Case 1:24-cv-00376-MN Document 16-7 Filed 07/11/24 Page 1 of 17 PageID #: 448
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`Exhibit 7
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`( 12 ) United States Patent
`Shkedi
`
`( 10 ) Patent No .:
`( 45 ) Date of Patent :
`
`US 8,775,249 B2
`* Jul . 8 , 2014
`
`US008775249B2
`
`( 54 ) METHOD , COMPUTER SYSTEM , AND
`STORED PROGRAM FOR ACCUMULATING
`DESCRIPTIVE PROFILE DATA ALONG WITH
`SOURCE INFORMATION FOR USE IN
`TARGETING THIRD - PARTY
`ADVERTISEMENTS
`( 71 ) Applicant : AlmondNet , Inc. , New York , NY ( US )
`( 72 ) Inventor : Roy Shkedi , Forest Hills , NY ( US )
`( 73 ) Assignee : Almondnet , Inc. , Long Island City , NY
`( US )
`Subject to any disclaimer , the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154 ( b ) by 0 days .
`This patent is subject to a terminal dis
`claimer .
`( 21 ) Appl . No .: 13 / 948,661
`( 22 ) Filed :
`Jul . 23 , 2013
`( 65 )
`Prior Publication Data
`US 2013/0311302 A1
`Nov. 21 , 2013
`Related U.S. Application Data
`( 60 ) Continuation of application No. 13 / 585,779 , filed on
`Aug. 14 , 2012 , now Pat . No. 8,494,904 , which is a
`continuation of application No. 13 / 115,949 , filed on
`May 25 , 2011 , now Pat . No. 8,244,582 , which is a
`continuation of application No. 12 / 186,918 , filed on
`Aug. 6 , 2008 , now Pat . No. 7,979,307 , which is a
`division of application No. 11 / 099,861 , filed on Apr. 6 ,
`2005 , now Pat . No. 7,428,493 , which is a continuation
`of application No. 09 / 593,993 , filed on Jun . 14 , 2000 ,
`now Pat . No. 6,925,440 .
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`( 30 )
`Dec. 13 , 1999 ( IL )
`( 51 ) Int . Cl .
`G06Q 30/02
`G06Q 30/06
`G06Q 20/02
`GO7F 17/16
`
`( * ) Notice :
`
`( 2012.01 )
`( 2012.01 )
`( 2012.01 )
`( 2006.01 )
`
`G06Q 30/04
`G06F 1730
`G06Q 40/00
`( 52 ) U.S. CI .
`CPC
`
`( 2012.01 )
`( 2006.01 )
`( 2012.01 )
`
`( 56 )
`
`EP
`
`G06Q 30/0269 ( 2013.01 ) ; G06Q 30/04
`( 2013.01 ) ; G06Q 30/0241 ( 2013.01 ) ; G06F
`17/30867 ( 2013.01 ) ; G06Q 40/00 ( 2013.01 ) ;
`G06Q 30/02 ( 2013.01 )
`705 / 14.4 ; 705 / 1.1
`USPC
`( 58 ) Field of Classification Search
`USPC
`705 / 1.1-912
`See application file for complete search history .
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`4,863,384 A
`9/1989 Slade
`( Continued )
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`1 024 437 A2
`8/2000
`( Continued )
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`Brody , R .; “ The Conditions and Consequences of Profiling in Com
`mercial and Governmental Settings ” ; IEEE ; 1998 .
`( Continued )
`Primary Examiner Jonathan Ouellette
`( 74 ) Attorney , Agent , or Firm Louis J. Hoffman
`( 57 )
`ABSTRACT
`A method of accumulating descriptive profile data uses a
`databank that can be contacted by profile providers who con
`tribute profile elements about an online visitor . The method
`includes keeping track of which profile provider contributed
`which elements , so that use of particular elements in targeting
`electronic third - party advertisements automatically can result
`in compensation .
`25 Claims , 3 Drawing Sheets
`
`2
`
`133489
`
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`3
`User
`
`Receiving
`
`Extemal
`Database
`
`System
`
`Databank
`
`Searching
`
`Contracting
`for User
`
`91
`
`Contracting
`for Databank
`
`10
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`

`

`US 8,775,249 B2
`Page 2
`
`( 56 )
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`6,216,129 B1
`6,269,361 B1
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`6,594,691 B1
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`6,973,436 B1
`6,993,590 B1
`7,003,792 B1
`7,065,500 B2
`7,072,853 B2
`7,428,493 B2
`7,454,364 B2
`7,747,745 B2
`7,822,637 B2
`7,822,639 B2
`7,861,260 B2
`7,890,609 B2
`7,979,307 B2
`8,051,444 B2
`8,200,822 B1
`
`3/1992 Foresman et al .
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`1/1998 Dedrick
`2/1998 Dedrick
`3/1998 Dedrick
`5/1998 Dedrick
`12/1998 Gerace
`12/1998 Goldhaber et al .
`6/1999 Robinson
`9/1999 Geerlings
`4/2000 Katz et al .
`4/2000 Gardenswartz et al .
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`11/2000 Papierniak et al .
`4/2001 Eldering
`7/2001 Davis et al .
`12/2001 Kramer et al .
`5/2002 Kobata
`7/2002 Jaye
`11/2002 Gupta et al .
`7/2003 McCollum et al .
`12/2004 Shkedi
`1/2005 Liu et al .
`3/2005 Wilkins et al .
`8/2005 Shkedi
`12/2005 Shkedi
`1/2006 Gauthier et al .
`2/2006 Yuen
`6/2006 Singh et al .
`7/2006 Shkedi
`9/2008 Shkedi
`11/2008 Shkedi
`6/2010 Shkedi
`10/2010 Shkedi
`10/2010 Shkedi
`12/2010 Shkedi
`2/2011 Shkedi
`7/2011 Shkedi
`11/2011 Shkedi
`6/2012 Shkedi
`
`8,204,783 B2
`8,204,965 B2
`8,239,264 B2
`8,244,574 B2
`8,244,582 B2
`8,244,583 B2
`8,244,586 B2
`8,280,758 B2
`8,281,336 B2
`8,341,247 B2
`2003/0149938 A1
`
`6/2012 Shkedi
`6/2012 Shkedi
`8/2012 Shkedi
`8/2012 Shkedi
`8/2012 Shkedi
`8/2012 Shkedi
`8/2012 Shkedi
`10/2012 Shkedi
`10/2012 Shkedi
`12/2012 Shkedi
`8/2003 McElfresh et al .
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`WO
`WO
`WO
`
`WO 97/16796
`WO 98/59481
`WO 00/08583
`
`5/1997
`12/1998
`2/2000
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`IntelliQuest , 24/7 Media Pair to Deliver Tech Household Database ;
`from webpage http://www.clickz.com ; Oct. 6 , 1998 .
`Internet Access : Intelliquest and 24/7 Media Team Up to Deliver 100
`Million Household Database to Internet Marketers ; from website
`http://findarticles.com ; Oct. 12 , 1998 .
`24/7 Real Media Inc. — TFSM ; Form S - 1A , filed with the SEC Apr.
`14 , 1999 ( portions ) .
`Engage Technologies , Inc .; Form S - 1A ; filed with the SEC Jul . 19 ,
`1999 ; pp . 36-50 .
`The e - Marketing Report ; Morgan Stanley Dean Witter ; May 2000
`( portions ) .
`“ DoubleClick Launches New Marketing Solutions " ; from website
`www.clickz.com ; Oct. 6 , 1998 .
`“ Their Time Has Come ” ; Direct , v11 , n8 , pl + ; Jun . 1999 .
`www.acxiom.com ; www.archive.org ; date range : Feb. 24 , 1999 - Nov .
`14 , 1999 .
`Barrett , Jennifer ; “ Databasing in the 90s : data and what we're doing
`with it ! " ; Direct Marketing , v58 , n4 , p . 40 ; Aug. 1995 .
`Odell , Patricia ; “ Sweetening the Pot ” ; Direct ; v10 , n9 , p . 91 ; Jul .
`1998 .
`Hatch , Denny ; “ Co - op Databases ” ; Target Marketing ; v21 , n5 , pp .
`38-42 ; May 1998 .
`
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul . 8 , 2014
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`Sheet 1 of 3
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`US 8,775,249 B2
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`Fig . 1
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`2 .
`Visitor
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`1
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`Data
`Communications
`Topology
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`User
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`System
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul . 8 , 2014
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`Sheet 2 of 3
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`US 8,775,249 B2
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`Fig . 2
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`3
`User
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`Receiving
`5
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`\ 11
`External
`Database
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`4
`System
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`7
`Databank
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`6
`Searching
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`Case 1:24-cv-00376-MN Document 16-7 Filed 07/11/24 Page 5 of 17 PageID #: 452
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`Contracting
`for User
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`Contracting
`for Databank
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul . 8 , 2014
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`Sheet 3 of 3
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`US 8,775,249 B2
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`Fig . 3
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`20 /
`First Readable
`Program Code
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`21
`Second Readable
`Program Code
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`22
`Third Readable
`Program Code
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`Fig . 4
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`30 A
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`Program Storage
`Device
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`Fig . 5
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`1 42
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`Computer
`40
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`Data
`Communications
`Topology
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`Storage
`Device
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`Appurtenances
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`US 8,775,249 B2
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`1
`METHOD , COMPUTER SYSTEM , AND
`STORED PROGRAM FOR ACCUMULATING
`DESCRIPTIVE PROFILE DATA ALONG WITH
`SOURCE INFORMATION FOR USE IN
`TARGETING THIRD - PARTY
`ADVERTISEMENTS
`
`2
`probability of that advertisement's success , innately has a
`discrete economic value . Likewise , in actuarial calculations ,
`how precisely a client can be profiled determines what the
`probability of profiting from such a client .
`More specifically , there remains a need in the art for assign
`ing values to information attributes or for managing value
`assignments to information attributes . In the absence of such
`assignments or management , the commerce in information
`CROSS - REFERENCE TO RELATED
`attributes , per se , is substantially precluded ; especially in
`APPLICATIONS
`10 client - specific advertisement profiling , client - specific actu
`arial targeting , and the like .
`This application is a continuation of application Ser . No.
`13 / 585,779 , filed Aug. 14 , 2012 , now U.S. Pat . No. 8,494 ,
`904 , which is a continuation of application Ser . No. 13
`NOTICES
`949 , filed May 25 , 2011 , now U.S. Pat . No. 8,244,582 , which
`The present invention will forthwith be described with a
`is a continuation of application Ser . No. 12 / 186,918 , filed 15
`certain degree of particularity , however those versed in the art
`Aug. 6 , 2008 , now U.S. Pat . No. 7,979,307 , which is a divi-
`will readily appreciate that various modifications and alter
`sion of application Ser . No. 11 / 099,861 , filed Apr. 6 , 2005 ,
`ations may be carried out without departing from either the
`now U.S. Pat . No. 7,428,493 , which is a continuation of
`spirit or scope , as hereinafter claimed .
`application Ser . No. 09 / 593,993 , filed Jun . 14 , 2000 , now U.S.
`In describing the present invention , explanations are pre
`Pat . No. 6,925,440 , which claims priority to Israel Applica- 20
`sented in light of currently accepted theories and models ; be
`tion No. 133,489 , filed Dec. 13 , 1999. A portion of the dis-
`they scientific , economic , sociological , etc. Such theories and
`closure of this patent document contains material that is sub-
`models are subject to changes , both adiabatic and radical .
`ject to copyright protection . The copyright owner has no
`Often these changes occur because representations for fun
`objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the
`patent document or the patent disclosure , as it appears in the 25 damental component elements are innovated , because new
`Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records , but other-
`transformations between these elements are conceived , or
`because new interpretations arise for these elements or for
`wise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever .
`their transformations . Therefore , it is important to note that
`the present invention relates to specific technological actual
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`30 ization in embodiments . Accordingly , theory or model depen
`dent explanations herein , related to these embodiments , are
`The present invention generally relates to a mercantile
`presented for the purpose of teaching , the current man of the
`method .
`More specifically , the present invention relates to a mer-
`art or the current team of the art , how these embodiments may
`cantile method directed to brokerage of attributes of informa-
`be substantially realized in practice . Alternative or equivalent
`35 explanations for these embodiments may neither deny nor
`tion .
`alter their realization .
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`GLOSSARY
`Advances in database technology have given rise to com
`Profile : A collection of attributes that describe a person or
`merce in records , files and databases , per se . For example , 40
`an organization or any other entity that can be described by a
`paying for a database credit check for an individual or buying
`combination of data . For example , a person profile could be a
`a mailing list have become common practice . These well-
`collection of the following attributes : the person's gender , the
`known systems do not address the problems of how the data-
`person's age , the person's education , the person's interests as
`base is to collect all of the attributes of information that are
`contained therein . Often , the contents of a database are the 45 reflected in his behavior or as reported by the person or as
`result of massive clerical efforts , which usually represent the
`reflected from his membership in a specific club and so forth .
`product of many calendar years of transactional accumula-
`An organization profile could be a collection of the following
`attributes : number of employees , activities the organization
`tions .
`Sometimes , whole databases are merged to form higher
`maintain whether business activities or other activities , the
`precision data clusters . For example , voting turnout lists may 50 organization's revenues , the organization's gross profit , the
`be integrated with census data to produce a register from
`organization's operating profit , the organization's net profit ,
`which a statistical profile of voters may be derived . Another
`the organization's equity and so forth . It should be mentioned
`example relates to merging the records of a credit card com-
`that profile attributes include , among other things , attributes
`pany with the records of a mortgage company . For those
`that enable the identification of the entity described by the
`persons having an entry in each of the constituent record sets , 55 profile such as name , address , URL , cookie . In addition ,
`the result is a credit profile of more precise resolution . In this
`profile attributes may include information learned about the
`example , the actual economic value of merged records
`entity described by the profile from a communication proto
`a
`exceeds the combined values of constituent records . This
`col such as the information learned about the visitor to a web
`a
`would likewise be true for the inclusion of any additional
`site from its http header .
`User : any entity that owns attributes contained in at least
`attribute of information to any record .
`Unfortunately , the current state of information commerce
`one partial profile . The entity could be a web site that has a
`a
`database of its visitor profiles , an organization with a database
`is focused on the sales of whole databases , whole records , or
`evaluations based on single or clusters of records . In commer-
`of partial profiles or the subject described by the profile itself .
`cial applications where specific attributes of information
`Cookie : A text ( or alphanumeric ) string that is put on a
`strongly affect the value of evaluations , there is a need in the 65 computer hard disk of a visitor to a web site by the web site's
`art for commerce in such attributes . For example , in targeted
`server . The cookie enables the identification of the specific
`advertising , every attribute , which substantially affects the
`computer on its future visits to the web site . Each cookie is
`
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`US 8,775,249 B2
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`3
`4
`about the visitor . The web - site forwards particulars from the
`reported ( by the computer browser ) only to the web site server
`visitor's credentials ( a partial profile ) , as well as ( optionally )
`that installed that cookie . Therefore , it should be clearly
`a redirect to a portion of the visitor's page to a server located
`understood that the only way for a third party to acquire
`in cyberspace ( at a juncture in a data communications topol
`cookie data is to receive that data from the server that installed
`a
`that cookie , or from another third party who so acquired the 5 ogy ) . By redirecting a portion of the visitor's page to the
`server , the visitor's browser reports to the server a cookie the
`data from a chain of parties going back to that cookie setting
`a
`server put on the visitor's computer in the past , if any . This
`server , etc.
`server interconnects the user's transactions and the server
`Contract : An agreement between a user and a system incor
`own cookie ( ifused ) with a computer having therein software
`porating the method of the present invention wherein owner
`for running the method of the present invention . Associated
`ship of an attribute or a right to represent an attribute is 10 with the computer is a databank , having therein an organized
`transferred from one party to another for an agreed consider
`ensemble of information attributes .
`ation . Generally , examples include a purchase of an attribute
`The computer uses the forwarded visitor credentials with
`for cash or credit , or an acceptance of an attribute according to
`its server cookie ( if any ) to search the associated databank .
`a brokerage fee schedule . More specifically , since there are
`Either or both of two possible mercantile events are set into
`many problems in assigning the value of an attribute , the 15 motion thereby .
`system of the present invention may simply agree to store new
`Firstly , it may be the case that the credentials contain new
`attributes with the proviso that users wishing to acquire a
`information attributes which were not heretofore known in
`copy of these attributes will transfer a payment specified by
`the databank . According to a simple model of evaluating the
`the original attribute provider ( the royalty payment ) to that
`value of these attributes , the database incorporates these new
`provider and a brokerage fee for providing this service pay- 20 attributes and the computer assigns a user selected micro
`able to the system's account . Alternatively , the attribute pro-
`payment royalty for each elected use of these attributes by any
`vider or the system may elect to assign a value to an attribute
`other user . Stated simply , if the user provides a date of birth
`for a known named person in the data bank , then the user is the
`using a formula which factors in such parameters as newness
`owner of that date of birth attribute , and a user designated
`of the attribute , geographical extent wherein the attribute is of
`micro payment royalty ( or credit ) is assigned to the user for
`presumable value , veracity of the attribute , etc.
`each purchase of that attribute by another user . The owner of
`the databank may likewise collect for itself a brokerage com
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`mission for each use of the attribute .
`Secondly , the databank may contain new attributes that
`The present invention generally relates to a descriptive
`were not in the initial visitor credentials . In this case , the user
`profile mercantile method , for use at a juncture in a data- 30 is told that such attributes exist for purchase , what these new
`communications topology having associated therewith a
`attributes describe ( e.g. education level associated with the
`maintained databank of partial profiles , the method including
`visitor ) , and the micro - payment royalty plus brokerage fee
`the steps of :
`that is charged for each respective attribute . If the user is
`( a ) from a user , receiving a transaction having therein a first
`interested in any of these attributes , then a contract is agreed
`partial profile ;
`to , resulting in a micro - payment transfer from the user to the
`( b ) using the first partial profile , searching a databank
`broker and to the royalty owner , and a transfer of a copy of the
`having a plurality of second partial profiles , wherein is
`attribute to the user ( the buyer ) .
`included in said databank at least one null profile so that
`Other types of contracts and other types of pricing struc
`said searching will always yield at least one proximate
`tures are available for the user in his interactions with the
`second partial profile to the first partial profile ;
`" system of the present invention ” ( e.g. the computer with its
`( c ) between the user and the databank , contracting :
`associated databank ) ; as will be describes in subsequent sec
`i . for the databank to own or represent a right to a first
`tions .
`mutually agreed portion of the first partial profile , and
`substantially thereafter said databank incorporating
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES AND
`the agreed portion of the first profile into at least one 45
`APPENDICES
`second partial profile ; or
`In order to understand the invention and to see how it may
`ii . for the user to own or represent a right to a second
`be carried out in practice , embodiments including the pre
`mutually agreed portion of at least one said proximate
`ferred embodiment will now be described , by way of non
`second partial profile , and substantially thereafter the
`databank transmitting to the user the second mutually 50 limiting example only , with reference to the accompanying
`agreed portion of the second profile .
`drawings , in which :
`The present invention comes to provide a means for mak-
`FIG . 1 illustrates a schematic view of an Internet data
`ing viable the economic commerce in information attributes .
`communications topology ;
`Since the value of such attribute will only become well under-
`FIG . 2 illustrates a schematic view of a system using the
`stood with the implementation of the present method in the 55 descriptive - profile mercantile method ;
`electronic commerce marketplace , the present best enabling
`FIG . 3 illustrates a schematic view of a computer program
`mode for the present invention operates on a brokerage rep-
`product ;
`resentation model . According to this model , a typical use of
`FIG . 4 illustrates a schematic view of a program storage
`the present invention may be according to the following sce-
`device ; and
`FIG . 5 illustrates a schematic view of an installed computer
`nario .
`An electronically facilitated visitor to an Internet web - site
`system for facilitating a descriptive - profile mercantile
`method .
`presents his credentials . These credentials could be the visitor
`profile itself or a cookie or a user name and so forth that
`enables the site to retrieve the visitor profile or any combina-
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
`tion of the above . Of course , it could be that the site does not 65
`have a profile of the visitor to that web - site . The web - site may
`In FIG . 1 there is presented a schematic illustration of a
`make better profit from the visitation if it were to know more
`data - communications topology as a wide area network ( e.g.
`
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`profile , and substantially thereafter said databank incor
`the Internet ) ( 1 ) having interconnected thereto a visitor ( 2 ) , a
`porating the agreed portion of the first profile into at least
`user ( 3 ) , and a system ( 4 ) embodying the method of the
`one second partial profile .
`present invention .
`The present invention also relates to a computer program
`The present invention relates to a descriptive - profile mer-
`cantile method ( further presented in FIG . 2 ) , for use at a 5 product ( see FIG . 3 ) including a computer usable medium
`juncture in a data - communications topology having associ-
`having computer readable program code embodied therein
`ated therewith a maintained databank of partial profiles , the
`for facilitating descriptive profile mercantile activities , the
`computer readable program code including :
`method including the steps of :
`( a ) from a user ( 3 ) , receiving ( 5 ) a transaction having
`a ) first computer readable program code ( 20 ) for causing a
`therein a first partial profile ;
`computer to receive a transaction from a user , the trans
`( b ) using the first partial profile , searching ( 6 ) a databank
`action having therein a first partial profile ;
`( 7 ) having a plurality of second partial profiles , wherein
`b ) tied to the first computer readable program code , second
`is included in said databank at least one null profile so
`computer readable program code ( 21 ) for causing the
`that said searching will always yield at least one proxi-
`computer to use the first partial profile to search a data
`bank having a plurality of second partial profiles ,
`mate second partial profile to the first partial profile ;
`( c ) between the user and the databank , contracting :
`wherein is included in said databank at least one null
`i . ( 10 ) for the databank to own or represent a right to a
`profile so that said searching will always yield at least
`first mutually agreed portion of the first partial profile ,
`one proximate second partial profile to the first partial
`and substantially thereafter said databank incorporat-
`profile ; and
`ing the agreed portion of the first profile into at least 20
`c ) tied to the second computer readable program code , third
`computer readable program code ( 22 ) for causing the
`one second partial profile ; or
`ii . ( 9 ) for the user to own or represent a right to a second
`computer to contract between the user and the databank :
`mutually agreed portion of at least one said proximate
`i ) for the databank to own or represent a right to a first
`mutually agreed portion of the first partial profile , and
`second partial profile , and substantially thereafter the
`databank transmitting to the user the second mutually 25
`substantially thereafter for said databank to incorpo
`agreed portion of the second profile .
`rate the agreed portion of the first profile into at least
`one second partial profile ; or
`According to an embodiment of the present invention ,
`receiving a transaction includes extracting at least one prede-
`ii ) for the user to own or represent a right to a second
`mutually agreed portion of at least one said proximate
`termined key portion of the first partial profile , wherein at
`least one of these extracted predetermined key portions is 30
`second partial profile , and substantially thereafter for
`then used as the first partial profile for the searching of the
`the databank to transmit to the user the second mutu
`ally agreed portion of the second profile .
`databank . According to a variation of this embodiment ,
`extracting includes constructing
`least one composite key
`Furthermore , as illustrated in FIG . 4 , the present invention
`for the searching of the databank using a combinatorial of at
`relates to a program storage device ( 30 ) readable by machine ,
`least two of the predetermined key portions of the first partial 35 tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by
`the machine to perform method steps for a descriptive - profile
`profile .
`According to another embodiment of the present invention ,
`mercantile method , for use at a juncture in a data - communi
`contracting includes selecting a pricing structure according to
`cations topology having associated therewith a maintained
`databank of partial profiles , said method steps including :
`a rating of the user .
`According to a different embodiment of the present inven- 40
`a ) from a user , receiving a transaction having therein a first
`a
`tion , contracting a right includes accepting an obligation to
`partial profile ;
`pay for substantially each use or transfer of the agreed por-
`b ) using the first partial profile , searching a databank hav
`ing a plurality of second partial profiles , wherein is
`tion .
`According to a further embodiment of the present inven-
`included in said databank at least one null profile so that
`said searching will always yield at least one proximate
`tion , incorporating the agreed portion includes assigning a 45
`credibility weighting to the agreed portion of the first profile .
`second partial profile to the first partial profile ;
`According to a variation of this embodiment , incorporating
`c ) between the user and the databank , contracting :
`includes convoluting the assigned credibility weighting of the
`i ) for the databank to own or represent a right to a first
`mutually agreed portion of the first partial profile , and
`first profile with a pre - existing credibility weighting of a
`substantially like agreed portion of a proximate second pro- 50
`substantially thereafter said databank incorporating
`file ; and storing the convoluted new credibility weighting for
`the agreed portion of the first profile into at least one
`second partial profile ; or
`the agreed portion in the databank . According to a further
`refinement of this variation , contracting includes selecting a
`ii ) for the user to own or represent a right to a second
`mutually agreed portion of at least one said proximate
`pricing structure according to a result of a computation com
`paring the new credibility weighting with the pre - existing 55
`second partial profile , and substantially thereafter the
`credibility weighting .
`databank transmitting to the user the second mutually
`agreed portion of the second profile .
`According to an additional embodiment of the present
`invention , receiving a transaction includes consulting an
`The present invention also relates to a computer system for
`facilitating a descriptive - profile mercantile method ( see FIG .
`external database ( 11 ) .
`According to an extension embodiment of the present 60 5 ) , the system including :
`a ) a computer ( 40 ) installed at a juncture in a data - commu
`invention , the method furthermore includes :
`i ) searching at least one external database ( 11 ) for a partial
`nications topology ( 1 ) ;
`profile or portion thereof which complements a at least
`b ) associated with said computer , a storage device ( 42 ) for
`one second partial profile of the databank , and
`keeping a maintained databank of partial profiles ; and
`ii ) between the database and the databank , contracting for 65
`c ) associated with the internal functionality components of
`the computer , appurtenances ( 41 ) for performing
`the databank to own or represent a right to a first mutu
`ally agreed portion of the complementing first partial
`method steps including :
`
`Case 1:24-cv-00376-MN Document 16-7 Filed 07/11/24 Page 9 of 17 PageID #: 456
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`US 8,775,249 B2
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`a
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`7
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`robot and / or other type of software agent that interacts with
`i ) from a user , receiving a transaction having therein a
`first partial profile ;
`the system by virtue of their contacting a juncture in the
`data - communications topology where the method is installed
`ii ) using the first partial profile , searching a databank
`in order to acquire , trade , dispose of and / or broker some
`having a plurality of second partial profiles , wherein
`is included in said databank at least one null profile so 5 attribute data for the purpose of acquiring some potential
`that said searching will always yield at least one
`economic or other value in connection with that attribute data .
`proximate second partial profile to the first partial
`In the context of the preferred embodiment of the present
`profile ;
`invention , “ visitor ” relates to an entity the user has access to
`iii ) between the user and the databank , contracting :
`oris interested in . The visitor could be a consumer or potential
`( 1 ) for the databank to own or represent a right to a 10 customer of an offering of goods , services , or information .
`first mutually agreed portion of the first partial pro
`Introduction
`file , and substantially thereafter said databank
`This invention relates to gaining an ability to buy , sell ,
`incorporating the agreed portion of the first profile
`broker , and trade specific pieces of data between two disjoint
`into at least one second partial profile ; or
`( 2 ) for the user to own or represent a right to a second 15 parties within the context of a system that may include a
`databank and that may include a micro - payment royalty
`mutually agreed portion of at least one said proxi
`arrangement as a pricing structure in connection with the
`mate second partial profile , and substantially there
`aforesaid exchange of data .
`after the databank transmitting to the user the sec
`The specific pieces of data that may be involved in the
`ond mutually agreed portion of the second profile .
`20 exchange are known as attributes . The attributes relate to
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`details of a particular profile . The profile can be a collection of
`descriptive information as used by an advertiser for generat
`EMBODIMENT
`ing targeted advertising or used by an insurer for finding a
`more specific actuarial rate . It is noted that a secondary type
`In the context of the preferred embodiment of the present
`invention , “ attribute ” relates to an information particular ( or 25 of profile that is also contained in another embodiment of the
`attribute ) that is aggregated with other particulars to form a
`invention is a form of a collective profile that is an aggregate
`partial profile . Examples of attributes may be : name , address ,
`that is based on a pre - structured analysis of the existing indi
`income , age , education , details of product purchase transac-
`vidual profiles such as average or typical .
`tion over the Internet , credit rating , etc.
`In the normal course of a transaction between a user and an
`In the context of the preferred embodiment of the present 30 embodiment of a system according to