Ad matching system and method thereof

Abstract

A system reducing the number of default ads displayed by a user agent thereby maximizing revenue for webpage publishers. To maximize revenue, the system manages multiple ad networks so that webpage publishers can have access to advertisements from the multiple ad networks. Typically, when an ad network serves a default ad, the system queries the next ad network. If the next ad network serves a non-default ad, then the ad is served. Otherwise, the system selects another ad network until either a non-default ad is served or a specific period of time elapses or a maximum number of ad networks have been queried, in which case the default ad is served. Ad networks may be ranked by revenue generation and/or the probability of serving a default ad. Inquiries to ad networks may be biased according to such rankings.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for reducing default ads, the method comprising:
 requesting, by a computer system comprising hardware, ad network tags from an ad engine until a qualified ad is received, wherein a qualified ad is a non-default ad or is a default ad received after a specified maximum number of requests;   for a given ad network tag requested from the ad engine:
 querying over a network for an ad from an ad network associated with the ad network tag; 
 receiving over the network the ad from the ad network based on the query; 
 if the ad uses an IFrame default tag, storing the ad within a cookie; 
 if the ad uses a JavaScript default tag, storing the ad within an object; and 
   when the ad uses IFrame or JavaScript default tags and a specified maximum number of ad networks have not been queried, requesting over the network another ad network tag from the ad engine and passing any cookies or objects to the ad engine.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the ad engine keeps track of which ad networks have been queried through the cookies or objects. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the ad engine eliminates requests to ad networks known to serve ads using default tags. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the specified maximum number of ad networks is five. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising reporting on how many ad networks having been queried. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising calculating how many times a default ad was avoided and reporting information corresponding to the calculation of how many times a default ad was avoided. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein a default ad is a low paying ad. 
     
     
         8 . A system, comprising:
 a network interface configured to communicate over a network;   a computing system comprising one or more computing devices; and
 a computer storage system comprising a non-transitory storage device, said computer storage system having stored thereon executable program instructions that direct the computing system to at least:
 request, using the network interface, ad network tags from an ad engine until a qualified ad is received, wherein a qualified ad is a non-default ad or is a default ad received after a specified maximum number of requests; 
 for a given ad network tag requested from the ad engine:
 request, using the network interface, an ad associated with the ad network tag; 
 receive, using the network interface, the ad based on the query; 
 determine if the received ad uses a default tag; 
 in response to a determination that the ad uses a default tag, store the ad within a cookie or object; 
 
 in response to a determination that the ad uses a default tag and a specified maximum number of ad systems have not been queried:
 request, using the network interface, another ad network tag from the ad engine; and 
 provide, using the network interface, one or more cookies or objects storing previously received ads over the network to the ad engine. 
 
 
   
     
     
         9 . The system as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the executable program instructions are further configured to direct the computing system to report on how many ad networks having been queried. 
     
     
         10 . The system as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the executable program instructions are further configured to direct the computing system to:
 calculate how many times a default ad was avoided; and   report information corresponding to the calculation of how many times a default ad was avoided.   
     
     
         11 . The system as defined in  claim 8 , wherein a first default ad is a non-paying ad. 
     
     
         12 . The system as defined in  claim 8 , wherein a first default ad is a low-paying ad. 
     
     
         13 . The system as defined in  claim 8 , wherein a first default ad comprises an iFrame default tag. 
     
     
         14 . The system as defined in  claim 8 , wherein a first default ad comprises a JavaScript default tag. 
     
     
         15 . The system as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the system comprises a mobile phone. 
     
     
         16 . A computer-implemented method for reducing default ads, the method comprising:
 requesting, by a computer system comprising hardware, ad network tags from an ad engine until a qualified ad is received, wherein a qualified ad is a non-default ad or is a default ad received after a specified maximum number of requests;   for a given ad network tag requested from the ad engine:
 requesting over a network an ad associated with the ad network tag; 
 receiving over the network the ad based on the query; 
 determining if the received ad uses a default tag; 
 in response to determining that the ad uses a default tag, storing the ad within a cookie or object; 
   in response to determining that the ad uses a default tag and a specified maximum number of ad systems have not been queried:
 requesting over the network another ad network tag from the ad engine; and 
 passing one or more cookies or objects storing previously received ads over the network to the ad engine. 
   
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 16 , wherein the computer system comprises a user agent. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 16 , wherein the computer system comprises a mobile phone and the ad is a mobile ad. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 16 , wherein the computer system comprises a mobile phone, a personal computer, or a personal digital assistant. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 16 , wherein the ad engine is configured to make determinations regarding default ads. 
     
     
         21 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 16 , wherein the request for an ad associated with the ad network tag is transmitted to an ad network. 
     
     
         22 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 16 , wherein the ad engine keeps track of which ad networks have been queried through the cookies or objects. 
     
     
         23 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 16 , wherein the ad engine eliminates requests to ad networks known to serve ads using default tags. 
     
     
         24 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 16 , further comprising reporting on how many ad networks having been queried. 
     
     
         25 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 16 , further comprising calculating how many times a default ad was avoided and reporting information corresponding to the calculation of how many times a default ad was avoided. 
     
     
         26 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions that when executed by a system including at least one computing device cause the system to perform operations comprising:
 request ad network tags from an ad engine until a qualified ad is received, wherein a qualified ad is a non-default ad or is a default ad received after a specified maximum number of requests;   for a given ad network tag requested from the ad engine:
 request over a network an ad associated with the ad network tag; 
 receive over the network the ad based on the query; 
 determine if the received ad uses a default tag; 
 in response to a determination that the ad uses a default tag, store the ad within a cookie or object; 
   in response to a determination that the ad uses a default tag and a specified maximum number of ad systems have not been queried:
 request over the network another ad network tag from the ad engine; and 
 pass one or more cookies or objects storing previously received ads over the network to the ad engine. 
   
     
     
         27 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 26 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 a calculation as to how many times a default ad was avoided; and   generation of a report that reports information corresponding to the calculation of how many times a default ad was avoided.