Abstract: An adaptive bidder for networked advertising. A bid request is received from an exchange over a network. Each bid request represents the opportunity to bid on an advertising opportunity. A processing time limit is determined based at least in part on a network latency measurement, an exchange reported timeout and a bid response buffer. The network latency measurement may be required to meet a freshness standard. The bid response buffer represents the time allotted for the adaptive bidding system to generate a response based on one or more partial results. The exchange reported timeout value can be included in the bid request, and can vary from bid request to bid request. The execution of one or more tasks is initiated by the adaptive bidding system, and each task can make a partial result available. In some cases, a partial result is a cumulative result. A response is determined from one or more partial results which are available before the processing time limit expires.

Abstract: A system and method links one or more disparate community awareness management (CAM) datasets for a community awareness program (CAP) with one or more spatial layers to create linked CAM datasets. One or more data attributes common to a CAM dataset and a spatial layer are identified, and the link is defined between the CAM dataset and the spatial layer. The spatial layer and the linked CAM dataset then may be queried using a single input query. Features from the spatial layer and features from the linked CAM dataset that match the query are generated for display. In one embodiment, a system and method manage CAP assets, transactions, interest areas for the CAP, and buffer areas for the CAP. An audience utility enables entering and maintaining audience data for the CAP. A journal utility enables making journal entries for one or more audience members, CAP assets, transactions, and/or other CAM data. A link document utility enables linking one or more documents to CAM data.

Abstract: A method implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable medium being operable to provide a shopping cart for a shopper, and segment items in the shopping cart based on the carbon footprint associated with each item. Additionally, the method may include displaying substitute or complementary items in the shopping cart for selection by the user to reduce total carbon values, and awarding carbon certificates.

Abstract: One or more text blocks, one or more images, and one or more contextual advertisements related to the text blocks are input into a mixed-content page layout model. One or more pages are generated by the mixed-content page layout model such that the text blocks, the images, and the contextual advertisements are displayed on the pages. For each contextual advertisement, a dynamic weight to a particular text block is determined. The mixed-content page layout model uses the dynamic weight for a contextual advertisement in determining where the advertisement is displayed within the pages in relation to the particular text block.

Abstract: A communication device is operable to receive broadcast information communicated by a network access device specifying one or more advertised services provided via the network access device. The communication device then determines whether to connect via the network access device based on the received information. The network access device comprises an IEEE 802.11 access point, a user end-point device, a private access point network access device, and/or a wired network routing device. The advertisement broadcast is performed via beacon signals, other broadcast messages, and/or utilizing advertisement framing procedure, wherein service related information are set directly into beacons signal messaging, and/or communicated via advertisement subframes. The advertisement communication may comprise a multi-stage procedure, where a first stage enables obtaining service related information without attachment and/or full login into the network access device.

Abstract: Effective advertisements are provided to users of a network. On a terminal of a user B, user names of users whom the user B registered in advance as friends are displayed. On the terminal, information indicating whether respective friend users are online or offline, is also displayed. Icons representing video games, etc., played by the friend users are also displayed on the terminal. When the user B clicks the icon of the Game C associated with the user A, the terminal executes advertisement information display processing. By this processing, an advertisement information screen is displayed on the terminal. On the advertisement information screen, an advertisement relating to the status of the user A registered as the friend is displayed.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, techniques and mechanisms described herein facilitate the storage of an image of a rendered webpage on a storage medium. A first message including a request for a webpage may be transmitted to a web server via a communications interface. The webpage request may generate an advertising opportunity bid request for bids to place an advertisement on the requested webpage. A second message to place a bid on the generated advertising opportunity bid request may be transmitted. Information for rendering the webpage is received in response to the webpage request, and an image of the rendered webpage may be stored on a storage medium.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network element including one or more of the following: receiving a plurality of advertisement messages via the communications network, each advertisement message of the plurality of advertisement messages including a set of meta-information which describes the content of an advertisement associated with the advertisement message; determining whether each advertisement message is relevant to the user by comparing the set of meta-information to a set of user preferences associated with the user, the set of user preferences stored locally on the user node; when an advertisement message is determined to not be relevant to the user, discarding the advertisement message; and when an advertisement message is determined to be relevant to the user, providing the user with access to the advertisement associated with the advertisement message.

Abstract: In one aspect, methods include receiving one or more first bids that have associated fixed prices, receiving one or more second bids that have dynamic prices that are adjusted at a time of auction in consideration of other bids in the auction, conducting an auction including pricing the one or more first bids and the one or more second bids, the one or more first bids being priced at their respective fixed prices and the one or more second bids being priced at respective amounts that maintain each second bid in a position marginally above a next-highest bid in the auction, and serving content based on one or more winning bids from the auction.

Abstract: An advertisement selecting system is disclosed providing, when selecting advertisements to be exposed to subscribers over the Internet, exposure control reflecting the inventory of advertisements by taking into account results of past exposure of each of the advertisements. When subscribers with a particular profile biased to specific tastes or preferences gain access to contents carrying advertisements, the first-ranked advertisement, i.e., the one best targeted for the subscribers in question, is exposed repeatedly but in a manner also making way for the advertisements in second and subsequent places which would be less likely to be exposed if handled conventionally, so that the stocked advertisements are exposed in fairly averaged fashion. Advertisement exposure is thus controlled in a manner averting lopsided exposure of certain (or partial) advertisement information by giving consideration to the advertisement inventory.

Abstract: Entities may be matched to enhance the efficiency of various commercial activities using various system and method embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. Belief propagation on a graph data structure defining a bipartite or unipartite matching opportunity is used to calculate a best matching. In embodiments, functions are implemented based upon the match, such as executing sales between matched buyers and sellers in an online auction system. In embodiments, messages with scalar values carry information about the relative value of possible matchings, initially provided as weights or values for the possible matchings. Weights may depend on, for example, bids or costs. Messages may be passed, for example over a network between processors respective to the nodes. Belief values reflecting a best matching can be continuously updated for each node responsively to the value information and received messages to rank the matches respective to each node, which progressively improve.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a system for redeeming coupons, promotions, or incentives comprises a network through which a Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal communicates, through a POS controller, with an Intelligent Clearing Network (ICN) server. One or both of the POS terminal and POS controller are installed with POS bridge software. The ICN server is configured to run a real time software application while in communication with the POS terminal, wherein the POS terminal transmits coupon transaction information including universal product codes to the ICN server via the network.

Abstract: A system for redeeming coupons comprises a network; a Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal communicatively coupled to the network; a server communicatively coupled to the POS terminal; wherein the POS terminal transmits first coupon information from a coupon card read at the POS terminal to the server via the network.

Abstract: Potential content item slots (e.g., ad slots) in a media (e.g., video, audio, or both) are identified, and each content item slot is associated with a weight that indicates a degree of potential disruption to a flow of the media when a content item (e.g., ad) is inserted in the content item slot.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for using remote monitoring of customer equipment to generate product sales offers includes an equipment database storing parametric data information related to the operating parameters of the equipment and a product database storing product information related to a plurality of devices and service offered by the service company performing the monitoring. The product information includes limits that are compared with values of the parametric data information in an offer generator to generate a sales offer when the value and the limit have a predetermined relationship. The offer is transmitted to the customer on a web page, by regular mail or e-mail, or by a sales staff of the service company.

Abstract: An online ad provisioning system couples persuasive media items (ads) with an established viewership/recipient set by first identifying a popularity, or number of recipients of a requested media item, and subsequently associating the media item with an advertisement (banner, window, video segment) expecting the established viewership. While conventional advertising seeks to divert the readers attention before their eyes are on the page, the system identifies and targets recipients after their eyes are on the page (or screen, window, etc.). Such an association allows an advertiser to specify, for example, to associate an ad (persuasive media item) with the most popular web page, or to run a commercial in a video stream only if at least a predetermined number of viewers are receiving the stream.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program by which a content provider can display an incentive for a user to remain with their current channel or program. When the user attempts to leave the current program, a pop-up window containing an incentive to remain with the current program is displayed. The user must respond to the pop-up window in order to proceed, whether the user chooses to leave or remain with the current program.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for managing advertisements. An advertisement time slot is categorized as overrideable or non-overrideable. The overrideable advertisement time slot categorization allows an associated advertisement to be replaced with a different advertisement. The non-overrideable advertisement time slot may not allow replacement of the associated advertisement. When an advertiser requests to replace the advertisement, and when the advertisement time slot is categorized as overrideable, then the advertisement is replaced with the different advertisement.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for detecting and handling click fraud in a mobile environment. The system may identify a source of a request. The request may be handled differently based on whether the source of the request originated from mobile traffic or web traffic. The source of the request may be used to determine whether a request is valid or invalid. The request may be flagged if the request is invalid.

Abstract: A billing statement according to one aspect of the invention includes a description of a transaction and an offer pointer associated with the transaction, wherein the offer pointer includes information that may be used to review an offer. In one example of this aspect, a telephone number or a hyperlink is provided adjacent to a total amount owed listed on a statement (e.g., an electronically-displayed billing statement). The offers reviewed may be customized, for example, based on details of the transaction such as the product purchased or the amount of the purchase, the identity of the consumer, and/or on other data.