Service for mapping IP addresses to user segments
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for enabling content providers to provide targeted content to users, the method comprising:
- generating a database that maps specific IP addresses to specific behavioral segments, said mapping derived from behavioral data collected from each of a plurality of Internet Service Providers (ISP), said behavioral data including information collected by the ISPs regarding Internet access activities of their respective subscribers, said behavioral segments reflecting subscriber interests; and
providing content providers access to the database via a query interface, said query interface configured to receive a request that identifies an IP address, and to look up from the database and return information identifying one or more behavioral segments corresponding to the IP address, wherein the query interface is further configured to return the information by at least;
determining whether the IP address can be mapped to a subscriber-specific behavioral segment that is specific to, and based on Internet access activity of, an ISP subscriber associated with the IP address;
when the IP address can be mapped to said subscriber-specific behavioral segment, returning, via the query interface and in response to the request, an identifier of the subscriber-specific behavioral segment andwhen the IP address cannot be mapped to a subscriber-specific behavioral segment, returning, via the query interface and in response to the request, an identifier of a region-specific segment that reflects user preferences associated with a geographic region corresponding to the IP address,wherein the method is performed by a computing system comprising one or more computing devices.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system is disclosed that uses behavioral data collected by ISPs to categorize particular ISP subscribers. The behavioral data may, for example, include the identities of particular web sites and/or web pages accessed by particular subscribers, the search queries used by the subscribers to conduct Internet searches, and/or other types of behavioral information. The ISP subscribers are assigned to particular behavioral categories or “segments” using a behavioral segmentation schema that maps particular subscriber behaviors to particular behavioral segments. The ISP subscribers may also be mapped to other segment types, such as demographic segments derived from off-line data about the subscribers. The subscriber-to-segment mappings are made available to content targeting entities via a query interface that, for example, supports queries of the form “what are the segments associated with IP address X?”.
-
Citations
10 Claims
-
1. A computer-implemented method for enabling content providers to provide targeted content to users, the method comprising:
-
generating a database that maps specific IP addresses to specific behavioral segments, said mapping derived from behavioral data collected from each of a plurality of Internet Service Providers (ISP), said behavioral data including information collected by the ISPs regarding Internet access activities of their respective subscribers, said behavioral segments reflecting subscriber interests; and providing content providers access to the database via a query interface, said query interface configured to receive a request that identifies an IP address, and to look up from the database and return information identifying one or more behavioral segments corresponding to the IP address, wherein the query interface is further configured to return the information by at least; determining whether the IP address can be mapped to a subscriber-specific behavioral segment that is specific to, and based on Internet access activity of, an ISP subscriber associated with the IP address; when the IP address can be mapped to said subscriber-specific behavioral segment, returning, via the query interface and in response to the request, an identifier of the subscriber-specific behavioral segment and when the IP address cannot be mapped to a subscriber-specific behavioral segment, returning, via the query interface and in response to the request, an identifier of a region-specific segment that reflects user preferences associated with a geographic region corresponding to the IP address, wherein the method is performed by a computing system comprising one or more computing devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. A system, comprising:
-
a computer data repository that maps specific IP addresses to specific behavioral segments, said mapping derived from behavioral data collected from each of a plurality of Internet Service Providers (ISP), said behavioral data including information collected by the ISPs regarding Internet access activities of their respective subscribers, said behavioral segments reflecting subscriber interests; and a server, comprising one or more computing devices, that provides network-based access to the computer data repository via an interface, said interface configured to receive a request that identifies an IP address, and to look up from the computer data repository, and return information identifying, one or more behavioral segments corresponding to the IP address, wherein the server is programmed to respond to said request according to a method that comprises; determining whether the IP address can be mapped to a subscriber-specific behavioral segment that is specific to, and based on Internet access activity of, an ISP subscriber associated with the IP address; when the IP address can be mapped to said subscriber-specific behavioral segment, returning, via the interface and in response to the request, an identifier of the subscriber-specific behavioral segment; and when the IP address cannot be mapped to a subscriber-specific behavioral segment, returning, via the interface and in response to the request, an identifier of a region-specific segment that reflects user preferences associated with a geographic region corresponding to the IP address. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A system, comprising:
-
a computer data repository that maps specific IP addresses to specific behavioral segments, said mapping derived from behavioral data collected from each of a plurality of Internet Service Providers (ISP), said behavioral data including information collected by the ISPs regarding Internet access activities of their respective subscribers, said behavioral segments reflecting subscriber interests; and a server, comprising one or more computing devices, that provides network-based access to the computer data repository via an interface, said interface configured to receive a request that identifies an IP address, and to look up from the computer data repository, and return information identifying, one or more behavioral segments corresponding to the IP address, wherein the server is programmed to respond to said request according to a method that comprises; determining whether the IP address can be mapped to a subscriber-specific behavioral segment that is specific to, and based on Internet access activity of, an ISP subscriber associated with the IP address; when the IP address can be mapped to said subscriber-specific behavioral segment, returning, via the interface and in response to the request, an identifier of the subscriber-specific behavioral segment; when the IP address cannot be mapped to a subscriber-specific behavioral segment, identifying a geographic region corresponding to the IP address, and returning, via the interface and in response to the request, an identifier of a region-specific segment that reflects user preferences associated with the geographic region.
-
Specification