Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product for displaying to a user an aggregated contextual targeting advertisement using an instant messaging client having an ad line area within an instant messaging graphical user interface, and an ad pop-up area on the same display surface as the instant messaging graphical user interface. The method commences by receiving a user context profile and then selecting at least one advertisement based on characteristics of the user. The method continues by separating the advertisement into a first portion and a second portion for the purpose of displaying the first portion in an ad line area within an instant messaging graphical user interface, and for displaying the second portion in an ad pop-up area on the same display surface as the instant messaging graphical user interface. Some embodiments separate the first portion and the second portion by automatically selecting strings, and/or by automatically selecting images.

Abstract: A novel and simple interactive web advertising method. A Click to Call feature is placed together with a web advertising message. A viewer may input a phone number and submit it by clicking a submitting button, and the input phone number is then submitted to the hosting server for subsequent actions either by the advertising agency or the advertiser. The web advertising message may be in any form, for example, in banner display, in web link description or boxed text advertising.

Abstract: Content providers can target individuals for receipt of selected content based, at least in part, on profiles associated with users. The associations between the users and the profiles are determined based on analysis of receipts for transactions completed by the users. These receipts contain information that is indicative of the individuals' spending habits. Electronic correspondence associated with the users is scanned to identify the receipts and information is extracted from the receipts for use in the analysis. The individuals can opt-in to receive content targeted to the profiles associated with their accounts without allowing the content providers to have direct access to their receipts or their identity. The individuals can also opt-out if they no longer want to receive targeted content.

Abstract: An improved system and method is provided for using sampling for scheduling advertisements in an online auction with budget and time constraints. A multi-armed bandit engine may be provided for sampling new advertisements by allocating advertisements for web page placements of equal quality and optimizing payments to maximize the welfare of the advertisers while remaining within advertiser's budget and time constraints. Advertisers may report their private information including arrival time, departure time, value per click, and budget. And the multi-armed bandit mechanism may approximate the maximal welfare that may be achieved under budget and time constraints by bounding the possible gain from any possible lie an advertiser might submit in reporting private information. Advertisers departing from the online auction may be charged using a payment method that may provide truthful guarantees on budget, arrivals, departures, and valuations for a budget-constrained online auction.

Abstract: A system may provide an advertising link in association with a document. The content of the advertising link is unrelated to a content of the document. The system may also determine a rate at which the advertising link is selected and determine whether illegitimate activity occurred based, at least in part, on the determined rate of selection.

Abstract: Methods and systems for selecting advertisements to present to a user of a computing device are provided. An advertisement system selects advertisements to display to a user based on the serving area of candidate advertisements. The advertisement system selects those candidate advertisements whose serving area encompasses the user's current location. The advertisement system may also select candidate advertisements to present to a user based on a map area currently being displayed to the user. The advertisement system may filter the candidate advertisements based on the provider location being within the map area that is currently being displayed to the user.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and media are provided for inducing customer loyalty that are configured to: identify a loyalty account associated with a consumer, wherein the loyalty account is part of as loyalty program established by a retailer, create a monetary account linked to the consumer's loyalty account, designate an amount of change from a cash transaction at the retailer to be deposited into the monetary account, deposit the amount of change into the monetary account by adding the designated amount of change to an existing balance of the monetary account to create a new balance, determine if the consumer is entitled to a reward based on the depositing of the designated amount of change into the monetary account and at least one threshold; and display to the consumer the outcome of the determining.

Abstract: Data content providers transfer data content (including DRM protected content) over a broadband network onto one or more information filling stations (IFSs) situated at one or more physical locations. Users are able to wirelessly communicate with the IFSs via one or more of portable devices that are operable in close proximity to the IFS. Data content requested by the portable devices include, but are not limited to: multimedia files, WWW data, real-time and interactive games, e-mail (with or without attachments), electronic newspapers, news and sports information, traffic and weather information, e-books, interactive messaging, and/or data files. Additionally, the portable devices are also capable of facilitating point-of-sale purchases and electronic funds transfers. Optionally, the IFS also forwards advertisements promoting products and services to the portable devices.

Abstract: There is provided an advertising method comprising receiving a broadcast request signal from a video on demand (VOD) terminal to download data broadcast; receiving an advertisement request signal from a mobile communication terminal to download advertising broadcast including information on goods related to contents of the data broadcast; synchronizing the data broadcast with the advertising broadcast in such a way that an advertising broadcast scene corresponding to the data broadcast is displayed on the mobile communication terminal while replaying the data broadcast on the VOD terminal; sending the data broadcast to the VOD terminal; and sending the advertising broadcast to the mobile communication terminal.

Abstract: A method and system for the automated generation of a unique code such as a two dimensional (2D) code such as a quick response (QR) code for each of a plurality of target users. An appearance of the code for each target user can be personalized based on information from a database which includes personalized information for each target user. The appearance of the code is personalized for each user so that, for example, the code is more likely to draw the target user's attention than a code which is not personalized for the target user.

Abstract: Fraud and abuse detection in an entity's payment coding practices includes the ability to search for fraud at all levels of the hierarchical coded payment system within the context of an unsupervised model. The model uses variables derived and profiles created at any level or at all levels of the hierarchical coded payment system to create a comprehensive description of the payment coding activities submitted by the entity. That description is compared with other peer entities to determine unusual and potentially inappropriate activity. The profiles created may themselves be utilized for purposes other than the detection of fraud and abuse.

Abstract: A computerized method and system for managing a media advertising proposal from inception to completion of an order with one or more media outlets are described. An embodiment of the method includes receiving a customer request for placement of advertising in one or more media outlets, creating a media advertising proposal, that includes schedule of advertising for the requested placement, based on user inputs into a media proposal tool, storing the media advertising proposal in a database connected to the media proposal tool, accessing one or more external applications to integrate information and data into the media advertising proposal, assigning a grade to the media advertising proposal, entering the media advertising proposal into a computerized workflow in the media proposal tool for review and approval, and if the media advertising proposal is approved, injecting the media advertising proposal as an order into a traffic and billing system.

Abstract: A method includes providing, through a server device, a number of wearable apparel garments to an entity and monitoring readings of near-field communication tags associated with the number of wearable apparel garments procured from the entity through a number of reader devices of a corresponding number of another human mammals. The method also includes transmitting a profile information of the human mammal wearing the wearable apparel garment to the reader device of the another human mammal and/or a geospatial information of the reader device to the server device configured to collect information from the number of reader devices. Further, the method includes obtaining, through the server device and/or another server device, information related to market intelligence based on the transmitted profile information and/or the geospatial information.

Abstract: A request for route information to a destination is received by a route processing module. Available routes to the destination are determined in response to receiving the request. It is determined, for at least one available route to the destination, whether the available route provides proximity to at least one targeted advertisement. At least one available route to the destination is provided upon determining that the available route provides the proximity to the targeted advertisement.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and system for producing a set of ratings for out-of-home media based on the measurement of behavior patterns and demographics of the people in a digital media network. The present invention captures a plurality of input images of the people in the vicinity of sampled out-of-home media in a digital media network by a plurality of means for capturing images, and tracks each person. The present invention processes the plurality of input images in order to analyze the behavior and demographics of the people. The present invention aggregates the measurements for the behavior patterns and demographics of the people, analyzes the data, and extracts characteristic information based on the estimated parameters from the aggregated measurements. Finally, the present invention calculates a set of ratings based on the characteristic information.

Abstract: Providing online advertisements includes selecting, among a plurality of advertising sources provided by a seller, a selected plurality of advertising sources that meet a predefined condition; generating a plurality of keyword sets that correspond to the selected plurality of advertising sources; establishing a programming model according to a set of predefined constraints, wherein the programming model represents match of the selected plurality of advertising sources and the plurality of keyword sets; and determining a substantially optimal match between at least some of the plurality of advertising sources and the plurality of keyword sets by solving the programming model.

Abstract: User-controlled file interaction is described, including detecting an interaction with a file presented on a client, the interaction indicating a preference associated with the file, selecting other files for presentation based on the preference, the other files being similar to the element, and presenting the other files on the client.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for evaluating a binary classification system operable to classify each of a plurality of events as a first event type or a second event type. At least some of the events of the first event type are independently verifiable with reference to verification data. The binary classification system is susceptible to a first error type in which events of the first event type are classified as the second event type, and a second error type in which events of the second event type are classified as the first event type. Operation of a first configuration of the binary classification system is evaluated with reference to an objective function. The objective function is derived by expressing a number of errors of the second error type in terms of a number of errors of the first error type with reference to the verification data, and by assuming relative proportions of the first and second event types within the plurality of events.

Abstract: A method and system for rewarding anonymous patrons of an anonymous loyalty program is disclosed herein. The anonymous loyalty program only uses an identification generated on a mobile communication device for all transactions by the member. The member does not need to disclose his or her phone number to participate in the anonymous loyalty program although the member's mobile communication device is used for all of the transactions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a computer implemented method of determining an aggregated web analytics value. A first data storage medium stores a sequence of episodic values, each associated with a respective time interval. A second data storage medium stores a sequence of aggregate values, each aggregating an equal number of the episodic values. Further aggregates are stored and provided in a like manner, until an additional sequence of higher level aggregate values cannot be created using the same base number. When a request for an aggregate value over a range of episodic values is received, the system queries the storage mediums in a parallel operation, retrieving as little aggregated values and episodic values needed to compute the requested value.