Automated price maintenance for use with a system in which advertisements are rendered with relative preference based on performance information and price information

Abstract

A cost maintenance scheme useful with an advertising system which orders ads in a manner that maximizes both their relevance and their economic value, and which provides a fair bidding process in which a winning bidder is assured of not having paid too much. Ordering may be done based on accepted maximum ad bid information and/or ad performance information. For example, this information may be used to determine a position value. Cost may be determined based on accepted maximum ad bid information and/or performance information. Billing the determined cost may be subject to a condition precedent.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 a) determining, by a computer system including a least one computer, an ad preference value for each of a plurality of ads; and   b) determining, by the computer system, a cost for each of the plurality of ads using information of the ad and the maximum cost for a result bid associated with an ad having a next lower ad preference value to the ad and independent of the maximum cost for a result bid associated with any other of the plurality of ads, the determined cost being lower than the maximum cost for a result bid associated with the ad.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the ad preference value is an ad placement. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the maximum cost for a result bid is a maximum cost per selection bid. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the maximum cost for a result bid is a maximum cost per conversion bid. 
     
     
         5 . Apparatus comprising:
 a) at least one processor; and   b) a non-transitory storage medium storing instructions which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a method including
 1) determining an ad preference value for each of a plurality of ads, and 
 2) determining a cost for each of the plurality of ads using information of the ad and the maximum cost for a result bid associated with an ad having a next lower ad preference value to the ad and independent of the maximum cost for a result bid associated with any other of the plurality of ads, the determined cost being lower than the maximum cost for a result bid associated with the ad. 
   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the ad preference value is an ad placement. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the maximum cost for a result bid is a maximum cost per selection bid. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the maximum cost for a result bid is a maximum cost per conversion bid. 
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory storage medium storing instructions which when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a method including:
 a) determining an ad preference value for each of a plurality of ads; and   b) determining a cost for each of the plurality of ads using information of the ad and the maximum cost for a result bid associated with an ad having a next lower ad preference value to the ad and independent of the maximum cost for a result bid associated with any other of the plurality of ads, the determined cost being lower than the maximum cost for a result bid associated with the ad.   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory storage medium of  claim 9  wherein the ad preference value is an ad placement. 
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory storage medium of  claim 9  wherein the maximum cost for a result bid is a maximum cost per selection bid. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory storage medium of  claim 9  wherein the maximum cost for a result bid is a maximum cost per conversion bid.