Collection and correlation over time of private viewing usage data

• US 7,343,375 B1
• Filed: 03/01/2004
• Issued: 03/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dulac, Stephen P.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEWIS, CHERYL RENEA
• Application Number:
  US10/790,465
• Time in Patent Office: 1,471 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 5, 707/9, 707/104.1, 707/200, 725/1, 725/2, 725/4, 725/5, 725/11, 725/29, 725/100, 725/105, 725/110, 725/139, 725/151
• US Class Current: 707/694
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/337 Profile generation, learning or modification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6254 by anonymising data, e.g. decorrelating personal data from the owner's identification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A method, apparatus and article of manufacture for collecting, storing and processing usage data from a device. Usage data is extracted from the device, wherein the usage data is associated with a customer identifier. The customer identifier is obfuscated, but not eliminated, from the extracted usage data. The extracted usage data is then correlated over a period of time using the obfuscated customer identifier.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of collecting, storing and processing usage data from a device, comprising:

collecting, storing and processing usage data from the device in accordance with a privacy policy by;

extracting the usage data from the device, wherein the usage data is associated with a customer identifier;

translating the customer identifier from the extracted usage data into a replacement identifier when the customer is an “

opt-neutral”

customer;

correlating the extracted usage data over a period of time using the customer identifier or replacement identifier; and

using the correlated usage data to understand the customer'"'"'s preferences and thereby increase revenue;

wherein both the customer identifier and the usage data are stored for “

opt-in”

customers, only the replacement identifier and the usage data are stored for “

opt-neutral”

customers and neither the customer identifier nor the usage data are stored for “

opt-out”

customers; and

wherein the “

opt-out”

customers are those who specifically request that their usage data not be used, the “

opt-in”

customers are those who specifically allow use of their usage data and the “

opt-neutral”

customers are those who have stated no preference.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the translating step is performed only for extracted usage data associated with an “

opt-neutral”

customer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the translating step comprises creating the replacement identifier for the customer identifier from the extracted usage data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the translating step comprises performing a translation function that produces a unique replacement identifier for every customer identifier.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the translating step comprises performing a translation function that produces a non-unique replacement identifier for every customer identifier.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the translating step comprises performing a one-way translation function that has an inverse function that is difficult to perform.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the device sends the usage data along with a usage identifier that is independent of the customer identifier.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the translating step comprises translating the customer identifier from the extracted usage data into the replacement identifier using the usage identifier.

9. A computer implemented apparatus for collecting, storing and processing usage data from a device, comprising:

means for collecting, storing and processing usage data from the device in accordance with a privacy policy by;

extracting the usage data from the device, wherein the usage data is associated with a customer identifier;

translating the customer identifier from the extracted usage data into a replacement identifier when the customer is an “

opt-neutral”

customer;

correlating the extracted usage data over a period of time using the customer identifier or replacement identifier; and

using the correlated usage data to understand the customer'"'"'s preferences and thereby increase revenue;

wherein both the customer identifier and the usage data are stored for “

opt-in”

customers, only the replacement identifier and the usage data are stored for “

opt-neutral”

customers and neither the customer identifier nor the usage data are stored for “

opt-out”

customers; and

wherein the “

opt-out”

customers are those who specifically request that their usage data not be used, the “

opt-in”

customers are those who specifically allow use of their usage data and the “

opt-neutral”

customers are those who have stated no preference.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the translating is performed only for extracted usage data associated with an “

opt-neutral”

customer.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the translating comprises creating the replacement identifier for the customer identifier from the extracted usage data.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the translating comprises performing a translation function that produces a unique replacement identifier for every customer identifier.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the translating comprises performing a translation function that produces a non-unique replacement identifier for every customer identifier.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the translating comprises performing a one-way translation function that has an inverse function that is difficult to perform.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the device sends the usage data along with a usage identifier that is independent of the customer identifier.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the translating comprises translating the customer identifier from the extracted usage data into the replacement identifier using the usage identifier.

17. An article of manufacture comprising a computer program storage media storing instructions that, when read and executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method for collecting, storing and processing usage data from a device, comprising:

collecting, storing and processing usage data from the device in accordance with a privacy policy by;

extracting the usage data from the device, wherein the usage data is associated with a customer identifier;

translating the customer identifier from the extracted usage data into a replacement identifier when the customer is an “

opt-neutral”

customer;

correlating the extracted usage data over a period of time using the customer identifier or replacement identifier; and

wherein both the customer identifier and the usage data are stored for “

opt-in”

customers, only the replacement identifier and the usage data are stored for “

opt-neutral”

customers and neither the customer identifier nor the usage data are stored for “

opt-out”

customers; and

wherein the “

opt-out”

customers are those who specifically request that their usage data not be used, the “

opt-in”

customers are those who specifically allow use of their usage data and the “

opt-neutral”

customers are those who have stated no preference.

18. The article of claim 17, wherein the translating step is performed only for extracted usage data associated with an “

opt-neutral”

customer.

19. The article of claim 17, wherein the translating step comprises creating the replacement identifier for the customer identifier from the extracted usage data.

20. The article of claim 17, wherein the translating step comprises performing a translation function that produces a unique replacement identifier for every customer identifier.

21. The article of claim 17, wherein the translating step comprises performing a translation function that produces a non-unique replacement identifier for every customer identifier.

22. The article of claim 17, wherein the translating step comprises performing a one-way translation function that has an inverse function that is difficult to perform.

23. The article of claim 17, wherein the device sends the usage data along with a usage identifier that is independent of the customer identifier.

24. The article of claim 23, wherein the translating step comprises translating the customer identifier from the extracted usage data into the replacement identifier using the usage identifier.