Methods, Systems, and Products for Targeting Advertisements

• US 20120246001A1
• Filed: 06/08/2012
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alphonso, Inc.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Matz, William R., Swix, Scott R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,548,820 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.53
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0258 Registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/43 for identifying broadcast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/63 for services of sales data processing systems or methods specially adapted for electronic commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 for using the result on distributors' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26233 involving content or additional data duration or size, e.g. length of a movie, size of an executable file
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products target advertisements to users. Clickstream data is received and compared to a purchase history. When a common attribute is determined, an advertisement associated with the attribute is retrieved and targeted to a user.

Claims

1. A process, comprising:

receiving clickstream data describing commands entered by a user;

retrieving a purchase history associated with the user;

comparing the clickstream data to the purchase history;

determining an attribute is common to the clickstream data and to the purchase history;

retrieving an advertisement associated with the attribute; and

sending the advertisement to the user.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the attribute comprises determining a common demographic between the clickstream data and the purchase history.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the attribute comprises determining a number in common between the clickstream data and the purchase history.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the attribute comprises determining a brand in common between the clickstream data and the purchase history.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the attribute comprises determining a product in common between the clickstream data and the purchase history.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the attribute comprises determining a type of product in common between the clickstream data and the purchase history.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising comparing a date and time between the clickstream data and the purchase history.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein retrieving the purchase history comprises retrieving a credit card record.

9. A system, comprising:

a processor;

memory; and

code stored in the memory that when executed causes the processor to;

receive clickstream data describing commands entered by a user;

retrieve a purchase history associated with the user;

compare the clickstream data to the purchase history;

determine an attribute is common to the clickstream data and to the purchase history;

retrieve an advertisement associated with the attribute; and

send the advertisement to the user.

10. The system according to claim 9, further comprising code that causes the processor to determine a common demographic between the clickstream data and the purchase history.

11. The system according to claim 9, further comprising code that causes the processor to determine a number in common between the clickstream data and the purchase history.

12. The system according to claim 9, further comprising code that causes the processor to determine a brand in common between the clickstream data and the purchase history.

13. The system according to claim 9, further comprising code that causes the processor to determine a product in common between the clickstream data and the purchase history.

14. The system according to claim 9, further comprising code that causes the processor to determine a type of product in common between the clickstream data and the purchase history.

15. The system according to claim 9, further comprising code that causes the processor to compare a date and time between the clickstream data and the purchase history.

16. The system according to claim 9, further comprising code that causes the processor to retrieve a credit card record.

17. A computer-readable storage medium on which is encoded processor executable instructions for performing a method, the method comprising:

receiving clickstream data describing commands entered by a user;

retrieving a purchase history associated with the user;

comparing the clickstream data to the purchase history;

determining an attribute is common to the clickstream data and to the purchase history;

retrieving an advertisement associated with the attribute; and

sending the advertisement to the user.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions for determining a common demographic between the clickstream data and the purchase history.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions for determining a number in common between the clickstream data and the purchase history.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions for determining a product in common between the clickstream data and the purchase history.