Marketing method

Abstract

A server implements a marketing method. The server may receive a wireless call or message and return choices particular to a facility. On receiving a selected choice, the server may return information particular to a part of said given facility. The information may be a marketing incentive, marketing information, or a promotion.

1 . A method of operating a server connected to a wireless network, comprising: 
 receiving a wireless call or message from a wireless access number;    determining a movie theatre of interest;    returning movie choices at said theatre of interest;    wirelessly receiving a movie choice;    returning play times of said movie choice.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said returning movie choices comprises returning a message to cause display of said movie choices.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said returning play times comprises returning a message to cause display of a menu of play times.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said determining comprises comparing said wireless access number with a wireless access number list, each entry in said wireless access number list associated with an associated movie theatre and, on a match, considering said associated theatre as said theatre of interest.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said determining comprises parsing a cell sector indicator from said wireless call or message and comparing said cell sector indicator with a cell sector list, each entry in said cell sector list associated with an associated movie theatre and, on a match, considering said associated theatre as said theatre of interest.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein some entries in said list are associated with more than one associated movie theatre and, on a match, returning a menu indicating each of said more than one associated theatre; wirelessly receiving a theatre choice; and considering said theatre choice as said theatre of interest.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said wireless call or message is a request for theatre location information and wherein said determining comprises serving up a menu of theatres; wirelessly receiving a theatre choice; and considering said theatre choice as said theatre of interest.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said determining comprises parsing a global positioning system (GPS) indicator from said wireless call or message and comparing said GPS indicator with a GPS list, each entry in said GPS list associated with an associated movie theatre and, on a match, returning said associated theatre as said theatre of interest.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said receiving a call or message is receiving an initiating message and wherein said determining comprises parsing an indication of a theatre of interest from said initiating message.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising wirelessly returning a promotion related to said theatre of interest.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each said returning comprises returning with a wireless message.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each said returning comprises returning with a wireless simple messaging system (SMS) message or with a multi-media messaging system (MMS) message.  
     
     
         13 . A method of operating a server connected to a wireless network, comprising: 
 receiving a wireless call or message from a wireless access number;    returning a message to cause display of a menu of current movie choices at a plurality of theatres;    wirelessly receiving a movie choice;    returning a message to cause display of theatre locations and play times of said movie choice.    
     
     
         14 . A method of operating a server connected to a wireless network, comprising: 
 receiving a wireless call or message from a wireless access number;    determining a shopping mall of interest;    returning store information at said shopping mall of interest;    wirelessly receiving a store or store sector choice;    returning promotional information for said store or store sector choice.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said returning store information comprises returning a message to cause display of a menu of store or store sector selections.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said returning promotional information comprises returning one or more messages with promotional content.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising, subsequent to said returning said one or more messages, receiving updated message content for at least one of said one or more messages.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising storing at least one updated message based on said updated message content.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said updated message replaces one of said one or more messages.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising returning said at least one updated message.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising returning said at least one updated message if a time between said receiving a choice selected from said menu and said receiving updated message content is less than a pre-determined time.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said promotional content is a promotional code.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said determining comprises comparing said wireless access number with a wireless access number list, each entry in said wireless access number list associated with an associated shopping mall and, on a match, considering said associated shopping mall as said shopping mall of interest.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said determining comprises parsing a cell sector indicator from said wireless call or message and comparing said cell sector indicator with a cell sector list, each entry in said cell sector list associated with an associated shopping mall and, on a match, considering said associated shopping mall as said shopping mall of interest.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein some entries in said list are associated with more than one associated shopping mall and, on a match, returning a menu indicating each of said more than one associated shopping mall; wirelessly receiving a shopping mall choice; and considering said shopping mall choice as said shopping mall of interest.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said determining comprises parsing a global positioning system (GPS) indicator from said wireless call or message and comparing said GPS indicator with a GPS list, each entry in said GPS list associated with an associated shopping mall and, on a match, returning said associated shopping mall as said shopping mall of interest.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 14  wherein each said returning comprises returning with a wireless message.  
     
     
         28 . A marketing method comprising, at a server: 
 receiving a wireless call or message originating at a given facility;    returning a menu of choices particular to that facility;    on receiving a choice selected from said menu, returning one or more messages with information particular to a part of said given facility.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein said information is a marketing incentive, marketing information, or a promotion.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28  wherein said information is a promotional code.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29  wherein said receiving a wireless call or message originating at a given facility comprises receiving said call or message with an associated geographic indication.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein said geographic indication is a GPS location indicator.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31  wherein said geographic indication is a cell sector identifier.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29  wherein said facility is shopping facility and said information is a marketing incentive from at least one store in said shopping facility.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 29  further comprising, subsequent to said returning said one or more messages, receiving updated message content for at least one of said one or more messages.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35  further comprising storing at least one updated message based on said message content.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36  wherein said updated message replaces one of said one or more messages.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 35  further comprising returning said at least one updated message.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 35  further comprising returning said at least one updated message if a time between said receiving a choice selected from said menu and said receiving updated message content is less than a pre-determined time.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 29  wherein said receiving a wireless call or message comprises receiving a short messaging service message.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 29  wherein said receiving a wireless call or message comprises receiving a wireless cellular telephone call.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41  wherein said wireless cellular telephone call is made to a destination number terminated at said server and wherein said server terminates a plurality of destination numbers and wherein said facility is identified by said destination number.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 34  wherein said menu of choices comprises a list of retail verticals.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 30  wherein said promotional code is time limited.  
     
     
         45 . A marketing method comprising, at a server: 
 receiving an indication of a cell phone being geographically in a given facility;    returning to said cell phone a menu of choices particular to that facility;    on receiving a choice selected from said menu, returning a message with information particular to a part of said given facility.    
     
     
         46 . A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions which, when executed by a processor of a server cause said server to: 
 on receiving a wireless call or message originating at a given facility, returning a menu of choices particular to that facility;    on receiving a choice selected from said menu, returning one or more messages with information particular to a part of said given facility.    
     
     
         47 . The computer readable medium of  claim 46  wherein said information is a marketing incentive, marketing information, or a promotion.