IP Library Granted Patent US 11,151,599
Granted Patent B2
US 11,151,599 · App. 15/803,548 · Granted Oct 19, 2021

Methods for determining advertisement usage by proxy log data

Inventors: Susan Cimino (Odessa, FL); Stanley Woodruff (Palm Harbor, FL)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
G06Q30/0242G06F16/337G06F16/90335
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,151,599
App. No.
15/803,548
Granted
Oct 19, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to determine click-through rates for advertisements are disclosed. The apparatus includes an application identifier to identify a first application associated with a first request received at a proxy server; a record searcher to search records in a data store within a first threshold of the first request to detect a second request; and a response detector to detect a response to the second request. The application identifier further to identify a parent advertiser based on content of the response to the second request. The record searcher is further to search the data store to identify records within a second threshold of the second request to determine if the second request is directed to the parent advertiser. The apparatus further includes a reporter to record a click-through event or a non-click-through event as a result of the searching.

Claims (51)

1. An apparatus to determine advertisement click-through rates, the apparatus comprising:

an application identifier to identify a first computing application associated with a first network communication protocol request received at a proxy server for Internet communications;

a record searcher to search records in a data store storing requests received at the proxy server within a first threshold of the first network communication protocol request to detect a second network communication protocol request;

a response detector to detect a response to the second network communication protocol request;

wherein the application identifier is further to identify a parent advertiser based on content of the response to the second network communication protocol request;

wherein the record searcher is further to search the data store to identify records within a second threshold of the second network communication protocol request to determine if the second network communication protocol request is directed to the parent advertiser; and

a reporter to record a click-through event or a non-click-through event as a result of the searching, wherein at least one of the application identifier, the record searcher, the response detector, and the reporter are implemented by a logic circuit.

2. The apparatus as described in claim 1 , further including a request filter to filter requests received by the proxy server to prevent filtered requests from being processed by the application identifier and the record searcher.

3. The apparatus as described in claim 1 , further including a user identifier to identify a user associated with the first network communication protocol request.

4. The apparatus as described in claim 1 , further including a device identifier to identify a device associated with the first network communication protocol request.

5. A method for determining advertisement click-through rates, the method comprising:

identifying, by executing an instruction with a processor, a first network communication protocol request received at a proxy server for Internet communications, the first network communication protocol request directed to a first advertising server;

searching, by executing an instruction with the processor, a data store storing requests received at the proxy server to identify records within a first threshold of the first network communication protocol request to detect a second network communication protocol request;

detecting, by executing an instruction with the processor, a response to the second network communication protocol request;

identifying, by executing an instruction with the processor, a parent advertiser based on content of the response to the second network communication protocol request;

in response to identifying a parent advertiser, searching, by executing an instruction with the processor, the data store to identify records within a second threshold of the second network communication protocol request to determine if the second network communication protocol request was directed to the parent advertiser; and

recording, by executing an instruction with the processor, a click-through event or a non-click-through event, as a result of the searching.

6. The method as described in claim 5 , wherein a number of records within the first threshold of the first network communication protocol request is fewer than a number of records in the data store.

7. The method as described in claim 5 , wherein the second network communication protocol request is an image or a video.

8. The method as described in claim 5 , wherein the threshold of the first network communication protocol request is a threshold time of the first network communication protocol request.

9. The method as described in claim 5 , wherein identifying records within a threshold of the first network communication protocol request includes selecting a subset of records within the data store to detect a second request.

10. The method as described in claim 5 , further including determining if a first advertisement associated with the first network communication protocol request is detected within a third threshold of a second advertisement on a displayed webpage.

11. The method as described in claim 5 , further including identifying a panelist associated with the first network communication protocol request.

12. The method as described in claim 5 , further including identifying a device associated with the first network communication protocol request.

13. The method as described in claim 5 , wherein the first network communication protocol request is a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request.

14. A tangible machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

identify a first network communication protocol request received at a proxy server for Internet communications, the first network communication protocol request directed to a first advertising server;

search a data store storing requests received at the proxy server to identify records within a first threshold of the first network communication protocol request to detect a second network communication protocol request;

detect a response to the second network communication protocol request;

identify a parent advertiser based on content of the response to the second network communication protocol request;

in response to identifying the parent advertiser, search the data store to identify records within a second threshold of the second network communication protocol request to determine if the second network communication protocol request was directed to the parent advertiser; and

record a click-through event or a non-click-through event as a result of the searching.

15. The machine-readable storage medium as described in claim 14 , wherein a number of records within the first threshold of the first network communication protocol request is fewer than a number of records in the data store.

16. The machine-readable storage medium as described in claim 14 , further including instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to determine if a first advertisement associated with the first network communication protocol request is placed within a third threshold of a second advertisement on a displayed webpage.

17. The machine-readable storage medium as described in claim 14 , further including instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to identify a panelist associated with the first network communication protocol request.

18. The machine-readable storage medium as described in claim 14 , further including instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to identify a device associated with the first network communication protocol request.

19. The machine-readable storage medium as described in claim 14 , wherein the first network communication protocol request is a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request.

20. The machine-readable storage medium as described in claim 14 , further including instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to select a subset of records within the data store to detect a second request.

21. An apparatus comprising:

at least one memory;

instructions in the apparatus; and

processor circuitry to execute the instructions to:

identify a first network communication protocol request received at a proxy server for Internet communications, the first network communication protocol request directed to a first advertising server;

search a data store storing requests received at the proxy server to identify records within a first threshold of the first network communication protocol request to detect a second network communication protocol request;

detect a response to the second network communication protocol request;

identify a parent advertiser based on content of the response to the second network communication protocol request;

in response to identifying the parent advertiser, search the data store to identify records within a second threshold f the second network communication protocol request to determine if the second network communication protocol request was directed to the parent advertiser; and

record a click-through event or a non-click-through event as a result of the searching.

22. The apparatus as described in claim 21 , wherein the processor circuitry is to filter requests received by the proxy server to prevent filtered requests from being processed.

23. The apparatus as described in claim 21 , wherein the processor circuitry is to identify a user associated with the first network communication protocol request.

24. The apparatus as described in claim 21 , wherein the processor circuitry is to identify a device associated with the first network communication protocol request.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE (REEL 054066 / FRAME 0064) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063605/0001 →
RELEASE (REEL 053473 / FRAME 0001) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063603/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 8, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063574/0632 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063561/0381 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 31, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063560/0547 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENTS LISTED ON SCHEDULE 1 RECORDED ON 6-9-2020 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 053473 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPPLEMENTAL IP SECURITY AGREEMENT. Recorded Oct 7, 2020
From: A.C. NIELSEN (ARGENTINA) S.A.; A.C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; ACN HOLDINGS INC.; ACNIELSEN CORPORATION; ACNIELSEN ERATINGS.COM; AFFINNOVA, INC.; ART HOLDING, L.L.C.; ATHENIAN LEASING CORPORATION; CZT/ACN TRADEMARKS, L.L.C.; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC; NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER INSIGHTS, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN FINANCE CO.; NIELSEN FINANCE LLC; NIELSEN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; NIELSEN MOBILE, LLC; NMR INVESTING I, INC.; TCG DIVESTITURE INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; VIZU CORPORATION; VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.; NMR LICENSING ASSOCIATES, L.P.; NIELSEN HOLDING AND FINANCE B.V.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY B.V.; VNU INTERNATIONAL B.V.
To: CITIBANK, N.A
Reel/Frame 054066/0064 →
SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 9, 2020
From: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; ACN HOLDINGS INC.; ACNIELSEN CORPORATION; ACNIELSEN ERATINGS.COM; AFFINNOVA, INC.; ART HOLDING, L.L.C.; ATHENIAN LEASING CORPORATION; CZT/ACN TRADEMARKS, L.L.C.; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC; NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER INSIGHTS, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN FINANCE CO.; NIELSEN FINANCE LLC; NIELSEN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; NIELSEN MOBILE, LLC; NIELSEN UK FINANCE I, LLC; NMR INVESTING I, INC.; TCG DIVESTITURE INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; VIZU CORPORATION; VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.; NMR LICENSING ASSOCIATES, L.P.; NIELSEN HOLDING AND FINANCE B.V.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY B.V.; VNU INTERNATIONAL B.V.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053473/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 31, 2018
From: WOODRUFF, STANLEY; CIMINO, SUSAN
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 044787/0871 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190139075A1 · May 9, 2019