Abstract: A network system can receive a first request for a transport service and a second request for the transport service. The system can identify, from a plurality of service providers, a first set of service providers for the first request, and a second set of service providers for the second request. Based on a first set of predictive parameters for the first set of service providers, the system implements a multi-invite mode by transmitting a first invitation data set to service the first request to a plurality of provider devices of the first set of service providers. Based on a second set of predictive parameters for the second set of service providers, the system implements an exclusive-invite mode by transmitting a second invitation data set to a provider device of a selected service provider of the second set of service providers.

Abstract: A network computer system operates to monitor a plurality of requester devices to detect activities of requesters, and activities of transportation providers. Based on the monitored activities, the system forecasts a number of requesters that may be present in each of multiple subregions of a given geographic region, during an upcoming time interval. The system further estimates a target number of transportation providers to have available for requesters in each of the subregions. The system determines a supplemental value set for crediting transportation providers, in connection with each individual transport provider performing one or more activities that make the transport provider available to one or more of the multiple subregions during the upcoming time interval.

Abstract: A data center system is described which includes multiple data centers powered by multiple power sources, including any combination of renewable power sources and on-grid utility power sources. The data center system also includes a management system for managing execution of computational tasks by moving data components associated with the computational tasks within the data center system, in lieu of, or in addition to, moving power itself. The movement of data components can involve performing pre-computation or delayed computation on data components within any data center, as well as moving data components between data centers. The management system also includes a price determination module for determining prices for performing the computational tasks based on different pricing models. The data center system also includes a “stripped down” architecture to complement its use in the above-summarized data-centric environment.

Abstract: A data center system is described which includes multiple data centers powered by multiple power sources, including any combination of renewable power sources and on-grid utility power sources. The data center system also includes a management system for managing execution of computational tasks by moving data components associated with the computational tasks within the data center system, in lieu of, or in addition to, moving power itself. The movement of data components can involve performing pre-computation or delayed computation on data components within any data center, as well as moving data components between data centers. The management system also includes a price determination module for determining prices for performing the computational tasks based on different pricing models. The data center system also includes a “stripped down” architecture to complement its use in the above-summarized data-centric environment.

Abstract: A data center system is described which includes multiple data centers powered by multiple power sources, including any combination of renewable power sources and on-grid utility power sources. The data center system also includes a management system for managing execution of computational tasks by moving data components associated with the computational tasks within the data center system, in lieu of, or in addition to, moving power itself. The movement of data components can involve performing pre-computation or delayed computation on data components within any data center, as well as moving data components between data centers. The management system also includes a price determination module for determining prices for performing the computational tasks based on different pricing models. The data center system also includes a “stripped down” architecture to complement its use in the above-summarized data-centric environment.

Abstract: A data center system is described which includes multiple data centers powered by multiple power sources, including any combination of renewable power sources and on-grid utility power sources. The data center system also includes a management system for managing execution of computational tasks by moving data components associated with the computational tasks within the data center system, in lieu of, or in addition to, moving power itself. The movement of data components can involve performing pre-computation or delayed computation on data components within any data center, as well as moving data components between data centers. The management system also includes a price determination module for determining prices for performing the computational tasks based on different pricing models. The data center system also includes a “stripped down” architecture to complement its use in the above-summarized data-centric environment.

Abstract: A price determination module (PDM) is described herein which defines price information for perishable resource items subject to variable supply and demand. The price information specifies pricing options for consideration by consumers. In one approach, the PDM provides a plurality of per-instant pricing options, where each pricing option defines a price for a resource item in a particular time instance. In another approach, the PDM provides a plurality of per-contract pricing options, where each pricing option defines a price for a resource item in a particular time segment. The PDM can determine the pricing options by formulating and solving an optimization problem, e.g., using a dynamic programming technique. The optimization problem can be constrained by either hard or soft capacity constraints.

Abstract: Methods and system for optimally allocating ad space to advertisers on a webpage viewed by a user in a single browsing session includes identifying a plurality of advertisement stories that match the content of the webpage. An advertisement pool is generated using the identified ad stories. Each ad story in the advertisement pool includes one or more advertisement pages and is associated with corresponding ad value. An ad story from the pool of ad stories is chosen by dynamically evaluating ad value associated with each ad story in the pool based on continued surfing by the user such that the identified ad story provides the maximum ad value when rendered on the webpage. The identified ad story is scheduled for rendering on the webpage while providing relevant ad content at the webpage.

Abstract: An improved system and method for optimizing online keyword auctions subject to budget and estimated query volume constraints is provided. A linear programming model of slates of advertisements may be created using estimates of the query volume for multiple time periods for use in generating a slate of advertisements that may represent a candidate set of advertisements in order of optimal revenue to an auctioneer. Upon receiving a query request, the slate generated by the linear program or a slate generated by dynamic programming may be chosen based on whether the weighted sum of prices for the slate of advertisements computed by dynamic programming may be within a factor of the weighted sum of the prices for the slate of advertisements computed by the linear program. The chosen slate of advertisements may then be served to accompany the search results of a query request to the web browser.

Abstract: A sponsored search auction system is configured to receive bids for queries from advertisers. Each bid on a particular query relates to a particular context, such as an age, sex, or location of a user that may submit the query to a search engine. A valuation is provided for each available context of the query by each advertiser. The bids are processed to generate one or more context bundles. The context bundles are groupings of contexts. Not necessarily all contexts are bundled. The bundled and unbundled (if present) contexts may be sold to the advertisers as bundled. Selling of contexts in bundled form may enable increased revenue to be generated as compared to auction systems that sell each context separately or sell contexts bundled into a single group.