# US 2014/0156421 A1 · Sponsored message network based on community preferences

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- Number: US 2014/0156421 A1
- Document ID: US20140156421A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/705,838
- Filed: 2012-12-05
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-12-05
- Inventors: Christopher Burns; John Woolley
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140156421A1

## CPC

- G06Q 30/0277: {Online advertisement}
- 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

## Abstract

The invention described here is a system and method for efficiently presenting sponsored messages to the user of a participating information site or service, based on the level of interest recently expressed in those messages by other visitors to the same site. Presentation of sponsored messages may also be based on the level of interest expressed by other visitors across the network who are in the individual user's geographic region.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computer-implemented method by which a message catalog system selects and delivers to the user of a participating site or service one or more sponsored messages, explicitly ranked on said participating site or service according to the interest expressed in said sponsored messages solely among users of the same said participating site or service, comprising:
(a) selecting said sponsored messages from a central catalog and transporting said sponsored messages over a network to one or more said participating sites or services, and
(b) displaying said sponsored messages, explicitly ranked on each said participating site or service according to the number of times said users of the same said participating site or service have called for additional information from said sponsor of each said sponsored message,
whereby said user of each said participating site or service is explicitly advised about said interest expressed in each said sponsored message solely among said users of the same said participating site or service.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said participating sites or services are independent of said message catalog system.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said network is said internet, a wireless network, a wide area network, a cellular telephone network, a cable television network, or an interactive satellite network, and said sites or services are displayed on a desktop computer, a notebook computer, a tablet, an ebook reader, a smart phone, a personal digital appliance, a game controller, an interactive video system, or a wearable interactive digital display device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said sponsored messages are advertisements for products and services, coupons, promotional offers, announcements, press releases, or marketing messages in text, image, audio, video, or data format.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said sponsored messages are news items, movies, music, books, articles, stories, or segments thereof in text, image, audio, video, or data format.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said ranking of said sponsored messages is based solely on the number of times said users of the same said participating site or service have called for additional information from said sponsor of each said sponsored message.

### Claim 7

(canceled)

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said users of said participating sites or services are prospective consumers of said products, services and information described in said sponsored messages.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said expression of interest is measured by the message catalog system by counting the number of times said users of each said participating site or service click on each sponsored message or through another gesture appropriate to said user device request access to or additional information about the subject of said sponsored message.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said message catalog system records all said expressions of interest in said central catalog and explicitly ranks said sponsored messages on each said site or service solely according to said interest expressed in each said sponsored message by said users of the same said site or service.