U.S. patent application number 13/725309 was filed with the patent office on 2013-05-02 for requesting offline profile data for online use in a privacy-sensitive manner.
This patent application is currently assigned to AlmondNet, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is AlmondNet, Inc.. Invention is credited to Roy Shkedi.
Application Number | 20130110990 13/725309 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42319790 |
Filed Date | 2013-05-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130110990 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Shkedi; Roy |
May 2, 2013 |
Requesting offline profile data for online use in a
privacy-sensitive manner
Abstract
A method, performed using one or more servers under the control
of an ISP, comprises: (a) receiving an electronic transmission from
a requesting server of an IP address and a time and date; (b)
automatically determining to which subscriber of the ISP the
received IP address was allocated at the received time and date;
and (c) automatically transmitting an electronic communication that
causes delivery to the requesting server of offline data
originating from an offline data provider. The delivered offline
data concern the subscriber determined to have been allocated the
received IP address at the received time and date. The
communication does not convey to the offline data provider the
subscriber's history of online activity, and the delivery does not
convey to the requesting server a personal identity of the
subscriber.
Inventors: |
Shkedi; Roy; (Forest Hills,
NY) |
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Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
AlmondNet, Inc.; |
New York |
NY |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
AlmondNet, Inc.
New York
NY
|
Family ID: |
42319790 |
Appl. No.: |
13/725309 |
Filed: |
December 21, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13524409 |
Jun 15, 2012 |
8341247 |
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13725309 |
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13024217 |
Feb 9, 2011 |
8204965 |
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13524409 |
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12688731 |
Jan 15, 2010 |
7890609 |
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13024217 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
709/219 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 67/2814 20130101;
H04L 67/306 20130101; H04L 67/10 20130101; H04L 67/20 20130101;
H04L 67/02 20130101; H04L 61/2007 20130101; H04L 41/069 20130101;
H04L 67/22 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
709/219 |
International
Class: |
H04L 29/08 20060101
H04L029/08 |
Claims
1. A method performed using one or more servers under control of an
ISP, comprising: (a) receiving at one or more of the servers from a
requesting server an electronic transmission of an IP address and a
time and date; (b) automatically determining, using one or more of
the servers, to which subscriber of the ISP the IP address received
in part (a) was allocated at the time and date received in part
(a); and (c) automatically transmitting from one or more of the
servers an electronic communication that causes delivery to the
requesting server of offline data originating from an offline data
provider, which offline data concern the subscriber determined in
part (b), which communication does not convey to the offline data
provider information pertaining to a history of online activity,
which online activity is performed by the subscriber determined in
part (b) via online access provided by the ISP, and which delivery
and which offline data do not convey to the requesting server a
personal identity of the subscriber determined in part (b).
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the acts of parts (b) and (c) are
performed without associating the history of online activity with a
personal identity of the subscriber determined in part (b).
3. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically transmitting from
one or more of the servers the electronic communication, in part
(c), comprises automatically electronically directing to the
requesting server the offline data originating from the offline
data provider, which offline data concerns the subscriber
determined in part (b).
4. The method of claim 3 wherein automatically transmitting from
one or more of the servers the electronic communication, in part
(c), comprises automatically electronically directing to the
requesting server the offline data that were received from the
offline data provider before the IP address, time, and date were
received in part (a).
5. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically transmitting from
one or more of the servers the electronic communication, in part
(c), comprises automatically electronically directing to the
offline data provider information personally identifying the
subscriber determined in part (b).
6. The method of claim 5 (i) wherein automatically electronically
directing to the offline data provider the information personally
identifying the subscriber determined in part (b) results in
receipt by one or more of the servers of the offline data
concerning the subscriber determined in part (b); and (ii) wherein
the delivery caused in part (c) comprises transmitting to the
requesting server the offline data received from the offline data
provider.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein automatically electronically
directing to the offline data provider the information personally
identifying the subscriber determined in part (b) results in the
offline data provider transmitting to the requesting server the
offline data concerning the subscriber determined in part (b), the
identity of which requesting server has been prearranged.
8. The method of claim 5 wherein automatically electronically
directing to the offline data provider the information personally
identifying the subscriber determined in part (b) results in the
offline data provider transmitting to the requesting server the
offline data concerning the subscriber determined in part (b).
9. The method of claim 8 wherein automatically transmitting from
one or more of the servers the electronic communication, in part
(c), further comprises automatically electronically directing to
the offline data provider information identifying the requesting
server.
10. The method of claim 8 further comprising: (i) receiving from
the requesting server an online identifier corresponding to the
received IP address, time, and date of part (a); and (ii)
transmitting from one or more of the servers to the offline data
provider the online data identifier in association with the
information personally identifying the subscriber determined in
part (b).
11. The method of claim 8 further comprising: (i) receiving from
the offline data provider an offline data identifier that
corresponds to the subscriber determined in part (b), which offline
data identifier does not personally identify that subscriber; and
(ii) transmitting from one or more of the servers to the requesting
server the offline data identifier in association with the received
IP address, time, and date of part (a).
12. The method of claim 8 further comprising: (i) generating, using
one or more of the servers, an offline data identifier that
corresponds to the subscriber determined in part (b), which offline
data identifier does not personally identify that subscriber; (ii)
transmitting the generated offline data identifier from one or more
of the servers to the requesting server in association with the
received IP address, time, and date of part (a); and (iii)
transmitting the generated offline data identifier from one or more
of the servers to the offline data provider in association with the
information personally identifying the subscriber determined in
part (b).
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the IP address, time, and date of
part (a) are received from the requesting server.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the IP address, time, and date of
part (a) correspond to online access or an online redirect to the
requesting server via an online access device of the subscriber
determined in part (b).
15. A system comprising one or more servers under the control of an
ISP, which one or more servers are structured and connected: (a) to
receive at one or more of the servers from a requesting server an
electronic transmission of an IP address and a time and date; (b)
to determine automatically, using one or more of the servers, to
which subscriber of the ISP the IP address received in part (a) was
allocated at the time and date received in part (a); and (c) to
transmit automatically from one or more of the servers an
electronic communication that causes delivery to the requesting
server of offline data originating from an offline data provider,
which offline data concern the subscriber determined in part (b),
which communication does not convey to the offline data provider
information pertaining to a history of online activity, which
online activity is performed by the subscriber determined in part
(b) via online access provided by the ISP, and which delivery and
which offline data do not convey to the requesting server a
personal identity of the subscriber determined in part (b).
16. The system of claim 15 wherein one or more of the servers is
further structured and connected so that the acts of parts (b) and
(c) are performed without associating the history of online
activity with a personal identity of the subscriber determined in
part (b).
17. The system of claim 15 wherein one or more of the servers is
further structured and connected so that automatically transmitting
from one or more of the servers the electronic communication, in
part (c), comprises automatically electronically directing to the
requesting server the offline data originating from the offline
data provider, which offline data concerns the subscriber
determined in part (b).
18. The system of claim 17 wherein one or more of the servers is
further structured and connected so that automatically transmitting
from one or more of the servers the electronic communication, in
part (c), comprises automatically electronically directing to the
requesting server the offline data that were received from the
offline data provider before the IP address, time, and date were
received in part (a).
19. The system of claim 15 wherein one or more of the servers is
further structured and connected so that automatically transmitting
from one or more of the servers the electronic communication, in
part (c), comprises automatically electronically directing to the
offline data provider information personally identifying the
subscriber determined in part (b).
20. The system of claim 19 wherein one or more of the servers is
further structured and connected so that (i) automatically
electronically directing to the offline data provider the
information personally identifying the subscriber determined in
part (b) results in receipt by one or more of the servers of the
offline data concerning the subscriber determined in part (b); and
(ii) the delivery caused in part (c) comprises transmitting to the
requesting server the offline data received from the offline data
provider.
21-44. (canceled)
Description
BENEFIT CLAIMS TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims benefit of U.S. provisional
application Ser. No. 61/144,969 filed Jan. 15, 2009 in the name of
Roy Shkedi, said provisional application being hereby incorporated
by reference as if fully set forth herein.
BACKGROUND
[0002] When an online server computer (e.g., a server hosting an
online site) is accessed by a user using a networked computer or
other online user interface device (e.g., by a user visiting the
online site), that accessed server often places (or causes to be
placed) a cookie on the user's computer to enable the online server
to recognize that user's computer during subsequent access of the
online server. The cookie might include only an IP address, time,
and date (IP/T/D) that corresponds to the user's access, an
additional or alternative cookie identifier, or more detailed
information pertaining to the user's access of the online server.
Instead of (or in addition to) including such additional
information in the cookie itself, the information can be stored by
the online server along with a reference to the cookie (by the
IP/T/D or by a cookie identifier included in the cookie). Upon
subsequent access of the online server by the user's computer, the
server can recognize, by reading the cookie, the computer as having
previously accessed the server (with or without placing another
cookie or modifying the existing cookie). The cookie placement and
subsequent recognition of the cookie are typically performed
automatically under the control of programming code on the online
server.
[0003] Instead of, or in addition to, placing its own cookie on the
user's computer, the accessed server can redirect the accessing
user's computer to another online server (i.e., a so-called
redirect server) that can place a cookie on the user's computer or
recognize a cookie that it placed previously, thereby allowing the
redirect server to recognize the user's computer upon subsequent
redirects. The redirect can include information concerning the
user's access of the redirecting server. A redirect server can
further redirect the user's computer to yet another redirect
server; the term "redirect server" can denote any one of such a
sequence of redirect servers. The user typically is not directly
aware of the redirect or cookie placement, which is typically
performed automatically under the control of programming code on
the redirect or accessed server, respectively. An example is a
so-called "web beacon," which is also known in the industry as a
1.times.1 pixel, web bug, single-pixel GIF, pixel tag, smart tag,
action tag, clear GIF, tracer, 1.times.1 GIF, or a cookie anchor.
Such web beacons are often implemented as a single-pixel image that
can be inconspicuously located on a web page or in an email; the
user's computer is redirected to a redirect server to retrieve the
image, enabling the redirect server to receive the cookie
identifier from the accessed site or to place its own cookie on the
user's computer. In some instances the user's computer can be
directed to a redirect server under the direction of programming
code on the user's computer (so-called adware).
[0004] In some instances, a redirecting server can send along its
own cookie identifier when redirecting the user's computer to
another redirect server. That allows the redirect server to
associate its own cookie identifier with the redirecting server
cookie identifier in a process is known as "cookie matching." Upon
a subsequent encounter between the user's computer and the
redirecting server, the redirecting server need not redirect the
user's computer to the redirect server. Instead, the redirecting
server can directly transmit to the redirect server, along with the
redirecting cookie identifier, newly gathered information
concerning the user's computer. Because the redirect server
previously cookie-matched its own cookie identifier with the
redirecting server's cookie identifier, the redirect server can
associate the transmitted, newly gathered information with its own
cookie identifier. That information can be used for targeting
online advertising or can be further aggregated or distributed to
other servers. The cookie-matched information transmitted from the
redirecting server to the redirect server can be transmitted on a
per-user basis, or a file (e.g., a log file) can be transmitted
that includes such information for multiple users. Cookie matching
can reduce the number of redirects of a user's computer or by a
redirecting server. Using its own cookie on the user's computer,
the redirect server can also recognize the user's computer upon a
subsequent encounter between the user's computer and the redirect
server.
[0005] The server directly accessed by the user, or any server to
which the user's computer was redirected, can use the cookies (and
the information included in or associated with them) to form a
profile associated with the user's computer that can in turn be
used in a variety of ways. Based on the profile, the accessed or
redirect server can select or deliver online advertising to the
user via the user's computer, or can cause another online server to
select or deliver such advertising; either scenario shall be
encompassed by the phrase "selecting or delivering" an
advertisement. The online advertising can be selected and delivered
immediately, during the user's current online session, or can be
selected and delivered later, during subsequent online sessions
when the cookie placed on the user's computer is recognized by the
accessed server or the redirect server. Instead of (or in addition
to) providing advertising, the accessed or redirect server can
collect user data from other online servers, can distribute user
data to other online servers, or can aggregate user data. Selecting
or delivering online advertising, or collecting, aggregating, or
distributing collected user data, is typically performed
automatically under the control of programming code on the relevant
server.
[0006] Online advertising selected for delivery to the user can be
generic, but it is typically preferable to deliver online
advertising that is targeted at the user (or at least the user's
computer). Targeting of online advertising based on online behavior
can be done in a variety of ways. The directly accessed online
server can select and deliver online advertising to the user's
computer based on the user's activity at an online site, which
activity is monitored by that server during that online session.
For example, a server for an online travel site can deliver online
ads for hotels or rental cars in a particular geographic area
during a session when a user searches for plane tickets to that
area. The directly accessed online server can also (or instead)
deliver targeted online ads during a current online session based
on the user's activity at the server during a previous online
session. For example, a user can purchase during a previous online
session a particular movie from an online seller of music and video
through that seller's online server. During a subsequent online
session when the user accesses the music/video seller's server,
that server can deliver an online ad for the corresponding movie
soundtrack or for other movies related to the purchased one (by
common actors, subject matter, purchases by other customers, and so
on).
[0007] Targeted online advertisements can also (or instead) be
selected or delivered by a redirect server (with the redirect
arising from the accessed server or another redirect server). The
two previous examples can be implemented with a redirect server
selecting or delivering the targeted online ads during a user's
online session at the redirecting accessed online server. However,
a typical redirect server can receive redirects from a multitude of
online servers, enabling the redirect server to recognize online
activity at multiple online sites served by corresponding servers
that can be associated with the same user computer (through
recognition or updating of the redirect server's cookie at each
subsequent redirect). The redirect server can therefore select or
deliver online advertising to a user during an online session at
one accessed online server based on the user's online activity at
another accessed online server (during the same online session or
during a previous online session). Alternatively, the redirect
server can collect, aggregate, or distribute the online user data
and pass the data along to another server that selects or delivers
online advertising. There can be a sequence of any number of
intermediate servers that collect, aggregate, and distribute online
user data.
[0008] Various types of online entities operate redirect servers
for facilitating targeting and delivery of online advertising.
Examples of such online advertising entities include but are not
limited to online ad space sellers, online ad space buyers, online
data aggregators, online data distributors, or entities acting as
any combination of those. Such entities can operate servers that
are directly accessed by users as well as redirect servers.
[0009] Conventional methods for targeting online advertising based
on online behavior can be implemented without using personally
identifiable information. Tracking of online activity and targeting
the online ads based on that activity can be accomplished using
only cookies or static IP addresses or adware, without knowledge of
the identity of the computer user accessing the online servers (or
without knowledge of the identity of the subscriber whose online
access device is used for accessing the online servers). Accessed
online servers typically do not have access to personally
identifiable information unless that information is supplied by the
user while interacting with an online site controlled by the
server, and operators of accessed online sites typically are not
permitted to convey that information to third parties without
explicit consent of the user (i.e., without user opt-in). A
provider of online access (i.e., an Internet service provider,
a/k/a an ISP) can track and record all online activity and
associate that tracking information with the identity of a
subscriber. However, current public and industry policy generally
prohibits such tracking of online activity by ISP's, associating
that activity with a particular user or subscriber, or conveying
such information to third parties without opt-in. Even if legal,
privacy policies and business practices of avoiding controversy
counsel in favor of avoiding such tracking of information that
reveals or allows exposure of personally identifiable
information.
[0010] It would be advantageous to target online advertising based
not only on online activity originating from the user's computer,
but also on the user's "offline" activities and characteristics
(i.e., activities not performed using access through a computer
network, or characteristics not necessarily discernable by an
online site). Such offline characteristics and activities can
include, but are not limited to, city/state/country of residence,
home or automobile ownership, employment status, job description,
marital or family status, income level, products purchased offline
(phone order, mail order, or in-store), credit score, memberships,
political or religious affiliations, or other demographic or
behavioral information about a subscriber. Data of those sorts are
referred to herein as "offline data" to contrast with "online data"
arising from a user's online activity. Vast amounts of offline
data, for example, are already amassed, for a majority of consumers
in the U.S., by credit-reporting bureaus such as Experian,
TransUnion, and Equifax. Retailers also collect and maintain
offline databases concerning their customers and those customers'
shopping histories. Organizations collect and maintain databases of
members, supporters, or contributors. All such collectors or owners
of offline data are referred to herein as "offline data providers."
Offline data is conventionally used to target print, mail, and
phone advertising to consumers (i.e., "offline advertising"). By
its very nature, such offline data includes personally identifiable
information, because a common intended use is to target offline
advertising, which must be directed to a particular person's
mailing address or phone number. Examples of personally
identifiable information include, but are not limited to, name,
date of birth, residence address, phone number, email address,
financial account numbers, government-issued identifiers (e.g.,
Social Security number or driver's license number), vehicle
registration or license plate number, facial images, fingerprints,
retinal scan, other biometric information, signature or other
handwriting samples, or other information that can be tied to a
specific individual.
[0011] Online distribution of personally identifiable information
currently is limited to so-called opt-in arrangements, in which a
user accessing an online site must explicitly give permission for
the site to distribute the user's personally identifiable
information to other entities. Merging of PII with previously
collected online tracking or behavioral data is also typically
limited to user opt-in arrangements. A weakness of such opt-in
scenarios is their limited scale (i.e., limited coverage or
penetration), because many users decline to opt in (because they do
not want their identifiable information distributed). In contrast,
targeting of online advertising using only information or data that
is not personally identifiable can be done on an "opt-out" basis,
in which user information can be used to target the online
advertising unless the user explicitly refuses permission for the
online site to use the information. Such opt-out scenarios are more
valuable commercially, because a substantially larger fraction of
users (as compared to those who will affirmatively opt in) will
decline to opt out, thereby allowing the use of information that is
not personally identifiable. The ability to opt out can be made
explicitly available by an accessed or redirect server, as is done
currently by major online site operators and online advertising
companies through a voluntary industry initiative. A user, by
deleting or disabling cookies on the computer, can effectively
prevent or at least limit targeting of ads based on data collected
by the online entities that placed the cookies.
DESCRIPTION
[0012] To enable targeting of online advertisements based on
offline data without impermissible or undesirable association of
online activity with personally identifiable information (i.e., in
an opt-out arrangement), a method can be performed using one or
more servers under the control of an ISP, wherein: (a) one or more
of the servers receive from a requesting server an electronic
transmission of an IP address and a time and date; (b) one or more
of the servers automatically determine to which subscriber of the
ISP the received IP address was allocated at the received time and
date; and (c) the ISP automatically transmits an electronic
communication that causes delivery to the requesting server of
offline data originating from an offline data provider. The
delivered offline data concern the subscriber determined to have
been allocated the received IP address at the received time and
date.
[0013] In a preferred method, the subscriber's privacy is
maintained at several stages. In step (a), the electronic
transmission received by the ISP server includes only an
identification of the subscriber's computer or access device that
was used to access a requesting online server (e.g., a server of an
online site accessed by the subscriber) or that was redirected to a
requesting redirect server. Such identification includes at least
the IP/T/D for the access or redirect, and it can also include a
further identifier such as a cookie identifier. The transmission to
the ISP server can comprise a transmission from the requesting
server, or can comprise a redirect of the subscriber's computer to
the ISP server. No information concerning the subscriber's history
of online activity needs to be transmitted to the ISP server or to
the offline data provider.
[0014] In step (b), the ISP server can automatically search its own
log files to determine to which of its subscribers the specified IP
address was allocated at the specified time and date. The ISP need
not probe further to determine what online activity was performed
using that IP address (and is currently prohibited by industry and
public policy from doing so without opt-in by the subscriber).
Arranging transmission of offline data in part (c) by the ISP can
include transmission to the offline data provider of the
subscriber's name (and perhaps the subscriber's address, phone
number, or other confirmatory information), but does not include
transmission to the offline data provider of information concerning
the history of online activity via the online access provided to
the subscriber by the ISP.
[0015] The offline data provider can transmit offline data
pertaining to the subscriber (determined by the ISP to have been
allocated the received IP address), as is permitted by current law
and policy. Offline data that is transmitted to a requesting online
server preferably does not include personally identifiable
information. The offline data can be electronically transmitted
directly to the requesting server (i.e., without being transmitted
by the ISP) or can be electronically transmitted to an ISP server
that in turn electronically transmits the offline data to the
requesting server. Personally identifiable information can be
stripped by the offline data provider (or not included in the first
place) or stripped by the ISP server (if retransmitted). The
transmitted offline data (free of personally identifiable
information) is identified to the requesting online server by the
IP/T/D that was included in the transmission in step (a) or by a
corresponding identifier (as described below). The requesting
online server is therefore provided with access to some of the
subscriber's offline data, such as to enable better targeting of
online advertisements to the subscriber, who nevertheless remains
anonymous to the requesting online site (i.e., not personally
identifiable).
[0016] A goal of the method is to couple offline data concerning a
computer user (e.g., an ISP subscriber) with a particular computer
used to access an online site, without compromising the privacy of
the computer user (e.g., without linking the user's personal
identity to the user's history of online activity, such as the
user's online browsing history). The server hosting an accessed
online site identifies a computer and its online activity, but not
the user (unless, of course, the user supplies the online site with
his or her identity in an opt-in arrangement). The offline data
provider can provide offline data concerning a personally
identified user but has no information concerning the user's
history of online activity. The ISP has access to the user's IP
address at any given time and the user's personal identity, and
uses only that information to enable transmission of the user's
offline data (the portion that is not personally identifiable) to
be linked by the requesting server to the user's history of online
activity, without compromising the user's privacy or personal
identity. No single one of those entities has in its possession the
user's personal identity, the user's online access or computer
identifier, the user's history of online activity, and the user's
offline data. Although it is true that the ISP could gain access to
all of that information (including the user's history of online
activity) if the ISP were to collect detailed information
concerning the user's online activity, such is currently prohibited
by industry and public policy in the absence of user opt-in.
[0017] After receiving an IP/T/D, there are a number of ways that
the ISP can arrange transmission of the offline data from the
offline data provider to a requesting server. First, the ISP can
receive the offline data from the offline data provider (ahead of
time or in response to receiving the IP/T/D) and then transmit the
offline data to the requesting server (without personally
identifying the subscriber to the requesting server). The offline
data provider need not be provided with any online identifier or IP
address for the subscriber. The offline data received by the ISP
from the offline data provider typically includes personally
identifiable information (e.g., the subscriber's name), and in fact
the ISP already has personally identifiable information. However,
typically no personally identifiable information is transmitted to
the requesting online server (unless perhaps the subscriber has
opted-in to provide the information to the requesting server). The
transmission of the offline data to the requesting server can occur
automatically in response to receiving the IP/T/D or a subsequent
transmission of offline data from the offline data provider.
Subsequent transmission of offline data from the offline data
provider (i.e., after the ISP receives the IP/T/D) can occur in
response to a transmission from the ISP to the offline data
provider that personally identifies the subscriber. That
transmission can further include a request for the offline data, or
the offline data can be transmitted by the offline data provider in
accordance with a prearrangement between the ISP and the offline
data provider (e.g., the offline data provider transmits offline
data to the ISP upon receiving the name of a subscriber transmitted
by the ISP, without a specific request for that data being included
in the transmission).
[0018] Second, the offline data can be transmitted by the offline
data provider to the requesting server without transmission by the
ISP. The transmission by the offline data provider can occur
automatically in response to a transmission from the ISP to the
offline data provider that personally identifies the subscriber,
and can include or be associated with instructions to transmit the
offline data to the requesting server. The instructions can
comprise a prearrangement between the ISP and the offline data
provider (e.g., the offline data provider transmits offline data to
the requesting server upon receiving the name of a subscriber
transmitted by the ISP, without a specific request for that data
being included in the transmission). The transmission can further
include an identifier of the requesting server to enable the
offline data provider to transmit the offline data to the correct
one of multiple requesting servers.
[0019] The offline data should be recognizable by both the
requesting server and the offline data provider as concerning the
same subscriber, but without revealing personally identifiable
information to the requesting server or revealing online activity
to the offline data provider. One or more identifiers associated
with the offline data can be employed to achieve that mutual
recognition. In one example, an online identifier in addition to
the IP/T/D (e.g., a cookie identifier) can be generated by the
requesting server and transmitted to the ISP along with the IP/T/D.
That additional identifier can be transmitted from the ISP to the
offline data provider (without the IP/T/D) and then included in or
associated with a transmission of the offline data from the offline
data provider to the requesting server. In another example, an
identifier that does not include personally identifiable
information (i.e., an offline data identifier) can be transmitted
by the ISP to the requesting server. That identifier can be
generated by the ISP and transmitted to the offline data provider,
or generated by and received from the offline data provider. The
offline data identifier can then be included in or associated with
a transmission of the offline data from the offline data provider
to the requesting server.
[0020] Other examples of offline data transmission from the offline
data provider to the requesting server can include the IP/T/D being
provided to the offline data provider, and may therefore require
subscriber opt-in. In one such example, the IP/T/D transmitted by
the requesting server can be transmitted to the offline data
provider; the IP/T/D can then be included in or associated with a
transmission of the offline data from the offline data provider to
the requesting server. In another such example, the ISP requests
offline data and the requesting server redirects the subscriber
computer to a server of the offline data provider to provide access
to offline data that is not personally identifiable. Such a
redirect effectively provides the subscriber IP address to the
offline data provider.
[0021] Acquisition of offline data about its subscribers can be
performed by the ISP in response to requests received (e.g.,
received IP/T/D) from online servers or redirect servers.
Alternatively, the ISP can acquire offline data about its
subscribers ahead of time from the offline data provider. The ISP
can store a database of such offline data and transmit portions of
that database (without personally identifying the subscribers) in
response to requests from online or redirect servers. The offline
data can be updated periodically or intermittently by subsequent
acquisition from the offline data provider.
[0022] The requesting server can use the offline data in a variety
of ways. It can use the data to target online advertising to the
corresponding subscriber during the subscriber's current online
session or during a future online session. The requesting server
can further distribute the offline data (without personally
identifiable information) to other online servers, typically via a
redirect of the subscriber's computer. The other online servers can
use the offline data for targeting online advertising. In addition,
the requesting server or the other online servers can use the
offline data for targeting television advertising according to the
teachings of application Ser. No. 11/736,544 filed Apr. 16, 2007,
application Ser. No. 11/968,117 filed Dec. 31, 2007, and Ser. No.
12/257,386 filed Oct. 23, 2008, each of which is hereby
incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
[0023] The disclosed methods can include any suitable or desired
flow of advertising revenue. Examples include but are not limited
to (i) payment by an entity controlling the requesting server to
the ISP or to the offline data provider in return for the offline
data; (ii) receipt by that entity of revenue from other online
advertising entities in return for distributing the offline data;
(iii) payment by the ISP to the offline data provider in return for
the offline data; or (iv) payment by the offline provider to the
ISP in return for identifying the ISP's subscribers to the offline
data provider or distributing the offline data to online
advertising entities.
[0024] In some circumstances it may be considered desirable for the
ISP to avoid, or to be denied, access to the user's offline data
that is retransmitted by the ISP. If that is desired, an encoding
or encryption scheme can be developed and employed by the
requesting online site and the offline data provider for
transmitting those portions of the offline data that are not
personally identifiable to the requesting online site via the ISP.
The ISP is not given a key for decoding or decrypting that portion
of the offline data, and so it does not have access to the data as
it is relayed by the ISP. Any suitable encoding or encryption
protocol can be employed.
[0025] Any individual step in the method, independent of the
others, can be performed (i) for each individual online access user
about whom offline data is desired (e.g., by redirecting each
user's computer); (ii) for multiple online access users once an
accessed or redirect online site has accumulated a predetermined
number of users about whom offline data is desired (e.g., every 50
users or every 1000 users, such as by transmitting a log file); or
(iii) for multiple online access users about whom offline data is
desired once a predetermined period of time has passed (e.g., every
two hours or every 24 hours, such as by transmitting a log
file).
[0026] Any of the various transmissions of requests or data can be
achieved in any suitable way, independent of the others, including
but not limited to digital transmission via a computer network or
phone (wired or wireless), digital transmission via recordable
media (e.g., magnetic or optical discs, magnetic tape, solid state
media), analog transmission (wired or wireless), or transmission by
any suitable delivery method of printed hard copies. It is
preferred to use automated electronic data transmission controlled
by suitably programmed computers, servers, or other machines. For
example, logging of the allocation of IP addresses by the ISP is
typically done using one or more computers or servers programmed
for that purpose.
[0027] The IP address used in the disclosed methods can be static
or dynamic (e.g., assigned using the Dynamic Host Configuration
Protocol a/k/a DHCP). The IP address can be associated with a
specific computer or other online user interface, or the IP address
can be associated with a modem, router, or other online access
device so that multiple online user interface devices might share a
common IP address when accessing online sites. The IP address can
be a 32-bit IP address assigned according to the IPv4 protocol, a
128-bit address assigned according to the IPv6 protocol, or any
other suitable address assigned under a future-developed
protocol.
[0028] The online user interface device can comprise any user
interface device used to access a remote network such as the
Internet, including but not limited to a cell phone or mobile
handset, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a networked
computer (desktop, workstation, notebook, laptop, or other). Use of
the phrases "user's computer" or "subscriber's computer" is
intended to indicate a networked computer or any other suitable
online user interface device.
[0029] The online access device can comprise any device used to
connect an online user interface device to a remote network such as
the Internet, including but not limited to a modem, a wired or
wireless router, a wireless access point, a wired network adapter
(e.g., Ethernet adapter), a wireless network adapter (e.g., IEEE
802.11, Wi-Fi, WiMax, ED-VO, EDGE, HSPA, CDMA, GSM, or other), or
an optical fiber based network adapter (e.g., a network interface
unit or optical network terminal). Different types of online access
devices can be, and sometimes are, combined into a single unit
(e.g., a modem that also functions as a router for a LAN). An
online user interface device and an online access device can be,
and sometimes are, combined into a single unit (e.g., a computer
with a built-in Ethernet adapter, wireless adapter, or modem).
[0030] A subscriber is a user who has established online access
through an arrangement with an ISP, usually in return for a
periodic subscription fee. The ISP has personally identifiable
information for its subscribers that typically includes at least a
name, billing address, and service address for the online access
(unless the access is mobile), and can also include a phone number,
email address, and bank or credit card information. The offline
data transmitted by the offline data provider includes data
pertaining to at least the subscriber. However, because multiple
people might live in a common household or work in a common
business establishment, the offline data provider can include in
its transmission to the requesting online server offline data (not
personally identifiable) that pertains to people other than the
subscriber. For example, the offline data can include information
about the number or ages of children in a household, or information
about a spouse or parent in the household. In another example, the
offline data can include information about a business or its
employees if the subscriber is a business or a business owner.
[0031] The systems and methods disclosed herein can be implemented
as general or special purpose computers or servers or other
programmable hardware devices programmed through software, or as
hardware or equipment "programmed" through hard wiring, or a
combination of the two. A "computer" or "server" can comprise a
single machine or can comprise multiple interacting machines
(located at a single location or at multiple remote locations).
Computer programs or other software code, if used, can be
implemented in temporary or permanent storage or in replaceable
media, such as by including programming in microcode,
object-oriented code, network-based or web-based or distributed
software modules that operate together, RAM, ROM, CD-ROM, CD-R,
CD-R/W, DVD-ROM, DVD.+-.R, DVD.+-.R/W, hard drives, thumb drives,
flash memory, optical media, magnetic media, semiconductor media,
or any future storage alternatives.
[0032] It is intended that equivalents of the disclosed exemplary
embodiments and methods shall fall within the scope of the present
disclosure or appended claims. It is intended that the disclosed
exemplary embodiments and methods, and equivalents thereof, may be
modified while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure
or appended claims.
[0033] For purposes of the present disclosure and appended claims,
the conjunction "or" is to be construed inclusively (e.g., "a dog
or a cat" would be interpreted as "a dog, or a cat, or both"; e.g.,
"a dog, a cat, or a mouse" would be interpreted as "a dog, or a
cat, or a mouse, or any two, or all three"), unless: (i) it is
explicitly stated otherwise, e.g., by use of "either . . . or",
"only one of . . . ", or similar language; or (ii) two or more of
the listed alternatives are mutually exclusive within the
particular context, in which case "or" would encompass only those
combinations involving non-mutually-exclusive alternatives. For
purposes of the present disclosure or appended claims, the words
"comprising," "including," "having," and variants thereof shall be
construed as open ended terminology, with the same meaning as if
the phrase "at least" were appended after each instance
thereof.
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