Dynamic Pricing Models for Digital Content

• US 20080154798A1
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Valz, Duane R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,076,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/400
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination

Abstract

Dynamic pricing models which facilitate efficient distribution of digital content online. Particular implementations of the invention dynamically base pricing for digital content on relatively current, aggregated information regarding Internet user behavior and preferences, such as search query and/or page hit logs. Some implementations of the present invention are directed to pricing digital content based on the inherent properties of digital content and the mechanics of how electronic files are typically distributed on the Internet.

Claims

1. A method, comprising

accessing a data store of user behavior information for data related to one or more attributes of a content object;

determining one or more measures of interest for the content object from the user behavior information; and

dynamically computing a price for the content object based at least in part on one or more of the determined measures of interest.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the user behavior information comprises a search query log including a plurality of query entries.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the user behavior information comprises a page hits log containing user click-through data.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing a data store comprises

accessing a search system maintaining statistical measures of interest for a plurality of terms, topics or categories;

mapping, based on the attributes of the content object, the content object to one or more of a term, topic or category; and

wherein a measure of interest for the content object is based at least in part on one or more of the statistical measures of interest corresponding to the one or more mapped term, topic or category.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the search system includes a plurality of search segments, and is operable to maintain statistical measures of interest for a plurality of terms, topics or categories relative to each of the search segments;

and wherein a measure of interest for the content object is based at least in part on the statistical measures of interest, across one or more search segments, corresponding to the one or more mapped term, topic or category.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising selecting one or more search segments for determining a measure of interest.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising weighting the statistical measures of interest corresponding to the [to the one or more mapped term, topic or category] within each selected search segment.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a trend for a measure of interest;

and wherein the dynamically computed price is based at least in part on a measure of interest and the trend for that measure of interest.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising computing an initial price for the digital content object based on one or more attributes of the content object.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the one or more attributes comprise one or more of a source of the content object, a reproduction quality of the content object, a peer reviewed rating for the content object, or a restriction associated with the content object.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the content object has an initial price associated therewith;

and wherein the dynamically computed price is further based on the initial price.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the dynamically computed price is bounded by a minimum and a maximum price parameter.

13. An apparatus, comprising

a memory;

one or more processors;

logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to cause the one or more processors to;

access a data store of user behavior information for data related to one or more attributes of a content object;

determine one or more measures of interest for the content object from the user behavior information; and

dynamically compute a price for the content object based at least in part on the determined measures of interest.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the user behavior information comprises a search query log including a plurality of query entries.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the user behavior information comprises a page hits log containing user click-through data.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the logic is operable to cause the one or more processors to:

access a search system maintaining statistical measures of interest for a plurality of terms, topics or categories;

map, based on the attributes of the content object, the content object to one or more of a term, topic or category; and

wherein a measure of interest for the content object is based at least in part on one or more of the statistical measures of interest corresponding to the one or more mapped term, topic or category.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the search system includes a plurality of search segments, and is operable to maintain statistical measures of interest for a plurality of terms, topics or categories relative to each of the search segments;

and

wherein a measure of interest for the content object is based at least in part on one or more of the statistical measures of interest, across one or more search segments, corresponding to the one or more mapped term, topic or category.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the logic is operable to cause the one or more processors to:

select one or more search segments for determining a measure of interest.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the logic is operable to cause the one or more processors to:

weight the statistical measures of interest corresponding [to the one or more mapped term, topic or category] within each selected search segment.

20. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the logic is operable to cause the one or more processors to:

determine a trend for a measure of interest; and

wherein the dynamically computed price is based at least in part on a measure of interest and the trend for that measure of interest.

21. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the logic is operable to cause the one or more processors to:

compute an initial price for the digital content object based on one or more attributes of the content object.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the one or more attributes comprise one or more of a source of the content object, a reproduction quality of the content object, a peer reviewed rating for the content object, or a restriction associated with the content object.

23. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the content object has an initial price associated therewith;

and wherein the dynamically computed price is further based on the initial price.

24. (canceled)

25. A method comprising

collecting one or more attributes of a digital content object,

computing component scores based on the one or more attributes;

combining the component scores into an aggregate score;

identifying a category for the digital content object, where the category has a minimum and maximum price parameter;

computing a price for the digital content object, within the minimum and maximum price parameters for the identified category, based on the aggregate score.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the one or more attributes comprise one or more of a source of the content object, a reproduction quality of the content object, a peer reviewed rating for the content object, or a restriction associated with the content object.