User Search Patents (Class 705/14.54)
  • Patent number: 8788342
    Abstract: Embodiments employ knowledge from network searches to enrich features useable to describe an advertisement. Advertisement content may be segmented to generate key phrases that are rank ordered based on a phrase's pointwise mutual information value with Ad keywords and term frequency-inverse document frequency (TF-IDF) scores. These key phrases are employed to generate a plurality of query searches that are performed to generate a plurality of search result snippets. The snippets are then analyzed and ranked to identify query expansion features having a TF-IDF value over a given threshold. A subset of these ranked phrases are combined with the Ad keywords to be used to rebuild an Ad index for the given advertisement. When content is to be delivered to a client device, content keywords are compared to the Ad index to select an advertisement to be provided with the content to the client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Jian Hu, Hao Zheng
  • Patent number: 8788344
    Abstract: A system and method for analyzing information associated with voice calls placed during a telephone number advertising campaign is described. The system receives information characterizing voice calls to advertiser telephone numbers and information from advertisers such as information about the outcome of the voice call (e.g., conversion information). The system correlates the voice call information with the advertiser information and generates reports based on the correlated information. The system can perform or enable the performance of other actions based on the correlated information. For example, the system may modify an ongoing advertising campaign based on an analysis of the correlated information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Marchex, Inc.
    Inventor: Matthew Berk
  • Publication number: 20140200999
    Abstract: A method of targeting receives several granular events and preprocesses the received granular events thereby generating preprocessed data to facilitate construction of a model based on the granular events. The method generates a predictive model by using the preprocessed data. The predictive model is for determining a likelihood of a user action. The method trains the predictive model. A system for targeting includes granular events, a preprocessor for receiving the granular events, a model generator, and a model. The preprocessor has one or more modules for at least one of pruning, aggregation, clustering, and/or filtering. The model generator is for constructing a model based on the granular events, and the model is for determining a likelihood of a user action. The system of some embodiments further includes several users, a selector for selecting a particular set of users from among the several users, a trained model, and a scoring module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: John Canny, Shi Zhong, Scott Gaffney, Chad Brower, Pavel Berkhin, George H. John
  • Patent number: 8781898
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for selecting content items for presentation. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a content item request that references a geographic location. A set of targeted phrases for the geographic location are received. The set of targeted phrases specify one or more targeted phrases that are each specified as a targeting criterion for at least a threshold number of content items for which a reference to the geographic location is also specified as a targeting criterion. A set of targeted queries for the geographic location are selected. Eligible content items are selected based on the set of targeted queries. In turn, data that cause presentation of at least one of the eligible content items are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Niyati Yagnik
  • Publication number: 20140195348
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and an apparatus for composing search phrases, distributing searchable advertisements and searching for product information using a computer. The computer acquires a search behavioral data, and composes a search phrase based on an original search phrase, a product category selection and a product attribute found in the search behavioral data. The composed search phrase is comprehensive and includes not only the original search phrase, but also information related to the product category selection and the product attribute. The computer distributes advertisements associated with a bid phrase composed in the same manner, and allows searching for distributed advertisements by matching a composed search phrase and a composed bid phrase. The technique enables a product information search, especially a structured search, to be better performed, and its results better indexed and tracked with more precise and relevant statistics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: Alibaba Group Holding Limited
    Inventor: Yao Sun
  • Publication number: 20140188610
    Abstract: An advertising and content provision system is provided. The advertising system automatically matches brand clients, content, and consumers based on certain parameters. The system enables a user to select a brand client and corresponding advertising prior to being provided with the matched content. A brand database includes brand clients having brand parameters, which when associated with content, allows the brand client to convey their brand personality through the associated content. Content is associated with a genre, a mood, a style, or a theme, such as fun, cheerful, humorous, gentle, comforting, and relaxing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: Guvera IP Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Brad Christiansen, Claes JM Loberg
  • Publication number: 20140188609
    Abstract: Determining recommendation data is disclosed, including: extracting a first set of keywords from a set of user action logs that occurred prior to a predetermined time point and determining a weight value for at least one of the first set of keywords; extracting a second set of keywords from a set of user action logs that occurred subsequent to the predetermined time point and determining a weight value for at least one of the second set of keywords; merging at least a portion of the first set of keywords and at least a portion of the second set of keywords to obtain a third set of keywords and determining a weight value for at least one of the third set of keywords; matching the third set of keywords to a database of data that can potentially be recommended to a user; and in the event that a piece of data is determined to match at least one keyword from the third set of keywords, determine that the piece of data is to be recommended to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: Alibaba Group Holding Limited
    Inventors: Guang Qiu, YiZhe Liu, Weidong Yin, Song Yang, Ning Guo, Liang Zhang
  • Publication number: 20140188608
    Abstract: Techniques for recommending Web pages or other content sources as candidates for link placement are described. Some embodiments provide a marketing activity support system (“MASS”) configured to recommend candidate Web pages for link placement. Recommending candidate Web pages may include determining multiple Web pages that include or reference one or more keywords that describe some subject matter domain. Recommending candidate Web pages may then further include ranking or ordering at least some of the multiple Web pages based on how many times each of the at least some Web pages references another one of the multiple Web pages. The ordered Web pages may then be presented as recommended candidate sites for link placement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: Optify, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Unger, Erez Barak, Paul Robert Brown, Scott Fasser
  • Patent number: 8768766
    Abstract: The system provides an automatically targeted network for text and graphical advertising based on cost-per-action bidded pricing, wherein actions comprise any of acquisitions, purchases, downloads, registrations, donations, clicks, and impressions. Contextual, search and behavioral relevance features are integrated to optimize ad selection for advertisers, who enter action objectives, associated bids, and creatives or catalog assets. The assets are automatically analyzed and stored, and ads are automatically constructed for catalog assets. When an ad request is received from a user terminal in regard to a publisher asset, e.g. a web page, the ad request is matched to a stored contextual analysis of at least a portion the publisher asset if available, and preferably to a profile associated with the user of the user terminal. The best advertisements are determined, based upon a predicted response, and are then served, i.e. displayed, at the user terminal, based upon available ad space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Turn Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Ellis, Satish Katiyar, Philip Michael Smolin
  • Publication number: 20140180794
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to generating an online marketing campaign that comprises a list of keywords to be purchased from a search engine. Keywords for a business' marketing campaign may be selected from a pre-defined template of keywords for the business service category into which the business falls. In addition, the business may add keywords not found in the template into its marketing campaign. The performance of the non-template keywords added by the business may be evaluated and, if they are determined to have been performed well, may be added into the template so that they may be used in the marketing campaigns of other businesses in the business service category.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: Yodle, Inc.
    Inventors: John F. Merryman, Dennis Lipovsky, Nathaniel Stevens
  • Publication number: 20140180815
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, in real-time, user information associated with a user of a client computing device. One or more user features are derived from the user information associated with the user. The one or more user features include one or more user intents. The one or more user intents are matched with one or more of a plurality of advertiser intents. The user information is determined to be accepted. In response to accepting the user information, an advertisement is generated based on the matching of the one or more user intents and the one or more of the plurality of advertiser intents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Inventors: Richard Edward Chatwin, Murthy V. Nukala, Alan Coleman, Kiran Garaga Lokeswarappa, Srinidhi Ramesh Kondaji
  • Patent number: 8762203
    Abstract: A cost maintenance scheme useful with an advertising system which orders ads in a manner that maximizes both their relevance and their economic value, and which provides a fair bidding process in which a winning bidder is assured of not having paid too much. Ordering may be done based on accepted maximum ad bid information and/or ad performance information. For example, this information may be used to determine a position value. Cost may be determined based on accepted maximum ad bid information and/or performance information. Billing the determined cost may be subject to a condition precedent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Veach, Salar Arta Kamangar
  • Patent number: 8762316
    Abstract: The APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR A DIGITAL CONVERSATION MANAGEMENT PLATFORM (“DCM-Platform”) transforms digital dialogue from consumers, client demands and, Internet search inputs via DCM-Platform components into tradable digital assets, and client needs based artificial intelligence campaign plan outputs. In one implementation, The DCM-Platform may capture and examine conversations between individuals and artificial intelligence conversation agents. These agents may be viewed as assets. One can measure the value and performance of these agents by assessing their performance and ability to generate revenue from prolonging conversations and/or ability to effect sales through conversations with individuals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: NewValueExchange Global AI LLP
    Inventors: Andrew Peter Nelson Jerram, Frederick Francis McMahon
  • Publication number: 20140172563
    Abstract: Advertisements in a social networking system may be targeted to searching users in relation with a real-time search engine operated by a social networking system. Ads are targeted to users based in part on social information included in a structured search query and/or search results on a page. In a typeahead search, a user of the social networking system may receive prefix search results of objects in the search box. The prefix search results are ranked by relevance to the user, and advertisers may bid for particular objects to increase their ranking in the results list. An option may be provided to a viewer of search query results to buy an ad that would be seen by other users who performed the same search query, received a targeted search result, or based on targeting criteria as determined by the viewer bidding on the ad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Alon Amit, Gregory Joseph Badros
  • Publication number: 20140172566
    Abstract: Online advertising 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 matches 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 finding a solution for the programming model; wherein the programming model includes an objective function subject to the set of predefined constraints, and finding a solution for the programming model includes searching to find a solution to the objective function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: Alibaba Group Holding Limited
    Inventors: Tao Zhang, Jiaqing Guo, Ning Guo
  • Publication number: 20140172565
    Abstract: Advertisements in a social networking system may be targeted to searching users in relation with a real-time search engine operated by a social networking system. Ads are targeted to users based in part on social information included in a structured search query and/or search results on a page. In a typeahead search, a user of the social networking system may receive prefix search results of objects in the search box. The prefix search results are ranked by relevance to the user, and advertisers may bid for particular objects to increase their ranking in the results list. An option may be provided to a viewer of search query results to buy an ad that would be seen by other users who performed the same search query, received a targeted search result, or based on targeting criteria as determined by the viewer bidding on the ad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Amit Alon, Gregory Joseph Badros
  • Publication number: 20140172562
    Abstract: Methods, computer systems, and computer storage media are provided for presenting query-refinement advertisements based on query-completion suggestions. At least a portion of a search query is received, and one or more query-completion suggestions are provided. An indication of interaction with at least one of the query-completion suggestions is received. Based on the interaction, a query-refinement advertisement is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventor: STEPHEN MORRIS WEATHERFORD
  • Publication number: 20140172564
    Abstract: Advertisements in a social networking system may be targeted to searching users in relation with a real-time search engine operated by a social networking system. Ads are targeted to users based in part on social information included in a structured search query and/or search results on a page. In a typeahead search, a user of the social networking system may receive prefix search results of objects in the search box. The prefix search results are ranked by relevance to the user, and advertisers may bid for particular objects to increase their ranking in the results list. An option may be provided to a viewer of search query results to buy an ad that would be seen by other users who performed the same search query, received a targeted search result, or based on targeting criteria as determined by the viewer bidding on the ad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Amit Alon, Gregory Joseph Badros
  • Publication number: 20140172567
    Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a method for allocating an advertisement to a plurality of users within a social network ecosystem, wherein each user is associated with a user summary comprising a keyword describing a user attribute extracted from the social network, the method including the steps of selecting a user audience for each of the plurality of advertisements from the plurality of users by altering the advertisement summary based on the target audience and an audience restriction, associating the advertisement with each user of the user audience, prioritizing each the advertisement list of each user, and serving an advertisement to the user in response to an advertisement request for the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: 140 Proof, Inc.
    Inventors: John Manoogian, Jon Elvekrog
  • Publication number: 20140164116
    Abstract: The invention consists of a set of methods and systems, which comprise a unified approach for an identification and/or searching for information and/or content in data bases and/or the Internet on the basis of direct or indirect characteristic features of the users of the information and the content which are being searched for and/or used as well as an automatic generation of electronic content conforming to the characteristics of its future users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Inventor: Krasimir Popov
  • Publication number: 20140164115
    Abstract: A method and for submitting third-party prior art submissions in a patent application to a patent office. The method including receiving a request from a third-party. The request identifies a target patent application. The method further includes publishing an advertisement for a prior art search relating to the target patent application. The method includes receiving an indication from a search party that the search party will perform the prior art search. The method includes receiving a first prior art document from the search party. The method includes submitting a package of documents to the patent office, wherein the package of documents includes the first prior art document and a statement of relevance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Alistair K. Chan, Roy P. Diaz, Roderick A. Hyde
  • Publication number: 20140164085
    Abstract: The inventive technology enables the search engine operator to charge the advertisers who place their links on the search engine only if the user uses the search results to visit the advertiser's web portal(s) and generates revenue for the advertiser. This concept is especially attractive to the advertisers because it eliminates the risk, which the advertisers face in conventional search engines, when they are changed by the search engine per user click irrespectively of whether the user's visit resulted in advertiser's revenue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: Anchorfree Inc.
    Inventor: David Gorodyansky
  • Patent number: 8751428
    Abstract: The APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR A DIGITAL CONVERSATION MANAGEMENT PLATFORM (“DCM-Platform”) transforms digital dialogue from consumers, client demands and, Internet search inputs via DCM-Platform components into tradable digital assets, and client needs based artificial intelligence campaign plan outputs. In one implementation, The DCM-Platform may capture and examine conversations between individuals and artificial intelligence conversation agents. These agents may be viewed as assets. One can measure the value and performance of these agents by assessing their performance and ability to generate revenue from prolonging conversations and/or ability to effect sales through conversations with individuals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Newvaluexchange Global AI LLP
    Inventors: Andrew Peter Nelson Jerram, Frederick Francis McMahon
  • Patent number: 8751482
    Abstract: Media and methods are provided for creating and operating a keyword expression language. Syntax is generated as an abbreviation to represent a list of keywords. The syntax is executed as part of the keyword expression language to provide keywords. The syntax includes tokens that substitute for groups of information. Advertisers generate syntax which is subsequently used by a third-party to match to search queries and ads. The third-party may also generate keywords to match to the search queries and ads. The keywords are used to trigger advertising over the Internet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Ian P. Ferreira, Ewa Dominowska
  • Publication number: 20140156403
    Abstract: A method of providing advertising to a user or community of users over a network includes receiving from the user a query identifying a contemplated route, accessing a computer database of self-reported business information from vendors, each vendor having an identified geographic location, wherein the self-reported business information has been previously supplied by the vendors through an interface and stored in the database, wherein the interface is configured so that each vendor can also specify an advertising budget, providing to the user or community information from the database concerning the business information of a set of vendors extracted from the database on the basis of geographic proximity to the route identified by the user, and providing to the user or community advertising from the set of vendors based, at least in part, on data retrieved from the database and on advertising budgets supplied by the set of vendors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Inventors: Vadim Droznin, Michael Wanyo
  • Publication number: 20140156383
    Abstract: In online advertising, ad delivery optimization is derived from ad-words searches. A user performs a keyword search for a product or service. User interactions across multiple channels, e.g. phone, text, email, and so on, and multiple browsers that are used while conducting a search are analyzed to predict user intent. Based on the intent prediction, advertisements that are determined to be the most relevant are displayed along with the search results. The user then clicks through the ads to the websites that are most relevant to his search, for example to make purchases of goods and services.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Inventors: Ravi VIJAYARAGHAVAN, Kranthi Mitra ADUSUMILLI, Pallipuram V. KANNAN
  • Publication number: 20140156402
    Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for presenting an advertisement is described. A request to access a web page may be received from a requester via a network. The request may be generated in response to selection of a link to the web page on another web page. A response may be transmitted back to the requester. The response may include the requested web page as well as an ad script that may be executed after receipt of the response by the requester. The ad script may generate an ad request that includes one or more ad parameters extracted from the response. These ad parameters may include information about a network address of the other page. The generated ad request may then be received via the network. One or more advertisements may then be selected for presentment to the requester utilizing the ad parameters of the ad request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Vikas Jha, Rahul Lahiri, Ram Subbaroyan
  • Patent number: 8744486
    Abstract: Delivering content to a requesting device over a content delivery network, the content being deliverable in only one or more restricted geographic regions and the requesting device being communicatively connected to a cellular communications service provider via a cellular communications network, the method comprising steps of: receiving a network identifier of the requesting device uniquely identifying the requesting device in the cellular communications network; transmitting a verification message over the cellular communications network for receipt by the requesting device; receiving, from the requesting device, an access control submission; receiving, from the cellular communications service provider, location information corresponding to a geographic location of the requesting device; and in response to a determination that the access control submission derives from the transmitted verification message and the location information indicates the requesting device is in one of the one or more restricted ge
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Cousins, Ian Partridge, Adam Pilkington, Dave Renshaw, Andrew Taylor
  • Patent number: 8744488
    Abstract: Delivering content to a requesting device over a content delivery network, the content being deliverable in only one or more restricted geographic regions and the requesting device being communicatively connected to a cellular communications service provider via a cellular communications network, the method comprising steps of: receiving a network identifier of the requesting device uniquely identifying the requesting device in the cellular communications network; transmitting a verification message over the cellular communications network for receipt by the requesting device; receiving, from the requesting device, an access control submission; receiving, from the cellular communications service provider, location information corresponding to a geographic location of the requesting device; and in response to a determination that the access control submission derives from the transmitted verification message and the location information indicates the requesting device is in one of the one or more restricted ge
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Cousins, Ian Partridge, Adam Pilkington, Dave Renshaw, Andrew Taylor
  • Publication number: 20140149215
    Abstract: A social networking system receives a request to generate a post including a content item from a user and extracts a topic from the content item. Using the extracted topic, the social networking system identifies candidate keywords, each associated with one or more expected values. The social networking system may use information associated with the user to determine the expected values associated with the candidate keywords. Using the expected values, the social networking system ranks the candidate keywords and selects a keyword from the candidate keywords based on the ranking. Based on the selected keyword the social networking system generates a link to content and includes the link to content and the generated content item in the post that is presented to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Inventors: Giridhar Rajaram, Gokul Rajaram
  • Patent number: 8738446
    Abstract: Network-based advertising systems and methods for providing dynamic advertising information are provided. The system may include an advertising campaign management server configured, in an advertising campaign input phase, to serve an advertising client graphical user interface via an advertiser client. The interface may include a static advertising data input tool configured to receive static advertising data including advertisement text and a static advertisement link. The interface may further include a dynamic advertising data input tool configured to receive a dynamic data link to dynamic advertising data stored in an advertiser data source. The advertising campaign management server is configured to store the static advertising data and the dynamic data link in an associated advertisement data store for later retrieval by an advertising delivery server during an advertising delivery phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Inventors: Israel L'Heureux, Mark D. Alleman
  • Publication number: 20140143053
    Abstract: A method is provided for predicting load of traffic of vehicles that are travelling according to non reference route plan, provided with Dynamic Route Guidance capability of their PMS, in a Forward Time Interval related Route Segment and according to a predetermined protocol between mobile systems and a non mobile system platform of a SODMS. Using mobile units, a traffic prediction query is receiving according to a predetermined differential traffic load match process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Inventor: Josef Mintz
  • Publication number: 20140143054
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for providing advertising content for display in a page over a network. The advertising content is displayed based on a category assigned to the advertising content and an identified geographic location of a search query. The category correlating to a given search may be based on the search results. The search results may be associated with one or more categories and the category for selecting advertising content is determined in accordance with the amount of search results each category is correlated to. The provided advertising content may be selected from an available inventory of advertising content within the geographic location of the search query or the geographic location of an advertiser location associated with the geographic location of the search query.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Aytek Esen Celik, Tak-Leung Choie
  • Patent number: 8725565
    Abstract: An electronic service provides a sample of a media item to a user, along with a prompt. The prompt gives the user the opportunity to receive an additional part of the item substantially without further interaction with the user. The streamlined acquisition of the additional part of the media item is enabled by the user's establishment, in advance, of user identification information, payment information, and so on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas A. Ryan
  • Patent number: 8724789
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to connect people for real time communications via optional advertisements presented via directory assistance. One embodiment includes: receiving a directory assistance request from a user over a telephonic connection with the user; providing directory assistance information responsive to the directory assistance request; presenting an option related to an advertisement to the user; if the user declines the option, charging the user a fee for providing the directory assistance information; and if the user accepts the option, reducing the fee for providing the directory assistance information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Yellow Pages
    Inventors: Ebbe Altberg, Scott Faber, Ron Hirson, Sean Van Der Linden, Ben Harris Lyon
  • Patent number: 8725563
    Abstract: A search engine, system and method for locating and rating a plurality of electronic mentions of respective ones of a plurality of brands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Brand Affinity Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Steelberg, Chad Steelberg
  • Patent number: 8725562
    Abstract: A method of providing a keyword advertisement and a system for executing the method are provided. The method of providing the keyword advertisement includes: generating and maintaining an advertiser history ranking by using an advertiser keyword purchase history; and ordering the keyword advertisement display with respect to a user keyword by using the advertiser history ranking. In this instance, the advertiser keyword purchase history includes mapping information between an advertiser and a keyword purchased by the advertiser for each advertisement group or for each advertisement campaign.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: NHN Business Platform Corporation
    Inventors: Ki Ho Song, Minuk Kim, Byounghak Kim
  • Patent number: 8725570
    Abstract: A system for identifying a same user of multiple communication devices is configured to perform the steps of: (a) receiving first data relating to a first device operated by a user; (b) receiving second data relating to a second device operated by a user; (c) determining that the user of the first device is the user of the second device based on identifying that the first data is substantially the same as the second data; and (d) selecting and transmitting a sponsored content to the second device for display thereon, wherein the sponsored content has a relevance to the first and second data and/or a user characteristic datum associated with the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Millennial Media, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis L. Doughty, Benjamin M. Gordan, Shrikanth B. Mysore, Matthew A. Tengler
  • Publication number: 20140129333
    Abstract: An advertising system capable of efficiently providing an advertisement is provided. An information list acquisition unit (33) acquires all or part of a list of information stored in an information list storage unit (31) for storing the list of information. An advertisement subject selection unit (34) selects at least one piece of information of a plurality of pieces of information contained in the list of information stored in the information list storage unit (31), as an advertisement subject. A screen data generation unit (35) generates screen data of a screen including an advertisement area for displaying an advertisement of the information selected as the advertisement subject by the advertisement subject selection unit (34), and a list area for displaying the all or part of the list of information acquired by the information list acquisition unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: RAKUTEN, INC.
    Inventor: Kentaro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8719092
    Abstract: A method for directing information to a plurality of users, the method including enabling a plurality of users to access a shared web resource having multiple functional capabilities, automatically monitoring interactions of the plurality of users with the shared web resource, automatically analyzing results of the monitoring to ascertain at least one shared characteristic of the plurality of users and employing results of the analyzing to selectively direct non-user originated information to the plurality of users while the plurality of users is accessing the shared web resource.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Bio-Ride Ltd.
    Inventors: Oz Gabai, Nimrod Sandlerman
  • Publication number: 20140122232
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention dynamically generate customized online advertisements. A dynamic advertisement may take the form of a paid search result. The advertisement is dynamic in the sense that all of or portions of the advertisement are generated using content from a web page operated by an entity associated with the advertisement. The web page used to generate the dynamic ad may be the entity's most responsive web page within normal search results. Embodiments of the invention use content from the most responsive web page to generate one or more dynamic ad features. Possible dynamic ad features include the title of the advertisement, a landing page of the advertisement, a caption on the advertisement, and a dynamic annotation of the advertisement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Michael Press, Arun Kumar Mehta, Daniel Voinea, Graham Andrew Michael Sheldon
  • Publication number: 20140122233
    Abstract: As disclosed in this document, various methods, computer-readable media, and/or computer systems are described for providing search-related services. These search-related services include providing an item list to one or more computer users in which a computer user can add an item for monitoring and/or bargaining with an advertiser. In responding to a search query, a search results page is generated that includes responsive search results. The search results page further includes one or more advertised items. Proximate to at least some of these advertised items is a user-actionable control which, when activated by a computer user, causes the advertised item to be placed on an item list corresponding to the computer user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anand Sampathkumaran, Kalyan Sayyaparaju, Sangeetha Ananthasankar, Gayathri Chandrasekaran, Tanuja Bompada
  • Publication number: 20140122234
    Abstract: Various aspects of the subject technology relate to systems, methods, and machine-readable media for targeting an advertisement based on an entity. A system is configured to receive a search query submitted by a user, identify an entity in a concept entity graph based on the search query, determine whether an advertisement corresponds to the identified entity, and provide, if the advertisement corresponds to the entity, the advertisement for display to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Inventors: Gideon WALD, Kathryn CUSHING, Thomas Christian WILTZIUS, Gregory Matthew MARRA
  • Publication number: 20140122235
    Abstract: Ad information, such as ad targeting keywords and/or ad creative content for example, may be determined using aggregated selected document-to-query information associations. For example, popular terms and/or phrases also associated with a selected document may be used as ad targeting keywords and/or ad creative content for an ad having the document as a landing page. Query information may be tracked on a per document level, a per domain level, etc. The determined ad information may be used to automatically populate an ad record, or may be provided to an advertiser as suggested or recommended ad information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Sumit Agarwal, Pearl Renaker, Adam Smith
  • Patent number: 8712850
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, and including a computer-implemented method for providing a creative. The method comprises identifying, using one or more processors, a creative for processing, the creative including a title portion, a body portion and optionally a reference portion. The method further comprises evaluating the body portion including determining when the body portion includes one or more words that can be added to the title portion. The method further comprises promoting, using the one or more processors, the one or more words into the title portion. The method further comprises providing the creative including the title portion with the promoted one or more words.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Vivek Raghunathan, David G. Arthur, Rohan Jain, Emily K. Moxley, Shivakumar Venkataraman, Nipun Kwatra, Brett A. McLarnon, David J. Ganzhorn
  • Patent number: 8712845
    Abstract: An advertising system including at least one consumer database containing a plurality of consumer profiles with consumer preference identifying data, at least one brand database containing details of brand clients, each having one or more branding parameters, at least one content database containing a plurality of pieces of content provided by at least one content provider with each piece of content having one or more content profile identifiers, and a content matching engine which matches the branding parameters of the brand clients with one or more of pieces of content and provides these pieces of content to one or more consumers upon the consumer request, based on the matching of the branding parameters and the consumer preference identifying data at no cost to the consumer whilst charging an advertising fee to the brand client and paying a content provision fee to the content provider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Guvera IP Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Brad Christiansen, Claes J M Loberg
  • Publication number: 20140114761
    Abstract: Methods for providing sponsored content on a web page include receiving a plurality of keywords of a search query issued by a user. The methods further include receiving a first identifier and second identifier that identifies a product the user has previously viewed content for and the content provider of the content. A previously stored first sponsored content item associated with the product and content provider may be selected for participation in an auction. A second sponsored content item may be selected for participation in the auction, based on the plurality of keywords. If the first sponsored content item is selected based on the auction, the first sponsored content item is selected for inclusion on the web page.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Inventors: Wei-Hsin Lee, Rahul Lahiri, Chiu Wah Kelvin So
  • Publication number: 20140114760
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for generating a real-time advertisement are provided. An advertisement candidate that accepts one or more items of real-time data is generated, having one or more advertiser extensions associated with the advertisement candidate. The advertisement extensions accept items of real-time data that are retrieved from an advertiser data provider, according to a mechanism for retrieval of real-time data items. A real-time advertisement is generated, having at least one of the retrieved items of real-time data and the advertisement candidate. Upon receiving a search request from a user, a real-time advertisement may be presented. The real-time advertisement may include items of real-time information incorporated into the advertisement candidate, as well as other advertisement content responsive to parameters of the advertisement API call.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventor: DIRK HANS REINSHAGEN
  • Publication number: 20140114762
    Abstract: A system for providing mobile advertisement actions may include a memory to store a request, mobile carrier data, mobile advertisement data, and mobile advertisement action data. The system may include an interface operatively connected to the memory to communicate with a mobile device. The system may include a processor operatively connected to the memory and the interface. The processor may receive information and a request from the mobile device via the interface and may determine the mobile carrier data relating to a mobile carrier associated with the mobile device. The processor may identify the mobile advertisement data and the mobile advertisement action targeted to the request and the mobile carrier data. The processor may append the mobile advertisement action data to the mobile advertisement data. The processor may provide the mobile advertisement data with the appended mobile advertisement action data to the mobile device via the interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Arvind GUPTA, Ashutosh Tiwari, Gopalakrishnan Venkatraman, Dominic Cheung, Stacy R. Bennett, Douglas B. Koen
  • Patent number: 8706548
    Abstract: One methodology in accordance with the disclosure is a computer-implementable methodology for quantitatively assessing the impact of paid search advertising on the total visits (paid and organic search-based visits) from search engines and utilizing this assessment to improve search engine marketing performance. The methodology relies on the computation of a synergy score for each search engine keyword of interest or coefficients in a synergy equation. Once computed, the score can be used to repeatedly compute the total return on advertising spend (ROAS) and other performance metrics on a go-forward basis without the time lag inherent in computing the synergy score itself. The methodology includes specific computer-implementable methods for improving search engine marketing performance based on the total (paid plus organic) performance metrics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Covario, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthias Blume, Raul Navarro-Cantu, Craig MacDonald, Dema Zlotin, Russ Mann