Abstract: The invention is a neutral, real-timed internet exchange. Content providers and web site publishers interact through a broker who communicates directly with the exchange. When a site from a publisher that is brokered on the exchange is accessed by a user, a real time selection is held on the exchange. During the selection, information about the site and the user is communicated to the brokers. The brokers consult the strategies for their content providers to determine whether the content of the content providers should be placed on a web page. The exchange selects a content provider to place content on the web page.

Abstract: The invention is a neutral, real-timed impression-based, auction internet advertising exchange. On the novel exchange, advertisers and web site publishers interact through a broker who communicates directly with the Exchange. Advertisers specify bids to their brokers who enter them in the Exchange. Publishers may specify minimums or a form of payment to their Brokers who enter them into the Exchange. When a site from a publisher that is brokered on the Exchange is accessed by a user, a real time auction is held on the Exchange. During the auction, which preferably happens within 100 msec, information about the site and the user is communicated to the brokers. The brokers consult the strategies for their advertisers to determine a bid, based on the information from the Exchange, to place ads on the site. (This makes it seem like the brokers target and bid during the exchange rather than in advance.) The highest bid, or bids for multiple ad spots on a site, results in corresponding ads placed on the site.