Aggregated Contextual Targeting Advertisements Using Instant Messaging Clients

• US 20120226561A1
• Filed: 03/02/2011
• Published: 09/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sinn, Richard, Tse, Takchun
• Granted Patent: US 8,671,022 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.66
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program product for displaying to a user an aggregated contextual targeting advertisement using an instant messaging client having an ad line area within an instant messaging graphical user interface, and an ad pop-up area on the same display surface as the instant messaging graphical user interface. The method commences by receiving a user context profile and then selecting at least one advertisement based on characteristics of the user. The method continues by separating the advertisement into a first portion and a second portion for the purpose of displaying the first portion in an ad line area within an instant messaging graphical user interface, and for displaying the second portion in an ad pop-up area on the same display surface as the instant messaging graphical user interface. Some embodiments separate the first portion and the second portion by automatically selecting strings, and/or by automatically selecting images.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for displaying to a user an aggregated contextual targeting advertisement using an instant messaging client, comprising:

receiving, in a computer memory, a user context profile, the user context profile having at least one characteristic of the user;

selecting, using a computer, at least one advertisement, the at least one advertisement based at least in part on the at least one characteristic of the user;

separating, using a computer, the at least one advertisement into a first portion and a second portion;

displaying, on a display device, the first portion in an ad line area within an instant messaging graphical user interface; and

displaying, on a display device, the second portion in an ad pop-up area on the same display surface as the instant messaging graphical user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the user includes at least one of, an IP address, a user demographic.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the selecting includes selecting on the basis of the user demographic.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting includes selecting on the basis of keywords present in the user context profile.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting includes selecting on the basis of a bucket profile.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the separating comprises separating based on an advertiser specification.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the separating comprises at least one of, automatically selecting a string of text, or automatically selecting an image.

8. An advertising server network for displaying to a user an aggregated contextual targeting advertisement using an instant messaging client, comprising:

a module comprising a processor and memory, for receiving a user context profile, the user context profile having at least one characteristic of the user;

a module for selecting at least one advertisement, the at least one advertisement based at least in part on the at least one characteristic of the user;

a module for separating the at least one advertisement into a first portion and a second portion;

a module for displaying the first portion in an ad line area within an instant messaging graphical user interface; and

a module for displaying the second portion in an ad pop-up area on the same display surface as the instant messaging graphical user interface.

9. The advertising server network of claim 8, wherein the characteristic of the user includes at least one of, an IP address, a user demographic.

10. The advertising server network of claim 9 wherein the selecting includes selecting on the basis of the user demographic.

11. The advertising server network of claim 8, wherein the selecting includes selecting on the basis of keywords present in the user context profile.

12. The advertising server network of claim 8, wherein the selecting includes selecting on the basis of a bucket profile.

13. The advertising server network of claim 8, wherein the separating comprises separating based on an advertiser specification.

14. The advertising server network of claim 8, wherein the separating comprises at least one of, automatically selecting a string of text, or automatically selecting an image.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to display to a user an aggregated contextual targeting advertisement using an instant messaging client, the set of instructions for:

receiving a user context profile, the user context profile having at least one characteristic of the user;

selecting at least one advertisement, the at least one advertisement based at least in part on the at least one characteristic of the user;

separating the at least one advertisement into a first portion and a second portion;

displaying the first portion in an ad line area within an instant messaging graphical user interface; and

displaying the second portion in an ad pop-up area on the same display surface as the instant messaging graphical user interface.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the characteristic of the user includes at least one of, an IP address, a user demographic.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the selecting includes selecting on the basis of keywords present in the user context profile.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the selecting includes selecting on the basis of a bucket profile.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the separating comprises at least one of, automatically selecting a string of text, or automatically selecting an image.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium 16, wherein the selecting includes selecting on the basis of the user demographic.