Estimating on-line advertising inventory value based on contract eligibility information

Abstract

Disclosed are apparatus and methods for apparatus and methods for pricing on-line advertisement inventory. In one embodiment, a method for pricing on-line advertisement inventory includes (i) receiving a request for a price of a new product, wherein the new product includes a plurality of specified characteristics of a type of on-line advertisement display, (ii) providing a sample of new impressions that are predicted to be delivered for such new product, (iii) for each new impression, determining which bookings could be served by such new impression so as to define a set of overlapping bookings, (iv) determining the price of each new impression based on a weighted average of a plurality of prices of such each new impression's corresponding overlapping bookings, (v) determining the price of the new product based on an average of the prices of the new impressions, and (vi) returning the price of the new product for use in a booking negotiation with a potential buyer of such new product.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 obtaining a sample of impressions that are predicted to be delivered for a new product, the new product including a plurality of specified characteristics of an online advertisement display;   for each impression, determining by a processor which bookings, specifying a booked product with specified on-line advertisement characteristics, could be served by such impression, regardless of whether a time duration for such bookings overlaps a time duration for the new product, so as to define a set of overlapping bookings;   determining the price of each impression based, at least in part, on a booked price for each overlapping booking for the impression; and   determining a price of the new product based, at least in part, on the prices of the impressions.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of specified characteristics of the new product further comprise one or more specified web properties and/or one or more specified positions in such one or more web properties. 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the specified characteristics of the new product further comprise a specified sub-property. 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more specified characteristics of the new product comprise one or more specified targeting parameters of the new product, at least a portion of the specified targeting parameters indicating characteristics of users that are to receive impressions that are to be delivered for the new product. 
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the time duration for at least a portion of such bookings does not overlap the time duration for the new product. 
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the sample of impressions are time shifted relative to the new product. 
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a request for the price of the new product; and   returning the price of the new product for use in a booking negotiation with a potential buyer of such new product.   
     
     
         8 . An apparatus comprising at least a processor and a memory, wherein the processor and/or memory are configured to perform operations, comprising:
 obtaining a sample of impressions that are predicted to be delivered for a new product, the new product including a plurality of specified characteristics of an online advertisement display;   for each impression, determining which bookings, specifying a booked product with specified on-line advertisement characteristics, could be served by such impression, regardless of whether a time duration for such bookings overlaps a time duration for the new product, so as to define a set of overlapping bookings;   determining the price of each impression based, at least in part, on a booked price for each overlapping booking for the impression; and   determining a price of the new product based, at least in part, on the prices of the impressions.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the specified characteristics of the new product comprise one or more specified web properties and/or one or more specified positions in such one or more web properties. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the specified characteristics of the new product comprise a specified sub-property. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the one or more specified characteristics of the new product comprise one or more specified targeting parameters of the new product, at least a portion of the specified targeting parameters indicating characteristics of users that are to receive impressions that are to be delivered for the new product 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the time duration for at least a portion of such bookings does not overlap the time duration for the new product. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , The apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the sample of impressions are time shifted relative to the new product. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the processor and/or memory are configured to perform further operations, comprising:
 receiving a request for the price of the new product; and   returning the price of the new product for use in a booking negotiation with a potential buyer of such new product.   
     
     
         15 . At least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer program instructions stored thereon that are arranged to perform operations, comprising:
 obtaining a sample of impressions that are predicted to be delivered for a new product, the new product including a plurality of specified characteristics of an on-line advertisement display;   for each impression, determining which bookings, specifying a booked product with specified on-line advertisement characteristics, could be served by such impression, regardless of whether a time duration for such bookings overlaps a time duration for the new product, so as to define a set of overlapping bookings;   determining the price of each impression, wherein determining the price of each impression is based, at least in part, on a booked price for each overlapping booking for the impression and a number of booked impressions for each overlapping booking; and   determining a price of the new product based, at least in part, on the prices of the impressions.   
     
     
         16 . The at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the specified characteristics of the new product comprise one or more specified web properties and/or one or more specified positions in such one or more web properties. 
     
     
         17 . The least at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the specified characteristics of the new product comprise a specified sub-property. 
     
     
         18 . The at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the time duration for at least a portion of such bookings does not overlap the time duration for the new product. 
     
     
         19 . The at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the sample of impressions are time shifted relative to the new product. 
     
     
         20 . The at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in  claim 15 , the computer program instructions stored thereon being arranged to perform further operations, comprising:
 receiving a request for the price of the new product; and   returning the price of the new product for use in a booking negotiation with a potential buyer of such new product.