Method and stored program for sending descriptive profile data, for accumulation along with source information, for use in targeting third-party advertisements

• US 8,239,264 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2011
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AlmondNet, Inc.
• Original Assignee: AlmondNet, Inc.
• Inventors: Shkedi, Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): OUELLETTE, JONATHAN P
• Application Number:
  US13/115,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20110246347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/14.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

A descriptive-profile mercantile method, for use at a juncture in a data-communications topology having associated therewith a maintained databank of partial profiles, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: from a user, receiving a transaction having therein a first partial profile; using the first partial profile, searching a databank having a plurality of second partial profiles, wherein is included in said databank at least one null profile so that said searching will always yield at least one proximate second partial profile to the first partial profile; and between the user and the databank, contracting: (I) for the databank to own or represent a right to a first mutually agreed portion of the first partial profile, and substantially thereafter said databank incorporating the agreed portion of the first profile into at least one second partial profile; or (II) for the user to own or represent a right to a second mutually agreed portion of at least one said proximate second partial profile, and substantially thereafter the databank transmitting to the user the second mutually agreed portion of the second profile. The present invention operates best on a brokerage representation model; and thereby provides a means for making viable the economic commerce in information attributes.

Claims

1. An automated method of providing profiles of Internet-using entities, the method comprising:

(a) with at least one computer server controlled by a proprietor operating a website, automatically sending, by URL redirection, a partial profile of an entity that uses a user computer coupled to the global computer network and accessing the website, which partial profile contains at least one profile attribute related to the entity, which URL redirection is from a portion of a page of the website that is accessed by the user computer;

(b) wherein, as a result of the sending by URL redirection, the partial profile is electronically received by a programmed computer system coupled to a global computer network and controlled by an unaffiliated third party, which computer system is structured and programmed to automatically electronically;

(i) store the received partial profile;

(ii) add the received partial profile to a maintained profile believed to be related to the same entity, which maintained profile, including the added partial profile, comprises data used in targeting third-party advertisements to the user computer over the global computer network;

(iii) generate and store an electronic record of which of a plurality of unaffiliated third parties including the proprietor contributed to the maintained profile particular profile attributes using the computer server or other computer servers operated by the unaffiliated third parties; and

(iv) use the electronic record to create, in accordance with a predetermined arrangement, electronic data used to identify a payment amount due to the proprietor as a result of at least one of the profile attributes in the partial profile contributed by the proprietor being used in targeting the third-party advertisements to the entity'"'"'s computer over the global computer network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer system is further structured and programmed to automatically electronically determine whether the received partial profile contains any profile attributes about the entity that were not previously contained in a maintained profile.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer system further maintains a credibility rating associated with at least one of the profile attributes of the maintained profile.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the credibility rating is reflected in a price for the at least one profile attribute.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer system is further structured and programmed to automatically electronically select profile attributes from the maintained profile to be used in targeting advertisements based on the source thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein part (b)(ii) comprises the computer system being structured and programmed to automatically electronically add the received partial profile to a maintained profile believed related to the same entity on account of the added partial profile and the maintained profile being related to the same user computer.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the computer system is structured and programmed to automatically electronically determine that the received partial profile and the maintained profile are related to the same user computer by automatically reading a cookie on the user computer.

8. A tangible, non-transitory data storage medium comprising indicia of instructions for a processor to perform a method of providing profiles of Internet-using entities, the method comprising:

(a) with at least one computer server controlled by a proprietor operating a website, automatically sending, by URL redirection, a partial profile of an entity that uses a user computer coupled to the global computer network and accessing the website, which partial profile contains at least one profile attribute related to the entity, which URL redirection is from a portion of a page of the website that is accessed by the user computer;

(b) wherein, as a result of the sending by URL redirection, the partial profile is electronically received by a programmed computer system coupled to a global computer network and controlled by an unaffiliated third party, which computer system is structured and programmed to automatically electronically;

(i) store the received partial profile;

(ii) add the received partial profile to a maintained profile believed to be related to the same entity, which maintained profile, including the added partial profile, comprises data used in targeting third-party advertisements to the user computer over the global computer network;

(iii) generate and store an electronic record of which of a plurality of unaffiliated third parties including the proprietor contributed to the maintained profile particular profile attributes using the computer server or other computer servers operated by the unaffiliated third parties; and

(iv) use the electronic record to create, in accordance with a predetermined arrangement, electronic data used to identify a payment amount due to the proprietor as a result of at least one of the profile attributes in the partial profile contributed by the proprietor being used in targeting the third-party advertisements to the entity'"'"'s computer over the global computer network.

9. The data storage medium of claim 8 wherein the computer system is further structured and programmed to automatically electronically determine whether the received partial profile contains any profile attributes about the entity that were not previously contained in a maintained profile.

10. The data storage medium of claim 8 wherein the computer system further maintains a credibility rating associated with at least one of the profile attributes of the maintained profile.

11. The data storage medium of claim 10 wherein the credibility rating is reflected in a price for the at least one profile attribute.

12. The data storage medium of claim 8 wherein the computer system is further structured and programmed to automatically electronically select profile attributes from the maintained profile to be used in targeting advertisements based on the source thereof.

13. The data storage medium of claim 8 wherein part (b)(ii) comprises the computer system being structured and programmed to automatically electronically add the received partial profile to a maintained profile believed related to the same entity on account of the added partial profile and the maintained profile being related to the same user computer.

14. The data storage medium of claim 13 wherein the computer system is structured and programmed to automatically electronically determine that the received partial profile and the maintained profile are related to the same user computer by automatically reading a cookie on the user computer.