Tracking of internet advertisements using banner tags

• US 6,434,614 B1
• Filed: 05/29/1998
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nielsen Media Research, Inc. (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Inventors: Blumenau, Trevor
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M.
• Application Number:
  US09/086,813
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/201, 709/203, 709/220, 709/221, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/224, 709/226
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Each of a plurality of advertising meters operates on a computer at a corresponding statistically selected site. Each advertising meter is arranged to detect tags from click-through URLs in advertising banners contained in messages communicated to the computer from remote content suppliers over a communication link. Each advertising meter is also arranged to communicate the tags to a remote central facility for use in assembling reports.

Claims

1. A computer readable storage medium having program code stored thereon, wherein the program code, when executed by a computer of a content recipient, performs the following tasks:

a) detecting a tag in an advertising banner contained in a message communicated to the computer of the content recipient over an external communication link, the tag comprising code not including an address;

b) logging the tag; and

,

c) communicating the tag to a remote facility.

2. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the message is an Internet message, and wherein the tag is located in a URL of the Internet message.

3. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the message is an Internet message, and wherein the tag is located in a click-through URL of the Internet message.

4. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the message is an Internet message having the following general syntax:

5. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the tag is a first tag, wherein task b) includes the task of logging a second tag, and wherein task c) comprises the task of communicating the first and second tags to the remote facility.

6. The computer readable storage medium of claim 5 wherein the external communication link is a first external communication link, and wherein task c) comprises the step of communicating the first and second tags electronically to the remote facility over a second external communication link.

7. The computer readable storage medium of claim 6 wherein the second external communication link is the Internet.

8. The computer readable storage medium of claim 6 wherein the second external communication link is a public telephone network.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the external communication link is a first external communication link, and wherein task c) includes the task of communicating the tag electronically over a second external communication link.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein the second external communication link is the Internet.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein the second external communication link is a public telephone network.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein the first external communication link is the second external communication link.

13. A system comprising a plurality of meters and a remote central facility, wherein each meter operates on a computer at a statistically selected site, and wherein each meter (i) detects a tag from click-through URLs contained in messages electronically communicated to the computer from remote content suppliers over a communication link, the tag comprising code not including an address, and (ii) communicates the tag to the remote central facility.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the meter is arranged to store the tag in a log and to communicate the log to the remote central facility.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the message is the Internet message having the following general syntax:

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the meter is arranged to store the tag in a log and to electronically communicate the log to the remote central facility.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the communication link is a first communication link, wherein the tag is a first tag, and wherein the meter is arranged to store the first tag and a second tag and to electronically communicate the first and second tags to the remote central facility over a second communication link.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the second communication link is the Internet.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the second communication link is a public telephone network.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the first communication link is the second communication link.

21. The system of claim 13 wherein the communication link is a first communication link, and wherein the meter is arranged to communicate the tag electronically over a second communication link.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the second communication link is the Internet.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the second communication link is a public telephone network.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein the first communication link is the second communication link.

25. The system of claim 13 wherein the meter is an advertising meter, and wherein the advertising meter is arranged to detect the tag from the click-through URLs in advertisements communicated electronically to the computer.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the click-through URLs are in advertising banners.

27. A storage medium having program code stored thereon, wherein the program code, when executed by a data processor of a content recipient, performs the following tasks:

a) detecting a tag contained in a click-through URL of an Internet message communicated to the data processor of the content recipient over an external communication link, the tag comprising code not including an address;

b) storing the tag in a log file; and

c) communicating the log file to a remote facility.

28. The storage medium of claim 27 wherein task c) comprises the task of communicating the log file electronically over a communication link.

29. The storage medium of claim 28 wherein the communication link is the Internet.

30. The storage medium of claim 28 wherein the communication link is a public telephone network.

31. The storage medium of claim 27 wherein task a) comprises the task of detecting the tag from the click-through URL in an advertisement communicated electronically to the data processor.

32. The storage medium system of claim 31 wherein the click-through URL is in an advertising banner.

33. A storage medium having program code stored thereon, wherein the program code, when executed by a data processor of a content recipient, performs the following tasks:

a) detecting a tag contained in a click-through URL of an Internet message communicated to the data processor of the content recipient over an external communication link, the tag comprising code not including an address; and

b) storing the tag in a log file, wherein the Internet message has the following general syntax;