Abstract: An allocation subsystem allocates advertisement slots based on cumulative demand of the advertisement slots. The cumulative demand can be based on a softened demand curve for advertisers that have submitted bids for allocation of the advertisement slot. The demand curves can be adjusted to regulate a variance of the advertisers spend rate throughout a budget period.

Abstract: A facility for bidding on a pending advertising opportunity is described. The facility receives at an advertiser a notification from a publisher. The notification contains keywords relating to a content request received by the publisher, and is sent by the publisher between its receipt of the content request and its dispatch of a content response responsive to the content request. In response to receiving the notification, the facility sends to the publisher a dynamic bid. The dynamic bid specifies an advertising message and a bid amount that the advertiser is willing to pay to present the advertising message in connection with a content response responsive to the content request produced by the publisher.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and system for electronic commerce using streaming media, such as used in conjunction with a broadcast or internetworking environment. (1) E-commerce opportunities are combined with incentives for participation by recipients, enhancing the likelihood of responses from recipients and the value of distribution of the promotional information. Incentives can be random or pseudo-random, skill-based, or responsive to aggregate buying. (2) Techniques are applied to reduce load on an e-commerce server associated with the e-commerce opportunities, so that relatively large numbers of recipients can respond to e-commerce opportunities without unduly burdening that server. An applet conducts the interactive process with the recipient and presents results to the server.

Abstract: A system and method for creating and submitting for a user an electronic shopping list. The system presents to the user a meal list and a shopping list of ingredients contained in the meal list. The meals are preferably selected based on the food preferences of the user. The user accepts the meal list and the shopping list, causing an order request with the ingredients to be automatically created and submitted to a retailer. The user may alternatively decide to manually exclude certain ingredients in the list that the user has already purchased prior to accepting the shopping list. The exclusion may also be automatic based on past purchase information contained in the user's home inventory database. The retailer fulfills the order and delivers the ingredients to the user based on a pre-determined delivery time.

Abstract: A video advertising insertion system is comprised of a processing system, interface, and video advertising. The video advertising insertion system receives a video stream carrying selected video content from a video-on-demand system. The video advertising insertion system selects and inserts video advertising into the video stream. The video advertising insertion system transfers the video stream carrying both the selected video content and the selected video advertising for display to a target viewer.

Abstract: In an apparatus, method and computer memory for interactive problem solving on a network, a server receives from a first participant via the network a formulation of a problem to be solved. The server receives from other participants via the network suggested solutions to the problem, and distributes portions of an award to those participants who contribute suggested solutions to the problem.

Abstract: The vehicular data exchange system of the present invention includes a plurality of computer terminals and a processor. Each of the computer terminals include an input device for inputting the vehicular data and a display device for visually displaying the inputted vehicular data which include vehicular characteristics data units and vehicular financial data units. The processor controls the vehicular data whereby the vehicular characteristics data units inputted into a first one of the computer terminals are transmitted to a plurality of other ones of the computer terminals for display on respective ones of the display devices associated with the other ones of the computer terminals.

Abstract: In some embodiments, methods for providing advertisements from a communication gateway are providing, including: receiving a first request requesting content from a content server; analyzing the first request, including performing deep packet inspection; based on updatable profile information associated with a mobile node and on the analysis including the deep packet inspection, selecting an advertising category; based on the selected advertising category, retrieving an advertisement among a plurality of advertisements and sending the advertisement to the mobile node; updating the profile information to indicate the advertisement has been sent to the mobile node in response to the first request for content; receiving a second request for the content from the mobile node; retrieving the content; and in response to the second request and based on the profile information indicating the advertisement has been sent to the mobile node, sending the content to the mobile node.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product discover relationships among items and recommend items based on the discovered relationships. The recommendations provided by the present invention are based on user profiles that take into account actual preferences of users, without requiring users to complete questionnaires. An improved binomial log likelihood ratio analysis technique is applied, to reduce adverse effects of overstatement of coincidence and predominance of best sellers. The invention may be used, for example, to generate track lists for a personalized radio station.

Abstract: A method of dynamically optimizing customer retention for a web marketing site is provided. That method includes specifying a permissible defunct threshold, specifying a range of offers to be included in a set of promotions, determining a probability that a customer will become defunct in a predetermined period of time since the last interaction of that customer with the web site, and providing a promotion to a customer if the probability that the customer will become defunct in the predetermined period of time since the last interaction of that customer with the web site is greater than a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A media player provides on-screen desktop imagery such as background wallpaper and/or interactive features, related to music or other content being played. The presentation of the content-related imagery and/or features is not limited to the area of the screen associated with the media player, but can extend to other areas of the screen as well. The content-related imagery and/or features may be displayed, for example, as desktop wallpaper, so that it appears as a background to other user interface elements such as icons and windows.

Abstract: A system, computer code, and method are provided for automatically managing avail inventory data of media programming streams for a communications network, such as a cable TV network. The computer-implemented method includes the steps of correlating available addressable units of the communications network with the avail inventory data, and generating a proposed price for purchase of at least one avail based on the results of the correlating step.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for digital content license management is disclosed that provides one or more license management devices that manage licenses for playback of digital content. The license management devices create licenses having an associated cardinality that determines the number of playback devices that can be authorized by the license. The license is stored in a set of playback devices, where the number of playback devices in the set corresponds to the cardinality of the license. The license is also included in digital content that the license authorizes for playback. Playback devices that have a license that matches a license included in the digital content are authorized to play the digital content. A single license can be used to provide authorization to play digital content from multiple sources and/or multiple types of content.

Abstract: A product placement and advertising method utilizes a video signal having a product placement with an active hypertext link and/or a linking advertisement. If the user of a mobile terminal receiving the video signal clicks on the product placement or linking advertisement, the server obtains the location of the mobile terminal and generates or selects an advertisement which is related to the location.

Abstract: A network advertising system and method includes a network server, a computer user, an electronic banner advertisement (BA) file, multiple web page files, a BA program, and a monitor. The BA is displayed on the monitor in a window of a browser program from about the point in time that a new web page is requested to about the point in time that the web page file corresponding to the new web page is downloaded onto the user computer and ready for viewing. The BA offers an advertising venue that will serve up a very discernible advertisement, uncluttered by other content that captivates the viewer's interest, at a point of time that a web (Internet or other network) surfer is willing and amenable to review additional data and information. This is typically a down-time, interstitial period, during a browser session. However, by displaying the advertisement as described, most web surfers will pay attention to the BA and the message that it is providing.

Abstract: In a system and method for flexibly offering on-line promotions to visitors of a website hosted by a server, when a user signs up with the website, the server collects a plurality of user data from the visitor. If a user's data matches predetermined criteria from an advertiser, then on-line promotions from this advertiser are included in an opt-in window displayed to the user. The server dynamically generates pricing information for each advertiser according to a flexible algorithm. The flexible algorithm depends on the type and quality of user requested by the advertiser.

Abstract: A system and method for advertising wherein a communication from a sending party to a receiving party includes one or more advertisements. Such communication could include one or more of an email, a voice mail, a voice communication (i.e. a telephone call or internet based telephony communication), a facsimile message, a pager message, or any other suitable electronic communication. In a preferred embodiment, the communication is an email sent from a sending party to a receiving party, wherein the email includes an advertisement for a product or service used by the sending party. Such advertisement could include a “testimonial” from the sending party, who's credibility is established with the receiving party. In another preferred embodiment, the advertisement could be for a software program installed and operated on a computer system used by the sending party.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product discover relationships among items and recommend items based on the discovered relationships. The recommendations provided by the present invention are based on user profiles that take into account actual preferences of users, without requiring users to complete questionnaires. An improved binomial log likelihood ratio analysis technique is applied, to reduce adverse effects of overstatement of coincidence and predominance of best sellers. The invention may be used, for example, to generate track lists for a personalized radio station.

Abstract: A method and system for providing an ad is disclosed. The method of one embodiment comprises combining an ad input file with a conduit file to create an integrated ad file, wherein the ad input file identifies at least the content of the ad and the conduit file identifies at least the tracking data for the ad. The integrated ad file may then be served. According to a further embodiment, the method further includes effectuating a modification to the ad content by updating the ad input file, recombining the modified ad input file with the conduit file to create a modified integrate ad file and serving the modified integrated ad file.

Abstract: A targeted marketing system and method are provided that provide a customer with customer questions, receive responses to the customer questions from the customer, and store data associated with the responses. The customer is provided with a feedback page that graphically illustrates data associated with the customer's standing in a selected peer group. The customer is provided with options operable to adjust the customer's actual demographic to a hypothetical demographic, and data associated with hypothetical demographic changes from the customer is received and processed. Hypothetical feedback information is then displayed that graphically illustrates the hypothetical standing of the customer within the selected peer group such that the customer can see the effect of the hypothetical demographic changes.