HK1163879B - Requesting offline profile data for online use in a privacy-sensitive manner - Google Patents

Abstract

A method, performed using one or more servers under the control of an ISP, comprises: (a) receiving an electronic transmission from a requesting server of an IP address and a time and date; (b) automatically determining to which subscriber of the ISP the received IP address was allocated at the received time and date; and (c) automatically transmitting an electronic communication that causes delivery to the requesting server of offline data originating from an offline data provider. The delivered offline data concern the subscriber determined to have been allocated the received IP address at the received time and date. The communication does not convey to the offline data provider the subscriber's history of online activity, and the delivery does not convey to the requesting server a personal identity of the subscriber.

Description

Requesting offline profile data for online use in a privacy-sensitive manner

The inventor: sieckdi, Roy Yi

Claim of interest of related application

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application serial No. 61/144,969, filed on 15/1/2009 with the name Roy Shkedi, which is incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth herein.

Background

When an online server computer (e.g., a server hosting an online site) is accessed by a user using a networked computer or other online user interface device (e.g., by a user visiting an online site), the visited server typically places (or causes to be placed) a cookie on the user computer to enable the online server to identify the user's computer during subsequent visits by the online server. The cookie may include only the IP address, time, and date (IP/T/D) corresponding to the user's access, an additional or alternative cookie identifier, or more detailed information about the user's access to the online server. Instead of (or in addition to) including such additional information in its own cookie, the information can be stored by the online server along with a reference to the cookie (either by IP/T/D or by a cookie identifier included in the cookie). When the user computer subsequently accesses the online server, the server can identify the computer as having previously accessed the server by reading the cookie (with or without placing or modifying an additional cookie). The placement of the cookie and the subsequent identification of the cookie is typically performed automatically under the control of programming code of the online server.

Alternatively or additionally, by placing its own cookie on the user's computer, the accessed server can redirect the accessing user's computer to another online server (i.e., a so-called redirect server) that can place cookies on the user's computer or identify its previously placed cookies, thereby allowing the redirect server to identify the user's computer upon subsequent redirections. The redirection can include information about user access of the redirecting server. The redirect server is also capable of redirecting the user's computer to yet another redirect server; the term "redirect server" can denote any of such a series of redirect servers. Users are generally not directly aware of redirection or cookie placement, which is typically performed automatically under the control of programming code on the redirected or accessed server, respectively. Examples are so-called "web beacons," also known in the industry as 1x1 pixels, web bugs, single-pixel GIFs, pixel tags, smart tags, action tags, clear GIFs, trackers, 1x1 GIFs, or cookie anchors. Such web beacons are typically implemented as single pixel images that can be positioned unobtrusively on web pages or in emails; the user's computer is redirected to a redirect server to retrieve the image, enabling the redirect server to receive cookie identifiers from the accessed website or place its own cookie on the user's computer. In some examples, the user's computer can be targeted to a redirect server (a so-called advertisement program) under the direction of programming code on the user's computer.

In some examples, when redirecting a user's computer to another redirect server, the redirecting server can send its own cookie identifier. This allows the redirect server to associate its own cookie identifier with the server cookie identifier in the redirect in a process called "cookie matching". Upon a subsequent encounter between the user's computer and the redirecting server, the redirecting server need not redirect the user's computer to the redirecting server. Instead, the redirecting server can transmit the newly collected information about the user's computer directly to the redirecting server along with the redirecting cookie identifier. Because the redirect server matches its own cookie identifier with the previous cookie identifier of the redirecting server, the redirect server is able to associate the transmitted newly aggregated information with its own cookie identifier. This information can be used to target online advertisements, or can also be aggregated or distributed to other servers. The cookie matching information transmitted from the redirecting server to the redirecting server can be transmitted on a per user basis, or a file (e.g., log file) including such information can be transmitted to multiple users. cookie matching can reduce the number of redirections of the user's computer, or by the server in the redirection. Using its own cookie on the user's computer, the redirect server is also able to identify the user's computer upon a subsequent encounter between the user's computer and the redirect server.

The servers directly accessed by the user, or any server to which the user's computer is redirected, can use the cookies (and information included therein or otherwise associated therewith) to form a profile that is associated with the user's computer, which in turn can be used in a variety of ways. Based on the configuration file, the accessed or redirected server can select or deliver online advertisements to the user via the user's computer, or can cause additional online servers to select or deliver such advertisements; any scenario will be encompassed by the phrase "selecting or delivering" an advertisement. Online advertisements can be selected and delivered immediately during a user's current online session, or later when cookies placed on the user's computer are identified by the accessed server or redirect server during subsequent online sessions. Instead of (or in addition to) providing advertisements, the accessed or redirect server can collect user data from other online servers, can distribute user data to other online servers, or can aggregate user data. Selecting or delivering online advertisements, or collecting, aggregating, or distributing collected user data is typically performed automatically under the control of programming code on the associated server.

The selected online advertisements for delivery to the user may be generic, but it is generally preferred to deliver online advertisements that are targeted to the user (or at least the user's computer). Targeting online advertising based on online behavior can be done in various ways. The directly accessed online server is able to select and deliver online advertisements to the user's computer based on the user's activities on the online site, which are monitored by the server during the online session. For example, a server for an online travel website can deliver online advertisements for hotels or motels in a particular geographic area during a session where a user finds an airline ticket for that area. The directly accessed online server can also (or instead) deliver targeted online advertisements during the current online session, based on user activity on the server during previous online sessions. For example, a user can purchase a particular movie from an online vendor of music and videos through the vendor's online server during a previous online session. During subsequent online sessions, when a user accesses the server of the music/video vendor, the server can deliver online advertisements for the corresponding movie soundtrack or other movies related to the purchased movie (by common actors, themes, purchased by other customers, and so on).

The targeted online advertisement can also (or instead) be selected or delivered by a redirect server (where the redirect comes from the accessed server or another redirect server). Two previous examples can be implemented where the redirect server selects or delivers targeted online advertisements during the user's online session on the visited online server in the redirect. However, a typical redirect server is able to receive redirects from a large number of online servers, enabling the redirect server to identify online activity at multiple online websites served by corresponding servers that are able to be associated with the same user computer (by identifying or updating the redirect server's cookie at each subsequent redirect). The redirect server can thus select or deliver online advertisements to users at one accessed online server during an online session based on the online activities of users at another accessed online server (either during the same online session or during a previous online session). Alternatively, the redirect server can collect, aggregate, or distribute the online user data and deliver the data to another server that selects or delivers the online advertisement. This may be a sequence of any number of intermediate servers that collect, aggregate, or distribute online user data.

Various types of presentities operate redirect servers for facilitating targeting and delivery of online advertisements. Examples of such online advertising entities include, but are not limited to, online advertising space sellers, online advertising space buyers, online data aggregators, online data publishers, or entities acting as any combination thereof. Such an entity is capable of operating servers that are directly accessed by users as well as redirecting servers.

Conventional methods for online advertising targeting based on online behavior can be performed without the use of personally identifiable information. Tracking of online campaigns and targeting of online advertisements based on the campaigns can be accomplished using only cookies or static IP addresses or advertising programs without knowledge of the identity of the computer user accessing the online server (or without knowledge of the identity of the subscriber whose online access device is used to access the online server). The accessed online server typically does not access personally identifiable information unless the information is supplied by the user when interacting with the online site controlled by the server, and the operator of the accessed online site is typically not permitted to transfer the information to a third party without the user's explicit consent (i.e., without the user's opt-in). The provider of online access (i.e., an internet service provider, also called an ISP) is able to track and record all online activity and associate this tracking information with the identity of the subscriber. However, current public and industrial policies commonly prohibit such tracking of online activities by an ISP, associating the activity with a particular user or subscriber, or transmitting such information to a third party without opt-in. Even if legitimate, privacy policies and business practices that avoid arbitrating consultants support avoiding such tracking of information that reveals or allows exposure of personally identifiable information.

It may be advantageous to determine online advertising targets based not only on online activity originating from the user's computer, but also on the user's "offline" activity and characteristics (i.e., activities that are not performed using access through a computer network, or characteristics that are not necessarily discernible by an online website). Such offline features and activities can include, but are not limited to, city/state/country of residence, home or car ownership, employment status, job description, marital or family status, income level, products purchased offline (phone, mail, or in-store), credit points, membership, political or religious background, or other information about the subscriber's demographics and behavior. These kinds of data are referred to herein as "offline data," as opposed to "online data" that results from a user's online activity. For example, for most consumers in the united states, a large amount of offline data has been collected by credit bureaus such as Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. Retailers also collect and maintain an offline database about their consumers and the shopping history of those consumers. Organizations collect and maintain databases of members, supporters, or sponsors. All such collectors or owners of offline data are referred to herein as "offline data providers". Offline data is traditionally used to target print, mail, and phone advertisements to consumers (i.e., "offline advertisements"). By their very nature, such offline data includes personally identifiable information, as the common intended use is to target offline advertising, which must be targeted to the mailing address or telephone number of a particular person. Examples of personally identifiable information include, but are not limited to, name, date of birth, address of residence, telephone number, email address, financial account number, government-issued identification codes (e.g., social security number or driver license number), vehicle registration or license plate number, facial images, fingerprints, retinal scans, other biometric information, signatures or other written samples, or other information that can be associated with a particular individual.

Online distribution of personally identifiable information is currently limited to so-called opt-in arrangements, in which a user accessing an online website must explicitly give permission to the website to distribute the user's personally identifiable information to other entities. Merging PII with previously collected online tracking or behavioral data is also generally limited to user opt-in arrangements. The weakness of such opt-in cases is their limited proportion (i.e., limited coverage or penetration) because many users refuse opt-in (because they do not want their identifying information to be distributed). Conversely, targeting of online advertisements using only information or data that is not personally identifiable can be performed on an "opt-out" basis, where user information can be used to target online advertisements unless the user explicitly declines permission for the online site to use the information. This opt-out scenario is more commercially valuable because a substantially larger percentage of users (as compared to those who would positively opt-in) would reject opt-out, thus allowing the use of information that is not personally identifiable. The opt-out capability can be made explicitly available by the visited or redirect server, as is currently done by main online website operators and online advertising companies through voluntary industry initiatives. By deleting or disabling cookies on the computer, the user is able to effectively prevent or at least limit the targeting of advertisements based on data collected by the presentity placing the cookies.

Description of the invention

To achieve targeting of online advertisements based on offline data without an impermissible or undesirable correlation of online activity with personally identifiable information (i.e., in an opt-out arrangement), a method using one or more servers under control of an ISP can be performed, wherein: (a) one or more servers receive an electronic transmission of the IP address, time, and date from a requesting server; (b) the one or more servers automatically determining to which subscriber of the ISP the received IP address was assigned at the time and date of receipt; and (c) the ISP automatically transmits the electronic communication that results in the delivery of offline data originating from the offline data provider to the requesting server. The communicated offline data relates to subscribers determined to have been assigned the received IP address at the time and date of receipt.

In a preferred approach, the subscriber's privacy is maintained in several stages. In step (a), the electronic transmission received by the ISP server includes only an identification of the subscriber's computer or access device that is used to access the requesting online server (e.g., the server of the online site accessed by the subscriber) or that is redirected to the requesting redirect server. This identification includes at least the IP/T/D used for access or redirection, and it can also include further identifiers such as cookie identifiers. The transmission to the ISP server can include a transmission from the requesting server or can include a redirection to a computer of the subscriber of the ISP server. No information about the history of subscribers to online activity needs to be transmitted to the ISP server or to an offline data provider.

At step (b), the ISP server can automatically look for its own log file to determine to which subscriber the specified IP address was assigned at the specified time and date. The ISP does not need further investigation to determine what online activities are being performed using IP addresses (and is currently prohibited by industry and public policy from doing so without the subscriber electing to join). Arranging for transmission of offline data by the ISP in part (c) can include transmitting the subscriber's name to the offline data provider (and possibly the subscriber's address, telephone number, or other validated information), but does not include transmitting information about the history of online activity to the offline data provider, which information was generated via the ISP providing online access to the subscriber.

The offline data provider is able to transmit offline data about the subscriber (who has been assigned the received IP address as determined by the ISP) as permitted by current laws and policies. The offline data transmitted to the requesting online server preferably does not include personal identification information. The offline data can be electronically transmitted directly to the requesting server (i.e., not transmitted by the ISP) or can be electronically transmitted to the ISP server, which in turn electronically transmits the offline data to the requesting server. The personally identifiable information can be removed by the offline data provider (or not included at the first location) or removed by the ISP server (if retransmitted). The transmitted offline data (without personally identifiable information) is identified to the requesting presence server by the IP/T/D included in the transmission of step (a) or by a corresponding identifier (as described below). The requesting online server is thus provided with access to offline data for some subscribers, e.g., enabling better targeting of online advertisements to subscribers, even though the subscriber remains anonymous (i.e., not personally identifiable) to the requesting online website.

The goal of the method is to couple offline data about a computer user (e.g., an ISP subscriber) with a particular computer that is being used to access an online website without losing the privacy of the computer user (e.g., without linking the user's personal identity to the user's history of online activity, such as the user's online browsing history). The server hosting the visited online site identifies the computer and its online activity, but not the user (unless, of course, the user provides his or her identity to the online site in the opt-in arrangement). The offline data provider can provide offline data about personally identified users but no information about the history of the users' online activity. The ISP can obtain the user's IP address and the user's personal identity at any given time and use only this information to enable the transmission of the user's offline data (not the personally identifiable portion) which is linked to the user's history of online activity by the requesting server without loss of privacy or personal identity of the user. None of those entities have a single one of the user's personal identity, the user's online access or computer identifier, the user's history of online activity, and the user's offline data. While the ISP can actually gain access to all information (including the user's history of online activity) if the ISP were to collect detailed information about the user's online activity, this situation is currently prohibited by industry and public policy when no user chooses to join.

After receiving the IP/T/D, there are many ways in which the ISP can arrange for the transmission of offline data from the offline data provider to the requesting server. First, the ISP can receive offline data from an offline data provider (in advance or in response to receiving IP/T/D) and then transmit the offline data to the requesting server (without personally identifying the subscriber to the requesting server). The offline data provider need not be provided with any online identifier or IP address of the subscriber. The offline data received by the ISP from the offline data provider typically includes personally identifiable information (e.g., the subscriber's name) and the fact that the ISP already has personally identifiable information. However, typically no personally identifiable information is transmitted to the requesting online server (unless perhaps the subscriber elects to join to provide the information to the requesting server). The transmission of the offline data to the requesting server can occur automatically in response to receiving the IP/T/D or a subsequent transmission of the offline data from the offline data provider. Subsequent transmission of the offline data from the offline data provider (i.e., after the ISP receives the IP/T/D) can occur in response to transmission of the personally identifying subscriber from the ISP to the offline data provider. The transmission can also include a request for offline data, or the offline data can be transmitted by an offline data provider according to a prearrangement between the ISP and the offline data provider (e.g., the offline data provider, upon receiving the name of the subscriber transmitted by the ISP, transmits the offline data to the ISP without a specific request for the data included in the transmission).

Second, offline data can be transmitted by an offline data provider to a requesting server without being transmitted by an ISP. The transmission by the offline data provider can occur automatically in response to a transmission from the ISP to the offline data provider personally identifying the subscriber, and can include or be associated with instructions to transmit the offline data to the requesting server. The instructions can include prearrangement between the ISP and the offline data provider (e.g., the offline data provider, upon receiving the name of the subscriber transmitted by the ISP, transmits the offline data to the ISP without a specific request for the data included in the transmission). The transmission can also include an identifier of the requesting server to enable the offline data provider to transmit the offline data to the correct one of the plurality of requesting servers.

With respect to the same subscriber, the offline data should be recognizable by the requesting server and the offline data provider, but without revealing personally identifiable information to the requesting server or online activity to the offline data provider. One or more identifiers associated with the offline data can be used to achieve mutual approval. In one example, an online identifier (e.g., cookie identifier) appended to the IP/T/D can be generated by the requesting server and transmitted to the ISP with the IP/T/D. The additional identifier can be transmitted from the ISP to the offline data provider (without IP/T/D) and then included in or associated with the transmission of the offline data from the offline data provider to the requesting server. In another example, an identifier that does not include personally identifiable information (i.e., an offline data identifier) can be transmitted by the ISP to the requesting server. The identifier can be generated by the ISP and transmitted to, or generated by and received from, the offline data provider. The offline data identifier can then be included in or associated with the transmission of the offline data from the offline data provider to the requesting server.

Other examples of the transmission of offline data from the offline data provider to the requesting server can include IP/T/D provided to the offline data provider, and may thus require the subscriber to opt-in. In one such example, the IP/T/D transmitted by the requesting server can be transmitted to the offline data provider; the IP/T/D can then be included in or associated with the transmission of offline data from the offline data provider to the requesting server. In another such example, the ISP requests offline data and requests the server to redirect the subscriber computer to a server of the offline data provider to provide access to offline data that is not personally identifiable. This redirection effectively provides the subscriber IP address to the offline data provider.

The acquisition of offline data about its subscribers can be performed by the ISP in response to a request (e.g., received IP/T/D) received from an online server or redirect server. Alternatively, the ISP can obtain offline data about its subscribers from offline data providers in advance. The ISP can store a database of such offline data and transmit portions of the database (without personally identifying the subscriber) in response to requests from online or redirect servers. The offline data can be updated periodically or instantaneously through subsequent acquisition from an offline data provider.

The requesting server can use the offline data in various ways. The requesting server can use this data to target online advertisements to the respective subscribers during their current online sessions or during future online sessions. The requesting server is also able to distribute offline data (without personally identifiable information) to other online servers, typically via redirection of the subscriber's computer. Other online servers can use offline data for online advertising targeting. In addition, the requesting server or other online server can use offline data for television advertising targeting in accordance with the teachings of application No. 11/736,544 filed on day 4, 17, 2007, application No. 11/968,117 filed on day 12, 31, 2007, and application No. 12/257,386 filed on day 10, 23, 2008, each of which is incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth herein.

The disclosed methods can include any suitable or desired flow of advertising revenue. Examples include, but are not limited to, (i) payment by the entity controlling the requesting server to the ISP or to the offline data provider as a reward for the offline data; (ii) receiving by the revenue entity from other online advertising entities in return for distributing the offline data; (iii) payment by the ISP to the offline data provider as a reward for the offline data; or (iv) payment by the offline provider to the ISP as a reward to the offline data provider for identifying the ISP subscriber or for distributing the offline data to the online advertising entity.

In some environments, it is considered desirable for an ISP to avoid, or be denied access to, the user's offline data retransmitted by the ISP. If desired, an encoding or encryption scheme can be developed and used by the requesting online site and offline data provider for transmitting those portions of the offline data that are not personally identifiable to the requesting online site via the ISP. The ISP is not given the key to decode and decrypt that part of the offline data and therefore it does not access the data as it is forwarded by the ISP. Any suitable encoding or encryption protocol can be used.

Any individual step in the method, independent of other steps, can be performed (i) for each individual online accessing user, with respect to which offline data is desired (e.g., by redirecting each user's computer); (ii) once the visited or redirected online site has accumulated a predetermined number of users for a plurality of online visiting users, offline data is desired about the users (e.g., every 50 users or every 1000 users, such as by transmitting a log file); or (iii) once a predetermined period of time has elapsed (e.g., every two hours or every 24 hours, such as by transmitting a log file) for a plurality of online access users, offline data is desired with respect to the online access users.

Any of a variety of transmissions of requests or data can be obtained in any suitable manner independent of the others, including, but not limited to, digital transmission via a computer network or telephone (wired or wireless), digital transmission via recordable media (e.g., magnetic or optical disks, magnetic tape, solid state media), analog transmission (wired or wireless), or transmission of a printed hard copy by any suitable means of transmission. Preferably using automated electronic data transfer controlled by a suitably programmed computer, server, or other machine. For example, the login of the assignment of an IP address by an ISP is typically done using one or more computers or servers programmed for that purpose.

The IP addresses used in the disclosed method can be static or dynamic (e.g., specified using the dynamic host configuration protocol a/k/a DHCP). The IP address can be associated with a particular computer or other online user interface, or the IP address can be associated with a modem, router, or other online access device, such that multiple online user interface devices can share a common IP address when accessing an online website. The IP address can be a 32-bit IP address specified according to the IPv4 protocol, a 128-bit address specified according to the IPv6 protocol, or any other suitable address specified under a future-developed protocol.

The online user interface device can include any user interface device for accessing a remote network, such as the internet, including but not limited to a cellular or mobile phone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), or a networked computer (desktop, workstation, laptop, or other). Use of the phrases "user's computer" or "subscriber's computer" is intended to mean a networked computer or any other suitable online user interface device.

The online access device can comprise any device for connecting the online user interface device to a remote network, such as the internet, including, but not limited to, a modem, a wired or wireless router, a wireless access point, a wired network adapter (e.g., ethernet adapter), a wireless network adapter (e.g., IEEE 802.11, Wi-Fi, WiMax, ED-VO, EDGE, HSPA, CDMA, GSM, or others), or a fiber optic cable-based network adapter (e.g., a network interface unit or optical network termination). The different types of online access devices can be, and sometimes are, combined into a single unit (e.g., a modem that also functions as a router for the LAN). The online user interface device and online access device can be, and sometimes are, combined into a single unit (e.g., a computer with an embedded ethernet adapter, wireless adapter, or modem).

Subscribers are users who establish online access through arrangements with ISPs, usually in exchange for periodic subscription fees. The ISP has personally identifiable information for its subscribers that typically includes at least a name, billing address, and service address for online access (unless access is mobile), and can also include telephone numbers, email addresses, and bank or credit card information. The offline data transmitted by the offline data provider includes data pertaining to at least the subscriber. However, because multiple people may live in a common home or work at a common business, the offline data provider can include offline data (not personally identifiable) in its transmission to the requesting online server, which data relates to people other than the subscriber. For example, the offline data can include information about the number or age of children in the home, or information about a spouse or parents in the home. In further examples, if the subscriber is a business or business owner, the offline data can include information about the business or its employees.

The systems and methods disclosed herein can be implemented as a general purpose or special purpose computer or server or other programmed hardware device that is programmed by software, or as a hardware or device "programmed" by hard-wire, or a combination of both. A "computer" or "server" can comprise a single machine or can comprise multiple interacting machines (located at a single location or at multiple remote locations). Computer programs or other software code if used can be executed in temporary or permanent storage or in a removable medium, such as by including programming in microcode, object-oriented code, network-based or web-based or distributed software models operating together, RAM, ROM, CD-R, CD-R/W, DVD-ROM, DVD + -R, DVD + -R/W, hard drives, thumb drives, flash memory, optical media, magnetic media, semiconductor media, or any future stored alternative.

It is intended that equivalents of the disclosed example embodiments and methods fall within the scope of the disclosure or the appended claims. It is intended that the disclosed exemplary embodiments and methods, as well as equivalents thereof, be modified while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure or appended claims.

For purposes of this disclosure or the appended claims, the conjunction "or" is to be interpreted inclusively (e.g., "dog or cat" is to be interpreted as "dog, or cat, or both"; e.g., "dog, cat, or mouse" is to be interpreted as "dog, or cat, or mouse, or any two, or all three), unless: (i) it is expressly stated otherwise, for example, by use of "or.. or" only one of.. or ", or similar language; or (ii) two or more of the listed alternatives are mutually exclusive within a particular context, in which case "or" will only include those combinations involving non-mutually exclusive alternatives. For the purposes of this disclosure or the appended claims, the words "comprising", "including", "having", and variants thereof are to be construed as open-ended terms, having the same meaning as if the phrase "at least" were appended to each instance thereof.

Claims (32)

1. A method performed using one or more computers, wherein the one or more computers access electronic data containing personal identities of users of respective online user interface devices, and wherein an entity controlling the one or more computers accesses certain online activities performed using the online user interface devices over an internet connection, the method comprising:

(a) receiving, on one or more of the computers, an electronic transmission of an IP address, time, and date from a requesting server;

(b) using one or more of the computers to automatically determine to which of the users the IP address received in part (a) is associated at the time and date received in part (a); and

(c) automatically transmitting an electronic communication from one or more of said computers, said electronic communication resulting in the transfer to said requesting server of offline data originating from an offline data provider, said offline data relating to said user determined in part (b), said communication not conveying to said offline data provider information regarding the history of said online activity accessed by said entity, said online activity being performed by said user determined in part (b), and said transfer and said offline data not conveying to said requesting server the personal identity of said user determined in part (b).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the acts of parts (b) and (c) are performed without associating the history of online activity with the personal identity of the user determined in part (b).

3. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically transmitting the electronic communication from one or more of the computers in part (c) comprises automatically electronically directing the offline data originating from the offline data provider to the requesting server, the offline data relating to the user determined in part (b).

4. The method of claim 3, wherein automatically transmitting the electronic communication from one or more of the computers in part (c) comprises automatically electronically directing the offline data to the requesting server, the offline data received from the offline data provider prior to receiving the IP address, time, and date in part (a).

5. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically transmitting the electronic communication from one or more of the computers in part (c) comprises automatically electronically directing information that identifies itself to the user determined in part (b) to the offline data provider.

6. The method of claim 5, (i) wherein automatically electronically directing to the offline data provider information that identifies itself to the user determined in part (b) results in receiving, by one or more of the computers, the offline data that relates to the user determined in part (b); and (ii) wherein the transfer caused in part (c) comprises transmitting the offline data received from the offline data provider to the requesting server.

7. A method according to claim 5 wherein automatically electronically directing to the offline data provider information identifying itself to the user determined in part (b) results in the offline data provider transmitting to the requesting server the offline data relating to the user determined in part (b), the identity of the requesting server having been prearranged.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein automatically electronically directing to the offline data provider information that identifies itself to the user determined in part (b) results in the offline data provider transmitting to the requesting server the offline data that relates to the user determined in part (b).

9. The method of claim 8, wherein automatically transmitting the electronic communication from one or more of the computers in part (c) further comprises automatically electronically directing information identifying the requesting server to the offline data provider.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising: (i) receiving an online identifier corresponding to the received IP address, time, and date of part (a) from the requesting server; and (ii) transmitting from one or more of said computers said online data identifier to said offline data provider in conjunction with said information which itself identifies said user determined in part (b).

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising: (i) receiving from the offline data provider an offline data identifier corresponding to the user determined in part (b), the offline data identifier not itself identifying the user; and (ii) transmitting from one or more of the computers the offline data identifier to the requesting server in combination with the received IP address, time, and date of part (a).

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising: (i) generating, using one or more of the computers, an offline data identifier corresponding to the user determined in part (b), the offline data identifier not itself identifying the user; (ii) transmitting, from one or more of the computers, the generated offline data identifier to the requesting server in combination with the received IP address, time, and date of part (a); and (iii) transmitting the generated offline data identifier from one or more of the computers to the offline data provider in conjunction with the information that itself identifies the user determined in part (b).

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the IP address, time, and date of part (a) are received from the requesting server.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the IP address, time, and date of part (a) correspond to online access or online redirection to the requesting server via the user's online access device determined in part (b).

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the IP address received from the requesting server is associated with the online user interface device of the user and at least one other online user interface device of the user.

16. A system using one or more computers, wherein the one or more computers access electronic data containing personal identities of users of respective online user interface devices, and wherein an entity controlling the one or more computers accesses a certain online activity performed using the online user interface device over an internet connection, wherein the system comprises:

(a) means for receiving, on one or more of the computers, an electronic transmission of an IP address, time, and date from a requesting server;

(b) means for automatically determining, using one or more of the computers, which of the users the IP address received by module (a) is associated with at the time and date received by module (a); and

(c) means for automatically transmitting an electronic communication from one or more of said computers, said electronic communication resulting in the transfer to said requesting server of offline data originating from an offline data provider, said offline data relating to said user determined by module (b), said communication not conveying to said offline data provider information relating to a history of said online activity visited by said entity, said online activity being performed by said user determined by module (b), and said transfer and said offline data not conveying to said requesting server the personal identity of said user determined by module (b).

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the modules (b) and (c) are run without associating the history of online activity with the personal identity of the user determined at module (b).

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said module (c) includes a module for automatically electronically directing said offline data originating from said offline data provider to said requesting server, said offline data relating to said user determined by said module (b).

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said module (c) further comprises a module for automatically electronically directing said offline data to said requesting server, said offline data being received from said offline data provider prior to said module (a) receiving said IP address, time, and date.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein said module (c) comprises a module for automatically electronically directing information of the user determined by self-identification module (b) to the offline data provider.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising: (i) means for causing one or more of said computers to receive said offline data relating to said user determined by module (b) based on information of said user determined by said self-identifying module (b) being automatically electronically directed to said offline data provider; and wherein the communication of offline data originating from an offline data provider to the requesting server comprises transmitting the offline data received from the offline data provider to the requesting server.

22. The system of claim 20, further comprising: means for causing the offline data provider to transmit the offline data relating to the user determined by module (b) to the requesting server based on the information of the user determined by the self-identification module (b) being automatically electronically directed to the offline data provider, wherein the identity of the requesting server has been prearranged.

23. The system of claim 20, further comprising: means for causing the offline data provider to transmit the offline data relating to the user determined by means (b) to the requesting server based on the information of the user determined by means (b) being automatically electronically directed to the offline data provider.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the module (c) comprises a module for automatically electronically directing information identifying the requesting server to the offline data provider.

25. The system of claim 23, further comprising: (i) means for receiving an online identifier from the requesting server corresponding to the IP address, time, and date received by module (a); and (ii) means for transmitting from one or more of said computers said online data identifier to said offline data provider in conjunction with said information of said user determined by self-identification module (b).

26. The system of claim 23, further comprising: (i) means for receiving from the offline data provider an offline data identifier corresponding to the user determined by means (b), the offline data identifier not itself identifying the user; and (ii) means for transmitting, from one or more of the computers, the offline data identifier to the requesting server in conjunction with the IP address, time, and date received by means (a).

27. The system of claim 23, further comprising: (i) means for generating, using one or more of the computers, an offline data identifier corresponding to the user determined by means (b), the offline data identifier not itself identifying the user; (ii) means for transmitting, from one or more of the computers, the generated offline data identifier to the requesting server in combination with the IP address, time, and date received by means (a); and (iii) means for transmitting, from one or more of the computers, the generated offline data identifier to the offline data provider in conjunction with the information of the user determined by self-identification module (b).

28. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for receiving the IP address, time, and date from the requesting server.

29. The system of claim 16, wherein the IP address, time, and date received by module (a) correspond to online access or online redirection of the user's online access device to the requesting server as determined via module (b).

30. The system of claim 16, wherein the IP address received from the requesting server is associated with the online user interface device of the user and at least one other online user interface device of the user.

31. A method performed using one or more computers, the method comprising:

(a) automatically electronically transmitting an IP address, time and date, wherein the IP address, time and date correspond to a first user's online actions, accessing a computer containing electronic data of a personal identity of a user of a respective online user interface device, and wherein an entity controlling the computer accesses a certain online activity performed using the respective online user interface device over a respective internet connection, the IP address, time and date being transmitted to the computer; and

(b) receiving an electronic transmission of offline data involving the first user, wherein the offline data originates from an offline data provider that lacks information about a history of the online activity accessed by the entity, the online activity being performed by the first user, and wherein the received electronic transmission and the offline data do not convey a personal identity of the first user.

32. A method performed using one or more computers under control of an offline data provider, the method comprising:

(a) receiving an electronic communication comprising information identifying itself to a first user, wherein the communication is received from a server accessing electronic data containing a personal identity of a user of a respective online user interface device, wherein the server is controlled by an entity accessing a certain online activity performed using the online user interface device over a respective internet connection, wherein the received communication does not convey information about a history of online activity accessed by the entity, the online activity being performed via the first user; and

(b) in response to part (a), automatically electronically transmitting to a requesting server (i) offline data relating to the first user and (ii) an identifier associated with an online user interface device used by the first user through the requesting server to conduct online activity at a time and date via an IP address associated with the first user, wherein the offline data and the identifier do not convey a personal identity of the first user to the requesting server.