Patent Publication Number: US-2016232590-A1

Title: Non-public cookie associated with anonymous purchase data

Description:
REFERENCE TO CO-PENDING APPLICATION FOR PATENT 
     The present application for patent is related to co-pending United States Patent Applications entitled, “Serving Targeted Electronic Advertisements Based on Anonymous Cookies that Identify Spending Trends”, inventors Blackhurst et al., having Attorney Docket No, 6499US1.014033.2390, and “Serving Anonymous Cookies Associated with Purchasing Analytics”, inventors Blackhurst et al., having Attorney Docket No, 6588US1.014033.2424, filed concurrently herewith, assigned to the assignee hereof, and expressly incorporated by reference herein. 
     FIELD 
     In general, embodiments of the invention relate to computing and, more particularly, implementation of a non-public cookie that is configured to provide a website with anonymous analytical purchasing data. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Currently, targeted electronic advertising is implemented through the use of browser cookies—which are a small text files sent to your web browser by a website that you visit. Conventionally, cookies contain information about your visit that you may want the site to remember, like your preferred language and other settings. The web browser stores this data and retries the cookie the next time you visit the site to make the next trip easier and more personalized. 
     In addition, cookies are used in online advertising for the purpose remembering your interests (i.e., what webpages you&#39;ve visited) and subsequently showing you related (i.e., targeted) advertisements as you visit other locations throughout the Internet. For example, a user/customer may visit an electronic-commerce (e-commerce) website that sells a product the user is interested in purchasing and the user may browse various web pages on the website, each web page associated with a different product. The e-commerce website may be configured to generate and drop cookies in the user/customer&#39;s web browser that identify the web page(s) visited and the content/product associated with those web pages. When the user/customer leaves the e-commerce website and browses other websites on the Internet that have advertising, and more, specifically advertising associated with the previously visited electronic commerce website, the other website may retrieve the cookies and use the information stored therein to provide the user/customer with targeted advertisements. Typically, this means that the user is presented with advertisements for the product(s) that were on the webpages previously visited by the user/customer (i.e., the products that the user/customer showed an interest in). 
     However, such targeted advertising may be highly ineffective because it does not take into account the fact that in many instances the user/customer has already purchased the product prior to being presented the advertisement, either at another e-commerce website, at a physical retail location (i.e., brick and mortar location) or, in some instances, at the same e-commerce website which generated and dropped the cookies (i.e., the same e-commerce retailer that is providing the user/customer the targeted advertising). In addition, such targeted advertising is limited, in that it is solely based off of previously visited websites and does not take into account any other information or factors that may be relevant to providing more effective targeted advertisement (i.e., advertising that will result in the user/customer responding to the advertising and purchasing the product or service associated with the advertisement). 
     Traditionally, cookies are either public (any website can access and read) or private (only the website that dropped the cookie can read it). The challenges presented with providing customer-specific data through use of a cookie are two-fold. First, the cookie should only be accessible to the websites that authorized to use the data and, secondly, from a privacy standpoint, the data should be presented to the website in an anonymous form (i.e., not divulging who the customer is that is associated with the data. 
     Therefore, a need exists to develop systems, apparatus, computer program products, methods and the like that provide for serving a website or the website advertiser more robust information about customer without actually identifying the customer. In this regard, the desired systems, apparatus, computer program products, methods and the like should provide for a website or an advertiser advertising on the website to be provided information other than what previous websites or specific webpages within a website a customer has previously visited. Moreover, the desired systems, apparatus, computer program products, methods and the like should provide such relevant robust purchasing-related information to the merchant or advertiser while the customer is concurrently visiting the merchant&#39;s website or the site at which the advertiser advertises without divulging the identity of the customer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The following presents a simplified summary of one or more embodiments in order to provide a basic understanding of such embodiments. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated embodiments, and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all embodiments, nor delineate the scope of any or all embodiments. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more embodiments in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. 
     Embodiments of the present invention address the above needs and/or achieve other advantages by providing apparatus, systems, computer program products, methods or the like for implementing non-public cookies that are configured to provide a website with anonymous analytical purchasing data. 
     Once a customer authenticates (e.g., logs-in or the like) themselves at a financial institution website (e.g., online banking), a networked application (e.g., mobile banking) or any other website or application affiliated with the financial institution, an anonymous cookie (i.e., text file) is generated that is configured to identify the analytical purchasing data without identifying the customer. Specifically, the anonymous cookie includes a unique identifier associated with the customer and, in some embodiments, is associated with the purchasing analytic data. 
     In response to the customer using the device (on which the anonymous cookie is stored) to access a website that displays advertisements, the anonymous cookie is retrieved from the web browser cache, and the unique identifier prompts a call-back to a financial institution server, which (1) authenticates the website as being affiliated with the program providing the analytics data, (2) determines the customer associated with the unique identifier, and (3) retrieves the analytical purchasing data and communicates the same to the website. In specific embodiments of the invention, the website may use the analytical purchasing data to determine which of the plurality of advertisements (including offers, coupons and the like) available to the advertiser are to be displayed to the customer while they visit the website. 
     In specific embodiments of the invention, the analytical purchasing data is determined by accessing financial institution transaction databases storing transaction records associated with the customer and determining, based on the transaction records, the analytical purchasing data. 
     An apparatus for anonymously providing a customer&#39;s analytical purchasing data to a website provides for first embodiments of the invention. The apparatus includes a computing platform including a memory and at least one processor in communication with the memory. The apparatus further includes an anonymous cookie initiator application that is stored in the memory and executable by one or more of the processors. The anonymous cookie initiator application is configured to, in response to a customer identifying themselves at a first website or mobile application as a customer of the financial institution, generate a unique identifier associated with the customer and communicate the unique identifier and instructions for generating an anonymous cookie to a web browser application executing on a device from which the customer is accessing the first website or the mobile application. Subsequently, the web browser application generates the anonymous cookie comprising the unique identifier and stores the cookie in web browser cache. Additionally, the apparatus includes a website authenticator application that is stored in the memory and executable by one or more of the processors. The website authenticator is configured to, in response to a second website having retrieved the anonymous cookie from the web browser cache as a result of the device accessing the second website, authenticate the second website as an affiliate of a program providing the analytical purchasing data. In addition, the apparatus includes a unique identifier correlation application that is stored in the memory and executable by one or more of the processors. The unique identifier correlation application is configured to, in response to authenticating the website as the affiliate, determine which customer is associated with the unique identifier. The apparatus further includes a data retrieval and communication application that is stored in the memory and executable by one or more of the processors. The data retrieval and communication application is configured to, in response to determining the customer that is associated with the unique identifier, retrieve analytical purchasing data associated with the customer and communicate the analytical purchasing data to the second website. 
     In specific embodiments the apparatus further includes a purchasing analytics application that is stored in the memory and executable by one or more of the processors. The purchasing analytics application is configured to access one or more financial institution transaction databases storing transaction records associated with the customer, and determine, based on the transaction records, analytical purchasing data associated with the customer. In such embodiments of the apparatus, in response to the second website receiving the purchasing analytical data, the second website uses the purchasing analytical data to determine one or more advertisements to currently display to the customer while accessing the second website. 
     In other specific embodiments of the apparatus, the website authenticator application is further configured to determine which specific analytical purchasing data is available to the website based on a type of affiliation the website has with the program providing the analytical purchasing data. 
     In still further embodiments of the apparatus, the anonymous cookie initiator application is further configured to generate the unique identifier that is associated with (1) the customer and (2) at least a portion of the analytical purchasing data associated with the customer. In such embodiments of the apparatus, the unique identifier correlation application is further configured to determine the portion of the analytical data based on the unique identifier and the data retrieval and communication application is configured to retrieve the portion of the analytical purchasing data and communicate the portion of the analytical purchasing to the second website. 
     In additional specific embodiments of the apparatus, the website authenticator application is further configured to authenticate the second website in response to receiving a call-back from the second website that has retrieved the anonymous cookie from the web browser cache. 
     Additionally, further embodiments of the apparatus provide for the website authenticator application to be further configured to authenticate the second website in response to receiving the call-back, wherein the call-back is prompted by the second website processing the unique identifier. 
     A system for anonymously providing a customer&#39;s analytical purchasing data to a website comprises second embodiments of the invention. The system includes a user computing device having a first memory and at least one first processor in communication with the memory. Additionally, the system includes a first computing platform including a second memory and at least one second processor in communication with the second memory. A purchasing analytics application is stored in the second memory and executable by one or more of the second processors. The purchasing analytics application is configured to access one or more financial institution transaction databases storing transaction records associated with a customer of the financial institution, and determine, based on the transaction records, analytical purchasing data associated with the customer. The system additionally includes a web browser application stored in the first memory, executable by one or more of first processors, the web browser application is configured to, in response to the customer authenticating themselves at a first website or mobile application as a customer of the financial institution, generate an anonymous cookie that includes a unique identifier associated with the customer, and store the anonymous cookie in a web browser cache. The system further includes a website authenticator application that is stored in the second memory and executable by one or more of the second processors. The website authenticator application is configured to, in response to a second website having retrieved the anonymous cookie from the web browser cache as a result of the device accessing the second website; authenticate the second website as an affiliate of a program providing the analytical purchasing data. Additionally, the system includes a unique identifier correlation application that is stored in the second memory and executable by one or more of the second processors. The unique identifier correlation application is configured to, in response to authenticating the website as the affiliate, determine which customer is associated with the unique identifier. Moreover, the system includes a data retrieval and communication application that is stored in the second memory and executable by one or more of the second processors. The data retrieval and communication application is configured to, in response to determining the customer that is associated with the unique identifier, retrieve analytical purchasing data associated with the customer and communicate the analytical purchasing data to the second website. 
     In further specific embodiments the system includes a second computing platform including a third memory and at least one third processor in communication with the third processor. Additionally, a targeted advertisement serving application is stored in the third memory and executable by the third processor. The targeted advertisement serving application is configured to, determine, based on the received the analytical purchasing data, which one or more advertisements to currently display to the customer while accessing the website. 
     In further specific embodiments of the system, the website authenticator application is further configured to determine which specific analytical purchasing data is available to the website based on a type of affiliation the website has with the program providing the analytical purchasing data. 
     In additional specific embodiments of the system, the web browser application is further configured to receive the unique identifier from the program providing the analytical purchasing data. 
     In other specific embodiments of the system, the web browser application is further configured to generate the anonymous cookie that includes unique identifier that is associated with the customer and at least a portion of the analytical purchasing data associated with the customer. In such embodiments of the system, the unique identifier correlation application is further configured to determine the portion of the analytical data based on the unique identifier and the data retrieval and communication application is further configured to retrieve the portion of the analytical purchasing data and communicate the portion of the analytical purchasing to the second website. 
     In still further specific embodiments of the system, the website authenticator application is further configured to authenticate the second website in response to receiving a call-back from the second website that has retrieved the anonymous cookie from the web browser cache. While in other specific embodiments of the system, the website authenticator application is further configured to authenticate the second website in response to receiving the call-back, wherein the call-back is prompted by the second website processing the unique identifier. 
     A computer program product including a non-transitory computer-readable medium defines third embodiments of the invention. The computer-readable medium includes a first set of codes for causing a computer to, in response to a customer identifying themselves at a first website or mobile application as a customer of the financial institution, generate a unique identifier associated with the customer and communicate the unique identifier and instructions for generating an anonymous cookie to a web browser application executing on a device from which the customer is accessing the first website or the mobile application. Subsequently, the web browser application generates the anonymous cookie comprising the unique identifier and stores the cookie in web browser cache. 
     The computer-readable medium additionally includes a second set of codes for causing a computer to, in response to a second website having retrieved the anonymous cookie from the web browser cache as a result of the device accessing the second website; authenticate the second website as an affiliate of a program providing the analytical purchasing data. In addition, the computer readable medium includes a third set of codes for causing a computer to, in response to authenticating the website as the affiliate, determine which customer is associated with the unique identifier. Moreover, the computer-readable medium includes a fourth set of codes for causing a computer to, in response to determining the customer associated with the unique identifier, retrieve analytical purchasing data associated with the customer and communicate the analytical purchasing data to the second website. 
     Thus, systems, apparatus, methods, and computer program products herein described in detail below provide for anonymously providing purchasing analytics associated with customer to a website while the customer is accessing the website. Specifically, a financial institution, having access to a customer&#39;s transactional data, can analyze the data to determine analytical purchasing data. Once the customer authenticates (e.g., logs-in or the like) themselves at a financial institution website (e.g., online banking), a networked application (e.g., mobile banking) or any other website or application affiliated with the financial institution, an anonymous cookie that is configured to identify the analytical purchasing data is generated and stored in the web browser cache. In response to the customer using the device to access a website that displays advertisements, the anonymous cookie is retrieved from the web browser cache and the analytical purchasing data is provided to the website. In specific embodiments of the invention, the website uses the analytical purchasing data of the customer to determine which of the plurality of advertisements are to be displayed to the customer while they visit the website. 
     To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the one or more embodiments comprise the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative features of the one or more embodiments. These features are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of various embodiments may be employed, and this description is intended to include all such embodiments and their equivalents. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Having thus described embodiments of the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  provides a schematic diagram of a financial institution computing environment including a purchasing analytics application, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  provides a system for implementation of a non-public cookie that is configured to provide a website with anonymous analytical purchasing data, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  provides a block diagram of the apparatus configured for anonymously providing purchasing analytics associated with customer to a website while the customer is accessing the website, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  provides a block diagram of an apparatus configured for determining analytical purchasing data, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all, embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, the invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. Although some embodiments of the invention described herein are generally described as involving a “financial institution,” one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the invention may be utilized by other businesses that take the place of or work in conjunction with financial institutions to perform one or more of the processes or steps described herein as being performed by a financial institution. 
     As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art in view of this disclosure, the present invention may be embodied as an apparatus (e.g., a system, computer program product, and/or other device), a method, or a combination of the foregoing. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.), or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may generally be referred to herein as a “system.” Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product comprising a computer-usable storage medium having computer-usable program code/computer-readable instructions embodied in the medium. 
     Any suitable computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be utilized. The computer usable or computer readable medium may be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device. More specific examples (e.g., a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires; a tangible medium such as a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a time-dependent access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), or other tangible optical or magnetic storage device. 
     Computer program code/computer-readable instructions for carrying out operations of embodiments of the present invention may be written in an object oriented, scripted or unscripted programming language such as Java, Perl, Smalltalk, C++ or the like. However, the computer program code/computer-readable instructions for carrying out operations of the invention may also be written in conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. 
     Embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods or apparatuses (the term “apparatus” including systems and computer program products). It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a particular machine, such that the instructions, which execute by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create mechanisms for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
     These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instructions, which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
     The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions, which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus, provide steps for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. Alternatively, computer program implemented steps or acts may be combined with operator or human implemented steps or acts in order to carry out an embodiment of the invention. 
     According to embodiments of the invention described herein, various systems, apparatus, methods, and computer program products are herein described for implementing non-public cookies that are configured to provide a website with anonymous analytical purchasing data. 
     Once a customer authenticates (e.g., logs-in or the like) themselves at a financial institution website (e.g., online banking), a networked application (e.g., mobile banking) or any other website or application affiliated with the financial institution, an anonymous cookie (i.e., text file) is generated that is configured to identify the analytical purchasing data without identifying the customer. Specifically, the anonymous cookie includes a unique identifier associated with the customer and, in some embodiments, is associated with the purchasing analytic data. 
     In response to the customer using the device (on which the anonymous cookie is stored) to access a website that displays advertisements, the anonymous cookie is retrieved from the web browser cache, and the unique identifier prompts a call-back to a financial institution server, which (1) authenticates the website as being affiliated with the program providing the analytics data, (2) determines the customer associated with the unique identifier, and (3) retrieves the analytical purchasing data and communicates the same to the website. In specific embodiments of the invention, the website may use the analytical purchasing data to determine which of the plurality of advertisements (including offers, coupons and the like) available to the advertiser are to be displayed to the customer while they visit the website. 
     In specific embodiments of the invention, the analytical purchasing data is determined by accessing financial institution transaction databases storing transaction records associated with the customer and determining, based on the transaction records, the analytical purchasing data. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a schematic diagram is provided of a financial institution computing environment  10  configured to determine analytical purchasing data for financial institution customers, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The financial institution computing environment  10  includes network device  12 , which may comprise one or more servers. Network device  12  executes purchasing analytics application  14  which is configured to access customer transaction databases  16  that store transaction records associated with financial institution customers and, based on the transaction records determine, analytical purchasing data for the customer. The customer transaction databases that are used to determine analytical purchasing data include any financial transaction data, such as point-of-sale (POS) merchant transaction database  18  storing POS merchant transaction data  20  (i.e., credit/debit transaction data), wire transaction database  22  storing wire transaction data  24 , bill-pay database  26  storing bill-pay data  28 , customer financial account database  32  storing customer financial account data  32  (e.g., checking account, savings account, credit account and the like deposits and remittance including debit transactions), and any other database  34  storing any other transaction data  36 . 
     For example, the purchasing analytics application may be configured to determine analytical purchasing data that includes date/time purchase trends (e.g., times of the week, month or year that the customer prefers to make purchases and/or times within a day that the customer prefers to make purchases). Additionally, the purchasing analytics application  14  may be configured to determine analytical purchasing data that includes the customer&#39;s preference for electronic purchases versus physical (brick and mortar) purchases (e.g., percentage of overall spend at electronic merchants versus brick and mortar merchants and/or amount of spend at electronic merchants versus physical location merchants. Such date/time trends and or electronic purchase versus physical location purchase data may be product/service specific, type of product/service specific (e.g., major appliances, groceries, and the like), merchant specific or type of merchant specific (e.g., big box store, home improvement store or the like). 
     In addition, the purchasing analytics application  14  may be configured to determine analytical purchasing data that includes the rate (amount over predetermined time) of purchase at a specific merchant or type of merchant and or the percentage spend a specific merchant in comparison to the customer&#39;s overall spend or spend within a merchant type category. Additionally, purchasing analytics application may be configured to determine any other analytical purchasing data that may be instrumental to a website in determining what advertisements to display or for any other purpose. 
     In other embodiments of the invention, the analytical purchasing data may include spend trends. A spending trend may indicate a customer&#39;s preference, over a predetermined time period, to purchase a specific product or service or a preference to purchase a product or service type (i.e., a category of products or services). Additionally, a spending trend may indicate a customer&#39;s preference, over a predetermined period of time, to purchase products or services from a specific merchant or a merchant type (i.e., a category of merchants). In specific embodiments, as discussed infra., the purchasing analytics application (or some other ancillary application) may be configured to provide a ranked listing of the spending trends, such that, the most significant spending trend is listed first, followed by the next most significant and so on. The most significant spending trend being defined as the spending trend which would most likely trigger a purchase or a positive response to an advertisement (i.e., the customer is likely to activate a link associated with an electronic advertisement to access the merchant&#39;s website associated with the advertisement). In addition, when a spending trend is tied to a product/service type, a merchant or a merchant type, the purchasing analytics application  14  may further identify specific products or services purchased within the trend. 
     In further specific embodiments of the invention, the analytical purchasing data may include a spending category. A spending category may be one of a plurality of spending categories defined by the financial institution and/or the merchants/advertisers. Based on spending preferences a customer may be assigned to one of the spending categories. In specific embodiments of the invention, the spending categories may be associated with the amount and/or volume of purchases that a customer makes over a predetermined period of time. In other embodiments of the invention, the spending categories or sub-categories may be associated with specific products or services preferred by the customer, specific product or service type preferred by the customer, specific merchants preferred by the customer and/or specific merchant types preferred by the customer. 
     In addition, the purchasing analytics application  14  may be configured to identify, based on transaction records, future events associated with the customer (for example, a future trip/travel, future wedding, future house purchase, future graduation and the like) and a corresponding date or period of time associated with the future event (i.e., a travel period, a wedding date, a graduation date or the like). 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a block diagram is presented of a system  200  for implementing non-public cookies that are configured to provide a website with anonymous analytical purchasing data, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
     In addition, system  200  includes network device  46  that is associated with a website or application requiring customer authentication  48 , such as a financial institution website/online banking website, a mobile banking application or the like. It should be noted that the website or application may be a third-party website or application that is requiring the customer to authenticate themselves (provide username and password/PIN or the like) as a financial institution customer. In response to the customer authenticating themselves as a financial institution customer, the network device  46  executes cookie initiator application  44  that is configured to initiate generation of an anonymous cookie  64  that is configured to identify the analytical purchasing data  40 . 
     In specific embodiments of the invention, the cookie initiator application  44  will generate or receive (from the analytical purchasing data provider) a unique identifier  66  (number, string of characters or the like) that is associated with the customer and, in some embodiments, associated with the analytical purchasing data  38 . Once generated or received, the cookie initiator application  44  communicates the unique identifier  66  and a cookie request (i.e., instructions to generate a cookie), via a communication network  42 , such as the internet, a cellular network  49  or the like, to computing device  50  from which the customer is using to access the website or application requiring customer authentication  48 . The computing device may comprise a personal computer  52 , a mobile communication device/smart telephone  54 , a laptop computer  56  or any other device having network connectivity and computing capabilities. In specific embodiments of the invention, the cookie initiator application  44  generates the unique identifier  66 , while in other embodiments the unique identifier  66  is requested by the cookie initiator application  44  and received from the analytical purchasing data provider, such as, a financial institution. In those embodiments in which the cookie initiator application  44  generates the unique identifier  66 , the unique identifier  66  is additionally communicated back to the financial institution computing environment  10  for the purpose of associating the unique identifier with the customer and the analytical purchasing data  38 . 
     A web browser application  58  executing on computing device  50  receives the unique identifier  66  and the cookie request and executes cookie generation application  60  to generate an anonymous cookie  64  that includes the unique identifier  66  and is stored in the web browser cache  62 . The cookie  64  is deemed to be anonymous because the cookie does include or identify the customer, the cookie only identifies, through use of the unique identifier, the analytical purchasing data  38  associated with the customer. 
     In reponse to the customer accessing a website executing on network device  70 , the cookie  64  is retrieved from the web browser cache and the unique identifier  66  in the anonymous cookie  64  prompts a call-back to a network device  78  in the financial institution computing environment  10  or another device associated with the provider of the analytical purchasing data  38 . In response to receiving the call-back, website authenticator application  74  is executed, which is configured to authenticate/verifying that the website making the call-back is affiliated (authorized to use analytical purchasing data based on a previous relationship with the financial institution or data provider) with the financial institution or the data provider. In specific embodiments of the invention, the website authentication application will additionally determine the type of analytical purchasing data that the website is authorized to use/receive based on type or level of affiliation with the financial institution or data provider. 
     It should be noted that according to specific embodiments of the invention, the merchant operating the website will be affiliated or otherwise in a relationship with the financial institution. As such only affiliated merchants are able to identify the analytical purchasing data  38  associated with the customer and, as such, in specific embodiments, only affiliated merchants can provide the customer targeted advertisements that correspond to the analytical purchasing data  38 . In specific embodiments of the invention, only affiliated merchants can read or otherwise comprehend the unique identifier  66  and, as such, only affiliated merchants can make the call-back to the financial institution network device  78 . In other specific embodiments, the network device  74  may implement a merchant/advertiser authenticator  74  that is configured to authenticate the merchant/advertiser as an affiliated merchant/authenticate before the network device  78  responds to the call-back (i.e., communicates the analytical purchasing data  38  back to the targeted adverting serving application  72 ). By implementing the merchant/advertiser authenticator  74  at the network device  78 , non-affiliated merchants who may otherwise, accidentally or nefariously, read the unique code and initiate the call-back are prevented from obtaining the analytical purchasing data  38 . 
     In response to authenticating the website, unique code correlation application  68  is configured to determine the customer associated with the unique identifier. Additionally, in those embodiments in which the unique identifier is also associated with at least a portion of the customer&#39;s analytical purchasing data, the portion of the analytical purchasing data is also identified/determined. Once the customer has been identified, the analytical purchasing data  38  associated with the customer  17  is retrieved from a customer profile database  15  or the like and communicated back to the website executing at network device  70 . 
     In specific embodiment of the invention, the website executing on network device  70  displays circular advertisements  76 . Circular advertising provides for banners and the like configured about the websites pages that display different advertisements to a user and, in most instances, different advertisements each time a user visits a webpage (e.g., refreshes the browser or the like). The merchant associated with the website may display the advertisements  76 , in which case; the advertisements  76  may be associated with products or services sold by the merchant on the website or the advertisements  76  may be associated with other websites. Alternatively, a third-party advertiser (a separate entity from the merchant associated with the website) may provide the advertisements  76  on the website. 
     In specific embodiments of the invention, network device  70  executes targeted advertisement serving application  72 . The targeted advertising serving application  72  uses the analytical purchasing data  38  to determine which of the advertisements to currently display to the customer while the customer is accessing the website. In other words, the advertisements that are displayed to the customer are user-specific advertisements, specially tailored for the customer, based on the advertisements  72  meeting matching criteria associated with the analytical purchasing data  38 . In other embodiments of the invention, the analytical purchasing data  38  may be provided to the website associated with web server  70  and compiled with data associated with the customer&#39;s web session for subsequent analytical processing by the website provider or a third-party entity. 
     Additionally, the system  200  may be configured to include network device  12  that executes purchasing analytics application  14  that is configured to access financial institution transaction databases (not shown in  FIG. 2 ) storing transaction records associated with financial institution customers to determine, based on the transaction records, analytical purchasing data  38  for customers. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3  a block diagram is presented of an apparatus  100 , which is configured for providing purchasing analytics associated with customer to a website while the customer is accessing the website, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The apparatus  100 , which may comprise more than one device, includes a computing platform  102  having a memory  104  and at least one processor  106  in communication with the memory  104 . The memory  104  of apparatus  100  stores purchasing analytics application  14  that is configured to access financial institution databases that store transaction records  110  associated with financial institution customers  108  and, based on the transaction records  110  determine analytical purchasing data  38  for each of the customers. Analytical purchasing data  38  may be determined by the financial institution on a regularly scheduled basis or they may be determined on-demand or dynamically (as transactions occur). Once determined, analytical purchasing data  38  may be stored in a customer profile. 
     Analytical purchasing data  38  may include date/time purchase trends (e.g., times of the week, month or year that the customer prefers to make purchases and/or times within a day that the customer prefers to make purchases). Additionally, the analytical purchasing data  38  may include the customer&#39;s preference for electronic purchases versus physical (brick and mortar) purchases (e.g., percentage of overall spend at electronic merchants versus brick and mortar merchants and/or amount of spend at electronic merchants versus physical location merchants. In addition, the analytical purchasing data  38  may include the rate (amount over predetermined time) of purchase at a specific merchant or type of merchant and or the percentage spend a specific merchant in comparison to the customer&#39;s overall spend or spend within a merchant type category. Additionally, purchasing analytics application may be configured to determine any other analytical purchasing data that may be instrumental to a website in determining what advertisements to display or for any other purpose. 
     As previously noted, analytical purchasing data  38  may include a spending trend, which is defined as a customer&#39;s preference, over time, to purchase a specific product or service or a specific type of product or service. Alternatively, a spending trend may be defined as a customer&#39;s preference, over time, to purchase products or services from a specific merchant or from a specific type of merchant. In specific embodiments a spending trend may be identified based on the customer making a predetermined number of purchases for a specific product/service, a specific type of product/service, a specific merchant or a specific type of merchant over a predetermined period of time (e.g., a month, a year or the like). Additionally, as previously noted, analytical purchasing data  38  may include a spending category may be defined as one of a plurality of categories defined by the financial institution that identify the type of customer in terms of the customer&#39;s spend preferences. The different categories may be based on the types of products or services purchased by the customer and/or the amount or volume of transactions conducted by the customer or the like. 
     The memory  104  of apparatus  100  additionally includes cookie initiator application  44 . In response to the customer logging in or otherwise authenticating  112  themselves at a website  114  or a mobile application (i.e., mobile app)  116  associated with financial institution (i.e., verifying that they are a financial institution customer), the cookie initiator application  100  will generate an anonymous cookie  64  that is configured to identify the analytical purchasing data  38 . In specific embodiment of the invention, the cookie initiator application is configured to generate or receive a unique identifier  66  that is associated with the customer  108  and, in some embodiments, the analytical purchasing data  38 . The unique identifier  66  will be included in instructions to generate a cookie, which are communicated to the web browser application  58  executing on the customer&#39;s computing device  50  (i.e., the mobile communication device, PC, laptop or the like from the customer is logging into the website/mobile app). In turn, the web browser application  58  generates an anonymous cookie  64  (i.e., does not identify the customer) that includes the unique identifier and stores the anonymous cookie  64  in the web browser cache  62 . 
     The website  114  may be a financial institution website, such as an online banking website or the like or the website  114  may be a third-party website that is otherwise affiliated with the financial institution (e.g., a website that requires the user to verify themselves as a financial institution customer  108  in order to make purchases and/or receive offers). The mobile application  116  may be mobile banking application or any other mobile application that is otherwise affiliated with the financial institution. Customer authentication may require that the user/customer input a username and/or password/PIN as a means of financial institution customer authentication. 
     In specific embodiments, the cookie initiator application  44  may generate the unique identifier  66 , in which case, once generated the cookie initiator application  44  will communicate the unique identifier to the financial institution so that the financial institution can correlate/match the unique identifier  66  with the customer  108  and/or the customer&#39;s analytical purchasing data  38 . In other embodiments of the invention, the cookie initiator application  44  may be configured to call-back to the financial institution to request that the financial institution generate the unique identifier  66 , which is then subsequently communicated back to the cookie initiator application  44 . 
     Subsequently, in response to the customer using the device (on which the cookie resides) to access a website (or mobile app) that displays electronic advertisements (i.e., a website (or mobile app) different from the website that generated/dropped the cookie on the device), the anonymous cookie  64  is retrieved from the web browser cache  62  and provides for identification of the analytical purchasing data  38 . In specific embodiments of the invention, the unique identifier  66  in the cookie  64  prompts a call-back to a financial institution server, which includes the unique identifier  66 . In response to the call-back, the financial institution server correlates the unique identifier  66  to the customer  108 , and, in some embodiments, the analytical purchasing data  38 , retrieves the analytical purchasing data  38  from a financial institution database (e.g., customer profile database or the like) and communicates the analytical purchasing data  38  back to the website (or mobile app). In specific embodiments of the invention, once the website has been provided the analytical purchasing data  38 , the website/mobile app determines which electronic advertisements to display to the customer during the customer&#39;s current website session based on the customer&#39;s analytical purchasing data  38 . In this regard, attributes (e.g., metadata) associated with the analytical purchasing data  38  are matched with attributes (e.g., metadata) associated the advertisements to determine which advertisements match or align with the customer&#39;s analytical purchasing data  38 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4  a block diagram is presented of an apparatus  100 , which is configured for determining analytical purchasing data, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. In addition to providing greater detail,  FIG. 4  highlights various alternate embodiments of the invention. The apparatus  100  may include one or more of any type of computing device, such as multiple servers or the like. The present apparatus and methods can accordingly be performed on any form of one or more computing devices. 
     The apparatus  100  includes computing platform  102  that can receive and execute algorithms, such as routines, and applications. Computing platform  102  includes memory  104 , which may comprise volatile and non-volatile memory, such as read-only and/or random-access memory (RAM and ROM), EPROM, EEPROM, flash cards, or any memory common to computer platforms. Further, memory  104  may include one or more flash memory cells, or may be any secondary or tertiary storage device, such as magnetic media, optical media, tape, or soft or hard disk. Moreover, memory  104  may comprise cloud storage, such as provided by a cloud storage service and/or a cloud connection service. 
     Further, computing platform  102  also includes processor  106 , which may be an application-specific integrated circuit (“ASIC”), or other chipset, processor, logic circuit, or other data processing device. Processor  106  or other processor such as ASIC may execute an application programming interface (“API”) (not shown in  FIG. 4 ) that interfaces with any resident programs, such as purchasing analytics application  14 , and routines, sub-modules associated therewith or the like stored in the memory  104  of the apparatus  100 . 
     Processor  106  includes various processing subsystems (not shown in  FIG. 4 ) embodied in hardware, firmware, software, and combinations thereof, that enable the functionality of apparatus  100  and the operability of the apparatus on a network. For example, processing subsystems allow for initiating and maintaining communications and exchanging data with other networked devices. For the disclosed aspects, processing subsystems of processor  106  may include any subsystem used in conjunction with purchasing analytics application  14  and related algorithms, sub-algorithms, modules, sub-modules thereof. 
     Computer platform  102  may additionally include communications module (not shown in  FIG. 4 ) embodied in hardware, firmware, software, and combinations thereof, that enables communications among the various components of the apparatus  100 , as well as between the other networked devices. Thus, communication module may include the requisite hardware, firmware, software and/or combinations thereof for establishing and maintaining a network communication connection. 
     The memory  104  of apparatus  100  stores purchasing analytics application  14  that is configured to provide targeted advertisements through implementation of anonymous cookies that, without identifying the customer, identify spending trends, spending categories or other spending data associated with the customer, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, spending trend analysis application is configured to access financial institution transaction databases  16 , such as POS merchant transaction databases, customer account transaction databases and the like, which store transaction records  110  associated with customers  108  of the financial institution and determine, based on the transaction records, analytical purchasing data  38  associated with the customers  108 . 
     As previously discussed the analytical purchasing data  38  may include determine date/time purchase trends  120  (e.g., times of the week, month or year that the customer prefers to make purchases and/or times within a day that the customer prefers to make purchases). Additionally, the analytical purchasing data  38  may include the customer&#39;s preference for electronic purchases versus physical (brick and mortar) purchases  122  (e.g., percentage of overall spend at electronic merchants versus brick and mortar merchants). In addition, the electronic versus physical purchase preference can be configured to be broken down on a specific product/service basis, a specific type of product service basis, a specific merchant basis, a specific type of merchant basis or the like. In addition, the analytical purchasing data  38  may include the rate (amount over predetermined time) of purchase at a specific merchant or type of merchant  124  and or the percentage spend a specific merchant in comparison to the customer&#39;s overall spend or spend within a merchant type category. Additionally, analytical purchasing data  38  may include any other purchase/spend-related analytical data  126  that may be instrumental to a website in determining what advertisements to display or instrumental for any other purposes (e.g., website usage analysis). 
     As previously described, the analytical purchasing data  38  may include spending trends  134  which may be configured by the financial institution and/or customer to indicate a customer&#39;s preference, over a predetermined time period, to purchase a specific product or service  136  or a preference to purchase a product or service type  138  (i.e., a category of products or services). Additionally, a spending trend may indicate a customer&#39;s preference, over a predetermined period of time, to purchase products or services from a specific merchant  140  or a merchant type  142 (i.e., a category of merchants). 
     In specific embodiments, analytical purchasing data  38  may include a ranked listing  144  of the spending trends  134 , such that, the most significant spending trend is listed first, followed by the next most significant and so on. The most significant spending trend being defined as the spending trend which would most likely trigger a purchase or a positive response to an advertisement (i.e., the customer is likely to activate a link associated with an electronic advertisement to access the merchant&#39;s website associated with the advertisement). In such embodiments of the invention, in which the anonymous cookie ( 64  of  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) serves to identify a ranked listing  130  of spending trends, the targeted advertising serving application ( 72  of  FIG. 2 ) is configured to look first for advertisements that match the attributes of the first listed spending trend and, if no advertisements match, then look for an attribute match between available advertisements and the next listed spending trend and, so on, until a match is found between attributes of a listed spending trend and the advertisements. Additionally, if the website is configured to display more than one advertisement, either in different locations or on a rotating basis, the targeted advertisement application is configured to similarly look for advertisements that meet attributes of the first listed spending trend, followed by the next listed spending trend and, so on. 
     The analytical purchasing data  38  may include a spending category  128 , which is one of a plurality of spending categories defined/configured by the financial institution and/or the merchants/advertisers. Based on spending preferences a customer may be assigned to one of the spending categories. In specific embodiments of the invention, the spending categories may be associated with the amount and/or volume of purchases that a customer makes over a predetermined period of time. In other embodiments of the invention, the spending categories or sub-categories may be associated with specific products or services preferred by the customer, specific product or service type preferred by the customer, specific merchants preferred by the customer and/or specific merchant types preferred by the customer. 
     In additional embodiments of the invention, the purchasing analytics application  14  is configured to identify, based on transaction records, future events  130  associated with the customer (for example, a future trip/travel, future wedding, future house purchase, future graduation and the like) and a corresponding date  132  or period of time associated with the future event (i.e., a travel period, a wedding date, a graduation date or the like). In such embodiments of the invention, in which the anonymous cookie ( 64  of  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) serves to identify the future event(s)  130  and associated date/time period  132 , the targeted advertising serving application ( 72  of  FIG. 2 ) is configured to look for advertisements that match the attributes of the future event and to display the advertisements either during the time period or for a predetermined period of time prior to the date or the start of the time period. Additionally, in specific embodiments of the invention, in which the anonymous cookie serves to identify the future event  130  and associated date/time period  132 , the anonymous cookie  64  may be configured to expire on a predetermined date (e.g., after completion of the time period or once the date of the event arrives), such that the cookie is automatically deleted from web browser cache at a specified date and/or time. 
     In further embodiments of the invention, the purchasing analytics application  14  is configured to tie or otherwise associate specific products or services  132  purchased with a trend, such as a merchant trend, merchant type trend or a product/service type trend. In such embodiments of the invention, in which the anonymous cookie ( 64  of  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) serves to identify the specific product(s)/service(s)  146  within a trend, the targeted advertising serving application ( 72  of  FIG. 2 ) is configured to ignore advertisements that are for the same product or service (e.g., the customer recently purchased a gas grill, so gas grill advertisements will not be displayed). However, the targeted advertising serving application  72  may be configured to look for attribute matches between the advertisements and products or services that are associated with (related to but not the same) the specific product or service (e.g., the customer recently purchases a gas grill, so gas grill accessories advertisements should be displayed to the customer). 
     Thus, systems, apparatus, methods, and computer program products described above provide for anonymously providing purchasing analytics associated with customer to a website while the customer is accessing the website. Specifically, a financial institution, having access to a customer&#39;s transactional data, can analyze the data to determine analytical purchasing data. Once the customer authenticates (e.g., logs-in or the like) themselves at a financial institution website (e.g., online banking), a networked application (e.g., mobile banking) or any other website or application affiliated with the financial institution, an anonymous cookie that is configured to identify the analytical purchasing data is generated and stored in the web browser cache. In response to the customer using the device to access a website that displays advertisements, the anonymous cookie is retrieved from the web browser cache and the analytical purchasing data is provided to the website. In specific embodiments of the invention, the website uses the analytical purchasing data of the customer to determine which of the plurality of advertisements are to be displayed to the customer while they visit the website. 
     While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on the broad invention, and that this invention not be limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, since various other changes, combinations, omissions, modifications and substitutions, in addition to those set forth in the above paragraphs, are possible. 
     Those skilled in the art may appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just described embodiments can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.