Michael J Schwarz

US Patent:

7974880, Jul 5, 2011

Filed:

Jan 31, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/701275

Inventors:

Michael Schwarz - Berkeley CA, US

Assignee:

Yahoo! Inc. - Sunnyvale CA

International Classification:

G06Q 30/00

US Classification:

705 1471, 705 1469, 705 1443, 705 1442, 705 1446, 705 141, 705 37

Abstract:

A system for updating advertisement bids including a query engine and an advertisement selection engine. The query engine provides an advertisement query to the advertisement selection engine. The advertisement selection engine includes a query processing module that retrieves advertisements associated with the advertisement query based on bids. The bid update module generates a suggested bid for an advertiser. The bid update module may be configured to automatically update the current bid for an advertisement based on the suggested bid. Further, the bid update module may be configured to determine the suggested bid by calculating a maximum profit position for the advertisement and projecting an envy free point for the maximum profit position.

US Patent:

20090006115, Jan 1, 2009

Filed:

Jun 29, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/824552

Inventors:

Michael Schwarz - Berkeley CA, US

Assignee:

Yahoo! Inc. - Sunnyvale CA

International Classification:

G06Q 10/00
G06F 17/40

US Classification:

705 1

Abstract:

The establishment and adjustment of the reputation score of a party in an online transaction system is described. A party may provide consideration to a transaction portal. In response, the transaction portal may increase (or initially establish) a reputation score for the party based upon the consideration. The portal may return to the party at least a portion of the consideration in response to a favorable event. The portal may decrease the score based upon factors such as the value of transactions weighted by user ratings. The transaction portal may also increase the score based upon a function of commissions made in transactions involving the party.

US Patent:

20090083098, Mar 26, 2009

Filed:

Sep 24, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/903669

Inventors:

Michael Schwarz - Berkeley CA, US

Assignee:

Yahoo! Inc. - Sunnyvale CA

International Classification:

G06Q 10/00
G06F 17/30

US Classification:

705 7

Abstract:

An improved system and method for an online auction with optimal reserve price is provided. An auction engine may choose advertisements for web page placements using an optimal reserve price. To estimate an optimal reserve price, a bid may be received from a bidder for the keyword, click-through rates of advertisements allocated web page placement may be obtained for the keyword, and the optimal reserve price may be estimated for the keyword to maximize revenue by determining a distribution for the values per click from the bidders for the keyword. Web page placements may then be allocated for advertisements with bids at least the value of the optimal reserve price and payment for each of the advertisements allocated web page placements may be calculated using the optimal reserve price.

US Patent:

20090240580, Sep 24, 2009

Filed:

Mar 24, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/054308

Inventors:

Michael Schwarz - Berkeley CA, US
Alexander Berg - El Cerrito CA, US

International Classification:

G06Q 30/00

US Classification:

705 14

Abstract:

A method and apparatus are provided for automatically targeting and modifying an Internet ad. In one example, the method includes receiving a page and an ad to be placed on the page, rendering the page into a graphical format, computing descriptive features about the graphical format, mapping the descriptive features to parameters for rendering the ad, and rendering the ad based on the parameters.

US Patent:

20090254414, Oct 8, 2009

Filed:

Apr 7, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/099039

Inventors:

Michael Schwarz - Berkeley CA, US
Zoe Abrams - Kensington CA, US

International Classification:

G06Q 30/00
G06Q 10/00
G06F 17/30

US Classification:

705 10, 705 14, 705 26

Abstract:

Various embodiments of systems and methods for auctioning sponsored ads are provided. The auctioning systems and methods take hidden costs of sponsored ads into account. A user's future propensity to click on ads is influenced by his/her experience with past clicks. An ad with disappointing quality of landing page imposes a negative externality on the search engine and the future stream of revenue from a user is reduced. The externality may also be positive. A good experience with an ad may train users to pay more attention to other ads. The externality of an advertisement (ad) can be considered as a “hidden cost.” Including hidden costs of sponsored ads in the auctioning process promote (or encourage) ads with good quality and discourage (or penalize) ads with poor quality. By doing so, advertisers are likely to improve the quality of ads being placed in the bidding pool, which will result in improvement in the overall quality of sponsored ads. Users benefit from the higher quality ads. The advertisers also benefit from the higher quality ads by paying less or no hidden costs for ads and by getting more satisfied customers. The search engine (site) can also benefit from having higher quality sponsored ads to gain more ad revenue.

US Patent:

20100023414, Jan 28, 2010

Filed:

Jul 28, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/181209

Inventors:

Mohammad Mahdian - Santa Clara CA, US
Michael Schwarz - Berkeley CA, US

Assignee:

YAHOO! INC. - Sunnyvale CA

International Classification:

G06Q 30/00
G06Q 10/00
G06Q 99/00

US Classification:

705 26, 705 1, 705400

Abstract:

A method of determining a display specification, includes: specifying business parameters for calculating a business value for the display specification, wherein the display specification includes a plurality of display locations and corresponding display values that are associated with business entities; specifying user parameters for calculating a user value for the display specification; selecting the display specification to improve a combination of the business value and the user value; and saving one or more values for the display specification (e.g., saving values for the display specification directly or through some related characterization.).

US Patent:

20100057639, Mar 4, 2010

Filed:

Aug 30, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/202237

Inventors:

Michael Schwarz - Berkeley CA, US
R. Preston McAfee - San Marino CA, US

Assignee:

YAHOO! INC. - Sunnyvale NY

International Classification:

G06Q 30/00

US Classification:

705400

Abstract:

Embodiments of the present invention provides for methods, systems and computer program products for utilizing time measurement in advertising pricing. The method according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises identifying one or more advertisements that are to be displayed in conjunction with one or more web documents. The one or more web documents are displayed in conjunction with the one or more advertisements and a time period the one or more advertisements are displayed is monitored. A monetary value for display of the one or more advertisements is determined on the basis of the time period the one or more advertisements are displayed.

US Patent:

20100100422, Apr 22, 2010

Filed:

Oct 22, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/255896

Inventors:

Michael A. Schwarz - Berkeley CA, US
R. Preston McAfee - San Marino CA, US
Sai-Ming Li - Santa Clara CA, US
Jonathan D. Levin - Stanford CA, US

Assignee:

YAHOO! INC. - Sunnyvale CA

International Classification:

G06Q 90/00
G06Q 30/00
G06Q 20/00
G06F 17/30

US Classification:

705 10, 705400, 705 1453

Abstract:

Disclosed are apparatus and methods for pricing on-line advertisement inventory. In one embodiment, a method for pricing on-line advertisement inventory includes (i) forecasting a delivery cost for delivering a plurality of deliverable impressions to meet a guaranteed delivery contract for a particular advertising product; and (ii) determining a target price for a guaranteed delivery contract for such particular advertising product by adjusting the delivery cost based on one or more changes in one or more conditions of a supply and demand market.