Google secures India patent for method to determine ad-spot value
Through the patent, Google will be in a position to protect the invention that enables the company to offer flexible advertising system which allows advertisers with different value propositions to express the same in the advertising system.
By Sajan C Kumar
Search engine major Google Inc has secured an Indian patent for an invention regarding a method that could help online advertisers with different value propositions in finding ad-spots in an advertising network, in a more simplified manner.
The invention which relates to online advertising, help the advertising eco-system to allow different advertisers to compete against one another for various ad spots. Through the patent, Google will be in a position to protect the invention that enables the company to offer flexible advertising system which allows advertisers with different value propositions to express the same in the advertising system.
The Chennai patent office, although raised some objections regarding the patentability of the invention, especially on the aspects of novelty and inventive step, however, has ordered the grant of patent, after being satisfied with the amended claims. The company argued that the methods are purely performed by interaction of various hardware components, where the claimed technical features have a technical contribution on a process which is carried on outside the computer with the change in functionality of hardware.
Google contended that such steps with identified physical entities cannot be mere computer programme per se and mere statement. It was submitted that the present invention is clearly a patentable invention in this regard when the claims are properly assessed as a whole while taking into consideration all the features.
According to a patent document filed by the company, an advertiser may express various value propositions using various types of offers, such as offers per impression, selection, conversion and some other user event.
Illustrating the concept, the Google document narrated the case of three advertisers who represent three different segments and who have different value propositions. Assuming that the representative of first segment, advertiser NIKE is primarily interested in building their brand and is most interested in impressions on recognizable publisher websites that they know their target audience visits. The second segment, advertiser WINZIP, is primarily interested in getting users to download and install their software which is available from the landing page of their ad. The third segment, advertiser BOOKCLUB wants users to buy books from their website and is willing to share specific conversion data when purchases are made.
“Thus, from the perspective of an advertising network, NIKE reports a very non-specific value, perhaps because it expects impressions to lead to conversions that it cannot track effectively. WINZIP concerns itself with more specific value, that is, clicks. BOOKCLUB focuses on the most specific value, that is, actual purchases by the user,” the document said.
Google said that it would be useful if such an improved advertising network allowed different advertisers with different value propositions to be able to directly express their value propositions. At the same time, it would be useful if such an improved system would allow advertisers to choose the level of detail at which they wish to express their value.
