# US 10,375,446 B2 · System and method for distributing promotion messages to a communication terminal > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,375,446 B2 - Document ID: US10375446B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/518,686 - Filed: 2002-07-01 - Published: 2006-01-26 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2002-07-01 - Assignees: Provenance Asset Group LLC - Applicants: Akseli Anttila; Mikko Makipaa; Toni Kopra - Inventors: Akseli Anttila; Mikko Makipaa; Toni Kopra - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10375446B2 ## CPC - H04N 21/4788: communicating with other users, e.g. chatting {(arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104)} - G06Q 30/0251: Targeted advertisements - H04L 12/1895: {for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates} - H04M 1/7243: with interactive means for internal management of messages - H04M 1/72451: according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications - H04M 3/4878: {Advertisement messages} - H04N 7/17318: {Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests} - H04N 21/254: Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server {(arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53)} - H04N 21/41407: {embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop (constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57)} - H04N 21/47214: {for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market (stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224)} - H04N 21/4882: {for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders (arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895)} - H04W 4/06: Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract This invention relates to a system and a method for distributing an invitation to one or more communication terminals connected in a wireless communications network. The system and method enables a user of a communication terminal to invite other users of communication terminals to a shared media experience, such as watching a television transmission at the same time, while the users may be at different locations. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: at least one communication network; an event manager configured to provide an event to one or more receivers, the event manager generates a promotion message request inviting recipients to attend the event through a communication channel; a promotion server comprising a register; and one or more communication terminals interconnected with the promotion server and the event manager via the at least one communication network, wherein: the promotion server receives the promotion message request from the event manager; the promotion server generates a promotion message comprising an invitation to be reminded prior to a start of the event scheduled to start at a defined start time based on the promotion message request, the promotion server sends the promotion message to the one or more communication terminals through the at least one communication network, an accepting communication terminal of the one or more communication terminals generates an acceptance signal comprising a promotion message identity and an identity of the accepting communication terminal in response to the promotion message from the promotion server, the promotion server receives the acceptance signal sent from the accepting communication terminal accepting the promotion message from the promotion server, the promotion server associating the accepting communication terminal with the promotion message in response to reception of the acceptance signal from the accepting communication terminal, and the promotion server sends a reminder signal for the event to the accepting communication terminal based on the defined start time included in the promotion message through the at least one communication network. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more communication terminals comprise at least one of mobile phones, cellular phones, personal office assistants or personal computers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the promotion message comprises at least one of a text, a series of texts, a picture, a series of pictures, a video sequence, a series of video sequences, an audio track or a series of audio tracks. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more receivers comprise at least one of a television, a radio, a set-top box, a receiver module for a computer, a multimedia terminal, a mobile or cellular phone, a personal office assistant or a personal computer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the promotion message request comprises at least one of start time, end time of the event, duration of the event, event identity, event type, event presentation platform, the promotion message, and a list of the one or more receivers and the one or more communication terminals. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system according to claim 5, wherein the one or more receivers comprises at least one of the following connected to a media communication network and a network broadcaster: a television, a radio, a set-top box, a receiver module for a computer, a multimedia terminal, a mobile or cellular phone, a personal office assistant or a personal computer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system according to claim 6, wherein the media communication network comprises at least one of a cable television network, a satellite television network, a radio frequency television network, a telephone network, a powerline network or a radio network. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one communication network comprises at least one of a wired telecommunication network, a wireless telecommunication network, local area network, metropolitan area network, wide area network, or a dedicated communication line. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the promotion server further comprises a storage device configured to store the register, the reminder signal and the promotion message; and a processor configured to process communication with the one or more communication terminals, configured to process the promotion message request from the event manager, and to update information in the storage device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the register comprises information of at least one of promotion message identity, one or more communication terminal identities, event data, time data, and group application data. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more communication terminals further comprising a local register configured to associate the accepting communication terminal among the one or more other communication terminals with the promotion message on reception of the acceptance signal from the accepting communication terminal among the one or more other communication terminals; and the one or more communication terminals communicate the reminder signal to the accepting communication terminal among the one or more other communication terminals through the at least one communication network. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more communication terminals are configured to start a predetermined application when receiving the reminder signal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the promotion server is further configured to deduct from the register one or more cyclical promotion message transmission chains among the communication terminals. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system according to claim 13, wherein one or more of the one or more cyclical promotion message transmission chains include one or more declining communication terminals that decline the promotion message yet forward the promotion message to the one or more other communication terminals. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system according to claim 14, wherein the reminder signal is forwarded to the one or more declining communication terminals without being displayed thereat, and the one or more declining communication terminals relay the reminder signal to one or more accepting communication terminals based on the one or more cyclical promotion message transmission chains. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the event is scheduled to start at the defined start time by the event manager residing at a server, and the promotion message further comprises one or more instructions for notifying the accepting communication terminal of a launch of a shared application on the promotion server at the defined start time for access by the accepting communication terminal of a shared media experience. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the promotion message includes at least a part of an electronic program guide, or the promotion message is embedded in the electronic program guide. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the promotion server further being configured to receive rejection signals relating to the sent promotion message from rejecting communication terminals among the one or more communication terminals and among one or more other communication terminals invited through the one or more communication terminals, and wherein the promotion server further being configured to reschedule the event to start at a different defined start time upon receipt of a certain number of rejection signals. ### Claim 19 A method, comprising: receiving, at a promotion server, a promotion message request from an event manager, wherein the promotion message request comprises an invitation for recipients to attend an event through a communication channel; generating, at the promotion server, a promotion message comprising an invitation to be reminded prior to a start of the event scheduled to start at a defined start time based on the promotion message request; sending, with the promotion server, the promotion message to one or more communication terminals through a first communication network; generating, with an accepting communication terminal of the one or more communication terminals, an acceptance signal comprising a promotion message identity and an identity of the accepting communication terminal in response to the promotion message from the promotion server; receiving, at the promotion server, the acceptance signal sent from the accepting communication terminal accepting the promotion message from the promotion server; associating, with the promotion server, the accepting communication terminal with the promotion message in response to receiving the acceptance signal from the accepting communication terminal via a register of the promotion server; and sending, with the promotion server, a reminder for the event to the accepting communication terminal based on the defined start time included in the promotion message through the first communication network, wherein the event manager is separate from the one or more communication terminals. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19, further comprising: receiving the acceptance signal from the accepting communication terminal among the one or more other communication terminals via the one or more communication terminals that invited the one or more other communication terminals; and associating the accepting communication terminal among the one or more other communication terminals with the promotion message on reception of the acceptance signal from the accepting communication terminal among the one or more other communication terminals via a local register of the one or more communication terminals that invited the one or more other communication terminals. ### Claim 21 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform the following steps: receiving a promotion message request from an event manager configured to provide an event, corresponding to the promotion message request, to one or more receivers; generating a promotion message comprising an invitation to be reminded prior to a start of the event scheduled to start at a defined start time based on the promotion message request; causing sending of the promotion message including the event scheduled to start at the defined start time to one or more communication terminals through a first communication network; receiving an acceptance signal comprising a promotion message identity and an identity of an accepting communication terminal relating to the sent promotion message from the accepting communication terminal of the one or more communication terminals; associating the accepting communication terminal with the promotion message on reception of the acceptance signal from the accepting communication terminal via a register of the apparatus; and sending of a reminder for the event to said accepting communication terminal based on the defined start time included in the promotion message through the first communication network, wherein the event manager is separate from the one or more communication terminals. ### Claim 22 An apparatus, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following, receive a promotion message request from an event manager, wherein the promotion message request is associated with an event to one or more communication terminals; generate a promotion message comprising an invitation to be reminded prior to a start of the event scheduled to start at a defined start time based on the promotion message request; cause sending of said promotion message including said invitation to the one or more communication terminals through a first communication network; receive an acceptance signal including a promotion message identity and an identity of an accepting communication terminal relating to the sent promotion message from the accepting communication terminal of the one or more communication terminals; associate the accepting communication terminal with the promotion message on reception of the acceptance signal from the accepting communication terminal via a register of the promotion server; and cause sending a reminder for the event to said accepting communication terminal based on the defined start time included in the promotion message through the first communication network, wherein the event manager is separate from the one or more communication terminals.