Abstract: Example systems may include: receiving an auction announcement message for a content inventory unit from an auction platform, where the auction announcement message includes an identifier that is associated with a user device; determining a bid for the content inventory unit based on data in a record associated with the identifier; transmitting the bid to the auction platform in response to the auction announcement message; transmitting a content item associated with the identifier in response to the auction announcement message; receiving a message indicating that the content item is presented on the user device; and updating a stored account value associated with the identifier based on an auction price for the content inventory unit.

Abstract: Example systems may include: receiving an auction announcement message for a content inventory unit from an auction platform, where the auction announcement message includes an identifier that is associated with a user device; determining a bid for the content inventory unit based on data in a record associated with the identifier; transmitting the bid to the auction platform in response to the auction announcement message; transmitting a content item associated with the identifier in response to the auction announcement message; receiving a message indicating that the content item is presented on the user device; and updating a stored account value associated with the identifier based on an auction price for the content inventory unit.

Abstract: Example systems may include: receiving an auction announcement message for a content inventory unit from an auction platform, where the auction announcement message includes an identifier that is associated with a user device; determining a bid for the content inventory unit based on data in a record associated with the identifier; transmitting the bid to the auction platform in response to the auction announcement message; transmitting a content item associated with the identifier in response to the auction announcement message; receiving a message indicating that the content item is presented on the user device; and updating a stored account value associated with the identifier based on an auction price for the content inventory unit.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes receiving a user account identifier of a content item suppression account and an identity of a user-specified content item, receiving an auction announcement message including the user account identifier and a request for allocation of a content item to a content inventory unit to be presented at the user device, determining a bid for presenting the content item in place of third-party content, transmitting the bid to the auction platform, transmitting the content item in response to the auction announcement message, receiving a message indicating that the content item has been presented in place of the third-party content and an auction price for presenting the content item in place of the third-party content, and reducing a stored account value associated with the user account identifier based on the auction price.

Abstract: Example systems may include: receiving an auction announcement message for a content inventory unit from an auction platform, where the auction announcement message includes an identifier that is associated with a user device; determining a bid for the content inventory unit based on data in a record associated with the identifier; transmitting the bid to the auction platform in response to the auction announcement message; transmitting a content item associated with the identifier in response to the auction announcement message; receiving a message indicating that the content item is presented on the user device; and updating a stored account value associated with the identifier based on an auction price for the content inventory unit.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for companion ad auctions. One of the methods includes conducting an online auction that allows bidders to bid on companioned advertisement slots on a web page. The method also includes determining a winning bidder for each of the companioned advertisement slots on the web page. The method also includes determining a price that each winning bidder pays for their respective advertisement slot or slots.

Abstract: A product recommendation system and method identify product characteristics from customer reviews using a semantic analysis of the product review text. The semantic analysis identifies negative sentiment keywords associated with one or more product characteristics in the customer review and assigns each negative sentiment keyword a value. The value of each identified negative sentiment keywords is then used to calculate a score for the product characteristic to which the negative sentiment keyword is correlated. A product recommendation report comprising the identified products, their product characteristics, a list of scored product reviews, or a combination thereof is then presented to the end user.

Abstract: A method for controlling access to a system of finite resources with excess demand employs a two stage admission process. Subscribers are first admitted based on an initial bid price and resource availability. The market price is determined by the highest bid price among the rejected arrivals in the current batch. Admitted subscribers are then given the option to secure continued access to the resource by accepting a fee-based reservation. The fee for the reservation is determined in a manner which is fair to the reserving subscriber, as well as all other subscribers, in that the reservation fee is priced to provide access at a cost which prevents arbitraging opportunities. If the current market price exceeds a non-reserved subscriber's bid price, that non-reserved subscriber is displaced. If the current market price exceeds a reserved subscriber's bid price, that reserved subscriber's reservation is activated and access to the resource continues.

Abstract: A method for controlling access to a system of finite resources with excess demand employs a two stage admission process. Subscribers are first admitted based on an initial bid price and resource availability. The market price is determined by the highest bid price among the rejected arrivals in the current batch. Admitted subscribers are then given the option to secure continued access to the resource by accepting a fee-based reservation. The fee for the reservation is determined in a manner which is fair to the reserving subscriber, as well as all other subscribers, in that the reservation fee is priced to provide access at a cost which prevents arbitraging opportunities. If the current market price exceeds a non-reserved subscriber's bid price, that non-reserved subscriber is displaced. If the current market price exceeds a reserved subscriber's bid price, that reserved subscriber's reservation is activated and access to the resource continues.

Abstract: A method for controlling access to a system of finite resources with excess demand employs a two stage admission process. Subscribers are first admitted based on an initial bid price and resource availability. The market price is determined by the highest bid price among the rejected arrivals in the current batch. Admitted subscribers are then given the option to secure continued access to the resource by accepting a fee-based reservation. The fee for the reservation is determined in a manner which is fair to the reserving subscriber, as well as all other subscribers, in that the reservation fee is priced to provide access at a cost which prevents arbitraging opportunities. If the current market price exceeds a non-reserved subscriber's bid price, that non-reserved subscriber is displaced. If the current market price exceeds a reserved subscriber's bid price, that reserved subscriber's reservation is activated and access to the resource continues.

Abstract: A method for controlling access to a system of finite resources with excess demand employs a two stage admission process. Subscribers are first admitted based on an initial bid price and resource availability. The market price is determined by the highest bid price among the rejected arrivals in the current batch. Admitted subscribers are then given the option to secure continued access to the resource by accepting a fee-based reservation. The fee for the reservation is determined in a manner which is fair to the reserving subscriber, as well as all other subscribers, in that the reservation fee is priced to provide access at a cost which prevents arbitraging opportunities. If the current market price exceeds a non-reserved subscriber's bid price, that non-reserved subscriber is displaced. If the current market price exceeds a reserved subscriber's bid price, that reserved subscriber's reservation is activated and access to the resource continues.

Abstract: A network computer server system for controlling a plurality of network access lines to provide subscriber access to a computer network comprising an access line interface for partitioning the plurality of network access lines as first and second stage lines, including a processor encoded with instructions. The instructions include determining an available number of second stage lines; queuing arriving subscribers bidding for network access in the first stage lines; determining a spot price of the resource based on at least one arrival subscriber not admitted to the second stage lines; determining a reservation fee for secured access to the network; determining whether a subscriber has accepted or rejected the reservation fee; controlling the access line interface to disconnect from the network non-reserved subscribers whose bid prices are below the spot price; and activating a reservation of reserved subscribers whose bid price is below the spot price.

Abstract: A system and method for allocating a resource using a progressive second price auction technique. An auction is held for a limited resource, such as bandwidth in an Internet Service Provider Network in which bids are submitted by prospective users including the quantity desired and the price for each unit of resource bid upon. In order to make an efficient allocation, a new bidder is granted some of the resource based upon the availability of the limited resource due to the bids higher than the new bidder. The actual price paid by the new bidder is based upon bids made with lower prices who have been or would have been allocated some of the resource. This calculation of the price paid encourages bidders to bid their actual valuation of the resources rather than engage in inefficient tactical bids.

Abstract: A method for controlling access to a system of finite resources with excess demand employs a two stage admission process. Subscribers are first admitted based on an initial bid price and resource availability. The market price is determined by the highest bid price among the rejected arrivals in the current batch. Admitted subscribers are then given the option to secure continued access to the resource by accepting a fee-based reservation. The fee for the reservation is determined in a manner which is fair to the reserving subscriber, as well as all other subscribers, in that the reservation fee is priced to provide access at a cost which prevents arbitraging opportunities. If the current market price exceeds a non-reserved subscriber's bid price, that non-reserved subscriber is displaced. If the current market price exceeds a reserved subscriber's bid price, that reserved subscriber's reservation is activated and access to the resource continues.

Abstract: The present invention provides a platform for resource allocation in real-time. One or more software resource agents interact with software player agents, which are one or more of buyers and seller agents, to reach an agreement on a price for a specific resource.

Abstract: A method for controlling access to a system of finite resources with excess demand employs a two stage admission process. Subscribers are first admitted based on an initial bid price and resource availability. The market price is determined by the highest bid price among the rejected arrivals in the current batch. Admitted subscribers are then given the option to secure continued access to the resource by accepting a fee-based reservation. The fee for the reservation is determined in a manner which is fair to the reserving subscriber, as well as all other subscribers, in that the reservation fee is priced to provide access at a cost which prevents arbitraging opportunities. If the current market price exceeds a non-reserved subscriber's bid price, that non-reserved subscriber is displaced. If the current market price exceeds a reserved subscriber's bid price, that reserved subscriber's reservation is activated and access to the resource continues.