Distributed marketing platform

• US 10,217,126 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2013
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SproutLoud Media Networks, LLC
• Original Assignee: SproutLoud Media Networks, LLC
• Inventors: Upadhya, Anjan, Shusterman, Jared
• Primary Examiner(s): Long, Fonya M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thuy N
• Application Number:
  US13/912,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20140365284A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,090 Days
• Field of Search: 705 14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements

Abstract

A system for providing access to a distributed marketing platform is disclosed. In particular, the system may be utilized to allow a local marketer to access marketing resources for one or more brands through the use of a sub-account. The system may generate the sub-account for the local marketer, which may be utilized by the local marketer to access a master account associated with a particular brand that the local marketer desires to connect with. Access to the master account and its resources may be granted to the sub-account if the local marketer submits valid key and account information to an online portal associated with the master account. Additionally, the sub-account may be allowed to connect to other master accounts associated with other brands by using the online portal and without violating master account agreements of direct-solicitation and cross-promotion of the master accounts to the sub-account.

Claims

1. A method for providing access to a distributed marketing platform, the method comprising:

receiving, from a device of a user, a first request to access an online portal associated with a master account, wherein the online portal provides access to resources provided by the master account;

generating, by utilizing the online portal, a digital key comprising a unique combination of digital text characters, a unique web link, and a unique media file comprising media content;

receiving and processing, at the online portal and from a device of the master account and via a separate portal within an intranet of the master account, a data packet including a master account identifier, a third party identifier, and the digital key generated in response to the first request to access the online portal, wherein the master account identifier uniquely identifies the master account, wherein the third party identifier uniquely identifies the user, wherein the digital key comprises the unique combination of digital text characters, the unique web link, and the unique media file comprising the media content;

receiving, at the online portal and from the device of the master account, rules associated with the digital key;

determining, by utilizing instructions from memory that are executed by a processor, if the user has a sub-account with the online portal based on the master account identifierand the third party identifier of the data packet, wherein the sub-account identifies the user as a local affiliate of a brand of the master account;

transmitting, to the device of the user, a prompt to register the sub-account with the online portal if the user is determined to not have the sub-account with the online portal;

receiving, from the device of the user, a request to register the sub-account with the online portal in response to the prompt;

providing the sub-account with access to the online portal, based on a key provided by the sub-account matching the digital key, based on the rules associated with the digital key and based on the request to register the sub-account with the online portal, wherein the rules associated with the digital key specify a portion of the online portal that the sub-account is authorized to access, a first resource of the resources that the sub-account is authorized to access, when the sub-account accesses the portion of the online portal, how long the digital key is useable, and how often the digital key is useable, wherein the access to the online portal provides access to the resources provided by the master account;

determining, for the sub-account and based on a repeat of a registration process, potential additional master accounts to be presented on a graphical user interface of the online portal with the master account; and

presenting, to the device of the user, the potential additional master accounts with the master account on the graphical user interface of the online portal as separate networks that are each separately accessible by the sub-account via the online portal, wherein the sub-account networks with a new master account of the potential additional master accounts when the new master account is within a same closed networking group of the master account.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising limiting a level of the access to the resources provided by the master account based on the rules that are set by the master account that are associated with the digital key and the sub-account.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the data packet in response to the first request to access the online portal associated with the master account, wherein the first request to access the online portal associated with the master account is a single sign-on request.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the file associated with the browser of the user when the request to register the sub-account with the online portal is approved, wherein the file comprises the master account identifier, the third party identifier, and a sub-account identifier associated with the online portal.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving a second request to access the online portal after the sub-account is registered with the online portal, and further comprising enabling the sub-account, in response to the second request, to access the resources provided by the master account based on matching information in the file with the master account identifier and the third party identifier of the data packet.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving a second request to access the online portal after the sub-account is registered with the online portal, and further comprising transmitting instructions to cause the device of the user to present a login screen to enter a username and a password if the file is not found.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising enabling the sub-account, in response to the second request, to access the online portal if the username and the password are received from the device of the user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising registering the sub-account with the online portal if the request to register the sub-account has been approved.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, to the device of the user, an indication of an assignment of the sub-account to a subgroup associated with the master account, wherein the assignment to the subgroup is based on the rules that are set by the master account that are associated with the digital key and the sub-account.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the resources provided by the master account comprise one or more of marketing programs, marketing materials, marketing funds, and marketing assets.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the sub-account to access a different master account using the online portal.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable device comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a device of a user, a request to access an online portal associated with a master account, wherein the online portal provides access to resources provided by the master account;

generating, by utilizing the online portal, a digital key comprising a unique combination of digital text characters, a unique web link, and a unique media file comprising media content;

receiving and processing, at the online portal and from a device of the master account and via a separate portal within an intranet of the master account, a data packet including a master account identifier, a third party identifier, and the digital key generated in response to the request to access the online portal, wherein the master account identifier uniquely identifies the master account, wherein the third party identifier uniquely identifies the user, wherein the digital key comprises the unique combination of digital text characters, the unique web link, and the unique media file comprising the media content;

receiving, at the online portal and from the device of the master account, rules associated with the digital key;

determining, by utilizing instructions from memory that are executed by a processor, if the user has a sub-account with the online portal based on the master account identifier and the third party identifier of the data packet, wherein the sub-account identifies the user as a local affiliate of a brand of the master account;

determining whether information in a file of the user matches with the master account identifier and the third party identifier of the data packet;

providing the sub-account with access to the online portal if the user is determined to have the sub-account, based on a key provided by the sub-account matching the digital key, based on the rules associated with the digital key, and if information in the file of the user matches with the master account identifier and the third party identifier of the data packet, wherein the rules associated with the digital key specify a portion of the online portal that the sub-account is authorized to access, a first resource of the resources that the sub-account is authorized to access, when the sub-account can access the portion of the online portal, how long the digital key may be used, and how often the digital key may be used;

determining, for the sub-account and based on a repeat of a registration process, potential additional master accounts to be presented on a graphical user interface of the online portal with the master account; and

presenting, to the device of the user, the potential additional master accounts with the master account on the graphical user interface of the online portal as separate networks that are each separately accessible by the sub-account via the online portal, wherein the sub-account networks with a new master account of the potential additional master accounts only if the new master account is within a same closed networking group of the master account.