Systems and methods for managing multiple user accounts

• US 20060224624A1
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Fikes, Andrew, Zamir, Oren E., Korn, Jeffrey L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,783,631 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results

Abstract

A user'"'"'s prior searching and browsing activities are recorded for subsequent use. A user may examine the user'"'"'s prior searching and browsing activities in a number of different ways, including indications of the user'"'"'s prior activities related to advertisements. A set of search results may be modified in accordance with the user'"'"'s historical activities. The user'"'"'s activities may be examined to identify a set of preferred locations. The user'"'"'s set of activities may be shared with one or more other users. The set of preferred locations presented to the user may be enhanced to include the preferred locations of one or more other users. A user'"'"'s browsing activities may be monitored from one or more different client devices or client application. A user'"'"'s browsing volume may be graphically displayed.

Claims

1. A method of managing multiple sources of user browsing activity information, comprising:

associating a user ID with a user;

storing first browsing information associated with the user ID in a first memory area;

associating a first client ID with a first client application;

storing second browsing information in a second memory area, the second browsing information from the first client application and associated with the first client ID;

establishing a first browsing session at a log-in service with the user from the first client application;

identifying whether the first client ID is associated with the user ID;

sending to the user an offer to associate the first client ID with the user ID if the first client ID is not associated with the user ID; and

selectively associating the first client ID with the user ID in accordance with an associated response from the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further including:

storing third browsing information in the first memory area and associated with the user ID, the third browsing information generated during the first browsing session from the first client application.

3. The method of claim 1, further including:

storing fourth browsing information in the first memory area and associated with the user ID, the fourth browsing information generated during a subsequent browsing session established at the log-in server from the first client application.

4. The method of claim 1, further including:

storing fourth browsing information in the first memory area and associated with the user ID, the fourth browsing information generated during a subsequent browsing session from the first client application regardless of whether the subsequent browsing session is established with the log-in service.

5. The method of claim 1, further including:

when the client ID is associated with the user ID, identifying whether merge conditions are satisfied;

selectively sending a merge offer to the user in accordance with whether the merge conditions are satisfied; and

selectively merging the second information with the first information in the first memory area in accordance with a merge response from the user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the merge conditions are satisfied when the second browsing information associated with the first client ID has not been merged with the first information within a period of time.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the merge conditions are satisfied when the second browsing information associated with the first client ID includes additional browsing information not contained in the first memory area and associated with the user ID.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the second browsing information remains available for merging for no more than a period of time when the first client ID is not associated with the user ID.

9. The method of claim 1, further including:

establishing a second browsing session with the user from a second client application, the second client application having a second client ID and associated with a second client device;

identifying whether the second client ID is associated with the user ID;

sending to the user an offer to associate the second client ID with the user ID if the second client ID is not associated with the user ID; and

selectively associating the second client ID with the user ID in accordance with an associate response from the user.

10. The method of claim 9, further including:

storing fourth browsing information in the first memory area and associated with the user ID, the fourth browsing information generated during one or more browsing sessions from the second client application.

11. A computer program product for use in conjunction with a computer system, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism comprising:

instructions for associating a user ID with a user;

instructions for storing first browsing information associated with the user ID in a first memory area;

instructions for associating a first client ID with a first client application, the first client application associated with a first client device;

instructions for storing second browsing information in a second memory area, the second browsing information from the first client application and associated with the first client ID;

instructions for establishing a first browsing session at a log-in service with the user from the first client application;

instructions for identifying whether the first client ID is associated with the user ID;

instructions for sending to the user an offer to associate the first client ID with the user ID if the first client ID is not associated with the user ID; and

instructions for selectively associating the first client ID with the user ID in accordance with an associated response from the user.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further including instructions for:

storing third browsing information in the first memory area and associated with the user ID, the third browsing information generated during the first browsing session from the first client application.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, further including instructions for:

storing fourth browsing information in the first memory area and associated with the user ID, the fourth browsing information generated during a subsequent browsing session established at the log-in server from the first client application.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, further including instructions for:

storing fourth browsing information in the first memory area and associated with the user ID, the fourth browsing information generated during a subsequent browsing session from the first client application regardless of whether the subsequent browsing session is established with the log-in service.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, further including instructions for:

when the client ID is associated with the user ID, identifying whether merge conditions are satisfied;

selectively sending a merge offer to the user in accordance with whether the merge conditions are satisfied; and

selectively merging the second information with the first information in the first memory area in accordance with a merge response from the user.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further including instructions for satisfying the merge conditions when the second browsing information associated with the first client ID has not been merged with the first information within a period of time.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, further including instructions for satisfying the merge conditions when the second browsing information associated with the first client ID includes additional browsing information not contained in the first memory area and associated with the user ID.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the second browsing information remains available for merging for no more than a period of time when the first client ID is not associated with the user ID.

19. The computer program product of claim 11, further including instructions for:

establishing a second browsing session with the user from a second client application, the second client application having a second client ID and associated with a second client device;

identifying whether the second client ID is associated with the user ID;

sending to the user an offer to associate the second client ID with the user ID if the second client ID is not associated with the user ID; and

selectively associating the second client ID with the user ID in accordance with an associate response from the user.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, further including instructions for:

storing fourth browsing information in the first memory area and associated with the user ID, the fourth browsing information generated during one or more browsing sessions from the second client application.

21. A computer, comprising:

a main memory;

a processor; and

a program, stored in the main memory and executed by the processor, the program including;

instructions for associating a user ID with a user;

instructions for storing first browsing information associated with the user ID in a first memory;

instructions for associating a first client ID with a first client application, the first client application associated with a first client device;

instructions for storing second browsing information in a second memory, the second browsing information from the first client application and associated with the first client ID;

instructions for establishing a first browsing session at a log-in service with the user from the first client application;

instructions for identifying whether the first client ID is associated with the user ID;

instructions for sending to the user an offer to associate the first client ID with the user ID if the first client ID is not associated with the user ID; and

instructions for selectively associating the first client ID with the user ID in accordance with an associated response from the user.

22. A system of managing multiple sources of user browsing activity information, comprising:

means for associating a user ID with a user;

means for storing first browsing information associated with the user ID in a first memory;

means for associating a first client ID with a first client application, the first client application associated with a first client device;

means for storing second browsing information in a second memory, the second browsing information from the first client application and associated with the first client ID;

means for establishing a first browsing session at a log-in service with the user from the first client application;

means for identifying whether the first client ID is associated with the user ID;

means for sending to the user an offer to associate the first client ID with the user ID if the first client ID is not associated with the user ID; and

means for selectively associating the first client ID with the user ID in accordance with an associated response from the user.