System for and method of expressive auctions of user events

• US 20080052219A1
• Filed: 07/27/2007
• Published: 02/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Combinenet Incorporated (Jaggaer LLC)
• Original Assignee: Combinenet Incorporated (Jaggaer LLC)
• Inventors: Walsh, William, Boutilier, Craig, Sandholm, Tuomas, Parkes, David
• Application Number:
  US11/881,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20080052219A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

Each bid received via a computer network is an offer for the right to cause at least one advert associated with the bid to be output to at least one device that is part of the computer network or in communication with the computer network in response to the bid being allocated one or more user events. At a time t, at least one rule or decision variable for allocating user events to bids is determined based on bids received before time t and an estimate of bids, user events or user activity occurring after time t. Based on information or data regarding a user event received from one of the devices after time t, the user event is allocated to at least one bid based on the at least one rule or decision variable and the at least one word, term, phrase or string of characters of the bid.

Claims

1. A method of conducting an ad auction comprising:

(a) receiving a plurality of bids via a computer network, wherein;

each bid is an offer for the right to cause at least one advert associated with the bid to be output to at least one device that is part of the computer network or in communication with the computer network in response to the bid being allocated one or more user events based on information or data associated therewith;

each bid includes at least one word, term, phrase or string of characters that is used as a basis for allocating user events to the bid;

each bid further includes at least one constraint on a sequential allocation of user events to the bid; and

each bid is either (1) a previously accepted bid that constitutes a binding contract or (2) an unaccepted bid;

(b) determining at time t at least one rule or decision variable for allocating user events to bids, wherein the at least one rule or decision variable is determined based on bids received before time t and at least one of the following;

an estimate of bids to be received after time t;

an estimate of user events to occur after time t; and

/or

an estimate of electronically detectable user activity to occur in response to the output of one or more adverts after time t;

(c) receiving information or data regarding a user event from one of the devices after time t; and

(d) allocating the user event of step (c) to at least one bid based on the at least one rule or decision variable and the at least one word, term, phrase or string of characters of the bid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the following:

the device includes a visual display and/or an audio output device and each advert is configured for display on the visual display and/or audio output on the audio output device;

the computer network is a wired and/or wireless network; and

each bid is received at a computational device or computer of the computer network;

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user events are electronically detectable.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the information or data of step (c) includes an indication of the occurrence of the user event received from the device; and

the user event includes one the following;

a query by a user to a search engine or the search engine'"'"'s response to the query;

a request by a user to view, listen or engage an article, email, audio file, video or other content;

the completion of a transaction involving a user;

a user engaging in an activity; and

a user situated at or passing through a specific location or proximity to said location.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the user event of step (c) includes a property of the user and/or a property of the event occurrence;

the property of the user includes a current or previous location of the user and/or a demographic of the user; and

the property of the event occurrence includes at least one of the following;

a date and/or time when the event occurred;

a location where the event occurred;

the nature of the computing or communication device on which the event occurred;

a content requested and/or viewed; and

/or

a property of a query to a search engine.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the detectable user activity includes at least one of the following:

browsing content of a user in response to the one or more displayed adverts;

click-throughs by a user on the one or more displayed adverts; and

/or

completion by a user of one or more transactions responsive to the one or more displayed adverts.

7. The method of claim 1, further including:

(e) in response to the allocation in step (d) and in response to the satisfaction of the at least one constraint, causing an advert associated with the bid allocated the user event to be output to the one device or another device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

step (d) includes allocating the received user event to a plurality of bids; and

step (e) includes outputting an advert associated with each bid allocated the user event on the one device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein;

the one device includes a visual display; and

step (e) further includes displaying at least one advert associated with the bid at a position on the visual display based on a position constraint also associated with the bid.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein:

step (c) further includes receiving information or data regarding the occurrence of sequential user events in one or more devices of the computer network during a time period p;

step (d) further includes allocating each sequential user event to at least one of the bids during the time period p;

step (e) further includes causing an advert associated with each bid allocated at least one sequential user event to be output to the device of the computer network from which the user event was received; and

the method further includes;

(f) repeating step (b) at least once during the time period p to determine at least one new rule or decision variable that is utilized for allocating user events received after said at least one new rule or decision variable has been determined.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein in step (d) each sequential user event is allocated substantially in real-time.

12. The method of claim 7, further including at least one seller determining at least one of the following on the sequential allocation of user events:

at least one constraint on at least one attribute of at least one bidder;

at least one constraint on at least one property of a user event;

at least one temporal constraint;

at least one volume constraint;

at least one frequency constraint; and

a value for satisfying at least one constraint on the sequence of allocations of user events.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein each bid has associated therewith a value for at least one of the following:

for displaying at least one advert associated with the bid;

or

for receiving an indicator that a user activity has occurred in response to the display of at least one advert associated with the bid.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

a payment associated with a bid is determined based on the value associated with the bid, and a least one of the following;

a number of user events allocated to the bid;

a number of user activities that occur in response to the display of adverts associated with the bid;

a value associated with at least one other bid; and

at least one constraint associated with the bid;

and

the payment associated with the bid includes at least one of the following;

a fixed payment, a payment that changes incrementally with each allocation, a payment that changes incrementally with each user activity that occurs in response to the display of adverts associated with the bid, and a payment that changes in response to satisfaction of the at least one constraint.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one constraint includes a sample constraint wherein:

the sample constraint contains the distribution of attributes on user events allocated to the bid in relation to the distribution of attributes of a comparison set of user events;

the supply that forms the comparison set of user events is conditioned on the satisfaction of at least one other constraint of the bid; and

the attributes on a user event are implied by the information or data associated with a user event.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the sample constraint causes an unbiased sample of the distribution of the attributes of the supply of the comparison set of user events to be allocated.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the other constraint of the bid causes the supply of the comparison set of user events to be separated into a plurality of classes based on a first set of attributes of the user events in the supply of user events; and

the sample constraint causes the distribution of attributes of user events allocated to the bid to satisfy a second set of constraints on the fraction of allocation of user events allocated from each class.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one constraint of each bid includes at least one of the following:

an aggregate volume constraint on the total volume of user events that can be allocated to the bid;

a temporal constraint on the bid or on one or more other constraints associated with the bid;

a demographic constraint on demographic(s) of a user that must be valid for a received user event of the user to be allocated to the bid;

a budget constraint on the payment of a total value associated with the bid;

a frequency constraint on the frequency that user events are allocated to the bid;

a joint allocation constraint on the allocation of one or more user events to the bid based on the allocation of said one or more user events to at least one other bid;

a user activity volume constraint that has at least one prerequisite regarding the total number of user activities caused in response to the display of adverts associated with the bid that must be satisfied as a condition to payment of the value;

a user volume constraint that has at least one prerequisite that must be satisfied as a condition to payment of the value;

a user-event volume constraint that has at least one prerequisite that must be satisfied as a condition to payment of the value; and

a value-adjustment constraint that has at least one prerequisite that must be satisfied as a condition to adjusting the value.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the user volume constraint includes the prerequisite that an associated user have a predetermined number of associated user events, each of which includes as the data thereof at least one word, term, phrase and/or string of characters of a predetermined set of word(s), term(s), phrase(s) and/or string(s) of characters, as a condition of payment of the value.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the user-event volume constraint includes the prerequisite that the bid be allocated a number of user events that is greater than, less than and/or equal to a predetermined number or percentage of user events as a condition of payment of the value.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the predetermined percentage of user events are user events in a particular class of user events selected from the following user event classes:

one or more queries or responses thereto;

one or more requests to view, listen or engage an article, email, audio file, video or other content;

completion of a one or more transactions;

engaging in one or more computer network facilitated activities; and

a user situated at or passing through a specific location or proximity to said location.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the user-event volume constraint is used in combination with the temporal constraint that prerequisites that the bid be allocated user events during a predetermined period of time.

23. The method of claim 10, wherein:

at least one constraint constrains the allocation of user events to the bid to achieve predetermined statistical properties of (a) the supply of user events and/or (b) attributes of the supply of user events;

the attributes on a user event are determined from the information or data associated with a user event; and

the user events allocated to a bid supply user events and/or attributes of the supply of user events with known or agreed upon statistical properties.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the predetermined statistical properties associated with the at least one constraint cause the constraint to be satisfied in expectation with respect to the known or agreed upon statistical properties on the user events and/or attributes of the supply of user events allocated to a bid.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one constraint is satisfied at least in part by the actual or expected allocation of a supply of user events with known attributes.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the predetermined statistical properties reflect the risk preferences of the bidder.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one word, term, phrase or string of characters includes at least one of the following:

a first set of word(s), term(s), phrase(s) and/or string(s) of characters that the data associated with a user event must contain for it to be allocated to the bid;

a second set of word(s), term(s), phrase(s) and/or string(s) of characters that the data associated with the user event may contain for it to be allocated to the bid; and

a third set of word(s), term(s), phrase(s) and/or string(s) of characters which, if included in the data associated with the user event, disqualify the user event from being allocated to the bid.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the string(s) of characters of at least one of the first, second and third sets includes a URL.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the at least one constraint include a bonus value constraint that prerequisites the payment of a bonus value included in the bid on the data associated with at least one user event allocated to the bid including at least one word, term, phrase and/or string of characters that is also in the second set of word(s), term(s), phrase(s) and/or string(s) of characters.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one rule or decision variable includes at least one of the following;

a budget target for a total payment associated with at least one bid;

a user-event volume target associated with a predetermined number of user events to be allocated to at least one bid;

a virtual price associated with at least one bid; and

/or

at least one weight associated with at least one bid to adjust a priority assigned to the bid for making an allocation of a user event to the bid;

and

the allocation in step (d) is made based on an auction for the user event that is based on the at least one parameter.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one rule or decision variable includes at least one rule for allocating a first percentage of the user events to at least one bid of a first set of bids and for allocating a second percentage of the user events to at least one bid of a second set of bids;

each bid of the first set of bids requires plural allocations of user events to satisfy its constraint(s);

each bid of the second set of bids requires allocation of a single user event to satisfy its constraint(s);

step (d) includes allocating the user event to either a bid of the first set of bids or a bid of the second set of bids based on the at least one rule for allocating; and

when the user event is allocated to a bid of the second set of bids, said allocation is made based on an auction among bids of the second set of bids.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one rule or decision variable includes a plurality of rules for allocating a first percentage of the user events to at least one bid of a first set of bids and for allocating a second percentage of the user events to at least one bid of a second set of bids;

each bid of the first set of bids requires plural allocations of user events to satisfy its constraint(s);

each bid of the second set of bids requires allocation of a single user event to satisfy its constraint(s);

step (d) includes allocating the user event to either a bid of the first set of bids or a bid of the second set of bids based on at least one of the plurality of rules, the selection of which is made based on user activities caused by allocation(s) occurring after time t and before allocation of the user event; and

when the user event is allocated to a bid of the second set of bids, said allocation is made based on an auction among bids of the second set of bids.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one rule or decision variable includes at least one of the following;

a value schedule associated with a bid that conditions the total value of the bid on the fractional allocation of the total supply of user events over a period of time;

a value schedule associated with a bid that conditions the total value of the bid on the uniform fractional allocation of the total supply of user events over a period of time; and

/or

a value schedule that is contingent on user activities that occur in response to one or more allocations;

and

the allocation in step (d) is made based on at least one of the value schedules.

34. The method of claim 1, 4, 20, 21, 22 or 23, wherein in step (b) the at least one rule or decision variable either:

satisfies the constraint(s) of previously accepted bids with strictly higher priority than others not previously accepted or newly submitted bids, so that the constraint(s) of other bids are satisfied only when they pose no conflict with the satisfaction of previously accepted bids;

gives preference to satisfying the constraint(s) of previously accepted bids over the constraint(s) of unaccepted bids;

or

gives no preference to satisfying the constraint(s) of either previously accepted bids or unaccepted bids.

35. The method of claim 1, 4, 20, 21, 22 or 23, further including, in response to non-compliance or anticipated non-compliance of a previously accepted bid that has contract terms associated therewith, electronically generating a set of new rules or decision variables based on the bids received before time t.

36. The method of claim 35, further including:

electronically selecting one of the electronically generated new rules or decision variables; and

allocating user events based on the selected new rules or decision variable.

37. The method of claim 35, further including:

presenting the new rules or decision variables to a bidder of the previously accepted bid;

receiving the bidder'"'"'s selection of one of the new rules or decision variables; and

allocating user events based on the selected new rule or decision variable.

38. The method of claim 35, further including:

presenting the new rules or decision variables to a bid taker;

receiving the bid taker'"'"'s selection of one of the new rules or decision variables; and

allocating user events based on the selected new rule or decision variable.

39. The method of claim 1 or 4, wherein each previously accepted bid has associated therewith at least one of the following:

a financial penalty for non-compliance or partial non-compliance of at least one constraint of the bid; and

/or

a make-good requirement that imposes at least one additional constraint on the bid based on non-compliance or partial non-compliance of the at least one constraint of the bid.

40. The method of claim 1, 4, 20, 21, 22 or 23, further including, in response to non-compliance or anticipated non-compliance of a previously accepted bid that has contract terms associated therewith:

receiving one or more new bids proposed by a bidder associated with the previously accepted bid;

declining all new bids or accepting one of the new bids; and

allocating user events to the electronically accepted new bid.

41. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) includes determining the at least one rule or decision variable as a function of one or more trajectories determined for estimated bids and/or estimated user events to be received in each of a plurality of time periods after time t.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the at least one rule or decision variable is selected from at least one of:

i) a continuous or unbounded domain of rules or decision variables for the allocation of user events to bids; and

/or

ii) a domain of rules or decision variables for the allocation of user events to bids that increases exponentially in size relative to the representation size of the bids and/or user events.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein determining the at least one rule or decision variable at time t includes:

determining the at least one rule or decision variable to satisfy an objective criterion on the rank of the at least one rule or decision variable when considered for each of the plurality of trajectories in turn, wherein;

(a) the objective criterion scores the at least one rule or decision variable in terms of the rank of the at least one rule or decision variable for each trajectory and selects the at least one rule or decision variable to maximize the score; and

(b) the rank of the at least one rule or decision variable when considered for a single trajectory specifies an ordinal preference on the value from the rule or decision variable for the trajectory.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein determining the at least one rule or decision variable at time t includes:

(a) determining the at least one rule or decision variable at time t to maximize the combined value of the at least one rule or decision variable when considered for each of the plurality of trajectories in turn;

(b) wherein the value of the at least one rule or decision variable when considered for a single trajectory is determined under the constraint that the future is exactly as defined by the trajectory.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein:

the value of the at least one rule or decision variable when considered for a single trajectory is determined under the constraint that the estimated bids and/or estimated user events associated with the trajectory may not be realized in future periods and with the value modified to include at least one conditional rule or decision variable associated with a future period; and

a conditional rule or decision variable is selected for some but not all future bids and/or user events.

96. The method of claim 43, wherein the objective criterion is a plurality voting scheme and the at least one rule or decision variable is selected to maximize the number of time that it is highest rank for each of the plurality of trajectories.

97. The method of claim 44, wherein the combined value is the average of the value of the at least one rule or decision variable when considered for each of the plurality of trajectories in turn.

46. A method of conducting a computer network facilitated ad auction comprising:

(a) receiving via a computer network a bid for the right to cause at least one advert associated with the bid to be output to a device in communication with the computer network in response to the bid being allocated a user event based on information or data associated with the user event received from the device, wherein said bid includes a value and a constraint that prerequisites payment of the value based on satisfaction of a condition associated with the constraint, and said bid is either (1) a previously accepted bid that constitutes a binding contract or (2) an unaccepted bid;

(b) receiving information or data regarding user events from devices of the computer network;

(c) allocating a subset of the user events in step (b) to the bid; and

(d) in response to the allocation in step (c) making or withholding payment of the value based on the condition being satisfied or dissatisfied, respectively.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein each user event comprises one of the following:

a query by a user to a search engine or the search engine'"'"'s response to the query;

a request by a user to view, listen or engage an article, email, audio file, video or other content;

the completion of a transaction involving a user;

a user engaging in an activity; and

a user situated at or passing through a specific location or proximity to said location.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the condition requires the bid be allocated some number of user events that is greater than, less than and/or equal to a predetermined number of user events or a predetermined percentage of a total number of user events.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the bid further includes at least one of:

a constraint that user events be allocated to the bid only during a predetermined period of time; and

/or

a constraint that only one or more predetermined classes of user events be allocated to the bid.

50. The method of claim 46, wherein step (c) includes allocating the subset of received user events to the bid based on at least one rule or decision variable, wherein the at least one rule or decision variable is determined based on:

bids received before the user events in step (b); and

at least one of the following;

an estimate of user events to occur after the at least one rule or decision variable is determined; and

/or

an estimate of the bids to be received after the at least one rule or decision variable is determined.

95. The method of claim 46, wherein each device is either a computer, a cellular communication device or a PDA.

51. A system for conducting an ad auction comprising:

means for electronically receiving a plurality of bids via a computer network, wherein each bid is for the right to cause at least one advert associated with the bid to be output to at least one of a plurality of devices that is part of the computer network or is in communication with the computer network in response to the bid being allocated at least one user event based on information data associated therewith, each bid includes at least one word, term, phrase or string of characters that is used as a basis for allocating user events to the bid, each bid further includes at least one constraint on a sequential allocation of user events to the bid, and each bid is either (1) a previously accepted bid that constitutes a binding contract or (2) an unaccepted bid;

means for electronically determining at time t at least one rule or decision variable for allocating user events to bids, wherein the at least one rule or decision variable is determined based on bids received before time t and at least one of the following;

an estimate of bids to be received after time t;

an estimate of user events to occur after time t; and

/or an estimate of electronically detectable user activities to occur in response to the display of one or more adverts after time t;

means for electronically receiving information or data regarding a user event into the computer network after time t; and

means for electronically allocating the received user event to at least one of the bids based on the at least one rule or decision variable and the at least one word, term, phrase or string of characters.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein each user event comprises one of the following:

a query by a user to a search engine or the search engine'"'"'s response to the query;

a request by a user to view, listen or engage an article, email, audio file, video or other content;

the completion of a transaction involving a user;

a user engaging in an activity; and

a user situated at or passing through a specific location or proximity to said location.

53. The system of claim 51, wherein each detectable user activity includes at least one of the following:

browsing content of a user related to the one or more displayed adverts;

click-throughs by a user on the one or more displayed adverts; and

/or

completion by a user of one or more transactions responsive to the one or more displayed adverts.

54. The system of claim 51, further including means for electronically causing an advert associated with the bid allocated the user event to be output to the device in response to the user event being allocated by the means for electronically allocating and in response to satisfaction of the at least one constraint.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein at least one of the following:

the means for electronically allocating allocates the user event to a plurality of bids; and

/or

the means for electronically causing causes visual content of an advert associated with each bid allocated the user event to be displayed at a location on a display of a device based on a position constraint also associated with the bid.

56. The system of claim 54, wherein:

the means for electronically receiving information or data regarding a user event receives information or data regarding sequential user events detected or facilitated by devices during a time period p;

the means for electronically allocating allocates each sequential user event to at least one of the bids during the time period p;

the means for electronically causing causes an advert associated with each bid allocated at least one sequential user event to be output to the device that detected or facilitated the user event; and

the means for electronically determining determines at least once during the time period p at least one new rule or decision variable for allocating user events received after said at least one new rule or decision variable has been determined.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein the means for electronically allocating allocates each sequential user event substantially in real-time.

58. The system of claim 56, further including means for determining at least one of the following on the sequential allocation of user events to at least one bid:

at least one constraint on at least one property of at least one bidder;

at least one constraint on at least one property of a user event;

at least one temporal constraint;

at least one volume constraint;

at least one frequency constraint; and

a value for satisfying at least one constraint on the sequence of allocations of user events.

59. The system of claim 51, wherein each bid has associated therewith a value associated with (1) the display of at least one advert associated with the bid and/or (2) the receipt of an indication that a user activity has occurred in response to the display of at least one advert associated with the bid.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein each constraint includes at least one of the following:

an aggregate volume constraint on the total volume of user events that can be allocated to the bid;

a temporal constraint on the bid or on one or more constraints associated with the bid;

a demographic constraint on the demographic(s) of a user of the computer that must be valid for a user event received from the computer to be allocated to the bid;

a budget constraint on the payment of a total value associated with the bid;

a frequency constraint on the frequency that user events are allocated to the bid;

a joint allocation constraint on the allocation of one or more user events to the bid based on the allocation of said one or more user events to at least one other bid;

a user activity volume constraint that has at least one prerequisite regarding the total number of user activities caused in response to the display of adverts associated with the bid that must be satisfied as a condition to payment of the value;

a user volume constraint that has at least one prerequisite that must be satisfied as a condition to payment of the value;

a user-event volume constraint that has at least one prerequisite that must be satisfied as a condition to payment of the value; and

a value-adjustment constraint that has at least one prerequisite that must be satisfied as a condition to adjusting the value.

61. The system of claim 59, further including means for determining a payment associated with a bid based on the value associated with the bid and a least one of the following:

a number of user events allocated to the bid;

a number of user activities that occur in response to the display of adverts associated with the bid;

a value associated with at least one other bid; and

/or

at least one constraint associated with the bid, wherein the payment associated with the bid further includes at least one of the following;

a fixed payment, a payment that changes incrementally with each allocation, a payment that changes incrementally with each user activity that occurs in response to the display of adverts associated with the bid, and a payment that changes in response to satisfaction of the at least one constraint.

62. The system of claim 60, wherein the user volume constraint includes the prerequisite that a user have predetermined number of associated user events, each of which includes as the information or data thereof at least one word, term, phrase and/or string of characters of a predetermined set of word(s), term(s), phrase(s) and/or string(s) of characters, as a condition of payment of the value.

63. The system of claim 60, wherein the user-event volume constraint includes the prerequisite that the bid be allocated a number of user events that is greater than, less than and/or equal to a predetermined number of user events or a predetermined percentage of received user events as a condition of payment of the value.

64. The system of claim 63, wherein the predetermined percentage of user events are user events in a particular class of user events selected from the following user event classes:

queries or responses thereto;

requests to view, listen or engage an article, email, audio file, video or other content;

completion of a transaction;

engaging in an activity that is detected or facilitated by a device; and

a user situated at or passing through a specific location or proximity to said location.

65. The system of claim 63, wherein the user-event volume constraint is used in combination with the temporal constraint that prerequisites that the bid be allocated user events during a predetermined period of time.

66. The system of claim 51, wherein the at least one word, term, phrase or string of characters includes at least one of the following:

a first set of word(s), term(s), phrase(s) and/or string(s) of characters that the information or data associated with a user event must contain for it to be allocated to the bid;

a second set of word(s), term(s), phrase(s) and/or string(s) of characters that the information or data associated with the user event may contain for it to be allocated to the bid; and

a third set of word(s), term(s), phrase(s) and/or string(s) of characters which, if included in the information or data associated with the user event, disqualify the user event from being allocated to the bid.

67. The system of claim 66, wherein the string(s) of characters of at least one of the first, second and third sets includes a URL.

68. The system of claim 66, wherein the one or more constraints include a bonus value constraint that prerequisites the payment of a bonus value included in the bid on the data associated with at least one user event allocated to the bid having at least one word, term, phrase and/or string of characters that is also in the second set of word(s), term(s), phrase(s) and/or string(s) of characters.

69. The system of claim 51, wherein:

the at least one rule or decision variable includes at least one of the following;

a budget target for a total payment associated with at least one bid;

a user-event volume target associated with a predetermined number of user events to be allocated to at least one bid;

a virtual price associated with at least one bid; and

/or

at least one weight associated with at least one bid to adjust a priority assigned to the bid for making an allocation of a user event to the bid;

and

the means for electronically allocating allocates based on an auction for the user event that is based on at least one of the parameters.

70. The system of claim 51, wherein:

the at least one rule or decision variable includes at least one rule for allocating a first percentage of the user events to at least one bid of a first set of bids and a second percentage of the user events to at least one bid of a second set of bids;

each bid of the first set of bids requires plural allocations of user events to satisfy its constraint(s);

each bid of the second set of bids requires allocation of a single user event to satisfy its constraint(s);

the means for electronically allocating allocates the user event to either a bid of the first set of bids or a bid of the second set of bids based on the at least one rule for allocating; and

when the user event is allocated to a bid of the second set of bids, said allocation is made based on an auction among bids of the second set of bids.

71. The system of claim 51, wherein:

the at least one rule or decision variable includes a plurality of rules for allocating a first percentage of the user events to at least one bid of a first set of bids and a second percentage of the user events to at least one bid of a second set of bids;

each bid of the first set of bids requires plural allocations of user events to satisfy its constraint(s);

each bid of the second set of bids requires allocation of a single user event to satisfy its constraint(s);

the means for electronically allocating allocates the user event to either a bid of the first set of bids or a bid of the second set of bids based on at least one of the plurality of rules, the selection of which is contingent on user activities caused by allocation(s) occurring after time t and before allocation of the user event; and

when the user event is allocated to a bid of the second set of bids, said allocation is made based on an auction among bids of the second set of bids.

72. The system of claim 51, wherein:

the at least one rule or decision variable includes at least one of the following;

a value schedule to be associated with a bid that conditions the total value of the bid on the fractional allocation of the total supply of user events over some period of time;

a value schedule to be associated with a bid that conditions the total value of the bid on the uniform fractional allocation of the total supply of user events, over some period of time; and

/or

a value schedule that is contingent on user activities that occur in response to allocation;

and

the means for electronically allocating allocates based on at least one of the value schedules.

73. A system of conducting a computer network facilitated ad auction comprising:

means for electronically receiving via a computer network a bid for the right to cause at least one advert associated with the bid to be output to a device that is part of or in communication with the computer network in response to the bid being allocated a user event based on data associated with the user event received from the device or another device, wherein said bid includes a value and a constraint that prerequisites payment of the value based on satisfaction of a condition associated with the constraint, and said bid is either (1) a previously accepted bid that defines a binding contract or (2) an unaccepted bid;

means for electronically receiving data associated with user events from devices that are part of or in communication with the computer network;

means for electronically allocating a subset of the received user events to the bid; and

means for electronically making or withholding payment of the value based on the condition being satisfied or dissatisfied, respectively.

74. The system of claim 73, wherein each device is a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a cellular communication device or a PDA.

75. The system of claim 73, wherein each user event is one of the following:

a query by a user to a search engine or the search engine'"'"'s response to the query;

a request by a user to view, listen or engage an article, email, audio file, video or other content;

the completion of a transaction involving a user;

a user engaging in an activity; and

a user situated at or passing through a specific location or proximity to said location.

76. The system of claim 73, wherein the condition requires the bid be allocated some number of user events that is greater than, less than and/or equal to a predetermined number of user events or a predetermined percentage of a total number of user events.

77. The system of claim 73, wherein the bid further includes at least one of:

a constraint that user events be allocated to the bid only during a predetermined period of time; and

/or

a constraint that only user events in a predetermined class of user events be allocated to the bid.

78. The system of claim 73, wherein the means for electronically allocating allocates the subset of user events to the bid based on at least one rule or decision variable, wherein the at least one rule or decision variable is determined based on:

bids received before receipt of the data associated with user events by the means for electronically receiving; and

at least one of the following;

an estimate of user events to occur after the at least one rule or decision variable is determined; and

/or

an estimate of the bids to be received after the at least one rule or decision variable is determined.

79. A method of conducting an expressive auction in a dynamic environment comprising:

(a) receiving a plurality of bids via a computer network, wherein each bid is for the right to be allocated one or more units of supply or demand of a differentiated resource and each bid is either an offer to enter into an agreement or an agreement that has already been accepted and which defines a legally binding contract;

(b) determining at a time t at least one rule or decision variable for allocating the unit(s) of supply or demand to at least one bid, wherein the at least one rule or decision variable is determined based on bids received before time t and at least one of the following;

an estimate of the units of supply or demand to be received after time t;

an estimate of user activities to occur in response to the allocation of supply or demand made after time t; and

/or an estimate of bids to be received after time t;

(c) following step (b), receiving one or more units of supply or demand; and

(d) allocating the one or more units of supply or demand received in step (c) to at least one of the bids based on the at least one rule or decision variable, wherein the one or more allocated units of supply or demand include of at least one user event that is allocated based on data associated therewith.

80. The method of claim 79, further including:

(e) responsive to allocating the one or more units of supply or demand in step (d) and to satisfaction of the at least one constraint, causing an action to occur.

81. The method of claim 80, wherein the action includes one of the following:

causing a purchase order to be generated;

causing an allocated supply to be delivered;

causing a business transaction to be proposed; and

/or

causing an advert to be displayed.

82. The method of claim 80, wherein:

step (c) further includes sequentially receiving units of supply or demand from devices that are part of or in communication with the computer network during a time period p;

step (d) further includes allocating each sequentially received unit of supply or demand to at least one of the bids during the time period p;

step (e) further includes causing the action to occur on each device from which one of the sequentially received units of supply or demand was received; and

the method further includes;

(f) repeating step (b) at least once during the time period p to determine at least one new rule or decision variable that is utilized for allocating units of supply or demand received after said at least one new rule or decision variable has been determined.

83. The method of claim 79, wherein each bid further has associated therewith a value for at least one of the following:

for causing the action associated with the bid to occur;

or

for receiving a user activity that occurs in response to the action associated with the bid.

84. The method of claim 79, wherein:

the at least one rule or decision variable includes at least one of the following;

a budget target for a total payment associated with at least one bid;

a quantity-volume target associated with a predetermined number of units of supply or demand to be allocated to at least one bid;

a virtual price associated with at least one bid; and

at least one weight associated with at least one bid to adjust a priority assigned to the bid for making an allocation of a unit of supply or demand to the bid;

and

the allocation in step (d) is made based on an auction for the unit of supply or demand that is based on the data associated therewith.

85. The method of claim 79, wherein:

the at least one rule or decision variable includes at least one rule for allocating a first percentage of the supply or demand to at least one bid of a first set of bids and a second percentage of supply or demand to at least one bid of a second set of bids;

each bid of the first set of bids requires plural allocations of units of supply or demand to satisfy its constraint;

each bid of the second set of bids requires a single unit of supply or demand to satisfy its constraint; and

step (d) includes allocating each unit of supply or demand to either a bid of the first set of bids or a bid of the second set of bids based on the at least one rule for allocating; and

when the unit of supply or demand is allocated to a bid of the second set of bids, said allocation is made based on an auction among bids of the second set of bids.

86. The method of claim 79, wherein:

the at least one rule or decision variable includes a plurality of rules for allocating a first percentage of the supply or demand to at least one bid of a first set of bids and a second percentage of the supply or demand to at least one bid of a second set of bids;

each bid of the first set of bids requires plural allocations of units of supply or demand to satisfy its constraint;

each bid of the second set of bids requires a single unit of supply or demand to satisfy its constraint; and

step (d) includes allocating each unit of supply or demand to either a bid of the first set of bids or a bid of the second set of bids based on at least one of the plurality of rules, the selection of which is contingent on allocation(s) occurring after time t and before the allocation of the unit of supply or demand; and

when the unit of supply or demand is allocated to a bid of the second set of bids, said allocation is made based on an auction among bids of the second set of bids.

87. The method of claim 79, wherein:

the at least one rule or decision variable includes at least one of the following;

a value schedule to be associated with a bid that conditions the total value of the bid on the fractional allocation of the total supply or demand over some period of time;

a value schedule to be associated with a bid that conditions the total value of the bid on the uniform fractional allocation of the total supply or demand over some period of time; and

/or

a value schedule that is contingent on user activities that occur in response to allocation;

and

the allocation in step (d) is made based on at least one of the value schedules.

88. The method of claim 87, wherein step (b) includes determining the at least one rule or decision variable as a function of one or more trajectories determined for estimated bids and/or estimated user events to be received in each of a plurality of time periods after time t.

89. The method of claim 88, wherein the at least one rule or decision variable is selected from at least one of:

i) a continuous or unbounded domain of rules or decision variables for the allocation of user events to bids; and

/or

ii) a domain of rules or decision variables for the allocation of user events to bids that increases exponentially in size relative to the representation size of the bids and/or user events.

90. The method of claim 89, wherein:

determining the at least one rule or decision variable at time t includes determining the at least one rule or decision variable satisfy an objective criterion on the rank of the at least one rule or decision variable when considered for each of the plurality of trajectories in turn;

the objective criterion scores the at least one rule or decision variable in terms of the rank of the at least one rule or decision variable for each trajectory and selects the at least one rule or decision variable to maximize the score; and

the rank of the at least one rule or decision variable when considered for a single trajectory specifies an ordinal preference on the value from the rule or decision variable for the trajectory.

91. The method of claim 90, wherein:

determining the at least one rule or decision variable at time t includes determining the at least one rule or decision variable to maximize the combined value of the at least one rule or decision variable when considered for each of the plurality of trajectories in turn; and

the value of the at least one rule or decision variable when considered for a single trajectory is determined under the constraint that the future is exactly as defined by the trajectory.

92. The method of claim 91, wherein the value of the at least one rule or decision variable when considered for a single trajectory is determined under the constraint that the estimated bids and/or estimated user events associated with the trajectory may not be realized in future periods and with the value modified to include at least one conditional rule or decision variable associated with a future period, wherein a conditional rule or decision variable is selected for some but not all future bids and/or user events.

93. The method of claim 90, wherein determining the objective criterion is a plurality voting scheme and the at least one rule or decision variable is selected to maximize the number of time that it is highest rank for each of the plurality of trajectories.

94. The method of claim 91, wherein the combined value is the average of the value of the at least one rule or decision variable when considered for each of the plurality of trajectories in turn.