System and method for managing the delivery of targeted content
View Patent ↗A system and method for managing the delivery of targeted content. When a user desires to opt-out of receiving targeted content, the user registers with a do-not-target (DNT) registry and is issued a DNT cookie. The DNT cookie is a domain cookie that is stored on a user network access device. A provider of targeted content may look for the DNT cookie stored on the user's network access device. When the DNT cookie is not found, then the provider may deliver targeted content to the user. When the DNT cookie is found, then the provider may not deliver targeted content to the user. A Web site may offer the user an “override” cookie that allows that Web site to provide targeted content, or selected targeted content, even when the user has a DNT cookie. Alternatively, a DNT header can be added to a Web page request that indicates that the user does not want to receive targeted content. The DNT header may be overridden by an override cookie.
1. A system for managing the delivery of targeted content, comprising:
a do-not-target (DNT) repository server comprising a repository server processor;
a network access device comprising a memory and a device processor coupled to the memory; and
a Web server comprising a Web server processor,
wherein the repository server processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:
receiving a cookie request from the network access device for a DNT cookie; and
sending the DNT cookie to the network access device via a network,
wherein the device processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:
receiving the DNT cookie from the DNT repository server;
receiving an override cookie from the Web server;
storing the received DNT cookie and the received override cookie in the memory;
generating a page request for a Web page hosted on the Web server; and
sending the page request to the Web server via the network, and
wherein the Web server processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:
receiving the page request from the network access device;
accessing the memory of the network access device via the network to determine whether the memory stores the DNT cookie and the override cookie;
sending the Web page to the network access device without targeted content when it is determined that the memory stores the DNT cookie and not the override cookie;
sending the Web page to the network access device with targeted content when it is determined that the memory stores the DNT cookie and the override cookie; and
sending the Web page to the network access device with targeted content when it is determined that the memory does not store the DNT cookie.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the network access device is selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a set top box, a smart phone, a PDA, and a WAP-enabled device.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the network is the Internet.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory is a memory device selected from the group consisting of a hard drive, a flash drive, and a memory stick.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the targeted content comprises content selected based on a profile associated with a user.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the targeted content comprises content selected based on a profile associated with the network access device.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein targeted content is classified by function selected from the group consisting of content provided to inform a user, content provided to acquire information from a user, content provided to engage in a financial transaction with a user, content provided to request a user to join a group and content provided to request a user to take an action.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the Web server processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising receiving an override request from the network access device for a selected class of targeted content; and
the Web server processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that sending the Web page to the network access device with targeted content when it is determined that the memory stores the DNT cookie and the override cookie comprises
sending the Web page with the selected class of targeted content when it is determined that the memory stores the DNT cookie and the override cookie.
9. A method of managing the delivery of targeted content comprising:
receiving in a device processor of a network access device a do-not-target (DNT) cookie sent from a DNT repository;
receiving in the device processor an override cookie sent from a Web server;
storing the received DNT cookie and the received override cookie in a memory of the network access device;
generating in the device processor a request for a Web page hosted on the Web server;
sending the page request to the Web server via the network;
receiving the page request in a server processor of the Web server;
accessing the memory of the network access device from the Web server via the network to determine in the server processor whether the memory stores the DNT cookie and the override cookie;
sending the Web page without targeted content from the Web server to the network access device when it is determined that the memory stores the DNT cookie and not the override cookie;
sending the Web page with targeted content from the Web server to the network access device when it is determined that the memory stores the DNT cookie and the override cookie; and
sending the Web page with targeted content from the Web server to the network access device when it is determined that the memory does not store the DNT cookie.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the network access device is selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a set top box, a smart phone, a PDA, and a WAP-enabled device.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the network is the Internet.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the memory is a memory device selected from the group consisting of a hard drive, a flash drive, and a memory stick.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the targeted content comprises content selected based on a profile associated with a user.
14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the targeted content comprises content selected based on a profile associated with the network access device.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein targeted content is classified by function selected from the group consisting of content provided to inform a user, content provided to acquire information from a user, content provided to engage in a financial transaction with a user, content provided to request a user to join a group and content provided to request a user to take an action.
16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving in the server processor an override request from the network access device for a selected class of targeted content,
wherein sending the Web page with targeted content from the Web server to the network access device when it is determined that the memory stores the DNT cookie and the override cookie comprises sending the Web page with the selected class of targeted content to the network access device.
17. A system for managing the delivery of targeted content, comprising:
a network access device comprising a memory and a device processor coupled to the memory; and
a Web server comprising a Web server processor,
wherein the device processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:
receiving an override cookie from the Web server;
storing the override cookie in the memory;
generating a page request for a Web page hosted on the Web server; and
sending the page request to the Web server via the network;
wherein the Web server processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:
receiving the page request from the network access device;
determining whether the received page request includes a do-not-target (DNT) header;
sending the Web page to the network access device without targeted content when it is determined that the received request does not include the DNT header;
accessing the memory of the network access device via the network to determine in the server processor whether the memory stores the override cookie; and
sending the Web page to the network access device with targeted content when it is determined that the received request includes the DNT header and that the memory stores the override cookie.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the network access device is selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a set top box, a smart phone, a PDA, and a WAP-enabled device.
19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the network is the Internet.
20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the targeted content comprises content selected based on a profile associated with a user.
21. The system of claim 17 , wherein the targeted content comprises content selected based on a profile associated with the network access device.
22. The system of claim 17 , wherein targeted content is classified by function selected from the group consisting of content provided to inform a user, content provided to acquire information from a user, content provided to engage in a financial transaction with a user, content provided to request a user to join a group and content provided to request a user to take an action.
23. The system of claim 17 , wherein:
the Web server processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising receiving an override request from the network access device for a selected class of targeted content; and
the Web server processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that sending the Web page to the network access device with targeted content comprises:
sending the Web page with the selected class of targeted content to the network access device.
24. A method of managing the delivery of targeted content comprising:
receiving in a device processor of a network access device an override cookie from a Web server;
storing the override cookie in a memory of the network access device;
generating in the device processor a page request for a Web page hosted on the Web server;
sending the page request to the Web server via the network;
receiving the page request in a server processor of the Web server;
determining whether the received page request includes a do-not-target (DNT) header;
sending the Web page to the network access device without targeted content when it is determined that the received request does not include the DNT header;
accessing the memory of the network access device via the network to determine in the server processor whether the memory stores the override cookie; and
sending the Web page to the network access device with targeted content when it is determined that the received request includes the DNT header and that the memory stores the override cookie.
25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the network access device is selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a set top box, a smart phone, a PDA, and a WAP-enabled device.
26. The method of claim 24 , wherein the network is the Internet.
27. The method of claim 24 , wherein the memory is a memory device selected from the group consisting of a hard drive, a flash drive, and a memory stick.
28. The method of claim 24 , wherein the targeted content comprises content selected based on a profile associated with a user.
29. The method of claim 24 , wherein the targeted content comprises content selected based on a profile associated with the network access device.
30. The method of claim 24 , wherein targeted content is classified by function selected from the group consisting of content provided to inform a user, content provided to acquire information from a user, content provided to engage in a financial transaction with a user, content provided to request a user to join a group and content provided to request a user to take an action.
31. The method of claim 24 , further comprising:
receiving in the server processor an override request from the network access device for a selected class of targeted content,
wherein sending the Web page to the network access device with targeted content comprises sending the Web page with the selected class of targeted content to the network access device.