Title: A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING DATA
5 Description of Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for the provision of data,
and more specifically, a system and method for the efficient provision of data
in a mobile or cellular environment.
10
Particularly, it is desirable to be able to provide targeted data messages to
mobile or cellular subscribers. It is also desirable to tailor the content of the
messages in dependence upon pre-set conditions, such that relevant
information is made available to a subscriber.
15
Additionally, it is desirable to be able to provide targeted information notices to
mobile subscribers, based on real-time events. Particularly, it is desirable to
provide information which has direct relevance to the daily activity or activities
of a mobile subscriber.
20
Background of invention
WO2015/059434 discloses a system in which messages (which may be
technical announcements or commercial messages) are transmitted to a
25 user’s device at times of low network usage, and displayed to the user
immediately after the user’s device is unlocked. While systems of this kind
have been successful, there is a need in the technical field to provide an
improved method of transmitting and displaying messages, which is more
convenient and engaging for users.
30
The present invention seeks to provide a system and method to allow targeted
data to be transmitted to subscribers in a mobile or cellular environment.
2
One aspect of the invention provides a system for delivering information to a
handheld device, the system comprising: an information inventory containing
information to be delivered, an information serving engine, a targeting engine,
a subscriber database and a subscriber-information matching arrangement,
wherein: the 5 subscriber database contains information about subscribers to
which information is to be provided, and the targeting engine is configured to
determine which information is to be provided to which subscribers and at
what time and/or date, based on information regarding the subscribers stored
in the subscriber database; the subscriber-information matching arrangement
10 takes the information to be delivered during a predetermined period and the
selected subscribers and matches them together; and the information to be
delivered during the predetermined period is delivered to the selected
subscribers by transmitting the information to the handheld device at a time of
low network usage, and the information includes display schedule data,
15 instructing that the information is displayed to the subscriber on the handheld
device at the set times and/or dates, to be viewed by the subscriber, and the
information to be delivered takes the form of a combination of initial
information and second information, and first time data representing a first
length of time associated with the initial information, where the second
20 information is related to the initial information, and the initial and second
information are stored as separate data files, wherein: the initial information is
displayed to user for a first length of time; the first information is replaced by
the second information after a first length of time without any action being
required on the user’s part.
25
Advantageously, the initial information and second information are stored in
different file formats.
Preferably, the initial information is stored as one of: a still image file, a video
30 file, and a web page file.
3
Conveniently, the second information is stored as one of: a still image file, a
video file, and a web page file, and is not stored as the same one of these as
which the initial information is stored.
Advantageously, the first length 5 of time is fixed in length.
Preferably, the first length of time has at least an element of randomisation.
Conveniently, the first length of time is randomised between lower and upper
10 limits which are defined as part of the first time data.
Advantageously, the first length of time is not connected with any loading time
for the second information.
15 Preferably, the information to be delivered further comprises second time data,
wherein the second information is displayed for a second length of time which
is dictated by the second time data.
Conveniently, following the second length of time, the handheld device is
20 returned to normal operation.
Advantageously, during the display of either the initial information or the
second information on the handheld device, the user may dismiss the initial or
second information and return to the normal operation of the handheld device.
25
Preferably, during the display of the initial information and/or the second
information, the user may interact with the initial and/or second information to
establish a connection over the internet with a third party.
30 Conveniently, if the user interacts with the initial and/or second information to
establish a connection over the internet with a third party, information is
transmitted from the handheld device to the third party.
4
Advantageously, if the user interacts with the initial and/or second information
to establish a connection over the internet with a third party, further information
is downloaded to the handheld device from the third party for display or
5 presentation on the device.
Preferably, the initial and second information and the first time data are
transmitted to the handheld device together as a package of data.
10 Conveniently, the handheld device is a cellular telephone or a tablet.
Advantageously, a subscriber may opt in to information delivery system.
Preferably, the information regarding the subscribers includes demographic
15 information.
Conveniently, the information to be delivered is provided by an external party.
Advantageously, the set time is not the same as the predetermined delivery
20 period.
Preferably, the information further includes a data flag which causes the
information to be displayed when the handheld device is unlocked, altering the
normal user navigation of the handheld device.
25
Conveniently, the data flag causes the information to be displayed on the
screen of the handheld device immediately after the lock screen is dismissed,
altering the normal user navigation of the handheld device.
30 Advantageously, the data flag is set such that the subscriber must indicate that
they have read the information prior to the information being removed from the
screen of the handheld device.
5
Preferably, the information further includes a data flag which causes the
information to be displayed when a call is dismissed on the handheld device.
Conveniently, the initial information to be delivered 5 includes a network service
message, and the second information preferably allows the user to
acknowledge that the network service message has been read.
Advantageously, the initial information to be delivered includes a software
10 update alert, and the second information preferably allows the user to
acknowledge that the software update alert has been read.
Preferably, the initial information comprises first information about a product or
service, and the second information comprises further information about the
15 same product or service, and the initial information and/or the second
information allows the user to establish a connection with a provider of the
product or service over the internet.
Conveniently, the initial information to be delivered includes a traffic or news
20 alert.
Advantageously, the initial information to be delivered includes an
advertisement, and the second information preferably comprises a voucher or
coupon which can be selected or activated by the user.
25
Preferably, the initial information to be delivered includes display of marketing
communications and/or marketing information, and the second information
preferably comprises a voucher or coupon which can be selected or activated
by the user.
30
6
Conveniently, the second information is replaced by third information after the
second length of time, without any action being required on the user’s part,
wherein the third information is related to the second information.
5 Preferably, the system further comprises an action log, wherein when the
information is viewed by the subscriber, a read acknowledgement is sent to
the action log.
Another aspect of the invention provides a combination of the system as
10 defined above and a handheld device, wherein the handheld device includes
an application configured to receive and display the information delivered by
the system, and wherein the application is configured to display the
information according to the display schedule data.
15 Preferably, the application determines when the information is to be displayed
on the device.
Conveniently, the application is configured to display the information on a postlock
screen.
20
Advantageously, the post-lock screen is an idle screen on the handheld
device.
A further aspect of the invention provides a method for delivering information,
25 the method comprising: providing information to be delivered, stored in an
information inventory, to be delivered by an information serving engine;
analysing information stored in a subscriber database about subscribers to
which information is to be provided; determining which information is to be
provided to which subscribers and at what time and/or date by way of a
30 targeting engine, the determination based on information regarding the
subscribers stored in the subscriber database and the information stored in the
information inventory; providing a subscriber-information matching
7
arrangement which determines which information is to be delivered during a
predetermined period; taking the information to be delivered during the
predetermined period and the selected subscribers and matching them
together; determining when network usage is low; delivering the information to
be displayed during the predetermined 5 period to the selected subscribers by
transmitting the information to a handheld device at the determined time of low
network usage; including, in the information, display schedule data which
instructs a handheld device to display the information and displaying the
information to a subscriber on a handheld device at the set times and/or dates,
10 to be viewed by the subscriber, wherein the information to be delivered takes
the form of a combination of initial information and second information, and
first time data representing a first length of time associated with the initial
information, where the second information is related to the initial information,
and the initial and second information are stored as separate data files,
15 wherein: the initial information is displayed to the user for a first length of time;
the first information is replaced by the second information after a first length of
time without any action being required on the user’s part.
The present invention will now be described with reference to the
20 accompanying figures, in which:
FIGURE 1 shows a schematic representation of a data providing system; and
FIGURE 2 shows a schematic representation of a data providing system with
25 further infrastructure attached.
Turning firstly to figure 1, a schematic representation of the system 1 which
embodies the present invention is shown. The system 1 may include a
targeting engine 2, an information serving engine 3, an action log 4, an
30 analytics engine 5, a subscriber database 10, an information inventory 11 and
a subscriber-information matching arrangement 12. The subscriber-information
matching arrangement 12 may include a result set which has been created by
8
the targeting engine 2, which may match information from the information
inventory 11 with subscriber demographic data (discussed later) from the
subscriber database 10.
Figure 2 shows the system 1 of figure 1 connected 5 to a telecoms operator 20,
an information provider 30 and a subscriber 40. The system 1 may be
connected to each of these 20, 30, 40 by one- or two-way communication, and
the telecoms operator 20 and subscriber 40 may also be connected outside of
the system 1. In normal operating circumstances, the information provider 30
10 may not be connected directly to the operator 20 or subscriber 40 outside of
the system 1.
Returning to a discussion of the system 1 shown in figure 1, the system 1 may
be operable to transmit an information message 41 to the telecoms subscriber
15 40 (not shown). The information message 41 may include any type of data,
and may include alerts or general information. The form and content of the
information message 41 will be discussed in more detail later.
The system 1 may also be operable to direct particular information messages
20 41 to particular subscribers 40, dependent upon pre-set conditions. The way in
which this message direction operates will be discussed briefly here, and in
more detail below.
The information inventory 11 may be pre-loaded with information 41 to be
25 provided to subscribers 40, or may be loaded with information on an ad-hoc
basis. The information 41 may be provided by an information provider 30, and
may also comprise a multitude of individual information items 42. The
information provider 30 may load the information inventory 11 using an
information loading system, which may take the form of a web portal or similar.
30 The information provider 30 may identify details of the information 41, details
of actions to be taken when a subscriber 40 interacts with the information 41
9
as well as provide scheduling data which may specify when that particular
information 41 should be shown to a subscriber 40.
The information items 42 may be catalogued for ease of reference and
location. The subscriber database 5 10 may include details of each subscriber
on a cellular or mobile network, or only the details of subscribers who
subscribe to the information provision system 1. The information provision
service 1, by way of the information serving engine 3, action log 4, an analytics
engine 5, and subscriber-information matching engine 12 is operable to
10 provide the targeted information messages 41.
The information serving engine 3 may take information 42 from the information
inventory 11, passed via the subscriber-information matching engine 12. The
matching engine 12 may also take data from the subscriber database 10.
15
The information 42 may then be matched to a subscriber or subscribers 40,
and readied for transmission from the system 1 to the subscriber or
subscribers 40. The way in which the information 41 is transmitted to the
subscriber or subscribers 40 will be discussed in more detail later.
20
Once the information 41 has been transmitted to a subscriber’s handset or
device, the information 41 may be presented to the subscriber 40. The
information 41 that is transmitted may include multiple messages or items of
data 42, and may be displayed at particular times or on particular dates. If this
25 is the case, the time and/or date of display of the data may be set by the
targeting engine 2. Alternatively, the system 1 may further include a
scheduling engine 50, which may determine which information 41, 42 is shown
at what time and/or in what sequence to the subscriber 40.
30 In some embodiments of the invention, the information 41, 42 may be
displayed on the screen of a subscriber’s handset or device at a pre-set time,
regardless of the current state of operation of the subscriber’s device. This
10
may cause the information 41, 42 to be displayed in place of the current
screen contents, and the device may not be returned to normal operation until
the subscriber 40 has viewed the information 41, 42 as detailed below. In other
embodiments of the invention, the information 41, 42 may be displayed on a
5 ‘post-lock’ screen.
The ‘post-lock’ screen may be a device ‘idle screen’. The device may be
maintained in an idle state whilst the post-lock screen is displayed.
10 If the information 41, 42 is displayed on such a post-lock screen, the
information 41, 42 may be presented to a subscriber on the screen of their
handset or device when the device is powered up, immediately after the
handset is ‘unlocked’ or brought out of standby. Many popular handsets
presently employ a ‘swipe to unlock’ feature, or may require a PIN or
15 alphanumeric code, or another identifier such as the user’s fingerprint, or iris
identifier to be entered to unlock the handset. In the case of Android®
handsets, the user may be required to swipe their finger in a particular pattern
upon the screen to unlock the device.
20 After the handset or device is unlocked, the information 41, 42 may then
immediately be displayed on the screen of the handset or device, such that a
subscriber must view the information 41, 42 before being able to access the
unlocked device to continue normal operation. Such a method of information
41, 42 display alters the user navigation of a handset or device, preventing
25 normal operation of the device from occurring until the subscriber 40 has
viewed the information 41, 42, discussed in more detail below. Such alteration
of the user navigation of a device may also ensure that a subscriber 40 sees
the information 41, 42. Further, an alert may be displayed on the lock screen
of the handset or device, to alert the subscriber that there is information 41, 42
30 to be viewed on unlocking the handset or device.
11
The information 41, 42 may include a selection of options that a subscriber 40
may be presented with. These options may include (but are not limited to)
touching the screen when the information is shown, which may in turn launch a
browser window to route the subscriber 40 to a pre-determined link that was
specified as part of 5 the information 41, 42.
Further, the subscriber 40 can dismiss the information 41, 42 by swiping the
screen, or, alternatively, by selecting a dismiss option which may be
presented. This may then allow the subscriber 40 to continue normal operation
10 of the device and may return the user navigation of the device to a normal
state. A contextual menu may be launched by clicking on the Menu button of
the device. ‘Show me later’, ‘save’, ‘like’ and ‘share’ functions may also be
provided. ‘Show me later’ may queue the information 41, 42 behind the next
piece of information 41, 42 scheduled to be shown to the subscriber at that
15 point in time, or may be configured such that the information is shown again
after unlocking the device, after a pre-determined period. If a subscriber 40
indicates that they would like to save the information to view later, the
information may be saved in the application for off-line or later viewing. The
‘like’ and ‘share’ option may be used to allow a subscriber 40 respectively to
20 indicate that they like the content of the information 41, 42, or may forward the
information 41, 42 to another subscriber 40.
In preferred embodiments of the invention, at least some of the information 41,
42 takes the following form. Initial and second information are transmitted to
25 the handheld device (preferably together as a “package”), along with first time
data specifying a first length of time, as will be discussed below. The initial and
second information are related to each other. Firstly, the initial information is
presented on the screen. If the user takes no action then the initial information
will be maintained on the screen for the first length of time.
30
During this first length of time, the user may wait and take no action, and allow
the first length of time to come to an end. After the first length of time, without
12
any further action or prompting from the user, the initial information disappears
(entirely or partially) from the screen, and is replaced (again, entirely or
partially) by the second information.
The user may preferably (although n 5 ot in all cases) interact with the second
information, as discussed in more detail below.
The initial and second information generally comprise information that may be
viewed by a user, or otherwise presented to a user, and may for instance
10 comprise:
 A still image encoded in any suitable kind of image file, such as a
JPEG, TIFF, GIF, BMP or PNG file format.
 A video sequence, encoded in any suitable file format, such as MPG,
15 GIF or AVI format.
 A web page or similar, encoded in HTML or any other suitable format.
 A document of any kind, comprising a file in MS Word format, Adobe
pdf format, or any other suitable format.
 A sound file, encoded in (for example) MIDI or WAV file format.
20
Examples of related initial and second information include the following:
 The initial information comprises a technical message to the user of the
handset, for example telling him/her about a software update,
25 scheduled service outage, or security alert. The second information
comprises a button which the user can select (or other method for the
user to give feedback) confirming that the user has read and
understood the technical message. The first length of time may be set
at a reasonable length of time for the user to read and absorb the
30 technical message given in the initial information, and may therefore be
dependent upon the length and/or complexity of the technical message.
13
In this example the initial information may comprise a still image,
provided in a suitable image file format, and the second information
may be provided in the form of a web page format.
 The initial information comprises a quiz question, and the second
information comprises either a set of answers (one 5 of which is correct),
and allows the user to select one of the set of answers, or displays the
correct answer and allows the user to indicate whether or not the user
had worked out the correct answer. In this case the first length of time
may be set at a reasonable length for the user to read and understand
10 the question, and may also allow some time for the user to try and work
out the answer. In this example, the initial information may comprise a
still image or video sequence, provided in a suitable file format, and the
second information may be provided in the form of a web page format.
 The initial information comprises an advertising message relating to one
15 or more particular products or services. The second information
comprises a voucher, coupon or reward of another kind which relates to
the one or more products or services, and allows the user to select or
activate the voucher etc. For example, the initial information may
comprise information about a local clothing store, and the second
20 information may comprise a voucher allowing the user a discount on
certain items that are available in the store. Again, the initial information
may comprise a still image or video sequence, provided in a suitable file
format, and the second information may be provided in the form of a
web page format. Promotion of Movies, TV Soaps or advertising TVCs
25 (television commercials) can be launched with the initial information
being a poster which dissolves in a finite time for the next information
that invites the subscriber to double tap the screen to view a video,
which may for instance be a trailer.
 Sporting highlights can be transmitted at a specific time. In these
30 embodiments, the initial information may be an extract (such as a goal
or other highlight) from a sporting event. This dissolves after a finite
time, revealing the second information that shows the latest score from,
14
or breaking news about, the sporting event or participants of the
sporting event, or be the ‘video highlight(s) of the day’ relating to that
particular sport.
 Enterprise broadcast, compliance or safety information can similarly be
provided. The 5 initial information on the screen could comprise first
subject matter introducing and/or briefly introducing a topic (such as
safety when working with particular tools), and this initial information
dissolves in a finite time to be replaced by second information that
expands on the same topic.
10
The first length of time may be fixed for the particular information that is being
displayed on the screen, and the examples above give some guidance on how
long the first length of time may be. Therefore, each particular message, or set
of linked initial and second information, may be associated with a set and fixed
15 duration for the first length of time.
A third party who provides the initial information may set or suggest the first
length of time. For instance, if the initial information relates to a software
update, the third party may set or suggest a length of time which will allow a
20 user to read and absorb the message about the software update, taking into
account the complexity and amount of information to be absorbed.
Alternatively, if the third party is a provider of advertising content which
comprises the initial information, the third party may stipulate a length of time,
or minimum length of time, for which the initial information must be displayed
25 to the user.
As a further possibility, the first length of time may be varied by the operator of
the system 1. Again, the selected length of time may be based on the amount
of content that is presented to the user in the initial information, and/or the
30 complexity of the information.
15
As another possibility, the duration of the first length of time could include an
element of randomness. For example, the first length of time could be set to
have a minimum duration of 5 seconds, and a maximum duration of 10
seconds. Within this range, however, the duration of the first length of time
may be randomised. An advantage of this is 5 that interest and/or variation can
be added to the experience of the subscriber when the initial information is
presented.
In preferred embodiments, the first length of time is not related to any loading,
10 download or preparation time for the second information. As discussed below,
preferably the initial and second information will have been transmitted to the
handheld device at a time of low network usage, and the second information
will be ready for presentation to the user at any time, regardless of the duration
of the first length of time. The first length of time is chosen, for example, to
15 allow the user sufficient time to read, understand or otherwise absorb the initial
information, or to maximise the user’s interest in the initial information and/or
second information.
In preferred embodiments, at any time during the first period of time, the user
20 may choose to dismiss the initial information. The user may do this by tapping
an exit button on the device or in any other way. However, if the user chooses
to dismiss the initial information, then the second information will not be
displayed to the user.
25 In the example of a software update, this may deprive the user of an
opportunity to interact with the second information to confirm that the user has
seen and understood the initial information regarding the software update. In
this case, the same combination of initial information and second information
may be presented to the user again on a subsequent occasion when the user
30 unlocks his or her phone.
16
In the example of an advertisement, by dismissing the initial information, the
user may lose the possibility of gaining a prize, voucher or other offer/reward
which would have been presented as part of the second information. The
combination of initial and second information may be re-scheduled for
presentation 5 to the user on a subsequent occasion when the user unlocks his
or her phone. The combination of initial and second information may not be
presented to the user for a set length of time (e.g. 24 hours) or a set number of
phone unlocks (e.g. 10 phone unlocks), to allow variety in the
advertisements/messages that the user sees.
10
Alternatively, or in addition, if the user dismisses some initial information, this
information may be passed to the analytics engine 5, and taken into account
when selecting further information to be presented to the user. For instance, if
the user dismisses initial information relating to a particular brand or product,
15 no more information relating to that brand or product may be shown to the
user. In other examples, if a user consistently dismisses initial information
relating to a particular brand, product or type of product, then this pattern of
behaviour may be taken into account to reduce or eliminate the frequency with
which information relating to that brand, product or type of product is
20 presented to the user.
As discussed above, at the end of the first length of time, the initial information
preferably disappears entirely or completely, without any prompting or action
from the user being necessary. The initial information may “dissolve”, or
25 disappear in any other suitable manner.
In some embodiments, the second information may be displayed until the user
provides a response, or dismisses the second information. For example, if the
initial information provided the user with a notification about a software update,
30 the second information may remain on the screen of the user’s device until (a)
the user confirms that he/she has read and understood the notification, (b) the
user indicates that he/she needs more information about the update, or (c) the
17
user dismisses the second information. In the case of (a), the phone returns to
normal operation. In the case of (b), a window may open for the user to type a
message with a question, which can then be sent to the provider of the initial
information, or to another suitable party. Following this, the initial and second
information may be scheduled 5 for presentation to the user again at a later
time. In the case of (c), the second information disappears, but the initial and
second information may be scheduled for presentation to the user again at a
later time.
10 In the case of an advertisement, the second information may remain on the
user’s screen for an indefinite length of time, until either the user interacts with
the second information or dismisses the second information. However, in other
embodiments, at least some of the second information may be presented for
only a certain second length of time before it disappears, or changes so that at
15 least one way in which the user may interact with the second information is
altered. If the second information comprises a voucher or coupon (as
discussed above), then the user may be able to select or activate the voucher
or coupon for the second length of time, after which the user will no longer be
able to select or activate the voucher or coupon. If the user fails to select or
20 activate the voucher or coupon during the second length of time, the second
information may be replaced by further information relating to the same
product(s) or service(s) as the initial and second information, but which does
not allow any interaction.
25 It is envisaged that a combination of a first length of time which is variable or
randomised, and a second length of time which is finite and relatively short,
may effectively keep the interest of the user. The user must pay attention
during the first length of time, as at any moment the initial information may
disappear and be replaced by second information which offers a coupon which
30 must be activated within a short space of time.
The second length of time may, in some examples, be around 2-5 seconds.
18
Second time data may be transmitted to the handheld device, along with the
initial and second information and first time data (e.g. as part of the same
“package” of data), with the second time data specifying the second length of
5 time.
As with the first length of time, the second length of time may include at least
an element of randomisation, which may help to maintain the user’s interest in
the information that is provided/displayed.
10
While the examples above focus on a combination of initial and second
information, it is envisaged that third information, fourth information, and
further subsequent information may also be provided as part of a combination
of data used in accordance with embodiments of the invention.
15
In some examples, following the second length of time, the third information
may be presented, and following a third length of time, the fourth information
may be provided, and so on, without any action on the part of the user being
needed. For instance, the initial, second and so on information may comprise
20 successive images, video sequences and/or web pages showing related
information on a particular topic, such as how to use a tool or software
package, instruction on an academic subject, or information on a product or
service. The user may therefore watch his/her device, and successive pieces
or “layers” of information will be revealed to the user.
25
Each piece of information will be associated with an associated length of time,
after which that information will entirely or partially disappear, to be replaced
by the next piece of information. Any or all of these lengths of time may, as
discussed above, be randomised, or be randomised within a lower and/or
30 upper limit.
19
Some examples of particular combinations of initial and second information
that are envisaged as falling within the scope of the invention are:
Initial information Second information
Still image Web page
Still image Video sequence
Video sequence Web page
Document Web page
Document Still image
The invention is, however, not li 5 mited to these combinations, and the skilled
reader will appreciate that many other combinations will find utility in different
circumstances.
If the information is shown on a post-lock screen, this may ensure that the
10 information 41, 42 is delivered to and viewed by a subscriber 40, but also that
the subscriber 40 is not inconvenienced by the display of the information 41,
42. Further, if the information 41, 42 is displayed immediately after the handset
or device is unlocked, it may be possible to track whether a subscriber 40 has
viewed the information 41, 42, and the time/date at which the information 41,
15 42 was viewed by the subscriber.
The information 41, 42 may also be displayed on the screen of the handset or
device immediately following the ending of a call. If the information 41, 42 is
displayed on the screen of the device as soon as a call is ended, the
20 information 41, 42 may be presented to a subscriber on the screen of their
handset or device when the ‘hang up’ or ‘end call’ button or option is pressed
or selected.
As with the methods of display of information 41, 42 detailed above, the
25 display of the information 41, 42 alters the user navigation of a handset or
20
device, preventing normal operation of the device from occurring until the
subscriber 40 has viewed the information 41, 42, as detailed above.
The portion of the system 1 on the handset or device may keep data which
includes a track of each 5 action that the subscriber 40 takes with respect to the
information 41, 42, and may log whether the subscriber 40 has viewed,
dismissed or saved the information 41, 42, or whether the subscriber 40 has
selected the ‘show me later’ option. The application may then push this data to
the action log 4.
10
The data from the action log 4 may then be processed by the analytics engine
5. The processing steps undertaken by the analytics engine may include
analysis as to whether a subscriber or subscribers like a particular information
message, behavioural patterns of subscribers 40 dependent upon the
15 information 41, 42 provided thereto, and demographic information regarding
the subscribers 40 based upon the information 41, 42 provided thereto.
Further, analysis may be undertaken regarding which information 41, 42 is
particularly relevant to a particular group or groups of subscribers 40.
20 The analytics engine 5 may also analyse all the actions that the subscriber 40
performs in connection with each item of information 41, 42, which may
include requests to ‘show me later’, ‘share, ‘dismiss’ or ‘save’.
The information inventory 11 may, in combination with the subscriber database
25 10 and the analytics engine 5, store and keep updated information regarding
which information 41, 42 has been provided to certain subscribers 40, a log of
which subscriber or subscribers 40 has viewed a particular item of information
41, 42, an inventory of the information items 41, 42 available, and may be
operable to undertake reporting on such information (and further information, if
30 required). This reporting will be discussed in more detail later.
21
The system 1 may also provide an application for a mobile device or handset
which, when launched by a subscriber, may display the information 41, 42
which has been delivered to the device or handset, and may also include a
selection of options that a subscriber 40 may be presented with. These options
may include (5 but are not limited to) clicking a link in the information 41, 42,
which may launch a browser window to provide further information.
‘Show me later’, ‘save’, ‘like’ and ‘share’ functions may also be provided, such
that a subscriber may save the information to view later (it may be configured
10 such that the information is shown again after unlocking the device, after a
pre-determined period), indicate that they like the content of the information
41, 42, or may forward the information 41, 42 to another.
For a subscriber 40 to use the service 1, the user may have to download the
15 application to their handset or device. The subscriber may be presented with
terms and conditions which may have to be accepted to commence use of the
service 1. Information 41, 42 may not be provided to a subscriber 40 if they
have not accepted the terms and conditions.
20 The application 1 may further enable a subscriber 40 to set up and/or edit
details about them, which may be shared with the analytics engine 5, the
subscriber-information engine 12 and any other appropriate part of the system
1. The subscriber 40 may input name, date of birth, age, email address,
address, sex, contact details, interests, hobbies, and may also provide further
25 information regarding the information 41, 42 that they may receive. The
subscriber 40 may also pause the provision of information 41, 42, and/or may
indicate further factors about themselves that may ensure that more important
or pertinent information 41, 42 is provided to them.
30 The application for a handset or device may be made available online for
download, and dependent upon the platform on which the application is to be
provided, may take any suitable format. In the case of an Android®
22
application, it may be delivered by way of an Android Package (or APK) file,
either via the Google® Play Store® or from a download area independent of
Google®.
The telecoms operator 20 or information 5 provider 30 (or any other interested
party) may undertake reporting on the system 1. The reports may include
information regarding the number of information messages provided, the
number of information messages viewed by a subscriber or subscribers 40,
the content of the viewed information messages, the number of times that the
10 further information link is viewed, the number of times a particular subscriber
40 has viewed a post-lock screen, the identification number or numbers of a
particular subscriber 40, and whether a particular subscriber is presently
accepting information 41, 42, and for how long they have been accepting
information 41, 42.
15
Further, reports may be generated regarding particular information messages.
The report may include the name of the information message, the number of
times on which the message has been clicked, the number of times that the
message has been liked, shared or saved for later, the identities of subscribers
20 40 who have viewed the message, and other relevant information.
It is to be understood that other reports may be generated which may include
information available in the system 1. Reports may take any suitable format,
and may be provided in any appropriate way.
25
Subscribers 40 may join the system 1 in a variety of ways, or may be
automatically enrolled by a telecoms operator 20. A subscriber 40 may access
a webpage to enrol in the service, and may be required to provide at least
some of the information which is editable in the application, as discussed
30 above. If a subscriber 40 is to be automatically enrolled in the system 1 by a
telecoms operator 20, the operator 20 may provide the relevant details of the
23
subscriber 40, which again may be at least some of the information editable in
the application, discussed above.
Further, the telecom operator 20 may provide further information, which may
5 be received by the system 1. This may be of particular relevance if the telecom
operator 20 is providing the subscriber 40 information, and may include details
of new subscribers, modified subscribers and deleted subscribers, and, as
mentioned above, data regarding the subscribers which may include name,
age, date of birth, email address, address, sex and contact details, and may
10 also provide further information regarding the information 41, 42 that the
subscriber is to receive.
The information 41, 42 is not necessarily provided to a subscriber’s handset or
device at the time that the information is to be shown. Instead, the information
15 41, 42 to be shown over a pre-set period may be aggregated, and queued for
delivery to a subscriber or subscribers 40. Therefore, the information for
provision on a particular day may be transmitted at times of low network
usage, for instance during the early hours of the morning (for instance
between the hours of 2am and 4am), to reduce the load on a cellular network.
20 Such times of low network usage may ensure that the information 41, 42 is
delivered quickly and without errors, and will be available for display at times
when network usage may be high, for instance during peak commuter hours in
the morning.
25 Further, if the information 41, 42 to be displayed over the course of a day is
pushed to a subscriber’s handset or device during times of low network usage,
often at night, if the user has no cellular or data signal during the day when the
information 41, 42 is to be displayed, the information 41, 42 may still be
displayed to the subscriber, regardless of signal availability. This may ensure
30 that a subscriber sees the information 41, 42 scheduled for display during the
course of that day.
24
Also, if the information 41, 42 is pushed to a subscriber’s handset or device
during a time of low network usage, with the information 41, 42 subsequently
presented, by way of a post-lock screen to a subscriber, the subscriber may be
more likely to read and understand the content of each item of information 41,
42 if they are presented to the subscriber 5 during the course of a day – the
subscriber may be less likely to read and understand the content of the
information 41, 42 if the information 41, 42 is presented to the user all at the
same time.
10 During the daytime, and particularly during so-called ‘peak’ hours, cellular data
usage is generally high, and the provision of information 41, 42 during these
hours would place further load on a cellular data network, and, in some events,
at times of high traffic, information 41, 42 may be delayed significantly and not
provided at the appropriate time. If the information 41, 42 is provided to the
15 device in this at times of low network usage, it may be ensured that even if a
network failure occurs, the information 41, 42 is available to the subscriber.
In an effort to reduce the load on cellular networks, the system 1 of the present
invention may transmit information 41, 42, as discussed above, to a
20 subscriber’s handset or device in bulk, and the information 41, 42 transmitted
may be a combination of all of the information to be viewed in one particular
day or pre-set time period. Of course, if further, real-time information is to be
provided, further information 41, 42 may be provided to a subscriber 40 on an
ad-hoc basis. Such information 41, 42 may be integrated into the display
25 schedule as appropriate.
The system 1 may perform analysis on data transfer and bandwidth usage for
a particular cellular network or telecoms operator’s 20 infrastructure, and may
determine the most appropriate time for transmission of information 41, 42,
30 which may be the period at which network or cellular traffic is at its lowest.
25
To return to the examples given above in which initial information is presented
to a user, followed by second information, it is envisaged that the initial and
second information would be downloaded (as discussed above) at times of low
network usage. Each combination of initial and second information is
preferably associated 5 with a “show time”, which is a time at which, or after
which, the combination may be presented to a user.
If the information is to be presented on a post-lock screen, when the user
unlocks his/her phone following the “show time”, the combination of initial and
10 second information may be presented to the user (if there are one or more
other combinations of first and second information which have also passed
their respective “show times”, then on any one occasion when the phone is
unlocked, the system will select an appropriate combination of first and second
information to display to the user).
15
As discussed above, during either the first period of time (in which the initial
information is displayed) or the second period of time (in which the second
information is displayed), the user may choose to exit the information and
return to the normal operation of the phone. This may be done by
20 pressing/clicking a designated area of the screen, for instance containing an
“X” symbol.
However, during either the first period of time or the second period of time, the
user may also click/press on one or more other areas of the screen, to trigger
25 the downloading and display of other content to the device. This may occur, as
discussed above, through a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, or by any other
suitable means.
As an example, for a particular advertisement the initial information may
30 comprise a still image which is displayed to the user. The still image may have
been downloaded/transferred to the user’s device as any suitable kind of
image file, such as a JPEG, TIFF, GIF, BMP or PNG file format. The still
26
image may comprise information about a product, or information about an offer
(such as a reduced price for a product).
Following the first period of time, the initial information may disappear, to be
replaced by second information giving 5 more detailed information about the
product. The second information may comprise a second still image, or
alternatively may comprise a video (downloaded or transferred in any suitable
file format, such as MPG, GIF or AVI format).
10 During either the first period of time or the second period of time, the user may
press/click one or more designated areas of the screen to be connected over
the internet to the provider of the product, to begin (for example) the process
of placing an order for the product, and selecting parameters such as size,
colour and delivery information.
15
In this instance, therefore, the combination of the initial information and second
information would have been downloaded to the user’s device at a time of low
network usage, and stored on the user’s device for presentation at a suitable
time after the allocated “show time”. The user therefore does not need to have
20 or make use of an internet connection in order for the initial and second
information to be displayed to the user. This has the benefit that the initial and
second information can be displayed swiftly and without “lag” in any
circumstances. It is only when the user actively expresses interest in buying
the product, by tapping/pressing the device’s screen in a certain way, that the
25 user’s device is connected to the internet. This has the benefit of reducing the
requirement for use of an internet connection, potentially at busy times.
As another example, a combination of initial and second information could be
provided for the purposes of conducting a market survey.
30
In this case, the initial information may comprise a landing page, which could
be a still image, showing a poster or other promotional information for a film,
27
product or television show. After the first length of time, this initial information
may disappear, and be replaced by second information, which is a page
inviting the user to see a video sequence (which may be, for instance, a trailer
for the film or television show, or some or all of a television commercial (TVC)),
and to take part in a market survey. The 5 second information may be provided
in a web page format, for instance HTML (preferably HTML 5.0) format. The
user may interact with the second information to indicate whether or not
he/she wishes to view the video sequence, for instance by tapping or doubletapping
the screen in a certain way when the second information is displayed.
10
If the user does elect to see the video sequence, the second information
disappears and is replaced by the video sequence, which comprises third
information, related to the second information. This third information may be
transmitted to the handheld device as part of a “package” including the initial
15 and second information, or may be downloaded/transmitted to the handheld
device only when the user indicates that he/she wishes to view the video
sequence.
Following the video sequence, the third information may disappear, to be
20 replaced by a page asking one or more survey questions, and again this page
may be provided in a web page format such as HTML (and preferably HTML
5.0). This page comprises fourth information, related to the initial, second and
third information. Once again this fourth information may be transmitted to the
handheld device as part of a package including the initial, second and third
25 information. On completion of the survey questions(s), the user’s answers to
the questions can be transmitted over the internet to a third party, which may
for instance be a provider of the film, product or television show. In preferred
embodiments, information encoding or representing the user’s answers may
be the only information that is transmitted over the internet at the time when
30 the user views and interacts with the information.
28
Following the video, the user is presented with third information, comprising a
survey with a number of questions for the user to answer. When the user has
completed the questions, the user’s answers may be submitted over the
internet to the provider of the service, or directly to the provider/distributor of
5 the TVC/trailer.
In this case, again the combination of initial and second information would
have been downloaded to the user’s device at a time of low network usage,
and stored on the user’s device ready for display at the appropriate time.
10 Particularly in the case of relatively large files such as video files (as may be
used to show a TVC or film trailer), this avoids the risk of the files appearing to
be slow when presented to the user, or suffering from “lag” or buffering delays.
Only if the user is interested in participating in the survey is a connection to the
internet required, and in this case only a relatively small amount of data would
15 need to be transmitted over the internet connection (i.e. the user’s answers to
the survey questions), which will be very much smaller than the amount of
data required to store the initial and second information.
The discussion above refers to initial and second information which are
20 downloaded or transmitted (preferably as part of a single package of data) to
the device at times of low network usage, and third information which can be
downloaded or accessed over the internet, if desired by the user. It should be
understood, however, that any number of pieces or levels of information may
be downloaded at times of low network usage. For instance, initial, second,
25 third and fourth information may be downloaded at a time of low network
usage, and fifth (and optionally sixth or further) information may then be
downloaded or accessed over the internet, if desired by the user.
It is envisaged that such an information provision system 1 could be used to
30 provide targeted advertisements in a cellular environment, to provide effective
delivery of targeted advertisements to subscribers 40 who opt in to such a
service. The data received by the action log 4 and analytics engine 5 could be
29
used to recompense or provide rewards to subscribers 40 who view
advertisements provided by the system.
Additionally, it is proposed that such an information provision system 1 could
be used to provide important information 5 41, 42 to employees of a company.
Such information 41, 42 may be provided as part of a ‘closed loop’ corporate
communication system.
It is envisaged that handsets or devices provisioned or provided by the
10 company may have the application installed, with the system 1 configured to
provide daily information 41, 42 updates to employees of the company, who
are effectively subscribers 40. The information provided to employees of the
company may include daily announcements, sales opportunities, cross-selling
opportunities, HR announcements, general updates or any other useful
15 information 41, 42.
Additionally, suppliers, vendors and customers may be included as
subscribers 40 of the system 1, with the information provided thereto tailored
to their particular role or position.
20
As detailed above, the information 41, 42 may be shown immediately after the
handset or device is unlocked. In this way, as discussed above, the
information 41, 42 may immediately be displayed on the screen of the handset
or device, prior to normal operation of the device, such that the employee must
25 view the information 41, 42 before being able to access the unlocked device to
continue normal operation. This, as discussed above, alters the normal user
operation of the handset or device. Alternatively, the information 41, 42 may
be shown in accordance with the methods detailed above.
30 Such methods of information 41, 42 display ensure that employees see and
acknowledge the information 41, 42, as it is shown on their device without the
30
employee seeking to view the information 41, 42 or having to actively launch
an application on their handset or device to view the information 41, 42.
It is envisaged that the ‘share’ and ‘like’ features outlined above would not be
included for information 41, 42 5 provided to company employees, suppliers,
vendors and/or customers as part of a closed-loop information provision
system 1.
The information 41, 42 provided to one group of subscribers 40, for instance
10 vendors, may be confidential or commercially sensitive.
In general, the system 1 may be used to deliver updates during the course of a
day, with the information 41, 42 being delivered at times of low network usage
as detailed above, to ensure that the information 41, 42 is available to
15 employees at the start of a day.
However, in addition to this, the system 1 may be used to provide information
41, 42 to company employees in real-time, with information 41, 42 being
delivered to employees’ handsets or devices in the event of system or server
20 failure, or if an urgent alert or update must be provided.
The implementation of the system 1 for providing information 41, 42 to
employees may not require use of the targeting engine 2, as all employees
may be required to receive and read the same information 41, 42. However, a
25 targeting engine 2 may be used to ensure that the correct employees receive
the correct information 41, 42.
Use of the system in general will now be described.
30 In use, the system 1 would be configured to connect with a telecoms operator
or operators 20 and an information provider 30. The telecoms operator or
operators 20 may provide information regarding subscribers 40 to the system,
31
and the information would be stored in the subscriber database 10. An
information provider 30 would also provide information to be sent to
subscribers 40, which would be stored in the information inventory 11.
Dependent upon the content of the information inventory 1 5 1 and the subscriber
details in the subscriber database 10, the subscriber-information matching
engine 12 would match information to subscribers 40, and would pass the
information 41, 42 to the information serving engine 3. The information 41, 42
may then be transmitted to a subscriber or subscribers’ handset(s) or
10 device(s), at a period of low cellular data usage. The information 41, 42 would
then be delivered to the subscriber or subscribers 40 and would be displayed,
via a post-lock screen, at times or at a schedule or in a sequence determined
by the scheduling engine 50.
15 Each handset or device would then provide information to the action log 4 and
analytics engine 5, so that data regarding the information 41, 42 could be
tracked.
Reports, as discussed above, could be run, to provide information regarding
20 the usage of the system 1 and the behaviour of subscribers as a result of the
information provided.
When the term ‘idle screen’ is used in this specification, it may include ‘postlock’
screen, screen saver or background.
25
In the discussion above, reference is made to various software modules, or
other aspects of software, which operate in the course of the invention. It
should be understood that the software disclosed above is implemented with
one or more processors, and the invention is therefore put into effect through a
30 combination of software/computer programme and hardware.
32
This hardware includes, but is not limited to, one or more servers operated by
the provider of the service, or by third parties, one or more processors which
form part of a user’s handheld device, display components of the handheld
device, and hardware involved in the transmission of data between the
5 server(s) and the handheld device(s).
In the discussion above, the initial and/or second (or subsequent) information
may comprise a video sequence. A video sequence will generally have a
predefined length. If, for example, the initial information is a video sequence,
10 the first length of time may be equal or substantially equal to the length of the
video sequence. However, in other embodiments the first length of time may
be different from the length of the video sequence. For example, the first
length of time may be longer than the video sequence. After the video
sequence has finished, the user may be presented with a looped sequence of
15 all or part of the video sequence, or with a still image of part of the video
sequence. In this way the first length of time is not constrained to be the same
as the length of the video sequence. This may be of particular usefulness if the
first length of time is to include an element of randomisation.
20 When used in this specification and claims, the terms "comprises" and
"comprising" and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or
integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the
presence of other features, steps or components.
25 The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or
the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a
means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for
attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any
combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse
30 forms thereof.

Claims
1. A system (1) for delivering information to a handheld device, the system
(1) comprising:
an information inventory (11) containing information 5 to be delivered, an
information serving engine (3), a targeting engine (2), a subscriber database
(10) and a subscriber-information matching arrangement (12), wherein:
the subscriber database (10) contains information about subscribers
(40) to which information is to be provided, and the targeting engine (2) is
10 configured to determine which information is to be provided to which
subscribers (40) and at what time and/or date, based on information regarding
the subscribers stored in the subscriber database (10);
the subscriber-information matching arrangement (12) takes the
information to be delivered during a predetermined period and the selected
15 subscribers and matches them together; and
the information to be delivered during the predetermined period is
delivered to the selected subscribers by transmitting the information to the
handheld device at a time of low network usage, and the information includes
display schedule data, instructing that the information is displayed to the
20 subscriber on the handheld device at the set times and/or dates, to be viewed
by the subscriber, and the information to be delivered takes the form of a
combination of initial information and second information, and first time data
representing a first length of time associated with the initial information, where
the second information is related to the initial information, and the initial and
25 second information are stored as separate data files, wherein:
the initial information is displayed to user for a first length of time;
the first information is replaced by the second information after a first
length of time without any action being required on the user’s part.
30 2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the initial information and
second information are stored in different file formats.
34
3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the initial information is
stored as one of: a still image file, a video file, and a web page file.
4. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second information is
stored as one of: a still image file, a video file, 5 and a web page file, and is not
stored as the same one of these as which the initial information is stored.
5. The system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first length
of time is fixed in length.
10
6. The system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first
length of time has at least an element of randomisation.
7. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first length of time is
15 randomised between lower and upper limits which are defined as part of the
first time data.
8. The system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first length
of time is not connected with any loading time for the second information.
20
9. The system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the information
to be delivered further comprises second time data, wherein the second
information is displayed for a second length of time which is dictated by the
second time data.
25
10. The system as claimed in claim 9 wherein, following the second length
of time, the handheld device is returned to normal operation.
11. The system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein, during the
30 display of either the initial information or the second information on the
handheld device, the user may dismiss the initial or second information and
return to the normal operation of the handheld device.
35
12. The system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein, during the
display of the initial information and/or the second information, the user may
interact with the initial and/or second information to establish a connection
over the internet 5 with a third party.
13. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein if the user interacts with the
initial and/or second information to establish a connection over the internet
with a third party, information is transmitted from the handheld device to the
10 third party.
14. The system as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein if the user interacts
with the initial and/or second information to establish a connection over the
internet with a third party, further information is downloaded to the handheld
15 device from the third party for display or presentation on the device.
15. The system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the initial and
second information and the first time data are transmitted to the handheld
device together as a package of data.
20
16. The system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the handheld
device is a cellular telephone or a tablet.
17. The system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a subscriber
25 may opt in to information delivery system.
18. The system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the information
regarding the subscribers includes demographic information.
30 19. The system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the information
to be delivered is provided by an external party.
36
20. The system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the set time is
not the same as the predetermined delivery period.
21. The system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the information
further includes a data flag which causes the in 5 formation to be displayed when
the handheld device is unlocked, altering the normal user navigation of the
handheld device.
22. The system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the data flag causes the
10 information to be displayed on the screen of the handheld device immediately
after the lock screen is dismissed, altering the normal user navigation of the
handheld device.
23. The system as claimed in claim 21 or 22, wherein the data flag is set
15 such that the subscriber must indicate that they have read the information prior
to the information being removed from the screen of the handheld device.
24. The system as claimed in any one of claims 1-20, wherein the
information further includes a data flag which causes the information to be
20 displayed when a call is dismissed on the handheld device.
25. The system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the initial
information to be delivered includes a network service message, and the
second information preferably allows the user to acknowledge that the network
25 service message has been read.
26. The system as claimed in any one of claims 1-24, wherein the initial
information to be delivered includes a software update alert, and the second
information preferably allows the user to acknowledge that the software update
30 alert has been read.
37
27. The system as claimed in any one of claims 1-24, wherein the initial
information comprises first information about a product or service, and the
second information comprises further information about the same product or
service, and the initial information and/or the second information allows the
user to establish a connection 5 with a provider of the product or service over
the internet.
28. The system as claimed in any one of claims 1-24, wherein the initial
information to be delivered includes a traffic or news alert.
10
29. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the second information is
replaced by third information after the second length of time, without any
action being required on the user’s part, wherein the third information is related
to the second information.
15
30. A combination of the system as claimed in any preceding claim and a
handheld device, wherein the handheld device includes an application
configured to receive and display the information delivered by the system, and
wherein the application is configured to display the information according to
20 the display schedule data.
31. The combination as claimed in claim 30 wherein the application
determines when the information is to be displayed on the device.
25 32. The combination as claimed in claim 30 or 31 wherein the application is
configured to display the information on a post-lock screen.
33. The combination as claimed in claim 32 wherein the post-lock screen is
an idle screen on the handheld device.
30
34. A method for delivering information, the method comprising:
providing information to be delivered, stored in an information inventory
(11), to be delivered by an information serving engine (3);
analysing information stored in a subscriber database (10) about
subscribers (40) to which information is to be provided;
determining which information is to be provided to which subscribers
and at what time and/or date by way of a targeting engine (2), the
determination based on information regarding the subscribers stored in the
subscriber database (10) and the information stored in the information
inventory (11);
providing a subscriber-information matching arrangement (12) which
determines which information is to be delivered during a predetermined period;
taking the information to be delivered during the predetermined period
and the selected subscribers and matching them together;
determining when network usage is low;
delivering the information to be displayed during the predetermined
period to the selected subscribers by transmitting the information to a
handheld device at the determined time of low network usage;
including, in the information, display schedule data which instructs a
handheld device to display the information and
displaying the information to a subscriber on a handheld device at the
set times and/or dates, to be viewed by the subscriber, wherein the information
to be delivered takes the form of a combination of initial information and
second information, and first time data representing a first length of time
associated with the initial information, where the second information is related
to the initial information, and the initial and second information are stored as
separate data files, wherein:
the initial information is displayed to the user for a first length of time;
the first information is replaced by the second information after a first
length of time without any action being required on the user's part.