Single conversion advertisements

This specification describes technologies relating to content presentation. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include the actions of receiving ad information from a seller; generating, using one or more processors, a single conversion ad using the received ad information, where the single conversion ad has an available inventory of one such that only a single conversion of the ad can be performed; transmitting the single conversion ad to one or more potential buyers; receive an input from one of the one or more potential buyers; and notifying the seller of the user input. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, and computer program products.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to content presentation.

Advertisers provide advertisements in different forms in order to attract consumers. An advertisement (“ad”) is a piece of information designed to be used in whole or part by a user, for example, a particular consumer. Ads can be provided in electronic form. For example, online ads can be provided as banner ads on a web page, as ads presented with search results, or as ads presented in a mobile application.

One can refer to the inclusion of an ad in a medium, e.g., a webpage or a mobile application, as an impression. An advertising system can include an ad in a webpage, for example, in response to one or more keywords in a user search query input to a search engine. If a user selects the presented ad (e.g., by “clicking” the ad), the user is generally taken to another location associated with the ad, for example, to another, particular web page.

SUMMARY

This specification describes technologies relating to content presentation.

In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include the actions of receiving ad information from a seller; generating, using one or more processors, a single conversion ad using the received ad information, where the single conversion ad has an available inventory of one such that only a single conversion of the ad can be performed; transmitting the single conversion ad to one or more potential buyers; receive an input from one of the one or more potential buyers; and notifying the seller of the user input. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, and computer program products.

These and other embodiments can optionally include one or more of the following features. Receiving ad information includes receiving a description of the ad and seller contact information. The description of the ad includes user specified keywords. Receiving ad information includes receiving ad payment to be deducted according to one or more ad payment metrics. Any remaining portion of the ad payment is refunded to the seller after a conversion of the single conversion ad occurs. Generating the single conversion ad includes extracting keywords for use in ad targeting from the received ad information. Receiving an input from one of the potential buyers further includes: receiving a user selection of the ad; presenting seller contact options to the user; and receiving a user selection of a user contact option. Presenting seller contact options further includes determining temporal restrictions on contact information; and presenting seller contact information in compliance with the temporal restrictions.

Receiving an input from one of the potential buyers further includes: receiving a user selection of the ad; directing the user to a landing page including additional ad information and seller contact options; and receiving a user selection of a user contact option. Receiving an input from one of the potential buyers further includes receiving a user selection of the single conversion ad; presenting a bidding interface to the user; and receiving a user bid submission. Notifying the seller includes notifying the seller of the user's submitted bid. Notifying the seller includes routing a telephone call to the seller from the potential buyer. Notifying the seller includes routing an email to the seller from the potential buyer. The method further includes receiving user comments on the single conversion ad; providing the comments to the seller; and receiving seller input updating the single conversion ad. Presenting the single conversion ad to one or more potential buyers includes presenting the single conversion ad along with search results responsive to a relevant query. The method further includes presenting the single conversion ad to additional potential buyers until a conversion of the single conversion ad

In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include the actions of receiving a search query from a user; identifying one or more search results responsive to the search query; identifying, using one or more processors, a single conversion ad responsive to the search query; presenting the search results and single conversion ad to the user; receiving a user selection of the single conversion ad; and providing seller contact information to the user in response to the user selection. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, and computer program products.

The systems and techniques described here may provide one or more of the following advantages. Ads can be generated by users wishing to sell only one or a small amount of an item. Potential buyers can be provided with functionality to purchase, bid on, or contact the seller of an item. Additionally, ads can be efficiently selected so that they are only shown to potential buyers with whom the seller can interact.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Users can be presented with content items (e.g., ads). Content items can be displayed in various forms on a user device (e.g., a mobile phone, PDA, desktop computer). Different ways in which the user interacts with the content item can be counted as a conversion. For example, the user can click on the content item to reach a particular landing page, the user can buy a product from the landing page, or the user can interact with the content item in other ways. These conversions can be tracked in order to, for example, charge advertisers for the conversion.

In some implementation, a single conversion content item (e.g., a single conversion ad) can be presented. A single conversion content item is one that is converted only once. For example, a classified ad presented to sell a particular user item. When the single conversion content item for an item is selected by a potential buyer, the seller can be contacted to complete a transaction, the potential buyer can submit a bid, or additional information on the item can be provided. When the transaction is complete, the conversion can be logged and the content item withdrawn from presentation to potential buyers. Thus, the single conversion content item has an inventory of one item available for purchase by a user (e.g., resulting in a single conversion event).

In some alternative implementations, the content item can be a limited conversion content item having an specified inventory greater than one. For example, a user can have three of an item to sell. In this scenario, the content item is no longer presented once all items in the inventory have been sold (e.g., three conversions of the item have occurred corresponding to the available inventory). Limited conversion content items can be generated, presented, and converted in a similar manner as described below with respect to single conversion content items, with the addition of more than one conversion being possible for limited conversion content items.

While reference will be made below to advertising systems and methods, other forms of content including other forms of sponsored content can be managed, presented, and tracked in accordance with the description below.

FIG. 1is a block diagram of an example content presentation system100. In some implementations, one or more advertisers102can directly, or indirectly, enter, maintain, and track ad information in an advertising management system104. Though reference is made to advertising, other forms of content, including other forms of sponsored content, can be delivered by the system100. The ads can be in the form of graphical ads, such as banner ads, text only ads, image ads, barcode ads (e.g., an ad including one or more barcodes, for example, for use in redeeming the ad), audio ads, video ads, animated ads, ads combining one or more of any of such components, etc. The ads can also include embedded information, such as links, meta-information, and/or machine executable instructions. One or more publishers106may submit requests for ads to the system104. The system104responds by sending ads to the requesting publisher106for placement on or association with one or more of the publisher's content items (e.g., web properties). Example web properties can include web pages, television and radio advertising slots, or print media space.

Other entities, such as users108and the advertisers102, can provide usage information to the system104, such as, for example, whether or not a conversion (e.g., a purchase or other interaction) or a click-through related to an ad (e.g., a user has selected an ad) has occurred. This usage information can include measured or observed user behavior related to ads that have been served. The system104may perform financial transactions, for example, crediting the publishers106and charging the advertisers102based on the usage information.

A network110, such as a local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), the Internet, one or more telephony networks or a combination thereof, connects the advertisers102, the system104, the publishers106, and the users108.

One example publisher106is a general content server that receives requests for content (e.g., articles, discussion threads, music, video, graphics, search results, web page listings, information feeds, etc.), and retrieves the requested content in response to the request. The content server can submit a request for ads to an advertisement server in the system104. The ad request can include a number of ads desired. The ad request can also include content request information. This information can include the content itself (e.g., page, video broadcast, radio show, or other type of content), a category corresponding to the content or the content request (e.g., arts, business, computers, arts-movies, arts-music, etc.), part or all of the content request, content age, content type (e.g., text, graphics, video, audio, mixed media, etc.), geo-location information, etc.

In some implementations, the content server or a client browser integrates the requested content with one or more of the ads provided by the system104. The content and ads can be sent/rendered to the users108that requested the content for presentation in a viewer (e.g., a browser or other content display system). In some implementations, the content and ads are requested separately. For example, while requested content is being rendered by a user browser, the browser can process a tag in the rendering content requesting an ad for placement within the content. The ad can then be requested and incorporated into the content when received. In some other implementations, the requested ad(s) are provided to the content provider (e.g., publishers106) such that the content including the ad is sent to the user108for display. Finally, in some other implementations, the ads can be sent separately to the user108for local combination by the user's browser. The content server can transmit information about the ads back to the advertisement server, including information describing how, when, and/or where the ads are to be rendered (e.g., in HTML or JavaScript™)

Another example publisher106is a search service. A search service can receive queries for search results. In response, the search service can retrieve relevant search results from an index of documents (e.g., from an index of web pages). Search results can include, for example, lists of web page titles, snippets of text extracted from those web pages, and hypertext links to those web pages, and may be grouped into a predetermined number of (e.g., ten) search results.

The search service can submit a request for ads to the system104. The request may include a number of ads desired. This number can depend, for example, on the search results, the amount of screen or page space occupied by the search results, the size and shape of the ads, etc. The request for ads may also include the query (as entered or parsed), information based on the query (such as geo-location information, whether the query came from an affiliate and an identifier of such an affiliate), and/or information associated with, or based on, the search results. Such information can include, for example, identifiers related to the search results (e.g., document identifiers or “docIDs”), scores related to the search results (e.g., information retrieval (“IR”) scores), snippets of text extracted from identified documents (e.g., web pages), full text of identified documents, feature vectors of identified documents, etc. In some implementations, IR scores are computed from, for example, dot products of feature vectors corresponding to a query and a document, page rank scores, and/or combinations of IR scores and page rank scores, etc.

In some implementations, the advertisement management system104can use an auction process to select ads from the advertisers102. For example, the advertisers102may be permitted to select, or bid, an amount the advertisers are willing to pay for each presentation of or interaction with (e.g., click) of an ad, e.g., a cost-per-click amount an advertiser pays when, for example, a user clicks on an ad. The cost-per-click can include a maximum cost-per-click, e.g., the maximum amount the advertiser is willing to pay for each click of an ad based on a keyword, e.g., a word or words in a query. Other bid types, however, can also be used. Based on these bids, ads can be selected and ranked for presentation.

The search service can combine the search results with one or more of the ads provided by the system104. This combined information can then be forwarded to the users108that requested the content. The search results can be maintained as distinct from the ads, so as not to confuse the user between paid ads and presumably neutral search results.

In some implementations, one or more publishers106submit requests for ads to the advertising management system104. The system104responds by sending ads to the requesting publisher106for placement on one or more of the publisher's web properties (e.g., websites and other network-distributed content) that are relevant to the web property. For example, if a publisher106publishes a sports-related web site, the advertising management system can provide sports-related ads to the publisher106. In some implementations, the requests can instead be executed by devices associated with the user108, e.g., by the execution of a particular script (e.g., javascript) when the publisher's web page is loading on a client device.

Another example publisher106is a mobile application developer. A mobile application is an application specifically designed for operation on a mobile device (e.g., a smart phone). The mobile application can also include ads positioned within the content of the mobile application. Similar to publishers106described above, the ads can be received from the advertising management system104for placement in the mobile application when accessed by a user (e.g., when a particular page of a mobile application is loaded on the mobile device).

FIG. 2is a block diagram of an example system200for generating and presenting single conversion ads. In the system200, a seller202can submit a single conversion ad to an ad system204. The ad system204can transmit ads for presentation, including the single conversion ad submitted by the seller202, to users including potential buyers206. In some implementations, the ad system can also transmit limited conversion ads in which a finite inventory of an item is available. In some implementations, the ad system204can interact with a search system, for example presenting ads alongside search results. In some implementations, the ad system204can interact with content publishers, for example, providing ads to publishers or users for presentation along with web content, e-mail, or other content.

The ad system204can include components for storing, recording, and presenting both single conversion ads and multiple conversion ads (e.g., ads that can record conversions from multiple users). The ad system204can include an ad repository208, ad logs212, ad presentation manager210, and classified ad manager214. The ad repository208can store ads submitted by sellers including the seller202. The ad presentation manager210can identify ads in the ad repository208to present to a user, for example based on various criteria such as keywords in a search query, web page content, context, location, ad financials (e.g., cost per impression). The ad logs212can store ad presentation and conversion events (e.g., users an ad is presented to, timestamps, ad identifiers).

The single conversion ad manager214can contain components for generating and managing single conversion ads (and/or limited conversion ads). For example, the single conversion ad manager214can include an ad generator216, a conversion manager220, and optionally a bid manager218. In some implementations, the single conversion ad manager214can be a separate system from the ad system204. Alternatively, as shown here, the single conversion ad manager214can be incorporated in the ad system204.

The ad generator216can create single conversion ads and/or limited conversion ads from user input. For example, the ad generator216can provide a user interface for users to provide information about their single conversion ad and can include a keyword generator/extractor to identify keywords for ad targeting. Users may provide a one time payment through the ad generator216, from which the ad generator216can calculate cost metrics for presenting the single conversion ad (e.g., cost per impression or cost per click value used for the single conversion ad). After generation, a single conversion ad can be stored in the ad repository208, or in a separate single conversion ad repository (not shown). In some alternative implementations, the ad generator216can generate the single conversion ads from information in other postings by the user, for example, an electronic bulletin board or classified ads posting by the seller.

The conversion manager220can manage the interactions between potential buyers206and the ad system204. For example, when a potential buyer206selects an ad, information can be provided and/or received by the conversion manager220. In some examples, the conversion manager220can provide contact information for the seller202to the potential buyer206. The contact information can be routed through the ad system. For example, for privacy reasons, the contact information can include anonymous email sent through a web form, a temporary email address that can forward to the seller's202email address, and/or a phone call can be routed to the seller's202phone using IP telephony or a temporary phone number. The contact information can vary according to one or more criteria. For example, at night the seller202may not be contactable by phone such that only an email contact option is presented.

The bid manager218can optionally be used in single conversion ad managers214that provides functionality to bid for an item or service for sale. For example, a single conversion ad can have a starting bid and users that view the single conversion ad can submit their own bid. The bidding manager218can record all bids for a single conversion ad and send the bids to the seller202, who may select the bid they want (presumably the highest, but also possibly the easiest to ship to, a bid from an acquaintance, etc). In some examples, the bidding time can have an expiration time after which the highest bid is automatically accepted.

The conversion manager220can receive comments or other information from the potential buyer206and provide that information to the seller202. The seller202may chose to act on this information by modifying their ad (e.g., changing a description, price, etc) through the ad generator216.

In some implementations, a balance of money can remain with a single conversion ad after the ad's conversion, for example if a bid is accepted before all impressions purchased are used. In this case, the user can be credited the balance of money.

FIG. 3is a flowchart of an example method300for generating and presenting a single conversion ad. In some implementations, the method300can be performed by a processor executing instructions in a computer-readable storage medium. For example, the method300can be performed by the ad system204ofFIG. 2.

An ad interface is presented (302) to a seller (e.g., seller202). For example, the ad system (e.g., ad system204) can provide to the seller a web page, application plug-in, application, etc. containing elements into which information about an ad can be provided.

Ad information is received (304), for example a seller provides a description of the ad features (e.g., a name of the item, a description of the item, a price or bidding range, location targeting information). In some implementations, the user devises keywords for ad targeting. In some implementations, a one-time payment is collected.

The ad is generated (306). The ad can be generated from the user information and one or more templates. Additionally, targeting keywords can be generated or extracted from the ad information. For example, an ad listing the sale of a sailboat may have the keywords ‘boat,’ ‘sailboat,’ ‘lake,’ and ‘vacation’ generated by the ad system based on the ad information provided by the seller.

The ad is presented (308) to one or more potential buyers (e.g., potential buyers206). In some implementations, the ad can be presented with particular content, e.g., search results, web page content, etc. A technique for providing a single conversion ad with search results is described in greater detail below with respect toFIG. 4.

Input is received (310) from a potential buyer. For example, a potential buyer can click through an ad and select to pay the advertised price, place a bid in the ad, and/or retrieve additional information about the ad and contact information relating to the ad. In some implementations, the potential buyer can provide input directly to the ad (e.g., a bid price or to initiate contact with the seller). In some other implementations, selecting the ad results in the presentation of additional information. For example, the potential buyer can be directed to a landing page associated with the single conversion ad that provide additional information and one or more options for contacting the seller to purchase the item identified by the single conversion ad.

In some implementations, a user can perform other interactions including reserving the item for some specified time in which the user can complete the conversion (e.g., a time in which the user can purchase the item). The user can use the specified time to complete the transaction including payment as well as to interact with the seller, e.g., to ask questions about the item or service associated with the ad. In some implementations, once the item has been reserved, the ad is not presented to any other potential buyers unless the user fails to complete the conversion within the specified time.

The seller is notified (312) of the input from a potential buyer. For example, the seller can receive, through a user interface of the ad system, a bid or comment submitted; the seller can receive an email from the sender requesting purchase; and/or the seller can receive a call facilitated by the ad system form the potential buyer.

Input indicating that a sale is competed is received (314). For example, the seller can coordinate a sale by initiating a telephone call and/or sending an email as well as submit information to the ad system. In some implementations in which a sale is automated by the ad system, the ad system can generate an internal event indicating the sale. For example, a seller can specify a bidding time that can have an expiration time after which the highest bid is automatically accepted by the ad system. As part of accepting the bid, the ad system can generate a report of the sale indicating the sale is complete.

The ad is discontinued and the remaining ad budget is credited (316) to the seller. For example, the ad can be flagged as inactive or deleted. Since only one item is available for purchase (inventory of one), once a conversion has occurred the ad is no longer displayed. This is in contrast to ads associated with a large inventory of items available for purchase by one or more buyers. In accordance with the financial agreement associated with the ad, an unused ad payment used to fund the ad can be returned or refunded to an account controlled by the seller.

FIG. 4is a flowchart of an example method400for presenting a single conversion ad. In some implementations, the method400can be performed by a processor executing instructions in a computer-readable storage medium. For example, the method400can be performed by the ad system204

A search query is received (402). A user can enter a search query into a search engine. The search engine, in addition to compiling a resulting list of search results, can route the query to an ad system.

Ads relevant to the query are identified (404). For example, ads with keywords that are the same, similar to, or synonymous with words in the search query can be identified. The identified ads can include a collection of candidate ads that match the keywords or other criteria. The ad system can then select particular ads from the collection of candidate ads. In some implementations, the ads are ranked according to one or more scoring criteria (e.g., based on the degree of match between the query and the ad keywords). One or more top scoring ads can be selected. In particular, the selected ads include a single conversion ad.

In some implementations, the location of the user and location targeting information associated with an ad can be used in identifying or ranking ads. For example, a single conversion ad having location targeting information indicating personal delivery in a twenty mile radius (e.g., ads for a couch or firewood) from the seller can have presentation limited to those potential buyers within the twenty mile radius (e.g., they can be omitted from candidate ads or can have a large location based penalty to the score when ranking candidate ads). In another example, an ad with location targeting information indicating a ship-from address (e.g., ads for a book, collectable, or handbag) can be ranked in part based on estimated shipping costs from the seller to the user.

One or more selected ads are presented (406) to the user along with the search results. In some implementations, the ads can be formatted or differentiated from the search results to indicate which of the presented elements are ads and which are search results. The presented ads include the selected single conversion ad.

User input associated with the single conversion ad is received (408). In some implementations, a graphical ad is clickable, for example, to execute an incorporated link to a landing page. In some other implementations, a particular portion of the ad can be interactive, such as a text field to enter a bid, a button to reserve the item, or a call button to initiate a telephone call (or voice over IP call) between the mobile computing device displaying the ad and the seller associated with the ad. For example, the single conversion ad can include additional logic facilitating interaction including additional information that can be presented to a user in response to a particular selection associated with the ad.

Additional information is presented (410) to the user. In some implementations, the ad can change dynamically in response to user interaction, such as by changing the text, displaying an overlay above the ad, and/or the creation of graphic element that pops-up or expand the ad. In some implementations, the user's browser can be directed to a landing page with additional information. The additional information can include more details about the sales item (e.g., mileage reading on a car's odometer), contact information for the seller, presentation of a comment portion allowing the user to comment on the ad, presentation of bidding information, etc.

User input can optionally be received (412). The user may provide additional input, for example, to select a contact option, place a bid, reserve the item, comment, etc. For example, a user may click on a button to initiate a telephone call, enter text into a bid value field, select a choice from a drop down menu to select a method of contact (e.g., email, telephone, instant message), and/or enter a comment to be sent to the seller.

The seller is notified (414) of the interaction. For example, if the user commented, the comment can be forwarded to the seller. If the user selected a contact option, the ad system can facilitate the communication such as by sending an email from the user to the seller, initiating an IP telephony call between the user and seller, initiating a telephone call over the public switched telephone network, or creating an instant message from the user to the seller.

FIG. 5is an example search results page500with a single conversion ad502. In this example, the results page500shows results shows search results504generated in response to a search query ‘Sedan’ submitted by a user associated with a particular location (e.g., location can be identified for the user based on a laptop with GPS, cell phone with tower triangulation, etc) in San Francisco. The single conversion ad502was created with the keyword ‘Sedan’ by a seller with a home address in the San Francisco area. The single conversion ad502was selected as relevant to the search query by an ad manager because both a keyword and city associated with the ad matched a keyword and city associated with the search query.

FIG. 6Ais an example response600to user selection of single conversion ad. The response600can display to a potential buyer graphical interface elements, such as buttons602and604, for contacting the seller of an ad. The button602can initiate a telephone call, for example, by routing a call from the seller to the device displaying the response600or to a telephone number entered by the buyer. The button604can initiate an email communication, for example, by providing a form to create an email message, or by displaying an anonymized email address that forward to the seller's email address.

FIG. 6Bis an example response650to user selection of single conversion ad. The response650can receive a bid placed by a potential buyer. An entry element654can receive a bid. Although this example shows the entry element654formatted to receive a bid in a dollar amount, alternative entry elements654can be formatted to receive a nonmonetary bid, such as a payment in kind, trade, or barter bid. A button652can be used by the buyer to submit the bid in the entry element654.

The computing device700includes a processor702, a memory704, a storage device706, a high-speed interface708connecting to the memory704and multiple high-speed expansion ports710, and a low-speed interface712connecting to a low-speed expansion port714and the storage device706. Each of the processor702, the memory704, the storage device706, the high-speed interface708, the high-speed expansion ports710, and the low-speed interface712, are interconnected using various busses, and can be mounted on a common motherboard or in other manners as appropriate. The processor702can process instructions for execution within the computing device700, including instructions stored in the memory704or on the storage device706to display graphical information for a GUI on an external input/output device, such as a display716coupled to the high-speed interface708. In other implementations, multiple processors and/or multiple buses can be used, as appropriate, along with multiple memories and types of memory. Also, multiple computing devices can be connected, with each device providing portions of the necessary operations (e.g., as a server bank, a group of blade servers, or a multi-processor system).

The memory704stores information within the computing device700. In some implementations, the memory704is a volatile memory unit or units. In some implementations, the memory704is a non-volatile memory unit or units. The memory704can also be another form of computer-readable medium, such as a magnetic or optical disk.

The high-speed interface708manages bandwidth-intensive operations for the computing device700, while the low-speed interface712manages lower bandwidth-intensive operations. Such allocation of functions is exemplary only. In some implementations, the high-speed interface708is coupled to the memory704, the display716(e.g., through a graphics processor or accelerator), and to the high-speed expansion ports710, which can accept various expansion cards (not shown). In the implementation, the low-speed interface712is coupled to the storage device706and the low-speed expansion port714. The low-speed expansion port714, which can include various communication ports (e.g., USB, Bluetooth, Ethernet, wireless Ethernet) can be coupled to one or more input/output devices, such as a keyboard, a pointing device, a scanner, or a networking device such as a switch or router, e.g., through a network adapter.

The computing device700can be implemented in a number of different forms, as shown in the figure. For example, it can be implemented as a standard server720, or multiple times in a group of such servers. In addition, it can be implemented in a personal computer such as a laptop computer722. It can also be implemented as part of a rack server system724. Alternatively, components from the computing device700can be combined with other components in a mobile device (not shown), such as a mobile computing device750. Each of such devices can contain one or more of the computing device700and the mobile computing device750, and an entire system can be made up of multiple computing devices communicating with each other.

The mobile computing device750includes a processor752, a memory764, an input/output device such as a display754, a communication interface766, and a transceiver768, among other components. The mobile computing device750can also be provided with a storage device, such as a micro-drive or other device, to provide additional storage. Each of the processor752, the memory764, the display754, the communication interface766, and the transceiver768, are interconnected using various buses, and several of the components can be mounted on a common motherboard or in other manners as appropriate.

The processor752can execute instructions within the mobile computing device750, including instructions stored in the memory764. The processor752can be implemented as a chipset of chips that include separate and multiple analog and digital processors. The processor752can provide, for example, for coordination of the other components of the mobile computing device750, such as control of user interfaces, applications run by the mobile computing device750, and wireless communication by the mobile computing device750.

The processor752can communicate with a user through a control interface758and a display interface756coupled to the display754. The display754can be, for example, a TFT (Thin-Film-Transistor Liquid Crystal Display) display or an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) display, or other appropriate display technology. The display interface756can comprise appropriate circuitry for driving the display754to present graphical and other information to a user. The control interface758can receive commands from a user and convert them for submission to the processor752. In addition, an external interface762can provide communication with the processor752, so as to enable near area communication of the mobile computing device750with other devices. The external interface762can provide, for example, for wired communication in some implementations, or for wireless communication in other implementations, and multiple interfaces can also be used.

The memory764stores information within the mobile computing device750. The memory764can be implemented as one or more of a computer-readable medium or media, a volatile memory unit or units, or a non-volatile memory unit or units. An expansion memory774can also be provided and connected to the mobile computing device750through an expansion interface772, which can include, for example, a SIMM (Single In Line Memory Module) card interface. The expansion memory774can provide extra storage space for the mobile computing device750, or can also store applications or other information for the mobile computing device750. Specifically, the expansion memory774can include instructions to carry out or supplement the processes described above, and can include secure information also. Thus, for example, the expansion memory774can be provide as a security module for the mobile computing device750, and can be programmed with instructions that permit secure use of the mobile computing device750. In addition, secure applications can be provided via the SIMM cards, along with additional information, such as placing identifying information on the SIMM card in a non-hackable manner.

The memory can include, for example, flash memory and/or NVRAM memory (non-volatile random access memory), as discussed below. In some implementations, a computer program product is tangibly embodied in an information carrier. The computer program product contains instructions that, when executed, perform one or more methods, such as those described above. The computer program product can be a computer- or machine-readable medium, such as the memory764, the expansion memory774, or memory on the processor752. In some implementations, the computer program product can be received in a propagated signal, for example, over the transceiver768or the external interface762.

The mobile computing device750can communicate wirelessly through the communication interface766, which can include digital signal processing circuitry where necessary. The communication interface766can provide for communications under various modes or protocols, such as GSM voice calls (Global System for Mobile communications), SMS (Short Message Service), EMS (Enhanced Messaging Service), or MMS messaging (Multimedia Messaging Service), CDMA (code division multiple access), TDMA (time division multiple access), PDC (Personal Digital Cellular), WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access), CDMA2000, or GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), among others. Such communication can occur, for example, through the transceiver768using a radio-frequency. In addition, short-range communication can occur, such as using a Bluetooth, WiFi, or other such transceiver (not shown). In addition, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver module770can provide additional navigation- and location-related wireless data to the mobile computing device750, which can be used as appropriate by applications running on the mobile computing device750.

The mobile computing device750can also communicate audibly using an audio codec760, which can receive spoken information from a user and convert it to usable digital information. The audio codec760can likewise generate audible sound for a user, such as through a speaker, e.g., in a handset of the mobile computing device750. Such sound can include sound from voice telephone calls, can include recorded sound (e.g., voice messages, music files, etc.) and can also include sound generated by applications operating on the mobile computing device750.

The mobile computing device750can be implemented in a number of different forms, as shown in the figure. For example, it can be implemented as a cellular telephone780. It can also be implemented as part of a smart-phone782, personal digital assistant, or other similar mobile device.