Targeted television advertising based on profiles linked to multiple online devices

• US 10,070,200 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2017
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intent IQ, LLC (AlmondNet, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intent IQ, LLC (AlmondNet, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shkedi, Roy, Ben-Yishai, Dror
• Primary Examiner(s): Alcon, Fernando
• Application Number:
  US15/450,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20170195748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4104 Peripherals receiving signals from specially adapted client devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4108 characterised by an identification number or address, e.g. local network address protecting specific internal or external computer components using identification number G06F21/73; network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6402 Address allocation for clients address allocation in data networks H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73

Abstract

A profile provider: (i) associates a primary online device (OD1) with a set-top box (STB); (ii) a location of OD1 at some point in time is estimated to be “near” the STB, thereby establishing a STB proxy location; (iii) one or more secondary online devices (OD2s) are observed to be located “near” the STB proxy location and are associated with the STB; and (iv) a television advertisement is selected to be directed to the STB, which selection is based at least in part on profile information linked to one of the associated OD2s. The method can be particularly advantageous in situations wherein: the STB is not connected to any computer network; the STB is not ever connected to the same local area network as OD1 or OD2; or television service (used by the STB) and online access (used by OD1 and OD2s) are provided by different service providers.

Claims

1. A method implemented using a first programmed hardware computer system, the method comprising:

(a) automatically causing an advertisement to be selected for direction to a first online device having a first identifier, wherein the advertisement is selected based at least in part on profile information associated with a second identifier, wherein the first identifier is different from the second identifier;

(b) wherein the act in part (a) is performed using paid-for data identifying the first identifier and the second identifier as members of a set of online device identifiers, each of which online device identifiers is associated with one of a set of online devices presumed to be associated with a common household, which set of online devices includes the first online device, a second online device, and at least one additional online device;

(c) wherein the paid-for data presumes the association with a common household of the set of online devices based on an automatic computerized determination, using a second programmed hardware computer system, that;

(i) network traffic was routed to each of the set of online devices using a first, common IP address or portion thereof during a first time period; and

(ii) network traffic was routed to a selected minimum number of online devices of the set of online devices, identified by members of the set of online device identifiers not including the second identifier, during a second time period, which is after the first time period and before the act in part (a) is performed, using a second, common IP address or portion thereof that is different from the first, common IP address or portion thereof, wherein the minimum number of devices is at least two and less than the number of devices in the set of online devices; and

(d) wherein the first and second computer systems are each outside both a first local area network defined by the first IP address or portion thereof and a second local area network defined by the second IP address or portion thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first time period has a selected duration.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising, using the first programmed hardware computer system, selecting the advertisement to be directed to the first online device of part (a).

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the second identifier is associated with the second online device.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the profile information associated with the second identifier comprises profile information pertaining to a user of the second online device.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the profile information associated with the second identifier comprises profile information derived from online activity performed with the second online device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first online device is one of the selected minimum number of online devices determined in part (c)(ii).

8. A method implemented using a programmed hardware computer system, the method comprising:

(a) automatically with the hardware computer system;

(i) detecting that network traffic was routed to each of a set of online devices using a first, common IP address or portion thereof during a first time period, the set of online devices including at least a first online device, a second online device, and at least one additional online device, wherein the set of online devices are presumed to be associated with a common household, and storing data identifying a set of online device identifiers, including a first identifier and a second identifier, each of the identifiers associated with one of the set of online devices, wherein the first identifier is different from the second identifier; and

(ii) using stored data referring to identifiers of the set of online device identifiers, detecting that, during a second, subsequent time period, network traffic was routed, using a second, common IP address or portion thereof that is different from the first, common IP address or portion thereof, to a selected minimum number of online devices of the set of online devices, identified by members of the set of online device identifiers not including the second identifier, wherein the minimum number of devices is at least two and less than the number of devices in the set of online devices;

(iii) wherein the computer system is outside both a first local area network defined by the first IP address or portion thereof and a second local area network defined by the second IP address or portion thereof; and

(b) electronically making accessible to an ad server computer system, in exchange for compensation, the stored data identifying the set of online device identifiers in part (a)(i), wherein;

(i) the ad server computer system is programmed to cause an advertisement to be selected based at least in part on profile information associated with the second identifier; and

(ii) the selected advertisement is directed, after the detection in part (a)(ii) has occurred, to the online device identified by the first identifier of the set of online device identifiers that is within the stored data.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the first time period has a selected duration.

10. The method of claim 8 where the ad server computer system is programmed to select the advertisement to be directed to the online device identified by the first identifier.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the second identifier is associated with the second online device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the profile information associated with the second identifier comprises profile information pertaining to a user of the second online device.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the profile information associated with the second identifier comprises profile information derived from online activity performed with the second online device.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the first online device is one of the selected minimum number of online devices determined in part (a)(ii).