B.E. Technology vs. Facebook

B.E. Technology, L.L.C.於2012.9.7.在美國田納西州西部聯邦地院控告Facebook, Inc所使用人口統計學之定向廣告方法，侵害其US6,628,314號專利。

Smart的看法
大家都已習慣免費用Facebook了，也有人會想Facebook到底是怎麼賺錢的？為什麼它可以上市？從這個訴訟標的，可以看出一些端倪，原來它賣的是我們的個人資料。

US6,628,314
Title :Computer interface method and apparatus with targeted advertising
Filing Date : 200.10.30.
Issue Date : 2003.9.30.
Abstract :
A method and apparatus for providing an automatically upgradeable software application that includes targeted advertising based upon demographics and user interaction with the computer. The software application is a graphical user interface that includes a display region used for banner advertising that is downloaded from time to time over a network such as the Internet. The software application is accessible from a server via the Internet and demographic information on the user is acquired by the server and used for determining what banner advertising will be sent to the user. The software application further targets the advertisements in response to normal user interaction, or use, of the computer. Associated with each banner advertisement is a set of data that is used by the software application in determining when a particular banner is to be displayed. This includes the specification of certain programs that the user may have so that, when the user runs the program (such as a spreadsheet program), an advertisement will be displayed that is relevant to that program (such as an advertisement for a stock brokerage). This provides two-tiered, real-time targeting of advertising--both demographically and reactively. The software application includes programming that accesses the server on occasion to determine if one or more components of the application need upgrading to a newer version. If so, the components are downloaded and installed without requiring any input or action by the user.