Granted Patent B2

US 7,860,871 · App. 11/336,432 · Granted Dec 28, 2010

Abstract

Claims (60)

1. A computer-implemented method for targeted distribution of search results and sponsored content to a mobile communication facility, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a textual search request from the mobile communication facility operated by a user, wherein the search is received over a cellular telephony infrastructure provided by a carrier, wherein the user is paying for use of the mobile communication facility with the carrier;

(b) receiving from the carrier information relating to a plurality of user history characteristics, wherein the user history characteristics are behavioral based mobile communication facility usage-obtained data of the user derived by the carrier comprising:

(i) types of mobile content previously accessed by the user via the mobile communication facility; and

(ii) contextual information regarding one or more webpages accessed by the user via the mobile communication facility, wherein the contextual information includes at least one or more keywords;

(c) conducting a competitive bid auction process comprising the steps of:

(i) receiving a bid from a first sponsor, wherein the bid includes a financial consideration offered by the first sponsor for presentation on the mobile communication facility of a sponsored content associated with the first sponsor and corresponding to keywords of the textual search request; and

(ii) receiving a bid from a second sponsor, wherein the bid includes a financial consideration offered by the second sponsor for presentation on the mobile communication facility of a sponsored content associated with the second sponsor and corresponding to keywords of the textual search request;

(d) attributing a priority to the presentation of the sponsored content of the first sponsor over the presentation of the sponsored content of the second sponsor based upon a determination that a yield derived from the financial consideration of the first sponsor is greater than a yield derived from the financial consideration of the second sponsor;

(e) associating the sponsored content of the first sponsor with a list of search results based upon the search request initiated by the mobile communication facility, wherein the search results are prioritized according to a relevancy based on the information relating to the user history characteristics; and

(f) presenting the sponsored content of the first sponsor and the prioritized list of search results to the mobile communication facility.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of transmitting an implicit query request from the mobile communication facility.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the implicit query request is a time of day.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the implicit query request is a location of the mobile communication facility.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the behavioral based mobile communication facility usage-obtained data of the user derived by the carrier further includes:

(a) shopping habits of the user as recorded through use of the mobile communication facility,

(b) payment and billing history associated with the use of the mobile communication facility,

(c) duration of on-line interactions by the user from using the mobile communication facility,

(d) number of on-line interactions of the user via the mobile communication facility, and

(e) usage patterns of the mobile communication facility dependent on location or time of day of use thereof.

6. A system for targeted distribution of search results and sponsored content to a mobile communication facility, the system comprising one or more computers having computer readable mediums having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of the one or more computers, causes the system to perform the steps of:

(a) receive a textual search request from the mobile communication facility operated by a user, wherein the search is received over a cellular telephony infrastructure provided by a carrier, wherein the user is paying for use of the mobile communication facility with the carrier;

(b) receive from the carrier information relating to a plurality of user history characteristics, wherein the user history characteristics are behavioral based mobile communication facility usage-obtained data of the user derived by the carrier comprising:

(i) types of mobile content previously accessed by the user via the mobile communication facility; and

(ii) contextual information regarding one or more webpages accessed by the user via the mobile communication facility, wherein the contextual information includes at least one or more keywords;

(c) conduct a competitive bid auction process comprising the steps of:

(i) receiving a bid from a first sponsor, wherein the bid includes a financial consideration offered by the first sponsor for presentation on the mobile communication facility of a sponsored content associated with the first sponsor and corresponding to keywords of the textual search request; and

(ii) receiving a bid from a second sponsor, wherein the bid includes a financial consideration offered by the second sponsor for presentation on the mobile communication facility of a sponsored content associated with the second sponsor and corresponding to keywords of the textual search request;

(d) attribute a priority to the presentation of the sponsored content of the first sponsor over the presentation of the sponsored content of the second sponsor based upon a determination that a yield derived from the financial consideration of the first sponsor is greater than a yield derived from the financial consideration of the second sponsor;

(e) associate the sponsored content of the first sponsor with a list of search results based upon the search request initiated by the mobile communication facility, wherein the search results are prioritized according to a relevancy based on the information relating to the user history characteristics; and

(f) present the sponsored content of the first sponsor and the prioritized list of search results to the mobile communication facility.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the system is further configured to transmit an implicit query request from the mobile communication facility.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the implicit query request is a time of day.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the implicit query request is a location of the mobile communication facility.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the behavioral based mobile communication facility usage-obtained data of the user derived by the carrier further includes:

(a) shopping habits of the user as recorded through use of the mobile communication facility,

(b) payment and billing history associated with the use of the mobile communication facility,

(c) duration of on-line interactions by the user from using the mobile communication facility,

(d) number of on-line interactions of the user via the mobile communication facility, and

(e) usage patterns of the mobile communication facility dependent on location or time of day of use thereof.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of one or more computers, causes the one or more computers to target distribution of search results and sponsored content to a mobile communication facility by performing the steps of:

(a) receiving a textual search request from the mobile communication facility operated by a user, wherein the search is received over a cellular telephony infrastructure provided by a carrier, wherein the user is paying for use of the mobile communication facility with the carrier;

(b) receiving from the carrier information relating to a plurality of user history characteristics, wherein the user history characteristics are behavioral based mobile communication facility usage-obtained data of the user derived by the carrier comprising:

(i) types of mobile content previously accessed by the user via the mobile communication facility; and

(ii) contextual information regarding one or more webpages accessed by the user via the mobile communication facility, wherein the contextual information includes at least one or more keywords;

(c) conducting a competitive bid auction process comprising the steps of:

(i) receiving a bid from a first sponsor, wherein the bid includes a financial consideration offered by the first sponsor for presentation on the mobile communication facility of a sponsored content associated with the first sponsor and corresponding to keywords of the textual search request; and

(ii) receiving a bid from a second sponsor, wherein the bid includes a financial consideration offered by the second sponsor for presentation on the mobile communication facility of a sponsored content associated with the second sponsor and corresponding to keywords of the textual search request;

(d) attributing a priority to the presentation of the sponsored content of the first sponsor over the presentation of the sponsored content of the second sponsor based upon a determination that a yield derived from the financial consideration of the first sponsor is greater than a yield derived from the financial consideration of the second sponsor;

(e) associating the sponsored content of the first sponsor with a list of search results based upon the search request initiated by the mobile communication facility, wherein the search results are prioritized according to a relevancy based on the information relating to the user history characteristics; and

(f) presenting the sponsored content of the first sponsor and the prioritized list of search results to the mobile communication facility.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more computers to transmit an implicit query request from the mobile communication facility.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the implicit query request is a time of day.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the implicit query request is a location of the mobile communication facility.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the behavioral based mobile communication facility usage-obtained data of the user derived by the carrier further includes:

(a) shopping habits of the user as recorded through use of the mobile communication facility,

(b) payment and billing history associated with the use of the mobile communication facility,

(c) duration of on-line interactions by the user from using the mobile communication facility,

(d) number of on-line interactions of the user via the mobile communication facility, and

(e) usage patterns of the mobile communication facility dependent on location or time of day of use thereof.

Assignments (10)