Systems and methods for assigning monetary values to search terms

• US 20070129997A1
• Filed: 10/28/2005
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Davies, Winton
• Granted Patent: US 8,015,065 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.520
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 Auctions

Abstract

Methods and systems for associating an unbidded term with a bidded term and for pricing search terms. The method for associating an unbidded term with a bidded term comprises selecting a first set of search engine results for the unbidded term, selecting a second set of search engine results for the bidded second term, comparing the first and second sets, and associating the unbidded term with at least one bidded term based on the results of comparing. The method for assigning monetary values to search terms comprises receiving bids for a first term, deriving a similarity function between the first and second term and pricing the second term based upon the derived similarity function and the bid on the first term.

Claims

1. A method for assigning a monetary value to a search term, the method comprising:

providing at least one first search term to at least one advertiser;

receiving at least one bid from said advertiser on said first search term;

deriving a similarity function between said first term and at least one second term; and

assigning a monetary value to said second term based at least in part on said bid and said similarity function.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein deriving said similarity function comprises:

selecting a first set of search engine results for said first term;

selecting a second set of search engine results for said second term;

comparing said first and second sets; and

associating said first and said second terms based on said comparing.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each search engine result in said first and said second sets of search engine results includes a uniform resource locator.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the comparing said first and said second sets includes comparing said respective uniform resource locators.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

assigning a respective identifier to each result in said first and said second sets of search engine results; and

wherein

said comparing of said first and said second sets includes comparing said respective identifiers.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

generating an index of said identifiers; and

wherein

said comparing of said first and said second sets includes using a search engine to search said index.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein comparing said first and second sets includes determining an intersection of said first and second sets divided by a union of said first and second sets.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein comparing said first and second sets includes using a statistical method.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said statistical method includes a term frequency inverse document frequency method.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein each search engine result in said first and said second sets identifies a respective document.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said comparing of said first and said second sets includes comparing said respective documents.

12. The method of claim 2, comprising ranking said search engine results in at least one of said first and said second sets.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said associating steps are based on said ranking.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said ranking is based on linear weights.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said ranking is based on logarithmic weights.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said ranking includes using a statistical method.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said statistical method includes a term frequency inverse document frequency method.

18. The method of claim 1, comprising:

providing said second term and said assigned monetary value to at least one advertiser;

receiving input associated with said second term and said assigned monetary value from said advertiser;

adjusting said similarity function between said first and second terms;

assigning an adjusted monetary value to said second term based at least in part on said bid and said adjusted similarity function.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said input include a bidding rate.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said input include a bid amount.

21. The method of claim 18, comprising analyzing said input.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said analyzing of said input includes statistical analysis.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein said first term is received from a user.

24. The method of claim 23, comprising providing at least one advertisement associated with said second term to said user in response to receiving said first term.

25. The method of claim 24, comprising:

receiving input associated with at least one said advertisement associated with said second term and said assigned monetary value from said user;

adjusting said similarity function between said first and second terms;

assigning an adjusted monetary value to said second term based at least in part on said bid and said adjusted similarity function.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said input includes a click-through rate.

27. A computer readable medium including computer executable instructions stored thereon for assigning a monetary value to a search term, the instructions comprising:

providing at least one first search term to at least one advertiser;

receiving at least one bid from said advertiser on said first search term;

deriving a similarity function between said first term and at least one second term; and

assigning a monetary value to said second term based at least in part on said bid and said similarity function.

28. A system for assigning a monetary value to a search term, the system comprising:

a computer interface effective to provide at least one first search term to at least one advertiser;

a receiver effective to receive at least one bid from said advertiser on said first search term; and

a processor connected to said receiver and effective to derive a similarity function between said first term and at least one second term and to assign a monetary value to said second term based at least in part on said bid and said similarity function.