ADVERTISING PAYMENT BASED ON CONFIRMED ACTIVITY PREDICTION

• US 20090222346A1
• Filed: 04/04/2008
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Partridge, Kurt E., Greene, Daniel H., Begole, James M.A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,858,616 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.530
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for facilitating presentation of activity-based advertising. During operation, the system receives a set of contextual data of a customer and makes a prediction of the customer'"'"'s future activity. The system then receives a number of advertisements from the advertisers. Based on the prediction, the system chooses a received advertisement to present to the customer. The system further determines the customer'"'"'s subsequent activity and confirms the prediction of the customer'"'"'s activity. The system then receives payments from the advertisers whose advertisement is presented based on whether the prediction is confirmed.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for facilitating presentation of activity-based advertising, the method comprising:

receiving a set of contextual data of a customer;

making a prediction of the customer'"'"'s future activity;

receiving a number of advertisements from the advertisers;

based on the prediction, choosing a received advertisement to present to the customer;

determining the customer'"'"'s subsequent activity;

confirming the prediction of the customer'"'"'s activity; and

receiving payments from the advertisers whose advertisement is presented based on whether the prediction is confirmed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

auctioning advertising opportunities to the advertisers based on the prediction; and

receiving one or more bids from the advertisers.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising computing an estimated accuracy of the prediction.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining the winning bids based on the estimated accuracy.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising communicating the estimated accuracy of the prediction to the advertisers, thereby allowing the advertisers to set their bids accordingly.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein payment is only received when the prediction is confirmed.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing an advertiser to set a portion of the payment that is contingent upon whether the prediction is confirmed.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing an advertiser to purchase an insurance under which the advertiser can receive a refund when the prediction is not confirmed by the customer'"'"'s subsequent behavior.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving payments from the advertisers whose advertisements is presented based on the customer'"'"'s subsequent purchase behavior as a result of the advertisement.

10. A computer-readable medium storing instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for facilitating presentation of activity-based advertising, the method comprising:

receiving a set of contextual data of a customer;

making a prediction of the customer'"'"'s future activity;

receiving a number of advertisements from the advertisers;

based on the prediction, choosing a received advertisement to present to the customer;

determining the customer'"'"'s subsequent activity;

confirming the prediction of the customer'"'"'s activity; and

receiving payments from the advertisers whose advertisement is presented based on whether the prediction is confirmed.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

auctioning advertising opportunities to the advertisers based on the prediction; and

receiving one or more bids from the advertisers.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises computing an estimated accuracy of the prediction.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises determining the winning bidders based on the estimated accuracy.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises communicating the estimated accuracy of the prediction to the advertisers, thereby allowing the advertisers to set their bids accordingly.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein payment is only received when the prediction is confirmed.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises allowing an advertiser to set a portion of the payment that is contingent upon whether the prediction is confirmed.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises allowing an advertiser to purchase an insurance under which the advertiser can receive a refund when the prediction is not confirmed by the customer'"'"'s subsequent behavior.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises receiving payments from the advertisers whose advertisement is presented based on the customer'"'"'s subsequent purchase behavior as a result of the advertisement.

19. A computer system for facilitating presentation of activity-based advertising, the method comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a receiving mechanism configured to receive a set of contextual data of a customer;

a prediction mechanism configured to make a prediction of the customer'"'"'s future activity;

an advertisement-receiving mechanism configured to receive a number of advertisements from the advertisers;

a presentation mechanism configured to choose a received advertisement to present to the customer based on the prediction;

a determination mechanism configured to determine the customer'"'"'s subsequent activity;

a confirmation mechanism configured to confirm the prediction of the customer'"'"'s activity; and

a payment mechanism configured to receive payments from the advertisers whose advertisement is presented based on whether the prediction is confirmed.

20. The computer system of claim 19, further comprising an auction mechanism configured to:

auction advertising opportunities to the advertisers based on the prediction; and

receive one or more bids from the advertisers.

21. The computer system of claim 20, further comprising a computing mechanism configured to compute an estimated accuracy of the prediction.

22. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the auction mechanism is further configured to determine the winning bids based on the estimated accuracy.

23. The computer system of claim 21, wherein computing mechanism is further configured to communicate the estimated accuracy of the prediction to the advertisers, thereby allowing the advertisers to set their bids accordingly.

24. The computer system of claim 19, wherein the payment mechanism is further configured to allow an advertiser to set a portion of the payment that is contingent upon whether the prediction is confirmed.

25. The computer system of claim 19, wherein the payment mechanism is further configured to receive payments from advertisers based on the customer'"'"'s subsequent purchase behavior as a result of the advertisement.