An ordering of advertisements requested by an ad consumer is based on scores generated for the ads. In each case, a score may be a function of at least one performance parameter associated with the ad. The ad consumer may generate presentation information (e.g., a Web page) including advertisements and non-advertisement content (e.g., search results) by (i) accepting the non-advertisement content and advertisements, each of the advertisements including a score, and (ii) combining the non-advertisement content and the advertisements such that relative placements of the advertisements are based on their associated scores.

A method comprising: obtaining a service point location, the service point location being associated with a logical identifier assigned to end-user equipment used in an attempt to make an online transaction; obtaining at least one authorized transaction point location, the at least one authorized transaction point location being associated with transaction object information provided via the end-user equipment; comparing the service point location to each of the at least one authorized transaction point location; and performing an action related to validation of the online transaction based on a result of the comparing. Also provided is an apparatus for implementing this method.

A generating apparatus generates a set of gain vectors with respect to a transition model having observable visible states and unobservable hidden states and expressing a transition from a present visible state to a subsequent visible state according to an action, the set of gain vectors being generated for each visible state and used for calculation of a cumulative expected gain at and after a reference point in time, the apparatus including a setting section for setting, with respect to each hidden state, a probability distribution over the hidden states for selection used to select vectors to be included in the set of gain vectors from the gain vectors including a component for a cumulative gain, and a selection section for including, in the set of gain vectors, with priority, the gain vector giving the maximum of the cumulative expected gain with respect to the probability distribution for selection.

A method for analyzing the performance of a company comprising providing predefined distinct industry types for selection; receiving the company's characteristics data comprising its selected distinct industry type (DIT) but not its identity; receiving its financial and operating data; and receiving selected filtering criteria. Then selecting peer records from a comparison database based on the filtering criteria, the peer record having the same DTT, selecting a global benchmark company record from the comparison database based on the global benchmark company record also having the same DTT. Then calculating the average financial and operating data of the selected peer records; performing a comparison between the financial and operating data of the company with the averaged data, and the corresponding data of the selected global benchmark company record. Then storing the characteristics data, financial and operating data of the company in a master database as a new peer record; and performing quality checks on the new peer record and storing the new peer record in the comparison database.

A method for enabling a user to view information filtered to align with the user's life state includes enabling the user to register and become a member of an information delivery system. The user provides the information about the user's life state. This information may include at least demographic information, ethnic information, social information and psychological information. The user may grant partners permission to access the information about the user's life. The granting of the permissions is performed and controlled by the user and may be limited to some information about the user's life. The partners are also members of the information delivery system. The partners are evaluated using a set of criteria before they become members of the information delivery system. The partners may use the information about the user's life to filter its information according to the information about the user's life. The method also enables the partner to participate in a marketplace to procure the information about the user's life, to rate the user according to the user's behavior, and to enable search engines to filter search results according to the information about the user's life.

Methods and systems for determining cumulative reach information. Duplicated watching habits of viewers in a designated market can be analyzed using campaign spot plans. The campaign spot plans can be applied to single viewer data to calculate campaign spot plan Television Average Ratings Points (TARP) pattern information. The TARP pattern information can be translated into reach information. Cumulative reach information can be determined using the reach information.

A method and apparatus of applying user profile information to a customized application are disclosed. One example method of operation may include receiving an inquiry from a user device at a customer call center server and identifying and authorizing the user from the received inquiry. The method may also provide retrieving a user profile from memory that includes history information based on previous interactions between the user device and the customer call center server and calculating a prediction as to a purpose for the inquiry. The prediction may be based on user profile history, social networking profile information, recent transactions, etc. The method may also provide transmitting a response to the inquiry based on the calculated prediction.

Provided are methods and systems for, in one aspect, managing content delivered to one or more devices. Methods may comprise receiving a first identifier associated with a user of content. The content may comprise one or more advertisement or placement opportunities. A second identifier may be determined based at least on the first identifier. The second identifier may be a perishable identifier configured to expire based on an event. The second identifier may be transmitted to an entity associated with an advertisement inventory, wherein the second identifier facilitates the targeted placement of one or more advertisements from the advertisement inventory without exposing the first identifier to the entity.

Systems and methods to determine the status of transmitted audio packets. The audio packets can include digital components that are presented by a client computing device. Based on presentation variables and determinations of presentation status, the system can generate a predictive model that can be used to dynamically determines presentation values of audio packets prior to their transmission to a client computing device.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for redacting data from a document collection generated for a set of documents that include personal information. The redaction of the data is based in part on a comparison of the document collection to a set of a personal documents of users for which the users have provided explicit approval to use in the processing of the document collection.