# US 2013/0159094 A1 · Real time ad targeting > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0159094 A1 - Document ID: US20130159094A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/326,033 - Filed: 2011-12-14 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-14 - Assignees: Yahoo! Inc. - Inventors: Steven Andrew McClelland; Sarah Jean Sosiak; Fernando Padilla - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130159094A1 ## CPC - G06Q 30/0269: {based on user profile or attribute} - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract In one embodiment, an event that has recently occurred is identified. The event is categorized into a category of events from a plurality of categories. A set of one or more advertisements associated with the category of events is ascertained. At least one advertisement is selected from the set of one or more advertisements associated with the category of events. The at least one advertisement is then provided to a user. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: identifying by a network device an event that has recently occurred; categorizing by the network device the event into a category of events from a plurality of categories; ascertaining by the network device a set of one or more advertisements associated with the category of events; selecting by the network device at least one advertisement from the set of one or more advertisements associated with the category of events; and providing by the network device the at least one advertisement to a user. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising: ascertaining by the network device a set of one or more users to which the category of events is pertinent; and selecting the user from the set of one or more users ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein identifying by the network device a an event that has recently occurred comprises: identifying the event that has recently occurred based, at least in part, upon a set of one or more news stories. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising: auctioning the category of events such that the set of one or more advertisements are associated with the category of events prior to performing the identifying, categorizing, ascertaining, selecting, and providing steps. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising: obtaining a plurality of bids for the category of events, each of the plurality of bids pertaining to one of a plurality of advertisements; and selecting the set of one or more advertisements from the plurality of advertisements based, at least in part, upon the plurality of bids. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein providing by the network device the at least one advertisement to the user comprises: providing the at least one advertisement to the user within a pre-determined period of time from when the event occurred or from when the event was detected. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein providing by the network device the at least one advertisement to the user comprises: providing the at least one advertisement to the user in response to input from the user. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the category of events is defined by a set of one or more keywords or one or more rules. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising: charging an amount for the providing, wherein the amount is based, at least in part, upon the category of events. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising: charging an amount for the providing, wherein the amount is based, at least in part, upon a period of time that has passed since the event occurred or since the event was detected. ### Claim 11 A method, comprising: obtaining a plurality of bids for a category of events, each of the plurality of bids pertaining to one of a plurality of advertisements; selecting a set of one or more of the plurality of advertisements based, at least in part, upon the plurality of bids; and associating the set of one or more of the plurality of advertisements with the category of events. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the category of events is defined by one or more keywords or one or more rules. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising: identifying an event that has recently occurred; categorizing the event into a category of events from a plurality of categories; ascertaining a set of one or more advertisements associated with the category of events; selecting at least one advertisement from the set of one or more advertisements associated with the category of events; and providing the at least one advertisement to a user. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising: determining that the category of events is relevant to the user. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising: charging an amount for the providing, wherein the amount is based, at least in part, upon the category of events. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising: charging an amount for the providing, wherein the amount is based, at least in part, upon a period of time that has passed since the event occurred or since the event was detected. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing thereon computer-readable instructions, comprising: instructions for identifying by a network device an event that has recently occurred; instructions for categorizing the event into a category of events from a plurality of categories; instructions for ascertaining a set of one or more advertisements pertaining to the category of events; instructions for selecting by the network device at least one advertisement from the set of one or more advertisements pertaining to the category of events; and instructions for providing by the network device the at least one advertisement to a user. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 17, further comprising: instructions for determining that the category of events is relevant to the user. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 17, further comprising: instructions for charging an amount for the providing, wherein the amount is based, at least in part, upon the category of events. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 17, further comprising: instructions for charging an amount for the providing, wherein the amount is based, at least in part, upon a period of time that has passed since the event occurred or since the event was detected. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 17, further comprising: instructions for obtaining an indication from a user indicating that the user is opting in to receive advertisements pertaining to the plurality of categories of events. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 17, further comprising: instructions for obtaining an indication from a user indicating that the user is opting in to receive advertisements pertaining to one or more of the plurality of categories of events. ### Claim 23 An apparatus, comprising: a processor; and a memory, at least one of the processor or the memory being configured for: obtaining a plurality of bids for a category of events, each of the plurality of bids pertaining to one of a plurality of advertisements; selecting a set of one or more of the plurality of advertisements based, at least in part, upon the plurality of bids; and associating the set of one or more of the plurality of advertisements with the category of events. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The apparatus as recited in claim 23, wherein each of the plurality of bids indicates a number of impressions and a target population, at least one of the processor or the memory being configured for performing steps, comprising: providing at least one of the plurality of advertisements in response to detection of an event that is determined to be categorized in the category of events. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein the category of events has associated therewith a time period, wherein providing at least one of the plurality of advertisements is performed according to the time period. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The apparatus as recited in claim 23, wherein each of the plurality of bids further comprises an indication of a time period, wherein the corresponding one of the plurality of advertisements is to be provided according to the time period. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The apparatus as recited in claim 26, at least one of the processor or the memory being configured for performing steps, further comprising: charging an amount for the providing, wherein the amount is based, at least in part, upon the time period. ### Claim 28 (depends on 23) The apparatus as recited in claim 23, at least one of the processor or the memory being configured for performing steps, further comprising: providing an indication of a number of users having an interest in the category of events.