Method and apparatus enabling valuation of user access of advertising carried by interactive information and entertainment services

Patent 5974398 Issued on October 26, 1999. Estimated Expiration Date:

April 11, 2017. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

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Inventors

Assignee

AT&T Corp.

Application

No. 838863 filed on 04/11/1997

US Classes:

705/14, Distribution or redemption of coupon, or incentive or promotion program379/88.2, Automatic Number Identification (ANI)705/10Market analysis, demand forecasting or surveying

Examiners

Primary: MacDonald, Allen R.
Assistant: Irshadullah, M.

International Class

G06F 017/60

Abstract

Interactive information and entertainment service customers see advertisers' bids for their attention which are displayed on their display screens and choose which advertisements to view. For each advertisement viewed, the advertisers' bid amount would pay for a portion of the user's service or usage charge. A display on the user's terminal screen includes the advertisers most willing to pay for the user's attention and the dollar amount bid. If the user chooses to see a particular advertiser's message, then the user is reimbursed, or a credit is applied to the user's service account for the amount of the bid promised by the advertiser whose message was viewed. Customer interest profiles and service usage data collected by the service provider are used to identify particular user characteristics to advertisers. Advertisers define user characteristics of particular desirability and place a dollar value on having messages viewed by individual users based on the desirability of the user.