Requesting offline profile data for online use in a privacy-sensitive manner

• US 8,341,247 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2012
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AlmondNet, Inc.
• Inventors: Shkedi, Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAIR, DOUGLAS B
• Application Number:
  US13/524,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20120254371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 193 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/245, 705/14.4, 705/14.49, 705/14.51, 705/14.53
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams

Abstract

A method, performed using one or more servers under the control of an ISP, comprises: (a) receiving an electronic transmission from a requesting server of an IP address and a time and date; (b) automatically determining to which subscriber of the ISP the received IP address was allocated at the received time and date; and (c) automatically transmitting an electronic communication that causes delivery to the requesting server of offline data originating from an offline data provider. The delivered offline data concern the subscriber determined to have been allocated the received IP address at the received time and date. The communication does not convey to the offline data provider the subscriber'"'"'s history of online activity, and the delivery does not convey to the requesting server a personal identity of the subscriber.

Claims

1. A method performed using one or more computers, wherein the one or more computers has access to electronic data containing personal identities of users of respective online user interface devices, and wherein an entity controlling the one or more computers has access to certain online activity performed using the online user interface device through an Internet connection, the method comprising:

(a) receiving at one or more of the computers from a requesting server an electronic transmission of an IP address and a time and date corresponding to online access or an online redirect to the requesting server via an online access device of a user;

(b) automatically determining, using one or more of the computers, to which of the users the IP address received in part (a) was associated at the time and date received in part (a); and

(c) automatically electronically directing, from one or more of the computers to the requesting server, offline data originating from an offline data provider, which offline data concern the user determined in part (b) and were received from the offline data provider before the IP address, time, and date were received in part (a), and which directing and which offline data do not convey to the requesting server a personal identity of the user determined in part (b).

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the acts of parts (b) and (c) are performed without associating a history of online activity to which the entity has access, which online activity is performed by the user determined in part (b), with a personal identity of the user determined in part (b).

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising, before the IP address, time, and date were received in part (a), automatically electronically directing, from one or more of the computers to the offline data provider, information personally identifying the user who is later determined according to part (b), without conveying to the offline data provider information pertaining to a history of the online activity to which the entity has access, and in response receiving from the offline data provider the offline data later directed to the requesting server according to part (c).

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the IP address received from the requesting server is associated with the online user interface device of the user and at least one other online user interface device of the user.

5. A system comprising one or more computers, wherein the one or more computers has access to electronic data containing personal identities of users of respective online user interface devices, and wherein an entity controlling the one or more computers has access to certain online activity performed using the online user interface device through an Internet connection, wherein the one or more computers are structured and connected to:

(a) receive at one or more of the computers from a requesting server an electronic transmission of an IP address and a time and date corresponding to online access or an online redirect to the requesting server via an online access device of a user;

(b) determine automatically, using one or more of the computers, to which of the users the IP address received in part (a) was associated at the time and date received in part (a); and

(c) automatically electronically direct, from one or more of the computers to the requesting server, offline data originating from an offline data provider, which offline data concern the user determined in part (b) and were received from the offline data provider before the IP address, time, and date were received in part (a), and which directing and which offline data do not convey to the requesting server a personal identity of the user determined in part (b).

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the one or more computers are structured and connected to perform the acts of parts (b) and (c) without associating a history of online activity to which the entity has access, which online activity is performed by the user determined in part (b), with a personal identity of the user determined in part (b).

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the one or more computers are further structured and connected to, before the IP address, time, and date were received in part (a), automatically electronically direct, from one or more of the computers to the offline data provider, information personally identifying the user who is later determined according to part (b), without conveying to the offline data provider information pertaining to a history of the online activity to which the entity has access, and in response to receive from the offline data provider the offline data later directed to the requesting server according to part (c).

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the IP address received from the requesting server is associated with the online user interface device of the user and at least one other online user interface device of the user.

9. An article comprising a non-transitory tangible medium encoding computer-readable instructions that, when applied to one or more computers that have access to electronic data containing personal identities of users of respective online user interface devices and are controlled by an entity that has access to certain online activity performed using the online user interface device through an Internet connection, instruct one or more of the computers to:

(a) receive at one or more of the computers from a requesting server an electronic transmission of an IP address and a time and date corresponding to online access or an online redirect to the requesting server via an online access device of a user;

(b) determine automatically, using one or more of the computers, to which of the users the IP address received in part (a) was associated at the time and date received in part (a); and

(c) automatically electronically direct, from one or more of the computers to the requesting server, offline data originating from an offline data provider, which offline data concern the user determined in part (b) and were received from the offline data provider before the IP address, time, and date were received in part (a), and which directing and which offline data do not convey to the requesting server a personal identity of the user determined in part (b).

10. The medium of claim 9 wherein the encoded instructions instruct the one or more of the computers to perform the acts of parts (b) and (c) without associating a history of online activity to which the entity has access, which online activity is performed by the user determined in part (b), with a personal identity of the user determined in part (b).

11. The medium of claim 9 wherein the encoded instructions further instruct the one or more computers to, before the IP address, time, and date were received in part (a), automatically electronically direct, from one or more of the computers to the offline data provider, information personally identifying the user who is later determined according to part (b), without conveying to the offline data provider information pertaining to a history of the online activity to which the entity has access, and in response to receive from the offline data provider the offline data later directed to the requesting server according to part (c).

12. The medium of claim 9 wherein the IP address received from the requesting server is associated with the online user interface device of the user and at least one other online user interface device of the user.