Methods and systems for presenting online content elements based on information caused to be stored on a communication apparatus by a service provider

• US 9,600,518 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2007
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BCE Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BCE Incorporated
• Inventors: Murray, Sean MacLean, Fortier, Stphane Maxime Franois, Bouchard, Jean
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Quang N
• Application Number:
  US12/224,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20110246601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,407 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/219, 709/224, 709/218, 709/245, 705/14, 707/500, 717/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• 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: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds

Abstract

Methods and systems for presenting online content elements based on information caused to be stored on a communication apparatus by a service provider. One of the methods is a method for presenting online content at a communication apparatus. The method comprises: obtaining information caused to be stored on the communication apparatus by a service provider providing network access to the communication apparatus, the information pertaining to a profile maintained by the service provider; determining an online content element to be presented at the communication apparatus based on the information; and causing the communication apparatus to present the online content element. The online content element may be an advertising content element forming an online advertisement, a primary content element of a network site, or an online page. The information may include location information, personal information, and/or bandwidth information. Servers for implementing the methods are also provided.

Claims

1. A method for presenting online content at a communication apparatus, said method comprising, in order:

at a service provider providing network access to the communication apparatus;

obtaining profile information from a profile database maintained by the service provider providing network access to the communication apparatus;

transmitting the profile information to the communication apparatus;

at the communication apparatus;

storing the profile information on the communication apparatus as a cookie;

communicating the profile information contained in the cookie to an ad server;

at the ad server;

receiving the profile information communicated by the communication apparatus;

determining an online content element to be presented at the communication apparatus based on the received profile information; and

causing the communication apparatus to present the online content element.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said receiving comprises:

sending first data to the communication apparatus, the first data requesting the profile information; and

receiving second data communicated by the communication apparatus, the second data conveying the profile information.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said receiving comprises receiving the profile information communicated by the communication apparatus without having sent data requesting the profile information to the communication apparatus.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the online content element is an advertising content element forming an online advertisement.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the online content element is a primary content element of a network site.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the online content element is an online page.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the profile information includes location information regarding the communication apparatus.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the location information includes a service point location of the communication apparatus.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the location information includes a location object formatted as a Presence Information Data Format Location Object (PIDF-LO) or equivalent.

10. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the location information specifies a set of geo-coordinates.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the profile information includes personal information regarding a party.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the personal information comprises at least one of:

a name, a gender, a date of birth or an age, a nationality, a correspondence language, a civic address, a phone number, an email address, an instant messaging identifier, and financial information.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the profile information includes bandwidth information regarding a bandwidth available to the communication apparatus.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein said determining comprises determining a size of the online content element to be presented based on the bandwidth information.

15. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said receiving comprises:

receiving encrypted data from the communication apparatus; and

decrypting the encrypted data using a key provided by the service provider to obtain the profile information.

16. An ad server for causing presentation of online content at a communication apparatus, said ad server comprising:

an interface for receiving and sending data; and

a processing unit coupled to said interface, the processing unit comprising a processor coupled to a memory and operative for;

receiving profile information communicated by the communication apparatus, the profile information having been previously transmitted to the communication apparatus from a network component of a service provider providing network access to the communication apparatus, the profile information having been obtained from a profile database maintained by the service provider;

causing the communication apparatus to present an online content element determined based on the information.

17. An ad server as claimed in claim 16, wherein said receiving comprises:

sending first data to the communication apparatus, the first data requesting the profile information; and

receiving second data communicated by the communication apparatus, the second data conveying the profile information.

18. An ad server as claimed in claim 16, wherein said receiving comprises receiving the profile information communicated by the communication apparatus without having sent data requesting the profile information to the communication apparatus.

19. An ad server as claimed in claim 16, wherein the online content element is an advertising content element forming an online advertisement.

20. An ad server as claimed in claim 16, wherein the online content element is a primary content element of a network site.

21. An ad server as claimed in claim 16, wherein the online content element is an online page.

22. An ad server as claimed in claim 16, wherein the profile information includes location information regarding the communication apparatus.

23. An ad server as claimed in claim 22, wherein the location information includes a service point location of the communication apparatus.

24. An ad server as claimed in claim 22, wherein the location information includes a location object formatted as a PIDF-LO or equivalent.

25. An ad server as claimed in claim 22, wherein the location information specifies a set of geo-coordinates.

26. An ad server as claimed in claim 16, wherein the profile information includes personal information regarding a party.

27. An ad server as claimed in claim 26, wherein the personal information comprises at least one of:

a name, a gender, a date of birth or an age, a nationality, a correspondence language, a civic address, a phone number, an email address, an instant messaging identifier, and financial information.

28. An ad server as claimed in claim 16, wherein the profile information includes bandwidth information regarding a bandwidth available to the communication apparatus.

29. An ad server as claimed in claim 28, wherein said determining comprises determining a size of the online content element to be presented based on the bandwidth information.

30. An ad server as claimed in claim 16, wherein said processing unit is operative for determining the online content element to be presented at the communication apparatus based on the profile information.

31. An ad server as claimed in claim 16, wherein said receiving comprises:

receiving encrypted data from the communication apparatus; and

decrypting the encrypted data using a key provided by the service provider to obtain the profile information.

32. A computer-readable memory storing a program component for execution by a computer system to cause presentation of online content at a communication apparatus, said program component comprising:

first program code for causing the computer system to receive profile information from the communication apparatus, the profile information having been previously transmitted to the communication apparatus from a network component of a service provider providing network access to the communication apparatus, the profile information having been obtained from a profile database maintained by the service provider;

second program code for causing the computer system to cause the communication apparatus to present an online content element determined based on the profile information.

33. A method for execution by a communication apparatus connected to a data network, said method comprising, in order:

receiving profile information transmitted from a network component of a service provider providing network access to the communication apparatus, the profile information having been obtained by the network component from a profile database maintained by the service provider; and

storing the profile information in a memory of the communication device as a cookie; and

communicating the profile information contained in the cookie over the data network to allow an ad server to determine an online content element to be presented at the communication apparatus based on the profile information received by the ad server.

34. A method as claimed in claim 33, wherein said communicating is performed in response to receiving over the data network a request to communicate the profile information to the ad server.

35. A method as claimed in claim 33, wherein said communicating is performed without having received a request to communicate the profile information over the data network.

36. A method as claimed in claim 33, wherein said communicating is performed upon determining that a network site accessed by the communication apparatus is a trusted network site.

37. A method as claimed in claim 36, comprising consulting information identifying at least one trusted network site to determine that the network site accessed by the communication apparatus is a trusted network site.

38. A method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the online content element is an advertising content element forming an online advertisement.

39. A method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the online content element is a primary content element of a network site.

40. A method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the online content element is an online page.

41. A method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the profile information includes location information regarding the communication apparatus.

42. A method as claimed in claim 41, wherein the location information includes a service point location of the communication apparatus.

43. A method as claimed in claim 41, wherein the location information includes a location object formatted as a PIDF-LO or equivalent.

44. A method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the profile information includes personal information regarding a party.

45. A method as claimed in claim 44, wherein the personal information comprises at least one of a name, a gender, a date of birth or an age, a nationality, a correspondence language, a civic address, a phone number, an email address, an instant messaging identifier, and financial information.

46. A method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the profile information includes bandwidth information regarding a bandwidth available to the communication apparatus.

47. A communication apparatus for connection to a data network, said communication apparatus comprising:

a network interface unit for receiving profile information transmitted from a network component of a service provider providing network access to the communication apparatus, the profile information having been obtained by the network component from a profile database maintained by the service provider;

a memory storing the profile information as a cookie; and

a processing unit for communicating the profile information over the data network to allow an ad server to determine an online content element to be presented at said communication apparatus based on the profile information.

48. A communication apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein said processing unit is adapted for communicating the profile information over the data network in response to receiving over the data network a request to communicate the profile information to the ad server.

49. A communication apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein said processing unit is adapted for communicating the profile information over the data network without having received a request to communicate the profile information over the data network.

50. A communication apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein said processing unit is adapted for communicating the profile information over the data network upon determining that a network site accessed by said communication apparatus is a trusted network site.

51. A communication apparatus as claimed in claim 50, wherein said processing unit is adapted for consulting information identifying at least one trusted network site to determine that the network site accessed by said communication apparatus is a trusted network site.

52. A communication apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein the online content element is an advertising content element forming an online advertisement.

53. A communication apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein the online content element is a primary content element of a network site.

54. A communication apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein the online content element is an online page.

55. A communication apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein the profile information includes location information regarding the communication apparatus.

56. A communication apparatus as claimed in claim 55, wherein the location information includes a service point location of the communication apparatus.

57. A communication apparatus as claimed in claim 55, wherein the location information includes a location object formatted as a PIDF-LO or equivalent.

58. A communication apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein the profile information includes personal information regarding a party.

59. A communication apparatus as claimed in claim 58, wherein the personal information comprises at least one of:

a name, a gender, a date of birth or an age, a nationality, a correspondence language, a civic address, a phone number, an email address, an instant messaging identifier, and financial information.

60. A communication apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein the profile information includes bandwidth information regarding a bandwidth available to said communication apparatus.

61. A computer-readable memory storing a program component which, when executed by a communication apparatus, causes the communication apparatus to carry out a method, said method comprising:

receiving profile information transmitted from a network component of a service provider providing network access to the communication apparatus, the profile information having been obtained by the network component from a profile database maintained by the service provider; and

after said receiving, communicating the profile information over the data network to allow an ad server to determine an online content element to be presented at the communication apparatus based on the profile information.

62. A system for presenting online content at a communication apparatus, comprising:

a service provider network component configured for;

obtaining profile information from a profile database maintained by a service provider providing network access to the communication apparatus;

transmitting the profile information to the communication apparatus;

an ad server for causing presentation of online content at a communication apparatus, the ad server configured for;

receiving the profile information communicated by the communication apparatus, the profile information having been previously transmitted to the communication apparatus by the service provider network component;

determining an online content element to be presented at the communication apparatus based on the profile information; and

causing the communication apparatus to present the online content element.