System and method for influencing a position on a search result list generated by a computer network search engine

• US 7,110,993 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2001
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Overture Services Incorporated (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Davis, Darren J., Soulanille, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALAUBAIDI, HAYTHIM J
• Application Number:
  US09/915,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20030208474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,881 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/5, 707/7, 707/100, 705/37
• US Class Current: 707/735
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A method for providing a search result list. The method includes receiving a search request from a searcher. In a database of search listings in which each search listing is associated with an advertiser and includes at least one search term and a bid amount by the advertiser, search listings generating a match with the search request are identified. A predetermined number of identified search listings are selected according to bid amount for display to the searcher. The identified search listings are arranged for display in a random order as the search result list. The search result list is then communicated to the searcher.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for operating a search system, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of search listing records, each search listing record including

data defining a search term,

data defining a bid amount chargeable to an advertiser upon receipt of

a click through selecting the search listing among displayed search results;

receiving from the advertiser a new desired rank for a search listing;

based on other search listings associated with the search term of the search listing, automatically determining a new bid amount for the search listing required to achieve the new desired rank for the search listing; and

automatically updating the stored search listing with the new bid amount.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the new bid amount comprises:

locating a search listing for the search term having a rank no greater than the new desired rank;

retrieving bid amount associated with the located search listing; and

determining a bid N cents higher than the retrieved bid amount.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein N=1.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

receiving a confirmation from the advertiser; and

updating the data defining the bid amounts for the plurality of search listing records.