Combinenet, Inc.

Harvard College

Yahoo! Inc.

Sciquest, Inc.

Yeast, LLC

Nift Networks, Inc.

David Christopher Parkes

Tuomas Sandholm

Subhash Suri

Robert L Shields, Jr

David L Levine

Vincent Conitzer

Yuri V Smirnov

Craig Edgar Boutilier

Richard James McKenzie

Christopher Cole

Jason J Brown

Benjamin Schmaus

Luc H Mercier

Sihem Amer-Yahia

Michael O Rabin

Christopher A Thorpe

David Myer Pennock

William E Walsh

Brent Aaron Romagnolo

Stuart M Shieber

Elery Pfeffer

Sebastien Lahaie

George L Nemhauser

Systems and methods are described for evaluating and optimizing media content. A computer system for evaluating media content includes an input interface configured to receive a media content for evaluation by users in an online community, a media content presenter configured to present the media content to the users in the online community for evaluation, an informative signal monitor configured to gather informative signals relating to the media content from the users in the online community, a media content analyzer configured to evaluate the media content based on the informative signals from the users and generate an analysis result relating to the media content, and an incentive calculator configured to determine an incentive to one of the users in the online community based on the informative signals from the one of the users.

System and method for evaluating and optimizing media content

A gift exchange platform assigns gifts to individuals in a network of businesses. Each of the businesses offers a set of gifts available for assigning by other businesses or individuals. The gift assignment system receives the set of offered gifts and gift transaction data describing the gifts in a time interval. A fairness score for each business is calculated based on the comparison of the inbound and outbound scores of the business reflecting the value provided by the business and received by the business of gifts. A request is received from a business, individual or an automated gift system to assign a gift to an individual. A gift and a gift offering business are assigned to an individual based on the fairness score of the assigned business. The gift assignment further accounts for an expected value of an individual to the business on redemption of the gift by the individual.

Gift exchange platform

In a computer-implemented method of contract execution, data about contracts is stored in a computer storage accessible to a processor of a computer along with data about a procurement plan and data about a purchase request that includes information about a first quantity of at least one good or service. The processor determines a second quantity of the one good or service and a second contract against which to complete the purchase request based on the procurement plan, the data about the contracts, at least one purchase made against one of the contracts, a trigger condition and associated effect, and the quantity of at least one good or service. In response to the second contract and the second quantity being approved, the processor causes a purchase order for the second quantity of the one good or service to be placed to the supplier associated with the second contract.

System and method for contract execution against expressive contracts

A method and apparatus are provided for administering a bidding language for online advertising. In one example, the method includes providing an expressive bidding language that allows an advertiser to specify an ad campaign in a tree structure, receiving the ad campaign that is written in the expressive bidding language, translating the ad campaign into scripts, and using the scripts to access appropriate inventory from an ad inventory database.

Method and apparatus for administering a bidding language for online advertising

In a computer-implemented method of determining an abstraction of a plurality of differentiated goods available for exchange, data regarding each differentiated good is stored in a computer storage, wherein the data regarding each differentiated good includes an attribute value assigned to at least one attribute of the differentiated good. A processor of a computer determines a first abstraction of the plurality of differentiated goods based on the stored data. The first abstraction includes at least one abstract good. Each abstract good includes one or more differentiated goods. At least one abstract good of the first abstraction includes at least two distinct differentiated goods. The processor determines for each abstract good a specification for the abstract good based on the data regarding one or more differentiated goods forming the abstract good. The processor stores in the computer storage the specification determined for each abstract good.

Automated channel abstraction for advertising auctions

In a computer-implemented method of conducting expressive payment reconciliation, a purchase transaction is stored in a computer storage accessible to a processor. The processor identifies a contract against which the purchase transaction is made and a first payment amount for the purchase transaction. Contract data is stored in the computer storage and the processor determines a second payment amount for the purchase transaction based on at least one good or service associated with the purchase transaction and the data about the contract. In response to a difference in the first and second payments, the processor either stores computer storage a modified invoice with a modified payment amount, stores in the computer storage a reconciliation payment equal to the payment difference; outputs over a computer network an explanation of the modified payment; or outputs over a computer network a dispute notification.

System and method for payment reconciliation against expressive contracts

In a combinatorial exchange, rules can be input for processing bids and a desired exchange objective can be defined. A subset of the rules can be used to determine if an allocation of the bids exists that is optimal for the type of exchange being conducted. If the desired exchange objective is not satisfied, new allocations can be determined using different subsets of rules each time until the desired exchange objective is satisfied. At least one of the bids can include a reference ratio; a discount; a price associated with a quantity Qof a first item; a price associated with a quantity Qof a second item; and a rule that causes said discount to be applied to an average price of Qand an average price of Qfor each instance of the allocated quantity Qover the allocated quantity Qthat equals the reference ratio.

Items ratio based price/discount adjustment in a combinatorial auction

In a combinatorial exchange, rules can be input for processing bids and a desired exchange objective can be defined. A subset of the rules can be used to determine if an allocation of the bids exists that is optimal for the type of exchange being conducted. If the desired exchange objective is not satisfied, new allocations can be determined using different subsets of rules each time until the desired exchange objective is satisfied. Trigger bid groups and/or rules associated with trigger values can be used to determine whether to apply modification or discounts to bids. Item and bid groups can be partitioned into groups for the purpose of smoothing requirements. Trigger bid groups, rules associated with trigger values, item groups, and bid groups can be used for adjusting or constraining bids based on triggers, logical connectives, and adjustments.

Bid modification based on logical connections between trigger groups in a combinatorial exchange

In a combinatorial exchange, a set of rules can be input for processing of bids received in connection with the exchange. At least one bid can be received from each of a plurality of exchange participants and a desired exchange objective can be defined. A determination can be made as a function of a subset of the rules if an allocation of the bids exists that is optimal for the type of exchange being conducted. If the desired exchange objective is not satisfied, the step of determining an allocation is repeated utilizing a different subset of rules each time until the desired exchange objective is satisfied. It can be determined if the exchange is overconstrained and, if so, rules can be relaxed. Also or alternatively, the demand for a quantity of an item can be increased or decreased based on the average cost of the item.

Overconstraint detection, rule relaxation and demand reduction in a combinatorial exchange

In a live, expressive combinatorial exchange, each of plural bidders can submit a bid. Based on the submitted bids, an allocation of the bids is determined that is optimal for the type of exchange being conducted. At least a portion of each bid of the allocation is displayed to each bidder of a first subset of the bidders that has at least one bid that is not included in the allocation. Each bidder of a subset of the first subset of bidders can then amend one or more of their existing bids or submit a new bid that is considered the next time the allocation is determined. The process of feeding back at least a portion of each bid of the allocation, submitting new bids or amendments to existing bids, and determining a new allocation based on all of the submitted bids continues until a predetermined condition is satisfied.

Dynamic exchange method and apparatus

A system and method for conducting verifiably correct auctions that preserves the secrecy of the bids while providing for verifiable correctness and trustworthiness of the auction is disclosed. Some of the elements of the method and apparatus are that the auction operator accepts all bids submitted and follows the published rules of the auction. In one embodiment, the bids are maintained secret from the auctioneer and all bidders until the auction closes and no bidder is able to change or repudiate her bid. In another embodiment, the auction operator computes the auction results and publishes proofs of the results' correctness. In yet another embodiment, any party can check these proofs of correctness via publicly verifiable computations on encrypted bids.

Practical secrecy-preserving, verifiably correct and trustworthy auctions

In a combinatorial exchange, a set of rules can be input for processing of bids received in connection with the exchange. At least one bid can be received from each of a plurality of exchange participants and a desired exchange objective can be defined. A determination can be made as a function of a subset of the rules if an allocation of the bids exists that is optimal for the type of exchange being conducted. If the desired exchange objective is not satisfied, the step of determining an allocation is repeated utilizing a different subset of rules each time until the desired exchange objective is satisfied.

Method and apparatus for conducting a dynamic exchange

In a live, expressive combinatorial exchange, each of a plurality of bidders can submit a bid. Based on the submitted bids, an allocation of the bids is determined that is optimal for the type of exchange being conducted. At least a portion of each bid of the allocation is displayed to each bidder of a first subset of the bidders that has at least one bid that is not included in the allocation. Each bidder of a subset of the first subset of bidders can then amend one or more of their existing bids or submit a new bid that is considered the next time the allocation is determined. The process of feeding back at least a portion of each bid of the allocation, submitting new bids or amendments to existing bids, and determining a new allocation based on all of the submitted bids continues until a predetermined condition is satisfied.

Growing community of inventors

Cambridge, MA, United States of America

David Christopher Parkes