Ad payment for physical presence

• US 10,332,153 B1
• Filed: 12/07/2017
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Mayers, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Obayanju, Omoniyi
• Application Number:
  US15/834,516
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of determining reaction to promotional items includes providing to a mobile device a promotional item associated with a geographic location, determining whether the mobile device is proximate to the geographic location, and charging an advertising account if the mobile device is proximate to the geographic location.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving data indicating that a mobile device is located at a first location;

determining a predicted travel path of the mobile device that passes a second, different location;

determining that a geographic location of an entity that provides a particular content item is located within a threshold distance of the predicted travel path of the mobile device;

based on determining that the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item is located within the threshold distance of the predicted travel path of the mobile device, providing, to the mobile device and for display on the mobile device, the particular content item that is provided by the entity;

after providing the particular content item to the mobile device, determining that the mobile device is located at the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item;

after determining that the mobile device is located at the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item, determining that the mobile device is located at the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item for a period of time;

based on the particular content item that is provided by the entity, determining, from among multiple threshold periods of time that are each associated with different content items, a threshold period of time associated with the particular content item;

determining that the period of time that the mobile device is located at the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item is at least the threshold period of time that is associated with the particular content item; and

based on determining that the period of time that the mobile device is located at the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item is at least the threshold period of time that is associated with the particular content item, reporting, to the entity that provides the particular content item, information specifying that the mobile device was located at the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item for at least the pre-specified amount of time.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining that the mobile device is located in a vehicle,

wherein the determined predicted travel path corresponds to a road based on determining that the mobile device is located in the vehicle, and

wherein the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item is located along the road.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular content item is a click-to-call content item that is configured to initiate a communication session with the entity that provides the particular content item upon user selection of the particular content item.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving a search query that was submitted by the mobile device; and

determining that the entity that provides the particular content item is responsive to the search query,

wherein providing, to the mobile device and for display on the mobile device, the particular content item is further based on determining that the entity that provides the particular content item is responsive to the search query.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold distance is further based on an amount charged to the entity that provides the particular content item.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold distance is further based on a category of the entity that provides the particular content item.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing, to the mobile device and for display on the mobile device, the particular content item comprises providing the content item for display on the mobile device when the mobile device is located at the geographic location of the entity.

8. A system comprising:

one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising;

receiving data indicating that a mobile device is located at a first location;

determining a predicted travel path of the mobile device that passes a second, different location;

determining that a geographic location of an entity that provides a particular content item is located within a threshold distance of the predicted travel path of the mobile device;

based on determining that the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item is located within the threshold distance of the predicted travel path of the mobile device, providing, to the mobile device and for display on the mobile device, the particular content item that is provided by the entity;

after providing the particular content item to the mobile device, determining that the mobile device is located at the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item;

after determining that the mobile device is located at the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item, determining that the mobile device is located at the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item for a period of time;

based on the particular content item that is provided by the entity, determining, from among multiple threshold periods of time that are each associated with different content items, a threshold period of time associated with the particular content item;

determining that the period of time that the mobile device is located at the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item is at least the threshold period of time that is associated with the particular content item; and

based on determining that the period of time that the mobile device is located at the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item is at least the threshold period of time that is associated with the particular content item, reporting, to the entity that provides the particular content item, information specifying that the mobile device was located at the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item for at least the pre-specified amount of time.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that the mobile device is located in a vehicle,

wherein the determined predicted travel path corresponds to a road based on determining that the mobile device is located in the vehicle, and

wherein the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item is located along the road.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the particular content item is a click-to-call content item that is configured to initiate a communication session with the entity that provides the particular content item upon user selection of the particular content item.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a search query that was submitted by the mobile device; and

determining that the entity that provides the particular content item is responsive to the search query,

wherein providing, to the mobile device and for display on the mobile device, the particular content item is further based on determining that the entity that provides the particular content item is responsive to the search query.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the threshold distance is further based on an amount charged to the entity that provides the particular content item.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the threshold distance is further based on a category of the entity that provides the particular content item.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software comprising instructions executable by one or more computers which, upon such execution, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

receiving data indicating that a mobile device is located at a first location;

determining a predicted travel path of the mobile device that passes a second, different location;

determining that a geographic location of an entity that provides a particular content item is located within a threshold distance of the predicted travel path of the mobile device;

based on determining that the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item is located within the threshold distance of the predicted travel path of the mobile device, providing, to the mobile device and for display on the mobile device, the particular content item that is provided by the entity;

after providing the particular content item to the mobile device, determining that the mobile device is located at the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item;

after determining that the mobile device is located at the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item, determining that the mobile device is located at the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item for a period of time;

based on the particular content item that is provided by the entity, determining, from among multiple threshold periods of time that are each associated with different content items, a threshold period of time associated with the particular content item;

determining that the period of time that the mobile device is located at the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item is at least the threshold period of time that is associated with the particular content item; and

based on determining that the period of time that the mobile device is located at the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item is at least the threshold period of time that is associated with the particular content item, reporting, to the entity that provides the particular content item, information specifying that the mobile device was located at the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item for at least the pre-specified amount of time.

15. The medium of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that the mobile device is located in a vehicle,

wherein the determined predicated travel path corresponds to a road based on determining that the mobile device is located in the vehicle, and

wherein the geographic location of the entity that provides the particular content item is located along the road.

16. The medium of claim 14, wherein the particular content item is a click-to-call content item that is configured to initiate a communication session with the entity that provides the particular content item upon user selection of the particular content item.

17. The medium of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a search query that was submitted by the mobile device; and

determining that the entity that provides the particular content item is responsive to the search query,

wherein providing, to the mobile device and for display on the mobile device, the particular content item is further based on determining that the entity that provides the particular content item is responsive to the search query.

18. The medium of claim 14, wherein the threshold distance is further based on an amount charged to the entity that provides the particular content item.

19. The medium of claim 14, wherein the threshold distance is further based on a category of the entity that provides the particular content item.

20. The medium of claim 14, wherein providing, to the mobile device and for display on the mobile device, the particular content item comprises providing the content item for display on the mobile device when the mobile device is located at the geographic location of the entity.