SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OPTING-OUT OF TARGETED ADVERTISING IN AN ONLINE ADVERTISING ENVIRONMENT

• US 20160232570A1
• Filed: 02/11/2015
• Published: 08/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yahoo AD Tech LLC
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: WILSON, Jeffrey Todd
• Granted Patent: US 10,460,349 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for opting-out of targeted advertising in online advertising environments. One method includes receiving an opt-out verification request, the opt-out verification including an IP address of a user device and HTTP header fields of an HTTP request of the user device; determining a geographic area of the user device based on the IP address of the user device; accessing an opt-out database having entries of user devices that opted-out of receiving targeted advertising based on at least one HTTP header field of the HTTP request; determining whether the user device has opted-out of receiving targeted advertising based on the determined geographic area of the user device, the HTTP header fields of the HTTP quest, and the entries of user devices of the opt-out database; and transmitting a verification acknowledgement when the user device is determined to have opted-out of receiving targeted advertising.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented for opting-out of targeted advertising in online advertising environments, comprising:

receiving, at a server, an opt-out verification request, the opt-out verification including an IP address of a user device and HTTP header fields of an HTTP request of the user device;

determining, by the server, a geographic area of the user device based on the IP address of the user device;

accessing, by the server, an opt-out database having entries of user devices that opted-out of receiving targeted advertising based on at least one HTTP header field of the HTTP request;

determining, by the server, whether the user device has opted-out of receiving targeted advertising based on the determined geographic area of the user device, the HTTP header fields of the HTTP quest, and the entries of user devices of the opt-out database; and

transmitting, by the server, a verification acknowledgement when the user device is determined to have opted-out of receiving targeted advertising.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the HTTP header fields include at least one of a user agent, an opt-out value, and an encrypted opt-out value.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein accessing the opt-out database is based on at least of the opt-out value and the encrypted opt-out value.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

decrypting, by the server, the encrypted opt-out value,

wherein accessing the opt-out database is based on the decrypted opt-out value.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether the user device has opted-out of receiving targeted advertising includes:

comparing, by the server, the determined geographic area to a stored geographic area of an entry of the opt-out database associated with at least one of the opt-out value and the encrypted opt-out value; and

comparing, by the server, the user agent to a stored user agent of the entry of the opt-out database associated with at least one of the opt-out value and the encrypted opt-out value.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the server, a verification failure message when the user device is not determined to have opted-out of receiving targeted advertising.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, by the server in the opt-out database, a timestamp of the verification request in an entry of the user device that opted-out of receiving targeted advertising based on the at least one HTTP header field of the HTTP request.

8. A system for opting-out of targeted advertising in online advertising environments, the system including:

a data storage device that stores instructions for opting-out of targeted advertising in online advertising environments; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions to perform a method including;

receiving an opt-out verification request, the opt-out verification including an IP address of a user device and HTTP header fields of an HTTP request of the user device;

determining a geographic area of the user device based on the IP address of the user device;

accessing an opt-out database having entries of user devices that opted-out of receiving targeted advertising based on at least one HTTP header field of the HTTP request;

determining whether the user device has opted-out of receiving targeted advertising based on the determined geographic area of the user device, the HTTP header fields of the HTTP quest, and the entries of user devices of the opt-out database; and

transmitting a verification acknowledgement when the user device is determined to have opted-out of receiving targeted advertising.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the HTTP header fields include at least one of a user agent, an opt-out value, and an encrypted opt-out value.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein accessing the opt-out database is based on at least of the opt-out value and the encrypted opt-out value.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to perform the method including:

decrypting the encrypted opt-out value,

wherein accessing the opt-out database is based on the decrypted opt-out value.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein determining whether the user device has opted-out of receiving targeted advertising includes:

comparing, by the server, the determined geographic area to a stored geographic area of an entry of the opt-out database associated with at least one of the opt-out value and the encrypted opt-out value; and

comparing, by the server, the user agent to a stored user agent of the entry of the opt-out database associated with at least one of the opt-out value and the encrypted opt-out value.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to perform the method including:

transmitting a verification failure message when the user device is not determined to have opted-out of receiving targeted advertising.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to perform the method including:

storing, by the server in the opt-out database, a timestamp of the verification request in an entry of the user device that opted-out of receiving targeted advertising based on the at least one HTTP header field of the HTTP request.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for opting-out of targeted advertising in online advertising environments, the method including:

receiving, at a server, an opt-out verification request, the opt-out verification including an IP address of a user device and HTTP header fields of an HTTP request of the user device;

determining, by the server, a geographic area of the user device based on the IP address of the user device;

accessing, by the server, an opt-out database having entries of user devices that opted-out of receiving targeted advertising based on at least one HTTP header field of the HTTP request;

determining, by the server, whether the user device has opted-out of receiving targeted advertising based on the determined geographic area of the user device, the HTTP header fields of the HTTP quest, and the entries of user devices of the opt-out database; and

transmitting, by the server, a verification acknowledgement when the user device is determined to have opted-out of receiving targeted advertising.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the HTTP header fields include at least one of a user agent, an opt-out value, and an encrypted opt-out value.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein accessing the opt-out database is based on at least of the opt-out value and the encrypted opt-out value.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising:

decrypting, by the server, the encrypted opt-out value,

wherein accessing the opt-out database is based on the decrypted opt-out value.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein determining whether the user device has opted-out of receiving targeted advertising includes:

comparing, by the server, the determined geographic area to a stored geographic area of an entry of the opt-out database associated with at least one of the opt-out value and the encrypted opt-out value; and

comparing, by the server, the user agent to a stored user agent of the entry of the opt-out database associated with at least one of the opt-out value and the encrypted opt-out value.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

transmitting, by the server, a verification failure message when the user device is not determined to have opted-out of receiving targeted advertising.