Content delivery based on user terminal events

• US 8,898,217 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2010
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Grigorovici, Dan Marius, Abdala, Omar
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAW, PELING ANDREW
• Application Number:
  US12/774,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20110276615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,664 Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for selecting content based on user interactions with content previously presented to a user but failing to generate a conversion. In operation, a content delivery system delivers a content package to a user terminal, where the content package includes a content designed to elicit a pre-defined response, such as a conversion. The user terminal then presents the content to a user and generates a journal of events occurring in response to the content package. The journal is then used to determine the proximity of the events in the journal to the pre-defined response. If the degree of proximity to the desired response is high, the user is likely prepared to complete the conversion and therefore a same or similar content can be selected for the user terminal. Otherwise, new content can be delivered to the user terminal.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending, by a processor, a first content package to a user terminal, the first content package including a first content designed to elicit a pre-defined response from a user of the user terminal;

receiving, by the processor, a first data package from the user terminal, the first data package comprising a journal of events performed on the user terminal by the user of the user terminal in response to the first content;

calculating, by the processor, a proximity score based on the journal of events, the proximity score indicating a proximity of the events performed by the user in response to the first content to the pre-defined response elicited by the first content; and

assembling, by the processor, a second content package for the user terminal, wherein the second content package includes a second content related to the first content when the proximity score meets a first proximity score criteria for the first content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the assembling further comprises selecting the second content to be the first content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the proximity score comprises:

providing a classification for the events in the first journal;

determining a temporal relationship among the events in the first journal; and

computing the proximity score based on at least the classification and the temporal relationship.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein providing the classification comprises identifying a type, a source, and a location for the events in the first journal.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the temporal relationship comprises identifying an order, a timing, and a recurrence of the events in the first journal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the assembling of the second content package further comprises:

providing a plurality of content for the second content package, each of the plurality of content associated with a proximity score value with respect to the first content; and

selecting for the second content package at least one of the plurality of content corresponding to the proximity score.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the assembling further comprises:

providing a plurality of groups of content for the second content package, the plurality of groups associated with a plurality of proximity score criteria with respect to the first content;

comparing the proximity score to the plurality of proximity score criteria; and

selecting content for the second content package from a one of the plurality of groups associated with a one of the plurality of proximity score criteria met by the proximity score.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having code for causing a computer to perform a method stored thereon, the method comprising:

sending a first content package to one or more user terminals, the first content package comprising a first content designed to elicit a pre-defined response from a user of each of the one or more user terminals;

storing one or more data packages received from the user terminals in response to the first content package, each of the data packages comprising a proximity score indicating a proximity of the events performed by the user of the user terminal from which the data package was received to the predefined response elicited by the first content of the first content package; and

assembling at least one second content package for the user terminals, wherein the second content package includes a second content related to the first content when the proximity score associated with the one of the user terminals meets a first proximity score criteria for the first content.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the step of assembling further comprises:

generating an aggregate proximity score for the user terminals;

comparing the aggregate proximity score at least one of a plurality of proximity score criteria with respect to the first content; and

selecting at least one content for the second content package from a plurality of content associated with a one of the plurality of proximity score criteria met by the aggregate proximity score.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the step of assembling further comprises:

categorizing the user terminals into one or more segments according to the proximity score associated with each of the user terminals and at least one proximity score category criteria with respect to the first content; and

assembling the second content package for each segment to including at least one of a plurality of content associated with each of the segments.

11. A content delivery system, comprising:

a communications interface configured for sending a content package to a user terminal and receiving a data package from the user terminal, wherein the content package includes a first content designed to elicit a pre-defined response from a user of each of the at least the user terminal and the data package comprising a dataset associated with events at the user terminal in response to the first content; and

a content management module for assembling a next content package for the user terminal based on the received data package, wherein the content management module is configured for;

determining from the received data package a proximity score indicating a proximity of the events to the pre-defined response elicited by the first content, and

assembling the next content package based on the proximity score, wherein the next content package includes a second content related to the first content when the proximity score meets a first proximity score criteria for the first content.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the dataset comprises a journal of the events, and wherein the content management module is configured for calculating the proximity score based on the journal.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein content management module is further configured for calculating the proximity score based on a classification of the events in the journal and a temporal relationship among the events in the journal.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein content management module classifies the events in the journal by identifying a type, a source, and a location for the events in the journal and determines the temporal relationship among the events based on an order, a timing, and a recurrence of the events in the journal.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the content management module is further configured during the assembling for:

responsive to receiving a plurality of data packages from a plurality of terminals in response to the previous content package, generating an aggregate proximity score for the plurality of user terminals and assembling the next content package for the plurality of terminals based on the aggregate proximity score.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the content management module is further configured during assembling for:

responsive to receiving a plurality of data packages from a plurality of terminals in response to the previous content package, categorizing the plurality of user terminals into one or more segments based an associated proximity score and at least one proximity score criteria with respect to the previous content package, and selecting content for the next content package for each of the segments from a plurality of content associated with each of the segments.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a bidding/pricing engine for requesting an alternate pricing for delivery of the second content.

18. A method comprising:

receiving, by a user terminal, a first content package including a first content designed to elicit a pre-defined response;

generating, by the user terminal, a journal of events occurring during presentation of the first content package at the user terminal;

computing a proximity score indicating a proximity of the events in the journal to the pre-defined response elicited by the first content;

assembling a data package in response to the content package, the data package comprising the proximity score; and

sending the data package to a source of the first content package.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the data package further comprises the journal.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the computing further comprises:

providing a classification for the events in the journal;

determining a temporal relationship among the events in the journal; and

computing the proximity score based on the classification and the temporal relationship.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein providing the classification comprises identifying a type, a source, and a location for the events in the journal.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein determining the temporal relationship comprises identifying an order, a timing, and a recurrence of the events in the journal.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

prior to the step of assembling, comparing the proximity score to at least one other proximity score associated with another content previously presented at the user terminal and associated with the first content, and adjusting the proximity score if the proximity score is determined to be an outlier.

24. A user terminal, comprising:

a communications interface for receiving a content package, the content package including a first content designed to elicit a pre-defined response from a user of the user terminal;

at least one user interface for receiving a user input; and

a processing element communicatively coupled to the user interface and the communications interface, the processing element configured to;

present the content package at the user interface,

generate a journal of events for the content package, the journal including input received by the user interface in response to the presented first content, and

compute a proximity score, the proximity score indicating a proximity of the events to the pre-defined response elicited by the first content of the content package.

25. The user terminal of claim 24, wherein the processing element is further configured to:

assemble a data package in response to the content package, and

cause the communications interface to send the data package to a source of the content package, wherein the assembled data package comprises at least one of the journal and the proximity score.

26. The user terminal of claim 24, wherein the processing element generates the proximity score based on a classification of the events in the journal and a temporal relationship among the events in the journal.

27. The user terminal of claim 24, wherein the content package comprises a plurality of content for presenting at different times at the user interface, and wherein the processing element is further configured to:

generate the proximity score based on a currently presented content of the plurality of content, and selecting a next presented content of the plurality of content based on the proximity score.

28. The user terminal of claim 27, wherein the processing element is further configured to:

select a currently presented content as the next presented content if the proximity score meets a proximity score criteria for the currently presented content.

29. The user terminal of claim 27, wherein the processing element is further configured to:

exclude a currently presented content as the next presented content if the proximity score meets a proximity score criteria for the currently presented content.