Method and computer system using proxy IP addresses and PII in measuring ad effectiveness across devices
A profile provider: (i) associates a primary online device (OD1) with a set-top box (STB); (ii) a location of OD1 at some point in time is estimated to be “near” the STB, thereby establishing a STB proxy location; (iii) one or more secondary online devices (OD2s) are observed to be located “near” the STB proxy location and are associated with the STB; and (iv) a television advertisement is selected to be directed to the STB, which selection is based at least in part on profile information linked to one of the associated OD2s. The method can be particularly advantageous in situations wherein: the STB is not connected to any computer network; the STB is not ever connected to the same local area network as OD1 or OD2; or television service (used by the STB) and online access (used by OD1 and OD2s) are provided by different service providers.
1. A method comprising:
(a) with a programmed hardware computer system automatically storing first electronic indicia of an association between a first online device (OD1) and a set-top box (STB) by matching (i) first personally identifiable information (PII) about a user of the OD1, which first PII is received by the computer system from a third party, with (ii) second personally identifiable information about a user of the STB; and
(b) with the computer system automatically measuring effectiveness of an advertisement displayed via the STB by tracking user behavior performed on a second online device (OD2) following delivery of the advertisement, based on an association between the OD2 and the STB, which association has been determined using both (i) the first electronic indicia of the association between the OD1 and the STB stored pursuant to part (a), and (ii) stored second electronic indicia of an association between the OD2 and the OD1, which have been associated based on use by the OD1 of a common proxy IP address and based on use by the OD2 of the common proxy IP address, wherein the common proxy IP address is an IP address through which network traffic of the OD1 and the OD2 was routed, wherein the association between the OD1 and the OD2 has been determined by a computer system located outside a local area network (LAN) defined by the common proxy IP address.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the computer system causing the advertisement to be displayed via the STB.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the user behavior performed on the OD2 takes place when the OD1 is not connected to the LAN.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the common proxy IP address is a dynamically assigned IP address.
5. The method of claim 4 further comprising with the computer system undoing the association between the OD2 and the STB based on lack of use of the common proxy IP address by the OD2 for a predetermined period of time.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising with the computer system undoing the association between the OD2 and the STB based on receipt of a user opt-out.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the stored second electronic indicia of an association between the OD2 and the OD1 is based on the use by the OD2 of the common proxy IP address, as recorded in an electronic record, before the use by the OD1 of the common proxy IP address.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the second PII about a user of the STB is received from a television provider (TVP) that provides television service to the STB.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the second PII about a user of the STB is received from the STB.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first PII comprises an email address.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first PII comprises a user name.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the first PII is received by the computer system as a result of a redirection of the OD1 by equipment of a third party.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the redirection of the OD1 occurs as a result of a user of the OD1 logging into a third-party website.
14. The method of claim 12 wherein the OD1 is redirected directly to the computer system.
15. The method of claim 12 wherein the OD1 is redirected indirectly to the computer system via one or more intermediary servers.
16. The method of claim 12 wherein the redirection of the OD1 occurs as a result of a user of the OD1 opening an email authorized by a television provider (TVP) that provides a television service to the STB.
17. The method of claim 1 wherein the first PII is received by the computer system as a result of a redirection of the OD1 by a third-party website.
18. The method of claim 1 wherein the first PII is received by the computer system as a result of a user of the OD1 opening an email.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the email was authorized by a television provider (TVP) that provides a television service to the STB.
20. The method of claim 1 wherein the first PII is received by the computer system as a result of a user of the OD1 logging into a third-party website.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein: (a) the user behavior performed on the OD2 takes place when the OD1 is not connected to the LAN; (b) the common proxy IP address is a dynamically assigned IP address; and (c) the first PII comprises an email address.
22. A hardware computer system programmed to perform a method comprising:
(a) automatically storing first electronic indicia of an association between a first online device (OD1) and a set-top box (STB) by matching (i) first personally identifiable information (PII) about a user of the OD1, which first PII is received by the computer system from a third party, with (ii) second personally identifiable information about a user of the STB; and
(b) automatically measuring effectiveness of an advertisement displayed via the STB by tracking user behavior performed on a second online device (OD2) following delivery of the advertisement, based on an association between the OD2 and the STB, which association has been determined using both (i) the first electronic indicia of the association between the OD1 and the STB stored pursuant to part (a), and (ii) stored second electronic indicia of an association between the OD2 and the OD1, which have been associated based on use by the OD1 of a common proxy IP address and based on use by the OD2 of the common proxy IP address, wherein the common proxy IP address is an IP address through which network traffic of the OD1 and the OD2 was routed, wherein the association between the OD1 and the OD2 has been determined by a computer system located outside a local area network (LAN) defined by the common proxy IP address.
23. The computer system of claim 22 wherein the method that the computer system is programmed to perform further comprises causing the advertisement to be displayed via the STB.
24. The computer system of claim 22 wherein the computer system can perform the programmed method even when the user behavior performed on the OD2 takes place when the OD1 is not connected to the LAN.
25. The computer system of claim 22 wherein the method that the computer system is programmed to perform further comprises undoing the association between the OD2 and the STB based on lack of use of the common proxy IP address by the OD2 for a predetermined period of time, wherein the common proxy IP address is a dynamically assigned IP address.
26. The computer system of claim 22 wherein the method that the computer system is programmed to perform further comprises undoing the association between the OD2 and the STB based on receipt by the computer system of a user opt-out.
27. The computer system of claim 22 wherein the method that the computer system is programmed to perform comprises using the second PII about a user of the STB, which second PII has been received from a television provider (TVP) that provides television service to the STB.
28. The computer system of claim 22 wherein the method that the computer system is programmed to perform comprising using the second PII about a user of the STB, which second PII has been received from the STB.
29. The computer system of claim 22 wherein the method that the computer system is programmed to perform comprises using the first PII that comprises an email address.
30. The computer system of claim 22 wherein the method that the computer system is programmed to perform comprises using the first PII that has been received by the computer system as a result of a redirection of the OD1 by equipment of a third party.
31. The computer system of claim 30 (i) wherein the method that the computer system is programmed to perform comprises using the first PII that has been received by the computer system as a result of the redirection of the OD1, which redirection has occurred as a result of a user of the OD1 logging into a third-party website; and (ii) wherein the computer system can perform the programmed method even when the user behavior performed on the OD2 takes place when the OD1 is not connected to the LAN.
32. The computer system of claim 22 wherein the method that the computer system is programmed to perform comprises using the first PII that has been received by the computer system as a result of a redirection of the OD1 by a third-party website.
33. The computer system of claim 22 wherein the method that the computer system is programmed to perform comprises using the first PII that has been received by the computer system as a result of a user of the OD1 opening an email.
34. The computer system of claim 22 wherein the method that the computer system is programmed to perform comprises using the first PII that has been received by the computer system as a result of a user of the OD1 logging into a third-party website.