Automated price maintenance for use with a system in which advertisements are rendered with relative preference based on performance information and price information
First Claim
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1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
- a) receiving, by a computer system including at least one computer, a plurality of ads;
b) determining, by the computer system, an ad preference value for each of the plurality of ads as a function of performance information associated with the ad and a maximum cost for a result bid associated with the ad, wherein the performance information associated with the ad is selected from a group consisting of (i) a selection rate of the ad, (ii) a conversion rate of the ad, (iii) an expected selection rate of the ad, and (iv) an expected conversion rate of the ad;
c) determining, by the computer system, a cost for each of the plurality of ads, the cost being lower than the maximum cost for a result bid associated with the ad, byi) accepting a next lower ad preference value than that of the ad;
ii) accepting the performance information associated with the ad; and
iii) determining the cost based on the accepted performance information of the ad and the accepted next lower ad preference value such that a value provided by the function of the accepted performance information of the ad and the determined cost of the ad, is not less than the accepted next lower ad preference value.
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Abstract
A cost maintenance scheme useful with an advertising system which orders ads in a manner that maximizes both their relevance and their economic value, and which provides a fair bidding process in which a winning bidder is assured of not having paid too much. Ordering may be done based on accepted maximum ad bid information and/or ad performance information. For example, this information may be used to determine a position value. Cost may be determined based on accepted maximum ad bid information and/or performance information. Billing the determined cost may be subject to a condition precedent.
61 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
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a) receiving, by a computer system including at least one computer, a plurality of ads; b) determining, by the computer system, an ad preference value for each of the plurality of ads as a function of performance information associated with the ad and a maximum cost for a result bid associated with the ad, wherein the performance information associated with the ad is selected from a group consisting of (i) a selection rate of the ad, (ii) a conversion rate of the ad, (iii) an expected selection rate of the ad, and (iv) an expected conversion rate of the ad; c) determining, by the computer system, a cost for each of the plurality of ads, the cost being lower than the maximum cost for a result bid associated with the ad, by i) accepting a next lower ad preference value than that of the ad; ii) accepting the performance information associated with the ad; and iii) determining the cost based on the accepted performance information of the ad and the accepted next lower ad preference value such that a value provided by the function of the accepted performance information of the ad and the determined cost of the ad, is not less than the accepted next lower ad preference value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. Apparatus comprising:
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a) one or more processors; b) at least one input device; and c) one or more storage devices storing processor-executable instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, perform a method of; 1) receiving, via the at least one input device, a plurality of ads, 2) determining an ad preference value for each of the plurality of ads as a function of performance information associated with the ad and a maximum cost for a result bid associated with the ad, wherein the performance information associated with the ad is selected from a group consisting of (i) a selection rate of the ad, (ii) a conversion rate of the ad, (iii) an expected selection rate of the ad, and (iv) an expected conversion rate of the ad, 3) determining a cost for each of the plurality of ads, the cost being lower than the maximum cost for a result bid associated with the ad, by i) receiving as input, for each of the plurality of ads, a next lower ad preference value than that of the ad, and the performance information associated with the ad, and ii) determining the cost based on the performance information of the ad and the accepted next lower ad preference value such that a value provided by the function of the performance information of the ad and the determined cost of the ad, is not less than the next lower ad preference value. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A computer-implemented method comprising:
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a) determining, by a computer system including at least one computer and for each of a plurality of ads, an ad preference value as a function of performance information associated with the ad and a maximum cost for a result bid associated with the ad, wherein the performance information associated with the ad is selected from a group consisting of (i) a selection rate of the ad, (ii) a conversion rate of the ad, (iii) an expected selection rate of the ad, and (iv) an expected conversion rate of the ad; b) ordering, by the computer system, the plurality of ads using the determined ad preference values; c) controlling, by the computer system, a serving of the plurality of ads using the ordering such that a rendering of the ads will be controlled; and d) determining, by the computer system, a cost lower than the maximum cost associated with one of the plurality of ads, by i) accepting an ad preference value of another of the plurality of ads having a next lower preference value to the preference value of the one of the plurality of ads, ii) accepting the performance information associated with the one of the plurality of ads, and iii) determining the cost by dividing (1) the accepted an ad preference value of the other of the plurality of ads having a next lower preference value to the preference value of the one of the plurality of ads by (2) the performance information associated with the one of the plurality of ads.
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Specification