US 10,650,445 B1Granted

Collaborative bidding in an online auction

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorJames Caleb Kirschner

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Abstract

Certain embodiments herein relate to implementing collaborative bidding in online auctions. Example methods may include generating a bid request, receiving a first response comprising a first bid amount and a first content identifier, receiving a second response comprising a second bid amount and a second content identifier, applying a set of rules to the first response and the second response, and determining, using the set of rules, that the first bid amount and the second bid amount are combinable. Some example methods may include generating a combined bid amount using the first bid amount and the second bid amount, determining that the combined bid amount is a winning bid amount, determining a first allocated cost associated with the first response using the first bid amount, determining a second allocated cost associated with the second response using the second bid amount, and causing presentation of first content and second content.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

generating, by one or more computer processors coupled to at least one memory, a bid request for a content delivery slot;
sending the bid request to a first computing device, a second computing device, and a third computing device;
receiving a first response from the first computing device, the first response comprising a first bid amount and a first content identifier;
receiving a second response from the second computing device, the second response comprising a second bid amount, and a second content identifier;
receiving a third response from the third computing device, the third response comprising a third bid amount and a third content identifier;
applying a set of rules to the first response and the second response, wherein the set of rules comprises a first rule indicating that the first bid amount is combinable for prominent portions of content delivery slots;
determining that the content delivery slot comprises a prominent portion that is larger than and adjacent to a non-prominent portion in a side-by-side arrangement;
determining, using the set of rules, that the first bid amount, the second bid amount, and third bid amount are combinable;
generating a combined bid amount using the first bid amount, the second bid amount, and third bid amount;
determining that the combined bid amount is a winning bid amount;
determining a first allocated cost associated with the first response using the first bid amount;
determining a second allocated cost associated with the second response using the second bid amount;
causing presentation of first content associated with the first content identifier and third content associated with the third content identifier at the prominent portion of content delivery slot;
and
causing presentation of second content associated with the second content identifier at the non-prominent portion of the content delivery slot.

12 more elements

A device comprising:

at least one memory that stores computer-executable instructions;
and
at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to:
generate a bid request for a content delivery slot;
send the bid request to a first computing device, a second computing device, and a third computing device;
receive a first response from the first computing device, the first response comprising a first bid amount and a first content identifier;
receive a second response from the second computing device, the second response comprising a second bid amount and a second content identifier;
receive a third response from the third computing device, the third response comprising a third bid amount and a third content identifier;
apply a set of rules to the first response and the second response, wherein the set of rules comprises a first rule indicating that the first bid amount is combinable for prominent portions of content delivery slots;
determine that the content delivery slot comprises a prominent portion that is larger than and adjacent to a non-prominent portion in a side-by-side arrangement;
determine, using the set of rules, that the first bid amount, the second bid amount, and the third bid amount are combinable;
generate a combined bid amount using the first bid amount the second bid amount, and the third bid amount;
determine that the combined bid amount is a winning bid amount;
determine a first allocated cost associated with the first response using the first bid amount;
determine a second allocated cost associated with the second response using the second bid amount;
cause presentation of first content associated with the first content identifier and third content associated with the third content identifier at the prominent portion of content delivery slot;
and
cause presentation of second content associated with the second content identifier at the non-prominent portion of the content delivery slot.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/437,372Filed 20 Feb 2017 · division
Priority: 30 Oct 2012
Granted: 12 May 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G06Q 30/08
Buying, selling or leasing transactions: auctions
G06Q 30/0275
Determination of fees for advertising: auctions
G06Q 40/04
Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes: trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency…
G06Q
Information and communication technology [ict] specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial