`(19)United States
`c10i Pub. No.: US 2014/0379482 Al
`c12) Patent Application Publication
`DEMSEY
`(43) Pub. Date: Dec. 25, 2014
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`111111111111111 IIIIII IIIII 111111111111111 11111 [llll lllll lllll lllll 111111111111111 11111111
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`US 20140379482Al
`
`(54)SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR
`
`CROSS-BROWSER ADVERTISING ID
`SYNCHRONIZATION
`
`(71) Applicant:
`
`(US)
`
`AOL Advertising Inc., New York, NY
`
`(72)Lnve11tor: Seth M.itcbell DEMSEY, Vieruia, VA
`
`
`(US)
`
`(21)Appl. No_: 13/922,379
`
`(22) Filed:Jun. 20, 2013
`
`
`
`Publication Classification
`
`(51)Int. Cl.
`G06Q30/01
`
`(2012-01)
`
`(52) U.S. Cl.
`
`(2013.01)
`CPC .................................. G06Q 30/0269
`
`
`USPC ....................................................... 705/14.66
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`Systems and methods are for identifying onliue advertise­
`
`
`
`ments to display to a user based on historical user data col­
`
`
`lected across the user's use of a plurality oflntemet devices.
`
`
`
`
`One method includes receiving, over a network, a request for
`
`
`
`an advertisement to display at a first device of the user, the
`
`
`
`
`request including a unique idemifier stored on the user's first
`
`
`device; accessing, in a database, a demographic or browsing
`
`
`history infonnation generated from the user's use ofa second
`
`device, ll1e demographic or bro
`wsing history inlonnation
`
`
`
`being store<l in the darnbase in relation to the unique identi­
`
`
`fier; and identifying, based on the demogniphic or browsing
`
`
`
`to display at the user's history informabon, an advertisement
`
`
`infonn a­.e demographic or bro\-vsiug history
`first device. Th
`
`
`tion is synchronized based on the wlique identifier being
`
`
`
`stored on tbe user's first device and the user's second device.
`
`100
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`100
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`100
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`102 104
`
`001
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`POSTSCRIPT 1032
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`

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`Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2014 Sheet 1 of 5
`
`US 2014/0379482 Al
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`002
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`

`

`112
`
`112
`
`PUBLISHER
`
`000
`
`PUBLISHER
`
`114
`
`114
`
`ADVERTISER
`
`o o o
`
`ADVERTISER
`
`150
`__ _______ _ c!
`
`I
`I
`:
`
`. - - - - -~
`AD SERVER
`
`I
`I
`1 152
`
`0
`0
`0
`
`AD SERVER
`
`SYNCHRONIZING
`PROCESSOR
`
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I _ ___ __ _____ _ !
`
`DATABASES
`
`154
`
`156
`
`G
`
`110
`
`101
`
`FIG. 2
`
`003
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2014 Sheet 3 of 5
`
`US 2014/0379482 Al
`
`300(._
`
`IF A USER'S BROWSER ENABLES LOCAL STORAGE.
`302
`CREATE IN THE BROWSER A SANDBOX REGISTERED ~
`TO THE ADVERTISING SYSTEM
`
`CREATE AND STORE A UNIQUE IDENTIFIER
`FOR THE USER IN THE SANDBOX
`
`304
`~
`
`OPTIONALLY CREATE AND STORE AN INSTANCE ~
`306
`IDENTIFIER SPECIFIC TO EACH OF THE USER'S DEVICES
`
`REPLICATE DATA CREATED IN THE SANDBOX
`ACROSS BROWSERS OF THE USER'S ~ 308
`CONNECTED DEVICES
`
`FIG. 3
`
`004
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2014 Sheet 4 of 5
`
`US 2014/0379482 Al
`
`400t
`
`RECEIVE, FROM A PUBLISHER,
`A REQUEST FOR AN ADVERTISEMENT,
`THE REQUEST INCLUDING A UNIQUE IDENTIFIER
`AND/OR INSTANCE IDENTIFIER
`FOR A USER OR THE USER'S DEVICE
`
`402
`~
`
`RECEIVE, BASED ON THE UNIQUE IDENTIFIER
`AND/OR INSTANCE IDENTIFIER, A DEMOGRAPHIC
`OR BROWSING HISTORY INFORMATION
`GENERATED FROM THE USER'S USE OF A FIRST DEVICE
`
`404
`~
`
`DETERMINE, BASED ON THE DEMOGRAPHIC
`OR BROWSING HISTORY INFORMATION
`GENERATED FROM THE USER'S USE OF THE FIRST DEVICE,
`AN ADVERTISEMENT TO DISPLAY TO THE USER
`DURING THE USER'S USE OF A SECOND DEVICE
`
`406
`
`FIG. 4
`
`005
`
`

`

`AD/PUB SERVER
`
`506
`[_(
`
`CD PAGE/AD
`REQUEST
`
`1st DEVICE
`
`CD HTTP+
`AD TAG
`
`u-502
`
`@ SETA
`COOKIE WITH
`UNIQUE ID
`
`@LOOKUP
`UNIQUE ID
`
`LOCAL STORAGE
`
`UNIQUE ID
`
`UNIQUE ID
`REPLICATION
`
`508
`
`AD/PUB SERVER 1
`CD PAGE/AD
`CD HTTP+
`REQUEST
`AD TAG
`
`504
`
`---- 2nd DEVICE
`1\
`-v
`
`LOCAL STORAGE
`
`@ SETA
`@ LOOKUP
`COOKIE WITH
`UNIQUE ID UNIQUE ID
`
`UNIQUE ID
`@ AD REQUEST+
`UNIQUE ID
`@) AD REQUEST +
`COOKIE DATA
`
`@AD
`
`@ AD REQUEST+
`UNIQUE ID
`@) AD REQUEST+
`COOKIE DATA
`
`~
`
`@AD
`
`510
`\
`AD/SYNCHRONIZING SERVER($)
`
`FIG. 5
`
`006
`
`

`

`US 2014/0379482 Al
`
`Dec. 25, 2014
`
`1
`
`SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR
`CROSS-BROWSER ADVERTISING ID
`SYNCHRONIZATION
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD
`
`[0001] Various embodiments of the present disclosure
`relate generally to online user ID management and to Internet
`advertising. More specifically, exemplary embodiments of
`the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for iden(cid:173)
`tifying users as they use various devices to access the Internet
`(e.g., by browser-linking technologies), and to online adver(cid:173)
`tising based on users' identities for targeted and behavioral
`advertising.
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`In recent years, people have started spending more
`[0002]
`and more time browsing content on the Internet, as opposed to
`traditional sources. As a result, the value of advertising on
`web pages has risen significantly, and techniques for targeting
`demographics of interest have become very advanced.
`Internet cookies have become a ubiquitous and
`[0003]
`invaluable tool for performing Internet advertising and other
`important online functions. Traditional techniques for target(cid:173)
`ing electronic advertising involve configuring users' Internet
`browsers such that third party cookies can be set, read from,
`and written to. When a cookie is set on a browser, one of the
`identifying elements of the cookie is the domain from which
`it was served. If an Internet user visits, for example, www.
`site.com and that site contains code to set a cookie, then that
`cookie will be set with "site.com" as its domain. Continuing
`this illustrative example, site.com can also embed code that
`pulls content, such as ads, from URLs that are not on the
`site.com domain and those ads can also set cookies. For
`example, site.com can have code on its page that pulls an ad
`from, by way of example, www.adnetwork.com. The ad will
`be served from adnetwork.com and will set cookies on the
`adnetwork.com domain.
`[0004] Online advertising may be significantly enhanced
`by web browsers that, by default or by settings, allow third
`party cookies, and by people who permit visited sites to set
`and read third party cookies. Use of third party cookies
`enables ad networks to access cookies that they set across a
`wide network of websites, thereby enabling behavioral and
`contextual advertising to web viewers across many visited
`websites. Specifically, web browsers that are set to allow third
`party cookies will allow, for example, adnetwork.com to set
`its cookie despite the user having visited www.site.com. Fur(cid:173)
`thermore, the same browser setting will also allow adnet(cid:173)
`work.com to access any cookies set under their domain
`regardless of which site the Internet user is visiting.
`[0005] By way of background, ad networks typically have
`hundreds or thousands of partners ( often referred to as "pub(cid:173)
`lishers") that publish online content along with "ad tags"
`provided by their partner ad network. For example, each of a
`news website (www.news.com), a blog (www.blog.com), and
`an informational website (www.info.com), among others,
`may engage an ad network to efficiently and profitably adver(cid:173)
`tise to those websites' viewers. The ad network provides each
`of those sites with an ad tag having the ad network's domain,
`e.g., "adnetwork.com." For any visitors, or more specifically,
`visitors' browsers that allow third party cookies, the ad net(cid:173)
`work may access cookie data of visitors to its partners' sites
`(i.e., across its entire network of sites), even though those
`
`sites' domains (e.g., www.news.com, etc.) do not match the
`ad network's domain. Specifically, the ad network's ad tag on
`each site may access cookie data associated with the domain
`of the ad tag. As a result, the ad network may learn more about
`a user's browsing history across its network, and therefore
`more about the user's likely demographics, interests, pur(cid:173)
`chasing goals, and other useful advertising information.
`[0006] Each time an Internet advertisement is shown to a
`website visitor is known as an "impression." When the user is
`shown the advertisement, the user may select, or "click," on
`the advertisement, or may take another "action," such as
`completing an online form to request more information. If the
`user later purchases the product, the purchase is referred to as
`a "conversion" of the impression. Advertisers may be inter(cid:173)
`ested in impressions ( e.g., if they are trying to increase aware(cid:173)
`ness ofa brand), clicks ( e.g., if they are trying to provide more
`information about a product), or conversions ( e.g., if they are
`trying to make sales or get new users to sign up for services).
`Advertisers may pay advertising networks and therefore pub(cid:173)
`lishers based on, for example, impressions, clicks, or conver(cid:173)
`sions over the course of an advertising campaign. Typically,
`an advertiser may have a spending plan that specifies how the
`advertiser wishes to spend its budget during a campaign.
`[0007] Even though cookies enable advanced targeting and
`advertising to users whose browsers enable third party cook(cid:173)
`ies, these technologies are unable to leverage browsing his(cid:173)
`tory, behavioral and contextual information, and other intel(cid:173)
`ligence relating to a user when it is divided among multiple
`devices or browsers. Specifically, most modern users of the
`Internet often use more than one device to access the Internet
`over the course of a single day, such as, for example, a PC at
`home, a laptop at work, and one or more tablets and/or mobile
`devices throughout the day, whether employer-provided or
`personal. Because of the standards associated with existing
`cookies and browsers, the advantageous user IDs, browsing
`history, demographic data, etc., can only be stored in relation
`to a cookie stored for a particular browser on a particular
`device. Because online advertisers are interested in improved
`targeting to their intended audience, ad networks also have a
`strong interest in providing targeting to users across their
`various browsers and devices.
`[0008] Accordingly, a need exists for systems and methods
`for online user ID management and to Internet advertising.
`More specifically, a need exists for systems and methods for
`identifying users as they use various devices to access the
`Internet ( e.g., by browser-linking technologies), and to online
`advertising based on users' identities for targeted and behav(cid:173)
`ioral advertising.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
`
`[0009] According to certain embodiments, methods are
`disclosed for identifying online advertisements to display to a
`user based on historical user data collected across the user's
`use of a plurality of Internet devices. One method includes
`receiving, over a network, a request for an advertisement to
`display at a first device of the user, the request including a
`unique identifier stored on the user's first device; accessing,
`in a database, a demographic or browsing history information
`generated from the user's use of a second device, the demo(cid:173)
`graphic or browsing history information being stored in the
`database in relation to the unique identifier; and identifying,
`based on the demographic or browsing history information,
`an advertisement to display at the user's first device; wherein
`the demographic or browsing history information is synchro-
`
`007
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`

`

`US 2014/0379482 Al
`
`Dec. 25, 2014
`
`2
`
`nized based on the unique identifier being stored on the user's
`first device and the user's second device.
`[001 OJ According to certain embodiments, systems are dis(cid:173)
`closed for identifying online advertisements to display to a
`user based on historical user data collected across the user's
`use of a plurality of Internet devices. One system includes a
`data storage device storing instructions for identifying online
`advertisements to display to a user based on historical user
`data collected across the user's use of a plurality oflnternet
`devices; and a processor configured to execute the instruc(cid:173)
`tions to perform a method including: receiving, over a net(cid:173)
`work, a request for an advertisement to display at a first device
`of the user, the request including a unique identifier stored on
`the user's first device; accessing, in a database, a demo(cid:173)
`graphic or browsing history information generated from the
`user's use of a second device, the demographic or browsing
`history information being stored in the database in relation to
`the unique identifier; and identifying, based on the demo(cid:173)
`graphic or browsing history information, an advertisement to
`display at the user's first device; wherein the demographic or
`browsing history information is synchronized based on the
`unique identifier being stored on the user's first device and the
`user's second device.
`[0011] According to certain embodiments, a non-tangible
`computer-readable medium is disclosed storing instructions
`that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to
`perform a method for identifying online advertisements to
`display to a user based on historical user data collected across
`the user's use of a plurality of Internet devices, the method
`including: receiving, over a network, a request for an adver(cid:173)
`tisement to display at a first device of the user, the request
`including a unique identifier stored on the user's first device;
`accessing, in a database, a demographic or browsing history
`information generated from the user's use of a second device,
`the demographic or browsing history information being
`stored in the database in relation to the unique identifier; and
`identifying, based on the demographic or browsing history
`information, an advertisement to display at the user's first
`device; wherein the demographic or browsing history infor(cid:173)
`mation is synchronized based on the unique identifier being
`stored on the user's first device and the user's second device.
`[0012] Additional objects and advantages of the disclosed
`embodiments will be set forth in part in the description that
`follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or
`may be learned by practice of the disclosed embodiments.
`The objects and advantages of the disclosed embodiments
`will be realized and attained by means of the elements and
`combinations particularly pointed out in the appended
`claims.
`[0013]
`It is to be understood that both the foregoing general
`description and the following detailed description are exem(cid:173)
`plary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the dis(cid:173)
`closed embodiments, as claimed.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`[0014] The accompanying drawings, which are incorpo(cid:173)
`rated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate
`various exemplary embodiments and together with the
`description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosed
`embodiments.
`[0015] FIG. 1 is a series of schematic diagrams depicting
`exemplary environments in which users may use disclosed
`devices and methods according to an exemplary embodiment
`of the present disclosure;
`
`[0016] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagramofanexemplary envi(cid:173)
`ronment and system for synchronizing user advertising IDs
`across devices and browsers, according to an exemplary
`embodiment of the present disclosure;
`[0017] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a method for synchro(cid:173)
`nizing user advertising IDs across devices and browsers,
`according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclo(cid:173)
`sure;
`[0018] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a method for performing
`Internet advertising techniques based on user advertising IDs
`synchronized across devices and browsers, according to an
`exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; and
`[0019] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a flow for perform(cid:173)
`ing Internet advertising techniques based on user advertising
`IDs synchronized across devices and browsers, according to
`an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
`
`[0020] Reference will now be made in detail to the exem(cid:173)
`plary embodiments of the disclosure, examples of which are
`illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever pos(cid:173)
`sible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the
`drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
`[0021] As described above, prior Internet advertising tech(cid:173)
`nologies involved cookies that stored advertising identifiers
`that are local or specific to a single machine/device or
`browser. The present disclosure describes systems and meth(cid:173)
`ods for linking a user's identity across the user's devices to
`generate and leverage additional opportunities to reach the
`user with targeted advertising, and assemble fuller, more
`accurate behavioral profile of a user through the observation
`of larger slices of the users online activities. Specifically, in
`one embodiment, the present disclosure relates to systems
`and methods for leveraging modem browsers, and their atten(cid:173)
`dant features of data storage, sometimes referred to as "local
`storage," "browser storage," and/or "sandboxed storage." In
`particular, the present disclosure relates to systems and meth(cid:173)
`ods for leveraging a feature in modem browsers offering the
`ability to synchronize storage across browsers linked to a
`single user.
`[0022]
`In one embodiment, if a user is using a browser with
`an automatically synchronized app-private sandboxed stor(cid:173)
`age system, the disclosed methods may include creating a
`sandbox registered to an advertising system or network ( using
`for example HTML5's local storage system). The method
`may then include creating a unique identifier for the user
`within the sandbox, and optionally creating an "instance"
`identifier for the user that is explicitly meant to be different for
`each device and is useful to differentiate behavior on a per
`device, but still linked, basis. This identifier can be based on
`a unique device identifier provided by many mobile devices
`or another globally unique ( e.g., random) identifier serialized
`to the device. The method may then include leveraging the
`user's browser's cross-browser synchronization feature to
`replicate the data created within the sandbox to all of the
`user's connected browsers. Accordingly, when the associated
`advertising system or network reads the identifier upon future
`requests across any of the user's devices, the same identifier
`for the user may be transmitted, allowing the advertising
`system to address the same user across multiple devices. In
`one embodiment, out-of-band mapping systems may further
`use additional mapping techniques (e.g., WiFi or IP address
`matching) to map unique IDs in other spaces ( e.g., the domain
`cookie space) to the local storage persistent identifier, thereby
`
`008
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`

`

`US 2014/0379482 Al
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`Dec. 25, 2014
`
`3
`
`providing utility of the presently disclosed techniques outside
`the set of browsers that implement synchronized storage.
`[0023] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a series of environ(cid:173)
`ments in which users may access Internet content and adver(cid:173)
`tising, according to exemplary embodiments of the present
`disclosure. Specifically, FIG. 1 depicts how the same user 100
`may access the Internet using any number or type oflnternet(cid:173)
`enabled devices, such as, for example, a mobile device 102
`(e.g., smartphone, PDA, etc.), a work computer 104 (e.g.,
`such as a PC, Windows, Mac, etc., whether desktop or lap(cid:173)
`top), a home computer 106 (e.g., a PC or Mac laptop or
`desktop), an automobile computer 108 ( e.g., whether OEM or
`after-market), a tablet 110, or any other type of kiosk, com(cid:173)
`puter, or mobile device connected to the Internet through a
`wired or wireless connection. For example, a typical user
`might wake up in the morning and check the weather and his
`or her e-mail on his or her smartphone 102. The user may then
`drive to work and access Internet content, such as traffic or
`news, through his or her automobile computer 108. The user
`may then operate a computer 104 upon arriving at his or her
`workplace, including to access Internet content, whether
`related to work activities and/or personal activities. The user
`may then return home in the evening and use one or more of
`a home computer 106 and a tablet 110. Of course, the preced(cid:173)
`ing scenario is only exemplary in nature, and users' Internet
`habits may vary widely in terms of which devices they use at
`given locations and times. For example, many users may use
`a tablet 110 only at work or only at home, while other users
`may use a tablet 110 while at home and at work, and for both
`personal and professional activities. Likewise, some users
`may use a mobile device 102 to access both personal and
`professional Internet content and e-mail throughout the day,
`even while also using a work computer 104. Also, a user may
`use a home computer 106 at non-traditional times of the day,
`and may use the home computer 106 to perform professional
`activities, whether during the day or evening.
`[0024] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary environment in
`which users may access the Internet using multiple devices,
`including a plurality of user devices 102-110. FIG. 2 also
`illustrates an exemplary system for synchronizing user adver(cid:173)
`tising IDs across devices and browsers, the system including
`one or more of: publisher servers 112, advertiser servers 114,
`and synchronization server systems 150, all disposed in com(cid:173)
`munication with the Internet 101. In one embodiment, pub(cid:173)
`lisher servers 112 and advertiser servers 114 may be owned
`and operated by publishing and advertising entities, respec(cid:173)
`tively, and not strictly part of the same system as synchroni(cid:173)
`zation server systems 150.
`[0025]
`In one embodiment, user devices 102-110 may be
`owned and used by one or more people, who may be viewers
`of web pages over the Internet, either through a mobile
`browser or web browser stored on respective user devices. As
`described above, user devices 102-110 may include any type
`of electronic device configured to send and receive data, such
`as websites and electronic advertisements, over the Internet.
`For example, each of user devices 102-110 may include a
`server, personal computer, tablet computer, mobile device,
`smartphone, and/or personal digital assistant ("PDA") dis(cid:173)
`posed in communication with the Internet. Each of user
`devices 102-110 may have a web browser or mobile browser
`installed for receiving and displaying web and/or ad content
`from web servers. Thus, each of user devices 102-110 may be
`configured to receive and display data that is received from
`one or more of publisher servers 112, advertiser servers 114,
`
`and synchronization server systems 150, among any other
`web servers, domain name system ("DNS") servers, content
`distribution network ("CDN") servers, etc., over the Internet.
`As described above, in one embodiment, a user may own and,
`simultaneously or intermittently, use one or more of user
`devices 102-110, whether of similar or different type.
`[0026] Publisher web servers 112 may be owned and/or
`operated by any entities having inventories of available online
`advertising space. For example, publishers may include
`online content providers, search engines, e-mail programs, or
`any other online site or program having online user traffic.
`Publishers may interact with user devices 102-110, advertiser
`servers 114, and synchronization server systems 150, through
`publisher servers 112 connected to the Internet. Thus, pub(cid:173)
`lishers may be able to communicate inventory information,
`such as site information, demographic information, cost
`information, etc., to other entities in the environment of FIG.
`2.
`[0027] Advertiser servers 114 may be owned and/or oper(cid:173)
`ated by any entities having content, such as online advertise(cid:173)
`ments (e.g., display ads, banner ads, pop-ups, etc.) desired to
`be delivered to online users. Advertisers may interact with
`user devices 102-110, publisher servers 112, and/or synchro(cid:173)
`nization server systems 150, through advertiser servers 114
`connected to the Internet 101. Thus, advertisers may be able
`to communicate advertising information, such as ad informa(cid:173)
`tion, targeting information, consumer information, budget
`information, bidding information, etc., to other entities in the
`environment of FIG. 2.
`[0028] Synchronization server systems 150 may be config(cid:173)
`ured to interact with one or more of user devices 102-110,
`publisher servers 112, and advertiser servers 114 over the
`Internet 101 to perform any of the presently disclosed tech(cid:173)
`niques and methods. In one embodiment, synchronization
`server systems 150 may include one or more of: a plurality of
`ad servers 152, synchronization processor(s) 154, and data(cid:173)
`base(s) 156. Of course, it should be appreciated that ad serv(cid:173)
`ers 152 may be operated by an operator only contractually or
`even loosely affiliated with an operator of synchronization
`processor 154. Alternatively, the ad servers 152 and synchro(cid:173)
`nization processor 154 may be operated by the same adver(cid:173)
`tising entity or online entity.
`[0029] Ad servers 152 may include any type of servers
`configured to process advertising information from advertis(cid:173)
`ers and/or site information from publishers, and send and
`receive ad requests and information from user devices 102-
`110, either directly or indirectly. In one embodiment, ad serv(cid:173)
`ers 152 may be owned and operated by an ad network, which
`may be a business that receives ad buys from advertisers, and
`serves ads on inventory supplied by publishers. Thus, an ad
`network operating ad servers 152 may receive revenue from
`advertisers, purchase impressions from publishers, and serve
`ads on publishers' web pages when viewers associated with
`user devices 102-110 view those web pages. According to
`aspects of the present disclosure, ad servers 152 may be
`configured to interact with synchronizing processor 154, such
`as through one or more APis associated with synchronizing
`processor 154, to obtain one or more of: unique user IDs,
`cookie data, browsing history, demographic data, user profile
`data, etc., in response to interaction from user devices 102-
`110.
`In certain embodiments, ad servers 152 may be
`[0030]
`remote web servers that receive advertising information from
`advertisers and serve ads to be placed by publishers. Ad
`
`009
`
`

`

`US 2014/0379482 Al
`
`Dec. 25, 2014
`
`4
`
`servers 152 may be configured to serve ads across various
`domains of publishers, for example, based on advertising
`information provided by advertisers. Ad servers 152 may also
`be configured to serve ads based on contextual targeting of
`web sites, search results, and/or user profile information. In
`some embodiments, ad servers 152 may be configured to
`serve ads based on ad tags served by advertiser servers 114
`and/or publisher servers 112, and on ad requests received
`from user devices 102-110. Ad servers 152 may be configured
`to send and receive data from user devices 102-110, publisher
`servers 112, advertiser servers 114, and/or synchronizing pro(cid:173)
`cessor 154, over the Internet.
`[0031] Ad servers 152 and synchronizing processor 154,
`either alone or in combination, may include any type or com(cid:173)
`bination of computing systems, such as clustered computing
`machines and/or servers. In one embodiment, each of ad
`servers 152 and synchronizing processor 154 may be an
`assembly ofhardware, including a memory, a central process(cid:173)
`ing unit ("CPU"), and/or a user interface. The memory may
`include any type of RAM or ROM embodied in a physical
`storage medium, such as magnetic storage including floppy
`disk, hard disk, or magnetic tape; semiconductor storage such
`as solid state disk (SSD) or flash memory; optical disc stor(cid:173)
`age; or magneto-optical disc storage. The CPU may include
`one or more processors for processing data according to
`instructions stored in the memory. The functions of the pro(cid:173)
`cessor may be provided by a single dedicated processor or by
`a plurality of processors. Moreover, the processor may
`include, without limitation, digital signal processor (DSP)
`hardware, or any other hardware capable of executing soft(cid:173)
`ware. The user interface may include any type or combination
`of input/output devices, such as a display monitor, touchpad,
`touchscreen, microphone, camera, keyboard, and/or mouse.
`[0032] Regardless of specific physical components or lay(cid:173)
`out, one or more of ad servers 152 and synchronizing proces(cid:173)
`sor 154, or any other servers or systems associated with ad
`network involving ad servers 152 and synchronizing proces(cid:173)
`sor 154, may be prograrmned with instructions to perform a
`method of synchronizing user advertising IDs across devices
`and browsers, and performing online targeted and behavioral
`advertising across user devices, according to the exemplary
`disclosed methods, such as the exemplary methods described
`with respect to FIGS. 3-5 below.
`[0033] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the flow of infor(cid:173)
`mation between entities for synchronizing user advertising
`IDs across devices and browsers, and performing online tar(cid:173)
`geted and behavioral advertising across user devices, accord(cid:173)
`ing to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
`Specifically, according to embodiments of the present disclo(cid:173)
`sure, user devices 102-110, publisher servers 112, advertiser
`servers 114, and ad servers 152, may exchange data with one
`or more of synchronizing processor 154 and databases 156 of
`synchronization server systems 150 ( all through one or more
`computers and/or servers connected to the Internet 101, as
`described with respect to FIG. 2).
`[0034] Specifically, FIG. 3 depicts a method 300 for syn(cid:173)
`chronizing user advertising IDs across devices and browsers.
`In one embodiment, method 300 may include determining
`whether a user's browser enables local storage. If so, method
`300 may include creating in the user's browser a sandbox
`stored in the local storage system and registered to the adver(cid:173)
`tising system ( e.g., a network associated with ad servers 152
`and/or synchronizing server system 150) (step 302).
`
`[0035] Method 300 may also include creating and storing a
`unique identifier for the user in the created sandbox (step
`304). For example, method 300 may include generating a
`unique ID that will be used to reference the user associated
`with the device in which the sandbox was created, as well as
`other devices that the user uses to access the Internet. In one
`embodiment, a unique ID may be any type of numeric or
`alpha-numeric identifier that can uniquely identify one user
`from another. In one embodiment, the unique ID may be
`stored in database 156 and indexed or otherwise related to a
`profile of information known about the user matching the
`unique ID.
`[0036] Method 300 may also include optionally creating
`and storing an instance identifier specific to each of the user's
`devices (step 306). For example, if it is desirable to know(cid:173)
`not only that a user is visiting certain sites or taking certain
`actions using multiple devices-but also, which device the
`user was using during those site visits or, in one embodiment,
`an instance identifier may be associated with each device, and
`web browsing history and actions may be stored in relation to
`the instance identifier. In another embodiment, database 156
`may store a table or index containing a unique identifier for
`each user, and a plurality of instance identifiers indexed or
`related to the unique identifier, each instance identifier being
`indexed or related to a device of the user.
`[0037] Method 300 may also include replicating data cre(cid:173)
`ated in the sandbox across multiple browsers and local drives
`of the user's connected devices (step 308). For example, in
`some embodiments, where a user is using a browser that
`enables users to log-in or otherwise authenticate, and enables
`synchronizing local storage data remotely (i.e., "in the
`cloud"), that remotely stored data may be synchronized or
`replicated across all devices in which a user has logged-in or
`authenticated into such a browser.
`[0038] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a method for performing
`Internet advertising techniques based on user advertising IDs
`being synchronized across devices and browsers, according
`to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Spe(cid:173)
`cifically, FIG. 4 depicts a m