Methods and systems for signal construction for distribution and monetization by signal sellers

Abstract

Methods and systems for generating signals or indicators from distributed data sources controlled by a multiplicity of owners are also provided. Signals are indicators of data that are derived from data sources and abstracted to protect the underlying data. Each entity that constructs and transmits data first converts data into a “signal” or indicator that represents the data without disclosing it or providing it. The value of the signal cannot be determined separately from one or more buyers and their objectives. Sellers of signals control the usage and transmission of the signals based upon buyer, price, and other rules.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for online exchange of electronic data signals comprising:
 receiving a request for a signal, wherein the request for the signal includes a reference point, wherein the reference point includes a desired behavior or a desired event;   constructing at least one signal through:
 obtaining raw data, including structured data and unstructured data, wherein the structured data and the unstructured data include records associated with a behavior or an event associated with at least one object; 
 correlating the at least one object with an anonymized value, wherein personally identifiable information of the at least one object is not revealed by the anonymized value; 
   retaining the raw data locally on a signal construction computer, wherein the at least one signal includes information about recency and information about frequency of the behavior and/or the event;   wherein the at least one signal includes an agreement defining usage of the at least one signal;   transmitting the at least one signal and the anonymized value to a remote server computer;   identifying the at least one signal by matching the anonymized value to a key-value pair stored on the remote server computer;   indexing the at least one signal based at least upon object relevance or correlation to other signals;   listing the at least one indexed signal in a database to create a remote index associated with the remote server computer;   communicating the remote index to a centralized data signal index on a centralized server computer;   automatically matching the at least one indexed signal with at least one buyer candidate associated with the request for the signal;   automatically recommending to the at least one buyer candidate the matched at least one indexed signal; and   transmitting the at least one indexed signal to at least one signal buyer computer and communicating the transmission to the remote server computer.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reference point further includes parameters for the desired behavior or the desired event. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one signal further includes a source, a destination, a delivery channel, and a transaction time. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising assigning a value to the at least one signal based upon ownership, object relevance, historical usage, performance, and/or the correlation to the other signals. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising recommending a price for the at least one indexed signal to the at least one buyer candidate, wherein the price is based on the assigned value of the at least one signal. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising indexing the at least one signal based upon ownership, object relevance, historical usage, and/or performance. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving signal buyer feedback corresponding to the at least one object, the behavior, and/or the event from that least one signal buyer computer and assigning and updating a value of the at least one signal based upon the signal buyer feedback. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reference point further includes additional inputs related to the desired behavior or the desired event, including an object identity. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising defining rules at a signal owner computer related to how the at least one signal is used, created, generated, and/or constructed, and implementing the rules at the signal construction computer. 
     
     
         10 . A system for online exchange of electronic data signals comprising:
 a signal construction computer operable to receive a request for a signal, wherein the request for the signal includes a reference point, wherein the reference point includes a desired behavior or a desired event;   wherein the signal construction computer is operable to construct at least one signal through:
 obtaining raw data, including structured data and unstructured data, wherein the structured data and the unstructured data include records associated with a behavior or an event associated with at least one object; 
 correlating the at least one object with an anonymized value, wherein personally identifiable information of the at least one object is not revealed by the anonymized value; 
   wherein the raw data remains localized on the signal construction computer, wherein the signal construction computer is constructed and configured for network-based communication with a remote server computer, and wherein the at least one signal includes information about recency and information about frequency of the behavior and/or the event;   wherein the at least one signal includes an agreement defining usage of the at least one signal;   wherein the signal construction computer is operable to transmit the at least one signal and the anonymized value to the remote server computer;   wherein the remote server computer is operable to identify the at least one signal by matching the anonymized value to a key-value pair stored on the remote server computer;   wherein the remote server computer is operable to index the at least one signal based at least upon object relevance or correlation to other signals;   wherein the remote server computer is operable to list the at least one indexed signal in a database to create a remote index associated with the remote server computer;   wherein the remote server computer is operable to communicate the remote index to a centralized data signal index on a centralized server computer;   wherein the centralized server computer is operable to use the centralized data signal index to automatically match the at least one indexed signal with at least one buyer candidate associated with the request for the signal;   wherein the centralized server computer is operable to automatically recommend to the at least one buyer candidate the matched at least one indexed signal; and   wherein the centralized server computer is operable to transmit the at least one indexed signal to at least one signal buyer computer and communicate the transmission to the remote server computer.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a rules engine, wherein the rules engine is operable to limit signal availability based on a buyer identity, a campaign type, a signal requested, a price, a redemption signal type, a purchase quantity, a past performance of signal, a past performance of campaign type, a past performance of buyer, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the centralized server computer is operable to match bids and offers for the at least one indexed signal when matching at least one indexed signal with the at least one buyer candidate. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein a structure of the at least one signal conforms to common taxonomy rules defined by the centralized server computer. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the remote server computer is operable to generate a value of signal relevance to the reference point based upon signal buyer feedback, buyer behavior, consumer behavior, and/or consumer reputation. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the anonymized value is unique to a signal owner computer. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the remote server computer is operable to match the anonymized value to a second anonymized value associated with a second signal. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the remote server computer includes a key-value store including rows for storing marketplace metadata. 
     
     
         18 . A method for online exchange of electronic data signals comprising:
 constructing at least one signal through:
 obtaining raw data, including structured data and unstructured data, wherein the structured data and unstructured data include records associated with a behavior or an event associated with at least one object; 
 correlating the at least one object with an anonymized value, wherein personally identifiable information of the at least one object is not revealed by the anonymized value; 
   retaining the raw data locally on a signal construction computer, wherein the at least one signal includes information about recency and information about frequency of the behavior and/or the event;   identifying the at least one signal by matching the anonymized value to a key-value pair;   indexing the at least one signal based at least upon object relevance or correlation to other signals;   automatically matching the at least one indexed signal with at least one buyer candidate.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising determining the information about recency and the information about frequency via purchase records, flight records, phone records and/or location records. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising generating at least one synthetic signal from the at least one signal and additional signals, and further comprising indexing the at least one synthetic signal.