Systems and methods for automatically managing placement of content slots in an information resource

Abstract

At least one aspect is directed to a method of a method of automatically managing placement of content slots in an information resource. The method includes a data processing system receiving, from a computing device, a request for content and, in response, transmitting a content slot insertion script to the computing device. The content slot insertion script, when executed, can cause the computing device to identify one or more Document Object Model (DOM) elements included in the DOM tree of the information resource and determine one or more candidate third-party content placement locations according to a third-party content placement policy. The second plurality of computer-executable instructions, when executed on the computing device, can also cause the computing device to select, from the candidate third-party content placement locations, a third-party content placement location in the DOM tree and display a third-party content item at the selected ad placement location.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for automatic placement of content slots in information resources, comprising:
 receiving, by a data processing system including one or more processors, from a computing device, a request for an information resource;   transmitting, by the data processing system, responsive to the request for content, the information resource to the computing device for display thereon, the information resource including computer program instructions, which when executed on the computing device, cause the computing device to automatically:
 determine a third-party content placement location within content of the information resource; and 
 insert, within the information resource, a computer code corresponding to a third-party content slot, the computer code when executed by the computing device causes the computing device to request and display a third-party content item at the third-party content placement location. 
   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the computer code includes dimension information of the third-party content slot. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the computer program instructions are executed by a client application running on the computing device, the client application sending the request for the information resource. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the computer program instructions include HyperText Markup Language (HTML) instructions, Extensible HyperText Markup Language (XHTML) instructions, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) instructions, JavaScript instructions. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the third-party content placement location is arranged between two text regions of the information resource. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the computer program instructions, when executed on the computing device, cause the computing device to automatically:
 determine a plurality of third-party content placement locations within content of the information resource; and   insert, within the information resource, computer codes corresponding to a plurality of third-party content slots, the computer codes when executed by the computing device cause the computing device to request and display a plurality of third-party content items at the plurality of third-party content placement locations.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the computer program instructions, when executed on the computing device, further cause the computing device to:
 identify a number of existing third-party content slots to be displayed in the information resource received by the computing device;   determine that the number of existing third-party content slots is less than a predetermined number of third-party content placements; and   responsive to determining that the number of existing third-party content slots is less than the predetermined number of third-party content slots, insert the computer code corresponding to the third-party content slot in the information resource received by the computing device.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the computer program instructions, when executed on the computing device, cause the computing device to automatically determine the third-party content placement location according to a third-party content placement policy. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the third-party content placement policy includes one or more rules for identifying candidate third-party content placement locations, the rules based on dimensions of content objects of the information resource. 
     
     
         30 . A system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory storing computer program instructions, the computer program instructions when executed by the processor cause the system to:   receive, from a computing device, a request for an information resource;   transmit, by the data processing system, responsive to the request for content, the information resource to the computing device for display thereon, the information resource including computer program instructions, which when executed on the computing device, cause the computing device to automatically:
 determine a third-party content placement location within content of the information resource; and 
 insert, within the information resource, a computer code corresponding to a third-party content slot, the computer code when executed by the computing device causes the computing device to request and display a third-party content item at the third-party content placement location. 
   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the computer code includes dimension information of the third-party content slot. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the computer program instructions are executed by a client application running on the computing device, the client application sending the request for the information resource. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the computer program instructions include HyperText Markup Language (HTML) instructions, Extensible HyperText Markup Language (XHTML) instructions, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) instructions, JavaScript instructions. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the third-party content placement location is arranged between two text regions of the information resource. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the computer program instructions, when executed on the computing device, cause the computing device to automatically:
 determine a plurality of third-party content placement locations within content of the information resource; and   insert, within the information resource, computer codes corresponding to a plurality of third-party content slots, the computer codes when executed by the computing device cause the computing device to request and display a plurality of third-party content items at the plurality of third-party content placement locations.   
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the computer program instructions, when executed on the computing device, further cause the computing device to:
 identify a number of existing third-party content slots to be displayed in the information resource received by the computing device;   determine that the number of existing third-party content slots is less than a predetermined number of third-party content placements; and   responsive to determining that the number of existing third-party content slots is less than the predetermined number of third-party content slots, insert the computer code corresponding to the third-party content slot in the information resource received by the computing device.   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the computer program instructions, when executed on the computing device, cause the computing device to automatically determine the third-party content placement location according to a third-party content placement policy. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the third-party content placement policy includes one or more rules for identifying candidate third-party content placement locations, the rules based on dimensions of content objects of the information resource. 
     
     
         39 . A non-transitory computer storage medium comprising computer program instructions stored thereon, the computer program instructions when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:
 receive, from a computing device, a request for an information resource;   transmit, by the data processing system, responsive to the request for content, the information resource to the computing device for display thereon, the information resource including computer program instructions, which when executed on the computing device, cause the computing device to automatically:
 determine a third-party content placement location within content of the information resource; and 
 insert, within the information resource, a computer code corresponding to a third-party content slot, the computer code when executed by the computing device causes the computing device to request and display a third-party content item at the third-party content placement location. 
   
     
     
         40 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 39 , wherein the third-party content placement location is arranged between two text regions of the information resource.