Method and apparatus for soliciting and serving banner advertisements based on time-dependent and situational-dependent events
A system for placing advertisements in a user's display includes a portal through which the user communicates with content servers, an advertisement engine operating coupled to the portal, and a source of advertisements. The advertisement engine determines time and/or content-related information from the user's communication through the portal, selects advertisement from the source, and places the advertisements in display data directed to the user.
1 . A system for placing advertisements in a user's display, comprising:
a portal through which the user communicates with content servers;
an advertisement engine operating coupled to the portal; and
a source of advertisements;
wherein the advertisement engine determines time and/or content-related information from the user's communication through the portal, selects advertisement from the source, and places the advertisements in display data directed to the user.
2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the portal provides services related to the user's academic life and/or social life.
3 . The system of claim 1 wherein the engine mines data at servers to which the user connects for time sensitive or content-related data.
4 . The system of claim 1 wherein the selection of advertisements includes negotiating with an advertisement placement facility for pricing and placement duration.
5 . The system of claim 2 wherein the user communicates with a server at an educational organization, and the engine determines time-sensitive information or content-specific information from the server, the information related to activities associated with multiple users.
6 . The system of claim 5 wherein the engine selects and places advertisements commonly to the multiple users based on the time-sensitive or content specific information determined.
7 . A method for placing advertisements in a user's display, comprising steps of:
(a) determining time-sensitive or content-specific information associated with at least one user from a portal through which the user communicates with content servers;
(b) selecting an advertisement from an advertisement source, the advertisement pertinent to the time-sensitive or content-specific information determined; and
(c) causing the advertisement selected to be placed in a display directed to the user.
8 . The method of claim 7 wherein the portal provides services related to the user's academic life and/or social life.
9 . The method of claim 7 wherein the engine mines data at servers to which the user connects for time sensitive or content-related data.
10 . The method of claim 7 wherein the selection of advertisements includes negotiating with an advertisement placement facility for pricing and placement duration.
11 . The method of claim 8 wherein the user communicates with a server at an educational organization, and the engine determines time-sensitive information or content-specific information from the server, the information related to activities associated with multiple users.
12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the engine selects and places advertisements commonly to the multiple users based on the time-sensitive or content specific information determined.