System and method for preserving consumer choice

• US 8,738,807 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2013
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mercury Kingdom Assets Limited
• Original Assignee: Mercury Kingdom Assets Limited
• Inventors: Wilson, Joseph G
• Primary Examiner(s): Phung, Luat
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHANG, KAI J
• Application Number:
  US13/738,403
• Publication Number:
  US 20130124760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 709/248
• US Class Current: 709/248
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/146 Markers for unambiguous identification of a particular session, e.g. session cookie or URL-encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

Methods and systems for preserving user attribute data by way of managing and synchronizing redundant storage locations.

Claims

1. A method of preserving internet browser user attribute data across a plurality of clients, the method comprising:

storing user attribute data at a first data location on a first client, wherein the user attribute data at the first data location is associated with an internet browser;

determining synchronization of the user attribute data at the first data location with user attribute data at a second data location on a server, wherein the user attribute data at the second data location is associated with the internet browser; and

in response to the user attribute data at the first data location and the user attribute data at the second data location not being synchronized, synchronizing the user attribute data at the first data location and the user attribute data at the second data location.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining if the user attribute data at the first data location or the user attribute data at the second location is up-to-date when the user attribute data at the first data location and the user attribute data at the second data location are not synchronized.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein synchronizing the user attribute data at the first data location and the user attribute data at the second data location comprises changing the user attribute data at the first data location to conform with the user attribute data at the second data location.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein synchronizing the user attribute data at the first data location and the user attribute data at the second data location comprises changing the user attribute data at the second data location to conform with the user attribute data at the first data location.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing user attribute data at a third data location associated with a second client, wherein the user attribute data at the third data location is associated with the internet browser;

determining synchronization of the user attribute data at the third data location with user attribute data at the second data location associated with the server; and

in response to the user attribute data at the third data location and the user attribute data at the second data location not being synchronized, synchronizing the user attribute data at the third data location and the user attribute data at the second data location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user attribute data at the first data location includes opt-out choice information.

7. The method of claim 6, where in the opt-out choice information includes an internet browser cookie setting.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the internet browser cookie setting is related to third party internet browser cookies.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user attribute data at the first data location includes preference information for a user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the user attribute data at the first data location includes interest information for a user.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with a computer program for preserving internet browser user attribute data across a plurality of clients, the computer program comprising instructions for:

storing user attribute data at a first data location on a first client, wherein the user attribute data at the first data location is associated with an internet browser;

determining synchronization of the user attribute data at the first data location with user attribute data at a second data location on a server, wherein the user attribute data at the second data location is associated with the internet browser; and

in response to the user attribute data at the first data location and the user attribute data at the second data location not being synchronized, synchronizing the user attribute data at the first data location and the user data at the second data location.

12. The media of claim 11 further comprising instructions for:

determining which of the user attribute data at the first data location or the user attribute data at the second location is up-to-date when the user attribute data at the first data location and the user attribute data at the second data location are not synchronized.

13. The media of claim 12, wherein synchronizing the user attribute data at the first data location and the user attribute data at the second data location comprises changing the user attribute data at the first data location to conform with the user attribute data at the second data location.

14. The media of claim 12, wherein synchronizing the user attribute data at the first data location and the user attribute data at the second data location comprises changing the user attribute data at the second data location to conform with the user attribute data at the first data location.

15. The media of claim 11 further comprising instructions for:

clearing the user attribute data at the first data location or the user attribute data at the second location.

16. The media of claim 11, wherein the user attribute data at the first data location includes opt-out choice information.

17. The media of claim 16, where in the opt-out choice information includes a setting relating to internet browser cookies.

18. The media of claim 17, wherein the setting relating to internet browser cookies is related to third party internet browser cookies.

19. The media of claim 11, wherein the user attribute data at the first data location includes preference information for a user.

20. The media of claim 11, wherein the user attribute data at the first data location includes interest information for a user.