Patent ID: 8315906

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for automatically scheduling a media play, the method comprising: receiving, by a computer system including one or more electronic computing devices, from a user a specified criterion for scheduling the media play in a media feed; and receiving, by a computer system, a cost per inquiry (CPI) that the user is willing to pay for scheduling the media play in the media feed; monitoring, by the computer system, whether the specified criterion is met or is not met; bidding, by the computer system in a CPI-auction for scheduling the media play in the media feed when the specified criterion is met and when the specified criterion is not met; collecting, by the computer system, listener inquiries resulting from plays of the media play scheduled for when the criterion has been met and from plays of the media play scheduled for when the criterion has not been met; calculating, by the computer system based on the received CPI and the collected listener inquiries, a first effective cost per mille (CPM) when the specified criterion is met, and a second effective CPM when the specified criterion is not met; and bidding, by the computer system in a CPM auction, the first effective CPM when the specified criterion is met, or the second effective CPM when the specified criterion is not met.