U.S. Pat. No. 11,402,967

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1illustrates one embodiment10of a system and method for personalizing universal content media prior to delivery to a recipient. As shown, a plurality of individual initiators I01to I0N using, for example PCs PC01to PC0N, communicate with server12via network11in order to deliver media personal to each initiator. As will be seen, in one embodiment the personal data received from each initiator is stored in a database, such as database60(FIG. 6) in memory1202under control of an application, such as application1203running under control of processor1201. In association with each initiator is one or more recipients, such as recipients R01to R0N, who will ultimately have delivered or made available to them media (such as a printed magazine, a news letter, a game or a server logon ID, etc.) which, while intended for mass distribution is nonetheless modified by the received personal media from the initiator (or initiators) associated with the recipient. In this manner, an initiator can cause to be delivered to a particular specified recipient universally distributed media while also having that media personalized prior to delivery.

In one embodiment, when it is time for distribution of the media, such as a magazine or a game, server12(or any other control) sends the universal (common) media to medial control13for subsequent delivery to the various recipients. Prior to delivery to the recipient (at least in one embodiment) the media that is to be personalized for that particular recipient has inserted therein the personalized media previously received from (or identified by) the initiator(s) associated with that particular recipient. Media control then directs the printing of the magazine via printer1301or burns a disk via burner1302or in some situations by email or other electronic The media is then delivered via delivery service14, which can be a terrestrial mail delivery service. In some situations the media will be available to the recipient on-line, for example, via media server1303and either requested by or pushed to the recipient.

FIGS. 2A-2Cillustrate embodiments of magazines deliverable to recipients.FIG. 2Ashows a generic professionally constructed magazine20-1geared to the teen market, called TEEN MAG21-1. This magazine is deliverable, usually by subscription, to a plurality of teenagers and the content, such as the content partially recited in cover index22-1, contained in each issue of the magazine is geared to all subscribers in common. In the issue shown, the cover contains generic media, such as picture23-1.

FIG. 2Bshows the same magazine, namely TEEN MAG20-2, except that this magazine is destined for delivery to recipient R01at the initiation of initiator I01. The common content is the same, as for generic magazine20-1, as shown by cover index22-2, but generic picture23-1has been replaced by media sent by initiator I01. In this situation, the customized picture is of grandpa's new dog. Note that the customizable material could come from the initiator directly, or could come from a site remote from the initiator pointed to by the initiator. As will be discussed, prior to publishing this issue of the magazine, the publisher could have sent a message to each initiator soliciting customizable media for use in this (or future) issues. The publisher could have sent along parameters for the media, such as physical size, theme, etc, or could have provided a web site for each initiator to access and fill in blanks to create the desired media. Also note that the customization is not limited to any specific place in the magazine but could be any place and could be multiple customizations. Also, the initiator could, if desired, be given the opportunity to selected which portion of the “common” material is to be distributed. In such a situation, the initiators could be told which possible articles are available for a particular issue and then that initiator could select which article (or advertisement, etc.) is printed in the distributed media.

FIG. 2Cshows magazine20-3customized for recipient R0N under control of initiator102. In this instance, recipient R0N will see a picture23-3of recipient's entire family, instead of generic picture23-1.

FIGS. 3A and 3Billustrate a magazine common to seven year olds.FIG. 3Ashows generic AGE 7 MAG magazine30-1having universal content suitable for seven year olds and having generic media31-1on the cover.

FIG. 3Bshows AGE 7 MAG30-2customized for recipient R02by initiator I01. Generic media31-1has been replaced by personalized media31-2, which in this case is a picture of the initiator's new cat. Note that while pictures are being used in the embodiment, any media would work, including pictures, text, sound, and perhaps smell (digitized and delivered in the same manner as any other media). As will be discussed hereinafter, the personalized media is stored in database50(FIG. 5) in an association between initiator and recipient.

In some embodiments a recipient profile can be established such that the recipient, or the initiator, could establish profile elements that can be stored in a database, such as in database50, and these profile elements could be used by the publisher from time to time to change certain of the content for the recipient. For example, religious preferences (or age or any other profile element) could be one profile element and the publisher then would use that element to adjust articles or content to suit the various different recipients.

Thus, in such a scenario the December issue of a magazine could have articles tailored to a recipients religious preferences, such that Christian recipients would have recopies for Christmas dinner (or articles on Christmas) while the content for Jewish preference recipients would be geared around Chanukah. The recipient preference would be determined by the profile element(s) of each recipient. In some situations it might be appropriate to adjust the advertizing and/or the substantive content based on each recipient's preferences, would could include gender, age, religion, as well as more personal preferences, such as non-alcohol user, political preferences, nationality, etc. The use of profiles can also work well for games and other media where certain content is adjusted for a group of recipients based upon a common thread among a number of profiles.

FIGS. 4A and 4Billustrate that other media can be personalized as well as magazines.FIG. 4Ashows a generic game41-1andFIG. 4Bshows the same mass distributed game personalized for recipient R01by initiator102. In this case the customizable media may be video as well as static pictures or text. The added media might even allow for the substitution of family or other favorite characters for characters or objects in the game. For example, assume that the game has falling stars that need to be blown up in order to survive. The stars could have the face of the family cat thereon. The family dog might be cast as the “savior” in the version of the game personalized for recipient102.

FIG. 5shows one embodiment50of a database for storing relationships and associations between initiators, recipients and desired personalization media. Some of the media stored (or identified), for example in column55, is media that will be used repetitively for more than one issue of the delivered media. Media identified in column56is for a particular upcoming issue and will be used only once. As discussed above, this media can take any form suitable for the publication. Column54identifies the universal media, such as the magazine, game, etc that is to be delivered to a wide range of people. Columns51and52contain the associations between initiators and recipients and column53contains the recipients profile information, if desired. As shown, recipient R01has profile elements f (female), 16 (age 16) and J (Jewish) and NA (no alcohol). Note that the recipient need not be Jewish to have a Jewish profile if the recipient (or the initiator for the recipient) desires for the recipient to have Jewish content. In some situations, the recipient profile will be marked with what the recipient does not desire to see instead of what the recipient desires to have sent. Thus, a recipient may desire to have the December issue of a magazine contain all of the possible religious celebrations and not just a single religious theme.

Note that a recipient may have many initiators and vice versa. In some situations, more than one initiator may desire to personalize the same media for a given recipient. In some situations this is allowable and in others it might be prevented. Also note that a recipient can be his/her own initiator.

FIG. 6shows on embodiment60of a method for receiving media from an initiator. The methods discussed herein can be run, for example, as part of applications1203under control of processor1201. Process601determines if an initiator has logged onto the system. If so, processes602and603verify the proper identity of the person logged on. If all is proper, then process604controls the receipt of the desired media from the initiator.

Process605determines if this media is for the next issue only (one-time media) or for recurring use. If the information is for a one-time use then it is stored in a temporary database, such as indicated by column56shown inFIG. 5as controlled by process607. If the input is to be used for multiple issues, or if the input is profile information, then process606controls the storage in more permanent databases via process608(column55) and process609(column53). Note that any database or set of databases can be used for such storage until the information is needed for a particular issue of the media.

FIG. 7shows an embodiment70of a method for informing initiators that it is time to provide personalized media. Process701determines if a message is ready for delivery to initiators. When it is time to obtain media input from initiators, process702retrieves the link or network address of each initiator and sends a message by email, text or any other electronic method. Process702can, if desired, from time to time, provide anticipated common media to one or more initiator so that the initiator can select from among a number of possible medias for inclusion in an upcoming delivery. For example, there can be ten possible articles that could appear in the December issue and the initiator could select which articles his/her recipients will actually receive. This selection can be in addition to the personal message media and data that the initiator can also include in the December distribution. Using the link information, process703sends the respective messages and processes704and705continues such sending until all known initiators, or their allowed designees, have been sent messages or the required input has been received or the deadline has passed.

FIG. 8shows one embodiment80of a method for controlling personalized delivery of otherwise universal media. Process801determines if it is time to distribute media. When the time is right, process802compiles the universal. This may be done over a period of time but at some point the media is ready for distribution except for the personalized information. At that point in time, process803retrieves the entire recipient list for the issue being prepared.

Process804determines for each recipient if there is customizable material and/or profile information that pertains to this next issue or release that needs to be used in the preparation of the next distribution. If not, process806sends the universal generic material to print control and concurrently, process805indexes to the next recipient. If there is profile information then the profile information is used to control the generic content material as discussed above.

When a recipient is shown as having available personalized media, or when the initiator has selected certain media from among a selection of common media, process807retrieves both the one-time media and the repetitive media from database50(FIG. 5) and process808inserts the retrieved media in the proper locations within the generic media. In some situations this inserted material will replace material already in the generic version and in other situations the retrieved material with supplement the generic material. Process809sends the personalized media to print control. In one embodiment, the system will be instructed to obtain customized input data from a location via Process813. This location can be the initiator's own computer, some other storage device or even a live sensor(s) located remote from the initiator. The remote sensor then allows for the customization to be of “real-time” data, such as temperature, weather conditions, biometrics, pictures, etc. This real-time data can be delivered as a link to a data storage device, or to a processor, and can be fed on a continuous basis upon call from the publisher. For magazines this might be a one-time call per issue, but for electronic media, such as that provided by a server the personalized updates can be continuous and can depend upon static sensors at a single location or upon multiple sensors, or upon movement of the initiator (or some designee(s)) or upon some other selected target, such as a boat, storm conditions, traffic conditions, etc. In this manner, a game, or other media can be continuously changed by external events that might be random, or might be dependent upon some action, words spoken or other activity of the initiator (or designee(s).

Process810delivers the media to recipients by, for example, placing proper addressing on a mailing label being certain to make sure that customized media for a particular recipient, such as for recipient R01, has a mailing label specific for that recipient.

Optionally, once the media is delivered, particularly for electronic delivery, it is possible for a return message to be communicated for the recipient to the initiator. Processes811and812handle this function, if available.

Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.