Patent Application
20190156370
The present invention relates generally to message targeting to specific recipients, and particularly to messages related to advertising. More particularly, the present invention relates to advertising relevant to specific customers based upon selectable, identifiable customer traits. Still more particularly, this invention relates to a system and method of identifying such traits through network geolocation data from customers' mobile electronic devices, and matching such geolocation data to advertising campaigns by marketing clients. Even more particularly, this invention relates to means by which marketing clients may associate advertising campaigns with geographic areas, which in turn are matched to customers based on the geolocation of their electronic devices.
Message distribution generally, and mass marketing campaigns particularly, rely upon individual responses to published messages and soliciting responses through conventional communication means or physical attendance at advertised locations. Mass marketing in particular strives for ways to make such campaigns more commercially successful, and one means for doing so is to target advertising campaigns to customers whose interest therein may be inferred from traits of said customers.
One such trait is the location of mobile customers, the classic targeting means being billboards located strategically to get the attention of passers by. Common clients of billboard advertising systems are nearby local merchants and/or service providers who wish to attract the attention of their neighbors through such billboards, customer traits being inferred from the fact that they travel on certain streets and highways. Other legacy systems include radio station broadcasts targeting service areas with entertainment to lure listeners into hearing audio advertising by local merchants, and another is mail and hand delivery of flyers or questionnaires to residences based on demographic data about neighborhoods.
Such means are blunt instruments at best for identifying customer purchasing traits, however, as illustrated by common response rates of fractions of one percent. Advertisers thus perennially seek to narrow the focus of their advertising dollars so that their message is relevant to a larger percentage of the customers to whom it's rendered. A recent strategy involves capturing geographic location (hereinafter “geolocation”) data from customers' mobile electronic devices (largely cellular telephones; hereinafter “mobile device(s)” or “device(s)”) and targeting advertising messages (hereinafter “ad(s)” or “messages”) to them based on inferences about them from their geolocation data. Not only can device geolocation data be refined to target much smaller groups and geographic areas than can billboards and radio broadcasts, but databases containing historical information about specific devices may be accumulated, lending increasingly more precise information about their owners' consuming traits.
Privacy laws, however, limit how precisely a device owner (hereinafter “user”) can be profiled. One means of overcoming such a limit is to get users voluntarily to provide such information by offering special deals if they agree to have an application (hereinafter “app”) installed onto their device which can be targeted periodically by advertisers. Through a wireless network, such as a telephone cellular network, the app transmits geolocation data to the advertiser who matches such geolocation data to ad campaigns of its clients and pushes appropriate client campaign content directly to the user's device to be displayed by the app.
Selecting among client advertising campaigns to target to such apps, however, heretofore has been imprecise, usually targeting any mobile devices which wander into a region defined by a radial distance from a given address, or even of a telephone cell tower. Such imprecision can result in many messages targeted to mobile devices the owners of which have no interest in the advertiser's offerings. A need exists for means for more precisely selecting advertising campaigns that take into account specific traits of potentially targeted mobile devices users.
One possible solution to the geographic precision problem is described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,903,426 to Tholkes, et al. Tholkes describes a system whereby ad clients create “geofences” by registering vertices on a map, the system then imposing lines between the vertices to create a polygon intended to represent a geographic area. The client then may associate ad content with the geographic area. Tholkes' system manages the entire communication process, receiving availability and geolocation data from an app residing on mobile devices, prioritizing overlapping geographic areas created by a client and pushing ad content associated with the highest priority geographic area to the app, the ad content displayed on the device by the app. Though Tholkes' geofencing method improves upon the geolocation precision problem, it still relies for functionality upon the app residing on each target device, which app maintains a standing relationship with Tholkes' system and communicates geolocation data directly to said ad publisher. Such a requirement of an app working directly with an ad publisher significantly limits the effectiveness of Tholkes' system. A need exists for a system and method that can target users entering a client-specified zone without requiring an advertiser's app resident on said user's device.
A message targeting system enables content providers to define geophysical zones for which entering mobile electronic devices may receive messages. The targeting system catalogs messaging campaigns for client defined zones and stores them in a database. An exchange identifies mobile devices for targeting and auctions available display space thereon, providing the targeting system with geolocation and other device-specific data. The targeting system contrasts device geolocation data to client created zones to identify qualifying campaigns, selects one and issues its bid. If the targeting system wins the bid, the exchange transmits its contact information to the mobile device to enable it to contact the targeting system. If the device does so, the targeting system transmits the message to the device directly, even if the device has left the zone. The targeting system logs device data and tracks subsequent encounters with the device for refining future selection criteria.
The novel features believed characteristic of the present invention may be set forth in appended claims. The invention itself, as well as a preferred mode of use and further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Referring now to the figures, and particularly to
One having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that any type of global, wide area, local area, radio or telephone network, could serve the purpose of the Internet without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. One having ordinary skill in the art also will recognize that, though the present invention is described hereinafter in the context of an advertisement targeting system, it could serve to render more relevant messages and information in divergent contexts, such as news alerts, emergency warnings and triggering event announcements, where targeting specific mobile devices 3 because of their behavior or geolocation traits is an effective and efficient strategy. One having ordinary skill in the art thus will recognize that all such purposes and applications, with concomitant variations in the particular embodiment, are considered to be within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Using targeting system 10, DSP 11's advertising clients create campaigns 41 to compete for device 3 ad space. The clients provide ad units 14 and specify a geographically targeted area, duration and time of day and week of campaign 41, and a maximum price they'll pay for a winning bid. Targeting system 10 uses software routines to manage the clients' campaigns 41 and to select one campaign 41 for use for placing bids in response to RFB's from exchanges 20. Targeting system 10's software routines include geofencing routine 50 (see
Exchange 20 provides software developers (not shown) with kits (SDK's) by which they can create modules to promote advertising within available space on browser 4 running on device 3. SDK generated and installed device modules (hereinafter,“SDK modules”) then convey user device 3 identification (ID) data to exchange 20 for participation in an auction of said available advertising space. Presumably, and typically in the advertising context, the software developers or their customers (e.g. browser or application publishers) receive economic incentive from exchange 20 for accepting each message pushed to the SDK modules.
SDK modules commonly run on conventional device 3 browsers 4 such as Apple's OSx Safari for iPhones and iPads, Google Chrome for Android devices, or Windows Mobile for devices which employ Windows based systems. Such SDK modules usually run continuously in background mode within browser 4, and may or may not be controllable by the user (not shown) of device 3. Other SDK modules may reside solely on web sites onto which user device 3 may land while browsing the internet, and have ad space to market only while the user device 3 remains on the web site. Still further, an SDK module may be part of another software app installed onto device 3 by the user, such as an app designed for a specific purpose or function (e.g. to detect and identify environmental music, to access and display weather data, to create documents, or the like) independent from but running in browser 4 or device 3's operating system.
A special form of SDK module harvests not only user ID information, but also geolocation data for device 3 in real time, conveying such geolocation data along with other user ID data to exchange 20 for distribution in conjunction with exchange 20's Request for Bids, discussed below. Alternately, exchange 20 may infer or estimate device 3's geolocation from statistical models owned and operated by exchange 20 or others. In the latter case, specific latitude and longitude of the geolocation of device 3 is derived from set locations such as the city center (not shown) most closely associated with device 3, or even postal service (e.g. billing address zip code) data about device 3. Obviously, actual geolocation data, derived from device 3's geo-awareness using the Global Positioning System (GPS), or a wireless network (“wifi”) internet protocol (IP) address, is preferable, as the geolocation range can be narrowed considerably, thereby permitting inferences about preferences and travel practices of the user of device 3. Though agreements within the National Advertising Initiative limit the precision with which user device 3 geolocation data can be utilized, it still can be within 100 meters of the actual location of device 3, a considerable improvement on city center or postal service data.
Exchange 20 receives user ID data, including if available, geolocation data of device 3 and selects a number of DSP's 11 to which to issue a Request for Bids (RFB) to win the proffered ad space on device 3. DSP 11's comprise server systems running software which can, within 100 milliseconds or less, receive RFB's, market them to their client base, receive advertising content, in the form of ad units 14, from one or more advertising clients, select among such ad content according to DSP 11 criteria, issue a bid to exchange 20, and, if DSP 11's bid is successful, publish the client's ad unit 14 to device 3. The system requires no DSP 11 to install an app on device 3. DSP 11 communicates directly with device 3 only to receive an invitation for ad unit 14 and to publish ad unit 14 to device 3. Other than the foregoing, DSP 11 has no relationship with device 3 and, by implication, its user owner.
Referring now also to
Depending upon the SDK module, the IP address of device 3 may be sent to DSP 11 automatically, or the SDK module may wait for the user of device 3 to evoke the communication, for example by clicking on a link (not shown). In either case, mobile device 3 transmits 35 its IP address directly to DSP 11, with other identifying information to associate the message with the RFB which DSP 11 won in exchange 20's auction 30. DSP 11 then conveys 36 ad unit 14 to device 3 directly for display by the SDK module on device 3 according to its own display criteria. DSP 11 does not control how or when the SDK module displays ad unit 14 except for endemic formatting which might be embedded within ad unit 14. Ad unit 14 is not sent through exchange 20, but directly through the wireless network to which device 3 is connected.
As best seen in
For example, one client may offer one cent (US$ 0.01) for a publication of its ad unit 14, whereas another client may offer five cents (US$ 0.05). Targeting system 10 of course may use other criteria, such as preference of one client over another for non-economic reasons, but primarily its campaign management routine will select the campaign which yields DSP 11 the most profit. Once having selected 46C which campaign 41 to proffer to exchange 20, targeting system 10 calculates the maximum bid it can offer in response to the RFB and selects that amount or a fraction thereof to convey to exchange 20. It then proceeds with issuing 32 a bid to exchange 20, as discussed above.
As best seen in
In operation, targeting system 10 running on DSP 11's server 13 receives 31 a RFB from exchange 20. Targeting system 10's user catalog routine 17 then parses 45A the user data and contrasts 45B device 3's ID to records in user database 15 to look for matches 45C. If a match is found, data from the current encounter with device 3 is used to update 45D user database 15 prior to acting upon the RFB. If no match is found 45E, targeting system 10's user catalog routine creates a new record for device 3 in database 15.
Referring now also to
Map 60 displays geographic features such as roadways, landmarks, buildings and the like which allow the client to recognize the area and to select delimitations for advertising zones 65. Clients may zoom in and out (not shown) on map 60, desired to focus on greater or smaller geographic areas, and to see more detail, such as specific street intersections. A suitable map 60 is Google Maps available from Google, Inc., of Mountain View, Calif. USA. Such map 60 may be purchased or licensed and displayed by targeting system 10 to clients as they specify the general region in which they wish to advertise to mobile devices 3.
Using targeting system 10's campaign creation option, a client opens geofencing routine 50 and views map 60. The client selects a specified geographic region for campaign 41, and creates vertices A-E by clicking on points the client selects on map 60. The client may select 57 three or more vertices on map 60 corresponding with specific locations, such as street corners in a city or road intersections in the countryside. As each vertex A-E is selected, system 10's geofencing routine 50 draws a line from the previously selected vertex. The lines between vertices A-E may or may not be straight, as defined by system 10's geofencing routine 50. As the client proceeds in an orderly fashion from first vertex A to the next B-E in sequence, a circumscribed geographic zone 65 appears on map 60. Once the client believes the circumscribed zone surrounds a geographic area into which the client is interested in sending ad units 14, the client closes 58 system 10's geofencing routine by clicking again on the first vertex A selected. The client can adjust the shape of the zone by moving vertices or creating new vertices by clicking on a point on a line between two adjacent vertices (neither shown).
As best seen in
When the client signifies 58 completion of region 65 to system 10's geofencing routine 50, it then creates 59 polygon 75 representing a region of GPS latitude and longitude into which the client's ad campaign 41 will be directed. System 10's geofencing routine 50 then associates 59 polygon 75 with the client's ad campaign 41 so that campaign selection routine 18 described below may employ it as one of the criteria for selecting qualifying campaigns 41 for use in responding to RFB's.
When DSP 11 receives a RFB from exchange 20, targeting system 10's campaign selection routine 18 contrasts 46A the latitude and longitude data from device 3's geolocation data with polygon 75 and calculates whether or not device 3 entered any client's selected zones 65. If so, a list of qualifying campaigns 41 is compiled 46B for consideration as a response to exchange 20's RFB. System 10's campaign selection routine 18 then contrasts 46C other campaign data, such as offering price, to select one campaign among all that qualify as a basis of responding 32 to the RFB, as discussed in more detail above. If the response 32 to the RFB wins the bid from exchange 20, system 10's ad publishing routine 19 (
Thus, by providing its clients means for precise specification of geographic areas, using targeting system's geofencing routine 50, targeting system 10 allows them to develop campaigns 41 with flexibility to target mobile devices 3 with geographic precision. By tracking mobile devices 3 in its user device database 15, targeting system 50 offers DSP 11's clients more and richer information about device 3 users than simply knowing they've been in a specific area at least once. Thus, DSP 11's clients may stratify campaigns 41 by user device 3 familiarity, such as frequency of attendance in a geographic area, responses to previous campaigns 41, other geographic areas in which the user devices 3 have been found, and the like. Thus, for a given geographic area, a client may post several campaigns 41 with different prices they're willing to pay for pushing ads to devices 3 with different user behavior patterns. Further, as targeting system 10 contrasts one campaign 41 from another, it may be able to increase its own profit by selecting campaigns 41 which rely upon richer knowledge about user devices 3.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred and alternate embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, polygon 75 has been described above as associated with points on map 60, and thereby substantially cartographic in nature. However, vertices A-E could just as well be locations on different floors of a tall building or apartment complex. Polygon 75 accordingly could be confined entirely to such building, without requiring map 60 at all. In other words, the invention described herein is not confined to a cartographic plane represented by a map, but is three-dimensional in nature, and could be entirely vertical, horizontal or a combination of the two.
An example of how this might be useful is illustrated by the Unite d'Habitation, Boulevard Michelet, 13008, Marseille, France, wherein the famous architect, Le Corbusier, designed and built in 1952 an entire city located within a single building. The building houses over 1600 residents divided among eighteen floors. It contains residential units, schools, shops, restaurants, medical facilities, a hotel, a library, and a rooftop garden with a running track, gym and pool. Residents can shop, play, attend school and come together without leaving their high rise “vertical garden city.” Advertisers for one or another of the shops or restaurants within the building, or others outside of the building, may wish to target certain residents, and/or their visitors, to the exclusion of others, e.g. those on only one floor or another (e.g. floors may or may not have children, or the different residential units could be occupied by persons of significantly divergent economic status).
In the non-advertising context, exchanges 20 may not be for-profit entities, but instead may be agencies or contractors charged with, e.g., warning about terrorist emergencies at a university (targeting students, parents and teachers wherever they may currently be), or expected or actual severe weather emergencies (e.g. tornados), warning absent residents to stay away and those in the vicinity to take cover immediately. In such cases, DSP's 11 may be a single entity, such as government law enforcement or weather monitoring agency.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US17/40691 | 7/5/2017 | WO | 00 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62358512 | Jul 2016 | US |
