CONTRACT AUCTIONS FOR SPONSORED SEARCH

• US 20110166942A1
• Filed: 01/06/2010
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Excalibur IP, LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Goel, Sharad, Lahaie, Sebastien, Vassilvitskii, Serguei
• Application Number:
  US12/683,247
• Publication Number:
  US 20110166942A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.71
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

Example methods, apparatuses, and articles of manufacture are disclosed that may be used to provide or otherwise support contract auctions for sponsored search advertising for use in auction management systems.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving one or more electrical digital signals representative of bids specifying at least a fixed cost component and a stochastic cost component; and

auctioning electronically a good and/or service based, at least in part, on said bids.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said auctioning is based, at least in part, on a utility function comprising a product of said fixed cost component and a statistical probability applied to said stochastic cost component, wherein said statistical probability is associated with said stochastic cost component.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said statistical probability comprises at least one of the following:

a click-through rate;

a probability of an accident;

a probability of a performance-based bonus;

or a probability of sales-based revenues.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said fixed cost component comprises at least one of the following:

a cost per impression;

an advance payment for goods and/or services;

a premium for insurance;

or a salary.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said stochastic cost component comprises at least one of the following:

a cost per click;

a royalty fee for goods and/or services;

a deductible for insurance;

or a bonus.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said auctioning electronically said good and/or service is performed, at least in part, via executing instructions by a special purpose computing apparatus.

7. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

settling a transaction initiated by said auctioning based, at least in part, on a second highest value bid.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said settling a transaction includes adjusting said fixed cost component.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said settling a transaction includes adjusting said stochastic cost component.

10. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

implementing at least one negative payment.

11. An article comprising:

a storage medium having instructions stored thereon executable by a special purpose computing platform to;

receive one or more electrical digital signals representative of bids specifying at least a fixed cost component and a stochastic cost component; and

auction electronically a good and/or service based, at least in part, on said bids.

12. The article of claim 11, wherein said storage medium further includes instructions to estimate a utility function calculated, at least in part, as a product of said fixed cost component and a statistical probability applied to said stochastic cost component, wherein said statistical probability is associated with said stochastic cost component.

13. The article of claim 12, wherein said statistical probability comprises at least one of the following:

a click-through rate;

a probability of an accident;

a probability of a performance-based bonus;

or a probability of sales-based revenues.

14. The article of claim 11, wherein said storage medium further includes instructions to settle a transaction initiated by said auction based, at least in part, on a second highest value bid.

15. The article of claim 11, wherein said storage medium further includes instructions to implement at least one negative payment.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a computing platform to;

receive one or more electrical digital signals representative of bids specifying at least a fixed cost component and a stochastic cost component; and

auction electronically a good and/or service based, at least in part, on said bids.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said computing platform is further enabled to settle a transaction initiated by said auctioning based, at least in part, on a second highest value bid.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said computing platform is further enabled to adjust said fixed cost component.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said computing platform is further enabled to adjust said stochastic cost component.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said computing platform is further enabled to implement at least one negative payment.