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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to telephone systems, and to the dissemination of
advertisements via telephone systems.
2. Description of Related Art
The established media for disseminating advertisements are experiencing
declining audience and effectiveness. In commercial television, remote
control devices and cable television systems with many channels have
created a phenomenon called "channel surfing," in which viewers
immediately switch channels when an advertisement comes on and continue
switching until a channel without a commercial is found, making the
audience for commercials smaller. Furthermore, the popularity of video
cassette recorders has given increased numbers of television viewers the
ability to record programs and then "zap" or "fast-forward" past the
advertisements when these recorded programs are replayed, making the
audience for commercials still smaller.
Advertisers have traditionally been concerned with quantifying the audience
that their advertisements reach. The audience of electronic advertising
media is presently calculated by measuring or surveying a small sample of
the potential population and extrapolating the result of that measurement
to the general population.
Telephone systems have been extensively used for telemarketing, in which
the telephone is used for high-pressure "boiler-room" sales. The abuse of
telemarketing has already resulted in Federal legislation aimed at curbing
some of the more offensive telemarketing practices. Marketers who have
relied in the past on telemarketing need new strategies to continue using
the telephone as a marketing tool.
Telephone systems have been adapted to serve many purposes that are in some
way related to commercial messages. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,614,328
describes an Automatic Subscriber Answering Service in which a caller,
once connected to the service, can supply additional digits by use of the
telephone dial or keypad and be provided with information on the goods and
services associated with the digits provided. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,267,
a system is described in which a caller seeking product or service
information can be automatically connected to a dealer, agent or
distributor who furnishes such products or services. The systems described
in the aforementioned patents require the caller to initiate the request
for specific marketing information by calling the service and then
additionally by providing additional digits if necessary.
Computer-based telephone voice messaging systems are also currently used to
deliver electronic "classified" advertisements ranging from apartment
rentals to personals. The delivery of these advertisements is also
initiated and selected by the calling party.
Telephone systems commonly are equipped to provide messages to parties "on
hold." When a telephone call is placed on hold in these systems, a
recording of music or an announcement or an advertisement is switched onto
the held line, either at the start of the recording or at some
intermediate point of the recording. At the end of the hold period, the
recording is disconnected without regard to the completion of the inserted
message.
Telephone systems commonly are equipped to intercept incoming calls and
provide messages to callers before routing the call to either a human or
automated attendant. When the incoming telephone call is received in these
systems, a recorded announcement or advertisement is switched onto the
incoming line. At the end of the message, the recording is disconnected
and the call is routed further.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,004 relates to voice messaging and tone synthesis as
used in telephone routing systems. Tones are used in many telephone
systems to transmit routing information from one point to another. Tones
are also used to transmit information on the status of a call back in the
direction the call was initiated. Recorded voices have long been used to
impart information to a caller in a telephone system. Computer technology
is now replacing the analog equipment originally used to implement these
features. This patent involves computer-based voice and tone response to
caller actions, such as pressing the numbers on the telephone keypad, or
system events, such as an operator intercept when an unreachable or
"disconnected" number has been dialed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of this invention is to provide novel telephone systems, for use
with both local and toll call service, primarily adapted to disseminate
advertisements. A related object of this invention is to provide
advertisers with a novel effective medium for delivering their
advertisements.
A further object of this invention is to provide advertisers with a very
accurate count of the audience for their advertisements and to provide a
novel advertising medium that accurately accounts for the exposure of each
of multiple advertisements.
The present invention provides telephone subscribers and users with an
alternative to the customary system for callers to reach called parties.
Advertisement distribution apparatus is provided through which a caller
can reach a called party designated by the calling party. The time of the
call is divided between one mode in which the parties are in communication
with each other and a different mode in which the communication is
interrupted and messages selected by the ad service apparatus are "played"
or "delivered" or "inserted" to the parties on the call. The mode in which
the parties are in communication with each other will be referred to in
the following as the "communication" or "talking time" interval. The mode
in which ad messages are delivered will be referred to in the following as
the "message" interval. During any telephone call, there are one or
multiple back-and-forth mode changes between conversation or other
communication and ad insertion. One or both of the parties receive the
same inserted message during any one message interval. Alternatively, one
or both of the parties receive different messages during any one message
interval.
There is an inducement for a caller to place calls via an advertising
service; the advertising service bears some or all of the cost of the
call. The cost is recouped by the advertising service from the
advertisers.
It is contemplated that a new telephone advertising service company will
establish a call distributing network, preferably but not necessarily in
the existing telephone system. This network may take various forms. For
example, the ad service company may operate in a similar manner to one of
the present competing long distance common carriers. Suitable arrangements
may be made between the local telephone company, the owner of the long
distance network and the new ad service company. Then, when a subscriber
of a local telephone company dials "1" or another suitable access code,
that subscriber's telephone will be connected via the local exchange to an
ad service apparatus, and the ad service apparatus will then route the
call into the telephone network, ultimately to be routed to the telephone
designated by the caller.
As an alternative, the ad service company may make arrangements for a
toll-free "800" number or series of "800" numbers to be used in very
nearly the same manner. The caller would dial the "800" number, reaching
the ad service apparatus, and then provide the ad service with the number
of the called party and, from that point, the ad service apparatus would
route the call to the party designated by the calling party.
In concept, the invention is amenable to use within the area of a single
local exchange. However, the greatest appeal is for a caller to be able to
make a toll call at reduced or no cost, which will involve a long distance
network. Ad service apparatus would be provided for routing calls to the
long distance network and additional ad service routing means would route
the call from the long distance network, ultimately to reach the called
party's telephone. A comprehensive system would ordinarily have ad service
routing means connected between each local exchange and a
point-of-presence of the long distance network in each local area.
In addition to equipment implementing the routing function, some or all of
the ad service apparatuses would include ad insertion equipment. That
equipment would perform additional functions, basically including the
function of switching a call between one mode in which communication
between the parties is established and a different mode in which the
party-to-party communication is interrupted and a message or messages is
inserted. In the course of an extended call there will be one or more
repeated reversals from each mode to the other. The ad insertion equipment
stores multiple messages, notably including advertisers' "ad sponsor"
messages. The ad insertion equipment contains ad selection means,
regulated in accordance with various criteria, that select one or more
messages to be played during the next "different" mode of operation. The
ad insertion equipment also contains accounting means that accumulates the
usage of each message, either in terms of the number of times that each
message is used or the total time elapsed during use of each message, for
one or many calls over a period of time that may be long. This provides a
precise basis for billing and this is also able to provide each advertiser
with a large amount of data related to the actual dissemination of each
message. As one of the many criteria used in message selection, an
introductory message of the ad service company is optionally inserted as
the first message on each call, to explain the interruptions to the called
party. As another criterion, selection of any message is limited to one
insertion of any particular ad in each telephone call. The alternative is
not to avoid duplicating any message during any one telephone call. The
same message is played on the calling party's channel and the called
party's channel simultaneously or different messages can be played on the
calling party's channel and the called party's channel.
In some of the more detailed aspects of this invention, the ad insertion
equipment selects, automatically, those advertisements that are most
appropriate to particular areas, based on demographic or other
considerations, or based on time-of-day or specific dates, or based on
various other considerations such as the frequency of exposure of each
advertisement in relation to that of another advertisement or other
advertisements. Called numbers are screened to reject certain numbers
(such as "900" area codes) and to activate a special response to the
calling party if the called number is invalid for any reason. The date and
time of delivery of each ad message are recorded. Ad messages are selected
automatically for delivery in specified geographic locations and at
specified times. Ad messages are also automatically selected based on the
number of instances or on the aggregate time that any particular ad
message has been delivered in relation to other ad messages in the system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the invention as applied to a telephone system
having limited capability. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the advertising
service apparatus.
FIGS. 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5 and 6 are block diagrams of modifications of the
embodiment in FIG. 1, as applied to telephone systems having varied
capabilities.
FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C and 7D, together, are a flow chart representing the
operation of the apparatus shown in part in FIG. 1.
FIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C and 8D, together, are a flow chart representing an
alternative to the operation of the apparatus of FIG. 1 including
apparatus not shown in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 represents an elemental part of a typical long distance telephone
system, adapted to serve many purposes of the present invention. In FIG.
1, the calling party's telephone equipment 1 (or "telephone," briefly) is
connected by line 2 to the originating exchange 3 of the local telephone
company. Correspondingly, the called party's telephone equipment or
telephone 15 is connected via line 14 to the landing exchange 13 of the
called party's local telephone company. The terms "originating" exchange
and "landing" exchange are terms of reference when used with a caller and
a called party at opposite ends of a communication system, considering a
call initiated at one end of the system. For example, the originating
exchange for a calling party in New York City would be one of the central
offices owned by New York Telephone and the landing exchange for a called
party in Los Angeles would be one of the central offices owned by Pacific
Telephone and Telegraph. Each long distance carrier competing in an area
must maintain a "point of presence" in the area with which to collect
outgoing calls routed to it from the local exchange and to distribute
incoming calls to the local exchange that have been routed to it from
other regions. Each competing carrier's long distance network 8 has many
points of presence, at least one in each area that is served. In FIG. 1,
the local point of presence 9 of the long distance carrier is located
geographically in the area of the originating exchange 3. The remote point
of presence 11 of the long distance carrier is located geographically in
the area of landing exchange 13. The originating as well as the landing
exchange may assume various forms. At times each exchange is a single
switching office and, in other circumstances, geographically distributed
switching offices are integrated into one central exchange.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the originating exchange 3 is connected to the
local point of presence 9 of the long distance carrier by line 4 and by
lines 4b and 4d. Line 4 is a direct connection between the local exchange
and the local point of presence 9 of the long distance carrier operating
the network 8. Lines 4a are direct connections to long distance networks
(not shown) operated by competing carriers. These lines are provided to
each of perhaps several long distance carrier by the local exchange
company. Lines 4, 4a and 4b are made active selectively by the caller
dialing the access code "10xxx" or "1" of a long distance carrier followed
by the area code and telephone number of a called party. As an
alternative, the caller dials a toll-free "800" number assigned to the
advertising service; that "800" line is either served manually or it is
specially equipped to acquire and respond to the area code and number of
the called party.
Apparatus 5 of an "advertising service" is connected by lines 4b to the
equipment of the originating exchange 3 and by lines 4d to the equipment
of the long distance carrier's point of presence 9 in the area of the
originating exchange. The advertising service apparatus consists of an
"advertising inserter" or "ad inserter" 6 and an "ad service call router"
7. The connection from the advertising inserter to the ad service call
router is diagrammatically represented by line 4c as will be apparent from
the description (below) of FIG. 2. Elements 6 and 7 are either be separate
apparatuses or they are combined in one piece of apparatus. They are shown
separated here to call attention to their separate functions and to
represent the feasibility of providing separated pieces of equipment for
performing their separate functions.
Lines 10 of a long distance network interconnect points-of-presence 9 and
11; and lines 12 interconnect the remote point of presence of the long
distance carrier and the landing exchange 13. Lines 14 (only one being
shown) interconnect the landing exchange 13 and the called party 15. Lines
2, 4, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 10, 12 and 14 each carry one call at a time or they
each carry many calls simultaneously using multiplexing techniques.
In using the apparatus of FIG. 1, the calling party dials "1" or "10xxx"
(as may be appropriate) and the area code and telephone number of the
called party. The central office of the originating local exchange 3
recognizes the long distance carrier prefix and routes the call either
directly to the local point of presence of the long distance carrier 9 via
line 4 or to the ad service call router 7 of the advertising service
apparatus 5 via line 4b, or to the point of presence of a competing long
distance carrier via line 4a. (In the interest of brevity, the further
discussion of FIG. 1 is devoted only to the advertising service apparatus
5.)
The advertising service apparatus 5 responds to an incoming or received
call by taking the telephone number of the calling party and the area code
and telephone number of the called party off the line and placing them in
temporary computer storage. The telephone number of the calling party is
provided by the local exchange in any of several different ways, as by
transmitting tones on the line, by sending a stream of bits or by using a
separate signaling circuit. The telephone number of the called party is
also provided in any of several different ways. The area code and
telephone number of the called party are then checked for validity by the
ad service call router 7, and if not valid, the ad service plays a message
such as "Your call cannot be completed as dialed . . ." for the caller and
does not route the call any farther. An invalid number consists of, for
example, a three digit area code that does not correspond to a number used
in the area code numbering plan (that is, a nonexistent area code); an
area code that is not served by the ad service for any number of reasons,
such as unavailability of landing facilities or agreements; or an area
code that has been blocked entirely, such as "900" pay-per-call codes; a
local exchange that has been blocked entirely, such as "976" and "540"
pay-per-call exchanges; or any other area code and number that are
deliberately excluded from the calling capability of the advertising
service apparatus. For example, those excluded area codes and telephone
numbers are those of individuals or organizations who choose not to
receive advertiser-supported calls.
If the area code and number are valid, the call is routed by the ad service
call router 7 via line 4d (FIG. 1) to the point of presence 9 of the long
distance carrier in the area in which the call originated, for example,
New York City. The long distance carrier then routes the call via the long
distance line or network of lines 10 to its point of presence 11 in the
area corresponding to the area code and local exchange of the number of
the called party, for example, Los Angeles. From there, the long distance
carrier lands the call at the central office 13 of the local landing
exchange in the called area. The central office routes the call on line 14
to the telephone number of the called party and rings telephone 15.
FIG. 2 shows a functional block diagram of the advertising service
apparatus 5 of FIG. 1, including the apparatus of both the advertising
inserter 6 and the ad service call router 7. Both the advertising inserter
and the ad service call router include the telephone line interface 25,
the voice and tone processor 26, the digital matrix switch 27, the mass
storage system 28 and the central processing unit 31 shown in FIG. 2, as
well as software for performing various distinct functions. Although, the
advertising inserter 6 and the ad service call router 7 are shown separate
in FIG. 1 to emphasize their functional difference, they either exist
separately or are integrated in one assembly as shown in FIG. 2.
In FIG. 2, lines 16, 16a and 16b are the various telephone lines that
connect the telephone line interface 25 of the advertising service to the
network. The roles of these lines are explained in the discussion that
follows. The voice and tone processor 26 is used to convert messages
stored in the apparatus into voice signals for delivery to the connected
parties. The voice and tone processor 26 also captures received tones and
pulses and generates tones for call routing. The voice and tone processor
26 also monitors the telephone lines to determine the status of the calls.
The digital matrix switch 27 is used to connect the transmit and receive
channels of the incoming and outgoing lines from and to the calling and
called parties in order to effect the switching of calls. Many but not all
of the functional components 25, 26 and 27 correspond to the ad service
call router 7 of FIG. 1.
The mass storage system 28 is used to store the digitized ad message files
including the storage for ad service messages 28c and the storage 28d for
sponsored messages, the delivery criteria database or ad criteria database
28a for determining message selection and the accounting database or ad
usage database 28b and the storages 28c and 28d for ad service messages
and sponsored messages as well as the control software of the ad service
apparatus. The central processing unit 31 uses the control software to
direct and monitor the apparatus. The central processing unit 31 contains
the ad usage register 31a used to keep track of messages delivered on each
call, the talking time timer or talk time timer 31b used to control the
length of time the parties are in communication with each other and the ad
counter 31c used to keep track of how the ads needed to be loaded into
storage or delivered in any particular message interval on a call. Lines
17 and 18 provide an internal "bus" of the ad service apparatus. The
computer bus 19a, 19b, 19c and 19d enables the central processing unit 31
to communicate with the rest of the advertising service apparatus.
Circuits 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 connect the various elements of the ad
service apparatus to the computer bus.
In FIG. 2, line 16a is the particular telephone line (of all the telephone
lines 16) that carries the call initiated by the calling party in this
discussion to the telephone line interface 25. (This line 16a corresponds
to line 4b in FIG. 1.) The call is "answered" and then routed from the
telephone line interface 25 on the telephone bus 17 to the voice and tone
processor 26, which takes the tones representing the telephone number of
the calling party and the tones representing the area code and telephone
number of the called party off the line. The area code and number of the
called party are routed via circuit 21, the computer bus 19b, 19c, and 19d
and then circuit 24 to the central processing unit 31, where they are
placed them in temporary computer storage. The central processing unit 31
then checks the area code and telephone number of the called party for
validity using data accessed via circuits 23, 19d and 24 from the mass
storage system 28, data that is also loaded into temporary storage in the
central processing unit 31 via circuits 24, 19d and 23. If the area code
and number or both are not valid, the central processing unit 31 directs
the voice and tone processor 26 to play a message for the caller such as
"Your call cannot be completed as dialed . . . Please check the number and
try again . . . ," using a message stored in the mass storage system 28.
If the area code and number are valid, the central processing unit 31
checks the telephone line interface 25 for an available line. Once
available line 16b (of all the possible lines 16) has been located and
selected, the central processing unit 31 directs the digital matrix switch
27 to connect line 16a to line 16b using the telephone bus 18. Lines 16a
and 16b are channels to the caller's telephone and to the called party's
telephone. The central processing unit 31 then directs the telephone line
interface 25 to route the call out on line 16b. The ad inserter is then in
one mode of operation, the mode in which there is communication between
the parties.
Referring to FIG. 1, when the call is answered, a timer (not shown) in the
advertising inserter 6 of the advertising service 5 apparatus is started
in order to time the total length of the call. A second timer, which may
be called the "talking time" timer or the "talk time" timer 31b (FIG. 2),
is also started in the advertising inserter 6 when the call is answered,
in this embodiment of the invention. An introductory ad service message,
such as "Thank you for using . . . Advertising messages will occasionally
interrupt your call . . . ," is now played, optionally, to one or both of
the parties before connecting the call. Alternatively, this introductory
message is omitted and the parties are connected immediately. When the
timing interval of the second timer, the talking time interval timer, has
elapsed, the ad service equipment is switched by mode switcher 31e to a
different mode of operation. In this different mode of operation, the
conversation between the parties is interrupted; instead the ad message
provided by the advertising service 5 (FIG. 1) and obtained from sponsored
message storage 28 a (FIG. 2), is delivered to one or both of the parties
at channels 16a and 16b (FIG. 2). As one alternative, the initial setting
of the talking time interval timer and its subsequent settings allow fixed
times for conversation. Alternatively, the settings are varied to allow
periods of communication between the parties related to the length of the
next-scheduled message or sequence of multiple messages or the
just-delivered message or message sequence.
Referring again to FIG. 2, prior to or during the time that the parties are
connected, one or more ad messages in sponsored message storage 28d are
selected by ad selector means 31d ("Ad Selector") in FIG. 6 using
information stored in a delivery criteria database 28a located in the mass
storage system 28 and the selected message or messages is placed into
temporary storage in the central processing unit 31 in preparation for
delivery. As part of the ad selection criteria, the first message selected
for delivery in each call is optionally an explanation of the
advertisement dissemination system, similar to the introductory ad service
message described above. The criteria for message selection also include a
definite total number of times that an ad message should be delivered over
a period of time during perhaps many telephone calls, the first and last
dates on which an ad message is allowed to be delivered, the area codes
and local exchanges that the delivery of the ad message should target or
exclude, the day or days of the week on which the ad message is or is not
to be delivered, the time of day at which any particular ad message must
be or must not be delivered, whether a particular ad message should be the
first, second or subsequent ad message during a call, whether the ad
message must run exclusively or as part of a sequence of ad messages. In
addition to the information stored in the delivery criteria database 28a,
the ad service apparatus keeps information in the ad usage register 31a of
the central processing unit 31 to further determine the suitability of a
particular ad message on a particular call. This storage in the central
processing unit is programmed to keep track of all previous ad messages
delivered on a call; that storage becomes part of the message selection
criteria that is used in the selection routine to prevent the delivery of
the any particular ad message more than once either during a call or for a
specified duration. The ad service apparatus is configured to prevent
consecutive deliveries of the same ad message on the same call.
Alternatively, the ad service apparatus is configured to prevent any
repetition of any ad message on the same call. The central processing unit
31 is programmed to check the ad counter 31c to determine whether more
than one ad messages need to be selected. The ad counter represents either
the number of individual ad messages to be delivered during the next
message interval when the party-to-party communication is interrupted or
the total duration of the ad messages to be delivered during the next
message interval. If, for example, the ad counter represents one unit,
then one ad message will be delivered during the next message interval and
if the ad counter represents two units, then two ad messages will be
delivered. If the ad counter represents 30 seconds, then one or more ad
messages totalling 30 seconds will be delivered during the next message
interval. The ad counter is either fixed or variable. When variable, the
ad counter is based on, for example, the length of a particular ad message
or messages. If the ad counter indicates that more ad messages are needed,
the program causes the search of the database to continue, one or more
additional ad messages are selected. When the ad counter indicates that
enough messages have been selected, the ad selector 31d stops searching
the database.
The central processing unit 31 checks the talking time interval timer 31b
until it is determined that sufficient time has elapsed for the ad message
or messages to be delivered. When sufficient time has elapsed with the
apparatus in the communication mode, the program of the central processing
unit causes mode switches 31e to change the mode of operation of the ad
service to switch to the mode in which the parties are disconnected from
each other; each party is connected to an advertising delivery channel in
the voice and tone processor 26 and the ad message is delivered.
When each ad message terminates, the central processing unit 31 is
programmed to update the accounting information in the message usage
database 28b in the mass storage system 28 relevant to the particular ad
message by storing the ad message identifier, to increment and store in a
counter the total number of times the selected message has been delivered,
to store the telephone numbers of the calling and called parties, and to
store the date and time the ad message was delivered. The central
processing unit is also programmed to enter into storage delivery
information for a selected message for avoiding repetition of any message
during a call. The central processing unit is also programmed to check the
ad counter 31c to determine whether more ad messages need to be delivered
at this time and if so, the mode of operation is not reversed and the ad
inserter continues to deliver the ad messages and store the accounting
information until all the messages have been delivered. As an alternative
to checking the ad counter to determine whether to terminate the message
interval and change the mode of operation to that in which the parties are
in communication with each other, the central processing unit is
programmed to check for a marker or flag signifying the end of the message
interval.
When the final ad message terminates during operation of the apparatus in
the "different" mode of operation, the program of the ad inserter causes
mode switcher 31e to reverse the mode of operation, whereupon each party
is disconnected from the advertising delivery channel in the voice and
tone processor 26 and the parties are again connected to each other so
that the conversation may be resumed. A new talking time interval is
determined, based either on a fixed interval or the length of the
next-scheduled ad message or the length of the last delivered ad message.
One or more ad messages is selected under program control, again based on
the delivery criteria database 28a kept in the mass storage system 28 and
the ad message information temporarily kept in the central processing unit
31. The reversals of the modes of operation are repeated until the call is
terminated, either by the calling party or the called party hanging up or
by action of a system timer.
As an alternative, the ad service apparatus in FIG. 1 is programmed to
operate in the "different" mode initially, providing an initial ad message
or messages to one or both of the parties on the call after the optional
ad service introductory message and before switching the mode of operation
to the communication mode. After completion of the initial ad message or
messages, the program causes the mode of operation to change to the mode
in which the calling and the called parties are in communication with each
other. Referring to FIG. 2, in this configuration of the ad inserter, the
ad message delivery database from the mass storage system 28 is searched
prior to connecting the two parties and the talking time interval timer is
set to limit the time during which the parties in communication with each
other. Alternatively, the talking time interval timer 31b is set to a
fixed party-to-party communication duration interval. The rest of the ad
service apparatus is virtually unchanged.
Referring to FIG. 1, the advertising service apparatus 5 is equipped to
supply any desired data for use as either as a basis for the long distance
carrier and the local exchange to bill the advertising service or for use
in advertising service accounting. The advertising service apparatus also
has an ad usage database 28b (FIG. 2) for accruing the total usage of ad
messages over a period of time, as a clear basis for billing the
advertisers, on a per ad delivery basis or otherwise. The program uses the
ad usage database, the delivery criteria database 28a (FIG. 2) and ad
usage information stored temporarily in the ad usage register 31a (FIG. 2)
to check the ad messages delivered during any call to avoid repetition of
any ad message during any call.
In customary practice, dialing "1" or an alternative multi-digit access
number automatically connects the caller to the telephone network, the
caller routinely dials the number of the called party after dialing some
prefix or access number. However, the ad service is also implemented
without depending on dial "1" or alternative prefixes to establish equal
access interconnection. The calling party reaches the advertising service
apparatus using a toll-free "800" number or a local telephone number
assigned to the advertising service. Because the number that the calling
party wishes to be connected to is not routed to the advertising service
by an equal access prefix in this implementation, the ad service must
prompt the caller by a recorded oral request or a tone to enter digits
using the telephone keypad or dial. This involves a separate step, after
the advertising service has been reached. Once the area code and telephone
number of the called party has been received, the ad service functions
similarly to the equal access implementation.
The diagram of FIG. 1 illustrates the telephone system including the
advertising service as it applies to a call initiated from the originating
exchange and reaching a called party through the landing exchange. A more
comprehensive representation of a telephone system that includes the
advertising service apparatus is shown in FIG. 3. This figure shows the
whole system as it applies to a calling party at either end of the system
of FIG. 1. The calling/called party becomes "telephone" at each end of the
system. Lines 4 and 4a of FIG. 1 are omitted to simplify the diagram (FIG.
3).
The block diagram in FIG. 3 shows the embodiment of the invention in FIG. 1
with the additional capability of handling a call originating in an area
remote to the advertising service, for example, a call originating from
telephone 50. This capability is implemented by adding an ad service call
router 46 connected between the central office 48 of the local exchange
and the point of presence 44 of the long distance carrier in area 2. This
call router differs only from the advertising service apparatus 5 in FIG.
1 in that it is not equipped with ad insertion equipment.
The ad service call router has all the call routing capabilities of the
advertising service, apparatus 5 of FIG. 1, but it cannot insert ad
messages into calls. Referring to FIG. 2, the functional block diagram of
the advertising service contains all the elements of the ad service call
router. Again, lines 16, 16a and 16b are telephone lines that connect the
telephone line interface 25 of the ad service call router to the network.
Lines 17 and 18 are the internal telephone lines of the ad service or
telephone "bus" on which calls are connected and switched. The computer
bus 19a, 19b, 19c and 19d enables circuit routes 31f in the central
processing unit 31 to control call switching and routing using the various
elements of the ad service call router.
Referring to FIG. 3, when a call originates from an area containing only an
ad service call router, all call timing and ad message insertion are done
by an advertising inserter 39 in an advertising service 38 in an area
remote from the area of the originating ad service call router 46. The ad
messages are selected using information stored in a delivery criteria
database located in the remote advertising service 38 and delivered on the
call at the location of the remote advertising service 38. The message
usage database is also stored at the remote advertising service 38. In
FIG. 3, a call originates from telephone 50 by dialing "1" or "10xxx" (as
may be appropriate) and the area code and telephone number of the called
party. The call is routed via line 49 to the local exchange 48 in area 2,
which recognizes the long distance carrier prefix and routes the call via
line 47 to the ad service call router 46 which serves as the local point
of presence for the advertising service 38 in area 2. The call is then
routed via line 45 to the area 2 point of presence 44 of the long distance
carrier network 41 and then via line 43 to the area 1 point of presence 42
of the long distance carrier. The call is routed to the advertising
service 38 via line 37c. There, the ad service call router 40 routes the
call via line 37a to the local exchange 36 and from there via line 35 to
telephone 34. From this point, the call is handled similarly to the call
in FIG. 1, with ad messages for both parties inserted by the advertising
inserter 39 via line 37b.
In FIG. 3, a call originating at telephone 34 is handled similarly to a
call in FIG. 1, except that it is routed in area 2 by the ad service call
router 46, acting as the point of presence of the remote advertising
service, to the central office 48 in the remote area 2 exchange and then
to telephone 50. Again, ad messages for both parties are inserted by the
advertising inserter 39 in area 1.
The block diagram in FIG. 3A shows the embodiment of the invention in FIG.
3 with an additional node on the network in area 3, which contains an
additional advertising service 62 containing an advertising inserter 63
and ad service call router 64. In this configuration, any call from any
local exchange is able to be processed as long as one of the parties
served is in an area containing an advertising service (area 1 or area 3).
In FIG. 3A, a call originating at telephone 51 is routed to telephone 75
similarly to FIG. 1. The call is routed from telephone 51 via line 52 to
the local exchange 53 in area 1. The call is then routed via line 57a to
the ad service call router 60 of the advertising service 58 in area 1. The
ad service call router routes the call via line 57c to the area 1 point of
presence 66 of the long distance transmission network 65. The call is then
routed to the area 2 point of presence 69, either directly via line 67c or
indirectly through the area 3 point of presence 68 via lines 67a and 67b.
The call is then routed via line 70 to the ad service call router 71 in
area 2. The ad service call router routes the call via line 72 to the
local exchange 73 in area 2, which routes the call via line 74 to
telephone 75. Once the call is connected, all ad message insertion is
performed by the advertising inserter 59 via line 57b in advertising
service 58.
A call originating at telephone 54 is routed to telephone 75 in a similar
fashion. The call is routed from telephone 54 via line 55 to the local
exchange 56. The call is then routed via line 61a to the point of presence
68 in area 3 of the long distance network 65. The call is then routed to
the point of presence 69 in area 2, either directly via line 67b or
indirectly via line 67a, the point of presence in area 1 and line 67. The
call is then routed via line 70 to the ad service call router 71 in area 2
and then via line 72 to the local exchange 73 to line 74 and telephone 75.
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