Audience targeting system with segment management

• US 20050125289A1
• Filed: 11/05/2004
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yahoo AD Tech LLC
• Original Assignee: Advertisingcom LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilson, Joseph G., Balasubramanian, Krishna, Beyda, Gil, McDonald, Kevin M., Wenger, Albert E., Locker, Donald J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,150,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.530
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

Systems, methods and apparatus for delivering content to an audience member over a computer network. A console allows a user to define audience segments that are organized in hierarchical fashion. The segments are then calculated by collecting profile data for audience members and determining whether members have attributes that a defined by the audience segments. The hierarchical definition of segments allows audience segments to be logically combined and facilitates efficient recalculation of audience segments. Profile synchronization provides an authoritative identifier that is used to reconcile the potential issuance of multiple identifiers for a given audience member.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for delivering content to an audience member over a computer network, the method comprising:

accommodating the receipt of input to define a hierarchical organization of audience segments based upon profile data that is attributable to audience members, the hierarchical organization of audience segments including a first audience segment, a second audience segment, and a third audience segment that depends from the first audience segment and the second audience segment;

calculating membership in the third audience segment by receiving profile data and determining that a first plurality of audience members include a combination of attributes defined by the first audience segment and the second audience segment; and

accommodating the delivery of content to the first plurality of audience members through the computer network based upon membership in the third audience segment.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving incremental profile data following the calculation of membership in the third audience segment; and

recalculating membership in the third audience segment based upon a determination from the incremental profile data that additional audience members have attributes defined by the first audience segment.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein recalculating membership in the third audience segment includes a determination that at least one of the first plurality of audience members no longer has the attributes defined by the first audience segment.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining first and second membership lists respectively identifying audience members having attributes defined by the first and second audience segments;

applying a Boolean operation to the first and second membership lists in calculating membership in the third audience segment.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein maintaining the first and second membership lists comprises:

determining at least one attribute respectively defined by the first and second audience segments; and

receiving the profile data and determining those audience members that have the at least one attribute corresponding to the first and/or second audience segments.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the content is advertising, and the profile data includes characteristic and behavioral components.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the computer network includes the Internet, and the behavioral component includes information about Internet browsing activities.

8. An apparatus for delivering content to an audience member over a computer network, the apparatus comprising:

means for accommodating the receipt of input to define a hierarchical organization of audience segments based upon profile data that is attributable to audience members, the hierarchical organization of audience segments including a first audience segment, a second audience segment, and a third audience segment that depends from the first audience segment and the second audience segment;

means for calculating membership in the third audience segment by receiving profile data and determining that a first plurality of audience members include a combination of attributes defined by the first audience segment and the second audience segment; and

means for accommodating the delivery of content to the first plurality of audience members through the computer network based upon membership in the third audience segment.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

means for receiving incremental profile data following the calculation of membership in the third audience segment, and recalculating membership in the third audience segment based upon a determination from the incremental profile data that additional audience members have attributes defined by the first audience segment.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein recalculating membership in the third audience segment includes a determination that at least one of the first plurality of audience members no longer has the attributes defined by the first audience segment.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the means for calculating membership maintains first and second membership lists respectively identifying audience members having attributes defined by the first and second audience segments, and applies a Boolean operation to the first and second membership lists in calculating membership in the third audience segment.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein maintaining the first and second membership lists comprises determining at least one attribute respectively defined by the first and second audience segments, and receiving the profile data and determining those audience members that have the at least one attribute corresponding to the first and/or second audience segments.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the content is advertising, and the profile data includes characteristic and behavioral components.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the computer network includes the Internet, and the behavioral component includes information about Internet browsing activities.

15. A system for delivering content to an audience member over a computer network, the system comprising:

a segment organization module, which accommodates the receipt of input to define a hierarchical organization of audience segments based upon profile data that is attributable to audience members, the hierarchical organization of audience segments including a first audience segment, a second audience segment, and a third audience segment that depends from the first audience segment and the second audience segment;

a segment generation module, in operative communication with the segment organization module, which calculates membership in the third audience segment by receiving profile data and determining that a first plurality of audience members include a combination of attributes defined by the first audience segment and the second audience segment; and

a targeting engine, in operative communication with the segment organization module and the segment generation module, which accommodates the delivery of content to the first plurality of audience members through the computer network based upon membership in the third audience segment.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the segment calculation module comprises:

a segment recalculation module, which receives incremental profile data following the calculation of membership in the third audience segment, and recalculating membership in the third audience segment based upon a determination from the incremental profile data that additional audience members have attributes defined by the first audience segment.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein recalculating membership in the third audience segment includes a determination that at least one of the first plurality of audience members no longer has the attributes defined by the first audience segment.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the segment generation module maintains first and second membership lists respectively identifying audience members having attributes defined by the first and second audience segments, and applies a Boolean operation to the first and second membership lists in calculating membership in the third audience segment.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein maintaining the first and second membership lists comprises determining at least one attribute respectively defined by the first and second audience segments, and receiving the profile data and determining those audience members that have the at least one attribute corresponding to the first and/or second audience segments.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the content is advertising, and the profile data includes characteristic and behavioral components.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the computer network includes the Internet, and the behavioral component includes information about Internet browsing activities.

22. A computer program product for delivering content to an audience member over a computer network, the computer program product stored on a computer readable medium and adapted to perform operations comprising:

accommodating the receipt of input to define a hierarchical organization of audience segments based upon profile data that is attributable to audience members, the hierarchical organization of audience segments including a first audience segment, a second audience segment, and a third audience segment that depends from the first audience segment and the second audience segment;

calculating membership in the third audience segment by receiving profile data and determining that a first plurality of audience members include a combination of attributes defined by the first audience segment and the second audience segment; and

accommodating the delivery of content to the first plurality of audience members through the computer network based upon membership in the third audience segment.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving incremental profile data following the calculation of membership in the third audience segment; and

recalculating membership in the third audience segment based upon a determination from the incremental profile data that additional audience members have attributes defined by the first audience segment.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein recalculating membership in the third audience segment includes a determination that at least one of the first plurality of audience members no longer has the attributes defined by the first audience segment.

25. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the operations further comprise:

maintaining first and second membership lists respectively identifying audience members having attributes defined by the first and second audience segments;

applying a Boolean operation to the first and second membership lists in calculating membership in the third audience segment.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein maintaining the first and second membership lists comprises:

determining at least one attribute respectively defined by the first and second audience segments; and

receiving the profile data and determining those audience members that have the at least one attribute corresponding to the first and/or second audience segments.

27. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the content is advertising, and the profile data includes characteristic and behavioral components.

28. The computer program product of claim 27, wherein the computer network includes the Internet, and the behavioral component includes information about Internet browsing activities.