# US 11,307,859 B2 · Probabilistic techniques for formatting digital components > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,307,859 B2 - Document ID: US11307859B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/919,937 - Filed: 2020-07-02 - Published: 2020-10-22 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-26 - Assignees: Google Inc. - Applicants: Google LLC - Inventors: Ankur Jain; Omkar Muralidharan; Pavel Morar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11307859B2 ## CPC - G06F 9/30181: {Instruction operation extension or modification} - G06F 17/18: for evaluating statistical data {, e.g. average values, frequency distributions, probability functions, regression analysis (forecasting specially adapted for a specific administrative, business or logistic context G06Q10/04)} - G06N 7/01: Probabilistic graphical models, e.g. probabilistic networks - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06N: COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS ## Abstract Methods, systems, and apparatus, including an apparatus for using probabilistic techniques to provide reformatted versions of digital components. In one aspect, a process includes obtaining data specifying a distribution parameter limit for a given reformattable digital component that is eligible for reformatting using a set of digital component extensions. For each of multiple digital component requests, a determination is made that a given digital component extension has an additional selection requirement that, when combined with a base selection requirement for the given reformattable digital component, would exceed the distribution parameter limit. A determination is made, using a probabilistic technique, a probability at which the given digital component extension will be selected for use in generating a reformatted version of the given reformattable digital component such that an aggregate selection requirement for distributing the given reformattable digital component in response to requests over time is within the distribution parameter limit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: a data processing apparatus; and a memory storage apparatus in data communication with the data processing apparatus, the memory storage apparatus storing instructions executable by the data processing apparatus and that upon such execution cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising: receiving a digital component request; identifying a set of digital components eligible for presentation in response to the digital component request; for a given digital component in the set of digital components: selecting, from a set of digital component extensions, a given digital component extension based on one or more distribution objectives for the given digital component; and dynamically updating a selection parameter for the given digital component based on a specified adjustment factor corresponding to reformatting the given digital component; selecting, from the set of digital components, the given digital component based on the updated selection parameter for the given digital component and a corresponding selection parameter for each other digital component in the set of digital components; generating a reformatted version of the given digital component using the given digital component extension; and transmitting the reformatted version of the given digital component to a client device for which the digital component request was received. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein each digital component extension in the set of digital component extensions comprises a different presentation of content than each other digital component extension in the set of digital component extensions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein each digital component extension in the set of digital component extensions comprises different content than each other digital component extension in the set of digital component extensions. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: each digital component extension in the set of digital component extensions has a corresponding additional selection requirement; and dynamically updating the selection parameter for the given digital component based on a specified adjustment factor corresponding to reformatting the given digital component comprises adding the corresponding additional selection requirement for the given digital component extension to the selection parameter for the given digital component. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein: each digital component extension in the set of digital component extensions comprises a corresponding selection probability that is based on the corresponding additional selection requirement for the digital component extension; and selecting, from the set of digital component extensions, the given digital component extension based on the one or more distribution objectives for the given digital component comprises selecting the given digital component extension based on the corresponding selection probability for the given digital component extension. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the corresponding selection probability for each digital component extension is based further on an aggregate distribution parameter limit for the given digital component. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more distribution objectives for the given digital component comprises an aggregate distribution parameter limit for which an average of selection parameters for presentations of the digital component is not to exceed. ### Claim 8 A method performed by one or more data apparatus, the method comprising: receiving a digital component request; identifying a set of digital components eligible for presentation in response to the digital component request; for a given digital component in the set of digital components: selecting, from a set of digital component extensions, a given digital component extension based on one or more distribution objectives for the given digital component; and dynamically updating a selection parameter for the given digital component based on a specified adjustment factor corresponding to reformatting the given digital component; selecting, from the set of digital components, the given digital component based on the updated selection parameter for the given digital component and a corresponding selection parameter for each other digital component in the set of digital components; generating a reformatted version of the given digital component using the given digital component extension; and transmitting the reformatted version of the given digital component to a client device for which the digital component request was received. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein each digital component extension in the set of digital component extensions comprises a different presentation of content than each other digital component extension in the set of digital component extensions. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein each digital component extension in the set of digital component extensions comprises different content than each other digital component extension in the set of digital component extensions. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein: each digital component extension in the set of digital component extensions has a corresponding additional selection requirement; and dynamically updating the selection parameter for the given digital component based on a specified adjustment factor corresponding to reformatting the given digital component comprises adding the corresponding additional selection requirement for the given digital component extension to the selection parameter for the given digital component. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein: each digital component extension in the set of digital component extensions comprises a corresponding selection probability that is based on the corresponding additional selection requirement for the digital component extension; and selecting, from the set of digital component extensions, the given digital component extension based on the one or more distribution objectives for the given digital component comprises selecting the given digital component extension based on the corresponding selection probability for the given digital component extension. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the corresponding selection probability for each digital component extension is based further on an aggregate distribution parameter limit for the given digital component. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more distribution objectives for the given digital component comprises an aggregate distribution parameter limit for which an average of selection parameters for presentations of the digital component is not to exceed. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by one or more data processing apparatus cause the one or more data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising: receiving a digital component request; identifying a set of digital components eligible for presentation in response to the digital component request; for a given digital component in the set of digital components: selecting, from a set of digital component extensions, a given digital component extension based on one or more distribution objectives for the given digital component; and dynamically updating a selection parameter for the given digital component based on a specified adjustment factor corresponding to reformatting the given digital component; selecting, from the set of digital components, the given digital component based on the updated selection parameter for the given digital component and a corresponding selection parameter for each other digital component in the set of digital components; generating a reformatted version of the given digital component using the given digital component extension; and transmitting the reformatted version of the given digital component to a client device for which the digital component request was received. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein each digital component extension in the set of digital component extensions comprises a different presentation of content than each other digital component extension in the set of digital component extensions. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein each digital component extension in the set of digital component extensions comprises different content than each other digital component extension in the set of digital component extensions. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein: each digital component extension in the set of digital component extensions has a corresponding additional selection requirement; and dynamically updating the selection parameter for the given digital component based on a specified adjustment factor corresponding to reformatting the given digital component comprises adding the corresponding additional selection requirement for the given digital component extension to the selection parameter for the given digital component. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 18, wherein: each digital component extension in the set of digital component extensions comprises a corresponding selection probability that is based on the corresponding additional selection requirement for the digital component extension; and selecting, from the set of digital component extensions, the given digital component extension based on the one or more distribution objectives for the given digital component comprises selecting the given digital component extension based on the corresponding selection probability for the given digital component extension. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 19, wherein the corresponding selection probability for each digital component extension is based further on an aggregate distribution parameter limit for the given digital component.