AUCTIONEER

• US 20080021792A1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LOT Network Inc.
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Bergmans, Jos, Smolyanov, Alex, Ketchum, Russell-Kevin, Steelberg, Ryan, Gardner, Robert, Steelberg, Chad, Beauchamp, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,099,327 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 for using the result on distributors' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context

Abstract

A system and method select bids for a plurality of media plays, such as advertising spots on radio stations. Users provide bids for the medial plays and may select providers of the media plays and a time period of the media play. The media plays are associated with the bids. The bids are allocated to the media plays, and winning bids are selected.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for selecting bids for a plurality of media plays, the method comprising:

receiving, from a plurality of users, bids for a plurality of media plays, the media plays having a provider and a time period of playing the media play;

associating media plays with the bids from the users; and

allocating the bids to the media play.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein allocating the bids includes maximizing revenues from the bids.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein allocating the bids includes executing integer programming to maximize impressions for the users.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising determining the bids.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 wherein the determining the bids includes:

determining target impressions;

determining an average cost per capita of a campaign of a user; and

calculating a bid from the target impressions and the average cost per capita.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 further comprising generating a distribution multiplier,

wherein the calculating a bid further comprises calculating a bid from the target impressions, the average cost per capita and the distribution multiplier.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein generating the distribution multiplier includes determining the product of distribution multipliers for a plurality of categories.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 wherein the generating the distribution multiplier of a category includes determining the ratio of target impressions of the category that are delivered to the total number of target impressions expected for the category.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user comprises an advertiser.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein allocating the bids includes increasing the priority of a user receiving accepted bids in a previous auction less than a threshold.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein allocating the bids includes maximizing impressions of the users.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein allocating the bids includes allocating bids to comply with market campaigns of the users.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving the bids is one day before the play of the media play.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving the bids is the same day as the play of the media play.

15. A computer program product for selecting bids for a plurality of media plays, the computer program product stored on a computer readable medium and adapted to perform the operations of:

receiving, from a plurality of users, bids for a plurality of media plays, the media plays having a provider and a time period of playing the media play;

associating media plays with the bids from the users; and

allocating the bids to the media play.