Selecting content based on entities

• US 10,346,519 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2016
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Collins, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Bloomquist, Keith D
• Application Number:
  US15/155,119
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/212 with details for data modelling support
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24565 Triggers; Constraints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2462 Approximate or statistical queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus include computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium for providing content to a user. A method includes: identifying a first resource, the first resource including one or more links to second, other resources and at least one slot for filling with third party content, wherein first selection criteria are associated with a first slot of the at least one slots; determining for at least one of the second other resources entities associated therewith, including evaluating a page associated with the second other resource to identify entities that are associated with content presented on the page; using the determined entities to either augment or filter the first selection criteria producing enhanced selection criteria; and determining one or more content items for presentation to a user in the first slot, wherein determining includes using the enhanced selection criteria to identify the one or more content items.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying existing selection criteria corresponding to content of a first resource that are used to select content presented in a slot of the first resource of a resource provider;

identifying, within the first resource, links to second other resources;

evaluating, by one or more processors, the second other resources to determine a set of candidate entities referenced by content presented on the second other resources;

producing, by one or more processors, enhanced selection criteria using the set of candidate entities, including;

determining that a given candidate entity from the set of candidate entities is not included in the existing selection criteria for the first resource;

determining that the given candidate entity is referenced in the second other resources at least a first threshold number of times; and

replacing a particular selection criterion from the existing selection criteria for the first resource with the given candidate entity based on the given candidate entity being referenced in the second other resources at least the first threshold number of times and not being included in the existing selection criteria; and

selecting, by one or more processors, content to present in the first resource based, at least in part, on the enhanced selection criteria, which includes the given candidate entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the set of candidate entities for the second other resources includes determining a predetermined number of entities.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting content includes determining one or more advertisements that are targeted to the given candidate entity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the existing selection criteria are specified by an entity associated with the first resource, derived based on content that is included in the first resource, or both.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the given candidate entity is derived from a URL associated with a second other resource from which the given candidate entity was determined.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein producing the enhanced selection criteria comprises:

determining that the given candidate entity has a topical score that is at least a threshold score; and

replacing the particular selection criterion from the existing selection criteria for the first resource with the given candidate entry based on the given candidate entity having the topical score that is at least the threshold score.

7. A non-transitory computer readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

identify existing selection criteria corresponding to content of a first resource that are used to select content presented in a slot of the first resource of a resource provider;

identify, within the first resource, links to second other resources;

evaluate the second other resources to determine a set of candidate entities referenced by content presented on the second other resources;

produce enhanced selection criteria using the set of candidate entities, including;

determining that a given candidate entity from the set of candidate entities is not included in the existing selection criteria for the first resource;

determining that the given candidate entity is referenced in the second other resources at least a first threshold number of times; and

replacing a particular selection criterion from the existing selection criteria for the first resource with the given candidate entity based on the given candidate entity being referenced in the second other resources at least the first threshold number of times and not being included in the existing selection criteria; and

select content to present in the first resource based, at least in part, on the enhanced selection criteria, which includes the given candidate entity.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein determining the set of candidate entities for the second other resources includes determining a predetermined number of entities.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein selecting content includes determining one or more advertisements that are targeted to the given candidate entity.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the existing selection criteria are specified by an entity associated with the first resource, derived based on content that is included in the first resource, or both.

11. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the given candidate entity is derived from a URL associated with a second other resource from which the given candidate entity was determined.

12. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein producing the enhanced selection criteria comprises:

determining that the given candidate entity has a topical score that is at least a threshold score; and

replacing the particular selection criterion from the existing selection criteria for the first resource with the given candidate entry based on the given candidate entity having the topical score that is at least the threshold score.

13. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memory elements including instructions that when executed cause the one or more processors to;

identify existing selection criteria corresponding to content of a first resource that are used to select content presented in a slot of the first resource of a resource provider;

identify, within the first resource, links to second other resources;

evaluate the second other resources to determine a set of candidate entities referenced by content presented on the second other resources;

produce enhanced selection criteria using the set of candidate entities, including;

determining that a given candidate entity from the set of candidate entities is not included in the existing selection criteria for the first resource;

determining that the given candidate entity is referenced in the second other resources at least a first threshold number of times and not being included in the existing selection criteria; and

replacing a particular selection criterion from the existing selection criteria for the first resource with the given candidate entity based on the given candidate entity being referenced in the second other resources at least the first threshold number of times; and

select content to present in the first resource based, at least in part, on the enhanced selection criteria, which includes the given candidate entity.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein determining the set of candidate entities for the second other resources includes determining a predetermined number of entities.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein selecting content includes determining one or more advertisements that are targeted to the given candidate entity.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the existing selection criteria are specified by an entity associated with the first resource, derived based on content that is included in the first resource, or both.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the given candidate entity is derived from a URL associated with a second other resource from which the given candidate entity was determined.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein producing the enhanced selection criteria comprises:

determining that the given candidate entity has a topical score that is at least a threshold score; and

replacing the particular selection criterion from the existing selection criteria for the first resource with the given candidate entry based on the given candidate entity having the topical score that is at least the threshold score.