User-targeted advertising

Abstract

Structured data sets including one or more attributes are identified, each structured data set associated with, for example, a particular user. Values corresponding the at least one of the one or more attributes in each structured data set are identified. A condition established by a content provider, for instance, an advertiser, is compared to the identified values to determine if the condition is satisfied. When the condition is satisfied, one or more content items are identified to the users associated with the structured data sets containing identified values satisfying the condition.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method performed by one or more processing devices, comprising:
 for a plurality of users, generating a structured data set that includes attributes of the plurality of users;   receiving, from a content provider, data specifying a target audience;   determining, by one or more data processors and using the generated structured data sets, how many of the plurality of users have the attributes that overlap with the target audience specified;   providing, to the content provider, an indication of (i) how many of the plurality of users have, within the structured data set, attributes that overlap with the audience specified and (ii) how many of the plurality of users will be presented content subsequently distributed by the content provider.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 collecting characteristics of a given user; and   populating, as attribute pairs representing the given user, a portion of the structured data set corresponding to the given user based on the collected characteristics of the given user.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the characteristics of the given user specifies an interest of the given user, and determining how many of the users have the structured data set comprises determining how many of the users have the interest. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising comparing a set of conditions to the attributes of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 determining that a particular user's structured data set fails to match the set of conditions; and   tagging the particular user's structured data set as failing to satisfy the set of conditions.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein determining how many of the plurality of users have the attributes that overlap with the target audience comprises determining how many of the plurality of users have the attributes that overlap with the target audience without comparing all values within the structured data set based on the tagging of the particular user's structured data set. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein determining how many of the plurality of users have the attributes that overlap with the target audience comprises determining that fewer users have the how many of the plurality of users have the attributes that overlap with the target audience than have attributes of a previously specified target audience. 
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage device storing instructions that are executable by one or more processing devices, and cause the one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising:
 for a plurality of users, generating a structured data set that includes attributes of the plurality of users;   receiving, from a content provider, data specifying a target audience;   determining, by one or more data processors and using the generated structured data sets, how many of the plurality of users have the attributes that overlap with the target audience specified;   providing, to the content provider, an indication of (i) how many of the plurality of users have, within the structured data set, attributes that overlap with the audience specified and (ii) how many of the plurality of users will be presented content subsequently distributed by the content provider.   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage device of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions cause the one or more processing devices to perform operations further comprising:
 collecting characteristics of a given user; and   populating, as attribute pairs representing the given user, a portion of the structured data set corresponding to the given user based on the collected characteristics of the given user.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage device of  claim 10 , wherein the characteristics of the given user specifies an interest of the given user, and determining how many of the users have the structured data set comprises determining how many of the users have the interest. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage device of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions cause the one or more processing devices to perform operations further comprising comparing a set of conditions to the attributes of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage device of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions cause the one or more processing devices to perform operations further comprising:
 determining that a particular user's structured data set fails to match the set of conditions; and   tagging the particular user's structured data set as failing to satisfy the set of conditions.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage device of  claim 13 , wherein determining how many of the plurality of users have the attributes that overlap with the target audience comprises determining how many of the plurality of users have the attributes that overlap with the target audience without comparing all values within the structured data set based on the tagging of the particular user's structured data set. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage device of  claim 14 , wherein determining how many of the plurality of users have the attributes that overlap with the target audience comprises determining that fewer users have the how many of the plurality of users have the attributes that overlap with the target audience than have attributes of a previously specified target audience. 
     
     
         16 . A system comprising:
 one or more computer readable storage devices; and   one or more processors configured to execute instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage devices, wherein execution of the instructions cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 for a plurality of users, generating a structured data set that includes attributes of the plurality of users; 
 receiving, from a content provider, data specifying a target audience; 
 determining, by one or more data processors and using the generated structured data sets, how many of the plurality of users have the attributes that overlap with the target audience specified; 
 providing, to the content provider, an indication of (i) how many of the plurality of users have, within the structured data set, attributes that overlap with the audience specified and (ii) how many of the plurality of users will be presented content subsequently distributed by the content provider. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to perform operations further comprising:
 collecting characteristics of a given user; and   populating, as attribute pairs representing the given user, a portion of the structured data set corresponding to the given user based on the collected characteristics of the given user.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the characteristics of the given user specifies an interest of the given user, and determining how many of the users have the structured data set comprises determining how many of the users have the interest. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to perform operations further comprising comparing a set of conditions to the attributes of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to perform operations further comprising:
 determining that a particular user's structured data set fails to match the set of conditions; and   tagging the particular user's structured data set as failing to satisfy the set of conditions.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein determining how many of the plurality of users have the attributes that overlap with the target audience comprises determining how many of the plurality of users have the attributes that overlap with the target audience without comparing all values within the structured data set based on the tagging of the particular user's structured data set.