Content targeting with audiences
First Claim
1. A method for targeting content to an audience that comprises a plurality of users, the method comprising:
- receiving rules from an administration client computing device, the rules comprising query criteria for the audience, each rule defined as a unit of functionality;
storing the received rules in a database;
scheduling the compilation of the rules on a predetermined time schedule;
using the received rules to determine a membership list of the plurality of users to receive the content, the received rules comprising a property query rule, a member of rule, and a reports under rule, by;
independently generating separate results of the property query rule by determining if a property value matches a property of one or more of the plurality of users, including receiving the separate results of the property query rule from a directory service, wherein the directory service is separate from the database;
independently generating separate results of the member of rule by determining if one or more of the plurality of users are a member of a pre-existing group email distribution list; and
independently generating separate results of the reports under rule by determining if one or more of the plurality of users are located hierarchically under another person within an organization structure, the determination comprising receiving the separate results of the reports under rule from the directory service maintaining the organization structure; and
after independently generating the separate results of each of the property query rule, the member of rule, and the reports under rule, compiling the membership list of users according to the predetermined schedule by applying one or more conditional logic operators to combine the separate results of the property query rule, the separate results of the member of rule, and the separate results of the reports under rule;
associating the compiled membership list of users with content;
obtaining the content from a data store; and
providing the content to the users listed within the compiled membership list.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a system and method for targeting content to audiences. The audience is defined by rules that may be based on properties as well as organizational structure associated with the users. Each of the rules is compiled to determine the group of members belonging to the rule. Logical operators are then applied to the groups to determine the audience membership. Compiling the rules enhances performance as the rules do not have to be run each time. Instead, a simple check against the rules results is performed. The rules making up the audience may be compiled at predetermined times in order to keep the audience up-to-date. Audiences are then selected and tagged to content so that the content may be viewed by the selected audiences.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for targeting content to an audience that comprises a plurality of users, the method comprising:
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receiving rules from an administration client computing device, the rules comprising query criteria for the audience, each rule defined as a unit of functionality; storing the received rules in a database; scheduling the compilation of the rules on a predetermined time schedule; using the received rules to determine a membership list of the plurality of users to receive the content, the received rules comprising a property query rule, a member of rule, and a reports under rule, by; independently generating separate results of the property query rule by determining if a property value matches a property of one or more of the plurality of users, including receiving the separate results of the property query rule from a directory service, wherein the directory service is separate from the database; independently generating separate results of the member of rule by determining if one or more of the plurality of users are a member of a pre-existing group email distribution list; and independently generating separate results of the reports under rule by determining if one or more of the plurality of users are located hierarchically under another person within an organization structure, the determination comprising receiving the separate results of the reports under rule from the directory service maintaining the organization structure; and after independently generating the separate results of each of the property query rule, the member of rule, and the reports under rule, compiling the membership list of users according to the predetermined schedule by applying one or more conditional logic operators to combine the separate results of the property query rule, the separate results of the member of rule, and the separate results of the reports under rule; associating the compiled membership list of users with content; obtaining the content from a data store; and providing the content to the users listed within the compiled membership list. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for targeting content to an audience that comprises users, comprising:
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a management client device coupled to a network of computing devices; and a server computer coupled to the management client device and the network of computer devices, wherein the server computer includes a processor and memory containing computer executable instructions defining a content targeting application, the content targeting application, when executed by the processor, operates to; receive a plurality of rules from the management client device, the rules defining the audience, the rules comprising a property query rule, a member of rule and a reports under rule; store the received rules in a database; schedule the compilation of the rules on a predetermined time schedule; independently generate separate results for the property query rule that determines if a property value matches a property of one or more users stored in a separate directory service; independently generate separate results for the member of rule that determines if one or more users are within a pre-existing group email distribution list; and independently generate separate results for the reports under rule that determines if one or more users are located hierarchically under another user within the separate directory service; compile the rules according to the predetermined time schedule to define the audience by combining the separate results of the property query rule, the separate results of the member of rule, and the separate results of the reports under rule with conditional logical operators; and associate the users of the audience with the content. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a hardware computer-readable storage media, the instructions comprising:
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receiving a plurality of rules from an administrator client device; storing the received rules in a database; scheduling the compilation of the rules on a predetermined basis; independently applying the plurality of rules to define an audience to receive the content, wherein the audience comprises a list of users, and the plurality of rules comprise; a property query rule that independently determines if a property value matches a property of users in an organization structure stored in a directory service; a member of rule that independently determines if a user is a member of an organization structure stored in a pre-existing group mail distribution list; and a reports under rule that independently determines if a user is located hierarchically under another user within an organization structure stored in the directory service; compiling the rules according to the predetermined schedule by gathering information from the organization structure and the group mail distribution list to compile members of the audience wherein the compilation applies conditional logic operators to combine the results from the property query rule, the results from the member of rule and the results from the reports under rule; and associating the members of the audience with the content. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification