Method and system for operating online classified advertisements

• US 20020073034A1
• Filed: 12/06/2001
• Published: 06/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BELO Company A Business Trust In The State of Delaware
• Original Assignee: The BELO Company (DallasNews Corp.)
• Inventors: Feola, Christopher J., Jennings, James C. IV, Wagner, Lisa M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,062,466 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0607 Regulated

Abstract

A system and method for pricing a classified advertisement. The method includes receiving a classified advertisement from an advertiser to be distributed to at least one of multiple device types. The classified advertisement may be substantially simultaneously formatted for at least two of the device types. The classified advertisement may be displayed as formatted for presentation by the device type(s). A price may be determined and displayed for the classified advertisement as formatted for presentation by the device type(s).

Claims

1. A method for pricing a classified advertisement, said method comprising:

receiving text of a classified advertisement from an advertiser, the classified advertisement to be provided access to at least one of a plurality of device types;

substantially simultaneously formatting the text of the classified advertisement for at least two of the plurality of device types;

displaying the classified advertisement as formatted for the device types;

determining a price for the classified advertisement as formatted for the device types; and

displaying the price.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving at least one selection for at least one of the device types to distribute the classified advertisement.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a selection for a category to place the classified advertisement.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a start date to begin running the classified advertisement.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising computing a total price based on a selection of the device types to provide access to the classified advertisement.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the classified advertisement includes an image.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image is a photograph.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the advertiser of the advertisement includes at least one of an individual and a commercial enterprise.

9. A system for pricing a classified advertisement, said system comprising:

means for receiving text of a classified advertisement from an advertiser, the classified advertisement to beprovided access to at least one of a plurality of device types;

means for substantially simultaneously formatting the text of the classified advertisement for at least two of the plurality of device types;

means for displaying the classified advertisement as formatted for the device types;

means for determining a price for the classified advertisement as formatted for the device types; and

means for displaying the price.

10. The system according to claim 9, further comprising means for receiving at least one selection for at least one device type to distribute the classified advertisement.

11. The system according to claim 9, further comprising means for receiving a selection for at least one category to place the classified advertisement.

12. The system according to claim 9, further comprising means for computing total price based on a selection of the device types to provide access to the classified advertisement.

13. The system according to claim 9, further comprising means for receiving a starting date to run the classified advertisement.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of text display areas represent a different output device having access to the classified advertisement.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the different formats include a different number of characters per line.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the text in each of the text display areas are individually editable.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein each price is based on a number of text lines in the associated text display area.

14. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions, the sequences of instructions including instructions, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:

receive text of a classified advertisement from an advertiser, the classified advertisement to be distributed to at least one of a plurality of device types;

substantially simultaneously format the text of the classified advertisement by at least two of the plurality of device types;

display the classified advertisement as formatted for the device types;

determine a price for the classified advertisement as formatted for the device types; and

display the price.

15. A graphical user interface (GUI) for providing a user input interface to place a classified advertisement, said GUI comprising:

a text area operable to receive text for the classified advertisement;

a plurality of text display areas operable to simultaneously display the text for the classified advertisement, the text displayed in the text areas having different formats; and

a plurality of price display areas, each of the plurality of price display areas being associated with a different text display area and operable to display a price for it placing the advertisement based on the format of the text in the associated text display area.

20. An online advertising publishing system for publishing advertisements, the system comprising:

a database for storing data associated with the advertisements;

an interface operable to receive the data associated with the advertisements from a plurality of input sources, at least one of the input sources being an order entry system operable to publish the data to print media; and

means for distributing the data across a network.

21. The system according to claim 20, further comprising an interface operable to inspect and edit the data for each advertisement.

22. The system according to claim 20, wherein the database is a relational database.

23. The system according to claim 20, wherein the data is stored in said database in an object format.

24. The system according to claim 20, wherein at least one of the input sources is an online order entry system.

25. The system according to claim 20, wherein the network is the Internet.

26. The system according to claim 20, wherein the data includes an image.

27. The system according to claim 20, wherein the advertisements are classified advertisements.

28. The system according to claim 20, wherein the data is stored in a content markup language format.

29. The system according to claim 20, wherein the order entry system exclusively publishes data to print media.

30. The system according to claim 20, further comprising a translation engine coupled between the order entry system and said database.

31. A method for operating an online advertising system, comprising:

receiving data associated with advertisements from at least one data gathering source, the at least one data gathering source operating to publish the data to print media;

storing the received data from the at least one data gathering source; and

providing access to the stored received data to a plurality of device types.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the advertisements are classified advertisements.

33. The method according to claim 31, further comprising converting the data from a non-content markup language to a content markup language.

34. The method according to claim 31, further comprising editing the received data.

35. The method according to claim 31, wherein said storing of the received data is performed utilizing an object oriented format.

36. The method according to claim 31, further comprising distributing the data across a network.

37. The method according to claim 36, wherein the network is the Internet.

38. The method according to claim 31, further comprising converting the data to be distributed to a format particular to an output device.

40. The method according to claim 39, wherein the device type includes at least one of the following:

personal computer, mobile phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), satellite communication device, and pager.

41. The method according to claim 39, wherein said providing access includes distributing the classified to the at least one selected device type.

42. The method according to claim 39, further comprising posting the classified advertisement to a website in an object oriented format.

43. The method according to claim 39, further comprising:

receiving a search request from a device of the selectable device types;

searching for classified advertisements that satisfy the search request; and

providing access to the classified advertisements that satisfy the search request to the device.

44. The method according to claim 39, wherein the access includes enabling the classified advertisement to be listed by a search of the classified advertisements.

39. A method for managing classified advertisements, said method comprising:

receiving a schedule for listing a classified advertisement;

receiving a selection of at least one device type from a plurality of device types to provide access to the classified advertisement; and

providing access to the classified advertisement to the at least one selected device type based on the schedule.

45. A system distributing classified advertisements, said system comprising:

means for receiving a schedule for a classified advertisement to be accessible;

means for receiving a selection of at least one device type from a plurality of device types to provide access to the classified advertisement; and

means for providing access to the classified advertisement to the at least one selected device type based on the schedule.