METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC PLACEMENT OF ADVERTISING

• US 20020099600A1
• Filed: 06/15/1998
• Published: 07/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Doubleclick Incorporated (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: MERRIMAN, DWIGHT A., OʼCONNOR, KEVIN
• Granted Patent: US 7,039,599 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.52
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

A computer system for automatic replacement of direct advertisements in scarce media includes an advertising server for selecting a direct advertisement based on certain criteria. Transaction results of the direct advertisement placement are reported back to the advertising server, and an associated accounting system. In one embodiment, the direct advertiser'"'"'s server reports transactions back to the advertising server by email. In a second embodiment, a direct proxy server brokers the user'"'"'s session (or interaction) with the direct advertiser'"'"'s server, including transaction processing and the direct proxy server reports the results of transactions back to the advertising server and its associated accounting system. A direct proxy provides an independent audit of transactions at a remote direct advertiser'"'"'s web site. The feedback of the results of direct advertisement transactions provides an efficient utilization of direct advertising space by way of an automated computer system with a predictive model for selection and distribution of direct advertising.

Claims

1. A network comprising:

a user node having a browser program coupled to said network, said user node providing requests for information on said network;

a content provider node having a respective content provider web site responsive to requests for information from said user node to provide media content and advertising space for display of direct advertising content;

an advertiser node having an advertiser web site including direct advertising content, said advertiser node responsive to a request from said user node to provide said direct advertising content, said advertiser node further providing a feedback signal representing user transactions at said advertiser node; and

an advertisement server node responsive to a request from said user node and said feedback signal to select an advertiser node as a selected advertiser node, and identify said advertiser node as said selected advertiser node to said user node,

whereby said direct advertising content from said selected advertiser node is displayed at said user node.

3. A network in accordance with claim 1, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the number of times said direct advertising content has been previously displayed at said user node.

4. A network in accordance with claim 1, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the historical statistical conversion rate of said direct advertising content.

5. A network in accordance with claim 1, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the cost per action of said direct advertising content.

6. A network in accordance with claim 1, wherein said feedback signal is an email from said advertiser node to said advertisement server node.

2. A network in accordance with claim 1, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the characteristics of said user.

2-1. In a network having a user node including a browser program coupled to said network, said user node providing requests for information on said network, a content provider node having a respective content provider web site responsive to requests for information from said user node to provide media content and advertising space for display of direct advertising content, a plurality of advertiser nodes, each of said plurality of advertiser nodes having a respective direct advertiser web site including respective direct advertising content, each of said advertiser nodes responsive to a respective request from said user node to provide respective direct advertising content, said network providing a feedback signal representing user transactions at said advertiser node, a network node comprising:

an advertisement server node responsive to a request from said user node and said feedback signal to select an advertiser node as a selected advertiser node, and identify said advertiser node as said selected advertiser node to said user node, whereby said direct advertising content from said selected advertiser node is displayed at said user node.

8. An advertisement server node in accordance with claim 7, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the characteristics of said user.

9. An advertisement server node in accordance with claim 7, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the number of times said direct advertising content has been previously displayed at said user node.

10. An advertisement server node in accordance with claim 7, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the historical statistical conversion rate of said direct advertising content.

11. An advertisement server node in accordance with claim 7, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the cost per action of said direct advertising content.

14. An apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein said advertisement server selects said advertiser node based on the characteristics of said user.

15. An apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein said advertisement server selects said advertiser node based on the number of times said direct advertising content has been previously displayed at said user node.

16. An apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein said advertisement node selects said advertiser node based on the historical statistical conversion rate of said direct advertising content.

17. An apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein said advertisement server selects said advertiser node based on the cost per action of said direct advertising content.

18. An apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein said feedback signal is an email from said advertiser node to said advertisement server node.

20. A network in accordance with claim 19, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the characteristics of said user.

21. A network in accordance with claim 19, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the number of times said direct advertising content has been previously displayed at said user node.

22. A network in accordance with claim 19, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the historical statistical conversion rate of said direct advertising content.

23. A network in accordance with claim 19, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the cost per action of said direct advertising content.

24. A network in accordance with claim 19, wherein said feedback signal is an email from said advertiser node to said advertisement server node.

26. An advertisement server node in accordance with claim 25, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the characteristics of said user.

27. An advertisement server node in accordance with claim 25, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the number of times said direct advertising content has been previously displayed at said user node.

28. An advertisement server node in accordance with claim 25, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the historical statistical conversion rate of said direct advertising content.

29. An advertisement server node in accordance with claim 25, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the cost per action of said direct advertising content.

30. An advertisement server node in accordance with claim 25, wherein said feedback signal is an email from said advertiser node to said advertisement server node.

12. An advertisement server node in accordance with claim 7, wherein said feedback signal is an email from said advertiser node to said advertisement server node.

13. An apparatus for delivery of direct advertisements from a plurality of advertisers in an advertising medium, said apparatus comprising:

a memory storing a database comprising a plurality of direct advertisements, and historical results of previous placements of said plurality of direct advertisements in said advertising medium;

an advertisement server including a predictive model for selecting one of said plurality of advertisements based on said historical results;

an output device to display a selected one of said plurality of direct advertisements from a selected advertiser from said plurality of advertisers to a user; and

a feedback signal to said advertisement server, said feedback signal providing the results of any transaction between said user and said selected advertiser, said result being stored in said memory containing historical results of previous placements of said plurality of direct advertisements.

19. A network comprising:

a user node having a browser program coupled to said network, said user node providing requests for information on said network;

a content provider node having a respective content provider web site responsive to requests for information from said user node to provide media content and advertising space for display of direct advertising content;

an advertisement server node responsive to a request from said user node to select an advertising banner for said advertising space, and to reply to said request from said user node by identifying said advertising banner to said user node,

whereby said advertising banner from said direct advertisement server node is displayed at said user node in said advertising space, and wherein said advertisement server node is responsive to a request from said user node to identify a direct advertiser web site corresponding to said advertising banner; and

an advertiser node having a direct advertiser web site including direct advertising content corresponding to said advertising banner, said advertiser node responsive to a request from said user node to provide said direct advertising content corresponding to the selection of said advertising banner by said user, said advertiser node providing a feedback signal to said advertisement server node representing user transactions at said advertiser node,

whereby said direct advertising content from said advertiser node is displayed at said user node, and transaction by said user are reported to said advertisement server node.

25. In a network comprising a user node having a browser program coupled to said network, said user node providing requests for information on said network, a content provider node having a respective content provider web site responsive to requests for information from said user node to provide media content and advertising space for display of direct advertising content, and an advertiser node having a direct advertiser web site including direct advertising content corresponding to said advertising banner, said advertiser node responsive to a request from said user node to provide said direct advertising content corresponding to the selection of said advertising banner by said user, said network providing a feedback signal representing user transactions at said advertiser node, a network node comprising:

an advertisement server node responsive to a request from said user node to select an advertising banner for said advertising space, and to reply to said request from said user node by identifying said advertising banner to said user node, wherein said advertisement server node is responsive to a request from said user node and said feedback signal to identify a direct advertiser web site corresponding to said advertising banner, whereby said advertising banner from said advertisement server node is displayed at said user node in said advertising space, and whereby said direct advertising content from said selected advertiser node is displayed at said user node.

31. An advertisement server node in accordance with claim 25, wherein said feedback signal is an email from said advertiser node to said advertisement server node.

32. A network in accordance with claim 31, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the characteristics of said user.

33. A network in accordance with claim 31, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the number of times said direct advertising content has been previously displayed at said user node.

34. A network in accordance with claim 31, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the historical statistical conversion rate of said direct advertising content.

35. A network in accordance with claim 31, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the cost per action of said direct advertising content.

36. A network in accordance with claim 31, wherein said feedback signal is an email from said advertiser node to said advertisement server node.

38. A network in accordance with claim 37, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the characteristics of said user.

39. A network in accordance with claim 37, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the number of times said direct advertising content has been previously displayed at said user node.

40. A network in accordance with claim 37, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the historical statistical conversion rate of said direct advertising content.

41. network in accordance with claim 37, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the cost per action of said direct advertising content.

42. A network in accordance with claim 37, wherein said feedback signal is an email from said advertiser node to said advertisement server node.

31-2. In a network including a user node having a browser program coupled to said network, a content provider node having a respective content provider web site containing media content and advertising space for display of direct advertising content and an advertisement server node, said system further comprises an advertiser node having a direct advertiser web site including direct advertising content, said network providing a feedback signal representing prior user transactions at said advertiser node, a method for delivery of direct advertising to said user node, said method comprising:

sending a request for information from said user node to said content provider web site requesting information;

sending a reply from said content provider web site responsive to said request for information from said user node, containing media content and advertising space for display of direct advertising content;

sending a request from said user node to said advertisement server node to provide an advertising banner for said advertising space;

selecting, at said advertisement server node, responsive in part to said feedback signal, an advertising banner;

sending a reply from said advertisement server node identifying said advertising banner to said user node; and

displaying said advertising banner in said advertising space at said user node;

sending a request from said user node to said advertisement server node responsive to selection of said advertising banner at said user node;

sending a reply from said advertisement server node to said user node identifying said direct advertiser web site corresponding to said advertising banner;

sending a request from said user node to said direct advertiser web site to provide said direct advertising content corresponding to said advertising banner by said user;

sending a reply from said direct advertiser web site to said user node; and

displaying said direct advertising content at said user node.

37. In a network including a user node having a browser program coupled to said network, a content provider node having a respective content provider web site containing media content and advertising space for display of direct advertising content, an advertisement server node, and an advertiser node having a direct advertiser web site including direct advertising content, said network providing a feedback signal representing user transactions at said advertiser node, a method for delivery of direct advertising content to said user node said method comprising:

sending a request for information from said user node to said content provider web site requesting information;

sending a reply from said content provider web site, responsive to said request for information from said user node, containing media content and advertising space for display of direct advertising content;

sending a request from said user node to said advertisement server node to select an advertiser node;

selecting, at said advertisement server node, responsive in part to said feedback signal, an advertiser node;

sending a reply from said advertisement server node to said user node identifying said selected advertiser node;

sending a request from said user node to said advertiser node to provide said direct advertising content to said user node;

sending a reply from said direct advertiser web site to said user node containing said direct advertising content; and

displaying said direct advertising content at said user node.

43. In a network including a user node having a browser program coupled to said network, a content provider node having a respective content provider web site containing media content and advertising space for display of direct advertising content, an advertisement server node, and an advertiser node having a direct advertiser web site including direct advertising content, a method for delivery of direct advertising content to said user node said method comprising:

sending a request for information from said user node to said content provider web site requesting information;

sending a reply from said content provider web site, responsive to said request for information from said user node, containing media content and advertising space for display of direct advertising content;

sending a request from said user node to said advertisement server node to select an advertiser node;

selecting, at said advertisement server node, an advertiser node;

sending a reply from said advertisement server node to said user node identifying said selected advertiser node;

sending a request from said user node to said advertiser node to provide said direct advertising content to said user node;

sending a reply from said direct advertiser web site to said user node containing said direct advertising content;

displaying said direct advertising content at said user node;

performing a transaction responsive to said direct advertising content; and

reporting said transaction in a feedback signal to said advertisement server node.

44. A network in accordance with claim 43, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the characteristics of said user.

45. A network in accordance with claim 43, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the number of times said direct advertising content has been previously displayed at said user node.

46. A network in accordance with claim 43, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the historical statistical conversion rate of said direct advertising content.

47. A network in accordance with claim 43, wherein said advertisement server node selects said advertiser node based on the cost per action of said direct advertising content.

48. A network in accordance with claim 43, wherein said feedback signal is an email from said advertiser node to said advertisement server node.

50. A network in accordance with claim 49, wherein said advertisement server selects said advertiser node based on the characteristics of said user.

51. A network in accordance with claim 49, wherein said advertisement server selects said advertiser node based on the number of times said direct advertising content has been previously displayed at said user node.

52. A network in accordance with claim 49, wherein said advertisement server selects said advertiser node based on the historical statistical conversion rate of said direct advertising content.

53. A network in accordance with claim 49, wherein said advertisement server selects said advertiser node based on the cost per action of said direct advertising content.

49. A network comprising:

a user node having a browser program coupled to said network, said user node providing requests for information on said network;

a content provider node having a respective content provider web site responsive to requests for information from said user node to provide media content and advertising space for display of direct advertising content;

a proxy node coupled to said user node and adapted for receiving a request from said proxy node;

an advertiser node having an advertiser web site including direct advertising content, said advertiser node responsive to a request from said proxy node to provide said direct advertising content, said proxy node further providing a feedback signal representing user transactions at said advertiser node; and

an advertisement server node responsive to a request from said user node and said feedback signal to select an advertiser node as a selected advertiser node, and identify said advertiser node as said selected advertiser node to said user node,

whereby said direct advertising content from said selected advertiser node is displayed at said user node.

54. A network comprising:

a user node having a browser program coupled to said network, said user node providing requests for information on said network;

a content provider node having a respective content provider web site responsive to requests for information from said user node to provide media content and advertising space for display of direct advertising content;

an advertisement server node responsive to a request from said user node to select an advertising banner for said advertising space, and to reply to said request from said user node by identifying said advertising banner to said user node,

whereby said advertising banner from said direct advertisement server node is displayed at said user node in said advertising space,

wherein said advertisement server node is responsive to a request from said user node to identify a direct advertiser web site corresponding to said advertising banner; and

a proxy node coupled to said user node and adapted for receiving a request from said user node;

an advertiser node having a direct advertiser web site including direct advertising content corresponding to said advertising banner, said advertiser node responsive to a request from said proxy node to provide said direct advertising content corresponding to the selection of said advertising banner by said user, said proxy node providing a feedback signal to said advertisement server node representing user transactions at said advertiser node,

whereby said direct advertising content from said advertiser node is displayed at said user node, and user transactions by said user are reported to said advertisement server.

55. A network in accordance with claim 54, wherein said advertisement server selects said advertiser node based on the characteristics of said user.

56. A network in accordance with claim 54, wherein said advertisement server selects said advertiser node based on the number of times said direct advertising content has been previously displayed at said user node.

57. A network in accordance with claim 54, wherein said advertisement server selects said advertiser node based on the historical statistical conversion rate of said direct advertising content.

58. A network in accordance with claim 54, wherein said advertisement server selects said advertiser node based on the cost per action of said direct advertising content.

59. A network comprising:

a first node having a browser program coupled to said network, said first node responsive to a user at said first node to provide requests for information on said network;

a second node having a commerce engine web site, said second node having a transaction processor to implement a transaction responsive to a request from said user; and

a third node between said first node and said second node, and coupled to said first and second nodes, said third node having a transaction monitor which monitors communication between said first node and said second node to determine whether a transaction requested by said user has occurred at said second node, and generate a feedback signal to report said transaction.

60. In a network having a user node including a browser program at said user node coupled to said network, an advertiser node having a direct advertiser web site including a commerce engine for implementing a transaction between said user node and said direct advertiser web site, and a proxy node coupled to said user node and said advertiser node, a method at said proxy node comprising:

sending a first request to perform a transaction from said user node to said proxy node;

receiving said first request at said proxy node;

forwarding a second request from said proxy node to said direct advertiser web site;

receiving a first reply from said direct advertiser web site at said proxy node;

forwarding a second reply from said proxy node to said user node;

detecting at said proxy node, a pre-configured data pattern representing a transaction at said advertiser node; and

generating a feedback signal responsive to detecting said pre-configured data pattern, said feedback signal

representing a completed transaction at said direct advertiser web site.

61. In a network having a user node including a browser program at said user node coupled to said network, an advertiser node having a direct advertiser web site including a commerce engine for implementing a transaction between said user node and said direct advertiser web site, and a proxy node coupled to said user node and said advertiser node, an apparatus at said proxy node comprising:

means for sending a first request to perform a transaction from said user node to said proxy node;

means for receiving said first request at said proxy node;

means for forwarding a second request from said proxy node to said direct advertiser web site;

means for receiving a first reply from said direct advertiser web site at said proxy node;

means forwarding a second reply from said proxy node to said user node;

means for detecting at said proxy node, a pre-configured data pattern representing a transaction at said advertiser node; and

means for generating a feedback signal responsive to said means for detecting said pre-configured data pattern, said feedback signal representing a completed transaction at said direct advertiser web site.