초록 ▼

Location-blocking and identity-blocking services that can be commercially offered by a service promoter, e.g., a cellular service provider or a web advertiser. In the identity-blocking service, the service promoter may disclose the current physical location of a mobile subscriber (i.e., a cellular p

Location-blocking and identity-blocking services that can be commercially offered by a service promoter, e.g., a cellular service provider or a web advertiser. In the identity-blocking service, the service promoter may disclose the current physical location of a mobile subscriber (i.e., a cellular phone operator) to a third party (e.g., a web advertiser) subscribing to the identity-blocking service. However, the service promoter may not send any identity information for the mobile subscriber to the third party. On the other hand, in the location-blocking service, the service promoter may disclose the mobile subscriber's identity information to the third party, but not the current physical location of the mobile subscriber. Blocking of the mobile subscriber's identity or location information may be desirable for privacy reasons, to comply with a government regulation, or to implement a telecommunication service option selected by the mobile subscriber. However, in the case of the mobile subscriber requesting emergency help, the service promoter may not block identity and/or location information. Instead, the service promoter may send all such information to the emergency service provider (e.g., the police or a hospital).

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method of sending an advertisement to a user operating a wireless communication device, comprising: receiving first information about the identity of the user; receiving second information about a location of the user for a fee; searching a first database containing a plura

What is claimed is: 1. A method of sending an advertisement to a user operating a wireless communication device, comprising: receiving first information about the identity of the user; receiving second information about a location of the user for a fee; searching a first database containing a plurality of user-specific advertisements; accessing a second database containing a plurality of user-specific preferences; accessing a third database containing a plurality of location-specific preferences; identifying one or more preferences in the second database that are associated with the user; identifying one or more location-specific preferences in the third database that are associated with the location of the user; selecting one of the plurality of user-specific advertisements based on the one or more preferences in the second database and the one or more location-specific preferences in the third database; receiving an activation of a location-blocking option; and sending the one of the plurality of user-specific advertisements to the wireless communication device over a communication network without transmitting location information associated with the wireless communication device in the user-specific advertisement. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first information about the identity of the user includes obtaining the first information for a fee. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first information about the identity of the user includes soliciting the first information from the user when the user signs up for a service that provides one or more user-specific advertisements to the user. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first information about the identity of the user is accomplished by extracting the first information from a message transmitted by the wireless communication device. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first information about the identity of the user includes second information about a location of the user, and wherein the one of the plurality of user-specific advertisements is sent to the wireless communication device without transmitting an indication of the location of the user. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first information about the identity of the user excludes second information about a location of the user. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein searching the first database includes: accessing the first database; and matching the identity of the user received in the first information against each of a plurality of identities stored in the first database to determine which of the plurality of user-specific advertisements is associated with the user. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication network includes the Internet. 9. A method of sending an advertisement over a communication network to a user operating a wireless communication device, comprising: receiving first information about the identity of the user; receiving second information about a location of the user for a fee; searching a database containing a plurality of user-specific advertisements; accessing a second database containing a plurality of pre-selected criteria; accessing a third database containing a plurality of location-specific preferences; identifying one or more pre-selected criterion in the second database that are associated with the user; identifying one or more location-specific preferences in the third database that are associated with the location of the user; selecting one of the plurality of user-specific advertisements based on the one or more pre-selected criterion associated with the user and the one or more location-specific preferences in the third database; receiving an activation of a location-blocking service option; and sending the one of the plurality of user-specific advertisements to the wireless communication device over the communication network without transmitting location information associated with the wireless communication device in the user-specific advertisement. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving the first information about the identity of the user is accomplished by obtaining the first information from an information provider. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first information about the identity of the user is obtained from the information provider for a fee. 12. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving the second information about the location of the user includes receiving the second information from an information provider. 13. The method of claim 9, wherein selecting the one of the plurality of user-specific advertisements includes: receiving the one or more criteria from the user; storing the one or more criteria received from the user in the database; and consulting the one or more criteria while selecting the one of the plurality of user-specific advertisements from the database. 14. The method of claim 9, further comprising allowing the user to unblock over the Internet the transmission of the second information about the location of the user. 15. The method of claim 9, further comprising disclosing the second information about the location of the user to an emergency service provider when the user requests emergency help. 16. The method of claim 9, wherein the one of the plurality of user-specific advertisements is sent over the communication network in the form of a TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) message. 17. A server including software stored thereon for performing a method of sending an advertisement to a user operating a wireless communication device, comprising: logic for receiving first information about the identity of the user; logic for receiving second information about a location of the user for a fee; logic for searching a first database containing a plurality of user-specific advertisements; logic for accessing a second database containing a plurality of user-specific preferences; logic for accessing a third database containing a plurality of location-specific preferences; logic for identifying one or more preferences in the second database that are associated with the user; logic for identifying one or more location-specific preferences in the third database that are associated with the location of the user; logic for selecting one of the plurality of user-specific advertisements based on the one or more preferences in the second database and the one or more location-specific preferences in the third database; logic for to receiving an activation of a location-blocking option; and logic for sending the one of the plurality of user-specific advertisements to the wireless communication device over a communication network without transmitting location information associated with the wireless communication device in the user-specific advertisement. 18. The server of claim 17, wherein logic for receiving the first information about the identity of the user includes logic for obtaining the first information for a fee. 19. The server of claim 17, wherein logic for receiving the first information about the identity of the user includes logic for soliciting the first information from the user when the user signs up for a service that provides one or more user-specific advertisements to the user. 20. The server of claim 17, wherein logic for receiving the first information about the identity of the user is accomplished by logic for extracting the first information from a message transmitted by the wireless communication device. 21. The server of claim 17, wherein the first information about the identity of the user includes second information about a location of the user, and wherein the logic for sending the one of the plurality of user-specific advertisements includes logic for sending the one of the plurality of user-specific advertisements without transmitting an indication of the location of the user. 22. The server of claim 17, wherein the first information about the identity of the user excludes second information about a location of the user. 23. The server of claim 17, wherein logic for searching the first database includes: logic for accessing the first database; and logic for matching the identity of the user received in the first information against each of a plurality of identities stored in the first database to determine which of the plurality of user-specific advertisements is associated with the user. 24. The server of claim 17, wherein the communication network includes the Internet. 25. A server including software for performing a method of sending an advertisement over a communication network to a user operating a wireless communication device, comprising: logic for receiving first information about the identity of the user; logic for receiving second location information about a location associated with the wireless communication device; logic for searching a database containing a plurality of user-specific advertisements; logic for accessing a second database containing a plurality of pre-selected criteria; logic for accessing a third database containing a plurality of location-specific preferences; logic for identifying one or more pre-selected criterion in the second database that are associated with the user; logic for identifying one or more location-specific preferences in the third database that are associated with the location of the user; logic for selecting one of the plurality of user-specific advertisements based on the one or more pre-selected criterion associated with the user and the one or more location-specific preferences in the third database; logic for receiving an activation of a location-blocking option; and logic for sending the one of the plurality of user-specific advertisements to the wireless communication device over the communication network without transmitting the second location information about the location with the user-specific advertisement. 26. The server of claim 25, wherein logic for receiving the first information about the identity of the user includes logic for obtaining the first information from an information provider. 27. The server of claim 26, further including logic for obtaining the first information about the identity of the user from the information provider for a fee. 28. The server of claim 25, wherein logic for receiving the second location information about the location of the user includes logic for receiving the second location information from an information provider. 29. The server of claim 25, wherein logic for selecting the one of the plurality of user-specific advertisements includes: logic for receiving the one or more criteria from the user; logic for storing the one or more criteria received from the user in the database; and logic for consulting the one or more criteria while selecting the one of the plurality of user-specific advertisements from the database. 30. The server of claim 25, further comprising logic for allowing the user to allow the transmission of the second location information about the location of the user. 31. The server of claim 25, further comprising logic for disclosing the second location information about the location of the user to an emergency service provider when the user requests emergency help. 32. The server of claim 25, further including logic for sending the one of the plurality of user-specific advertisements over the communication network in the form of a TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) message. 33. A method of sending an advertisement to a user operating a wireless communication device, comprising: receiving first information about the identity of the user; receiving second information about a location of the user for a fee; searching a first database containing a plurality of user-specific advertisements; accessing a second database containing a plurality of pre-selected criteria; accessing a third database containing a plurality of location-specific preferences; identifying one or more pre-selected criterion in the second database that are associated with the user; identifying one or more location-specific preferences in the third database that are associated with the location of the user; selecting one of the plurality of user-specific advertisements based on the one or more pre-selected criterion associated with the user and the one or more location-specific preferences in the third database; receiving an activation of a location-blocking option; and sending the one of the plurality of user-specific advertisements to the wireless communication device over a communication network without transmitting an indication of the location of the user with the user-specific advertisement. 34. The method of claim 33, wherein the identity includes the name of the user. 35. The method of claim 33, wherein the identity includes the telephone number of the user. 36. The method of claim 33, wherein the identity includes the address of the user. 37. The method of claim 33, wherein the identity includes the employment status of the user.