Advertising inventory management system and method

Abstract

An advertisement inventory management system for internet advertising is provided. The system comprises an ad server including a delivery engine capable of delivering an advertisement to a web server for display in a webpage in response to a triggering event by an internet user. A configuration module may be provided in functional communication with the delivery engine. The configuration module may be adapted to schedule an advertisement for delivery by the delivery engine. The configuration module may also be capable of communicating the advertisement to the delivery engine according to the schedule. The advertisement management system may also include an inventory management system having a plurality of advertisement targeting parameters arranged in a tree structure. The inventory management system may be adapted to forecast capacity of possible advertisement impressions of the plurality of advertisement targeting parameters and to match the advertising target parameters at a branch of the tree structure with sold advertisement data to identify advertisement inventory for the branch of the tree structure. The inventory management system may also be in communication with the configuration module so as to identify an advertisement from the advertisement inventory for delivery to an internet user satisfying the advertisement targeting parameters. A sales system may also be provided which may query for available inventory. A method of use of the advertisement inventory management system is also disclosed.

1 . An advertisement inventory system for internet advertising, the system comprising:
 an ad server in functional communication with a delivery engine capable of delivering an advertisement to a web server for display in a webpage in response to a triggering event by an internet user;   a configuration module in functional communication with the delivery engine, the configuration module adapted to schedule an advertisement for delivery by the delivery engine, the configuration module capable of communicating the advertisement to the delivery engine according to the schedule; and   an inventory management system having a plurality of advertisement targeting parameters arranged in a tree structure, the inventory management system adapted to forecast capacity of possible advertisement impressions of the plurality of advertisement targeting parameters and to match the advertising target parameters at a branch of the tree structure with sold advertisement data to identify advertisement inventory for the branch of the tree structure, the inventory management system being in communication with the configuration module so as to identify an advertisement from the advertisement inventory for delivery to an internet user satisfying the advertisement targeting parameters.   
     
     
         2 . The advertisement inventory system of  claim 1 , further comprising a sales system in functional communication with the ad server. 
     
     
         3 . The advertisement inventory system of  claim 2 , further comprising a means to query the ad server for available inventory using the sales system. 
     
     
         4 . The advertisement inventory system of  claim 1 , wherein the triggering event comprises a request received by the web server from the internet user for a website. 
     
     
         5 . The advertisement inventory system of  claim 1 , wherein at least the plurality of advertisement targeting parameters arranged in a tree structure are formed into a bucket including relevant targeting parameters. 
     
     
         6 . The advertisement inventory system of  claim 5 , wherein the bucket is used to forecast capacity. 
     
     
         7 . The advertisement inventory system of  claim 5 , wherein the sold advertisement data is applied to the bucket. 
     
     
         8 . An advertisement inventory system for internet advertising, the system comprising:
 an ad server in functional communication with a delivery engine capable of delivering an advertisement to a web server for display in a webpage;   a configuration module in functional communication with the delivery engine, the configuration module adapted to schedule an advertisement for delivery by the delivery engine, the configuration module capable of communicating the advertisement to the delivery engine according to the schedule; and   an inventory management system having a plurality of advertisement targeting parameters arranged in a tree structure, the inventory management system adapted to forecast capacity of possible advertisement impressions of the plurality of advertisement targeting parameters and to match the advertising target parameters at a branch of the tree structure with sold advertisement data to identify advertisement inventory for the branch of the tree structure, the inventory management system being in communication with the configuration module to identify an advertisement from the advertisement inventory for delivery;   a sales system in functional communication with the inventory management system adapted to query the inventory management system for available advertisement inventory.   
     
     
         9 . The advertisement inventory system of  claim 8 , wherein the delivery engine is capable of delivering the advertisement to the web server for display in the webpage in response to a triggering event by an internet user. 
     
     
         10 . The advertisement inventory system of  claim 9 , wherein the triggering event comprises a request received by the web server from the internet user for a website. 
     
     
         11 . The advertisement inventory system of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of advertisement targeting parameters arranged in a tree structure are formed into a bucket including relevant targeting parameters. 
     
     
         12 . The advertisement inventory system of  claim 11 , wherein the bucket is used to forecast capacity. 
     
     
         13 . The advertisement inventory system of  claim 11 , wherein the sold advertisement data is applied to the bucket. 
     
     
         14 . The advertisement inventory system of  claim 8 , wherein the sold advertisement data is based upon contractual obligations and entered into the sales system. 
     
     
         15 . A method of managing advertisement inventory in an internet advertising system comprising:
 using a plurality of pre-defined advertisement targeting parameters arranged in a tree structure to forecast advertisement capacity;   matching sold advertisement data with the at least one pre-defined parameter in the tree structure;   determining available advertisement inventory for the at least one pre-defined parameter by reducing the forecast advertisement capacity by the matched sold advertisement data; and   using the available inventory to deliver advertisements to internet users who match the at least one pre-defined parameter and to sell advertising space on the internet advertising system.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the internet user is delivered an advertisement from the advertisement inventory based upon a match with the pre-defined parameter. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the available inventory is adjusted based upon the delivery of the advertisement to the internet user. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising querying an inventory management system for available inventory in the pre-defined targeting parameters. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising using a sales system to communicate sold advertisement data to the tree structure. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of pre-defined advertising targeting parameters arranged in a tree structure form a bucket and sold data is matched to the bucket.