Truthful Optimal Welfare Keyword Auctions
OwnerElan Pavlovinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There is disclosed a method for auctioning a set of keywords. Bids may be received from a plurality of advertisers. Each bid may include a value of a click-through and a budget expressed as a maximum number of click-throughs. A flow graph may be created that relates the set of keywords to the bids received from the plurality of advertisers. A minimum cost flow solution may be determined for the flow graph, and the keywords may be allocated to the advertisers based on the minimum cost flow solution.
Claims33
A method for auctioning a set of keywords, the method comprising:
- receiving bids from a plurality of advertisers
- creating a flow graph that relates the set of keywords to the bids received from the plurality of advertisers
- determining a minimum cost flow solution for the flow graph
- allocating the keywords to the advertisers based on the minimum cost flow solution.
A computing device to auction keywords, the computing device comprising:
- a processor
- a memory coupled with the processor
- a storage medium having instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the computing device to perform actions comprising
- receiving bids from a plurality of advertisers
- creating a flow graph that relates the set of keywords to the bids received from the plurality of advertisers
- determining a minimum cost flow solution for the flow graph
- allocating the keywords to the advertisers based on the minimum cost flow solution.
A storage medium having instructions stored thereon which when executed by a processor will cause the processor to perform actions comprising:
- receiving bids from a plurality of advertisers
- creating a flow graph that relates the set of keywords to the bids received from the plurality of advertisers
- determining a minimum cost flow solution for the flow graph
- allocating the keywords to the advertisers based on the minimum cost flow solution.
A system for performing searches, comprising
- a search engine
- an keyword auction server coupled to the search engine, the keyword auction server performing actions comprising
- receiving bids from a plurality of advertisers
- creating a flow graph that relates the set of keywords to the bids received from the plurality of advertisers
- determining a minimum cost flow solution for the flow graph
- allocating the keywords to the advertisers based on the minimum cost flow solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.