A Key Patent for Advertising Rights Embedded in Electronic Communications. ICAP Patent Brokerage Announces a Patent Portfolio for Sale Involving Targeted Advertisements in Communications, an Important Patent Covering a Broad Range of Communication Activities Including Ad Placement, Use of User Demographics, User Remuneration and Automated Tracking

CHICAGO, Feb. 23, 2012  /PRNewswire/ -- ICAP Patent Brokerage, a division of ICAP plc and the world's largest intellectual property brokerage and patent auction firm, is offering for sale a patented method for targeting advertisements in electronic communications, an important patent covering a broad range of communication activities where ad placement is involved, invented by Lawrence F. Glaser and owned by Nixon Peabody LLP and Studebaker & Brackett PC.

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Background

This is a key claim in US Patent # 8,041,604: "A method of transmitting an advertisement from a user of a data processing system to a receiving party, comprising the steps of: subscribing to a service to be used by the user operating the data processing system, establishing an agreement with the user to include an advertisement associated with said service in communications transmitted from the data processing system using a communications application associated with the user; receiving a request from the user, via said communications application, to initiate a communication from said data processing system; automatically embedding an advertisement associated with said service with said initiated communication in accordance with said agreement; and transmitting to the receiving party, said communication with said advertisement automatically embedded therein." (Automated Embedding of Advertisements in Communications – Filed 1999, issued 2011)  There are significant dependent claims referencing the above claim, broadening the meaning and intent of the invention.

Key Characteristics & Benefits

The '604 patent discloses methods that offer significant new revenue opportunities for a wide range of communication networks. It also demands attention from communication networks requiring patent protection for both current and future practices. 

• The patent covers methods of advertising on networks using data processing devices. This includes any user, any network form, any advertising form, any data processing form, and, arguably, any communication form.
• Example: Adding an advertisement to an e-mail or text message. The sender receives a discounted service, and the network receives revenue from the advertiser. In one preferred embodiment, as users merely add hardware, software and services they purchase through any means, their data processing system automatically advertises in all the user's messages for the presence of and use of these additions.  This automation applies to any purchases the user makes. 

This patent is broad and only recently issued, so the terms of the patent specification and scope of the claims include, but are not limited to the following:

• An ad is a banner, coupon, auction, reverse auction, video, hologram, animation, video or any other form;
• The unique demographics of the sender or recipient can affect content; 
• A "user" references any entity attached to a network -  human or machine; 
• "Data processor" is a very broad term and covers a wide and growing range of devices: PC, SmartPhone, smart watch with texting capabilities, iPad, etc.; 
• "Network" is also a very broad  term, including but not limited to the internet;
• Presentation of an end-user-license-agreement (EULA) , this is an early example of the technique;
• The claims cover automation of the ads going into the communications, as well as the automatic use of demographic data mined about users to determine the ads to embed.

Market Potential

This patent is critically important to both large networks and services who have electronic advertising as part of their business model. 

To learn more about the assets available for sale in this portfolio:

Contact Dean Becker of ICAP Patent Brokerage at [email protected]

About ICAP Patent Brokerage

ICAP Patent Brokerage, a division of ICAP plc and the world's largest intellectual property brokerage and patent auction firm.

About ICAP

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SOURCE ICAP Patent Brokerage