| CPC H04N 21/812 (2013.01) [H04N 21/25841 (2013.01); H04N 21/25891 (2013.01); H04N 21/2668 (2013.01); H04N 21/4104 (2013.01); H04N 21/4108 (2013.01); H04N 21/4112 (2020.08); H04N 21/4126 (2013.01); H04N 21/42684 (2013.01); H04N 21/435 (2013.01); H04N 21/43615 (2013.01); H04N 21/44222 (2013.01); H04N 21/44224 (2020.08); H04N 21/4524 (2013.01); H04N 21/4532 (2013.01); H04N 21/6125 (2013.01); H04N 21/6402 (2013.01); H04N 21/64322 (2013.01); H04N 21/84 (2013.01); H04N 21/4882 (2013.01)] | 26 Claims |
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1. A method implemented using a first programmed hardware computer system, the method comprising:
(a) when the first programmed hardware computer system and a second Internet-accessing online device are in communication with one another, with the first programmed hardware computer system, automatically sending an electronic transmission that automatically causes another computer system to take an automatic action with respect to the second Internet-accessing online device, wherein the automatic action is performed based at least in part on profile information associated with a first Internet-accessing online device, wherein the first Internet-accessing online device is different from the second Internet-accessing online device;
(b) wherein the act in part (a) is performed using data identifying the second Internet-accessing online device as a member of a set of associated online devices that includes the first Internet-accessing online device, the second Internet-accessing online device, and at least one additional online device;
(c) wherein the data establishes the association in part (b) based on an automatic computerized determination, using a second programmed hardware computer system, that:
(i) network traffic was routed to each of the set of associated online devices using a first, common IP address or portion thereof during a first time period; and
(ii) network traffic was routed to a selected minimum number of online devices of the set of associated online devices, not including the second Internet-accessing online device, during a second time period, which is after the first time period and before the act in part (a) is performed, using a second, common IP address or portion thereof that is different from the first, common IP address or portion thereof, wherein the minimum number of devices is at least two and less than the number of online devices in the set of associated online devices; and
(d) wherein the first programmed hardware computer system and the second programmed hardware computer system are controlled by entities that are third-parties to one another and that are each outside both a first local area network defined by the first IP address or portion thereof and a second local area network defined by the second IP address or portion thereof.
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