System for serving targeted advertisements over mobile messaging services

Abstract

A system is described for serving targeted advertisements over mobile messaging services. The system may include a processor, a memory and an interface. The memory may store a content related to a mobile alert service and an advertisement. The content may be provided to a user when an alert condition is met. The interface may be operatively connected to the memory and may communicate with the user. The processor may be operatively connected to the memory and the interface. The processor may receive a request from the user, via the interface, to subscribe to the mobile alert service. The processor may detect when the alert condition is met and generate a mobile message containing the content. The processor may retrieve an advertisement related to the content and may attach the advertisement to the mobile message. The processor may provide the mobile message to the user via the interface.

1 . A method for serving targeted advertisements over mobile messaging services, comprising:
 receiving a request from a user to subscribe to a mobile alert service, wherein a content related to the mobile alert service is provided to the user when an alert condition is met;   detecting when the alert condition is met;   generating a mobile message wherein the mobile message comprises the content related to the mobile alert;   retrieving an advertisement wherein the advertisement is related to the content;   attaching the advertisement to the mobile message; and   providing the mobile message and the attached advertisement to the user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the mobile alert service provides a real time information update. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the real time information update comprises at least one of a stock quote, a news headline, or a sports score. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the alert condition comprises a stock price threshold. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the alert condition comprises a change in a score of a sporting event. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the alert condition is met on a periodic basis. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising verifying that a length of the mobile message does not exceed a maximum message length. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the advertisement is attached to a determined number of mobile messages over a period of time. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the advertisement is targeted to a recipient of the mobile message. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein providing the mobile message and the attached advertisement to the user further comprises communicating the mobile message to a mobile device of the user. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the mobile message comprises a short message service message. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein retrieving an advertisement further comprises retrieving an advertisement using a client browser based targeting mechanism. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the advertisement comprises a link to a mobile web page. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising determining if a mobile device of the user is capable of displaying the mobile web page. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining a mobile network operator of the user; and   retrieving an advertisement related to the content of the mobile message and targeted to the mobile network operator.   
     
     
         16 . A method for serving targeted advertisements over mobile messaging services, comprising:
 receiving a request from a user to provide a mobile message to the user via a mobile device when a condition is satisfied;   determining that the condition is satisfied;   determining a mobile network operator of the mobile device;   retrieving an advertisement related to the mobile message and targeted to the mobile network operator;   attaching the advertisement to the mobile message;   verifying that a length of the mobile message does not exceed a maximum message length; and   providing the mobile message and the attached advertisement to the user on the mobile device.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the mobile message is provided to the user over a short messaging service. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein providing the mobile message and the attached advertisement to the user on the mobile device comprises providing the mobile message and the attached advertisement to the mobile network operator of the mobile device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising determining the maximum message length based on the mobile network operator. 
     
     
         20 . A system for serving targeted advertisements over mobile messaging services, comprising:
 a memory to store a content related to a mobile alert service, the content provided to a user when an alert condition is met, and an advertisement;   an interface operatively connected to the memory, the interface to communicate with the user; and   a processor operatively connected to the memory and the interface, the processor for running instructions, wherein the processor receives a request from the user, via the interface, to subscribe to the mobile alert service, detects when the alert condition is met, generates a mobile message comprising of the content, retrieves an advertisement related to the content, attaches the advertisement to the mobile message and provides the mobile message and the attached advertisement to the user via the interface.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the mobile alert service provides a real time information update. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the alert condition comprises a stock price threshold. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the alert condition comprises a change in a score of a sporting event. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the processor verifies that a length of the mobile message does not exceed a maximum message length. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the mobile message comprises a short message service message.