System and method for targeted advertising via commitment

• US 20050038699A1
• Filed: 07/30/2004
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Lillibridge, Mark David, Lukose, Rajan Mathew
• Application Number:
  US10/909,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20050038699A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.350
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 Auctions

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments relate to a system and method of advertising. The method may comprise sending a targeted advertisement to at least one of a plurality of computers, wherein the targeted advertisement comprises a query. Further, the method may comprise receiving a proof after sending the targeted advertisement, wherein the proof relates to an earlier commitment of a profile of data stored on one of the plurality of computers, and using the proof to determine that the committed profile satisfied the query.

Claims

1. A method of directed communication, comprising:

sending targeted information to at least one of a plurality of computers, wherein the targeted information comprises a query;

receiving a proof after sending the targeted information, wherein the proof relates to an earlier commitment of a profile of data stored on one of the plurality of computers; and

using the proof to determine that the committed profile satisfied the query.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising paying a user of the one of the plurality of computers to allow the targeted information to be displayed to the user if the committed profile satisfies the query.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising confirming that the proof is from a trusted device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the proof is produced by a ZK set commitment method.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving a hash from at least one of the plurality of computers, wherein the hash relates to the profile.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising broadcasting a message requesting a commitment from each of the plurality of computers.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the message includes a deadline for response.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving the earlier commitment and accepting the earlier commitment only if a condition relating to receiving the earlier commitment is met.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising accepting the earlier commitment only if a deadline for receiving the earlier commitment is met.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising sending a bid price to the plurality of computers, the bid price representing a reward to a user for allowing the targeted information to be displayed.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising comparing the bid price with an ask price and enabling the targeted information based on the comparison.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the targeted information is an advertisement.

12. A method of directed communication, comprising:

collecting data on a computer;

performing a commitment relating to the data;

receiving a message containing criteria;

testing the criteria against the data;

making information available on the computer if the data satisfies the criteria; and

sending a proof relating to the data and commitment after receiving the message, the proof being for proving the criteria was met.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising receiving a broadcast containing a deadline for performing the commitment.

14. The method of claim 13, comprising performing the commitment within a time established by the deadline.

15. The method of claim 12, comprising receiving a payment if the proof is satisfactory.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the message contains a bid price that indicates a maximum amount that a sending party will pay a receiving party for viewing the message.

17. The method of claim 12, comprising making the message available on the computer if the data satisfies the criteria and if the bid price of the message is greater than or equal to a consumer ask price.

33. The method of claim 12, comprising reducing privacy loss by employing a local secure interface.

34. The method of claim 12, wherein the information is an advertisement.

18. A system for providing information, comprising:

a computer for collecting data;

a committing module adapted to performing a commitment relating to the data;

a receiving module adapted to receive a targeted message containing criteria;

a testing module adapted to test the criteria against the data;

a matching module adapted to make an advertisement a message available on the computer if the data satisfies the criteria; and

a proof module adapted to send a proof relating to the data after receiving the targeted message, the proof being for proving the criteria was met.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the data comprises a log of activities performed by the computer.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the criteria comprises a set of target consumer activities.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the data comprises a log of activities associated with television channels.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the data comprises a consumer ask price indicative of an amount a first entity is willing to take in exchange for viewing the targeted message and the criteria comprises a bid price indicative of an amount a second entity is willing to give the first entity for viewing the targeted message.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the commitment produces a hash relating to the data.

35. The system of claim 18, comprising a local interface module that is adapted to preserve privacy during testing of the criteria against the data.

36. The system of claim 18, wherein the message is an advertisement.

24. A computer, comprising:

a display;

a CPU;

memory coupled to the CPU; and

an instruction storage medium coupled to the CPU, the instruction storage medium providing instructions executable by the CPU, whereby the computer logs user activities, creates a local user profile based on said user activities, performs a commitment based on the local user profile, and displays information on the display if a query of a targeted message is satisfied by the local user profile.

37. The computer of claim 24, wherein the information is an advertisement.

25. A system for advertising, comprising:

means for receiving a targeted message, the targeted message having display information capable of enablement and target criteria for testing against a profile, the profile relating to compiled data;

means for committing to the profile before enabling the display information;

means for testing the target criteria against the profile with the target criteria;

means for enabling the display information if the profile meets the target criteria; and

means for sending a proof that the criteria was met.

26. The system of claim 25, comprising means for providing payment to a user when the proof verifies successfully.

27. A computer program, comprising:

a tangible medium;

a collection module stored on the tangible medium, the collection module for collecting data;

a committing module stored on the tangible medium, the committing module adapted for performing a commitment relating to the data;

a receiving module stored on the tangible medium, the receiving module adapted to receive a communication containing criteria;

a testing module stored on the tangible medium, the testing module adapted to test the criteria against the data with the criteria;

a matching module stored on the tangible medium, the matching module adapted to make information available on a computer if the data matches the criteria; and

a proof module stored on the tangible medium, the proof module adapted to send a proof relating to the data after receiving the communication, the proof being for proving the criteria was met.

28. The computer program of claim 27, wherein the data comprises a log of activities performed by the computer.

29. The computer program of claim 27, wherein the data comprises a log of activities associated with televisions channels displayed.

30. The computer program of claim 27, wherein the data comprises a log of activities associated with a software application used on the computer.

31. The computer program of claim 27, wherein the data comprises an ask price indicative of a price required for a first entity to view the information and the criteria comprises a bid price indicative of the price a second entity is willing to pay the first entity for viewing the information.

38. The computer program of claim 27, comprising a local interface module that is adapted to preserve privacy during testing of the criteria against the data.

39. The computer program of claim 27, wherein the information is an advertisement.