Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a device, that includes a processing system including a processor, and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations including: creating an initial block in a blockchain, wherein the initial block includes first information describing an advertisement spot generated by a viewer device; adding second information to the initial block that identifies a purchaser of the advertisement spot; calculating a cryptographic hash for the initial block; and sending a copy of the cryptographic hash to a network element of a communications network, wherein the network element records the copy of the cryptographic hash in a hash ledger. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: This paper presents a practical method for measuring the impact of multiple marketing events on sales, including marketing events that are not traditionally trackable. The technique infers which of several competing media events are likely to have caused a given conversion. The method is tested using hold-out sets, and also a live media experiment for determining whether the method can accurately predict television-generated web conversions.

Abstract: A method for web browser-based distribution of targeted advertising messages is provided. An advertising party registers with a distributor of targeted advertising messages. An advertising campaign for goods targeting user demographic categories chosen by the advertising party is created, with advertising messages being customized for each category and the advertising messages being stored on a web server of the distributor. The advertising party pays the distributor for the advertising campaign. A user registers with the distributor for receiving advertising messages through a web browser and the user providing user demographic data and value account information at registration. The web browser home page of the user is configured with a user-specific URL corresponding to a set of targeted advertising messages according to the user demographic data.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided herein for improving consumer interactions with Marketing and Promotion Service systems. In one embodiment, a method for searching for promotions is provided which includes accessing a map to be displayed to a consumer; receiving input comprising a time period; and receiving input comprising a circumscribed region on a map, wherein the circumscribed region provides an indication of an area in which the consumer is planning to travel. The method further includes searching, by a processor, for promotions within the circumscribed region that are redeemable during the time period and generating an impression comprising one or more promotions returned from the searching for promotions, wherein the impression includes at least one promotion related to travel. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also provided.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for automated server-based content delivery. In one embodiment, an example method may include determining campaign information for a content delivery campaign, the campaign information comprising a first allocation value for first content, and a second allocation value for second content, determining first observed data comprising a first user response rate for the first content and a second user response rate for the second content, determining an exponentiated gradient algorithm for the content delivery campaign, and determining a reallocation amount to reallocate a portion of the first allocation value to the second allocation value using the exponentiated gradient algorithm based at least in part on the first observed data, wherein the reallocation amount maximizes an output of the exponentiated gradient algorithm.

Abstract: A computer system processes a message from a user mobile device by receiving the message from the user mobile device, wherein the message comprises a purchase request, and then determining a matching purchase offer in a database containing a plurality of purchase offers, wherein the matching purchase offer corresponds to an offer identified in the purchase request. The system then transmits a purchase request to a purchase agent at a third party provider that is associated with the matching purchase offer, and processing a purchase transaction received from the purchase agent at the third party provider.

Abstract: This paper presents a practical method for measuring the impact of multiple marketing events on sales, including marketing events that are not traditionally trackable. The technique infers which of several competing media events are likely to have caused a given conversion. The method is tested using hold-out sets, and also a live media experiment for determining whether the method can accurately predict television-generated web conversions.

Abstract: Technology for predicting online user shopping behavior, such as whether a user will purchase a product, is described. An example method includes receiving current session data describing a current session for a current user, extracting a current clickstream from the current session data classifying the current clickstream as a purchase clickstream or a non-purchase clickstream by processing the current clickstream using one or more sets of Hidden Markov Model parameters produced by one or more Hidden Markov Models, and computing, using the one or more computing devices, a purchase probability that the current user will purchase a product during the current session based on the classifying.

Abstract: Systems, devices, apparatuses, and methods are described for providing robust RFID security and secure targeted information dissemination. Randomized identifiers for RFID tags associated with products for sale are read by readers of user devices having their own randomized identifiers. Information relating to the products is provided to the user devices by information retrieval systems without exposing information related to the user device or a user thereof. Information security is provided through the use of the randomized identifiers that act as proxies or surrogates for users and user devices. Based on the products and associated RFID tags read by the user device, a retailer or manufacturer provides targeted advertising and sales incentives to the user device through the information retrieval system.

Abstract: A system and method for creation, distribution and tracking of advertising via electronic networks, enabling creation of advertisements using licensed third party content and placement of said ads at desired network locations, utilizing an auction of ad spaces based on bids placed by advertisers to have their ads displayed at such locations. When a network user/ad viewer requests an ad by clicking or other action, an auction algorithm executes to select the ad to be displayed from those that bid for display at such ad space location and then the ad is composed and delivered to the ad space location by accessing a relational database storing commands that retrieve, assemble and dispatch the licensed ad content. Usage and display of licensed content on designated ad space is tracked to enable cost-per-use charging for both use of licensed content and ad display at the designated ad space.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus include computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium for delivering content. A method includes: identifying an application that is installed on a user device; accepting a bid from a sponsor associated with the application for presenting customized content on the user device after installation of the application on the user device; identifying an opportunity to present content on the user device including receiving a request for content that identifies the user device; conducting an auction including evaluating the accepted bid along with other bids; determining that the accepted bid is the winning bid in the auction and providing, in response to the determining, a shell for the customized content; enabling the shell to be populated with data stored on the user device to produce the customized content; and providing the customized content for presentation on the user device in response to the identified opportunity.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for managing delivery of content and tracking the same via audio cues. For example, a client computing device may monitor ambient sound for audio that matches audio sampled from broadcast content. In response to detecting matching audio, the client computing device transmits tracking data to a centralized content server. The content server records the tracking information and evaluates whether the matching audio was detected within a geographic area associated with the broadcast content. If so, the content server executes additional actions including transmitting supplemental content to the client computing device and/or updating summary level metrics that indicate receptions of broadcast content within target geographic locations.

Abstract: An advertising system can be configured to determine advertisements that are responsive to targeting segments included in advertisement requests without having to individually evaluate Boolean or logical targeting expressions associated with each advertisement. For example, the advertising system can be configured to determine, for advertisements, one or more terms that correspond to at least a portion of the respective targeting expressions of the advertisement. When an advertisement request is received, a determination can be made as to whether any of the segments (e.g., age group) associated with that request correspond to any of the terms that were derived from the advertisements. The advertisement system can then determine any advertisements that match the term(s) that correspond to the request.

Abstract: Hardware and software application systems and associated methods for obtaining information from, evaluating, and pricing mobile phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, and/or other electronic devices for recycling and/or other processing are described herein. In various embodiments, the present technology includes systems and methods associated with an electronic evaluator device that facilitates processing (e.g., purchasing at a consumer-operated kiosk) a target device. In some embodiments, the present technology includes using an app on the evaluator device to obtain information from the target device, identify the target device, evaluate the target device, price the target device, etc. Various other aspects of the present technology are described herein.

Abstract: A process for a pre-acquisition auction for recycled electronic devices is disclosed herein. A plurality of pre-acquisition purchase prices are established with each of the plurality of pre-acquisition purchase prices established for a recycled electronic device in a predetermined condition, and each of the pre-acquisition purchase prices established by a winning bid from a bidder of a plurality of bidders for a recycled electronic device.

Abstract: A database containing transaction data from at least one entity which makes payments with a payment network is maintained. Social network activity data from a social network is obtained for the at least one entity which makes payments with the payment network. The social network activity data and given records of the transaction data are integrated, to obtain integrated social media transaction visualization data. Techniques for providing purchase recommendations are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for efficient execution of modules are disclosed. An example method includes generating, by a first module, a first module identifier, the first module having been instantiated by an advertisement on a webpage, loading, by the first module, a component, communicating the module identifier to the component, determining that a second module having a second module identifier has been loaded, and, in response to determining that the second module has been loaded, communicating, by the first module, the second module identifier to the component to instruct the component to communicate with the second module.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for selecting targeted advertising, is disclosed including monitoring subscriber event data from a first and a second access subscriber device, calculating a product interest correlation score in a plurality of product categories for the subscriber based on the subscriber event data, reviewing an advertiser database to select an advertisement in the product categories, and selecting a format to deliver the selected advertisement to a third subscriber access device. In another embodiment, a system is disclosed for selecting an advertisement to send to a subscriber, including an internet profiling module that monitors subscriber event data, an internet profiling database for storing and classifying the event data monitored by the internet profiling module, an advertiser index database for storing advertiser detail information, and an intelligent correlation scoring system (ICSS) processor coupled to the internet profiling database, user profile and the advertiser index database.

Abstract: The disclosure relates in some cases to a technology for selecting one or more promotions to be presented to online customers using Bayesian bandits and affinity-based dynamic user clustering In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method determines a set of offers is determined, and computes affinity scores measuring affinities of users to items included in the offers. The method builds an affinity score distribution for the offers and identifies clusters of affinity scores for the offers using the corresponding affinity score distribution.

Abstract: An advertising system provides advertisements to client devices. To select advertisements, the advertising system identifies previously selected advertisements to determine which presentations of the advertisement are still in-flight and have not yet resulted in conversion event. The advertising system predicts total advertising spend based on the in-flight advertisements, and adjusts a paced bid for the advertisement by determining whether the estimated total advertising spend, reflecting predicted in-flight advertisements, is above or below an expected spending to reach a budget for the advertising campaign, which may increase or decrease the paced bid.