Title: Method for advertising in speech-supported telecommunication links
Abstract: The method provides importing advertising information into a telephone connection and providing an advertising dialogue system configured to assist in importing the advertising information into the telephone connection and to manage the advertising information and an advertising action which are looped into the telephone connection. The method further provides assigning at least one action indicator and a start action instruction to the advertising information. The at least one action indicator is configured to indicate the advertising action possible with the advertising information. The start action instruction is configured to start the advertising action, the start action instruction being triggerable by a user and activating the advertising action associated with the advertising information managed by the advertising dialogue system. The advertising dialogue system provides any service associated with the advertising action as automatically available to the user.
Patent Number: 6,868,384 Issued on 03/15/2005 to Parus, et al.
| Inventors:
|
Parus; Hardy (Venusstrasse, DE);
Wetzel; Romeo Peter (Rotenwaldstrasse, DE)
|
| Assignee:
|
Deutsche Telekom AG (Bonn, DE);
Infoman AG (Stuttgart, DE)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
789107 |
| Filed:
|
February 20, 2001 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
| Feb 18, 2000[DE] | 100 08 782 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
704/270; 379/88.12; 705/14 |
| Intern'l Class: |
G10L 015//00 |
| Field of Search: |
379/88.18,88.22
705/14,27
704/270,275
|
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Abebe; Daniel
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Kenyon & Kenyon
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for advertising in speech-supported telecommunication links
comprising:
importing advertising information into a telephone connection involving a
telephone;
providing an advertising dialogue system configured to assist in importing
the advertising information into the telephone connection and to manage
the advertising information and an advertising action which are imported
into the telephone connection;
assigning at least one action indicator and a start action instruction to
the advertising information, the at least one action indicator configured
to indicate the advertising action possible with the advertising
information, the start action instruction configured to start the
advertising action, the start action instruction being triggerable by a
user and being configured to activate the advertising action associated
with the advertising information managed by the advertising dialogue
system, the advertising dialogue system providing any service associated
with the advertising action as available automatically to the user,
wherein the advertising information includes an at least one individual
segment of information; and
inserting the at least one individual segment into the telephone connection
by the advertising dialogue system at a rate controlled by a conversation
partner, the rate controlled by the conversation partner including:
generating a signal by the conversation partner and transmitting the
signal to the advertising dialogue system using a data connection between
the conversation partner and the advertising dialogue system, the
transmitted signal triggering the advertising dialogue system to insert
the at least one of the individual segments of information into the
telephone connection, and transmitting a counter-signal to the
conversation partner by the advertising dialogue system using the data
connection when the at least one individual segments have been
transmitted, the counter-signal indicating that the advertising
information has ended.
2. A method for advertising in speech-supported telecommunication links
comprising:
importing advertising information into a telephone connection involving a
telephone;
providing an advertising dialogue system configured to assist in importing
the advertising information into the telephone connection and to manage
the advertising information and an advertising action which are imported
into the telephone connection;
assigning at least one action indicator and a start action instruction to
the advertising information, the at least one action indicator configured
to indicate the advertising action possible with the advertising
information, the start action instruction configured to start the
advertising action, the start action instruction being triggerable by a
user and being configured to activate the advertising action associated
with the advertising information managed by the advertising dialogue
system, the advertising dialogue system providing any service associated
with the advertising action as available automatically to the user; and
inserting the at least one individual segment into the telephone connection
by the advertising dialogue system at a rate controlled by a conversation
partner, the rate controlled by the conversation partner including:
generating a signal by the conversation partner and inserting the signal
into the telephone connection, detecting the signal inserted into the
telephone connection using the advertising dialogue system, the signal
triggering the insertion of the at least one segment of information into
the telephone connection, and generating a counter-signal by the
advertising dialogue system when the insertion of the at least one segment
of information has ended, and inserting the counter-signal into the
telephone conversation, the counter-signal indicating to the conversation
partner that the at least one segment of information has ended.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to advertising in speech-supported
communication links, particularly during a telephone conversation.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
To be able to offer telecommunications services at zero tariff, the
feasibility and associated acceptance of commercial spots in telephone
calls was examined in a test (see Telefongesellschaft Otelo under
http://www.userpage.fuberlin.de/.multidot.dittbern/Telekom/Old_News5.
html). For example, the Berlin Phone Company TeleFlash planned to
interrupt conversations every 90 seconds in order to insert a 20 second
long commercial. However, in exchange, the conversations were to be free
of charge. (See Golem Network News of Jan. 18, 1999
http://www.ggn.de/9901/9901 1803-ji.html). For these approaches, contact
information is specified in the advertisement which the customer must note
if he/she is interested. After ending his conversation, the customer can
contact the advertising partner in question via this contact address.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a customer with a possibility of reacting
for a brief time to an advertising offer inserted into an existing
telephone connection.
In an embodiment of the present invention, during a call existing between a
customer A and a conversation partner B, advertising information can be
selectively inserted into the call by an automatic advertising dialogue
system C looped into the telephone connection.
In this context, the individual pieces of advertising information can be
developed in such a way that they offer customer A the possibility of
reacting immediately to the inserted advertising offers. The
advertisements and the possible actions with respect to the advertisements
can be managed in automatic advertising dialogue system C.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, activation
possibilities can be pointed out to the customer in the advertisement
inserted into the conversation, with which, in interaction with
advertising dialogue system C, the customer can react immediately to an
advertisement.
In other embodiments of the present invention, the customer can interact
with advertising dialogue system C via speech input or via button
actuation.
In such embodiments of the present invention, by speech input of a keyword
or by button actuation, the customer can trigger the following actions of
advertising dialogue system C: establishment of a telephone connection to
a contact address of the advertising party; insertion of additional
information with respect to advertisements, such as continuing texts for
the advertisement in question; connection to a telephone value-added
service; acquisition of call-back information; and context-related
interactions in the dialogue with the customer.
In embodiments of the present invention, there are at least two ways in
which the advertising information by advertising dialogue system C can be
inserted into the telephone communication between customer A and
conversation partner B. One such way of the present invention involves
inserting advertising information into a conversation at defined time
intervals, irrespective of the course of conversation. In this variant,
the individual pieces of advertising information are inserted
automatically by advertising dialogue system C into the telephone
communication on the basis of a time control.
Another embodiment of the present invention involves selective,
conversation-oriented insertion of advertising information. In this
embodiment, a control connection can exist between subscriber B and
advertising dialogue system C. In this case, the instant for inserting
advertisements is controlled by conversation partner B. This embodiment
can make it possible to selectively insert advertising information into
the existing telephone conversation at suitable points.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for
advertising in speech-supported telecommunication links, in which
advertising information is inserted during a telephone connection.
Advertising information is imported into an existing telephone connection
by an advertising dialogue system which manages advertising information
and actions with respect to advertising information and which is looped
into the existing telephone connection. Each piece of advertising
information is assigned at least one indication regarding an action that
is possible in connection with the advertising information and a start
instruction for this action. By triggering the start instruction, the
customer activates the action(s) stored in the advertising dialogue system
regarding the piece of advertising information in question. The service(s)
associated with the action(s) is/are automatically made available to the
customer by the advertising dialogue system.
Additionally, a further embodiment of the present invention involves
providing that the information about a keyword or a key sentence with
respect to the imported advertising information is output to the customer
by the advertising dialogue system as a start instruction for the action
offered within the framework of the advertising information, and that
after the customer has activated the keyword or the key sentence, the
action in question is carried out for the customer by the advertising
dialogue system.
Another embodiment further provides that, with respect to the imported
advertising information, information is output to a customer about a
button or a button combination of the telephone as a start instruction for
the action offered within the framework of the advertising information,
and that after the customer has actuated the button/button combination,
the action in question is carried out for the customer by the advertising
dialogue system.
Another embodiment of the present invention further provides that the
individual pieces of advertising information are inserted into the subject
telephone connection by the advertising dialogue system in a
time-controlled manner at previously established, regular intervals.
Another embodiment of the present invention further provides that the
insertion of a piece of advertising information is controlled by a
conversation partner, a signal being generated by a conversation partner
and transmitted to the advertising dialogue system via a data connection
switched between the conversation partner and the advertising dialogue
system; that the transmitted signal triggers the advertising dialogue
system to insert a piece of advertising information into the existing
telephone connection; and that after the advertising information has
ended, a counter-signal which signals to conversation partner the end of
the advertising information is generated by the advertising dialogue
system and transmitted to the conversation partner via the data
connection.
Another embodiment of the present invention further provides that the
insertion of a piece of advertising information is controlled by a
conversation partner, a signal being generated by a conversation partner
and inserted into the existing telephone connection; that the signal
inserted into the telephone connection is detected by the advertising
dialogue system and triggers the insertion of a piece of advertising
information into the existing telephone connection; and that after the
advertising information has ended, a counter-signal which signals to a
conversation partner the end of the advertising information is generated
by the advertising dialogue system and inserted into the existing
telephone connection.
Another embodiment of the present invention further provides that
additional information about the subscriber/customer and/or information
about the conversation context is transmitted by a conversation partner to
the advertising dialogue system.
Another embodiment of the present invention further provides that the
additionally transmitted information about the subscriber/customer and
about the conversation context is used in the advertising dialogue system
for selecting advertising information specific to the targeted audience to
be inserted into the conversation.
These embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein can be used in
a variety of combinations with each other.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 shows a flow schematic of an embodiment of the method of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, conversation partner B is
a computer-telephony information system (CT-Information System B), which,
as a provision of services, offers access to information data banks for
automobiles. In response to an inquiry from customer A, e.g., for
technical information concerning a specific vehicle type, CT-Information
System B can ascertain the desired information via the information data
banks allocated to it and outputs it in the form of voice information to
customer A by way of the existing telephone connection. This voice
information can be automatically interrupted by CT-Information System B at
a suitable point. At the same time, advertising dialogue system C, which
is looped into the conversation, can be activated by CT-Information System
B and induced to insert a piece of advertising information into the
conversation.
In the embodiment of the present invention according to FIG. 1, the
activation is effected via a data line between CT-Information System B and
advertising dialogue system C. For the control via a data line, a signal
is generated by conversation partner B and transmitted to interactive
voice-communication system C via the data line switched between
conversation partner B and advertising dialogue system C. The transmitted
signal triggers advertising dialogue system C to insert a piece of
advertising information into the existing telephone communication. After
the advertising information has terminated, a counter-signal is generated
in advertising dialogue system C and transmitted via the data line to
conversation partner B. The counter-signal indicates to conversation
partner B the end of the advertising information. The original
conversation between customer A and CT-Information System B can be
continued.
It is also possible for the insertion of advertising information to be
controlled by conversation partner B via the telephone connection existing
to customer A. In this design approach, CT-Information System B generates
and outputs a signal. The signal is detected by advertising dialogue
system C and causes it to insert a piece of advertising information into
the existing telephone communication. After the advertising information
has terminated, advertising dialogue system C generates and outputs a
counter-signal. The counter-signal is detected by CT-Information System B
and indicates to it the end of the advertising information. The original
conversation between customer A and CT-Information System B can thereupon
be continued.
In this connection, information about subscriber A and/or information about
the conversation context between CT-Information System B and subscriber A
can be acquired by CT-Information System B and likewise transmitted to
advertising dialogue system C. This additional information is used in
advertising dialogue system C for selecting advertising information
specific to the target group to be inserted into the conversation. This is
done with the aid of an evaluating logic disposed in advertising dialogue
system C.
Since the information called up by customer A may be information concerning
a model of motor vehicle; it is possible, for example, to insert
advertising information relating to this particular motor-vehicle model.
For instance, the advertising information can be designed as a financing
offer from a bank for a new car. Each piece of advertising information
contains at least one keyword and/or information about a button of the
telecommunications terminal of customer A to be actuated. Using the
keyword or the button actuation, customer A can react to the
advertisement, since actions which are connected to the advertising
information in question are allocated to the keyword or the button
actuation. If, during or after a piece of advertising information,
customer A inputs the keyword, transmitted with the advertising
information, as a voice signal, then the input keyword is compared to the
keywords stored in advertising dialogue system C concerning the individual
advertising offers. If there is agreement with a stored keyword,
advertising dialogue system C can automatically start the action(s) stored
with respect to the keyword in question.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the action is for
advertising dialogue system C to automatically establish for the customer
a connection to a Call Center of the bank in whose financing offer
customer A is interested. After the connection to the Call Center of the
bank has been established, customer A can inquire about a service wish
and, in the event of interest, can even accept a financing offer. After
the conversation with the Call Center of the bank has ended, customer A
can continue the conversation with CT-Information System B and query
further information, or terminate the conversation.
Embodiments of the present invention can be of particular interest to
service providers who, as a service, offer a data-supported information
system having information concerning products. The present invention makes
it possible to selectively underlay product information with
product-accompanying advertising information for the customer. The
customer is thereby able to react immediately and without great
expenditure of time and energy to advertising information regarding facts
which are of interest to the customer.
In any embodiments of the present invention, the service providers
operating the information service can use the method of the present
invention for refinancing their services via advertising revenue. In any
embodiments of the present invention, the advertising firm can use the
method of the present invention for individual advertising oriented toward
a targeted audience.
Due to a logical separation between CT-Information System B and advertising
dialogue system C, customers, in particular the operators of
telecommunications networks, can operate the method of the present
invention centrally themselves and can further offer the method of the
present invention as a service for use to suitable network subscribers
such as information services, value-added services and those carrying on
advertising.
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