Method to provide information and consumer-acceptable advertising via data communications clients

Abstract

In a data communication system a SMS data communication client operates in known fashion. An additional communication channel is established and data being entered into the client is transmitted to a central server. At the server end the user is identified in a customer database which also stored a profile of the user. Information from an ad database is selected for transmission back to the client in dependence upon the data and profile. Where the information takes the form of advertising, it may be displayed by the client as a truncated indicator during message entry and a fuller composition with active links after sending is completed.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method for providing information to a terminal device, the terminal device having a data communications client arranged to communicate with one or more remote devices via a data communications client channel, the method comprising:
 establishing, from the terminal device, a communications link to a remote data system;   transmitting data as it is being entered into, accessed, or received by the terminal device using the data communications client, or data derived or predicted from the data as it is being entered, accessed or received, using the data communications client, to the remote data system via the communications link and prior to sending out the message over the data communications client channel;   receiving information, advertising or other relevant data from the remote data system via the communications link, the information, advertising or other relevant data being selected by the remote data system in part dependent on the transmitted data; and   displaying the received information, advertising or other relevant data at the terminal device,   wherein the communications link is separate from the data communications client channel.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the data communications client is configured to handle an e-mail, an SMS message, an instant message. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the data communications client channel is configured for transmission of SMS messages. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the information, advertising or other relevant data is obtained and displayed substantially concurrently while the transmitted data is being entered, accessed or received. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the information, advertising or other relevant data selected by the remote data system is refined as additional data is entered or accessed. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein selection is context- or user-dependent. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the communications link runs in background. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein an advertising includes a teaser advertisement and a functional advertisement displayed in sequence. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the information, advertising or other relevant data is received after a relevance value associated with the information, advertising or other relevant data exceeds a threshold value associated with the transmitted data. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the transmitted data is translated from a first language, grammar or scheme to a second language, grammar or scheme. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a form of the advertising or information display portion is different for different phases of data communication. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the information, advertising or other relevant data include user-accessible links to facilitate user purchases. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the transmitted data is generated when the user looks up an address in an address book, modifies a calendar in a calendar application, or modifies phone settings of the terminal device. 
     
     
         28 . A method for displaying advertisements to a user at a terminal device, the terminal device having a data communications client arranged to communicate with one or more remote devices via a data communications client channel, the method comprising:
 transmitting from and receiving at the terminal device electronic messages using the data communications client channel;   receiving, at the terminal device, a first advertisement and a second related advertisement from a remote data system via a communications link, wherein the communications link is separate from the data communications client channel;   responsive to the user composing or reading an SMS message at the terminal device, displaying the first advertisement, wherein the first advertisement is in part dependent on a user preference and the SMS message; and   responsive to a user indication of interest in the first advertisement, displaying the second related advertisement.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 transmitting data related to the SMS message to the remote data system via the communications link, wherein the first advertisement is in part dependent on the transmitted data.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the first advertisement is received and displayed substantially in real time while the user is composing or reading the SMS message. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the first advertisement and the second advertisement are cached at the terminal device. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein a received SMS message includes free content dependent on a user selection. 
     
     
         33 . A method for providing information from a remote data system to a terminal device having a data communications client arranged to communicate with one or more remote devices via a data communications client channel, comprising:
 establishing a communications link to the terminal device, the communications link being separate to the data communications client channel;   receiving data as it is being entered, accessed, received, derived or predicted from the terminal device via the communications link;   transmitting information, advertising or other relevant data from the remote data system via the communications link, the information, advertising or other relevant data being selected in part dependent on the received data;   transmitting from and receiving at the terminal device electronic messages using the data communications client channel; and   causing the terminal device to display the received information, advertising or other relevant data.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 retrieving a user profile from an accessible database, wherein the information, advertising or other relevant data selected by the remote data system is in part dependent on the user profile.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 retrieving the information, advertising or other relevant data from an accessible precompiled database.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein a selection of the information, advertising or other relevant data is continually refined as additional data is received.