Offline Simulation for Content Selection Parameter Testing

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional A/B testing for content selection processes in online systems is computationally expensive and time-consuming, requiring weeks to gather sufficient results for even limited parameter testing.

Innovation Solution

An online concierge system performs offline simulations to test configurable content selection parameters, deriving simulated output metrics to select optimal parameters, thereby reducing the need for extensive online testing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional A/B testing is used to test content selection parameters, then reliable performance metrics can be obtained, but the testing process becomes computationally expensive and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperformance metrics reliabilityVSAvoidtesting time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary offline simulations of the content selection process using historical data before deploying parameter changes to live traffic. This preliminary action allows the system to predict performance metrics and select optimal parameters in advance, reducing the need for extensive A/B testing and thereby reducing testing time while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a simulated environment that copies the content selection process using historical data and modeling. This virtual copy allows for rapid experimentation and evaluation of different parameters without affecting live operations, enabling fast iteration and reducing the time required for reliable parameter selection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Measurement precision

If conventional A/B testing is used to test content selection parameters, then accurate performance evaluation is achieved, but computational resources are heavily consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperformance evaluation accuracyVSAvoidcomputational resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a simulated environment that copies the content selection process using historical data and modeling. This virtual copy allows for rapid experimentation and evaluation of different parameters without affecting live operations, enabling fast iteration and reducing the time required for reliable parameter selection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary offline simulations of the content selection process using historical data before deploying parameter changes to live traffic. This preliminary action allows the system to predict performance metrics and select optimal parameters in advance, reducing the need for extensive A/B testing and thereby reducing testing time while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20240428324A1Offline simulation to test an effect of a configurable parameter used by a content delivery system

Publication Date: 2024.12.26 MAPLEBEAR INC

AI summary

An online concierge system includes a content selection simulation module that performs offline simulations of a content selection process to enable rapid testing of various content selection parameters. The content selection simulation module obtains historical content selection data including content delivery opportunities and candidate content items associated with those content delivery opportunities. The content selection simulation module simulates the filtering, ranking, and auction stages of a content selection process using a set of configurable content selection parameters that affects selection of a winning content item and price. The winning content items from the simulation may be used to compute performance metrics associated with the configured content selection parameters. Different content selection parameters may be compared to determine an effect of changes to the parameters.