Method for personalizing messages delivered to a communication terminal that preserves the privacy of the recipient of the message

Abstract

A method for enhancing the privacy of recipients of personalizing text messages such as advertisements delivered to communication terminals such as cellular telephones. A common carrier such as a cellular telephone service provider gathers personal information from a subscriber at the time the subscriber signs on for service and receives a communication terminal. The carrier loads the terminal with a table that assigns variables to elements of personal information. The carrier accepts messages such as advertisements for distribution to subscribers. These messages use the variables that the carrier has loaded into the subscribers' terminals. When such a message is received, a subscriber's terminal replaces the variables with the elements of personal information by referring to the table.

1 . A method for personalizing a message from a message originator delivered by a common carrier to a subscriber of the common carrier, comprising:
 creating a table that assigns personal information of the subscriber to respective variables that are different than the personal information;   loading into a communication terminal, used by the subscriber, the table that assigns elements of the personal information of the subscriber to the respective variables;   accepting a message from the message originator for mass distribution to subscribers of the common carrier and after receiving the message, making reference to the variables that occur in the table so that personalized messages can be generated on the subscriber's communication terminal; and   delivering the personalized message to the subscriber, wherein the personalized message refers to the variables that the common carrier has loaded into the subscriber's communication terminal in order to provide the personalized message for the subscriber.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the common carrier provides cellular telephone service and the communication terminal is a wireless terminal capable of displaying text messages. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the personal information from the subscriber is obtained at a time the subscriber signs on for service with the common carrier. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the message originator is a retail business and the personalized message is an advertisement. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein making reference includes replacing at least one variable with the personal information, by referring to the table that the common carrier loaded onto the communication terminal when the subscriber signed on for service. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the common carrier maintains the personal information of the subscriber without providing the personal information to the message originator by using the variables instead of the personal information, while distributing the mass distribution messages to the subscriber. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing, from the common carrier to the message originator, a definition of the variable. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the message received from the message originator is processed by determining which, if any, of the variables that the message includes; and   when the message includes the variables, the communication terminal substitutes the associated element of personal information for each variable, wherein the substitution of elements of personal information for the variables is be made by one of: the communication terminal immediately upon receiving the message, and just prior to displaying the message to the subscriber, and at any time between receiving and displaying the message.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising maintaining privacy of the carrier's subscribers, as the message originator is not given the personal information about the subscriber who receives the messages, wherein the personal information of the subscriber is carried in the subscribers' communication terminals thereby enabling the common carrier to maintain the privacy of the subscriber while accepting mass-mailing messages, distribute the messages to the subscriber, and have the messages appear to be personalized when they are read by the subscriber. 
     
     
         10 . A method for personalizing a message from a message originator for delivery by a common carrier to a subscriber of the common carrier, comprising:
 selecting a variable that is associated in a communication terminal with an element of personal information about a subscriber of a common carrier service who uses the communication terminal;   associating the variable and the element of personal information in the communication terminal with a table loaded into the communication terminal by the common carrier;   providing a message to the common carrier for delivery to the subscriber, where the message uses the variable provided by the common carrier to identify the element of personal information about the subscriber to provide a personalized message; and   substituting, with the communication device, the element of personal information for the variable, wherein
 the table is loaded into the communication terminal when the common carrier establishes a service account for the subscriber; and 
 the common carrier collects the element of personal information and constructs the table. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the common carrier provides cellular telephone service and the communication terminal is a wireless terminal capable of displaying text messages. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the message originator is a retail business and the message is an advertisement. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising receiving definitions of variables provided in the table which assigns the elements of personal information to the variables, the variables being different than the personal information so that a message originator can provide a personalized message to the subscriber from a mass distribution. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the receiving definitions of variables is performed implicitly, which comprises the message originator adhering to a pre-agreed mapping, wherein like variables are always associated with like elements of the personal information. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the receiving definitions of variables is performed explicitly which comprises posting the definitions on an Internet web site to be accessed by the message originator. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the receiving definitions of variables is performed explicitly which comprises the common carrier transmitting the definitions to the message originator over a public network.