Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090204559 | Bounding error rate based on a worst likely assignment - Given a set of training examples—with known inputs and outputs—and a set of working examples—with known inputs but unknown outputs—train a classifier on the training examples. For each possible assignment of outputs to the working examples, determine whether assigning the outputs to the working examples results in a training and working set that are likely to have resulted from the same distribution. If so, then add the assignment to a likely set of assignments. For each assignment in the likely set, compute the error of the trained classifier on the assignment. Use the maximum of these errors as a probably approximately correct error bound for the classifier. | 08-13-2009 |
20120166292 | Systems and Methods for Pricing Portfolio Allocations of Ad Deliveries to Online Ads Using a Vickrey-Clarke-Groves Mechanism - Systems and methods for pricing portfolio allocations of ad deliveries to a plurality of online ads are disclosed. A first set of values is determined, each value of the first set of values representing for an online ad of the plurality of online ads, a bid an advertiser has associated with the online ad. A second set of values is determined, the second set of values representing statistics on variability of payoffs from showing ads. A risk value associated with the publisher is determined. Using a portfolio allocation algorithm, a set of ad delivery allocations associated with the plurality of online ads is determined, and, using a Vickrey-Clarke-Groves mechanism, a set of prices associated with the plurality of online ads is determined, both of which are determined based on the first set of values, the second set of values, and the risk value. | 06-28-2012 |
20130085857 | CONVENIENCE-RELATED AND OTHER METRICS IN ADVERTISING - Techniques are provided, for use in electronic or online advertising, that can be viewed as going beyond geographic proximity, including determination and use of convenience-based metrics in advertisement targeting, pricing, selection and packaging. For example, based on information including an actual or anticipated consumer location and a store location, one or more possible or likely consumer travel routes may be determined. Based at least in part on this, metrics, such as convenience-based metrics, can be determined and used in aspects of electronic or online advertising, such as consumer travel distance, travel time, or number or travel proximity of alternative stores. | 04-04-2013 |
20130211904 | GUI That Displays Characteristics of an Advertising Audience Selected By Specifying Targeting Constraints - An audience browser GUI that displays characteristics of an advertising audience selected by specifying targeting constraints is disclosed. The audience browser GUI allows a user to express constraints to define audiences. The audience browser displays characteristics of audiences defined by the constraints. A user can adjust constraints, observe characteristics of the resulting audience, and repeat to develop a desirable audience. In addition, the audience browser may recommend initial constraints and adjustments to constraints, based on advertiser goals and data. | 08-15-2013 |
20130246191 | BID AGENT POOL - Techniques are provided which improve performance of bid agents on online advertising exchanges. Methods and systems elicit an advertiser's goals for an online advertising campaign. One or more bid agents are selected to be included in a bid program based at least in part on the goals. Each of the bid agents is matched to one or more goals, and each of the bid agents is configured to calculate a bid for an ad call based at least in part on predetermined rules. One or more parameters of the selected bid agents are set based at least in part on marketplace conditions in an online advertising exchange. | 09-19-2013 |
20130297405 | TIME SLICING IN ONLINE ADVERTISING EXPERIMENTATION - Techniques are provided that can be used in experimentation in online advertising. In an experiment, a short, recurring time interval during a period may be divided into a set of segments. Serving opportunities to users occurring during each of the segments may be associated with a particular specified experimental treatment. The short duration of the interval and segments may aid in reducing experimental bias by reducing variation in non-experimental variables between different treatment groups. User behavior following experimental treatment may be tracked and utilized in measurement of user response associated with the treatment. Results of the experiment may be utilized in optimizing aspects of an online advertising campaign. | 11-07-2013 |
20140025506 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING ADDITIONAL ADVERTISING INFORMATION TO A USER - Techniques are provided which allow users to receive additional information relating to advertisements. Login information is received from a user. An advertisement is displayed in a browser application. A user interface action indicating interaction with the user interface element may be received. The user's contact information may be retrieved based on the login information. In response to the user interface action, additional information relating to the advertisement may be transmitted to the user in accordance with the contact information. | 01-23-2014 |
20140122253 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPLEMENTING BID ADJUSTMENTS IN AN ONLINE ADVERTISEMENT EXCHANGE - A system and method for implementing bid adjustments in an online advertisement exchange are disclosed. A plurality of bids from a plurality of advertisers may be received for an online advertisement opportunity. A first advertiser may be associated with a first bid bias value. In some embodiments, if the first advertiser is associated with a first bid bias value, then the bid received from the first advertiser may be adjusted based on the first bid bias value. For example, an adjusted bid may be calculated based on the bid received from the first advertiser and the first bid bias value. The online advertisement exchange may conduct an online auction with the adjusted bid from the first advertiser. If the first advertiser wins the auction based on the adjusted bid, then the first advertiser may be charged the value of the bid received from the first advertiser instead of the adjusted bid value. | 05-01-2014 |
20140180831 | SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING FEES FOR ONLINE AD IMPACT - An electronic device implemented method includes facilitating an auction for an ad space of an advertisement network. A bid and a creative are received from an advertiser for the ad space. An attribute of the creative is determined that is obtrusive to a viewer experience. An extent that the attribute is obtrusive is determined. An extent that the attribute is effective in obtaining a goal of the advertiser is determined. A correlation between the extent that the attribute is obtrusive and the extent that the attribute is effective in obtaining a goal of the advertiser is determined. | 06-26-2014 |
20140278929 | SYSTEM AND METHOD IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADVERTISING ENTITIES BASED ON USER GOAL ACHIEVEMENT - Disclosed herein is system, method and architecture facilitating goal setting and achievement and providing positive social and economic motivators for goal achievement. Progress toward a goal is tracked and a determination may be made based the progress whether or not to initiate one or more actions to stimulate progress and/or increase the likelihood of success in achieving a goal and/or achieving a milestone in a path of progression toward the goal. | 09-18-2014 |
20140279720 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF EVENT PUBLICATION IN A GOAL ACHIEVEMENT PLATFORM - Disclosed herein is system, method and architecture facilitating goal setting and achievement and providing positive social and economic motivators for goal achievement. Progress toward a goal is tracked and a determination may be made based the progress whether or not to initiate one or more actions to stimulate progress and/or increase the likelihood of success in achieving a goal and/or achieving a milestone in a path of progression toward the goal. | 09-18-2014 |
20140297401 | SHAPING ALLOCATIONS IN SEARCH ADVERTISING AUCTIONS - Methods and systems are provided that include bidding techniques for use with online advertising auctions. Methods and systems are provided relating to bidding for display of an advertisement, where the allocation of serving opportunities for advertisement slots takes into account competing bids associated with advertisers. A highest bid associated with an advertiser is allocated all the serving opportunities of one of the advertisement slots. The remaining bids associated with advertisers are allocated serving opportunities between the remaining slots based on various factors, such as historical online advertising bidding and delivery information and performance metric information. | 10-02-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100017377 | FINITE-STATE MACHINE AUGMENTED FOR MULTIPLE EVALUATIONS OF TEXT - A process performs multiple evaluations of text simultaneously. There are multiple counters, each with pattern-amount pairs. The pattern-amount pairs are accumulated into a single finite-state machine, with each state having a list of (counter, value) pairs instead of a single value. While the finite-state machine is applied to text, a score for each counter is accumulated by summing values for the counter from value lists of visited states. With one state transition per character, evaluating text using one finite-state machine for multiple counters is more efficient than using separate finite-state machines for counters or patterns. | 01-21-2010 |
20110173063 | ADVERTISER VALUE-BASED BID MANAGEMENT IN ONLINE ADVERTISING - The present invention provides methods and systems for use in online advertising campaign management, including bid management in an online advertising auction. Techniques are provided in which a benchmark set of previously served advertisements is identified, and associated performance information is obtained. During an online auction, when an advertisement impression opportunity becomes available, information obtained using a machine learning technique may be utilized in forecasting an advertiser value-based metric associated with the opportunity, using the benchmark set of advertisements and the associated performance. The forecasted advertiser value-based metric can be used in determining bidding and pricing associated with the opportunity. | 07-14-2011 |
20110191191 | PLACEHOLDER BIDS IN ONLINE ADVERTISING - Some embodiments of the invention provide techniques for placing “placeholder” bids in an auction associated with online advertising marketplace. Placeholder bids can include bids that are not actually entered or placed in the auction or marketplace. Rather, placeholder bids can include hypothetical bids. Impacts of placeholder bids, should the placeholder bids have been entered or placed as actual bids, can be assessed. An assessment can include assessing an impact on auction and marketplace parameters, an impact on bid or campaign performance, and an impact on downstream parameters such as user behavior, such as associated conversions or purchasing. | 08-04-2011 |
20110223571 | EMOTIONAL WEB - Methods and systems are provided for association of various online elements with emotional states. A set of emotional states may be generated or obtained, and particular online elements may be assigned to particular emotional states of the set, such as with emotional states that are reflected or represented by or in the online elements. Online elements can be of various types, such as, for example, Web sites, blogs, articles, online events, online activities, online messaging, etc. User association or interaction with online emotional state-associated online elements can be used in classifying users into particular emotional states. | 09-15-2011 |
20110225021 | EMOTIONAL MAPPING - Methods and systems are provided for emotional mapping, such as of online users, based at least in part on online activities of users. Techniques are provided in which information including a set of emotional states is generated or obtained, such as a hierarchical network of emotional states representing a spectrum of human emotions. Information regarding user online activities and content choices of a user is obtained. Based at least in part on this information, the user is classified into an emotional state of the set of emotional states, and advertisements or content may be targeted to the user accordingly. | 09-15-2011 |
20110231243 | CUSTOMER STATE-BASED TARGETING - Techniques are provided for targeting of online advertisements. Methods are provided which include classifying an individual into a state, of a set of possible states, relative to relationship with regard to an offering or brand. The classification may be based on offline and online information. The states may relate to a degree of favorability with which the individual is disposed with regard to the offering or brand. The individual is targeted with an online advertisement based at least in part on the state into which the individual is classified. | 09-22-2011 |
20110231244 | TOP CUSTOMER TARGETING - Techniques are provided for targeting of online advertisements. Methods are provided in which information including a top set of customers of an advertiser is obtained. Information is obtained relating to online and offline behavior of the top customers in association with one or more brands of the advertiser. For a particular top customer, based at least in part on behavior information relating to the particular top customer in association with the one or more brands, the particular top customer is targeted with an online advertisement. | 09-22-2011 |
20110231245 | OFFLINE METRICS IN ADVERTISEMENT CAMPAIGN TUNING - Techniques are provided relating to optimization of an online advertising campaign. Information is obtained relating to online advertising, associated with a brand associated with an online advertising campaign, directed to each of a set of individuals. Information is also obtained relating to offline behavior of the individuals in association with the brand. One or more metrics are determined that are associated with a relationship between the online advertising and the offline behavior. Optimization of at least one parameter of the online advertising campaign is performed based at least in part on at least one of the one or more metrics. | 09-22-2011 |
20110231246 | ONLINE AND OFFLINE ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN OPTIMIZATION - Techniques are provided relating to advertising campaign optimization. Information is obtained relating to online and offline behavior of a set of individuals in association with a brand associated an advertising campaign. Based at least in part on the information, one or more metrics are determined reflecting an association between online advertising and offline behavior relating to the brand, or vice versa. Optimization is performed for at least one parameter of an online advertising campaign or an offline advertising campaign based at least in part on at least one of the one or more metrics. The campaign could also be a combined offline/online campaign. | 09-22-2011 |
20110264525 | SEARCHING A USER'S ONLINE WORLD - The present invention provides methods and systems for use in searching a user's online world, across independently provided applications including Web-based and desktop applications, which can include Web sites. Techniques are provided in which information is collected and indexed relating to activities and communications of a user, and of other users in association with activities and communications of the user, across independent Web-based applications. A graphical user interface is provided to allow user searching in association with the collected and indexed information. Search results are provided using a graphical user interface that can include Web results, personal results, and desktop results. | 10-27-2011 |
20110264531 | WATCHING A USER'S ONLINE WORLD - The present invention provides methods and systems for use in assessing sentiment of users associated with one or more Web-based activities or communications of a user, which can include messaging associated with one or more social networking applications. Furthermore, information or services are provided to the user, or another user, in connection with the assessed sentiment. For example, a user may be alerted, or action may be taken, if unforeseen or negative sentiment reaches or exceeds a designated threshold. | 10-27-2011 |
20110282732 | UNDERSTANDING AUDIENCE INTERESTS - The present invention provides techniques for use in providing advertisers and other entities with information relating to target audiences. Techniques are provided in which, in reply to an advertiser query, the advertiser is provided with, in connection with a specified target audience, topics of interest, levels of interest per topic, and a level or levels of engagement with the advertiser. Other information may also be provided, including topic of interest trending information, as well as topics of interest that best differentiate between the target audience and a specified comparison audience. | 11-17-2011 |
20120022937 | ADVERTISEMENT BRAND ENGAGEMENT VALUE - The present invention provides techniques associated with online advertisement brand engagement value, which can be of critical importance to brand advertisers. Techniques are also included involving use of brand engagement value across various online and offline advertising media and venues. Techniques are provided in which experiments are conducted, such as eyeball-tracking experiments, which include measurements to determine brand engagement value of particular online advertisement impressions. Information from the experiments is utilized in making determinations of brand engagement value, or anticipated brand engagement value, of online advertisement impressions for which brand engagement value has not been measured. | 01-26-2012 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100174609 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CORRECTING BIAS INTRODUCED BY ESTIMATING OFFER VALUES - A system and method for improving online advertising auctions. The system includes an offer store configured to received offers from advertisers bidding do display advertisements to users. An estimator engine in communication with the offer store estimates values for each of the offers to produce estimated offer values. An adjustment engine in communication with the estimator engine adjusts the estimated offer values to correct for bias introduced by estimating values for the offers. An auction engine in communication with the adjustment engine selects one or more advertisements for display to a user based on the adjusted estimated offer values. | 07-08-2010 |
20100250362 | System and Method for an Online Advertising Exchange with Submarkets Formed by Portfolio Optimization - A system and method to distribute computation for an exchange in which advertisers buy online advertising space from publishers. The exchange maintains submarkets, each containing a subset of the ad calls supplied by publishers and a subset of the offers and budgets representing demand from advertisers. Portfolio optimization techniques allocate the supply of ad calls from publishers over the submarkets, with the goal of maximizing profits for publishers while limiting the volatility of those profits. Portfolio optimization techniques allocate the demand from advertisers over the submarkets, with the goal of maximizing return on investment for advertisers. The exchange re-allocates supply and demand over submarkets periodically. Also, periodically, the most effective submarkets are replicated and the least effective submarkets are eliminated. | 09-30-2010 |
20120010942 | ONLINE ADVERTISING MARKETPLACE DATA PROVIDER ASSESSMENT AND RECOMMENDATION - The present invention provides techniques for use in assessing the value of information-related services of particular data providers to an online advertising marketplace participant, such as an advertiser, publisher, market-maker, or another data provider, in connection with activities relating to buying, selling or pricing of marketplace properties. Furthermore, a recommendation may be provided to the marketplace participant as to the value or desirability of the services of particular data providers. Techniques are provided in which actual or hypothetical impact of use of information of the particular data providers is assessed. | 01-12-2012 |
20120123851 | CLICK EQUIVALENT REPORTING AND RELATED TECHNIQUE - Techniques are provided for use in online advertising, such as sponsored search advertising. Information may be obtained that includes historical online advertising information including information relating to conversion rates associated with bid amounts or bid amount ranges, as well as a proposed advertiser bid amount or bid amount range. Based at least in part on obtained information, a forecasted or predicted conversion rate or conversion rate range associated with the proposed bid amount or bid amount range is determined, and associated reporting is provided to the advertiser, which may include click equivalent information associated with a bidding-related standard or benchmark. | 05-17-2012 |
20120191528 | PRICING AND PAYMENT ALLOCATION AMONG ONLINE ADVERTISING PARTIES - Methods and systems are provided, in an online advertising marketplace including publishers, advertisers and data providers, for allocating or partitioning, or automatically allocating or partitioning, advertiser payment, in connection with a purchase of advertising inventory, between a publisher and one or more data providers. Techniques are provided that seek to efficiently and fairly allocate the payment between the parties, taking into account value provided, such as by utilizing Shapley values. Provided techniques may also include efficiently or optimally integrating, facilitating, selecting or automating connections or arrangements between parties within the marketplace. | 07-26-2012 |
20130030929 | RESERVE PRICE RANDOMNESS IN ONLINE ADVERTISING - The present invention provides techniques that may be used in connection with or as part of an online advertising auction-based exchange. Techniques are provided in which reserve prices, which may set minimum amounts for winning bids, are randomized. For a set of one or more auctions during a time period to which a single reserve price would otherwise apply, one or more randomized reserve prices may instead be applied. Use of randomized reserve prices can smooth otherwise abrupt responses resulting from advertiser bid modifications, and lead to desirable marketplace characteristics or marketplace optimization. | 01-31-2013 |
20140304067 | DETECTING PROHIBITED DATA USE IN AUCTION-BASED ONLINE ADVERTISING - Techniques are provided that relate to online advertising, such as in connection with an auction-based online advertising market, including techniques for determining evidence of prohibited use of user segment information by an advertiser. Segment information may be utilized in allowing a targeted advertising opportunity for an advertiser. The advertiser may, for example, have agreed not to use such segment information outside of the allowed opportunity. Particular users in a segment may be identified and utilized as indicator users for use in determining evidence of prohibited use of segment information by an advertiser in bidding occurring after the targeted advertising opportunity. For example, later advertiser bidding relating to near-threshold in-segment or out-of-segment indicator users may be analyzed. Alternatively or additionally, for example, bidding relating to false positive or false negative indicator users may be analyzed, where such indicator users may be falsely identified by an advertiser as being in-segment or out-of-segment. | 10-09-2014 |