acronyms
CDR Call Detail Record
CMS Central Mediation Server
CTP Collection and Translation Processor
CA 02293974 2000-O1-17
_g_
DMB Distribution Message Bank
DP Distribution Processor
EDR Event Detail Record
EM Encryption Module
EP Privacy Module
GPS Global positioning system
UHPB User Habit Profile Bank
HPB History Profile Bank
IMDB Instant Mobility Data Base
IMSI International Mobile Subscriber Identification
LDMS Location Data Message Storage
MDMS Mobility Data Message Store
MDR Mobility Data Records
MIN Mobile Identification Number
MP Management Processor
MPB Mobility Profile Bank
MPS Mobile Positioning System (Ericsson Trademark)
MS Mediation Server
MSG Message
PDW Profile Data Warehouse
PIN Personal Identification Number
PITT Personal Identity Translation Table
CA 02293974 2000-O1-17
-1~l-
PP Profiling Processor
PS Profile Server
PSI Profiling Server Identity
SMS Short Message Service
TP Targeting Processor
TPB Target Profile Bank
WAP Wireless Application Protocol
II. Overview
This section provides an overview of a communication system in a preferred
embodiment of the present invention. Illustrated in FIG. 2 is a high level
block
diagram of the basic architecture of the communication system. The system
includes a mediation server and a profiling server communicating with each
other by use of a remote link. The profiling server is operated by the
advertisement provider whereas the mediation server is operated by both
wireless operator and the advertisement provider. The systems allows for
collecting user mobility data in non-personally identifiable format, profiling
mobility patterns, compiling user profile data bases and delivering
advertising
messages to the targeted users via standardized communication channels.
The basic operation of the system is as follows in the preferred embodiment.
Conceptually the system operates in two modes such as an off-line mode and
an on-line mode. The on-line mode of operation is associated with actions
taken on the request to delivery an advertisement to the targeted group of
users. The off-line mode of operation is associated with continually performed
tracking and profiling of geographical positioning of users received from
wireless network and comparing attributes of the targeting command with the
profile data for each of the wireless users.
CA 02293974 2000-O1-17
-1_1-
The on-line system operation is initiated by an advertising agency requesting
the system to distribute advertising message to the group of wireless users
with matching characteristics (e.g., frequent visitors of the convention
centres
situated in some locations or frequently travelling professionals of a certain
subject area). An interactive tool enables to translate description of the
targeted group in the set of targeted parameters defining the preferred
attributes (e.g., location, time, professional designation, personal interests
and
other information). The system stores advertising message coupled to the
array of preferred attributed in a message bank.
In the on-line operation the system associates targeted criteria of the
advertising message with dynamically updated profiles of wireless users to
identify the most likely group of profile identification numbers representing
a
group of targeted users. The system associates each of advertising
messages with corresponding array of profile identification numbers. As a
next step, the system translates profile identification numbers into mobile
identification number for delivering advertising message to user's wireless
terminal. The system delivers messages to wireless users according to the
transmission and presentation preferences specified for each of advertising
messages.
In the off-line operation, the system continually collects user positioning
data
providing real-time tracking of the targeted group and dynamic profiling
according to preset targeting criteria.
III. Implementation
A. The Profiling Server
FIG.3 illustrates the top level logical architecture of the Profiling Server
including key components according to a preferred embodiment of the
invention. As described in detail below, the Profiling Server includes a
targeting processor, a profiling processor, a management processor and a
profiling data base. Each of the component parts shown in FIG.3 are
described below.
CA 02293974 2000-O1-17
-12-
Referring to FIGS, the Profile Data Warehouse (PDW) consists of a collection
of data stores including a History Profile Bank (HPB), a Habit Profile Bank
(HPB), a Target Profile Bank (TPB) and a Mobility Profile Bank (MPB). The
PDW stores and maintains all the information on targeting profiles including
current geographical positioning, historical behaviour data and habitual
categories inferred from historical behaviour data.
The Mobility Profile Bank (MPB) receives and stores most recent positioning
data transmitted from the mediation server as a sequence of records
indicating geographical positioning. The structure of the positioning data
stored in the MBP as shown in FIG. 4A includes, but not limited to, the
profile
identification number, the geographical coordinates expressed in latitude and
longitude, the time stamp and the calling area code. The primary function of
the MPB is to provide a short-term buffering of the incoming positioning data
records to support filtering and profiling functions carried out by targeting
and
profiling processors as defined below. Mobility data records initially coming
to
the MPB are forwarded to the historical profile bank for long-term storage.
FIG. 4B shows the Targeting Profile Bank (TPB) structure for the targeting
profiles. Included, but not limited to, in each of the targeting profile are
advertising message, category identificator, targeting conditions and
presentation conditions. The targeting profiles are constructed through
manual association of each ad message with targeting profile criteria for the
ad message and other data regarding presentation of the ad message. The
profile construction is facilitated by the Management Processor providing
interactive software environment for setting up profiling properties for each
targeting profile.
The History Profile Bank (HPB) receives, stores and maintains profile
positioning information for each of the profile identification numbers as
shown
in FIG. 4C. The HPB continually receives mobility records from the MPB
storing only essential positioning parameters such as location, time and a
time-step parameter. The time-step parameter indicates how fast changes in
the mobility pattern have been happening. The primary function of the HMDB
is to respond on queries from the CP to identify each of the PINs that deemed
to have mobility pattern matching the one specified in queries.
CA 02293974 2000-O1-17
-1.3-
In short, the Management Processor (MP) defines, stores and manages
campaign order information and specification parameters.
The MP enables a system operator to define the marketing campaign,
associating the marketing message with a targeting command, containing (i)
attributes of the targeted group of profiles and (ii) parameters of the
message
presentation to the profiles. The MP primarily functions to map description of
the marketing message specified by a third-party sponsor into the targeting
criteria of the ad messages indicating conditions for targeted profiles
selection. The MP contains functionality to aid translation of targeted object
description into in longitudes and latitudes coordinates of the targeted
object.
For efficient profiling of user mobility historical data the MP performs
profiling
off-line responding to a system operator command to identify all profiles in
the
HPB with matching time/location conditions of the targeting command. For
example, for a targeting category defining frequent skiers, the MP initiates
scanning of the HPB to select each profile that has been register in the
targeting location of a ski resort given number of times.
The MP contains functionality to enable exchange of profile data between
communicating profiling servers. The MP of a profiling server can forward a
request over a public network to the central profiling server to retrieve a
user
profile with specified attributes. The MP receives and stores requested
profiles in corresponding profile data stores.
CA 02293974 2000-O1-17
-14-
The Targeting Processor (TP) responding to a campaign order received from
the MP selects targeting profiles by matching targeting criteria with
parameters of the profiles. The process of targeting is shown in detail in
FIG.
5. Upon receipt of a campaign order the TP retrieves appropriate targeting
command from the TPB. Further steps of the profiling process are associated
with the activated campaign order. After extracting targeting criteria the TP
retrieves each of the PINs from the user habit profile storage with matching
habit profile categories. Next, the TP sets up location and event tracking
filters
for each of the selected PINs . Next, the TP retrieves location data for each
selected PIN from the MPS to feed those data in the tracking filters. Finally,
the tracking filters of the TP output PINs that according to the composition
of
the procedure match targeting conditions of the advertising message. The TP
associates the list of the selected PINs with the ad message and transmits the
message to the mediation server according to specified presentation
parameters.
The profiling processor (PP) creates user habit profiles by associating
targeting categories with PINs through comparison of targeting criteria for
each of the categories with the historical mobility data.
The PP responds on profile orders manually triggered by the system operator
via an interactive software environment. The profile order includes a list of
profiling parameters and predefined category ID for those parameters. For
example, the order may contain name of the category (frequent ski resorts
visitors), location coordinates of the ski resort(s), time of visiting ski
resort(s),
duration of stay in the ski resort(s), number of visits of the resort(s), etc.
The
order means a request to identify all of the users frequently visiting ski
resorts.
Upon receipt of the profile order PP scans HDB records for PINs with location
parameters matching the targeting criteria specified in the profile order.
Upon
completion of the search the PP updates PDB adding the new profile category
to each of the selected PINs
B. The Mediation Server
CA 02293974 2000-O1-17
-1~-
FIG. 6 illustrates the logical architecture of the Mediation Server including
key
components and interrelationships according to a preferred embodiment of
the invention. As described in detail below, the Mediation Server includes a
location data message store (LDMS), a personal identity translation table
(PITT), a collection and translation processor (CTP), Privacy Module (EP)
and a distribution processor (DP). Each of the component parts shown in FIG.
6 are described below.
The location data message store (LDMS) interfaces with wireless network
devices receiving and buffering mobility data that come from the wireless
network. The LDMS functions as a primary data storage to allow a collection
and translation processor (CTP) to correlate location records asynchronously
arriving from the wireless network. The LDMS collects information from
various sources of the mobility data including, but not limited to, the
billing
records (CDR and EDR), user network location information, the positioning
data, the global positioning data, and the like. Location records are
identified
in the LDMS by personal identifiers of a wireless user e.g., mobile
identification number (MIN), the international mobile system identity (IMSI),
mobile IP, and the like. The LDMS communicates with the CTP forwarding
location records queried by the CTP.
The collection and translation processor (CTP) retrieves location data from
the LDMS and translates this data into a sequence of user mobility records
each including, but not limited to, user identification number (e.g., MIN,
IMSI,
Mobile IP, etc.), geographical coordinates of the user, time of registration
in
the geographical locality as shown in FIG. 4B. The operation of the CTP
requires several steps as follows. First, the CTP correlates location data
retrieved from the LDMS to extract information necessary to generate a user
location record. The CTP converts user network location information received
from the wireless network into longitudes and latitudes of geographical
positioning by associating the network location data with predefined
geographical reference plan. Next, the CTP generates a mobility detail record
(MDR) including, but not limited to, personal identifiers, longitudes and
latitudes and the timestamp. Finally, the CTP forwards the MDR to the
encryption module (EM) for subsequent transmission to the connected
profiling server.
CA 02293974 2000-O1-17
-1B-
The encryption module (EM) substitutes personal identificators of a wireless
terminal (e.g. MIN, IMS1, Mobile IP, etc) with a Personal Identification
Number
(PIN) that does not allow to restore the personal identifiers in the MDRs
communicated to/from profiling servers. Conversely, the EM translates PIN
into personal identifiers for each of the targeted messages coming from the
profiling servers.
The encoding of user personal identities requires several steps, as follows.
First, the EM extracts the mobile identification number (MIN) or/and any other
user identifier from the mobility data record . Then the EM translates the
user's identifier into the PIN according to the encoding procedure described
in
detail below. Next, the EM stores user's PIN associated with user's personal
identifiers in a personal identity translation table (PITT) to ensure a
uniquely
defined translation of the personal identifiers into PIN for each of the
users.
Finally, the EM substitutes the personal identifiers with the PIN in the MDRs
forwarded to the connected profiling server.
To restore personal identifiers from PIN selects the PIN in the message
coming from a profiling server, retrieves personal identifiers from the PITT
and substitutes the PIN with the personal identifiers in the targeting
message.
The distribution processor (DP) provides message exchange between
communicating entities including devices of wireless network, mediation
servers and profiling servers. The DP contains software interfaces which
enable (i) transmission of targeting message to the wireless network for
subsequent delivery of the messages to wireless users, communication of
MDRs between profiling servers and mediation servers, communication of
profile data between profiling servers across the advertising network.
The DP maintains a list of profiling servers connected to the mediation
server,
forwarding MDRs to the assigned profiling server.
C. Network Architecture
CA 02293974 2000-O1-17
-17-
Illustrated in FIG. 7 is a high-level block diagram of an exemplary
advertising
network which contains a plurality of profiling, a plurality of mediation
servers,
a central mediation server and a central profiling server. Each of the
mediation servers interconnects with wireless network to provide ability of
receiving mobility data from the wireless network and sending advertising
message to wireless users. Each of the profiling servers provides interactive
environment to target advertising messages.
The mediation server and the central mediation server preferably reside at the
network operator premisesadjunctprocessors
as to the wireless
network
equipment. Positioning servers at operator premises
of mediation the
qualifies mediation handlesecurity matterson behalf
servers to of the
wireless operator The operated by
providers. profiling an
server
is
advertisement providerremotelink and can positioned
via a be in any
geographical location.
The advertising network architecture of the present invention contains
multiplicity of profiling servers being connected to a single mediation
server,
whereas each of the profiling servers being connected only to a single
mediation server. The network architecture of the present invention coupled
with security procedure outlined below enables unique, secure and
interoperable addressing of the wireless users in the advertising network.
The central mediation server enables inter-exchange of profiling information
between profiling servers. The central profiling server collects user,
mobility
and target profiles to enable execution of global marketing campaigns
involving multiplicity of geographically separated local advertising sites.
A wide range of untrusted communication mediums can be employed in the
present invention to connect profiling and mediation servers including
Internet
(or other public network), a private network, a private communication channel,
or a combination of thereof.
IV. Security of User Identities
CA 02293974 2000-O1-17
-1B-
A method for concealing personal identifiers of wireless user applies to the
network architecture illustrated in FIG. 7. The method provides translation of
personal identities of wireless users into secure profile identification
numbers
(PIN) which does not allow profiling servers to recognize true identity of
wireless users when using those PINS for unique identification of wireless
users. The encryption method is a software program encapsulated in the
encryption module of the mediation server. The method advantageously
allows profiling servers of the advertising network to gather mobility
information on wireless users, carry out profiling of the collected mobility
data
and target advertising messages using no personal identities of the users.
The operation of the encryption method allows profiling servers to exchange
user profiles indexed by profiling server-specific PINs without having to
share
secret decoding keys.
The PIN is generated at the profiling server by combining MIN (here an further
MIN is used as an example of the personal identifiers) with the PSI (pseudo-
random number assigned by the mediation server to each of connected
profiling servers) (e.g. , by interleaving bits of MIN with the bits of PSI),
and
then using a conventional one-way (e.g., non-reversible) algorithm such as
MD4(Message-Digest 4) to convert the PIN/PSI combination into a hash code
(see MD4 description in ~). Because the PIN is generated using a one-way
hash algorithm, the Advertisement Provider can not extract the user's MIN (or
any other meaningful information about user's identify) from the PIN code.
The one-way hash algorithm is used here as an example, therefore it is
appropriate to use any other type of cryptographic algorithms to generate the
PIN code. The method generates server-specific set of PINs which is unique
for each of the profiling server.
CA 02293974 2000-O1-17
-1~-
In operation the procedure requires several steps. The system maintains a
list of identification numbers assigned to each of the connected profiling
servers. Also the security procedure allocates the mobile identity translation
tables (MITT) for each of the connected profiling servers. In downstream
communication, the security procedure reads the MIN in the mobility detail
records (MDR) coming from the CTP. Next, the procedure verifies if the PIN
corresponding to the MIN already exists in the table identified by the
profiling
server identity (PSI) number. If the PIN is found in the table then the
procedure substitutes the MIN with the PIN in the outgoing MDR. If the PIN is
not found in the table then the security procedure executes an encoding
routine for translating MIN into the PIN. The generated PIN is stored in the
MITT identified by the corresponding PSI.
In upstream operation, the procedure reads the PIN in the advertising
message coming from the profiling server. Then, the procedure retrieves
corresponding MIN from the look-up table MITT identified by the PSI number.
Finally, the procedure substitutes the PIN with the MIN in the message.
The procedure enables secure exchange of user profile data between profiling
servers. As result of the substitution of user identities, each of the
profiling
servers holds a unique array of PINs such that same wireless user appears in
different profiling servers identified by different PINs. The system exchanges
user profile data via successive substitution of user identities of user
identities
in the series of mediation servers connecting those profiling servers that
exchange profiling data. For the exemplary network illustrated in FIG. 7, the
exchange between profiling servers 1 and 2 requires three encoding steps.
First, the profiling data is encoded in the mediation server 1 translating
PIN1
(PIN of the profiling server 1) into the MIN. Next, the profile is forwarded
from
the mediation server 1 to the mediation server 2 via central mediation server.
Next, the mediation server 2 translates the MIN into PIN specific for the
profiling server 2. Finally, the profiling server 3 receives the user profile
originally stored in the profiling server 1.
CA 02293974 2000-O1-17
Important business consequence of the encoding scheme is that no privacy
agreement is to be made between the owner of the mediation server and/or
the users and/or wireless operator since the owner of the profiling server
does
not hold at any time any personal information of wireless users.
V. Method For Profile Exchange
Global deployment of the network shown in FIG. 7 requires rules to enable
exchange of user profile information between profiling servers operating in
different geographical localities. The profile exchange rules are required in
several circumstances. First, profiling servers may want to inquire
information
about users serviced by other profiling servers. Also the central server may
want to make inquires about profile of targeting users to perform global
advertising campaign.
In order to facilitate exchange of user profiles, the system of the present
invention requires each of the profiling servers of the advertising network to
operate with generic format of target profiles, user profiles and mobility
profiles as defined in FIG 4.
Mediation Servers of the advertising network exchange requests for user
and/or mobility and/or target profiles communicating with each other via
Central Management Server to ensure a unique set of profile data across the
entire advertising network. The exchange of requests is controlled by
Management Servers communicating with the CMS via public network (e.g.,
I nternet).
Upon receiving of the request for a user profile and/or mobility profile from
one
of Profiling Servers, the Management Processor of the CMS retrieves the
requested profile from corresponding data base and forwards the profile to the
Profiling Server via the chain of Mediation Servers connecting the CMS and
targeting Profiling Server. Mediation Servers provide translation of PIN code
of the CMS into PIN codes of the targeting Profiling Server without danger to
expose identify of wireless users to the advertising network.
CA 02293974 2000-O1-17
-z~-
Profiling Servers exchange target profiles directly without having Mediation
Servers involved in the communication process since the target profiles do not
contain any encoded user related information.
VI. System Operation
The operation of the system of present invention is now described in
connection with the flow diagrams shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. FIG. 8 illustrates a
flow diagram of a system for delivering and targeting of advertising messages
in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.
Targeting Process
Referring to block 1 of FIG. 8, the targeting process starts with reception of
marketing campaign including a content message and a description of the
marketing campaign, including advertising message, description of the
targeting group of wireless users, criteria of reaching targeting users (by
location and/or time and/or event and/or historical behaviour) and
presentation parameters of the advertising messages (frequency, time,
maximum number, etc.).
Referring to block 2, the system operator with aid of the MP, creates a
customized campaign order by setting targeting parameters associated with
the ad message. The MP identifies positioning of the targeting objects in
terms of geographical zones defined in unified coordinates. The MP stores
the targeting command in the TPS.
Referring to block 3, in response to profiling order, the PP scans the HDB to
identify each of the P/Ns with mobility patterns matching targeting
conditions.
The PP updates the each of the records in the TPS that matched the
targeting conditions.
CA 02293974 2000-O1-17
With reference to block 4, after receiving the campaign order the TP creates a
search process associated with the order ID and based on the targeting
parameters specified in the order. The TP communicates with the TPB and
MPB comparing targeting criteria of the advertising message with real-time
and behavioural profiles to identify each of the matching PINs. The TP
discontinues to search targeting PINs as soon as the termination condition set
in the campaign order is detected.
With reference to block 5, upon completion of the PIN selection process, the
TP forwards advertising message coupled with a list of selected PINs to the
connected mediation server. The TP controls transmission of the targeting
messages according to the presentation parameters specified.
With reference to block 6, upon reception of the advertisement coupled with a
list of PINs in the mediation server, the encryption module translates each of
the PINs into personal identifiers of wireless users.
With reference to block 7, after decoding of personal identifiers, the DP
sends
advertising messages to the wireless network for presentation to wireless
users.
Collection Process
As shown in FIG. 9, the collection process includes collection of primary
mobility data from the wireless network, generating of call details records,
masking user identities and storing data in the profiling server.
Referring to block 1, upon reception of mobility data from wireless network
the
CTP stores the mobility data in the LDMS.
Referring to block 2, the CTP retrieves mobility data from the LDMS to
produce LDR indexed by personal identifiers of a wireless user.
CA 02293974 2000-O1-17
Referring to block 3, the EM substitutes personal identifiers of wireless
users
in the LDRs with profile identification numbers. Next the DP transmits
encoded LDRs to connected profiling servers.
Referring to block 4, upon reception of LDRs in the mobility data storage,
LDRs are forwarded to the HDB for long term storage.
