System and method for positioning sponsored content in a social network interface

US10679304B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC · US

Inventors

• Lihong Pei · Silver Bay, US
• Kai Wei · Hangzhou City, CN
• Nihar N. Mehta · Mountain View, US
• Ashvin Kannan · Redwood City, US
• Deepak Agarwal · Manesar, IN
• Guangyu Dong · Santa Clara, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 31, 2014
• Grant date: Jun 9, 2020
• Expiry date: Jul 5, 2034

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04L67/75
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A system and method may optional include or utilize a processor configured to receive a request for social network content for display in a sponsored content position in a newsfeed of a social network interface, the position having a position criterion, identify a sponsored content item of multiple sponsored content items stored on a database based, at least in part, on a characteristic of the sponsored content item meeting the position criterion, a bid associated with the sponsored content item, and a scaling factor, wherein each of the sponsored content items correspond to one of multiple item types and at least two of the sponsored content items are of a different item type. The scaling factor for each of the sponsored content items is based on the item type of the corresponding one of the sponsored content items.