Systems and methods for matching online users across devices

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for associating a plurality of Internet-enabled devices with a common user profile for targeting Internet content or advertising. One method includes: receiving, from a plurality of Internet-enabled devices, a plurality of requests for electronic content or advertising; extracting, from each of the plurality of requests, a source IP address and a unique identifier associated with the respective Internet-enabled device; for each source IP address for which requests were received over a predetermined time period from a number of Internet-enabled devices below a threshold number of devices, identifying each possible pair of devices from which requests were received; and for each possible pair of devices, calculating a probability that the pair of devices are owned or operated by a common user.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for determining a common user for two or more user devices, the method comprising:
 receiving a first request for electronic content from a first user device;   determining a first device type and first source internet protocol (IP) address associated with the first user device, and a first local time at a first geographic location corresponding to the first request for electronic content;   receiving a second request for electronic content from a second user device;   determining a second device type and second source internet protocol (IP) address associated with the second user device, and a second local time at a second geographic location corresponding to the second request for electronic content;   determining a probability that the first user device and the second user device are operated by a common user, based on each of the first device type, the second device type, the first source internet protocol (IP) address, the second source internet protocol (IP) address, the first local time at the first geographic location corresponding to the first request, and the second local time at the second geographic location corresponding to the second request; and   determining that the first user device and the second user device are operated by a common user when the probability exceeds a predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the probability is calculated at least in part by incorporating a first likelihood that the pair of devices are owned or operated by a common user determined over a predetermined time period. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the probability is calculated at least in part by incorporating a second likelihood that the pair of devices are owned or operated by a common user determined over a second predetermined time period. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 normalizing the first likelihood and the second likelihood;   combining the first likelihood and the second likelihood to create a combined likelihood; and   determining an overall probability that the pair of devices are owned or operated by a common user based at least in part on the combined likelihood.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 grouping the first request and the second request by source IP address over the predetermined time period; and   determining, for each source IP address, whether the first request and the second request over a predetermined time period were from a number of user devices below a threshold number of user devices.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein determining the probability that the pair of devices are owned or operated by a common user further comprises:
 weighting web events that occur when users are statistically expected to be at home less heavily than web events that occur at time periods when users are statistically likely to be away from home; and   determining the probability that the first user device and the second user device are operated by a common user, based on the weighted web events.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the first user device over a network, a request for web page content;   transmitting, to the first user device, instructions either to store a unique identifier in local storage on the first user device or to look-up a unique identifier in local storage on the first user device; and   generating an electronic content request containing the stored or looked-up unique identifier.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising, sending instructions to one of the first user device and the second user device to set a cookie containing a unique identifier, and to generate an electronic content request containing cookie data of the cookie. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 receiving, over a network, a first request for electronic content to display at the first user device, the first request including a first unique identifier stored on the first user device;   receiving, over the network, a second request for electronic content to display at the second user device, the second request including a second unique identifier stored on the second user device; and   determining a number or frequency of occurrences that one of the first user device and the second user device are sending requests for electronic content from a common source IP address.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 accessing, in a database, a demographic or browsing history information generated from the use of the second user device, the demographic or browsing history information being stored in the database in relation to a unique identifier; and   identifying, based on the demographic or browsing history information, electronic content to display at the first user device;   wherein the demographic or browsing history information is synchronized based on the unique identifier being associated with the first user device and the second user device.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the demographic or browsing history information includes one or more of: browsing history, demographic data, behavioral information, user profiling information, and purchase history generated from both the use of the first user device and the use of the second user device. 
     
     
         32 . A system for determining a common user for two or more user devices, the system including:
 a data storage device storing instructions; and   a processor configured to execute the instructions to perform a method including:   receiving a first request for electronic content from a first user device;   determining a first device type and first source internet protocol (IP) address associated with the first user device, and a first local time at a first geographic location corresponding to the first request for electronic content;   receiving a second request for electronic content from a second user device;   determining a second device type and second source internet protocol (IP) address associated with the second user device, and a second local time at a second geographic location corresponding to the second request for electronic content;   determining a probability that the first user device and the second user device are operated by a common user, based on each of the first device type, the second device type, the first source internet protocol (IP) address, the second source internet protocol (IP) address, the first local time at the first geographic location corresponding to the first request, and the second local time at the second geographic location corresponding to the second request; and   determining that the first user device and the second user device are operated by a common user when the probability exceeds a predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the probability is calculated at least in part by incorporating a first likelihood that the pair of devices are owned or operated by a common user determined over a predetermined time period. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the probability is calculated at least in part by incorporating a second likelihood that the pair of devices are owned or operated by a common user determined over a second predetermined time period. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the processor is further configured for:
 grouping the first request and the second request by source IP address over the predetermined time period; and   determining, for each source IP address, whether the first request and the second request over a predetermined time period were from a number of user devices below a threshold number of user devices.   
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein determining the probability that the pair of devices are owned or operated by a common user further comprises:
 weighting web events that occur when users are statistically expected to be at home less heavily than web events that occur at time periods when users are statistically likely to be away from home; and   determining the probability that the first user device and the second user device are operated by a common user, based on the weighted web events.   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the first user device over a network, a request for web page content;   transmitting, to the first user device, instructions either to store a unique identifier in local storage on the first user device or to look-up a unique identifier in local storage on the first user device; and   generating an electronic content request containing the stored or looked-up unique identifier.   
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 32 , further comprising, sending instructions to one of the first user device and the second user device to set a cookie containing a unique identifier, and to generate an electronic content request containing cookie data of the cookie. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 accessing, in a database, a demographic or browsing history information generated from the use of the second user device, the demographic or browsing history information being stored in the database in relation to a unique identifier; and   identifying, based on the demographic or browsing history information, electronic content to display at the first user device;   wherein the demographic or browsing history information is synchronized based on the unique identifier being associated with the first user device and the second user device.   
     
     
         40 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of determining a common user for two or more user devices, the method including:
 receiving a first request for electronic content from a first user device;   determining a first device type and first source internet protocol (IP) address associated with the first user device, and a first local time at a first geographic location corresponding to the first request for electronic content;   receiving a second request for electronic content from a second user device;   determining a second device type and second source internet protocol (IP) address associated with the second user device, and a second local time at a second geographic location corresponding to the second request for electronic content;   determining a probability that the first user device and the second user device are operated by a common user, based on each of the first device type, the second device type, the first source internet protocol (IP) address, the second source internet protocol (IP) address, the first local time at the first geographic location corresponding to the first request, and the second local time at the second geographic location corresponding to the second request; and   determining that the first user device and the second user device are operated by a common user when the probability exceeds a predetermined threshold.