Allocation of content inventory units

A method performed by one or more data processing apparatus, the method comprising:

• obtaining revenue data for past allocations of content inventory units in a content slot provided by a publisher;
• determining an exponent for a power law distribution based on the revenue data;
• determining a constant sharing fraction based on the exponent;
• allocating a content inventory unit in the content slot to a buyer;
• determining a portion of a price paid for the content inventory unit by the buyer that is paid to the publisher using the constant sharing fraction;
• and
• transmitting data reflecting the allocation of the content inventory unit to the buyer.

A system, comprising:

• a data processing apparatus;
• and
• a memory coupled to the data processing apparatus having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
• receiving a request for allocation of a content inventory unit in a content slot provided by a publisher;
• receiving a first reserve price for the content inventory unit, where the first reserve price is a minimum payment that the publisher will accept for allocation of the content inventory unit;
• determining a share fraction based in part on the first reserve price and based in part on a distribution of past bids for content inventory units in one or more content slots provided by the publisher;
• determining a second reserve price based in part on the first reserve price and based in part on a distribution of past bids for content inventory units in one or more content slots provided by the publisher;
• receiving one or more bids for the content inventory unit;
• comparing at least one of the one or more bids to the second reserve price;
• allocating the content inventory unit to a buyer based in part on the one or more bids and the second reserve price;
• and
• transmitting data reflecting the allocation of the content inventory unit to the buyer.

A system, comprising:

• a data processing apparatus;
• and
• a memory coupled to the data processing apparatus having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
• obtaining revenue data for past allocations of content inventory units in a content slot provided by a publisher;
• determining an exponent for a power law distribution based on the revenue data;
• determine a constant sharing fraction based on the exponent;
• allocating a content inventory unit in the content slot to a buyer;
• determining a portion of a price paid for the content inventory unit by the buyer that is paid to the publisher using the constant sharing fraction;
• and
• transmitting data reflecting the allocation of the content inventory unit to the buyer.

A system, comprising:

• a network interface configured to receive a request for allocation of a content inventory unit in a content slot provided by a publisher;
• a network interface configured to receive a first reserve price for the content inventory unit, where the first reserve price is a minimum payment that the publisher will accept for allocation of the content inventory unit;
• means for determining a share fraction based in part on the first reserve price and based in part on a distribution of past bids for content inventory units in one or more content slots provided by the publisher;
• means for determining a second reserve price based in part on the first reserve price and based in part on a distribution of past bids for content inventory units in one or more content slots provided by the publisher;
• a network interface configured to receive one or more bids for the content inventory unit;
• a module configured to compare at least one of the one or more bids to the second reserve price;
• a module configured to allocate the content inventory unit to a buyer based in part on the one or more bids and the second reserve price;
• and
• a network interface configured to transmit data reflecting the allocation of the content inventory unit to the buyer.

A system, comprising:

• a module configured to obtain revenue data for past allocations of content inventory units in a content slot provided by a publisher;
• a module configured to determine an exponent for a power law distribution based on the revenue data;
• a module configured to determine a constant sharing fraction based on the exponent;
• a module configured to allocate a content inventory unit in the content slot to a buyer;
• a module configured to determine a portion of a price paid for the content inventory unit by the buyer that is paid to the publisher using the constant sharing fraction;
• and
• a network interface configured to transmit data reflecting the allocation of the content inventory unit to the buyer.