Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Hubpages, Inc.

Paul Deeds

Frank Flannery

Rolf W Kaiser

Geoffrey R Stanfield

Jeremy D F Hinman

Wei Wei Ada Cho

Todd San Jule

Saar Picker

Samuel D Clement

Christian Eric Schrock

James Reitz

David Revelli

David Rivelli

In one embodiment, a selection process executing in an optimizing engine is invoked as users are presented with web pages that include ad content. The selection process provides an initial population of sets of characteristics that specify an initial generation of layouts of ads for the pages. The characteristics can include anything that affects an ads appearance on the display. For example, ad type, position within a web page, color, size, text font, animation, etc. can be specified. Statistics are obtained as to each ad or page layout's performance or impact on the user, such as revenue obtained from ads in the layout, how many user's click an ad, how long users view an ad, etc. Once a large enough sample of user impacts is obtained a second population of sets of characteristics is created to improve the overall performance of the initial population. In a preferred embodiment, genetic computational procedures are used to create each population and to create new characteristic sets and remove underperforming sets.

Optimizing electronic display of advertising content

A method for linking related data, such as metadata, from at least two data sources. The method includes formatting items of data of the data sources according to attributes. The method also executes a scoring algorithm for one or more of the attributes to generate a score for one or more sets of the formatted items of data, each of the sets includes an item of data from one data source and an item of data from another data source. Finally the method identifies related items of data of the separate data sources based upon the generated scores to facilitate linking related data of the two data sources. The method may also provide a link between data items of the data sources.

Methods, computer readable mediums and systems for linking related data from at least two data sources based upon a scoring algorithm

Matching metadata for sporting events with television program listing data. A global sports format enables the import of sports metadata from various providers. The metadata is interlinked with the television program listing data via configurable match rules or criteria. An enhanced electronic programming guide is created to display, to a user, the interlinked metadata.

Interlinking sports and television program listing metadata

A method and apparatus are provided for classification of information and using the classification information in search and retrieval of information. In one embodiment, musical compositions having various highly subjective characteristics and features are classified according to a schema of objective attributes that are associated with the characteristics and features. Categorizers carry out the classification and create and store attribute information in a database. A search and retrieval system can receive information that characterizes the features of a desired composition and can locate a matching composition. As a result, information having subjective characteristics, such as musical compositions, may be compared and similar musical compositions can be located.

Classification and use of classifications in searching and retrieval of information

Classification of information and use of classifications in searching and retrieval of information

A method of determining a numerical value of similarity as between a pair of artists is set forth. In the method, for each artist, a list of artist style values is calculated, where each artist style value is representative of a style of the artist and a weight of such style as exhibited by such artist. A set of style similarity values is also calculated, where each style similarity value sets forth a relative similarity as between two styles. Thereafter, based on the list of artist style values for each artist and the calculated set of style similarity values, a style list comparison similarity score is calculated to represent a relative similarity of the styles of the pair of artists.

Determining similarity between artists and works of artists

A system and methods for matching media entities to associate closely related media entities are provided. In connection with a system that convergently merges perceptual and digital signal processing analysis of media entities for purposes of classifying the media entities, various means are provided match media entities using aggregation and non-aggregation matching. In an illustrative implementation, various factors representative of inherent characteristics of the media entities are employed and processed to generate data sets having closely related and/or similarly situated media entities. Once a media matching is performed on a library of media entities, the results of the media match may be persisted for the user from experience to experience.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Paul Deeds