Determining Impressions for Mobile Devices

Abstract

Methods, systems and apparatus for determining impressions of advertisements placed on rendered web pages displayed in a viewport of a mobile device. An impression is determined to have occurred if a display of an advertisement in the viewport exceeds certain display thresholds so that the advertisement is likely to be discernible to a user of the device. These display thresholds can include, for example, the percentage of the advertisement displayed in the viewport of the device and the zoom level of the viewport (or scale of the viewport). The display thresholds can also include the duration with which the advertisement is displayed in the viewport.

1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 receiving at a data processing apparatus display data specifying a display state of a web page in a viewport, the web page including a content item for display;   determining, by the data processing apparatus, a proportional measurement from the display data, the proportion measurement being a measure of a first portion of the content item displayed in the viewport relative to a second portion of the content item that is not displayed in the viewport;   determining, by the data processing apparatus, a zoom level measurement from the display data, the zoom level measurement being a measure of a zoom level of the viewport; and   determining, by the data processing apparatus, whether an impression for the content item occurred based on the zoom level measurement and the proportional measurement.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 determining, by the data processing apparatus, a display duration measurement from the display data, the display duration measurement being a measure of a duration that at least a portion of the content item is displayed in the viewport; and   wherein determining whether an impression for the content item occurred based on the zoom level measurement and the proportional measurement comprises determining whether an impression for the content item occurred based on the zoom level measurement, the proportional measurement, and the display duration measurement.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether an impression for the content item occurred based on the zoom level measurement and the proportional measurement comprises:
 determining whether the zoom level measurement exceeds a zoom level threshold;   determining whether the proportional measurement exceeds a proportional measurement threshold; and   determining that an impression occurred if the zoom level measurement exceeds the zoom level threshold and the proportional measurement exceeds the proportional measurement threshold.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein determining that an impression occurred if the zoom level measurement exceeds the zoom level threshold and the proportional measurement exceeds the proportional measurement threshold comprises determining that an impression occurred if the zoom level measurement exceeds the zoom level threshold during a time period and the proportional measurement exceeds the proportional measurement threshold during the same time period. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the zoom level threshold varies based on the proportional measurement and the proportional measurement threshold varies based on the zoom level. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the content item comprises an advertisement and the method comprises:
 charging an advertiser associated with the advertisement for an impression only if the zoom level measurement exceeds the zoom level threshold and the proportional measurement exceeds the proportional measurement threshold.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content item has a location on the web page, the method comprising:
 determining a location metric that defines a number of impressions of the content item relative to the location of the content item on the web page.   
     
     
         8 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 receiving at a data processing apparatus display data specifying a display state of a resource in a viewport, the resource including a content item for display;   determining, by the data processing apparatus, a proportional measurement from the display data, the proportion measurement being a measure of a first portion of the content item displayed in the viewport relative to a second portion of the content item that is not displayed in the viewport;   determining, by the data processing apparatus, a zoom level measurement from the display data, the zoom level measurement being a measure of a zoom level of the viewport;   determining, by the data processing apparatus, a display duration measurement from the display data, the display duration measurement being a measure of a duration that at least a portion of the content item is displayed in the viewport; and   determining, by the data processing apparatus, whether an impression for the content item occurred based on the zoom level measurement, the proportional measurement, and the display duration measurement.   
     
     
         9 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 receiving at a data processing apparatus display data specifying a display state of a web page in a viewport, the web page including a content item for display;   identifying, by the data processing apparatus, display instances from the display data, a display instance being a display of at least a portion of the content item in the viewport;   identifying, by the data processing apparatus, selection instances of the content item from the display data, a selection instance being a selection of the content item;   determining by the data processing apparatus whether a selection of the content item occurred during a display of at least a portion of the content item in the viewport based on the display instances and the selection instances;   defining a selection of the content as a legitimate selection if the selection occurred during a display of at least a portion of the content item in the viewport; and   defining a selection of the content as a illegitimate selection if the selection did not occur during a display of at least a portion of the content item in the viewport.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 charging an advertiser associated with the content item for a selection of the content item only if the selection is defined as a legitimate selection.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein identifying display instances from the display data comprises determining that the display of the at least a portion of the content item satisfies one or more display thresholds. 
     
     
         12 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 receiving at a data processing apparatus display data specifying a display state of a web page in a viewport;   determining, by the data processing apparatus, a zoom level measurement from the display data, the zoom level measurement being a measure of a zoom level of the viewport;   identifying a content item associated with the web page, the content item having a display location on the web page;   identifying an alternative representation of the content item;   providing the content item for display in the viewport at the display location, wherein the content item is displayed only if the zoom level measurement exceeds a zoom level threshold; and   providing the alternative representation of the content item for display in the viewport at the display location, wherein the alternative representation is displayed only if the zoom level measurement does not exceed the zoom level threshold.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein providing the alternative representation of the content item for display in the viewport at the display location comprises replacing the alternative representation with the content item when the zoom level measurement exceeds the zoom level threshold. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the alternative representation comprises a logo for an advertiser of the content item. 
     
     
         15 . A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program comprising instructions that when executed operate to cause a computer to perform operations:
 receiving display data specifying a display state of a web page in a viewport, the web page including a content item for display;   determining a proportional measurement from the display data, the proportion measurement being a measure of a first portion of the content item displayed in the viewport relative to a second portion of the content item that is not displayed in the viewport;   determining a zoom level measurement from the display data, the zoom level measurement being a measure of a zoom level of the viewport; and   determining whether an impression for the content item occurred based on the zoom level measurement and the proportional measurement.   
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15 , comprising:
 determining a display duration measurement from the display data, the display duration measurement being a measure of a duration that at least a portion of the content item is displayed in the viewport; and   wherein determining whether an impression for the content item occurred based on the zoom level measurement and the proportional measurement comprises determining whether an impression for the content item occurred based on the zoom level measurement, the proportional measurement, and the display duration measurement.   
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein determining whether an impression for the content item occurred based on the zoom level measurement and the proportional measurement comprises:
 determining whether the zoom level measurement exceeds a zoom level threshold;   determining whether the proportional measurement exceeds a proportional measurement threshold; and   determining that an impression occurred if the zoom level measurement exceeds the zoom level threshold and the proportional measurement exceeds the proportional measurement threshold.   
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the zoom level threshold varies based on the proportional measurement and the proportional measurement threshold varies based on the zoom level. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the content item comprises an advertisement, and the computer readable medium further comprises:
 charging an advertiser associated with the advertisement for an impression only if the zoom level measurement exceeds the zoom level threshold and the proportional measurement exceeds the proportional measurement threshold.   
     
     
         20 . A system, comprising: one or more computers operable to perform operations comprising:
 receiving display data specifying a display state of a web page in a viewport, the web page including a content item for display;   determining a proportional measurement from the display data, the proportion measurement being a measure of a first portion of the content item displayed in the viewport relative to a second portion of the content item that is not displayed in the viewport;   determining a zoom level measurement from the display data, the zoom level measurement being a measure of a zoom level of the viewport; and   determining whether an impression for the content item occurred based on the zoom level measurement and the proportional measurement.   
     
     
         21 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 requesting by a client device a resource from a resource provider for display in a viewport of the client device;   in response to the request, receiving at the client device the resource, the resource including a content item for display;   determining at the client device a proportional measurement, the proportion measurement being a measure of a first portion of the content item displayed in the viewport relative to a second portion of the content item that is not displayed in the viewport;   determining at the client device a zoom level measurement, the zoom level measurement being a measure of a zoom level of the viewport; and   determining at the client device whether an impression for the content item occurred based on the zoom level measurement and the proportional measurement.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising:
 determining at the client device a display duration measurement, the display duration measurement being a measure of a duration that at least a portion of the content item is displayed in the viewport; and   wherein determining whether an impression for the content item occurred based on the zoom level measurement and the proportional measurement comprises determining whether an impression for the content item occurred based on the zoom level measurement, the proportional measurement, and the display duration measurement.