Patent ID: 7076479

Claim:
A method of generating an ordered search list via a search engine, comprising: receiving a search request having at least one search term over a network from a searcher; retrieving a set of search listings from a search results database associated with the search term, where a plurality of the search listings each have a bid amount associated with the search term and a search listing is associated with an advertiser's account such that the advertiser's account is charged the bid amount if the search listing is selected from the set of search listings; determining an account balance for the advertiser's account where the account balance is the difference between charges assessed by the search engine and deposits from the advertiser; ordering the search listings into a search result list in accordance with the values of bid amounts such that search listings having larger bid amounts are listed before search listings having smaller bid amounts, wherein search listings associated with advertisers whose account balances that are below threshold are ordered as if their bid amount for the search term was zero to prevent over-delivery of the search listings associated with the advertisers whose account balances are below threshold and overcharging of competing advertisers; providing the ordered search result 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.