Sponsored Resource Download Cost Offset System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users accessing the internet through metered networks face uncertainties in data transfer costs, leading to reluctance in accessing resources due to potential high charges, especially on mobile networks where data rate charges can be restrictive.
Innovation Solution
A method that determines the transmission cost of loading resources over a metered network and identifies sponsored content items to offset these costs, providing users with labels indicating reduced costs, allowing for partial or complete sponsorship of data transfers by publishers and advertisers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If users access Internet resources through metered networks, then they can obtain information and resources, but they face uncertainties in data transfer costs leading to reluctance in accessing resources
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by calculating and displaying cost estimates before the user actually downloads or accesses the resource. The proxy server determines the size of the resource and calculates the associated data transfer cost in advance, presenting this information to the user prior to the transaction, allowing informed decision-making about resource access.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by providing cost information back to the user after they select a resource but before completion of the download. The label displaying estimated cost and size serves as feedback that allows users to adjust their behavior based on cost considerations, potentially selecting different resources or being aware of the financial impact of their choices.
2Loss of energy
If sponsors pay for presentation of content items, then publishers can offset transmission costs, but the system complexity increases due to bid management and sponsorship matching
Solution Approach 1:
The proxy server acts as an intermediary between sponsors, publishers, and users. It receives bid information from sponsors, matches them with appropriate publishing opportunities, calculates cost offsets, and manages the sponsorship relationships. This intermediary role simplifies the overall system by centralizing the complex matching and calculation logic in one component rather than requiring direct interactions between multiple parties.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes parameter changes by adjusting the effective cost of resource transmission based on sponsorship bids. The transmission cost is not fixed but varies depending on the bid amount provided by sponsors. This dynamic parameter adjustment allows the system to optimize resource allocation while managing complexity through standardized calculation rules.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, and including a method for providing content. The method comprises receiving a request from a mobile device to load a resource and determining a transmission cost for loading the resource over a metered network. The method further comprises identifying sponsored content items for delivery with the resource, the sponsored content items being included in slots for presentation along with third-party content associated with the resource, each sponsored content item having an associated bid that represents an amount that will be paid by the sponsor for presentation of a given sponsored content item. The method further comprises determining a credit to be awarded toward load costs based on the bid, and providing a label that indicates a reduced cost to load the resource when a load of a resource is partially or entirely sponsored based on the credit.