System and method for anonymous transaction in a data network and classification of individuals without knowing their real identity

• US 7,213,032 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2001
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Resource Consortium Limited, LLC
• Original Assignee: Protigen Incorporated
• Inventors: Mascarenhas, Desmond
• Primary Examiner(s): JUNG, DAVID YIUK
• Application Number:
  US09/899,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20020019764A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,126 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/104.1, 707/10, 707/102
• US Class Current: 707/792
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0421 Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

This invention relates generally to a computer-implemented method and system for having anonymous profiling of, and marketing to, anonymous users in a data network, particularly in the Internet. It enables an individual to surf the Internet anonymously as well as enabling third parties to use profiling information to target such anonymous users. The real identity of the individual is never known within the anonymous trust system.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for anonymous profiling of, and marketing to, anonymous users comprising the acts of:

a) providing a mechanism for a user to log into a closed network or system where the user'"'"'s real identity is not known and where such user is identified by a unique identifier that is unique to the closed network or system;

b) monitoring said user'"'"'s activity and responses in the closed network or system, by tracking the unique identifier;

c) generating or maintaining a profile related to the unique identifier based on said user'"'"'s activity and responses in the closed network or system; and

d) employing said profile to market products, services or information to the user;

wherein the user'"'"'s real identity is never revealed to a part of the closed network or system that generates, maintains and employs the profile, and wherein identity-revealing transactions involving said products, services or information can occur only outside said closed network or system.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 where said identity-revealing transactions are enabled through a mechanism of representational or tokenized value that can traverse the boundaries of said closed network or system.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 where said profile was based on the user'"'"'s responses to a PTT.

4. A method as defined in claim 3 where said PTT is accessed by a user via the Internet or a data network.

5. A method as defined in claim 4 where said access is anonymously via a pseudonym.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising an act of storing target information in a database, wherein a target information file contains a classification compatible with the set of classifications defined for a user profile.

7. A method as defined in claim 6, further comprising the act of matching user to target information by using said generated or maintained profile for the user and the classification of the stored target information.

8. A computer program product recorded in a computer-readable media for anonymous profiling of, and marketing to anonymous users comprising:

a) a first program code mechanism configured to permit a computer user to log into a closed network or system where the user'"'"'s real identity is not disclosed and where such user is identified by a unique identifier that is unique to the closed network or system;

b) a second program code mechanism, electronically coupled to the first program code mechanism, configured to monitor the user'"'"'s activity and responses in the system by use of the unique identifier;

c) a third program code mechanism, coupled to the second program code mechanism, configured to generate or maintain a profile for the user based upon the user'"'"'s activity and responses in the system; and

d) a fourth program code mechanism, coupled to the third program code mechanism, configured to match one a more attributes of the profile with classification data related to data for products, services and information, whereby relevant products, services and information data can be displayed to the user, and whereby the user'"'"'s real identity is not revealed to any part of the system that generates, maintains or uses the profile.

9. A computer program product as defined in claim 8, wherein the third program code mechanism is configured such that the profile is based on a PTT.

10. A computer program product as defined in claim 9, wherein the third program code mechanism is configured such that said PTT is accessed by a user via the Internet or a data network.

11. A computer program product as defined in claim 10, wherein said access is anonymously via a pseudonym.

12. A system for matching anonymous users with information, comprising:

a) a central processing unit that can establish communication with a user computer;

b) a storage device electronically coupled to the central processing unit;

c) the central processing unit configured to permit a person at the user computer to log into the system where the person'"'"'s real identity is not known and where such person is identified by a unique identifier that is unique to the system;

d) the central processing unit further configured to monitor the person'"'"'s activity and responses in the system by tracking the unique identifier;

e) the central processing unit further configured to generate or maintain a profile based on the person'"'"'s activity and responses in the system; and

f) the central processing unit further configured to match one or more attributes of the profile with classification data related to data for products, services and information, whereby relevant products, services and information data can be displayed to the person, and whereby the person'"'"'s real identity is not revealed to any part of the system that generates, maintains or uses the profile.

13. A system as defined in claim 12 wherein the system is implemented in a distributed data network.

14. A computer implemented method for anonymous profiling of, and marketing to, anonymous users comprising the acts of:

a) providing a mechanism for a user to log into a closed network or system where the user'"'"'s real identity is not known and where such user is identified by a unique identifier that is unique to the closed network or system;

b) monitoring said user'"'"'s activity and responses in the closed network or system, by tracking the unique identifier;

c) generating or maintaining a profile related to the unique identifier based on said user'"'"'s activity and responses in the closed network or system, wherein the profile is based on the user'"'"'s responses to a PTT; and

d) employing said profile to market products, services or information to the user, wherein one or more attributes in the profile are matched to one or more classifications in the files containing products, services and information data;

wherein the user'"'"'s real identity is never revealed to any part of the closed network or system that generates, maintains and employs the profile, and wherein identity-revealing transactions involving said products, services or information can occur only outside said closed network or system.

15. A method as defined in claim 14 wherein said transactions are enabled through a mechanism of representational or tokenized value that can traverse the boundaries of said closed network or system.