Methods and Systems for Presenting Online Content Elements Based on Information Known to a Service Provider

• US 20090109877A1
• Filed: 10/26/2007
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BCE Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BCE Incorporated
• Inventors: Fortier, Stephane Maxime Francois, Bouchard, Jean, Murray, Sean MacLean
• Granted Patent: US 9,430,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/259
• 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 known to a service provider. One of the methods is a method for presenting online content at a communication apparatus, the communication apparatus being assigned an identifier. The method comprises: obtaining information that pertains to a profile associated with the identifier and provided by a service provider involved in assigning the identifier to the communication apparatus; 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. Another one of the methods is a method for facilitating determination of online content to be presented at a communication apparatus. Servers for implementing the methods are also provided.

Claims

1. A method for presenting online content at a communication apparatus, the communication apparatus using a network access service provided by a service provider to exchange data over a packet-switched network the communication apparatus being assigned an identifier by the service provider, said method comprising:

sending a request to a network component associated with the service provider, the request conveying the identifier and requesting information pertaining to a profile associated with the identifier and provided by the service provider;

receiving the information;

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.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the online content element is 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 accessed by the communication apparatus.

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 identifier is a logical identifier allowing the communication apparatus to exchange data over the packet-switched network.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the identifier comprises an IP address.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the identifier is a profile identifier used to identify the profile but not required by the communication apparatus to exchange data over the packet-switched network.

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

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the location information includes a service point location of the communication apparatus.

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

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, 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.

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

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

82. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said sending, said receiving, said determining and said causing are performed by an ad server associated with a network site accessed by the communication apparatus.

83. A method as claimed in claim 5, comprising implementing the network site accessed by the communication apparatus.

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

16. A server for presenting online content at a communication apparatus, the communication apparatus using a network access service provided by a service provider to exchange data over a packet-switched network, the communication apparatus being assigned an identifier by the service provider, said server comprising:

an interface for receiving and sending data; and

a processing unit coupled to said interface and operative for;

sending a request to a network component associated with the service provider via said interface, the request conveying the identifier and requesting information pertaining to a profile associated with the identifier and provided by the service provider;

receiving the information via said interface;

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.

19. A server as claimed in claim 16, wherein the online content element is an online advertisement.

20. A server as claimed in claim 16, wherein the online content element is a primary content element of a network site accessed by the communication apparatus.

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

22. A server as claimed in claim 16, wherein the identifier is a logical identifier allowing the communication apparatus to exchange data over the packet-switched network.

23. A server as claimed in claim 16, wherein the identifier comprises an IP address.

24. A server as claimed in claim 16, wherein the identifier is a profile identifier used to identify the profile but not required by the communication apparatus to exchange data over the packet-switched network.

25. A server as claimed in claim 16, wherein the information includes location information regarding the communication apparatus.

26. A server as claimed in claim 25, wherein the location information includes a service point location of the communication apparatus.

27. A server as claimed in claim 16, wherein the information includes personal information regarding a party.

28. A server as claimed in claim 27, 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.

29. A server as claimed in claim 16, wherein the information includes bandwidth information regarding a bandwidth available to the communication apparatus.

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

84. A server as claimed in claim 19, wherein said server is an ad server associated with a network site accessed by the communication apparatus.

85. A server as claimed in claim 20, wherein said processing unit is operative for implementing the network site accessed by the communication apparatus.

17. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

31. Computer-readable media storing program code for execution by a computer system to present online content at a communication apparatus, the communication apparatus using a network access service provided by a service provider to exchange data over a packet-switched network, the communication apparatus being assigned an identifier by the service provider, said program code comprising:

first program code for causing the computer system to send a request to a network component associated with the service provider, the request conveying the identifier and requesting information pertaining to a profile associated with the identifier and provided by the service provider;

second program code for causing the computer system to receive the information;

third program code for causing the computer system to determine an online content element to be presented at the communication apparatus based on the information; and

fourth program code for causing the computer system to cause the communication apparatus to present the online content element.

32. A method for facilitating determination of online content to be presented at a communication apparatus, the communication apparatus using a network access service provided by a service provider to exchange data over a packet-switched network, the communication apparatus being assigned an identifier by the service provider, said method comprising:

receiving a request from a network component associated with a network site accessed by the communication apparatus the request conveying the identifier and requesting information pertaining to a profile associated with the identifier and provided by the service provider;

consulting a database to obtain the information; and

transmitting the information to the network component to allow the network component to determine an online content element to be presented at the communication apparatus based on the information.

33. A method as claimed in claim 32, said method comprising assigning the identifier to the communication apparatus.

36. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the online content element is an online advertisement.

37. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the online content element is a primary content element of the network site.

38. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the online content element is an online page.

39. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the identifier is a logical identifier allowing the communication apparatus to exchange data over the packet-switched network.

40. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the identifier comprises an IP address.

41. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the identifier is a profile identifier used to identify the profile but not required by the communication apparatus to exchange data over the packet-switched network.

42. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the information includes location information regarding the communication apparatus.

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

44. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the 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 32, wherein the information includes bandwidth information regarding a bandwidth available to the communication apparatus.

86. A method as claimed in claim 36, wherein the network component is an ad server associated with the network site.

87. A method as claims in claim 37, wherein the network component implements the network site.

34. (canceled)

35. (canceled)

47. A server for facilitating determination of online content to be presented at a communication apparatus, the communication apparatus using a network access service provided by a service provider to exchange data over a packet-switched network the communication apparatus being assigned an identifier by the service provider, said server comprising:

an interface for receiving and sending data; and

a processing unit coupled to said interface and operative for;

receiving a request from a network component associated with a network site accessed by the communication apparatus the request conveying the identifier and requesting information pertaining to a profile associated with the identifier and provided by the service provider;

consulting a database to obtain the information; and

transmitting the information to the network component to allow the network component to determine an online content element to be presented at the communication apparatus based on the information.

50. A server as claimed in claim 47, wherein the online content element is an online advertisement.

51. A server as claimed in claim 47, wherein the online content element is a primary content element of the network site.

52. A server as claimed in claim 47, wherein the online content element is an online page.

53. A server as claimed in claim 47, wherein the identifier is a logical identifier allowing the communication apparatus to exchange data over the packet-switched network.

54. A server as claimed in claim 47, wherein the identifier comprises an IP address.

55. A server as claimed in claim 47, wherein the identifier is a profile identifier used to identify the profile but not required by the communication apparatus to exchange data over the packet-switched network.

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

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

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

59. A server 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 server as claimed in claim 47, wherein the information includes bandwidth information regarding a bandwidth available to the communication apparatus.

88. A server as claimed in claim 50, wherein the network component is an ad server associated with the network site.

89. A server as claimed in claim 51, wherein the network component implements the network site.

48. (canceled)

49. (canceled)

61. Computer-readable media storing program code for execution by a computer system to facilitate determination of online content to be presented at a communication apparatus, the communication apparatus using a network access service provided by a service provider to exchange data over a packet-switched network the communication apparatus being assigned an identifier by the service provider, said program code comprising:

first program code for causing the computer system to receive a request from a network component associated with a network site accessed by the communication apparatus, the request conveying the identifier and requesting information pertaining to a profile associated with the identifier and provided by the service provider;

second program code for causing the computer system to consult a database to obtain the information; and

third program code for causing the computer system to transmit the information to the network component to allow the network component to determine an online content element to be presented at the communication apparatus based on the information.

62-81. -81. (canceled)