Targeted advertising services method

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing an automatically upgradeable software application includes targeted advertising based upon demographics and user interaction with the computer. The software application includes a display region used for banner advertising that is downloaded over a network such as the Internet. The software application is accessible from a server via the network and demographic information on the user is acquired by the server and used for determining what advertising will be sent to the user. The software application further targets the advertisements in response to normal user interaction with the computer. Data associated with each advertisement is used by the software application in determining when a particular advertisement is to be displayed. This includes the specification of certain programs that the user may have so that, when the user runs the program (e.g., a spreadsheet program), a relevant advertisement will be displayed (e.g., an advertisement for a stock brokerage). This provides two-tiered, real-time targeting of advertising—both demographically and reactively. The software application includes programming that accesses the server to determine if one or more components of the application need upgrading. If so, the components can be downloaded and installed without further action by the user. A distribution tool is provided for software distribution and upgrading over the network. Also provided is a user profile that is accessible to any computer on the network. Furthermore, multiple users of the same computer can possess Internet web resources and files that are personalized, maintained and organized.

1 . A method of providing demographically-targeted advertising to a computer user, comprising the steps of:
 providing a server that is accessible via a computer network;   permitting a computer user to access said server via said computer network;   acquiring demographic information about the user, said demographic information including information specifically provided by the user in response to a request for said demographic information;   providing the user with download access to computer software that, when run on a computer, displays advertising content, records computer usage information concerning the user's utilization of the computer, and periodically requests additional advertising content, wherein the computer usage information comprises information about the user's interactions with said computer software displaying advertising content and at least one other program;   transferring a copy of said software to the computer in response to a download request by the user;   providing a unique identifier to the computer, wherein said identifier uniquely identifies information sent over said computer network from the computer to said server;   associating said unique identifier with demographic information in a database;   selecting advertising content for transfer to the computer in accordance with demographic information associated with said unique identifier;   transferring said advertising content from said server to the computer for display by said program;   periodically acquiring said unique identifier and said computer usage information recorded by said software from the computer via said computer network;   associating said computer usage information with said demographic information using said unique identifier;   selecting advertising content for transfer to the computer in accordance with real-time and other computer usage information and demographic information associated with said unique identifier; and   transferring said advertising content from said server to the computer for display by said program.