Patent ID: 7043471

Claim:
A method of generating an ordered search list via a search engine, the method comprising: receiving from a searcher over a network a search request, the search request having at least one search term; retrieving from a search results database a set of search listings associated with the search term, wherein at least some of the retrieved search listings in the set are associated with an advertiser's account such that the advertiser's account is charged a priced amount if a chargeable event occurs in connection with a selected search listing of the advertiser; determining an account balance for the advertiser's account based on a difference between charges and deposits from respective advertisers, including determining a reconciled balance for the advertiser's account, where the reconciled balance comprises a difference between deposits and a set of current chargeable event charges; ordering the search listings into a search result list according to a predetermined ordering methodology, including ordering the search listings associated with advertisers with reconciled balances that are below a reconciled threshold as if their priced amount was zero, and including ordering the search listings after disregarding charges for non-chargeable events to reduce over-delivery of the search listings and reduce over-billing of competing advertisers; providing the ordered search list to the searcher via the network; and assessing charges to the advertiser's account as a function of the searcher selection of the search listing, including generating a result event list, eliminating from the result event list events which are non-chargeable events or fraudulent events, and deducting an event charge amount from the account balance for the advertiser's account.