Search engine

Abstract

The present invention provides for a method of updating an internet search engine database with the results of a user's selection of specific web page listings from the general web page listing provided to the user as a result of his initial keyword search entry. By updating the database with the selections of many different users, the database can be updated to prioritize those web listings that have been selected the most with respect to a given keyword, and thereby presenting first the most popular web page listings in a subsequent search using the same keyword search entry.

1 . A method of determining which one content to electronically display on a computer screen to one user from among a plurality of different contents provided by content providers, the method comprising: 
 receiving at said computer a bid amount from each of said plurality of content providers, said bid amount corresponding to a value for displaying a piece of content that each of said content providers associate with one or more of at least one search keyword and at least one profile of a group of users;    receiving at said computer a maximum bid payment amount from at least one of said plurality of content providers, said maximum bid payment amount indicating a threshold value which a content provider is not prepared to pay for content to be displayed to said user in association with one or more of a search keyword and a profile;    correlating all the bid amounts to determine which one content has the highest percentage amount for each of the one or more different search keywords and profiles;    calculating a content value for each of the one or more different search keywords and profiles from an average of bid amounts received;    removing from consideration bids from content providers which have a maximum bid payment amount less than the content value calculated;    receiving at said computer at least one search keyword from one user; and    transmitting to the one user one piece of content wherein said content to be transmitted is selected so that consecutive transmissions of content from all providers are made proportionally to the percentage amount bid by each content provider for the profile or search keyword received from users.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the content value calculated is based on a period of time during which a search keyword may be received from a user.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the content value calculated is based on a number of previous transmissions of said search keyword from at least one user.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving at said computer additional bid amounts for said particular keyword and or profile;    recorrelating the bid amounts and the additional bid amounts to determine an updated percentage amount that each content providers content will be electronically displayed to users; and    displaying each piece of content based in part upon the updated percentage amount.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said updated percentage amount is based on a period of time during which said search keyword may be received from a user.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said updated percentage amount is based on a number of transmissions of said search keyword from a user.  
     
     
         7 . A program storage device readable by a machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for determining which one content to electronically display on a computer screen to one user from among a plurality of different contents provided by content providers, the method comprising: 
 receiving at said computer a bid amount from each of said plurality of content providers, said bid amount corresponding to a value for displaying a piece of content that each of said content providers associate with one or more of at least one search keyword and at least one profile of a group of users;    receiving at said computer a maximum bid payment amount from at least one of said plurality of content providers, said maximum bid payment amount indicating a threshold value which a content provider is not prepared to pay for content to be displayed to said user in association with one or more of a search keyword and a profile;    correlating all the bid amounts to determine which one content has the highest percentage amount for each of the one or more different search keywords and profiles;    calculating a content value for each of the one or more different search keywords and profiles from an average of bid amounts received;    removing from consideration bids from content providers which have a maximum bid payment amount less than the content value calculated;    receiving at said computer at least one search keyword from one user; and    transmitting to the one user one piece of content wherein said content to be transmitted is selected so that consecutive transmissions of content from all providers are made proportionally to the percentage amount bid by each content provider for the profile or search keyword received from users.    
     
     
         8 . The program storage device of  claim 7  wherein the content value calculated is based on a period of time during which a search keyword may be received from a user.  
     
     
         9 . The program storage device of  claim 7  wherein the content value calculated is based on a number of previous transmissions of said search keyword from at least one user.  
     
     
         10 . The program storage device of  claim 7 , said method further comprising: 
 receiving at said computer additional bid amounts for said particular keyword and or profile;    recorrelating the bid amounts and the additional bid amounts to determine an updated percentage amount that each content providers content will be electronically displayed to users; and    displaying each piece of content based in part upon the updated percentage amount.    
     
     
         11 . The program storage device of  claim 10  wherein said updated percentage amount is based on a period of time during which said search keyword may be received from a user.  
     
     
         12 . The program storage device of  claim 10  wherein said updated percentage amount is based on a number of transmissions of said search keyword from a user.  
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for determining which one content to electronically display on a computer screen to one user from among a plurality of different contents provided by content providers, the apparatus comprising: 
 means for receiving a bid amount from each of said plurality of content providers, said bid amount corresponding to a value for displaying a piece of content that each of said content providers associate with one or more of at least one search keyword and at least one profile of a group of users;    means for receiving a maximum bid payment amount from at least one of said plurality of content providers, said maximum bid payment amount indicating a threshold value which a content provider is not prepared to pay for content to be displayed to said user in association with one or more of a search keyword and a profile;    means for correlating all the bid amounts to determine which one content has the highest percentage amount for each of the one or more different search keywords and profiles;    means for calculating a content value for each of the one or more different search keywords and profiles from an average of bid amounts received;    means for removing from consideration bids from content providers which have a maximum bid payment amount less than the content value calculated;    means for receiving at least one search keyword from one user; and    means for transmitting to the one user one piece of content wherein said content to be transmitted is selected so that consecutive transmissions of content from all providers are made proportionally to the percentage amount bid by each content provider for the profile or search keyword received from users.    
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the content value calculated is based on a period of time during which a search keyword may be received from a user.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the content value calculated is based on a number of previous transmissions of said search keyword from at least one user.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 means for receiving additional bid amounts for said particular keyword and or profile;    means for recorrelating the bid amounts and the additional bid amounts to determine an updated percentage amount that each content providers content will be electronically displayed to users; and    means for displaying each piece of content based in part upon the updated percentage amount.    
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein said updated percentage amount is based on a period of time during which said search keyword may be received from a user.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein said updated percentage amount is based on a number of transmissions of said search keyword from a user.  
     
     
         19 . An apparatus for determining which one content to electronically display on a computer screen to one user from among a plurality of different contents provided by content providers, the apparatus comprising: 
 a memory for storing sequences of coded program instructions; and    a microprocessor configured to execute said sequences of coded program instructions to:    receive at said computer a bid amount from each of said plurality of content providers, said bid amount corresponding to a value for displaying a piece of content that each of said content providers associate with one or more of at least one search keyword and at least one profile of a group of users;    receive at said computer a maximum bid payment amount from at least one of said plurality of content providers, said maximum bid payment amount indicating a threshold value which a content provider is not prepared to pay for content to be displayed to said user in association with one or more of a search keyword and a profile;    correlate all the bid amounts to determine which one content has the highest percentage amount for each of the one or more different search keywords and profiles;    calculate a content value for each of the one or more different search keywords and profiles from an average of bid amounts received;    remove from consideration bids from content providers which have a maximum bid payment amount less than the content value calculated;    receive at said computer at least one search keyword from one user; and    transmit to the one user one piece of content wherein said content to be transmitted is selected so that consecutive transmissions of content from all providers are made proportionally to the percentage amount bid by each content provider for the profile or search keyword received from users.    
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said microprosessor is further configured to calculate said content value based on a period of time during which a search keyword may be received from a user.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said microprocessor is further configured to calculate said content value based on a number of previous transmissions of said search keyword from at least one user.  
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said microprocessor is further configured to: 
 receive additional bid amounts for said particular keyword and or profile;    recorrelate the bid amounts and the additional bid amounts to determine an updated percentage amount that each content providers content will be electronically displayed to users; and    display each piece of content based in part upon the updated percentage amount.    
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein said microprocessor is further configured to base said updated percentage amount on a period of time during which said search keyword may be received from a user.  
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein said microprocessor is further configured to base said updated percentage amount on a number of transmissions of said search keyword from a user.