Method and apparatus for displaying ads directed to personas having associated characteristics
First Claim
1. A processor-based system for receiving advertisements, comprising:
- memory for storing instructions that are executable by processor electronics;
a sensor for determining a location of the system;
a display screen;
processor electronics configured to execute the instructions in order to;
display a plurality of icons to which advertisements can be directed to a user;
receive a selection from the user to activate a first icon of the plurality of icons to which advertisements can be directed during a time period when the icon is active, wherein the first icon defines one or more characteristics of the user that can be analyzed by an advertiser to determine a target audience for an ad;
in response to the selection of the first icon, select a cookie associated to the first icon, wherein the cookie is configured to reference a portion of user interest data collected during the period of time when the first icon is active;
display an ad directed to the selected first icon;
determine the location of the system;
in response to the location determination automatically select a second icon from the plurality of icons that defines one or more characteristics of the user to which ads are to be directed based on the determined location; and
in response to the selection of the second icon, select a second cookie associated to the second icon, wherein the second cookie is configured to reference a portion of user interest data collected during a second time period that the second icon is active.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for directing self-targeted advertising to users who are interested in receiving it. A user creates or adopts one or more personas that define a number of characteristics that the user has or wants to be associated with. The characteristics of the personas can be used by advertisers to define members of a target audience. Each persona included in a target audience has an address or identifier to which ads are sent. In one embodiment, users are shown a user interface screen with icons representing a number of brands. The user provides input that indicates whether they have different opinions of the brands. Based on the input received, an estimate is made of the likelihood that the user has a number of characteristics. The user can arrange the icons representing the brands on the user interface screen to indicate if the user likes or dislikes the brand.
217 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A processor-based system for receiving advertisements, comprising:
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memory for storing instructions that are executable by processor electronics; a sensor for determining a location of the system; a display screen; processor electronics configured to execute the instructions in order to; display a plurality of icons to which advertisements can be directed to a user; receive a selection from the user to activate a first icon of the plurality of icons to which advertisements can be directed during a time period when the icon is active, wherein the first icon defines one or more characteristics of the user that can be analyzed by an advertiser to determine a target audience for an ad; in response to the selection of the first icon, select a cookie associated to the first icon, wherein the cookie is configured to reference a portion of user interest data collected during the period of time when the first icon is active; display an ad directed to the selected first icon; determine the location of the system; in response to the location determination automatically select a second icon from the plurality of icons that defines one or more characteristics of the user to which ads are to be directed based on the determined location; and in response to the selection of the second icon, select a second cookie associated to the second icon, wherein the second cookie is configured to reference a portion of user interest data collected during a second time period that the second icon is active. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A processor-based system for receiving advertisements, comprising:
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memory for storing instructions that are executable by processor electronics; a sensor for determining a location of the system; processor electronics configured to execute the instructions in order to; receive a selection from a user to activate an icon to which advertisements can be directed during a time period when the icon is active, wherein the icon defines one or more characteristics of the user that can be analyzed by an advertiser to determine a target audience for an ad; in response to the selection of the icon, select a cookie associated to the icon, wherein the cookie is configured to reference a portion of user interest data collected during the period of time when the icon is active; display an ad directed to the selected icon; determine the location of the system; automatically select a second icon that defines one or more characteristics of the user to which ads are to be directed based on the determined location; in response to the selection of the second icon, select a second cookie associated to the second icon, wherein the second cookie is configured to reference a portion of user interest data collected during a second time period that the second icon is active; transmit a request from the user to a remote computer to request access to a first and second portion of data associated to a third icon, wherein the first and the second portions of data associated to the third icon define one or more characteristics defined by another user that can be selected by an advertiser to determine a target audience for an ad, wherein the first portion of data is not accessible to the user after a defined time period; and display an ad to the user which was selected based upon at least a portion of either the first portion of data or based upon a portion of the second portion of data. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A processor-based system for receiving advertisements, comprising:
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memory for storing instructions that are executable by processor electronics; a sensor for determining a location of the system; a user input device; processor electronics configured to execute the instructions in order to; receive a selection from a user to activate an icon to which advertisements can be directed during a time period when the icon is active, wherein the icon defines one or more characteristics of the user that can be analyzed by an advertiser to determine a target audience for an ad; in response to the selection of the icon, select a cookie associated to the icon, wherein the cookie is configured to reference a portion of user interest data collected during the period of time when the icon is active; display an ad directed to the selected icon; determine the location of the system; automatically selecting a second icon that defines one or more characteristics of the user to which ads are to be directed based on the determined location; in response to the selection of the second icon, select a second cookie associated to the second icon, wherein the second cookie is configured to reference a portion of user interest data collected during a second time period that the second icon is active; in further response to the selection of the second icon, display to the user the second icon defining one or more characteristics of the user, wherein the active icon is displayed to the user as the currently active icon; and in response to receiving a user query by operation of the user input device, transmit the user query and data based at least on a cookie associated to the second icon to an Internet search engine. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification