Abstract: A data processing system collects messages to create user profiles for users of user devices. The messages are collected from various systems and include data regarding user events on user devices in order to create user profiles. The user profiles are stored. In response to a request for information corresponding to a user device, a user profile is identified using data from the request and information from the profile is provided to the requester. A method and system is utilized to select and provide targeted advertisements.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to authorize users to anonymously access resources of different web sites. For example, a business listing service may authenticate users and allow the authenticated users to access the resources of the businesses listed via the business listing service, without the users having to create separate accounts with the businesses and without having to reveal the identities of the users to the businesses.

Abstract: Systems and methods for qualifying a sales lead may include one or more of the following. Information, received via a network, about an identified end-user computing device and/or an end-user of the identified end-user computing device may be processed. Lead qualification rules that include criteria for qualifying a lead may be accessed. A characteristic of the end-user of the identified end-user computing device may be derived based at least in part on the information about the identified end-user computing device and/or the end-user. A lead characterization of the end-user of the identified end-user computing device may be generated based at least in part on the characteristic of the end-user of the identified end-user computing device and the lead qualification rules. The lead characterization may indicate a lead assessment of the end-user. The lead characterization of the end-user of the identified end-user computing device may be stored.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to connect people for services delivered via real time communications and to optionally generate leads to new customers for the services. One embodiment includes: providing a communication reference to an entity for distribution to customers; establishing connections for real time communications between the entity and the customers in response to requests made via the communication reference; charging the customers on behalf of the entity using a process to establish the connections for a service of the entity provided to the customers over the connections; presenting the service of the entity to customers on behalf of the entity; charging the entity a first fee according to what the entity charges a customer for the service; and charging the entity a second fee according to a bid price specified by the entity in response to a determination that the presenting of the service leads to the customer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing and integrating lead sources for a marketing/advertisement campaign on a platform that allocates and optimizes lead source budgets and provides a customer service and payment processing function. The present technology as disclosed and claimed herein provides a platform that is a customer retention and customer management system that is automated to provide lead estimations and optimizations to allocate and optimize lead source budgets where the system has a learning function that improves over time.

Abstract: An advertising system determines the context of a user accessing a publication media (e.g., an online web site). The advertising system retrieves candidate advertisements from one or more databases based on the user's context (e.g., a user search request). The advertising system selects particular advertisements and then sends them to the user (e.g. for display on the user's terminal or device).