Dynamic bid pricing for sponsored search

• US 20080249991A1
• Filed: 04/06/2007
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2007
• 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 7,856,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• 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 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute

Abstract

A method for an online sponsored search system includes storing a database of items. At least some of the items include a keyword and a money amount associated with a respective advertiser. The method further includes receiving information about current user preferences within the online sponsored search system. When the received user information relates to a keyword of an item, the method includes automatically adjusting the money amount of the item based on the received user interest information. In response to a received user query, the method includes identifying items relating to the received user search query and generating a search result list including the related items. The method then includes ordering the related items according to the adjusted money amounts associated with the matching items. In response to the designation of a Web page to received sponsored advertisements, the method includes identifying items relating to the subject matter of one or more portions of the Web page. In this instance, the method then includes determining which items are to be shown and their placement on the Web page according to the adjusted money amounts associated with the related items.

Claims

1. A method for an online sponsored search system, the method comprising:

storing a database of items, at least some items including a keyword and a money amount associated with a respective advertiser of the online sponsored search system;

receiving information about current user preferences within the online sponsored search system; and

when the received user preference information relates to a keyword of an item, automatically adjusting the money amount of the item based on the received user preference information.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in response to a received user query, identifying items relating to the received user search query;

generating a search result list including the related items, and

ordering the related items according to the adjusted money amounts associated with the related items.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

for web pages pre-designated to receive sponsored advertisements, identifying items relating to the subject matter of one or more portions of the Web page, and

determining which items are to be shown and their placement on the Web page according to the adjusted money amounts associated with the related items.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

aggregating information about relatively current Internet user preferences based on user interactions with the online sponsored search system.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

receiving search queries from users at the online sponsored search system;

identifying subject matter and user interests in the subject matter within the search queries;

updating the information about user preferences based on the identified subject matter and identified user interests; and

adjusting the money amount of items in the database based at least in part on the updated user preference information.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

receiving information about web sites visited by a user of the online sponsored search system;

identifying subject matter and user interests in the subject matter within the web sites visited;

updating the information about current user preferences based on the identified subject matter and identified user interests; and

adjusting the money amount of items in the database based at least in part on the updated user preference information.

7. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

receiving information about browser interaction by a user of the online sponsored search system;

identifying subject matter and user interests in the subject matter within the browser interaction information;

updating the information about current user preferences based on the identified subject matter and identified user interests; and

adjusting the money amount of items in the database based at least in part on the updated user preference information.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in response to receiving the information about current user preferences related to a key word of an item, detecting bid adjustment definition information of an information provider for that item;

adjusting the money amount of items in the database associated with the information provider based on the advertiser'"'"'s bid adjustment definition information.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

providing to the information provider a user interface for collecting bid adjustment definition information.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

providing a user interface portion for receiving a bid adjustment response to set for a specified shift in the information about current user preferences.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

providing a second user interface portion for receiving one or more of a maximum bid amount and a minimum bid amount.

12. A sponsored search system comprising:

a sponsored search database configured to store a plurality of items, at least some of the stored items being associated with an advertiser and including a keyword and a money amount;

a user preference and navigation information system configured to determine information about current user preferences within the online sponsored search system, and

an information web server in data communication with the sponsored search database and the user preference and navigation information system, the information web server including a search engine responsive to user search queries to the sponsored search database and a bid amount adjustment engine responsive to the information about current user interests, the information web server returning a set of search listings to a user in response to a user query, the set of search listings being ordered at least in part based on the information about current user preferences.

13. The sponsored search system of claim 12 further comprising:

a user database in data communication with the user preference and navigation information system and configured to store user query information from a plurality of user queries to the sponsored search system.

14. The sponsored search system of claim 13 wherein the user preference and navigation information system is configured to access the user query information stored in the user database to determine subject matter of current user interest in the sponsored search system.

15. The sponsored search system of claim 13 wherein the user preference and navigation information system is configured to access the user query information stored in the user database to determine current user interest in the sponsored search system based on frequency of user queries about a particular subject.

16. The sponsored search system of claim 13 wherein the user preference and navigation information system is configured to access the user query information stored in the user database to determine web sites of current interest to which users in the sponsored search system navigate.

17. The sponsored search system of claim 13 wherein the user preference and navigation information system is configured to access the user query information stored in the user database to determine browser interaction and navigation patterns of users in the sponsored search system to determine current user interests.

18. The sponsored search system of claim 13 wherein the user preference and navigation information system is configured to aggregate the user query information from a plurality of user queries to determine the information about the current user interests.

19. The sponsored search system of claim 12 further comprising:

a user interface portion configured to provide a user interface to an advertiser to collect from the advertiser bid adjustment response information for specified shifts in the information about current user interests, the user interface portion being in communication with the sponsored search database to adjust the money amount of selected stored items based on the bid adjustment response information.

20. A sponsored search system comprising:

a sponsored search database configured to store a plurality of items, at least some of the stored items being associated with an advertiser and including a keyword and a money amount;

a user preference and navigation information system configured to determine information about current user preferences within the online sponsored search system, and

an information web server in data communication with the sponsored search database and the user preference and navigation information system, the information web server configured to detect a user request for a web page, the web page pre-designated to receive sponsored advertisements, the information web server further configured to detect subject matter of the web page and to combine the web page with one or more selected items from the sponsored search database having a keyword related to the subject matter and to return the web page to the user, the information web server determining which items are to be shown and their placement on the web page according to the amounts associated with the selected items and the information about current user preferences.

21. The sponsored search system of claim 20 further comprising:

a user database in data communication with the user preference and navigation information system and configured to store user query information from a plurality of user queries to the sponsored search system.

24. The computer based user interface of claim 21 further comprising:

a maximum bid amount entry point for receiving from the advertiser a maximum bid amount; and

a minimum bid amount entry point for receiving from the advertiser a minimum bid amount.

22. A computer based user interface for control of advertiser bid amounts in an online sponsored search system, the user interface comprising:

a data entry point to receive a user indication from an advertiser of a bid adjustment response to an upward or downward shift in user interest activity within the online sponsored search system; and

a bid data entry point to receive from the advertiser a bid adjustment increment.

23. The computer based user interface of claim 22 further comprising:

a keyword data entry point for receiving from the advertiser an indication of a keyword which has been bid upon by the advertiser in the online sponsored search system.