IP Library Granted Patent US 12,308,990
Granted Patent B2
US 12,308,990 · App. 18/608,707 · Granted May 20, 2025

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
H04L12/2809H04L43/04H04L43/08H04L43/0876H04L43/16H04L61/00H04L61/4511H04L61/5046H04L67/02H04L61/2514H04L61/5007
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,308,990
App. No.
18/608,707
Granted
May 20, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and system 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/or 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. GPS coordinates are received from a device using the GPS. A physical address is identified based on the GPS. The IP address is then mapped to the physical address.

Claims (53)

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

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

(b) determining a device activity status based on whether device activity from the IP address does not exceed a defined activity threshold, wherein the determining the device activity status comprises:

(i) monitoring activity to a single IP address;

(ii) based on the monitoring, determining that more than a threshold number of devices or users are connecting to the single IP address; and

(iii) based on the determining that more than a threshold number of devices or users are connecting to the single IP address, further determining that the single IP address is associated with a non-household organization;

(c) based on the device activity status, determining that the IP address is associated with an ICH;

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

(e) identifying a physical address based on the GPS coordinates; and

(f) 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 device activity status comprises:

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

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

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

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , 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.

4. 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.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , 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.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising:

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

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising:

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

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

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

determining an IP assignment age status based on whether an IP assignment age for the IP address is greater than a defined threshold age;

based on the IP assignment age 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.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the determining the IP assignment age status comprises:

observing a number of IP addresses from an internet service provider (ISP) over a defined period of time;

calculating the IP assignment age for the IP address by monitoring the number of IP addresses to identify if and when one or more of the number of IP addresses have been reassigned such that the one or more of the number of IP addresses are connected; and

determining that the IP assignment age is greater than the defined threshold age.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the defined threshold age is a configurable number of days.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein two IP addresses belonging to the ISP are connected when a user has generated activity from both of the two IP addresses.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the identifying the physical address comprises:

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

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , 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.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , 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.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising:

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

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , 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 Mar 18, 2024
From: DEFRANCESCO, BRIAN C; VANDERHOOK, TIMOTHY C; VANDERHOOK, CHRISTOPHER J
To: VIANT TECHNOLOGY LLC
Reel/Frame 066814/0954 →
Continuity (7)
Continuation 17959975 · Oct 4, 2022
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 20240223531A1 · Jul 4, 2024
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