Visitor Profile Modeling via IP Address Intermediary
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for determining website visitor demographics, such as panel-based and survey-based approaches, face challenges in providing accurate information, especially for infrequently visited websites, and often result in low response rates and spam biases.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that infers destination scores for visitor properties by receiving traversals indicating visits to web destinations, using scored and unscored traversals to estimate initial and revised scores through iterative processes, including rescaling and stabilization, to determine visitor demographics without requiring explicit visitor input.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If panel-based approach is used to acquire demographic information, then demographic data can be collected, but the information is not useful for infrequently visited websites
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces IP address as an intermediary to connect website visit data with demographic information. Instead of relying on panelist self-reporting, the system uses geographic location data associated with IP addresses to infer demographics, thereby making the approach applicable to all websites including infrequently visited ones
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical panel-based collection system with an automated IP address-based inference system. This substitution eliminates the need for manual panelist participation and self-reporting, enabling automatic demographic estimation for any website with sufficient visit data
2Measurement precision
If survey-based approach is used to solicit demographic information, then visitor demographics can be obtained, but response rates are generally low and spam attacks can bias answers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service approach where demographic information is automatically inferred from IP address data without requiring visitor participation. The system serves itself by collecting data passively through IP address analysis rather than actively soliciting responses from visitors
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces IP address as an intermediary to obtain demographic information without direct visitor interaction. This intermediary approach eliminates the problems of low response rates and spam attacks that plague direct survey methods
3Ease of operation
If geographic location data from IP address is used to estimate demographics, then demographic information can be obtained without visitor input, but accuracy may be insufficient for targeted advertising
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple data sources including IP address geographic location data with website visit behavior data. By combining these different types of information, the system achieves more accurate demographic estimates that are suitable for targeted advertising while maintaining ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite demographic profile by combining geographic location information from IP addresses with behavioral data from website visit patterns. This composite approach produces more accurate and nuanced demographic information than either data source alone
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems and computer program products for inferring a value of a visitor property for a visitor to a web destination are described. A set of traversals indicating visits to web destinations are received, including scored and unscored traversals. Initial destination scores for the web destinations visited by the scored traversals are inferred based on the known scores of the scored traversals. Initial scores for the unscored traversals are estimated based on the initial destinations scores. Revised destination scores for the web destinations visited by the scored traversals and initial destination scores for the web destinations only visited by the unscored traversals are inferred. Revised scores for the unscored traversals are estimated based on the revised destination scores and initial destination scores. Revised destination scores for all of the web destinations are inferred based on the scores of the scored traversals and the revised scores of the unscored traversals.