Use of personalized points of reference in selecting advertisements shown to users
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving, at a server computer over a network, a user search request for content;
identifying, via the server computer, said content on the network based upon the user search request;
searching, via the server computer, a user database for a user defined personal point of reference, the user defined personal point of reference comprising partial geo-coded location information associated with a predefined user identified location that corresponds to a geographic location identified by the user, said partial geo-coded location information at least identifying an area proximate to the geographic location;
selecting, via the server computer, said personal point of reference;
communicating a search request to an advertisement database to identify an advertisement embodied as a digital media item that contains ad information that is relevant to the selected personal point of reference, said communication causing a search of the advertisement database that involves analyzing metadata of advertisements in said database and, identifying metadata that corresponds to the partial geo-coded location information defined by the selected personal point of reference;
upon identifying said metadata that corresponds to the selected personal point of reference, compiling, via the server computer, a remaining portion of the geo-coded location information, said compiled remaining portion comprising information indicating more specific geo-coded location information related to the geographic location than the partial geo-coded location information;
communicating, via the server computer, a second request to the advertisement database comprising the remaining portion, said communication causing a refined search based on the more specific geo-coded location information, wherein said caused search identifies metadata that corresponds to the more specific geo-coded location information, wherein said identified advertisement has appended therein said identified metadata from the refined search;
receiving, at the server computer from the advertisement database, said identified advertisement; and
communicating, via the server computer, said identified advertisement with said content to said user over the network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a method and system for selecting targeted advertisements based on a user'"'"'s personal points of reference. The personal points of reference identify user specific locations of interest based at least on geographic locations. In order to determine which advertisements are relevant to a user'"'"'s personal point of reference, the advertisements served by an advertising server contain metadata appended therein. The ad metadata is correlated with locations, and provides geographical sensitivity to specific locations. Thus, advertisements are matched to points of reference based on geo-location data. When the advertising server is presented with a user'"'"'s personal point of reference, the ad server compiles the point of reference'"'"'s geo-location data against the ad metadata, and determines if there is a match. Upon a match being identified, the advertisement associated with the ad metadata is served to the user.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving, at a server computer over a network, a user search request for content; identifying, via the server computer, said content on the network based upon the user search request; searching, via the server computer, a user database for a user defined personal point of reference, the user defined personal point of reference comprising partial geo-coded location information associated with a predefined user identified location that corresponds to a geographic location identified by the user, said partial geo-coded location information at least identifying an area proximate to the geographic location; selecting, via the server computer, said personal point of reference; communicating a search request to an advertisement database to identify an advertisement embodied as a digital media item that contains ad information that is relevant to the selected personal point of reference, said communication causing a search of the advertisement database that involves analyzing metadata of advertisements in said database and, identifying metadata that corresponds to the partial geo-coded location information defined by the selected personal point of reference; upon identifying said metadata that corresponds to the selected personal point of reference, compiling, via the server computer, a remaining portion of the geo-coded location information, said compiled remaining portion comprising information indicating more specific geo-coded location information related to the geographic location than the partial geo-coded location information; communicating, via the server computer, a second request to the advertisement database comprising the remaining portion, said communication causing a refined search based on the more specific geo-coded location information, wherein said caused search identifies metadata that corresponds to the more specific geo-coded location information, wherein said identified advertisement has appended therein said identified metadata from the refined search; receiving, at the server computer from the advertisement database, said identified advertisement; and communicating, via the server computer, said identified advertisement with said content to said user over the network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly encoded with computer executable instructions, which when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, perform a method comprising:
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receiving, over a network, a user search request for content; identifying said content on the network based upon the user search request; searching a user database for a user defined personal point of reference, the user defined personal point of reference comprising partial geo-coded location information associated with a predefined user identified location that corresponds to a geographic location identified by the user, said partial geo-coded location information at least identifying an area proximate to the geographic location; communicating a search request to an advertisement database to identify an advertisement embodied as a digital media item that contains ad information that is relevant to the selected personal point of reference, said communication causing a search of the advertisement database that involves analyzing metadata of advertisements in said database and, identifying metadata that corresponds to the partial geo-coded location information defined by the selected personal point of reference; upon identifying said metadata that corresponds to the selected personal point of reference, compiling a remaining portion of the geo-coded location information, said compiled remaining portion comprising information indicating more specific geo-coded location information related to the geographic location than the partial geo-coded location information; communicating a second request to the advertisement database comprising the remaining portion, said communication causing a refined search based on the more specific geo-coded location information, wherein said caused search identifies metadata that corresponds to the more specific geo-coded location information, wherein said identified advertisement has appended therein said identified metadata; receiving, from the advertisement database, said identified advertisement; and facilitating serving said identified advertisement with said content to said user over the network. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A server computer comprising:
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a processor; a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic comprising; logic executed by the processor for receiving, at t server computer over a network, a user search request for content; logic executed by the processor for identifying, via the server computer, said content on the network based upon the user search request; logic executed by the processor for searching, via the server computer, a user database for a user defined personal point of reference, the user defined personal point of reference comprising partial geo-coded location information associated with a predefined user identified that corresponds to a geographic location identified by the user, said partial geo-coded location information at least identifying an area proximate to the geographic location; logic executed by the processor for selecting, via the server computer, said personal point of reference; logic executed by the processor for communicating a search request to an advertisement database to identify an advertisement embodied as a digital media item that contains ad information that is relevant to the selected personal point of reference, said communication causing a search of the advertisement database that involves analyzing metadata of advertisements in said database and, identifying metadata that corresponds to the partial geo-coded location information defined by the selected personal point of reference; logic executed by the processor for, upon identifying said metadata that corresponds to the selected personal point of reference, compiling, via the server, a remaining portion of the geo-coded location information, said compiled remaining portion comprising information indicating more specific geo-coded location information related to the geographic location than the partial geo-coded location information; logic executed by the processor for communicating, via the server computer, a second request to the advertisement database comprising the remaining portion, said communication causing a refined search based on the more specific geo-coded location information, wherein said caused search identifies metadata that corresponds to the more specific geo-coded location information, wherein said identified advertisement has appended therein said identified metadata from the refined search; logic executed by the processor for receiving, at the server computer from the advertisement database, said identified advertisement; and logic executed by the processor for communicating, via the server computer, said identified advertisement with said content to said user over the network. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification