Abstract: This application relates to apparatus and methods for maintaining a database. In some examples, a processor receives a request for a first dataset that includes a definition. In response to obtaining the first audience dataset from a database, the processor automatically re-generates the first dataset when a first predetermined time period has elapsed. The first dataset includes a first segment dataset. The processor automatically re-generates the first segment dataset when a second predetermined time period has elapsed. The first segment dataset includes a first dynamic feature dataset. The processor automatically re-generates the first dynamic feature dataset when a third predetermined time period has elapsed. After updating the first dataset (and/or subcomponents thereof), the processor transmits the first dataset to a requesting device.

Abstract: This application relates to apparatus and methods for identifying and generating audiences. In some examples, a computing device obtains data identifying users and related attributes. The computing device generates static features and dynamic segments based on the data. The computing device obtains an audience definition for an audience, and determines any required static features, dynamic segments, and segments. The computing device determines if any of the required segments need to be generated. To determine whether a segment is to be regenerated, the computing device may determine how much time has elapsed since the last time the segment was generated. The computing device may regenerate segments based on static data less often than segments based on dynamic data. To generate the audience, the computing device applies the audience definition to the required static features, dynamic segments, and segments.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for matching a display advertisement to a user within a large-scale, non-destructive user modeling and experimentation environment using real-time traffic. The method commences by populating a user profile object (containing demographics, history, and behaviors of the user) for use during concurrent operation of a production platform and an experimentation platform. To implement non-destructive testing, the method continues by cloning a portion of the real-time traffic for use by the experimentation platform while concurrently delivering the real-time traffic to the production platform. The production platform and the experimentation platform operate concurrently, scoring matches between the user profile objects and a plurality of display advertisements for selecting among the best-scored advertisements.

Abstract: Access control systems and methods regulate access to shared content items in a corpus using visibility tokens. A user provides other users with access to a content item by associating a content token with the content item and associating a matching user token with each user who is to be granted access. A user who attempts to access the content item succeeds only if that user has a user token matching the content token associated with the content item. User tokens can be propagated automatically from one user to another, e.g., based on trust relationships among the users. Content tokens can be indexed with content items so that when a user searches the corpus, a search engine can detect matches between user tokens and content tokens and filter the search results based on whether they are visible to the querying user.

Abstract: Access control systems and methods regulate access to shared content items in a corpus using visibility tokens. A user provides other users with access to a content item by associating a content token with the content item and associating a matching user token with each user who is to be granted access. A user who attempts to access the content item succeeds only if that user has a user token matching the content token associated with the content item. User tokens can be propagated automatically from one user to another, e.g., based on trust relationships among the users. Content tokens can be indexed with content items so that when a user searches the corpus, a search engine can detect matches between user tokens and content tokens and filter the search results based on whether they are visible to the querying user.