System and Method for Sharing Anonymous User Profiles with a Third Party

• US 20090248680A1
• Filed: 03/26/2009
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ribbon Communications Operating Company, Inc. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Umber Systems Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kalavade, Asawaree
• Granted Patent: US 8,775,391 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/106 across networks, e.g. mapping telephone numbers to data network addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

The invention provides a system and method for sharing anonymous user profiles with a third party. In one aspect of the invention, the system shares user profiles with content servers on a mobile data network so that they may select content responsive to the user'"'"'s profile. The system provides a store of user profiles for associating profile information with either a source IP address or mobile phone number, where the profile includes information on the user and the user'"'"'s network usage. The system detects a user'"'"'s transaction request and inspects it for either an IP address or phone number, which it uses to retrieve the appropriate profile. The system subsequently applies predetermined opt-out policies to determine how much of the user profile may be provided in response to the profile request. The system then returns the profile information such that the user'"'"'s identity is masked.

Claims

1. In a mobile data network, a method for sharing user profiles with content servers so they may select content responsive to a user profile, said method comprising:

providing a store of user profiles, each profile associating profile information with at least one of a source IP address and a phone number for a mobile device associated with a user, said profile information being indicative of at least said user and said user'"'"'s usage of said mobile data network;

detecting on the mobile data network a user request for a transaction with a content provider;

inspecting the user request to retrieve at least one of a source IP address or a phone number for a mobile device issuing the transaction request;

using the retrieved source IP address or phone number to retrieve a corresponding profile from the store;

in response to a profile request, applying predetermined opt-out rules to determine whether at least a subset of said retrieved profile may be provided in response to the request; and

in response to said profile request, providing at least a subset of said corresponding profile information with masked user identity information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said profile request originates from said mobile device in a transaction destined for an advertisement server.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said advertisement server uses said profile information to select advertising content to provide to said mobile device.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said transaction destined for an advertisement server is caused by a reply to the mobile device from a content server.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the source IP address and a destination address for a transaction are detected and associated with a user session and wherein a session id is detected in a reply to said user transaction;

and wherein subsequently a content provider makes a profile request using said session id to identify the requested profile information.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the source IP address and a destination address for a transaction are detected and wherein a content server replies to a user request with a set cookie message, and wherein the set cookie reply is detected and uses the cookie to associate with a user profile;

and wherein subsequently a content provider makes a profile request using said cookie to identify the requested profile information.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the profile request is used to alter content for a web/wap transaction.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the profile request is used to alter content for a video application.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the profile request is used to alter content for a video application.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the profile request is used to alter content for a SMS application.