Method, apparatus and article for displaying targeted content on web pages by predicting the group membership of individual visitors
First Claim
1. A method for displaying targeted content on web pages displayable via web browsers used by individual visitors by predicting group membership of the individual visitors, comprising the steps of:
- (a) characterizing a plurality of visitor groups;
(b) extracting individual data items exclusively from a header of a web browser request that is supplied by an individual visitor;
(c) applying the data items to a set of predictive transfer functions to obtain a series of confidence factors relating to the visitor groups;
(d) selecting one visitor group from the visitor groups based on the series of confidence factors;
(e) selecting content targeted to the selected visitor group; and
(f) delivering the selected targeted content to the web browser of the individual visitor for display.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method, apparatus and article for displaying targeted content on web pages by predicting the group membership of individual visitors based on data items relating to a web browser request for a web page. The method includes applying the data items to a set of transfer functions to obtain a series of confidence factors relating to a plurality of predefined visitor groups, selecting one of the plurality of visitor groups based on the series of confidence factors, selecting content targeted to the selected group, and delivering the selected targeted content to the web browser for display. Data items are extracted from a header accompanying the web browser request. These include browser type and version, operating system, referring URL and IP address. These data items are supplemented with data items derived from the data items present in the header, such as location, time of day, day of week, and industry cycles.
26 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for displaying targeted content on web pages displayable via web browsers used by individual visitors by predicting group membership of the individual visitors, comprising the steps of:
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(a) characterizing a plurality of visitor groups; (b) extracting individual data items exclusively from a header of a web browser request that is supplied by an individual visitor; (c) applying the data items to a set of predictive transfer functions to obtain a series of confidence factors relating to the visitor groups; (d) selecting one visitor group from the visitor groups based on the series of confidence factors; (e) selecting content targeted to the selected visitor group; and (f) delivering the selected targeted content to the web browser of the individual visitor for display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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13. An apparatus for displaying targeted content on web pages displayable via web browsers used by individual visitors by predicting group membership of the individual visitors, comprising:
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a network server with a memory; and a computer program, performed by the network server, for; (a) characterizing a plurality of visitor groups having similar browsing patterns; (b) extracting individual data items exclusively from a header of a web browser request that is supplied by an individual visitor; (c) applying the data items to a set of predictive transfer functions to obtain a series of confidence factors relating to the groups; (c) selecting one visitor group from the visitor groups based on the series of confidence factors; (d) selecting content targeted to the selected visitor group; and (e) delivering the selected targeted content to the web browser of the individual visitor for display.
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Specification