System and method for determining client metadata using a dynamic rules engine

• US 20080228791A1
• Filed: 03/14/2008
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yahoo AD Tech LLC
• Original Assignee: Advertisingcom LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilson, Joseph G., Locker, Donald J., Dolimpio, Arthur G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,958,106 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A system and method for determining client metadata using a dynamic rules engine is disclosed. The system may include a universal data agent, a site management tool, a targeting engine, an ad server, and a data warehouse. When a visitor visits a site on a content delivery system, the universal data agent and targeting engine may collect data about the visitor and site. The site management tool may configure the universal data agent and provided current rules for the dynamic rules engine. The collected data may be stored in the data warehouse and evaluated in the dynamic rules engine to produce a content category. The ad server may use the content category to serve targeted ads and/or other content to the visitor.

Claims

1. A method for determining content categories, comprising:

transmitting a data agent including a rules engine to a client device in response to a request for content, the rules engine adapted to categorize content transmitted to the client device;

transmitting a plurality of rules to the client device for use by the rules engine in the data agent; and

receiving an indication of a content category for content transmitted to the client device, wherein the content category is determined by evaluating the collected data with the rules and the rules engine.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating the client device with a segment of client devices based at least in part on the content category; and

transmitting content to the client device based on the association of the client device with the segment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for content includes a data tag having an instruction for transmitting the data agent.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a site identifier associated with a site from which content was transmitted to the client device, wherein the rules to be transmitted to the client device are selected at least in part based on the site identifier.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a group identifier associated with a site from which content was transmitted to the client device identifying a particular group of sites, wherein the rules to be transmitted to the client device are selected at least in part based on the group identifier.

7. A method for determining content categories, comprising:

receiving a data agent including a rules engine on a client device in response to a request for content, the rules engine adapted to categorize content transmitted to the client device;

receiving a plurality of rules on the client device for use by the rules engine in the data agent;

collecting data with the data agent; and

determining an indication of a content category for content transmitted to the client device, wherein the content category is determined by evaluating the collected data with the rules and the rules engine.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

sending the indication of the content category to a server.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the request for content includes a data tag having an instruction for transmitting the data agent.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

sending a site identifier associated with a site from which content was transmitted to the client device, wherein the received rules are selected at least in part based on the site identifier.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

sending a group identifier associated with a site from which content was transmitted to the client device identifying a particular group of sites, wherein the received rules are selected at least in part based on the group identifier.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

sending a site identifier to a server identifying a particular site from which content was transmitted to the client device, wherein the particular data to be collected depends on the site identifier.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

sending a group identifier to a server identifying a particular group of sites of which one is the particular site from which content was transmitted to the client device, wherein the particular data to be collected depends on the group identifier.

14. A system for determining content categories, comprising:

a site management tool for transmitting a data agent to a client device in a content delivery system in response to a request for content and for transmitting a plurality of rules for use by a rules engine in the data agent; and

a targeting engine for receiving an indication of a content category and determining a segment of client devices based at least in part on the content category, which was determined by the data agent evaluating collected data with the rules and the rules engine.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

an ad server for serving an ad based on the segment.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a storage device for storing the indication of the content category.