Targeted television advertisements based on online behavior

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Pearl Cohen Zedek Latzer

P-73534-IL WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298

TARGETED TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENTS BASED

Λ ON ONLINE BEHAVIOR 0

BACKGROUND

[0001] The field of the present invention relates to online access and targeteddelivery of advertisements. In particular, television advertisements are targetedbased on observed online (i.e., Internet) behavior of a television viewer withoutemploying personally identifiable information.

[0002] Some of the terms used in the present disclosure or appended claims aredefined as follows.

[0003] Television provider (TVP) - an entity that provides television service to asubscriber or user via any suitable transmission medium, including but not limited tocoaxial cable, fiber-optical cable, network cable, phone line, satellite transmission, orVHF or UHF transmission.

[0004] Internet service provider (ISP; equivalently, an online access provider) - anentity that provides online access to a subscriber or user via any suitabletransmission medium, including but not limited to coaxial cable, fiber-optical cable,network cable, phone line, satellite transmission, wireless transmission (e.g., WiMax,WiFi, other IEEE 802 wireless protocols, etc.), or VHF or UHF transmission. Theonline access enables the subscriber to access the Internet and its myriad onlinesites, or to access any future network successor to the Internet.

[0005] Set-top box (STB) - a device that connects a television and a signal source.The STB receives an incoming signal, extracts content from the received signal, andtransmits the extracted content to the television to be presented to a viewer. Thesignal source can be a computer network cable (e.g., an Ethernet or othertransmission-speed cable), a satellite dish, a coaxial cable connected to a cabletelevision system, a telephone line or digital subscriber line (DSL), a wirelessnetwork connection, an antenna (VHF, UHF, digital, or other), or another suitablesignal source. The content can include, but is not limited to, video (which often caninclude an audio portion), audio, Internet web pages, interactive games, or othercontent. An STB may or may not include a dedicated television tuner. Despite itsname, an STB need not be physically located on top of a television set literally. 1 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298

Under current technology, STBs often are located physically adjacent to thetelevision set, such as in a media cabinet or the like, but it is not even necessary thatthe STB be located in proximity to the television. Nor is it necessary that the STB bea box, literally. Rather, a STB might be implemented, for example, as a circuitboard, integrated circuit, set of integrated circuits, or software that is physicallyintegrated with another “box,” such as the television, a cable or other connection, acomputer, or a building equipment or junction box, which also has other functions, orwithout being housed in any “box” at all.

[0006] Digital video recorder (DVR, alternatively personal video recorder or PVR) -a device that stores video content in a digitally encoded format on a digital storagemedium, such as a hard drive, and enables playback of the stored content. A DVRcan comprise a stand-alone unit connected to a television, an STB, or a signalsource, or the DVR can comprise software that programs a computer to performDVR storage and playback functions.

[0007] Video-on-Demand (VOD) - a system that allows users to select and viewvideo content delivered from a signal source in response to a request from the user.Typically, the requested video content can be viewed at a time of the user’s ownchoosing and can be paused, rewound, or fast-forwarded as desired by the user. AVOD system can "stream" the content (enabling viewing of portions of a requesteditem of video content while other portions are still being delivered from the signalsource), or the VOD system can "download" the content and allow viewing only aftera complete item is delivered from the signal source. Some VOD systems allowusers to select and watch video content over a network as part of an interactivetelevision system.

[0008] Interactive Television (interactive TV, iTV, idTV, or ITV) - any televisionsystem that enables a viewer to interact with video content delivered to a television.Interactive television can include, but is not limited to, access to Web sites throughTV “crossover links,” electronic mail and online chat, online commerce, or enhancedgraphics (relative to standard television offerings).

[0009] Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) - a system wherein television content isdelivered via a computer network using Internet Protocol (IP). For residential users,IPTV is often provided in conjunction with Video on Demand and can also bebundled with Internet services such as Internet access and Voice-over-IP (VoIP). 2 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298

Commercial bundling of IPTV, VoIP, and Internet access is sometimes referred to inthe industry as a “triple play.” Additional telecommunications services (e.g., mobilevoice or data service) can be added, yielding a “quadruple play" and so forth. IPTVtypically is supplied by a broadband service provider using a closed networkinfrastructure. IPTV also can be provided over the Internet or other publiclyaccessible computer network, in which case it might be referred to as Internet TV orTV-over-lnternet. IPTV also can be used to deliver video or other content over acorporate LAN or other business network.

[0010] Online user interface device - any user interface device used to access aremote network such as the Internet, including but not limited to a cell phone ormobile handset, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a networked computer(desktop, workstation, notebook, laptop, or other).

[0011] Online access device - any device used to connect an online user interfacedevice to a remote network such as the Internet, including but not limited to amodem, a wired or wireless router, a wireless access point, a wired network adapter(e.g., Ethernet adapter), a wireless network adapter (e.g., IEEE 802.11, ED-VO,EDGE, HSPA, CDMA, GSM, or other), or an optical fiber based network adapter(e.g., a network interface unit or optical network terminal). Different types of onlineaccess devices can and sometimes are combined into a single unit (e.g., a modemthat also functions as a router for a LAN). An online user interface device and anonline access device can be, and sometimes are, combined into a single unit (e.g., acomputer with a built-in Ethernet adapter, wireless adapter, or modem).

[0012] Router - any device that acts as a junction between networks, to buffer andtransfer data between or among them. For example, a router can be employed toconnect a local area network (LAN) to the Internet, thereby enabling online userinterface devices connected to the LAN to share a connection to the Internet throughthe router. The router receives data from devices on the LAN and transmits them tothe Internet directed to their corresponding destinations, and receives data from theInternet and directs them to the corresponding devices on the LAN.

[0013] Modem - a device that enables online access by a user by acting as aninterface between the online access provider’s network transmission system and theuser’s computer or other online user interface device. Modems vary according tothe type of provider network transmission system. Unless a specific type of modem 3 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 is specified, the term “modem” shall encompass telephone modems, cable modems,DSL modems, wireless modems, satellite modems, or modems for providing onlineaccess to any other suitable network transmission system.

[0014] Cable modem - a type of modem that enables digital data transmission overcable television infrastructure. Cable modems are primarily used to deliverbroadband Internet access using modulation frequencies that are not used fortraditional television transmission.

[0015] Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL, or often DSL) - a datacommunications technology that enables faster data transmission over a coppertelephone line than a conventional modem can provide. ADSL data transmissionemploys frequencies that typically are not used for voice transmission, usuallyfrequencies beyond the range of normal human hearing (higher than about 20kHz).Propagation of such high-frequency signals over standard copper telephone linestypically is poor, typically limiting the use of DSL to distances less than about 5 km.Once the signal reaches the telephone company's nearest central office (CO), theADSL signal is stripped off and routed into a conventional data network, while anyvoice-frequency signal is routed into the conventional telephone network. Thatarrangement enables a single telephone line to be used for both data transmissionand telephone calls simultaneously.

[0016] DSL modem - an ADSL transceiver, also known as an ADSL modem, usedto connect one or more computers to a phone line to use an ADSL service. A DSLmodem also can be referred to as a remote ADSL termination unit (ATU-Ft). AnADSL modem can also be configured to act as a router, managing the connectionand sharing of the ADSL service with multiple computer or other networked devices.Such a combined device can be referred to as a DSL modem/router or similarterminology.

[0017] Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM) - a device enablinghigh-speed connections between telephone lines and a computer network such asthe Internet. Typically it is located at a telephone company central office (CO) andconnects multiple Digital Subscriber Lines (DSLs) to a computer network, typicallythe Internet, using a suitable multiplexing technique.

[0018] Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) - equipment typically found in acable company's headend that is used to provide data communication over the cable 4 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 television infrastructure, thereby enabling the cable company to offer services suchas broadband Internet access or VoIP to its subscribers. To provide high-speeddata services (i.e., broadband access), a cable company typically connects itsheadend to the Internet using high capacity data links, directly or through a networkservice provider. On the subscriber side of the headend, the CMTS enables datacommunication with each subscriber’s cable modem. Various CMTSs are capableof serving different cable modem population sizes, which can range from 4,000cable modems to 150,000 or more. A given cable company headend may have onlya few CMTSs, or a dozen or more, depending on the size of the cable modempopulation serviced by that headend.

[0019] Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) - a system that automaticallyassigns Internet Protocol addresses (IP addresses), subnet masks, default routers,and other IP parameters, which are required for proper routing of data transmissionsto or from a particular device connected to the network. The assignment usuallyoccurs when a DHCP-configured computer, modem, router, or other device boots upor regains connectivity to the network. The DHCP client (i.e., DHCP softwareresident in the computer) sends out a query requesting a response from a DHCPserver on the network. The query is typically initiated immediately after booting upand before the client initiates any IP-based communication with other hosts. TheDHCP server then replies to the client with its assigned IP address, subnet mask,domain name server (DNS), and default gateway information (referred to as“stateful” assignment). The assignment of the IP address usually expires after apredetermined period of time, at which point the DHCP client and server renegotiatea new IP address from the DHCP server's predefined pool of IP addresses.

Because, under DHCP, the IP address of a given computer varies over time, variousnetwork-related functions are more difficult. For example, configuring firewall rulesto allow access to or from a machine that receives its IP address via DHCP is morecomplicated because the IP address varies from time to time. Networkadministrators typically must enable access to an entire remote DHCP subnet for aparticular TCP/UDP port. Such complications arise in other instances as well. Manyresidential routers and firewalls are configured in the factory to act as DHCP serversfor home networks. A computer can also be used as a DHCP server. InternetService Providers (ISPs) generally use DHCP to assign individual IP addresses tosubscribers. DHCPv6, which is the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol for Internet 5 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298

Protocol Version 6 (IPv6), enables local generation of IP addresses (i.e., “stateless”assignment). Although such stateless address auto-configuration of IPv6substantially eliminates a prime motivation for DHCP in IPv4, DHCPv6 can still beused to statefully assign addresses if needed or desired by a network administrator.DHCPv6 can also be used to distribute information that is not otherwisediscoverable, e.g., the domain name server.

[0020] Behavioral targeting - the delivery of specific advertisements to asubscriber, the advertisements being selected on the basis of activity of thesubscriber, typically recent activity, including but not limited to: online searchesconducted by the subscriber; content accessed by the subscriber online or ontelevision; online advertisements viewed, clicked on, or otherwise accessed by thesubscriber; online shopping or purchases made by the subscriber; and any otherform of previous subscriber activity.

[0021] Central Ad Server (CAS) - a computer server that manages delivery ofonline advertisements to visitors of online sites. A local ad server can be typicallyrun by a single online publisher to serve ads to visitors of websites of that publisher'sInternet domains, or by a single advertiser to serve ads into ad space acquired bythe advertiser on various other websites. A third-party or remote ad server typicallyis remotely located and delivers advertisements of various advertisers to visitors ofwebsites of multiple domains owned by multiple publishers. The remote ad serveracts as a central conduit for delivering advertisements, enabling advertisers andpublishers to track the distribution of their online advertisements and to control therotation and distribution of their advertisements across the Internet from onelocation. The advertisements can be stored on the CAS for later delivery, can betransmitted to the CAS and then delivered from the CAS upon receiving an adrequest, or can be delivered from another source in response to an ad requestreceived and routed by the CAS. Examples of third-party ad servers includeDoubleClick’s DART for Publishers central ad server (also known as DFP) andDoubleClick’s DART for Advertisers central ad server (also known as DFA).

[0022] Profile provider - An entity that collects profile information that is used totarget advertisements. In the context here, the profile provider cooperates with aCAS, which receives all or part of the collected profile information from the profileprovider for use in targeting TV advertisements. User profile information derived 6 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 from online activity can include observed online behavior of a user accessing theInternet or demographic information collected from a user accessing the Internet.Examples of profile providers can include, but are not limited to, any entity that ownsor uses: (1) a visited Internet site server; (2) a server delivering content, images,audio, video, text, or any combination directed to an online user interface device(such as a computer or other online interface device) via an online access device(such as a modem or router), either directly or indirectly (e.g., via a redirect); (3) aserver delivering an ad to an online user interface device via an online access deviceon behalf of an advertiser or an ad network; (4) a server recording an activityconducted from an online user interface device such as a click on an ad or a link toan ad, a viewing of an ad, a click on a link to particular content, a search, a requestfor product information, receipt of particular content, a product purchase, atelephone call made, or any other selected and definable user activity; or (5) aserver facilitating instant messages or any other kind of communication on behalf ofthe user. Another example of a profile provider is: (6) a company sponsoring andhaving access to a computer program located on the user’s computer or other onlineuser interface device that can observe the user’s online activity (with the user’spermission), such as a browser toolbar or desktop search software. A profileprovider, broadly, can be: (7) any entity able to collect behavioral profiles (observedonline activity) or demographic profiles (provided by the user), preferably forpurposes here including the IP address used when the profile was observed orcollected and the date and time the profile was observed or collected, regardless ofwhether or not the entity collected a given profile directly through contact with theuser’s computer or indirectly from another entity such as those listed in thisparagraph. In some cases, a user’s online activity will result in direct contactbetween the online user interface device via an online access device and the profileprovider, e.g., if the profile provider is an online commerce site, the user makes apurchase at the site, and the online commerce site generates a profile for that user.

In other instances there may be no direct contact between the profile provider andthe user, e.g., if the user makes a purchase at an online commerce site that in turnreports information pertaining to the user to the profile provider. In some situations,also, a profile provider might also own or otherwise control a CAS, in which caseuser profiles can be immediately available to the CAS without need for transmissionbetween separate entities. 7 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 [0023] Profiles or partial profiles provided by a profile provider to a CAS can containany quantity of profile information, such as, in one example, just an online access IPaddress used by a person at the time his profile was collected and the identity of theprofile provider. The IP address can be provided by the profile provider itself ormight be obtained by the CAS when a user engages in any online activity orprovides an item of demographic information and is redirected by a profile providerto the CAS. In another example, a profile can be more extensive and can includedemographic or behavioral information, such as an extensive browsing history,shipping or purchase histories, content viewed, and other information concerning theuser’s characteristics or the user’s activities. Although the profile provider is anentity, many or most of the actions attributed to the profile provider are actuallyperformed by equipment under the administrative control of the profile provider, suchas computers, servers, software running on those computers or servers, networkconnection hardware or software, or other equipment. Such actions may still becharacterized as being performed “by the profile provider,” whether performedautomatically, semi-automatically, or manually.

[0024] Personally Identifiable Information (PII) - information that can be used toidentify a specific person, including but not limited to: name, Social Security number(SSN), date of birth, street address, email address, static IP address (if any), phonenumber (home, work, wireless), financial account numbers (bank accounts, creditaccounts, or any other financial data), driver’s license number, vehicle registrationnumber, vehicle license number, facial photographs, fingerprints, handwriting orsignature, or any other information that can assist in identifying a specific person.

[0025] Non-Personally-ldentifiable Information (non-PII) - information about aperson that typically cannot be used to specifically identify that person, including butnot limited to: city, state, or country of residence, age, gender, race, ethnicity, schoolor workplace (if sufficiently large), salary or income, hobbies, dynamically assignedIP addresses, online sites visited, online searches conducted, or other informationthat is useful to know about a person but done not by itself allow one knowing theinformation to identify the particular person.

[0026] Cookie - a text file placed on a user’s computer by a server that also servescontent to the user’s computer using browser software. The cookie typically can beread or altered only by a server operating under the same Internet domain as the 8 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 server that originally placed the cookie. The cookie file can be used to identify acomputer that has already been in contact with the same domain and can also beused to store PH or non-PII pertaining to a user of that computer. In a first example,a cookie can store non-PII such as previous searches conducted at the site, orpages viewed or visited at the site, by the computer user. In a second example, acookie can be used to store a username used by the user to access a site,customized preferences of the user, or various pieces of PH. It should be noted thata cookie file can also be created, altered, or deleted by software located on theuser’s computer.

[0027] Television advertisement (TV ad) - a full screen video ad, a partial screenvideo ad, a banner ad, a text ad, an audio ad, or any other form of advertisementsuitable for delivery to and visual or audible presentation by a television set.

[0028] Various systems are used currently for targeting advertisements based onuser/viewer/customer behavior. Many of these rely on the collection of personallyidentifiable information (PII) to enable correlation of the person exhibiting thebehavior and advertisements targeted at that person. There are some exampleswherein advertisements can be targeted without collecting PH, but in such examplesit is typically the case that the medium of the behavior and that of the advertisementare the same. For example, many grocery stores hand out so-called “club cards”that need not be linked to PH. A shopper presents the card at checkout to receivevarious discounts, thereby allowing the store to link the list of purchased items to thecard. As the system “learns” the shopper’s purchasing habits, the system beginsissuing coupons targeted at purchases that the shopper has made previously or thatthe system predicts the shopper may wish to make based on past purchases. Inanother example, online advertisements are readily targeted based on an Internetuser’s online activities without using PH. The use of cookies enables an ad server torecognize an Internet site visitor who has been previously presented with ads by thead server or who has conducted searches or accessed content at sites linked to thead server. The ad server can target future advertising to the site visitor based onthat previous activity. A user who has searched for airline tickets to southernCalifornia on an online travel site, for instance, can later receive targeted onlineadvertisements for Disneyland, delivered perhaps while visiting some other onlinesite, to the user’s computer from an ad server that collected the user’s searchinformation from the online travel site. 9 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 [0029] It becomes more difficult to avoid the use of PI I when it is desired to targetadvertising in one medium based on activity in another. Various schemes currentlyare implemented, underdevelopment, or being considered wherein Pll is used, e.g.,to target television advertisements based on a viewer’s online behavior. Some ofthose schemes involve agreements or alliances among television providers, onlineaccess providers, online search portals, or online sites. The Pll has typically beenrequired to make the connection between the different media, because differentdevices are typically employed to access each one.

[0030] A significant shortcoming of many such cross-media ad-targeting systems isthe need to use Pll to target advertisements delivered in one medium based on userbehavior in another medium. Battelle (John Battelle, The Search, Portfolio, NewYork, 2005) describes the delivery of personalized ads to a DVR based on observedonline behavior of the DVR user (conducted searches, sites visited, etc., includingPll) when he or she was using a personal computer for online access and furtherdescribes financially rewarding the user for watching the ad (e.g., by reducing thefee for the TV service or by offering "free” TV service). However, many consumersobject to the merging or correlation of personally identifiable information and onlinebehavior. Financial incentives such as free or reduced-fee games, screen-savers,content, or Internet access in return for information useful for targeting ads requiringcollection and use of Pll and data pertaining to online behavior generally have notproven to be attractive to the public in the past. Such combining of Pll with onlinebehavior data has proven particularly unattractive to consumers having largerincomes, who advertisers are especially interested in reaching.

[0031] An example of a cross-media ad-targeting system, planned to beimplemented as a result of an announced alliance between Google and BSkyB, is asystem wherein BSkyB can use searches conducted by their subscribers on theBSkyB Internet search portal to deliver targeted ads to the DVR’s of those samesubscribers. BSkyB already has Pll pertaining to its television subscribers, so linkingsearch results from its own search portal site may not seem too alarming to itssubscribers. Nevertheless, Pll is still required to target the television advertisements. However, many and perhaps most search sites and content sitesaccessed online are not owned or controlled by television service providers. Inaddition, many and perhaps most search sites and content sites do not typicallycollect Pll to identify those users who access them online. io WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 [0032] It is therefore desirable to provide systems and methods for deliveringtargeted television advertisements to users or viewers based on their online behavior(searches performed, sites visited, online ads viewed, an so on), but without usingPll to link the television viewer to his or her online activity. 11 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298

SUMMARY

[0033] In a method for delivering targeted television advertisements based ononline behavior, IP addresses indicating online access devices and IP addressesindicating television set-top boxes are electronically associated, for a multitude ofusers. Using user profile information derived from online activity from one of theonline access IP addresses, a television advertisement is selected, such as by usingbehavioral targeting or demographic information, and automatically directed to theset-top box indicated by the set-top IP address associated with that online access IPaddress. Preferably neither the user profile information nor the electronicassociation of online access and set-top box IP addresses includes personallyidentifiable information.

[0034] Objects and advantages pertaining to delivery of targeted televisionadvertisements based on online behavior may become apparent upon referring tothe exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings and disclosed in the followingwritten description and/or claims. 12 201513/2

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] Figs. 1 -5 and 6A-6C illustrate schematically a system for targeting televisionadvertisements based on online behavior in which online access andtelevision service are provided by a common provider.

[0036] Figs. 7-10, 11A-C and 12 illustrate schematically a system for targeting television advertisements based on online behavior in which online accessand television service are provided by different providers.

[0037] Figs. 13 and 14 illustrate schematically a system for targeting television advertisements based on online behavior in which online access is providedby a mobile device.

[0038] The embodiments shown in the figures are exemplary and should not beconstrued as limiting the scope of the present disclosure and/or appendedclaims. 13 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0039] In the following disclosure and appended claims, the term “user” shall beconstrued as one or more persons receiving online access or television service at adelivery end-point within a household, office, business, or other site or establishmentserved by an online access provider or television service provider Thus, delivery ofa television ad to “the user” based on access of an online site by “the user” mightinvolve a single person, or one person might access the online site while thecorresponding television ad might be delivered to another person in the household,office, business, or other site or establishment. The delivery end-point may be onetelevision set or multiple sets of a given user; likewise, online access may involveone or more computers or other online interface devices of a given user. In someinstances, a business having multiple physical locations may be served by separateonline or television services, but in other instances, a business may have an internalLAN or WAN that extends service provided to multiple physical locations. Also,some computers and televisions are portable, and can access the service providedfrom remote locations. Accordingly, the term “user” is intended to refer to thatperson or those persons who receive the provided services and does not require afixed or single location in such instances.

[0040] In the disclosed exemplary systems and methods for delivering targetedtelevision advertisements based on online behavior, IP addresses indicating onlineaccess devices and IP addresses indicating television set-top boxes areelectronically associated, for a multitude of users. Using user profile informationderived from online activity from one of the online access IP addresses, a televisionadvertisement is selected, such as by using behavioral targeting or demographicinformation, and automatically directed to the set-top box indicated by the set-top IPaddress associated with that online access IP address. Preferably neither the userprofile information nor the electronic association of online access and set-top box IPaddresses includes personally identifiable information. The online access and set-top box IP addresses can be electronically associated for many or all of the users ofthe multitude before directing television ads to any of the multitude of users.Alternatively, online access and set-top box IP addresses can be electronicallyassociated for one or a few of a multitude of users at any given time as needed fordirecting television ads to users, with additional IP addresses electronicallyassociated at later times for directing other television ads to additional users. 14 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 [0041] In an exemplary system for serving targeted television advertisementsbased on a user’s online behavior, the user receives both television service andInternet access from a common service provider that acts as both an internet serviceprovider and a television provider. Accordingly, such a provider entity can bereferred to as ISP/TVP. The basic layout of this scenario is illustrated schematicallyin Fig. 1, wherein online access device 32, online user interface device 34, set-topbox 36, and television 38 are associated with a user 30. In some instances onlineaccess device 32 and online user interface device 34 are integrated in a single unit,while in other instances they comprise separate units. Likewise, in some instancesset-top box 36 and television 38 are integrated in a single unit, while in otherinstances they comprise separate units. The common service provider 20 can offerInternet access via any suitable online access device 32 (a modem, router, ornetwork adapter suitable for connecting to cable, DSL, wireless, satellite, Ethernet,or any other transmission system) along with the television service provided throughset-top box 36 (STB 36). For purposes of the subsequent discussion, online accessdevice 32 shall be described and shown in the figures as a modem and online userinterface device 34 shall be described and shown in the figures as a computerseparate from modem 32. These descriptions shall not be construed as limiting thescope of the present disclosure or appended claims.

[0042] Many users of online access service (i.e., subscribers) are not provided witha static IP address; instead a dynamic IP address (designated as IPmodem in thefigures) is allocated to the user’s modem 32 for online access, typically throughDHCP. The online access IP address is allocated by the Cable Modem TerminationSystem (CMTS) if ISP/TVP 20 is a cable company, whereas the online access IPaddress is allocated by the Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM) ifISP/TVP 20 is a phone company. Other types of online access providers allocatedynamic IP addresses in a similar manner using analogous equipment. It is to themodem IP address (i.e., the online access IP address) that traffic from a remotenetwork is routed to the modem 32 and hence to other devices sharing the modemconnection to the remote network; the modem IP address is the only address “seen”by the remote network. The dynamically assigned online access IP address isreplaced after some time interval by another IP address allocated to modem 32.ISP/TVP 20 transmits (as in Fig. 2) to a Central Ad Server (CAS 40), or perhaps tomultiple CASs, the online access IP addresses of a multitude of users along with 15 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 corresponding pseudonyms or aliases associated with the IP addresses, e.g., userXY123 is connected to the Internet through a modem 32 that is assigned IP addressaaa.bbb.ccc.ddd. Each online access IP address and its associated pseudonymcan be transmitted to the CAS 40 immediately upon its allocation or reallocation byISP/TV 20, which could be advantageous in sending TV ads to the user’s STBquickly. Alternatively, online access IP addresses and the correspondingpseudonyms can be transmitted periodically to CAS 40 at any necessary ordesirable time interval. The pseudonyms and online access IP addresses are non-PII. The multitude of users can be any set made up of a large number of users anddoes not necessarily include every user having online access or television servicethrough a particular company or provider. For example, the system described canoperate only with respect to a subset of users, such as those users who havecapabilities needed to implement this system (e.g., suitable hardware, software,operating system, etc.), those who have done some sort of subscription, or thoseselected based on criteria as to which operation of the system is considereddesirable, less expensive to implement, or profitable. For example, those usersmight be chosen that have STBs with an operating system, software, or hardwarecapable of receiving the software required to accept TV ads from a CAS. In anyevent, the fact that other users may exist as to which the system does not operate isnot intended to negate the advantages of the system as to those users for which thesystem does operate.

[0043] Because the user pseudonym and online access IP address are associatedwith the modem 32, multiple computers or other devices sharing the modemconnection for online access will share the online access IP address and the userpseudonym. When the user’s STB 36 is used to access a web-based server (foraccessing an online programming guide, for example, through the cable televisiontransmission system or through a connection to the Internet), ISP/TVP 20additionally transmits (as in Fig. 2) to the CAS 40 the IP address allocated to theSTB (designated as IPstb in the figures) and associates it with the pseudonympreviously associated with the user’s modem 32, e.g., user XY123 has an STB at IPaddress eee.fff.ggg.hhh in addition to a modem for online access at IP addressaaa.bbb.ccc.ddd. The association of the user’s online access IP address (I.e.,modem IP address) and the user’s STB IP address at CAS 40 constitutes non-PII.ISP/TVP 20 knows the IP address of STB 36 because the web based server 16 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 accessed by STB 36 is typically operated by ISP/TVP 20. If STB 36 has its ownmodem (an increasingly common scenario as the transition is made from IPv4 to O IPv6), the IP address of STB 36 is allocated by ISP/TVP 20 via the CMTS or DSLAMor other similar system, typically using DHCP. Alternatively, in the event that STB 36accesses the web-based server via a connection 35 to the same modem 32 thatprovides the user’s online access (as in Fig. 3), STB 36 will have reported to CAS 40the same IP address that was reported for the user’s online access modem 32. Inall of those cases, the CAS 40 can now associate the IP address for the user’sonline access (modem 32) with an IP address for the user’s STB 36, and theassociation is not Pll.

[0044] ISP/TVP 20 reports to CAS 40 that user XY123 is accessing the Internetusing online access IP address aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd and has STB 36 using STB IPaddress eee.fff.ggg.hhh. These associations can be stored on CAS 40, or only byISP/TVP 20, as desired. If user XY123 engages in online activity from IP addressaaa.bbb.ccc.ddd (for example, accessing an online site 50, as in Fig. 4), then onlinesite 50 can electronically communicate (as in Fig. 5) an indication of the user’sonline activity to CAS 40, which in turn can cause a television advertisement to bedirected to the STB IP address that is associated with online IP addressaaa.bbb.ccc.ddd. In this example the online site 50 acts as a profile provider.Without relying on Pll, CAS 40 knows that IP address aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd is associatedwith user XY123 and that user XY123 has a set-top box with IP addresseee.fff.ggg.hhh, and CAS 40 causes the television advertisement to be directed to IPaddress eee.fff.ggg.hhh that indicates STB 36 (as in Figs. 6A-6C). In someimplementations, the television advertisements are delivered to STB 36 using an adserver controlled by ISP/TVP 20, using either an IP-based protocol (an example ofwhich is shown in the referenced figures) or a television delivery system (e.g., adedicated cable advertisement channel). In one such implementation, that ad serverreport to CAS 40 the user pseudonym (XY123) and CAS 40 provides that ad serverwith TV ads targeting user XY123 based on profile information collected from IPaddresses reported by ISP/TVP 20 as belonging to XY123. In another suchimplementation, that ad server reports the IP addresses used by each of a multitudeof users of Internet services provided by ISP/TVP 20 along with the times and datesthat those addresses were used, and CAS 40 provides that ad server with TV adstargeting each of the multitude of Internet users based on profile information 17 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 received from the reported IP addresses at the corresponding reported times anddates. Personal privacy is maintained in these implementations because (1) no Pll isused by CAS 40 in these implementations, and (2) although ISP/TVP 20 has thecapacity to identify the users, the ad server of ISP/TVP 20 does not learn the profileinformation collected for and received by CAS 40.

[0045] The particular television advertisement thus directed typically is selected fordelivery to the user’s STB 36 based on the user’s online behavior (e.g., merelyaccessing the online site 50, viewing a particular web page, performing a particularsearch, clicking on a particular link or ad, online shopping or purchases, or otheractivity). Information about observed online behavior (i.e., indications of onlineactivity) or collected demographic information can be used by the CAS or by theprofile provider to direct a targeted TV ad. In the latter case, the CAS has just the IPaddress of the profiled user and the identity of the profile provider but not theobserved online behavior or demographic information collected by the profileprovider, so the CAS can direct a TV ad to the user merely by enabling the profileprovider to arrange for the delivery of a targeted TV ad based on the observedonline behavior or demographic information available to the profile provider.Examples of profile providers are given above.

[0046] The profile provider (such as the proprietor of online site 50) can send anelectronic communication to the CAS, preferably automatically such as by having theprofile provider’s server pre-programmed to send such electronic communication,which electronic communication contains information that the CAS will use incausing a selected TV ad to be transferred to the STB at the proper time. Theelectronic communication received by the CAS contains information derived from theinteraction of the user with an online site (i.e., online activity), which can be onlinesite 50 or another online site for which the profile provider has access to data aboutuser interactions. The electronic communication can take a variety of forms,including: (1) an indicator of the TV ad that should be shown, such as an URL or adtitle given by the profile provider to retrieve the correct TV ad from the profileprovider’s ad server, or even the actual TV ad; (2) an indicator of information aboutthe user (likely not Pll), such as (a) an IP address pointing to the user, preferablywith time and date of visits; (b) a description of profile information about the user, or(c) a code or keyword used by the profile provider to fetch a visitor’s profile from adatabase; or (3) an indicator describing user activity, such as a code or keyword 18 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 indicating (a) certain categories of users, such as users likely interested inmortgages or users likely interested in travel, etc., or (b) more simply, what thevisitor searched for on the online site, such as “car insurance.” The electroniccommunication can be sent for each instance of a user interacting with the onlinesite, or a list can be created and transmitted containing information about a numberof user contacts. The electronic communication can include any combination ofitems 1-3 above; for example, a list of visitor IP addresses (preferably with date/timeof visits) can be usefully paired with an indicator, in the form of a URL or code,identifying specific TV ads that the profile provider would like to deliver to each of thelisted visitors.

[0047] Once requested, the television advertisement can be transmitted to theuser’s STB in a variety of ways. The advertisement can be previously stored on theCAS and transmitted directly from the CAS to the user’s STB (Fig. 6A). Theadvertisement stored on the CAS can be transmitted from the accessed online site,from another online site, or from another ad server and stored on the CAS as part ofthe transmission request from the accessed online site, and then transmitted to theuser’s STB. The advertisement can be transmitted directly to the user’s STB fromthe accessed online site (Fig. 6B) or from another online site or ad server 60 (Fig.6C). The user’s STB can be instructed by the CAS to retrieve the advertisementdirectly from the accessed site, from the CAS, from another online site, or fromanother ad server, using for example the URL given to the CAS by the profileprovider. In any of those alternatives, the television advertisement need not betransmitted directly to the STB; instead it can be transmitted through one or moreintermediate servers (i.e., a server hosted by an ISP, cable company, ortelecommunications company, for example). The television advertisement can bestreamed or otherwise delivered in real time, or it can be delivered to the user’s STBor an associated DVR for later viewing.

[0048] As IP address are dynamically assigned and reassigned, ISP/TVP 20reports updated online access and STB IP addresses to CAS 40 (as in Fig. 2). TheIP addresses and their associated pseudonyms can be transmitted to the CAS 40immediately upon allocation or reallocation by ISP/TV 20, or can be transmittedperiodically to CAS 40 at any necessary or desirable time interval (fixed or variable).Although assignment of a pseudonym associated with both the online access IPaddress and the STB IP address can facilitate delivery of television ads to STB 36 19 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 based on the user’s online behavior (via modem 32), it is not necessary. All that isrequired is an association between the online access IP address and the STB IPaddress to enable delivery of television ads based on the user’s online activitieswithout relying on PH.

[0049] In another exemplary system for serving targeted television advertisementsbased on a user’s online behavior, the user need not receive both television serviceand Internet access from a common service provider. The basic layout for such asystem is illustrated schematically in Fig. 7, with modem 32 connected to Internetservice provider (ISP) 22 for providing online access, and STB 36 connected totelevision provider (TVP) 24 for providing television service. Again, modem 32 andcomputer 34 are described as examples of online access and interface devices,respectively; the use of these specific examples shall not be construed as limitingthe scope of the present disclosure or appended claims. An online access IPaddress is assigned to modem 32 as described above. In cases where the user’sSTB 36 can also obtain online access via the same IP address as the user’s onlineaccess (i.e., via modem 32), that common IP address comprises the electronicassociation that can be used to perform targeted television advertising withoutrequiring PH. That case can occur by connecting STB 36 to the user’s modem 32via connection 35, in addition to connecting STB 36 to TVP 24. For example, STB36 can be connected to a local area network (LAN) that shares device 32 for onlineaccess. In such an arrangement, network traffic is routed to a common IP address(i.e., the IP address of modem 32) for STB 36 and other devices connected to theLAN. The user can receive online access from any online service provider via anysuitable modem 32 (for cable, DSL, wireless, satellite, or any other transmissionsystem) or other suitable online access device and can receive television servicefrom any suitable television service provider through STB 36. The term “common IPaddress” denotes the IP address of a modem or other online access device to whichremote network traffic is routed for each of multiple devices sharing a commonconnection to the remote network through that modem, e.g., the IP address of amodem connecting to the Internet a router in a local area network (LAN) wouldconstitute the common IP address for multiple devices connected to the LAN foronline access, even though those multiple devices typically also have individual IPaddresses assigned by the router for routing traffic within the LAN. An online site or 20 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 server accessed by any one of the multiple devices only “sees” the common IPaddress (the modem IP address).

[0050] In an exemplary implementation, a user’s STB 36 can periodically contact aCAS 40 (or multiple CASs) via the IP address of the user’s modem 32 that iscommon to STB 36 (as in Fig. 8). The common IP address is dynamically assignedby ISP 22 to the user’s modem 32 or other online access equipment. Modem 32can include a router to route network traffic properly among the user’s computer (orcomputers or other devices) 34 and the user’s STB 36. Alternatively, a separaterouter can be employed, or computer 34 or STB 36 or television 38 can includerouting functions, for properly routing network traffic passing through modem 32,with STB 36 providing routing functions or being connected to the separate router, tocomputer 34, or to television 38 as appropriate. STB 36 reports the common IPaddress to CAS 40 with which it is in contact. However, STB 36 itself might notknow the common IP address it is using, because it communicates through modem32. In such circumstances, STB 36 nevertheless can report the common IP addressto CAS 40 simply by initiating communication through modem 32 to CAS 40, therebyenabling CAS 40 to extract the common IP address from the communication. Thecommon IP address enables delivery of television ads to STB 36 based on accessof an online site via the common IP address (or based on other user profileinformation derived from online activity observed as originating from the onlineaccess IP address of modem 32, i.e., from the common IP address). The existenceof the common IP address associates the online access IP address and the set-topbox IP address. Again, this does not constitute PH. The time interval for theperiodic contact of the STB and the CAS can be set to any appropriate time period,e.g., every five minutes, every hour, or at some other necessary or desirable timeinterval. The time interval can be selected to be commensurate with a typical oraverage time interval for dynamic reassignment of the online access IP address bythe user’s Internet Service Provider. The selected time interval can be madeadjustable if needed or desired. Alternatively or additionally, the contact betweenthe STB and the CAS may not be set to occur at a fixed time interval but ratherirregularly, such as instances where it is triggered by dynamic reassignment of theonline access IP address by the ISP.

[0051] When a user engages in online activity (for example, accessing online site50, as in Fig. 9), user profile information derived from the user’s online activity from 21 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 the online access IP address can be delivered electronically to CAS 40 (from theaccessed site 50 as in Fig. 10, or from another profile provider), which in turn cancause a targeted television advertisement to be directed to the user’s STB, if there isan STB IP address associated with the online access IP address. In the exampleshown in Fig. 9, online site 50 acts as a profile provider, and the user’s onlineaccess IP address (the common IP address), from which the online site wasaccessed by the user, is included with the electronic delivery. CAS 40 causes thetelevision advertisement to be directed to STB 36 at the common IP address (as inFigs. 11A-11C), in accordance with the alternative methods for delivery of the TV addiscussed herein in connection with Figs. 6A-6C. The particular televisionadvertisement thus transmitted typically is selected for delivery to the user’s STB 36based on the user’s online behavior (examples of various sorts of online behavior, ordemographic information provided or determined online, are discussed above). Theaccessed online site 50 transmitting the electronic communication (examples ofwhich are listed above) can be any profile provider, or any profile provider havingaccess to information about user activity with respect to online site 50 can transmitthe electronic communication (examples of alternative types of profile providers arealso given above).

[0052] The television ad can be directed to the STB that most recently reported toCAS 40 as the common IP address the online access IP address from which onlinesite 50 was accessed. In that case, the IP addresses can already be associatedwhen the user profile information is used or the association can be created when theuser profile is received or afterwards. Or the television ad can be directed to theSTB that next reports that IP address to CAS 40 as the common IP address. In thatcase, the IP addresses might not be associated until the STB and CAS 40 are nextin communication with each other and the STB IP address is received by CAS 40.Associations between STBs and online access IP addresses could be stored forfuture usage or could be created in real-time when a STB communicates with a CASto receive TV ads and not stored for future usage (i.e., the association is dropped assoon as the TV ads are delivered to the STB). If the periodic contact interval issufficiently small relative to the typical or average time interval between reallocationof IP addresses, then it is likely that those two IP addresses will be the same andthat the television ad will be directed to the correct STB. There will be a smallfraction of television ads that are misdirected, if the online access IP address is 22 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 reassigned between the accessing of the online site (i.e., deriving the user profileinformation) and the relied-upon contact between the user’s STB and the CAS (i.e.,associating the IP addresses). That fraction can be reduced by reducing theperiodic time interval between STB reports of its common IP address to the CAS orconfiguring the STB to report changes to the common IP address (i.e., to enableupdating of the association between the IP addresses). Associations between onlineaccess and STB IP addresses can be stored for future use, or the IP addresses canbe associated in real-time only when an STB communicates with a CAS to receiveTV ads and not stored for future use (e.g, the association can be purged upondirecting the TV ads to the STB).

[0053] Instead of relying on or waiting for contact from the STB reporting itscommon IP address to one or more CASs, the online site accessed by the usercould instead query one or more CASs to find an STB with a common IP addressmatching the online access IP address from which the online site was accessed. If amatching STB IP address is found, a request is transmitted to the correspondingCAS to transmit a television advertisement to the STB. If the query, match, andrequest are completed sufficiently quickly, then the probability can be kept low that atelevision ad will be directed to the wrong STB.

[0054] In another exemplary implementation, the user’s STB 36 can be assignedan identifier, which need not include PH. Such an identifier can be permanently ortemporarily assigned to STB 36. Examples of such identifiers could include anequipment serial number or a portion thereof, a device MAC address or a portionthereof, a username, a pseudonym, a confirmation number, a tag, or any otheridentifying code or data element. The CAS can place an identifier on the STB thefirst time it is in contact with the STB and read or amend the identifier every timeafterwards the STB and the CAS are in contact. Such an identifier is an analogy of a“cookie” used by online servers to recognize visitors’ computers. The identifier caninclude the IP address the STB is using when in contact with the CAS, so the nexttime the CAS and the STB are in contact, the CAS could compare the IP addressthen used by the STB with the previous IP address used by the STB without lookingin a database. From a privacy perspective, there is an advantage to using anidentifier placed by the CAS on the STB, because it enables the user to control theidentifier from user’s TV screen and set privacy settings to match user preference. Auser may, for example, erase the identifier, alter the identifier to inform the CAS the 23 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 next time it is in communication with the STB that the user is not interested intargeted ads, interested only in ads targeting online behavior from the last sevendays, interested in ads in certain categories only, or interested in all types of adsexcept for certain excluded categories (e.g., adult content). In addition to reportingthe common IP address to CAS 40, STB 36 can also report the identifier. When anonline site 50 is accessed from the common IP address, online site 50 requests thata television advertisement be transmitted to the STB having the common IPaddress. The identifier of the STB most recently reporting the common IP addressbefore the request is compared to the identifier of the STB that next reports that IPaddress to CAS 40 after the request. If the compared identifiers match, then it isnearly certain that the STB corresponds to the same user online access IP addressfrom which online site 50 was accessed and the television advertisement is correctlydirected. If a unique identifier is used (such as a complete MAC address or acomplete device serial number) then misdirecting the television ad is virtuallyimpossible. Even if the identifier is not unique (e.g., a partial MAC address or serialnumber, or a simple four-digit number), it is still highly unlikely that a given IPaddress would be reallocated between STB’s that happen to have the sameidentifier. Use of an identifier can enable accurate directing of television ads to thecorrect STB while requiring the STB to report its IP address to the CAS lessfrequently, reducing network traffic and other resource requirements.

[0055] In another exemplary implementation, instead of reporting the common IPaddress of STB 36 to CAS 40 relatively frequently, STB 36 can be configured tostore its common IP addresses and corresponding times and dates that each of theaddresses is assigned to modem 32 (and hence also to the LAN to which the STB36 is connected). The common IP address can be periodically sampled and thesampling stored (e.g., every 1,5, or 10 minutes, or some other suitable interval), orthe specific times and dates of IP address reassignments can be stored with thecorresponding IP addresses. STB 36 can be configured to periodically (e.g., every4, 6, 12, or 24 hours, or some other suitable time interval) report to CAS 40 all of thecommon IP addresses assigned to modem 32 and the corresponding dates andtimes they were used for some preceding span of time (e.g., 1,7,14, 30, or 90 days,or some other suitable interval). Alternatively, the common IP address can be storedon the STB as part of a cookie or tag set and subsequently read or reset by CAS 40.CAS 40 also can be configured to receive IP addresses and corresponding access 24 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 times and dates for all visitors to an online site 50 that wishes to deliver televisionadvertisements based on online user behavior. Online site 50 periodically reports toCAS 40 (as in Fig. 10) all IP addresses from which the online site was accessedduring some preceding period, along with the corresponding times and dates. Thefrequency and time periods of the online site’s reporting can be similar to those ofthe STB reporting, or they can differ substantially, as needed or desired. The twolists (one from the online site, one from the STB) of IP addresses are compared, anddelivery of a television advertisement is requested if any matches are found, i.e.,whenever it is found that the STB was connected to a modem that was assigned anIP address at a time and date when the online site was accessed from that IPaddress. Such cross-matching ensures accurate delivery of the televisionadvertisement and requires substantially less communication between the STB andthe CAS.

[0056] The common IP addresses (and corresponding times and dates) can bestored on the CAS. Alternatively, privacy can be enhanced in this implementation bystoring the common IP addresses (and corresponding times and dates) locally onthe STB, instead of on the CAS, so the only device that monitors the different IPaddresses assigned to the same access device is the STB. If stored, whether onthe STB, on the CAS, or elsewhere, the list of common IP addresses can be purged.Purging of the IP addresses can be done periodically, at any suitable time interval,and can be manual or automated. Similarly, the list of online access IP address(and corresponding times and dates) from which an online site has been access canbe purged. The STB can be employed to set privacy options, thereby enabling theuser to control at least partly if and how TV advertisements are targeted. Forexample, the user might choose whether or not, or for how long, the CAS or STB willrecord and retain the IP addresses assigned to the user’s modem, or can choose toerase all presently stored IP address data.

[0057] Typically a router does not provide the IP address of the cable, DSL, orother modem to the computer(s) or device(s) connected to it or to a LAN managedby it. STB 36 requires this information to store it for later reporting to CAS 40. Onemethod for enabling this functionality includes providing an Internet server (perhapsas part of CAS 40, or perhaps an independent server) that receives periodicrequests from STB 36 and replies to STB 36 with the common IP address (i.e., theIP address of modem 32, through which STB 36 is provided with online access). 25 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298

Any other method for monitoring the common IP address can be employed,including configuring the modem 32 to directly report its IP address to STB 36. STB36 periodically monitors the IP address of the modem 32 at a selected time interval(described above), and stores the modem IP address (i.e., the common IP address)and the corresponding times and dates each common IP address was allocated tothe user’s modem.

[0058] In any embodiment or implementation in which STB 36 reports IP addressdata to CAS 40 (either stored on STB 36 or for storage at CAS 40), thatcommunication can be achieved in several ways. STB 36 can report the common IPaddress through the online access modem 32. Alternatively, STB 36 can report toCAS 40 through a dedicated upstream data channel 37 that is part of the televisionsystem (as in Fig. 12). The reported IP address data need not be transmitteddirectly to CAS 40; instead it can be transmitted to an intermediate server (e.g.,hosted by an ISP, cable company, or telecom company).

[0059] It should be noted that some STBs have a dedicated modem and typicallywould not need to obtain online access through the user’s online access modem todeliver television service to the user. However, other functionality of an STBincludes, or is expected to include, delivery of audio, video, images, and othercontent from a user’s computer 34 or other networked devices to the user’stelevision 38. To provide that functionality, STB 36 must be connected to the sameLAN or router as the user’s computer(s), even if the STB has its own modem.Although using its own modem for most of its functions, such an STB would stillhave additional online access through the user’s online access modem 32, enablingthe user’s online access and STB to have a dynamically assigned common IPaddress (as described above). The STB can report the common online access IPaddress through the online access modem 32 at the common IP address or throughthe STB’s dedicated modem at its own IP address. The television advertisementtransmitted to the STB can be received through the online access modem 32 at thecommon IP address or can be received through the STB’s dedicated modem at itsown IP address (if, for example, the CAS is provided with the STB modem IPaddress along with the common IP address).

[0060] However the user’s online access and STB IP addresses are electronicallyassociated, the association can be maintained even if the online user interface 26 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 device 34 is a mobile device (e.g., an Internet-enabled cell phone, handset, PDA, orlaptop computer) that is intermittently disconnected from modem 32 and isconnected to the Internet through another connection (e.g., another LAN, a wirelesshotspot, or a cell phone network, as in Figs. 13 or 14). When connected to theInternet through modem 32 (as in Figs. 1 or 7), online sites visited using such amobile device 34 can request delivery of television advertisements to STB 36 in anyof the ways described above. Mobile device 34 can be programmed to store, inmuch the same manner as described above for STB 36, its online access IPaddresses and the corresponding dates and times when disconnected from modem32 and connected to the Internet by another connection (i.e., when “roaming”).

When mobile device 34 is later reconnected to modem 32, those stored roamingonline access IP addresses, along with the corresponding dates and times, can betransmitted to CAS 40 as described previously. Television advertisements can bedirected to STB 36 based on matches found between the roaming online access IPaddresses (and dates and times) from mobile device 34 and online access IPaddresses (and dates and times) reported by online site 50 to CAS 40 for visits toonline site 50.

[0061] Furthermore, the selected television advertisements can be directed to STB36 even after a mobile device 34 is disconnected from modem 32 and beginsaccessing the Internet through roaming online access IP addresses. A tag or cookieplaced on mobile device 34 (or stored in a database elsewhere, such as on CAS 40,by CAS 40, or somewhere accessible on STB 36 or its associated LAN), which tagor cookie can include online access IP addresses (and corresponding dates andtimes) of modem 32 or STB 36. Those IP addresses (and dates and times) can bereported to CAS 40 by mobile device 34 while roaming (following a redirect fromvisited online site 50 for example), and a television advertisement can be directed toSTB 36 (using the IP address reported by the roaming mobile device 34) at therequest of online site 50. Because a new IP address might be assigned to modem32 and STB 36 after roaming device 34 is disconnected from modem 32, anidentifier for STB 36 (as described earlier) can be employed to verify that thetelevision advertisement is directed to the correct STB. The identifier can be storedon mobile device 34 as part of the cookie or tag.

[0062] However the user’s online access and STB IP addresses are electronicallyassociated, the STB can be configured to filter the targeted television 27 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 advertisements based on user preferences. For example, a user might program theSTB to reject certain ad categories (e.g., women’s clothing, or health ads) andaccept certain other ad categories (e.g., automobile ads, electronic equipment ads,or travel ads). The filtering can be configured as “opt in” (i.e., receive ads only inselected categories) or “opt out” (i.e., receive ads in all but selected categories). Inanother example, a user might filter ads based on how long ago an online site wasvisited; e.g., the user might choose to accept ads only from Internet sites visited inthe last seven days. Such filtering or preference data can be applied before or afteran ad is selected to be transmitted. The STB can be configured to notify the CAS orthe online site to prevent selection, or transmission, of the television advertisement,or the STB can accept the advertisement but then not display it to the user. In anexemplary implementation, such user preference or filtering information can bestored in the STB as part of a cookie or tag set and subsequently read or amendedby the CAS. User preference or filtering information can be stored in any suitablelocation or format.

[0063] In another implementation, no software is required to be installed on themobile device, only cookies are placed on the device, which makes implementationin the market much simpler. Once a STB is confirmed to have been using a certainIP address at a certain date and time (for example by having a uniquely tagged STBconsecutively communicate with the CAS using the same IP address or by the STBreporting the common IP address recorded by it as used by the online accessdevice), the CAS database can be searched to find all the computers, mobiledevices, and other STBs that used the same IP address at the same date and time,and those will be assumed to be devices that are part of the same household andusing the same LAN. Then, an association or link is created among the devices, bylinking the device identifiers or tags with the STB’s identifier in the CAS database orby placing linking codes or information identifying the linked devices within theidentifiers (cookies) of each of the devices along with the date and time theassociation was created. The association is kept for no more then a pre-determinedperiod of time (such as seven days), to ensure that the delivered TV ads will bebased only on online activity of those people that live in the house and not on onlineactivity of people that happened to use the house’s LAN only once, such ashouseguests. 28 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 [0064] Once the association is created, profile information (both behavioral anddemographic) collected about the computers and mobile devices before and afterthe association was created could be used to target ads to the STB, regardless ofthe IP addresses used by the computers and mobile devices (such as cell phones)to access the web at the time the profiles were collected.

[0065] For example, consider a common scenario where a laptop, used both athome and in the office, is linked to a home STB as a result of it being used at home.The day after the association was created, the laptop is taken to work, where it isused to visit a home mortgage site (using a different LAN or online access devicethan the one used at home). The home.mortgage site redirects the laptop to theCAS along with a request to transmit a mortgage-related TV ad from one of the site’sadvertisers to the laptop user. The CAS, reading its own cookie that was placed onthe laptop, checks its database and finds that the laptop is linked to a certain STB. Inthe evening, when the laptop user returns home and turns on the TV, the user willsee the mortgage-related TV ad, even if the user left the laptop at work that day.

[0066] In another example, suppose a laptop user using a laptop at work onemorning views a home mortgage advertiser’s ad, before any association betweenthe laptop and a home STB is created. When the mortgage advertiser ad serverredirects the laptop to the CAS with a request to transmit a TV advertisement to theuser, the CAS places a cookie on the laptop, or reads its own cookie if itencountered the laptop before. The CAS, finding no association between the laptopand a STB, stores the IP address used to view the advertiser’s online ad, the CAScookie used to mark the laptop, the date and time the ad was viewed, and a link(e.g., a URL) to the advertiser’s TV ad. In the afternoon, suppose the laptop userreturns home with the laptop. When the user accesses the Internet via the home’sLAN with the laptop, suppose the user visits a travel site interested in deliveringtravel-related TV ads to the user from the site’s advertisers. When the travel siteredirects the laptop to the CAS, the CAS reads its own cookie and records the IPaddress used by the laptop to access the travel site, the CAS cookie used to markthe laptop, the date and time the site was visited, and links to TV ads (sold by thesite to its travel advertisers). Next, the home STB is in contact with the CAS in theevening to check whether there are any TV ads available for its user. The CAS thenuniquely identifies the STB using a tag it previously placed on the STB andrecognizes that the STB is using the same IP address as the STB did several days 29 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 ago. The CAS checks which profile providers were visited by computers and mobiledevices using the same IP address since the STB’s last contact. The CAS finds thelaptop visit to the travel site using the common IP address. The CAS further finds thelaptop’s view of the online mortgage advertiser’s ad, using the cookie used by theCAS to mark the laptop. The CAS can then redirect the STB to fetch the mortgageTV ad, using the link provided by the mortgage advertiser (despite the fact that theonline mortgage ad was viewed by the laptop before making the association with thehome STB) and redirect the STB to fetch the travel TV ads from the links providedby the travel site.

[0067] An Internet site can determine in one of several ways which CAS to contactto arrange for targeted delivery of television advertisements to a visitor of the onlinesite: [0068] (i) Each ISP (or ISP/TVP) has a block of IP addresses from which itdynamically allocates IP addresses to users using DHCP. Based on the onlineaccess IP address of a visitor to the site, an Internet site can determine which ISPthe visitor is using to access the site. The site can then transmit a request to thecorrect CAS for that ISP. The request could be transmitted by redirecting the user tothe correct CAS, for example.

[0069] (ii) The CAS or the CAS owner can transmit to participating Internet sites afile that includes a list of online access IP addresses that the CAS currentlyrecognizes. Updated files can be transmitted at suitable intervals. An Internet sitecan receive such files from multiple CASs, and according to the information in thefiles can determine the proper CAS from which to request that an ad be served tothe Internet site visitor.

[0070] (iii) The Internet site can request ads from all or most major CASs, relyingon the probability that at least one of them may have registered the IP addressallocated to the site visitor by the ISP that provides the site visitor’s online access. Ifthat is the case, that CAS can transmit to the Internet site a confirmation that theCAS recognizes the site visitor’s online access IP address. The Internet site candeliver its request by redirecting a visitor to all or most major ISPs that operate aCAS, for example, or by sending all or most of the major CAS servers a file with theIP addresses and corresponding times and dates of visitors to the site. 3» WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 [0071] The CAS that receives a request to deliver a television ad to an Internet sitevisitor might already have electronically associated an STB IP address with thevisitor’s online access IP address. If not, the CAS can store the site visitor’s onlineIP address, the identity of the requesting Internet site, and the time and date of thevisit to the Internet site. If the site visitor’s STB later accesses the Internet serverand the ISP/TVP transmits the site visitor’s STB IP address to the CAS, the CAScan then arrange delivery of requested television ads. Or if the site visitor’s STBreports a common IP address that matches the site visitor’s IP address, the CAS canthen arrange delivery of requested television ads.

[0072] Although the CAS is described as an entity separate from the profileprovider, it could well be owned by or otherwise controlled by the profile provider.

For example, if a profile provider is an online site (a large site such as Google couldbe a good example), in that implementation no redirect (or other inter-partycommunication) to the CAS will be required because the CAS is the server collectingthe profile on behalf of the online site. For example, Google’s CAS could collect theIP addresses of users who search on Google, what those users search for, at whattimes and dates the searches took place, and possibly the Google cookies used tomark those users’ computers. Due to the very large amount of profile informationabout so many people accumulated by Google, the Google CAS could be used toserve TV ads to STBs. An STB communicates with the Google CAS to checkwhether a STB user has used another computer or mobile device to search onGoogle (the Google CAS uses the STB’s common IP address to find those othercomputers or mobile devices, as explained above), and if Google finds suchsearches were made, it arranges for delivery of targeted TV ads, sold by Google toits advertisers, to the STB of users who made such searches.

[0073] As a security precaution, many residential or home office network routersare set by default to block access from the Internet to devices connected to router.

In this default mode, television advertisements can be transmitted to the STBthrough the modem/router only upon if an initiated request is transmitted by the STB.The STB can be configured to query the CAS periodically for television ads awaitingtransmission to the STB, and in response the CAS can either transmit the ad ordirect the STB to retrieve the ad from the accessed online site or from another onlinesite or ad server. Alternatively, enabling "Port Forwarding” on the router would allowdirect access from the Internet to a STB connected to the Internet through the 31 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 modem/router, thereby enabling the CAS or online site to transmit, at its owninitiative, an advertisement to the STB.

[0074] However the transmission of the advertisement is initiated, and whatever thesource of the transmitted advertisement, the STB can save the advertisement (in itsown memory or storage or in a DVR) for viewing at a later time by the user (perhapsrepeatedly), or the advertisement can be presented in “real-time” or “streaming”format. The advertisement (stored or real-time) can be presented independently, orcan be integrated into other television content. Any suitable procedures fortransmitting the targeted television advertisement to the online user’s STB can beemployed.

[0075] An online site or other profile provider can provide to the CAS a profile of avisitor, in return for a fixed payment or a commission based on revenue generatedby a television advertisement transmitted to the profiled visitor. In such a case thetransmission request received by the CAS from the profile provider includes thevisitor’s profile (searches performed, pages viewed, provided demographicattributes, etc.; typically not PI I). The CAS can match the profile with one or moreother television advertisements to be delivered to the visitor’s STB (in addition tothose requested by the online site). Such additional ads can be sold by the CAS orby another party, and can be transmitted directly from the CAS or pulled by the STBfrom another site or ad server to which the CAS redirects the STB.

[0076] As described previously herein, it is often the case that more than onecomputer or other online user interface device is connected to the Internet through asingle modem or router, and all devices sharing that connection will appear to anonline site to be connected through the same IP address at any given time. Forexample, in a home scenario, a parent and a child in the same household mighteach use their own computer to access the Internet, with the parent visiting sitespertaining to news or finance and the child visiting sites pertaining to pop music ortelevision. (The same is true in a business setting, where many computers mayaccess websites through a common modem or router.) Each such site visited byany person on the LAN reports to the CAS the IP addresses and correspondingtimes and dates of each of those visits (which are the same at any given time forboth computers). The STB in the same household reports to the CAS the commonIP address used for online access. The CAS can now match the STB to the various 32 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 sites visited. Television advertisements can be selected based not only on requestsmade by the visited sites (as already described) but also on content being viewed onthe television when the TV advertisement is delivered. For example, if programmingis being viewed on the television that is typically targeted at adults (e.g., news,financial reports, or adult drama) then television advertisements requested by thenews or finance online sites are presented. Alternatively, if programming is beingviewed on the television that is more typically targeted at children or teenagers, thentelevision advertisements requested by the pop music or fashion online sites arepresented. Both types of ads can be directed to the STB and stored for later viewing(during viewing of suitable television content) or can be directed to the STB andviewed as the suitable television content is viewed. The same discriminationbetween types of sites visited using multiple online access devices can be employedregardless of whether the computers in the household are fixed or mobile devices,through the techniques discussed previously herein.

[0077] In another implementation, the CAS arranges for delivery of TV ads to theSTB along with associated television program targeting criteria, such as targetedage (kid, teen, adult, or senior), targeted gender, or type of content (travel, finance,news, or other subjects). The STB chooses the TV program within which to serveeach of the delivered ads based on comparing the television program targetingcriteria to actual program characteristics. Program characteristics can be ascertainedby virtue of their being included in the electronic TV guide available to the STB orsent with the program as accompanying embedded data, for example, using knownor later-discovered techniques. In a variation, when the STB delivers a televisionprogram to the user, or when the television program is about ready to show anadvertisement, the STB can connect with the CAS and report to the CAS the identityof the viewed program, and the CAS can respond with an instruction identifyingwhich of the ads stored in the STB (previously delivered from the CAS to the STB)should be delivered during the viewed program, based on comparing thecharacteristics of the program being viewed with the targeting criteria.

[0078] The television advertisements directed to users’ set-top boxes at the requestof a profile provider can come from a variety of sources. In one example, a givenprofile provider can request that the CAS direct an advertisement to the user’s STBfrom (or on behalf of) the profile provider itself (if, for example, the profile provider isan online advertiser site interested in delivering TV ads to people that visited its 33 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 online site) or from (or on behalf of) a related site (perhaps a site in the sameInternet domain as the given profile provider). In that example, the proprietor of theCAS, as the facilitator of the targeted TV ad delivery based on the online site visit,can receive a payment from the profile provider. The CAS proprietor can keep ashare of revenue as a commission and pay the TVP for the ad space (except in thecase where the CAS proprietor owns the ad space). The TVP can either retain theentire amount paid by the CAS proprietor, if the TVP owns the TV ad space withinwhich the TV ad was delivered, or the TVP can pay some or all of the amount paidby the CAS proprietor to another entity such as a TV broadcasting network, if theTVP does not own the ad space. In the case where the STB is provided by a thirdparty other than the TVP (such as a service provider like Tivo), the STB provider canarrange with content owners (such as a TV broadcasting network) to have theservice provider’s STBs replace broadcasted TV ads with targeted TV ads, where atargeted TV ad is available, and the service provider and the TV broadcastingnetwork can share the revenue with the CAS proprietor as discussed above. Insome cases, the CAS can be owned by a TVP, an ISP, an STB provider, an onlinesite, a TV ad space owner, or a TV content provider, in which case the payments willbe divided in accordance to the respective roles. In general, a payment from a TVadvertiser is used to pay the TV ad space owner and the entities facilitating thedelivery of the targeted TV ad.

[0079] In another example, the online site or other profile provider can request thatan ad from another advertiser of its own choosing be directed to the user’s STB towhom the online site has sold an amount of television advertising space. The onlinesite generates a new revenue stream by selling TV ads to its advertisers, where theTV ads are delivered to members of the online site’s audience while they watch TV.In that example the online site can collect a revenue amount from the site-chosenadvertiser while paying the CAS, ISP, TVP, ISP/TVP, or TV ad space owner inreturn for assisting to facilitate delivery to the STB of the ad provided by the site-chosen advertiser.

[0080] In another example, the profile provider provides a profile to the CAS inreturn for a payment triggered (1) every time the provided profile (whether includingbehavioral or demographic data) is used to deliver a TV ad, (2) when a TV ad thathas been delivered using the provided profile generates revenues, or (3) simply on 34 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 account of delivery of the profile without regard to whether, how often, or howeffectively it is used.

[0081] The TV advertisement itself can be sold by the CAS, ISP, TVP, ISP/TVP,STB provider, TV ad space owner, or any third party such as a re-seller or a firm thatrepresents ad space owners or profile providers and sells to advertisers. In thatexample the profile provider can collect a revenue amount from any of the entitiesbenefiting from the delivery of the TV ad based on the profile provided by the profileprovider, including the TV ad space owner, STB provider, CAS, ISP, TVP, ISP/TVP,or a third party selling the targeted ad space. The profile provider, re-seller, or theother advertisers can also pay a revenue amount to the CAS, ISP, TVP, or ISP/TVPin return for directing the ad to the STB.

[0082] The systems and methods disclosed herein can be used to generaterevenue in a variety of ways for various of the involved entities, not limited to theexamples given here, that fall within the scope of the present disclosure orappended claims. It should be noted that the terms “pay,” “collect,” “receive,” and soforth, when referring to revenue amounts, can denote actual exchanges of funds orcan denote credits or debits to electronic accounts, especially automatic paymentimplemented with computer tracking. The terms can apply whether the paymentsare characterized as commissions, royalties, referral fees, holdbacks, overrides,purchase-resales, or any other compensation arrangements giving net results of splitadvertising revenues as stated above. Payment can occur either immediately, suchas through micro-payment transfers, periodically, such as daily, weekly, or monthly,or upon accumulation of payments from multiple events totaling above a thresholdamount. The systems and methods disclosed herein can be implemented with anysuitable accounting modules or subsystems for tracking such payments or receiptsof funds.

[0083] The systems and methods disclosed herein can be implemented as generalor special purpose computers or other programmable hardware devicesprogrammed through software or as hardware or equipment “programmed” throughhard wiring, or a combination of the two. Computer programs or other software, ifused, can be implemented in temporary or permanent storage or in replaceablemedia, such as by including programming in microcode, object-oriented code, web-based or distributed software modules that operate together, RAM, ROM, CD-ROM, 35 WO 2008/130736 PCT/US2008/055298 DVD-ROM, hard drives, thumb drives, flash memory, optical media, magnetic media,semiconductor media, or any future storage alternatives.

[0084] It is intended that equivalents of the disclosed exemplary embodiments andmethods shall fall within the scope of the present disclosure and/or appendedclaims. It is intended that the disclosed exemplary embodiments and methods, andequivalents thereof, may be modified while remaining within the scope of the presentdisclosure or appended claims. For example, where the term “product” is used inconnection with a shopping or purchase request, the product can be a physicalproduct, intangible product, or a service.

[0085] For purposes of the present disclosure and appended claims, theconjunction “or” is to be construed inclusively (e.g., “a dog or a cat” would beinterpreted as “a dog, or a cat, or both”; e.g., “a dog, a cat, or a mouse” would beinterpreted as “a dog, or a cat, or a mouse, or any two, or all three”), unless: (i) it isexplicitly stated otherwise, e.g., by use of “either...or,” “only one of...,” or similarlanguage; or (ii) two or more of the listed alternatives are mutually exclusive withinthe particular context, in which case “or” would encompass only those combinationsinvolving non-mutually-exclusive alternatives. For purposes of the presentdisclosure or appended claims, the words “comprising,” “including,” and “having,”and variants thereof, shall be construed as open ended terminology, with the samemeaning as if the phrase “at least” were appended after each instance thereof. 36 , cpnxan rwzn οϊό pnoai^ pnvn irn nr “|»oa,ρηη ηχΰπ laoana na&amp;amp;’na noirmaa πρ’ΐοο .zruwan rwao mpnan 7-13^ oxnnaοιηπη 7v

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