System and method for brokering the sale of internet advertisement inventory as discrete traffic blocks of segmented internet traffic

Abstract

An auction management system brokers, between a seller and a buyer, a discrete traffic block of an ad placement, and may comprise a traffic block definition tool providing workflows for obtaining traffic block parameters defining the discrete traffic block. The traffic block parameters may comprise: i) an identification of the ad placement; ii) a volume parameter defining the volume of traffic included in the discrete traffic block; iii) at least one duration parameter defining an active time period during which the volume of traffic included in the discrete traffic block is provided; and iv) an auction parameter defining an expiration time before which buyers submit offers to purchase the discrete traffic block. A listing search tool provides web pages displaying a listing of a plurality of listed discrete traffic blocks. Each listed discrete traffic block comprises a discrete traffic block with an expiration time that has not passed.

1 . A listing system for brokering, between a seller and a buyer, a discrete traffic block of an ad placement, the listing system comprising:
 a processor;   a memory coupled to the processor, the memory designed to store a set of instructions to be executed by the processor, the set of instructions including:
 a request for listing tool providing web pages to a buyer for obtaining campaign parameters defining the buyer's request for listing, the campaign parameters comprising:
 at least one target traffic attribute defining at least one attribute of a target discrete traffic block in which the buyer desires buyer advertisement content to be rendered; and 
 a target duration parameter defining a time period during which the buyer desires to have buyer advertisement content rendered; 
 
 a listing response tool providing web pages to a seller for:
 displaying the campaign parameters of at least one open request for listing; 
 obtaining traffic block parameters associated with a seller proposed discrete traffic block, the traffic block parameters comprising:
 a volume parameter defining the volume of traffic included in the discrete traffic block; 
 at least one duration parameter defining a time period during which the volume of traffic included in the discrete traffic block will be delivered; 
 
 
 the request for listing tool further providing web pages to the buyer for:
 displaying the traffic block parameters associated with each proposed traffic block; and 
 obtaining selection of at least one selected traffic block, the at least one selected traffic block being one of the proposed traffic blocks; and 
 
 an order management system for directing placement of buyer advertisement content designated by the buyer within an ad placement of the at least one selected traffic block for the volume of traffic defined by the volume parameter and during the time period defined by the duration parameter. 
   
     
     
         2 . The listing system of  claim 1 , wherein the volume of traffic defined by the volume parameter is a predetermined quantity of advertisement impressions displayed to end users. 
     
     
         3 . The listing system of  claim 2 , wherein the order management system further directs placement of filler advertisement content within the ad placement if placement of the advertising content designated by buyer is at a fulfillment pace that is ahead of a fulfillment pace threshold. 
     
     
         4 . The listing system of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the fulfillment pace is the aggregate of advertisement impressions displayed to the end users; and   the fulfillment pace threshold is the total quantity of advertisement impressions included within the discrete block divided by the active time period of the discrete block and multiplied by the portion of the active time period that has elapsed.   
     
     
         5 . The listing system of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the fulfillment pace is the aggregate of advertisement impressions displayed to the end users; and   the fulfillment pace threshold is a high fulfillment threshold, the high fulfillment threshold being:
 the total quantity of advertisement impressions included within the discrete block divided by the active time period of the discrete block and multiplied by the portion of the active time period that has elapsed, plus 
 a predetermined high threshold value divided by the active time period of the discrete block and multiplied by an amount of time remaining before expiration of the active time period. 
   
     
     
         6 . The listing system of  claim 1 , wherein the volume of traffic defined by the volume parameter is a predetermined quantity clicks and wherein a click represents an end user, to which an advertisement impression is displayed, selecting the advertisement impression for redirect to a web page designated by the buyer. 
     
     
         7 . The listing system of  claim 6 , wherein the order management system further directs placement of filler advertisement content within the ad placement if placement of buyer advertising content designated by the buyer is at a fulfillment pace that is ahead of a fulfillment pace threshold. 
     
     
         8 . The listing system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the fulfillment pace is the aggregate quantity of clicks; and   the fulfillment pace threshold is the total quantity of clicks included within the discrete block divided by the active time period of the discrete block and multiplied by the portion of the active time period that has elapsed.   
     
     
         9 . The listing system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the fulfillment pace is the aggregate of clicks; and   the fulfillment pace threshold is a high fulfillment threshold, the high fulfillment threshold being:
 the total quantity of clicks included within the discrete block divided by the active time period of the discrete block and multiplied by the portion of the active time period that has elapsed, plus 
 a predetermined high threshold value divided by the active time period of the discrete block and multiplied by an amount of time remaining before expiration of the active time period. 
   
     
     
         10 . The listing system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 at least two discrete traffic blocks may include concurrent active time periods, and   the order management system directs placement of buyer advertisement content within the ad placement for the discrete traffic block that is most behind a fulfillment pace threshold.   
     
     
         11 . The listing system of  claim 10 , wherein, for each of the at least two discrete traffic blocks:
 the fulfillment pace for the discrete traffic block is the aggregate of volume fulfilled; and   the fulfillment pace threshold for the discrete traffic block is the total volume of traffic included in the discrete traffic block divided by the active time period of the discrete traffic block and multiplied by the portion of the active time period that has elapsed.   
     
     
         12 . The listing system of  claim 10 , wherein, for each of the at least two discrete traffic blocks:
 the fulfillment pace for the discrete traffic block is the aggregate of volume fulfilled; and   the fulfillment pace threshold is a low fulfillment threshold, the low fulfillment threshold being:
 the total volume included within the discrete block divided by the active time period of the discrete block and multiplied by the portion of the active time period that has elapsed, less 
 a predetermined low threshold value divided by the active time period of the discrete block and multiplied by an amount of time remaining before expiration of the active 
   
     
     
         13 . The listing system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the traffic block parameters further comprise a segment parameter, the segment parameter defining at least one attribute comprising at least one of a geographic, demographic, or behavioral attribute; and   the listing system:
 receives an attribute profile about the end user to which an advertisement impression is to be displayed, the attribute profile defining at least one of a geographic, demographic, or behavioral attribute of such end user; and 
 directs placement, as the advertisement impression, of buyer advertisement content within the ad placement for the volume of traffic defined by the volume parameter, during the active time period of the discrete traffic block defined by the duration parameter, and for which attribute profile of the end user matches the at least one attribute defined by 
   
     
     
         14 . The listing system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the listing system further includes a campaign configuration tool providing a work flow for obtaining campaign parameters defining the buyer's advertisement campaign, the campaign parameters comprising at least one target traffic attribute defining at least one of geographic, demographic, or behavioral data of end users to which the buyer desires the buyer advertisement content to be rendered;   the listing tool further displays an indication of match between the at least one attribute defined by the segment parameter and the at least one target traffic attribute.   
     
     
         15 . The listing system of  claim 13 , wherein at least two discrete traffic blocks may include: i) concurrent active time period ii) the same advertisement region, and iii) segment parameters wherein at least one attribute is different;
 the listing system directs placement of buyer advertisement content for a selected one of the at least two discrete traffic blocks, the selected one of the at least two discrete traffic blocks being the discrete traffic block with its segment parameter most closely matching the attribute profile of the end user to which the advertisement impression will be rendered.   
     
     
         16 . The listing system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the traffic block parameters further comprise a buyer group parameter, the buyer group parameter defining a plurality of private buyers; and   the listing search tool includes the discrete traffic block within the display of active traffic blocks only if the buyer is one of the plurality of private buyers.   
     
     
         17 . The listing system of  claim 16 , wherein the expected number of impressions required to provide the predetermined quantity of clicks comprises the predetermined quantity of clicks divided by a yield factor, the yield factor comprising a value calculated by dividing a historical quantity of clicks on the advertisement content over a predetermined period of time by the quantity of impressions of the advertisement content over the predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         18 . The listing system of  claim 16 , wherein the expected number of impressions required to provide the predetermined quantity of clicks comprises the predetermined quantity of clicks divided by a yield factor, the yield factor comprising a value calculated by dividing a historical quantity of clicks on the advertisement content within the discrete traffic block over a predetermined period of time by the quantity of impressions of the advertisement content within the discrete traffic block over the predetermined period of time.