IP Library Granted Patent US 11,936,618
Granted Patent B2
US 11,936,618 · App. 17/959,975 · Granted Mar 19, 2024

Internet connected household identification for online measurement and dynamic content delivery

Inventors: Brian C. DeFrancesco (Trabuco Canyon, CA); Timothy C. Vanderhook (Newport Beach, CA); Christopher J. Vanderhook (Yorba Linda, CA)
Assignee: VIANT TECHNOLOGY LLC
H04L61/5046H04L12/2809H04L43/04H04L43/08H04L43/0876H04L43/16H04L61/00H04L61/4511H04L67/02H04L61/2514H04L61/5007
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,936,618
App. No.
17/959,975
Granted
Mar 19, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method, apparatus, system, and computer readable storage medium provide the ability to identify an internet connected household (ICH). An Internet Protocol (IP) address is received at an Internet entity. Determinations are made regarding whether device activity from the IP address does not exceed a defined activity threshold and whether an IP assignment age for the IP address is greater than a defined threshold age. Based on the determinations, the IP address can be identified as belonging to an ICH or not.

Claims (71)

1. A computer-implemented method for identifying an internet connected household (ICH), comprising:

receiving an Internet Protocol (IP) address via an Internet connection;

determining a residential internet service status based on whether the IP address belongs to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that provides residential internet service;

determining that the IP address has not changed for a defined time period;

based on the residential internet service status and the determination that the IP address has not changed for the defined time period, determining whether the IP address is associated with an ICH;

receiving global positioning system (GPS) coordinates from a device that is utilizing the IP address;

identifying a physical address based on the GPS coordinates; and

maintaining a mapping of the IP address to the physical address in a table.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the residential internet service status comprises:

determining, based on information obtained from a regional internet registry (RIR), the ISP that has been assigned an IP range block that includes the IP address; and

classifying the ISP as providing residential internet service based on publicly available information regarding the ISP.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the residential internet service status comprises:

receiving an additional IP address;

determining whether the additional IP address belongs to a second ISP that does not provide residential internet service; and

filtering out the additional IP address from further processing.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the determining that the IP address is associated with an ICH further comprises determining a device activity status by:

monitoring activity from the IP address over the defined time period;

determining a defined activity threshold for a level of activity for internet connected households; and

determining that a level of activity from the IP address does not exceed the defined activity threshold.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the determining that the IP address is associated with an ICH further comprises determining a device activity status by:

receiving an additional IP address; and

determining that device activity from the additional IP address is below a defined activity threshold;

determining that the additional IP address is associated with a non-household based on the device activity; and

filtering out the non-household and the additional IP address from further processing.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying the physical address comprises:

placing the GPS coordinates into a nearest centroid of a physical address determined to be a residence.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising:

creating, based on the physical address, an anonymous identification; and

utilizing the anonymous identification as a universal identification to resolve a new IP address back to the physical address.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising:

creating, based on the physical address, an anonymous identification; and

utilizing the anonymous identification as a universal identification to resolve a new device back to the physical address.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising:

utilizing the physical address to determine demographic information for users at the physical address.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising:

utilizing the physical address to determine an access pattern for sub-groups of users at the physical address.

11. A computer-implemented method for identifying an internet connected household (ICH), comprising:

receiving an Internet Protocol (IP) address via an Internet connection;

determining a residential internet service status based on whether the IP address belongs to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that provides residential internet service;

determining a device activity status based on whether device activity from the IP address exceeds a defined activity threshold;

based on the residential internet service status and the device activity status, determining that the IP address is associated with an ICH;

receiving global positioning system (GPS) coordinates from a device that is utilizing the IP address;

identifying a physical address based on the GPS coordinates; and

maintaining a mapping of the IP address to the physical address in a table.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the determining the residential internet service status comprises:

determining, based on information obtained from a regional internet registry (RIR), the ISP that has been assigned an IP range block that includes the IP address; and

classifying the ISP as providing residential internet service based on publicly available information regarding the ISP.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the determining the residential internet service status comprises:

receiving an additional IP address;

determining whether the additional IP address belongs to a second ISP that does not provide residential internet service; and

filtering out the additional IP address from further processing.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the determining the device activity status comprises:

receiving an additional IP address; and

determining that device activity from the additional IP address is below the defined activity threshold;

determining that the additional IP address is associated with a non-household based on the device activity; and

filtering out the non-household and the additional IP address from further processing.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein:

the determining that the IP address is associated with an ICH is further based on an IP assignment age status;

the method further comprises determining the IP assignment age status based on whether the IP address has not changed for a defined time period.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the identifying the physical address comprises:

placing the GPS coordinates into a nearest centroid of a physical address determined to be a residence.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 , further comprising:

creating, based on the physical address, an anonymous identification; and

utilizing the anonymous identification as a universal identification to resolve a new IP address back to the physical address.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 , further comprising:

creating, based on the physical address, an anonymous identification; and

utilizing the anonymous identification as a universal identification to resolve a new device back to the physical address.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 , further comprising:

utilizing the physical address to determine demographic information for users at the physical address.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 , further comprising:

utilizing the physical address to determine an access pattern for sub-groups of users at the physical address.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 4, 2022
From: DEFRANCESCO, BRIAN C.; VANDERHOOK, TIMOTHY C.; VANDERHOOK, CHRISTOPHER J.
To: VIANT TECHNOLOGY LLC
Reel/Frame 061310/0234 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 17078869 · Oct 23, 2020
Continuation In Part 17008215 · Aug 31, 2020
Continuation 15144389 · May 2, 2016
Continuation 13895587 · May 16, 2013
Provisional Application 61648341 · May 17, 2012
Related Publication 20230027187A1 · Jan 26, 2023
Cited By (1)
US 12,308,990