Methods and apparatuses for targeting the delivery of advertisements over a network such as the Internet are disclosed. Statistics are compiled on individual users and networks and the use of the advertisements is tracked to permit targeting of the advertisements of individual users. In response to requests from affiliated sites, an advertising server transmits to people accessing the page of a site an appropriate one of the advertisement based upon profiling of users and networks.

Method of delivery, targeting, and measuring advertising over networks

A system and method are provided for transmitting data from a server to a client via blocks. A user query for a solution set is transmitted to a server, which is then used to query a database for a first subset of the solution set. A first block of data is built from data in the database of the server, containing a subset of the solution set, and is then sent to the client over a network. When a second request from the client for the data in the database of the server is received, a second block of the data sets is queried from the database, built, and then transmitted to the client over the network.

Block-based communication in a communication services patterns environment

A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for assigning a view to an activity. Notification is received that a startup event of an activity has occurred. A reference to a first instance of an object created by the startup event of the activity is also received. A view to launch is determined in response to the receipt of the notification and the reference. The view is based on predetermined criteria. The view is associated with the activity and displayed.

A view configurer in a presentation services patterns enviroment

A multimedia production and distribution system collects or assembles a media production (such as, a news program, television programming, or radio broadcast) from a variety of sources, including television stations and other media hosting facilities. The media production is categorized and indexed for retrieval and distribution across a wired or wireless network, such as the Internet, to any client, such as a personal computer, television, or personal digital assistant. A user can operate the client to display and interact with the media production, or select various options to customize the transmission or request a standard program. Alternatively, the user can establish a template to generate the media production automatically based on personal preferences. The media production is displayed on the client with various media enhancements to add value to the media production. Such enhancements include graphics, extended play segments, opinion research, and URLs. The enhancements also include advertisements, such as commercials, active banners, and sponsorship buttons. An advertisement reporting system monitors the sale and distribution of advertisements within the network. The advertisements are priced according to factors that measure the likelihood of an advertisement actually being presented or viewed by users most likely to purchase the advertised item or service. The advertisement reporting system also collects metrics to invoice and apportion income derived from the advertisements among the network participants, including a portal host and/or producer of the content.

Method, system and computer program product for producing and distributing enhanced media downstreams

A data transmission system is disclosed which optimizes transfer and updates of information between systems by providing difference information between the systems. The system transmits data packages having instructions for manipulating user data. The data packages include a header identifying the respective packages, as well as transaction objects for effecting a change to user data on a device having object instructions.

Data transfer and synchronization system

Matching between advertisement and target consumer is achieved in a system which maintains consumer privacy. Such system includes computer end users, an advertising service provider and advertisers. Computer end users subscribe to the advertising service provider. The advertising service provider sells time or other accountable units to the advertisers. The advertiser provides the advertisement. Each advertisement has accompanying demographic information or a desired affinity ranking. The end user completes a demographic questionnaire and ranks various categories of products and services. The advertising service provider sends executable filter programs which run on the end user computer to test whether a corresponding advertisement is to be downloaded and displayed. Alternatively, the user sends out a request for advertisements to the advertising service provider, and the advertising service provider finds advertisements meeting the target demographics requested by the end user or which comply with the affinity rankings.

Advertisements distributed on-line using target criteria screening with method for maintaining end user privacy

A user views search results and subjectively determines if a document is desirable or undesirable. Only documents categorized by the user are analyzed for deriving a list of prospective keywords. The frequency of occurrence of each word of each document is derived. Keywords that occur only in desirable documents are good keywords. Keywords that occur only in undesirable documents are bad keywords. Keywords that occurs in both types are dirty keywords. The best keywords are the good keywords with the highest frequency of occurrence. The worst keywords are the bad keywords with the highest frequency of occurrence. A new query phrase includes the highest ranked good keywords and performs filtering using the highest ranked bad keywords. Key phrases are derived to clean dirty keywords into good key phrases. A key phrase also is derived from a good keyword and replaces the good keyword to narrow a search.

Query refinement method for searching documents

Load balancing is achieved at the client side, rather than at the server side of a client-server network. Each client computer regularly receives a load balance list, enumerating respective addresses of multiple server computers. Each client computer executes a server selection function which determines the average load for each server in the list. In the event of a server computer failure, a system administrator can remove the server computer from the load balance list and reapportion the load. The client computer's list then is updated when the list is received during subsequent access. In the event a client computer determines that a server is non-responsive, such server is removed from the load balance list for the client computer which made such determination. The client computer also stores a back-up list of servers for use when all servers on the load balance list are non-responsive.

Client-side load-balancing in client server network

A subscribing user generates a private key and a corresponding public key stored locally in a “key-ring.” The public key is uploaded to a key repository on a communications server, where public keys of subscribers are maintained. When sending a secure message, the sender's key-ring is checked to determine whether the public key for the recipient is present. If yes, then the public key is used to encrypt the message. If no, then a lookup request is sent to the server to determine whether a public key is available for the recipient. If there is, then the public key is downloaded from the repository to the sender. When the recipient receives the secure message, the recipient's private key is used to decrypt the message. The sender's most recent public key also is transmitted with the message and stored in the recipient's key-ring for future messages sent back to the key owner. Automated key management features are included.

Message handling with format translation and key management

A plurality of vendors include a prescribed hyperlink protocol in their web pages to be participating web pages. The protocol included is the same for everyone, although the function and appearance of a resulting hyperlink varies. For a non-participating end user, the prescribed hyperlink forwards access to a sign-up site. For a participating end user, the function varies according whether the current web page is the referral web site start page, a referral web site non-start page, the privileged web site start page, a privileged web site non-start page, or another participating web page. For the referral start page, the hyperlink redirects access to the privileged web site start page. For the privileged start page, the hyperlink redirects access to the referral start page. For other participating web pages, the function may rotate to redirect access to the referral site or the privileged domain.

Clinton L. Ballard

Papers

Advertisements distributed on-line using target criteria screening with method for maintaining end user privacy

Query refinement method for searching documents

Client-side load-balancing in client server network

Message handling with format translation and key management

Varying web page link based on user and web page status