Method for performing real-time click fraud detection, prevention and reporting for online advertising
First Claim
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1. A method performed by a click verification web server for providing real-time click fraud detection and prevention, via a communication network, to an affiliate web server that presents an affiliate web page with at least one advertisement link to a requesting client device, the method comprising:
- receiving a first request from an affiliate web server for at least one advertisement URL for an advertisement to be presented in an affiliate web page to a client device requesting the affiliate web page;
in response to the first request, generating a unique verification identifier associated with the requesting client device and the advertisement URL for the advertisement to be presented to the requesting client device in the affiliate web page;
storing the unique verification identifier and the corresponding advertisement URL in a database;
transmitting to the affiliate web server the unique verification identifier and the advertisement URL;
receiving, in real-time and prior to a second request for the advertisement URL by the requesting client device, user event data associated with the affiliate web page generated by client-side code executed by the requesting client device in response to the affiliate web page being loaded by the requesting client device, the user event data comprising a first received unique verification identifier;
receiving the second request for the advertisement URL initiated by the requesting client device, the second request comprising a second received unique verification identifier;
in response to the second request;
the click verification web server comparing the first and second received unique verification identifiers to the previously transmitted unique verification identifier stored in the database; and
the click verification web server analyzing the user event data for click fraud; and
verifying that the second request for the advertisement URL is legitimate if the first and second received unique identifiers match the previously transmitted unique verification identifier stored in the database and the user event data does not involve click fraud.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method of detecting fraudulent clicks in an online environment to reduce fraudulent paid clicks for online advertisers. The method includes server side and client side code which combined enables a click verification web site to identify valid and invalid clicks and in real-time prevents advertisers from getting billed for fraudulent activity.
105 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method performed by a click verification web server for providing real-time click fraud detection and prevention, via a communication network, to an affiliate web server that presents an affiliate web page with at least one advertisement link to a requesting client device, the method comprising:
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receiving a first request from an affiliate web server for at least one advertisement URL for an advertisement to be presented in an affiliate web page to a client device requesting the affiliate web page; in response to the first request, generating a unique verification identifier associated with the requesting client device and the advertisement URL for the advertisement to be presented to the requesting client device in the affiliate web page; storing the unique verification identifier and the corresponding advertisement URL in a database; transmitting to the affiliate web server the unique verification identifier and the advertisement URL; receiving, in real-time and prior to a second request for the advertisement URL by the requesting client device, user event data associated with the affiliate web page generated by client-side code executed by the requesting client device in response to the affiliate web page being loaded by the requesting client device, the user event data comprising a first received unique verification identifier; receiving the second request for the advertisement URL initiated by the requesting client device, the second request comprising a second received unique verification identifier; in response to the second request; the click verification web server comparing the first and second received unique verification identifiers to the previously transmitted unique verification identifier stored in the database; and the click verification web server analyzing the user event data for click fraud; and verifying that the second request for the advertisement URL is legitimate if the first and second received unique identifiers match the previously transmitted unique verification identifier stored in the database and the user event data does not involve click fraud. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification