System and method for preserving consumer choice

• US 20080126567A1
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mercury Kingdom Assets Limited
• Original Assignee: Marathon Solutions LLC (Pendrell Corporation)
• Inventors: Wilson, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 8,112,550 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/248
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/146 Markers for unambiguous identification of a particular session, e.g. session cookie or URL-encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

Methods and systems for preserving user attribute data by way of managing and synchronizing redundant storage locations.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for preserving computer user attribute data, said method for use in a computer network including a plurality of servers, and a plurality of clients having a network browser, said method comprising the steps of:

storing the user attribute data in two or more data locations associated with a client;

receiving, at a client from a server, instruction code configured to cause the user attribute data to be preserved;

determining synchronization of the user attribute data stored in said two or more data locations responsive to receipt of the instruction code; and

synchronizing the user attribute data stored in said two or more data locations to preserve the user attribute data if said stored user attribute data is not already sufficiently synchronized to preserve the user attribute data.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the stored user attribute data includes information pertaining to client-side opt out choices with respect to communications with a network site.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user attribute data includes information pertaining to the identity of the client.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user attribute data is stored as a browser cookie.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user attribute data is stored as a Java Applet.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user attribute data is stored as a Flash Shared Objects.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user attribute data is stored in browser cache.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user attribute data is stored in random-access-memory.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

updating stored user attribute data in said two or more data locations associated with said client if said user attribute data is outdated.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said determination of synchronization further comprising the steps of:

comparing user attribute data within said storage locations to each other; and

selecting one of said storage locations based on recency data.

12. The computer network system of claim 10, wherein said user attribute data at said two or more data locations includes information pertaining to the opt-out choices with respect to communications with a network site.

13. The computer network system of claim 10, wherein said user attribute data at said two or more data locations includes information pertaining to the identity of the client.

14. The computer network system of claim 10, wherein said user attribute data is stored as a browser cookie.

15. The computer network system of claim 10, wherein said user attribute data is stored as a Java Applet.

16. The computer network system of claim 10, wherein said user attribute data is stored as a Flash Shared Objects.

17. The computer network system of claim 10, wherein said user attribute data is stored in browser cache.

18. The computer network system of claim 10, wherein said user attribute data is stored in RAM.

19. The computer network system of claim 10, wherein said means for determining the synchroneity of said user attribute data at each of said two or more data locations associated with said client is at least one selected from the group consisting of:

JavaScript, JAVA Applet, Flash Action Script, customer browser plug-in, and an installed piece of code on the client.

21. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein said synchroneity is determined on the client side.

22. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein said synchroneity is determined on the server side.

11. A computer network system having a plurality of servers and a plurality of clients, said system further comprising:

means for causing storage of user attribute data at two or more data locations associated with said client at a first point in time;

means for determining the synchroneity of said user attribute data at each of said two or more data locations associated with said client at a second point in time; and

means for synchronizing said user attribute data at each of said two or more data locations of said client if said user attribute data at each of said two or more data locations at said second point in time is found not to be synchronous.

20. A computer program product in a client-server network comprising a computer useable medium readable by a digital processing apparatus and tangibly embodying a program of instructions comprising computer readable program code by the digital processing apparatus to perform method steps comprising:

generating a first transmission containing instruction code operatively configured to cause a client to provide a return transmission related to the user attribute data stored at two or more data locations associated with said client; and

generating a second transmission if the return transmission from said client does not indicate synchroneity between the user attribute data stored at said two or more data locations associated with said client, said second transmission comprising program code operatively configured to cause said user attribute data to be synchronized at each of said two or more data locations.