De-duplicating Media Impressions via Cookie Overlap Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for monitoring Internet resource usage, such as server logs, are prone to over-counting and under-counting due to tampering and caching issues, and audience measurement entities face challenges in accessing demographic data from external databases while maintaining privacy and adhering to internet protocols.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves extending the beaconing process to partner with database proprietors, redirecting client requests to access cookies set by these partners, and using statistical methods to compile accurate demographic data, ensuring privacy and compliance with internet security protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If server logs are used to monitor Internet resource usage, then the monitoring process is simple, but the data accuracy deteriorates due to over-counting and under-counting from tampering and caching issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces beacon instructions as an intermediary mechanism embedded in content. When a client requests content, the beacon instructions are executed and send monitoring information to a server, acting as a mediator between the content delivery and the monitoring process. This eliminates reliance on server logs alone and provides more accurate tracking of actual content access, including cached content, without requiring complex log analysis.
2Measurement precision
If demographic data is accessed from external databases, then the demographic accuracy improves, but privacy protection and protocol compliance worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by having clients execute beacon instructions that include demographic information collection before accessing external databases. The system pre-establishes protocols for anonymous identification and pre-negotiates data sharing terms with database proprietors, ensuring privacy protection mechanisms are in place before any demographic data access occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses anonymous identifiers and protocol intermediaries as mediators between the monitoring system and external demographic databases. Instead of direct access to personal information, the system uses anonymized user identifiers that act as intermediaries, allowing demographic data retrieval while maintaining user privacy and complying with internet protocols.
3Reliability
If panel sizes are increased for better statistical accuracy, then the measurement reliability improves, but the complexity of data management worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service mechanisms where clients automatically execute beacon instructions and send monitoring information to servers without requiring manual enrollment or complex management. The system leverages existing client infrastructure and internet protocols to autonomously collect and transmit data, eliminating the need for traditional panel member recruitment and simplifying data management while increasing sample size.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus to de-duplicate impression information are disclosed. An example method to de-duplicate media impression information includes determining an overlap between cookies of a first database proprietor and cookies of a second database proprietor on client computers; determining duplicate impression information based on first impression information associated with the first database proprietor, second impression information associated with the second database proprietor, and the overlap; and determining unduplicated impression information based on the duplicate impression information, the first impression information, and the second impression information.