Monetizing service calls through advertising

• US 20070265858A1
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Pansari, Ambar, Ewing, Jessica
• Granted Patent: US 8,224,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0214 Referral reward systems

Abstract

A platform service that is used by an application may be linked to an advertising service. A cost of using the platform service may be reduced based on the linking.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

tracking, for an application that provides at least one advertising link and uses a platform service, a number of times that the at least one advertising link is selected over a period of time, the application being associated with a first party and the platform service being associated with a second party; and

providing an amount of free access to the platform service to the first party based on the tracking.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the application includes a desktop application.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the application includes a network-based application.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the platform service includes at least one of a mapping service, an e-mail service, or a search service.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one advertising link relates to a content of the application.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one advertising link is provided to the application by the second party.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one advertising link is provided to the application by the second party.

7. A system comprising:

means for tracking, for an application that provides an advertising link and uses a platform service, a number of times that the advertising link is selected over a period of time, the application being associated with a first party and the platform service and advertising link being provided by a second party; and

means for providing an amount of free access to the platform service to the first party based on the tracking.

8. A device comprising:

a memory configured to store instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions to;

track, for an application that provides at least one advertising link and uses a platform service, a number of times that the at least one advertising link is selected over a period of time, the application being associated with a first party and the platform service and the at least one advertising link being provided by a second party; and

provide an amount of free access to the platform service to the first party based on the tracking.

9. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a processor to perform a method comprising:

tracking, for an application that provides an advertising link and uses a platform service, a number of times that the advertising link is selected over a period of time, the application being associated with a first party and the platform service and advertising link being provided by a second party; and

providing an amount of free access to the platform service to the first party based on the tracking.

10. A method comprising:

tracking, for an application that provides at least one advertising link and uses a platform service, a number of times that the at least one advertising link is selected over a period of time, the application being associated with a first party and the platform service being associated with a second party; and

providing a monetary value to the first party based on the tracking.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the application includes at least one of a desktop application or a network-based application.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the platform service includes at least one of a mapping service, an e-mail service, or a search service.

14. A system comprising:

a memory configured to store instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions to;

track, for an application that provides at least one advertising link and uses a platform service, a number of times that the at least one advertising link is selected over a period of time, the application being associated with a first party and the platform service and the at least one advertising link being provided by a second party; and

determine a monetary value to provide to the first party based on the tracking.

15. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a processor to perform a method comprising:

tracking, for an application that provides an advertising link and uses a platform service, a number of times that the advertising link is selected over a period of time, the application being associated with a first party and the platform service being associated with a second party; and

determining a monetary value to provide to the first party based on the tracking.

16. A method comprising:

linking, for an application, a use of a platform service to an advertising service; and

reducing a cost of using the platform service based on the linking.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the platform service includes at least one of a mapping service, an e-mail service, or a search service.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the linking causes an advertising link to be displayed when the application is accessed by a user.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

tracking a number of times that the advertising link is clicked by the user.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the reducing a cost includes:

providing an amount of free use of the platform service based on the tracking.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the reducing a cost includes:

reducing a fee charged for using the platform service based on the tracking.

22. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

tracking a number of times that the advertising link is displayed.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the reducing a cost includes:

providing an amount of free use of the platform service based on the tracking.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the reducing a cost includes:

reducing a fee charged for using the platform service based on the tracking.

25. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

tracking a number of conversions associated with the advertising link.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the reducing a cost includes:

providing an amount of free use of the platform service based on the tracking.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the reducing a cost includes:

reducing a fee charged for using the platform service based on the tracking.

28. The method of claim 16 wherein the application includes a desktop application.

29. The method of claim 16 wherein the application includes a network-based application.

30. A method comprising:

charging a first party a fee for allowing an application that is associated with the first party to use a service associated with a second party;

providing, via the second party, an advertising link to the application when the document is accessed;

tracking activity relating to the advertising link; and

providing a monetary value to the first party based on the tracking.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the fee includes a fixed fee for allowing the application to use the service for a period of time.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein the fee is based on a quantity of uses of the service by the application.

33. The method of claim 30 wherein the application includes a desktop application or a network-based application.

34. The method of claim 30 wherein the service includes at least one of a mapping service, an e-mail service, or a search service.

35. The method of claim 30 wherein the tracking includes:

tracking a number of times that the advertising link is selected.

36. The method of claim 30 wherein the tracking includes:

tracking a number of times that the advertising link is displayed to a user.