System and method of targeted advertisement

• US 8,812,361 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2008
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Petronelli, Anthony, Gemelos, Steven, Savoor, Raghvendra
• Primary Examiner(s): Hamilton, Lalita M
• Application Number:
  US12/179,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20100023338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,217 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.41, 705/35, 705/14.49, 705/14.51, 705/14.53
• US Class Current: 705/14.49
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Systems and methods of targeted advertisement are disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes performing a deep packet inspection process of packet traffic within at least a portion of a communication network. The deep packet inspection process includes determining source data and destination data from the packet traffic without inspecting packet payload data. The method includes receiving aggregate demographic data of users that are associated with at least some of the packet traffic and generating an anonymous first profile of a first user based on first data acquired via the deep packet inspection process and based on the aggregate demographic data. The method also includes retrieving first user profile data from the anonymous first profile and sending the first user profile data to an advertisement system to determine a targeted advertisement based on the first user profile data. The targeted advertisement is displayed to a second user while the second user is participating in a multi-user activity with the first user.

Claims

1. A method of targeted advertisement, the method comprising:

receiving, at an anonymous profile server, aggregate demographic data of users that are associated with one or more packets exchanged between network devices of a communication network;

generating, at the anonymous profile server, an anonymous first profile of a first user based on first data acquired via a deep packet inspection process and based on the aggregate demographic data, wherein the deep packet inspection process is performed based on the one or more packets and does not inspect packet payload data of the one or more packets, and wherein the deep packet inspection process includes determining source data and destination data from the one or more packets;

retrieving, by the anonymous profile server, first user profile data from the anonymous first profile and sending the first user profile data to an advertisement system to determine a targeted advertisement, wherein the targeted advertisement is determined based on one or more bids received from one or more advertisers, the one or more bids placed based at least in part on the first user profile data, wherein the targeted advertisement is displayed to a second user while the second user is participating in a multi-user activity with the first user, wherein the first user participates in the multi-user activity via a first device associated with the first user and the second user participates in the multi-user activity via a second device associated with the second user, and wherein the targeted advertisement is displayed as an object within an environment displayed in connection with the multi-user activity at the first device and the second device;

determining a response of the second user to the targeted advertisement; and

updating an advertising effectiveness metric associated with the targeted advertisement based on the response.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein participation of the first user in the multi-user activity is determined at least partially based on identifying a device signature from communication device data that is determined by the deep packet inspection process, wherein the device signature is associated with the first user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the participation of the first user in the multi-user activity is determined based on a time of day, a category of the multi-user activity, a selection made by the first user, or a determination of other participants in the multi-user activity.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, at the anonymous profile server, an anonymous second profile of the second user based on second data determined via the deep packet inspection process and further based on the aggregate demographic data;

retrieving, by the anonymous profile server, second user profile data from the anonymous second profile of the second user; and

sending the second user profile data to the advertisement system to determine the targeted advertisement based on the first user profile data and the second user profile data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the response of the second user to the targeted advertisement comprises determining second source data from one or more particular packets via the deep packet inspection process, wherein the one or more particular packets are exchanged between the network devices of the communication network after the targeted advertisement is displayed, wherein the second source data is associated with the second user.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising identifying the response based in part on the second source data, wherein the response is associated with the targeted advertisement, and wherein the response is one of a search and a purchase that is made by the second user and that is associated with the targeted advertisement.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the network devices include one or more of a digital subscriber line access multiplexer, a broadband remote access server, a home gateway system, or any combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the targeted advertisement is displayed to the first user and to the second user via a graphical user interface associated with the multi-user activity, wherein the graphical user interface is generated by the advertising system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-user activity is a multiplayer game, and wherein participation of the first user in the multiplayer game is determined by analyzing the source data and the destination data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-user activity is an online social networking activity and wherein a participation of the first user in the online social networking activity is determined by analyzing the source data and the destination data.

11. A system comprising:

a processor; and

memory accessible to the processor, the memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising;

identifying a targeted advertisement to be presented to a group of users participating in a multi-user activity, wherein the targeted advertisement is determined based on one or more bids received from one or more advertisers, the one or more bids placed based at least in part on user profile data associated with at least one user of the group of users, and wherein each particular user of the group of users participates in the multi-user activity via a particular device associated with the particular user;

displaying the targeted advertisement as an object within an environment displayed in connection with the multi-user activity at the particular device associated with the particular user;

associating the targeted advertisement with a first profile of a first user in the group of users and with a second profile of a second user in the group of users;

generating tracking data that indicates activities that correspond to the targeted advertisement and that are performed by the first user, the second user, or both; and

updating, based on the tracking data, an advertising effectiveness metric associated with the targeted advertisement.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the activities corresponding to the targeted advertisement include click-through activities, search activities, purchasing activities, click fraud activities, or a combination thereof.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises identifying click-through activities associated with the first user, the second user, or both, and wherein the click-through activities that are identified are responsive to the targeted advertisement.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises detecting search activities associated with the first user, the second user, or both, and wherein the search activities that are detected are responsive to content of the targeted advertisement.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises detecting purchases made by the first user, the second user, or both, and wherein the purchases that are made correspond to content of the targeted advertisement.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises detecting click fraud that corresponds to the targeted advertisement.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

determining packet data including packet source data and packet destination data from one or more packets exchanged between network devices within a communication network, wherein the packet data is determined without inspecting packet payload data of the one or more packets;

using the packet data to;

generate the first profile based on first activity data in the packet data associated with the first user; and

generate the second profile based on second activity data in the packet data associated with the second user; and

providing profile data from the first profile and the second profile to an advertising system when the packet data indicates that the first user and the second user are concurrently active in the multi-user activity, wherein a first device is associated with the first user and a second device is associated with the second user, and wherein the first device is located remotely to the second device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises recording multiplayer gaming activity data and social networking activity data of the packet data.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more packets are obtained from a home gateway system, a mobility system, a core network, a peering network, or a combination thereof.

20. A computer-readable storage device comprising an article storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising generating a graphical user interface that comprises:

an activity display area to display graphical data associated with a multi-user activity; and

an advertisement display area to display advertisement data including a targeted advertisement;

wherein the advertisement data is displayed concurrently with the graphical data, and wherein the advertisement display area is integrated within the activity display area as an object within an environment displayed in connection with the multi-user activity;

wherein the advertisement data is received by multiple users of the multi-user activity based on anonymous profile data associated with a first user of the multi-user activity, the anonymous profile data including data that is extracted from packets via a deep packet inspection process and that corresponds to the first user, wherein the data is retrieved from non-payload data associated with the packets that are exchanged between network devices of a communication network, wherein the anonymous profile data is correlated with aggregate demographic data based on location and subscription information, and wherein the targeted advertisement is determined based on one or more bids received from one or more advertisers, the one or more bids placed based at least in part on the anonymous profile data corresponding to the first user;

wherein the anonymous profile data further includes aggregate demographic data received from a service provider and correlated with an anonymous profile of the first user; and

wherein each particular user of the multiple users participates in the multi-user activity via a particular device associated with the particular user.

21. The computer-readable storage device of claim 20, wherein the activity display area and the advertisement display area are located within a browser window and wherein a location of the advertisement display area within the browser window is determined by a browser plug-in application.

22. The computer-readable storage device of claim 21, wherein the multi-user activity is a multiplayer game and wherein the environment is within a background displayed in connection with the multiplayer game.

23. A computer-readable storage device comprising an article storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving anonymous player profile data corresponding to multiple players concurrently participating in a multi-user game, wherein each particular player of the multiple players participates in the multi-user game via a particular device associated with the particular player, and wherein the anonymous player profile data is extracted from network packet data via a deep packet inspection process, wherein the network packet data is retrieved from non-payload data associated with one or more network packets exchanged between network devices of a communication network, and wherein the anonymous player profile data is correlated with aggregate demographic data based on location and subscription information;

determining a targeted advertisement based on one or more bids received from one or more advertisers, the one or more bids placed based at least in part on the anonymous player profile data;

sending the targeted advertisement to be displayed concurrently to the multiple players participating in the multi-user game, wherein the targeted advertisement is displayed as an object within an environment displayed in connection with the multi-user game;

determining one or more responses of the multiple players to the targeted advertisement; and

updating an advertising effectiveness metric associated with the targeted advertisement based on the one or more responses.

24. The computer-readable storage device of claim 23, wherein the targeted advertisement is determined by an advertisement brokerage system.