718 results about "Targeted advertising" patented technology

A method of online advertising includes receiving an ad request, determining at least one proxy ad in response to the ad request, and providing the at least one proxy ad, wherein the at least one proxy ad links to a listing page. A method of online advertising includes providing a template ad including a static portion, receiving a request for structured information format data, determining structured information format data based on selection criteria associated with the request, and providing the structured information format data to the template ad based on the determination. A method for advertising with structured information format data feeds including receiving a first request at a structured information format data server, sending structured information format data including an ad from the structured information format data server, the ad including a content aggregator identifier, and determining whether the content aggregator identifier is included in an ad request.

A method and apparatus for providing personalized information content over telephones is described. The creation of a voice portal is supported by the invention. Embodiments of the invention use telephone identifying information such as the calling party's number to identify, or create, user profiles for customization. The personalized content is specific to that user based on her / his telephone identifying information and may be further customized based on the current time, current date, the calling party's locales, and / or the calling party's dialect and speech patterns. Also, the telephone identifying information may support targeted advertising, content, and purchasing recommendations specific to that user. The system may use a voice password and / or touch-tone login system when appropriate to distinguish the caller or verify the caller's identity for specific activities. Typically, embodiments of the invention will immediately present a caller personalized content based on her / his profile using the appropriate dialect as well as the caller's preferred content. Profiles can be constructed as the caller uses embodiments of the invention as well as through explicit designation of preferences. For example, as the user selects topics, as well as particular content, a record of actions can be maintained. This record of actions can be used to provide suggestions and direct the personalization of the system for the user.

A content-targeting ad system is provided with a user behavior (e.g., selection (e.g., click), conversion, etc.) feedback mechanism. The performance of individual ads, or groups of ads, may be tracked on a per document (e.g. per URL) and / or on a per host (e.g. per Website) basis. The performance of ad targeting functions may also be tracked on a per document, and / or per host basis. Such user behavior feedback data may be processed (e.g., aggregated) into useful data structures. Such user behavior feedback data (raw or processed) may then be used in a content-targeting ad system to improve ad quality, improve user experience, and / or maximize revenue.

The ShopLive system supports existing merchants and malls to better serve customers by providing easy access to merchandise and sales assistance. The shopper accesses the ShopLive system through various portals. They can be a PC, Web TV, mall kiosk, store kiosk, mobile terminal, screen telephone or any other communication device capable of connecting to a communications network. When the shopper starts the shopping mission they can logon in or if already enrolled, they can use a password for a quick entry. They may chose to shop anonymously. A shopper can set up a shopping mission by defining class of goods, price, color and the like and set out to search for that either in their physical location or remotely. Once the items are located video cameras scan the merchandise to the shopper through the terminal. The cameras may be remotely operable to swing through different views to better display the goods. Or they can view items according to pre-determined scan patterns. Sound and other sensory stimulus such as tactile sensors may be used to enhance the shopping experience. The shopper may also ask for help from an assistant (SLA) that acts just like a sales person in a retail setting. This person can help select goods and can discuss the items selected. The SLA can also check product availability and help complete the purchase as in a normal sales transaction. Or, the shopper can use the ShopLive system to check out themselves. As the shopper moves through the shopping mission, they can add items to their electronic shopping cart and have a one-stop check out or they can check out with each merchant. The shopper is also entered into the available loyalty programs and presented with coupons and rebates. At the end of the shopping mission the shopper can either physically pick up the selections are arrange shipping. The ShopLive system supports multiple selling activities including auctions. It is also a rich data-base for merchants and allows targeted advertising. A live browser accesses the shopper to present sales and incentives to the customer. The ShopLive system connects the Shopper and the merchant to make the shopping experience more effective for both.

Profiling a television viewer by monitoring and processing, locally at a television viewing environment, the viewer's interactivity (e.g., via a remote control unit) with the television viewing environment. Generating one or more profiles for each viewer based on one or more of the multitude of interactions of each viewer and on, in general, the viewing habits and preferences of the viewer. Automatically and reliably, detecting or inferring at a particular time, which specific individual or individuals, are actually interacting with the TV in household comprising more than one individual. Such viewer identification and profile generation can be used to facilitate the delivery of targeted content, including targeted advertising.

Various methods, systems and apparatus for associating fictitious user identities (e.g. screen names, user names, email addresses, handles, etc.) used in electronic communications (e.g. over the internet or mobile network via instant messenger, e-mail, social networks, ecommerce, auction websites, etc.) with real personal information (e.g. the true identity of an individual such as their name, address, credit score, driving record, mobile number, etc.) are disclosed. One such method may include discovering, verifying and storing real personal information, associated with fictitious user identities and email addresses. The method may further include allowing a remote user or service to submit a fictitious user identity and a query requesting real-user information associated with the submitted fictitious user identity. In one possible embodiment, a targeted-advertising service may utilize real user information, associated with a fictitious user name, to target advertisements at the user of the fictitious user name.

A method and apparatus for automatically gathering, summarizing, and indexing real-time information derived from real-time communication on the Internet, such as Internet chat sessions, or any other comparable form of real-time communication on the Internet. The present invention provides live information selection and analysis and provides basic functionality of crawling, indexing and summarizing chat room data, as well as generating messages, such as advertisements, responsive to the subject matter of the communication.

A configuration system and method is disclosed that includes a unified and integrated configuration that is composed of a payment system, an advertising system, and an identity management system such that the unified system has all of the benefits of the individual systems as well as several additional synergistic benefits. Also described are specific configurations including the system's access point architecture, visual wallet simulator user interface, security architecture, coupon handling as well as the system's structure and means for delivering them as targeted advertising, business card handling, membership card handling for the purposes of login management, receipt handling, and the editors and grammars provided for customizing the different types of objects in the system as well as the creation of new custom objects with custom behaviors. The configurations are operable on-line as well as through physical presence transactions.

Profiling a television viewer by monitoring and processing, locally at a television viewing environment, the viewer's interactivity (e.g., via a remote control unit) with the television viewing environment. Generating one or more profiles for each viewer based on one or more of the multitude of interactions of each viewer and on, in general, the viewing habits and preferences of the viewer. Automatically and reliably, detecting or inferring at a particular time, which specific individual or individuals, are actually interacting with the TV in household comprising more than one individual. Such viewer identification and profile generation can be used to facilitate the delivery of targeted content, including targeted advertising.

A platform includes an overall system for user interaction, associated with a particular advertisement. The process enables users to interact with a widget directly associated with an advertisement and express themselves in regards to the advertisement. Advertisement displayed in the Internet or similar distributed computer network-based information distribution system. Such user interactions include engagement methods such as rating advertisements, sharing them with other users, commenting on them, and more. The platform can also include a host site, storing and processing data received by users. As well as means for targeting advertisements and serving them to users according to data collected through the platform directly inserted by the users or collected by the platform in regards to their interaction with the platform.

The subject invention provides a unique system and method that facilitates providing content-targeted advertising to a user based at least in part on the content of a user action. The user action can be performed in connection with an outbound messaging system, a real-time messaging system such as a chat or instant messaging, a game environment, and / or calendaring system. The system and method analyze at the least the content of an outbound message and then present a content-targeted advertisement based on the content of the message. The same can be done with respect to calendar entries. However, outbound and inbound calendar entries, invitations, and responses to invitations can be analyzed for content and have content-targeted advertisements presented to the sender or receiver of such items. User privacy can be maintained and / or increased by allowing a user to opt out of content-targeting advertisements. Reasons for being targeted can also be provided to the user.

A method and system is disclosed for providing targeted advertising material in multimedia content to a user device via the internet. This method includes operations of receiving a request for multimedia content from a user device via the internet, determining geo-location information about the user device, and retrieving the requested media content along with user demographic information. The content included user demographic information is combined with the geo-location information about the user device to provide a user profile. Then at least a first advertisement database is queried for advertising material matching one or more characteristics of the demographic information about the user and / or the user profile. If there is a matching advertisement found, the matching advertising material is retrieved from the first database, and inserted into the retrieved media content. The retrieved multimedia content, along with the matching advertising material, is then transmitted to the requesting user device over / through the internet.

A targeted in-game advertising system is provided where advertising content may be delivered to a video game network environment. Advertisements may be delivered through the tagging of advertising assets in the video game environment according to one or more characteristics including user geographical location, personal preferences, a personal profile, video game preferences or video game genre. Methodologies for tracking advertising impressions are also provided based on monitoring the video game environment to determine the quality of impression to which the user is exposed in the video game environment.

Conversations in an online content universe are monitored. A conversation index is generated in social media. An individual conversation is defined by user-selectable input terms. Publishers that influence a conversation are identified. The system generates an influence ranking of site's that influence a particular conversation. The system permits ads to be placed on sites based on the sites influence on the conversation. The system can be updated to permit ads to be targeted based on current influence rankings. The influence ranking is used to perform online advertising targeting and placement. Additional marketing filters, such as demographics, historical performance, and return on investment, may be used to adjust an initial influence ranking based. The ad placement may also be expanded to include related conversations, inlinking sites, and / or outlinking sites.

Targeted advertising content is provided for display in a page over a network in accordance with a technique in which advertisements are selected based on a determination of a user's short-term and long-term behavioral interests. Short-term and long-term information relating to a user's online activities is collected and associated with predetermined interest categories. Based on the collected information, short-term and long-term behavioral interest scores are determined for specific categories. The scores are employed to generate values for use in selecting advertisements. In one embodiment, a short-term score and two long-term scores are determined for one or more interest categories. A first long-term score models awareness with respect to a given category. A second long-term score and the short-term score are response-oriented scores that model the user's interest in making a response with respect to a given category, such as by purchasing a product or service within the category.

Devices, systems and methods of wireless delivery of targeted advertisements. A system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes a modifier to receive a message transmitted by a first wireless communication device and intended for reception by a second wireless communication device, and to selectively add an advertisement to the message prior to its presentation on the second wireless communication device. The message is a Short Message Service (SMS) message, a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message, an Instant Messaging (IM) message, and an Electronic Mail (Email) message.

A targeted advertising system comprising an interface unit (110) configured to receive broadcast transmissions, a primary broadcast stream (101) for broadcast programming, a secondary broadcast stream (105) for targeted advertising content, and a storage device (115) for storing the targeted advertising content. The method comprises presenting a targeted advertising content to a user including receiving a primary broadcast stream (101), receiving a secondary broadcast stream (105), storing a portion of the secondary broadcast stream in a storage device (115), and presenting a targeted advertising stream to the user, which may be selected based on a user parameter.

A client-server interactive television program guide system is provided. An interactive television program guide client is implemented on user television equipment. The interactive television program guide provides users with an opportunity to define expressions that are processed by the program guide server. The program guide server may provide program guide data, schedules reminders, schedules program recordings, and parentally locks programs based on the expressions. Users' viewing histories may be tracked. The program guide server may analyze the viewing histories and generates viewing recommendations, targets advertising, and collects program ratings information based on the viewing histories.

A system for the delivery of targeted advertising wherein a viewer profiling system (10) distributes view profile data to control devices (20) or (22). Insertion orders (18) are broadcast to the control devices (20) or (22) and the control devices store selected insertion orders based on the profile data. Broadcast commercials are displayed according to the acquisition field of the stored insertion orders.

A method and apparatus for providing an automatically upgradeable software application includes targeted advertising based upon demographics and user interaction with the computer. The software application includes a display region used for banner advertising that is downloaded over a network such as the Internet. The software application is accessible from a server via the network and demographic information on the user is acquired by the server and used for determining what advertising will be sent to the user. The software application further targets the advertisements in response to normal user interaction with the computer. Data associated with each advertisement is used by the software application in determining when a particular advertisement is to be displayed. This includes the specification of certain programs that the user may have so that, when the user runs the program (e.g., a spreadsheet program), a relevant advertisement will be displayed (e.g., an advertisement for a stock brokerage). This provides two-tiered, real-time targeting of advertising—both demographically and reactively. The software application includes programming that accesses the server to determine if one or more components of the application need upgrading. If so, the components can be downloaded and installed without further action by the user. A distribution tool is provided for software distribution and upgrading over the network. Also provided is a user profile that is accessible to any computer on the network. Furthermore, multiple users of the same computer can possess Internet web resources and files that are personalized, maintained and organized.

A method of delivering advertising items to a client at a portable device is provided. A client ID is sent to a host server. A downloaded advertising item is produced relative to a product or service from the host server. The downloaded advertising item is parsed and stored. In response to the parsing and storing, displaying the advertising item is displayed to the client at the mobile device.

A method of targeted advertising includes generating a targeted advertising and / or promotional campaign material corresponding to a client's selections, fulfilling the targeted advertising and / or promotional campaign material, and providing a response tracking analysis to the client. The targeted advertising and / or promotional campaign material includes a response tracking capability. Access for the client to contact a central facility having public and / or private client databases with list management capabilities can be provided on-line via a client web site. The client can choose from a selection of templates to design of the targeted advertising and / or promotional campaign material. Also, the client can choose from a selection of intended recipients by using and / or modifying a new or pre-existing customer list. The targeted advertising and / or promotional campaign material can be manufactured and distributed to the intended recipients. Preferably, the advertising and / or promotional campaign material includes a coupon having a machine readable mark, symbol, or barcode that incorporates information relating to the client, the customer, and the advertising and / or promotional campaign. The scanned coupon can be communicated back to the central facility and the client can be notified by the central facility as to the response characteristics of the advertising and / or promotional campaign. A closed-loop system is also provided that can implement the above targeted advertising method.

One embodiment of the invention provides television viewers with an intuitive and easy-to-use way to find the programs they want and to control their television viewing experience. In a further embodiment, a speech control interface, in combination with a variety of search functions, is provided such that television viewers have an intuitive and easy-to-use way to find the programs and information they want. The invention also provides the use of personalization as a way to filter and deliver relevant content and services to users based upon individual preferences. Another aspect of the invention provides a hierarchical user interface for speech-controlled, interactive applications, that gives television viewers an intuitive and easy-to-use way to find the programs they want and to control their television viewing experience. The invention also provides a method and apparatus where the channel lineup in a television service is dynamic and changeable, i.e. the list of available channels can be modified, in real time, to suit the preferences and usage of a particular subscriber. Further, the invention provides a method and apparatus that addresses the use of speaker, group, language, or emotional state identification systems to target advertising, to users who are or are not enrolled in a speaker ID system.

A method for generating or determining data sources useful for detecting non-conforming behavior associated with pay-per-click advertising in a keyword searching environment includes: a) observing behavior associated with the pay-per-click advertising, b) predicting behavior associated with the observed behavior, and c) comparing the observed behavior to the predicted behavior to identify unexpected behavior associated with the pay-per-click advertising. In another embodiment, a method of monitoring behavior associated with targeted advertising in a keyword searching environment is provided. In another aspect, an apparatus for monitoring behavior associated with targeted advertising in a keyword searching environment includes: at least one observed behavior model, at least one predicted behavior model, and at least one comparator logic process to identify non-confirming behavior associated with the targeted advertising.

The invention relates to a system configured to enable a user to track how his or her personal data is being used, and to control its collection, storage, and / or use, and delete certain personal data across information providers. A user may establish criteria regarding such collection, use, and storage of personal data generated by a security system device, capture the personal data at a control gateway before it is provided to an information provider; and applying the criteria to the personal data. The invention also relates to a system to present additional information to the user that is relevant to both the user and at least one marketing partner (such as targeted advertising); and to provide data to enable at least one marketing partner to provide value (a “reward”) to the user in exchange for the user allowing an information provider to collect and use personal data of the user.

A multimedia system over an electronic network, and the corresponding method of use for combining targeted advertising and on-demand rendering with a data swarming, multicasting, or time-shifted delivery. In a system that has business or technological constraints which prevent the encoding and / or the transmission of individually customized media content objects, in combination with an ad-hoc system, a delivery of one or more media content objects and a script list is performed in order to enable the rendering of one or more media content objects in accordance with information from the script list. Additionally, according to an embodiment, the system enables the insertion of watermarking information. In another embodiment, log file information are recorded and analyzed for decision making purposes. In another embodiment, lookup redirection techniques are disclosed when strict uniqueness of a transferred object is required.

The present invention is remotely controlled automatic optimization system for maximizing in-store net profits by customized script-generated clip promotions to thousands of individually networked retail display-nodes from central server (OptiRetailChain). The computer-based and machine-learning display system includes: an advertising optimization function for display nodes, point of sale (POS) data input, retail database mining engine (RDME), client access and management control module, and in-store networked electronic clip display apparatus. The optimization function obtains data from chain-store database, combines product bundling data, which describe the associative relationships of various product sales in stores with recorded times of sale, inventory costs, margin profits etc. Physical location of purchased products on the store floor-areas are correlated with relevant display-nodes to create optimal clip display program (playlist) configurations for that specific display location and time. Most preferred product advertising combinations will be displayed in the best time slots for each node automatically. OptiRetailChain uses two methods of promotion optimization: real time scheduling and longer-term statistical optimization. Utilizing the machine learning capabilities, actual video-clip playlists will be dynamically updated for every display-node and respond to daily sales fluctuations for that store display location. This enables the optimization system to effectively control and automatically feature target advertising to large number of display-nodes in supermarket chain networks optimizing advertising capital without necessitating outside intervention.

A target advertising system includes a user profile database configured to store browser-login mapping information associated with mapping of browser cookie information and login cookie information, an advertisement server configured to identify an access by a web browser and to transfer browser cookie information of the web browser to a user behavior server, and the user behavior server configured to receive the browser cookie information from the advertisement server, to identify, from the user profile database, user profile information of the browser-login mapping information corresponding to the browser cookie information, and to transfer the identified user profile information to the advertisement server.

The subject invention provides a unique system and method that facilitates displaying content-targeted advertisements within applications running on an end-user or client computer. To mitigate privacy concerns, one or more advertisements can be stored on a client computer. At least one advertisement can be displayed on the client based at least in part on the context relating to the user's interaction with the client. By doing so, the user's private data or content is not passed to the server—meanwhile content-targeted advertising processing can be run on the user's content to determine which advertisements to display. Different forms of advertisements can be displayed to the user when the client is offline or online to facilitate optimizing use interaction with the advertisements and billing capabilities. To ensure that advertisements are displayed when content is displayed on a client, various encryption and decryption techniques can be employed to mitigate tampering of advertisement display code.