Systems and methods to match identifiers

Abstract

A system includes a transaction handler to process transactions, a data warehouse to store transaction data recording the transactions processed at the transaction handler and to store mapping data between first user identifiers and first account identifiers, a profile generator to generate a profile of a user based on the transaction data, and a portal coupled to the transaction handler to receive a query identifying a second user identifier used by the first tracker to track online activities of a user. The system is to identify a second account identifier of the user from the second user identifier based on the mapping data between the first user identifiers and the first account identifiers to facilitate targeted advertising using the profile of the user and/or to provide information about certain transactions of the user related to a previously presented advertisement.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 storing, in a computing device, mapping data generated from matching first user data configured to track first online activities of users and second user data configured to track second online activities of the users, the mapping data identifying mapping between user identifiers and account identifiers, wherein the user identifiers are identified in the first user data, and the account identifiers are identified in the second user data;   receiving, in the computing device, a query identifying a first user identifier;   determining, by the computing device, a first account identifier based on the mapping data and the first user identifier;   identifying, by the computing device, a transaction profile generated based on transaction data in one or more payment accounts associated with the first account identifier; and   providing, by the computing device, the transaction profile as a response to the query.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first user data and the second user data are tracked by different web sites. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first user identifier is an identifier used in a browser cookie; and the first account identifier is an account number of a payment account. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the browser cookie is used by a first web site to track user activities of a user in the first web site; and the account number of the payment account is an account number of the user used on a second web site different from the first web site. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the mapping data includes association between the identifier used in the browser cookie and the account number of the payment account. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the association between the identifier used in the browser cookie and the account number of the payment account is established via correlating data fields of the first user data tracked by a first website and the second user data tracked by a second website; the browser cookie is used by the first website but not the second website; and the account number of the payment account is used in a payment transaction via the second website. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the second website manages electronic payments for different merchants, including the second website. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the second website is operated by a transaction handler of a payment processing network to verify authorized use of payment accounts in online transactions. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 storing, in the computing apparatus, transaction data recording transactions processed by the transaction handler in the payment processing network;   wherein the transaction profile is generated based on transactions in the one or more payment accounts of the user and transactions in payment accounts of second users.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the transaction profile summarizes transactions of the user using a plurality of factor values in accordance with factor definitions identified from a factor analysis of transactions of the second users; the plurality of factor values are determined by applying the factor definitions to the transactions of the user. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the factor definitions specify ways to combine set of variables to obtain factor values. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the set of variables aggregates transactions of the user based on merchant categories. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the variables include spending frequency variables and spending amount variables. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the query is received from the first website; and the transaction profile is provided to the first website. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first website is configured to use the transaction profile to identify an advertisement for presentation to the user. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the advertisement comprises at least an offer of a discount, incentive, reward, coupon, gift, cash back, benefit, product, or service. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the advertisement is presented in a context outside any transaction processed by the transaction handler. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 in response to a user selection of the advertisement, storing an offer provided in the advertisement in association with a payment account of the user.   
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer storage medium storing instructions configured to instruct a computing device to at least:
 store, in the computing device, mapping data generated from matching first user data configured to track first online activities of users and second user data configured to track second online activities of the users, the mapping data identifying mapping between user identifiers and account identifiers, wherein the user identifiers are identified in the first user data, and the account identifiers are identified in the second user data;   receive, in the computing device, a query identifying a first user identifier;   determine, by the computing device, a first account identifier based on the mapping data and the first user identifier;   identify, by the computing device, a transaction profile generated based on transaction data in one or more payment accounts associated with the first account identifier; and   provide, by the computing device, the transaction profile as a response to the query.   
     
     
         20 . A system, comprising:
 at least one microprocessor; and   memory storing instructions configured to instruct the at least one microprocessor to at least:
 store, in the computing device, mapping data generated from matching first user data configured to track first online activities of users and second user data configured to track second online activities of the users, the mapping data identifying mapping between user identifiers and account identifiers, wherein the user identifiers are identified in the first user data, and the account identifiers are identified in the second user data; 
 receive, in the computing device, a query identifying a first user identifier; 
 determine, by the computing device, a first account identifier based on the mapping data and the first user identifier; 
 identify, by the computing device, a transaction profile generated based on transaction data in one or more payment accounts associated with the first account identifier; and 
 provide, by the computing device, the transaction profile as a response to the query.