Community partnership portals

• US 20020123936A1
• Filed: 03/02/2001
• Published: 09/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Barri Klingaman, Celeste K. Hansen, Charles M. Schwartz, Eric W. Smith, Feng Guan, John J. Ellwood III, John R. Larkin, Sonney Taragin, Thomas A. Douglas
• Original Assignee: Barri Klingaman, Celeste K. Hansen, Charles M. Schwartz, Eric W. Smith, Feng Guan, John J. Ellwood III, John R. Larkin, Sonney Taragin, Thomas A. Douglas
• Inventors: Smith, Eric W., Guan, Feng, Taragin, Sonney, Schwartz, Charles M., Ellwood, John J. III, Klingaman, Barri, Larkin, John R., Douglas, Thomas A., Hansen, Celeste K.
• Application Number:
  US09/796,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20020123936A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

A community partnership portal enables a specific town'"'"'s residents to shop stores in an on-line version of their town. Other links provide access to community related information. Using a map such as a graphical representation of the specific town, residents can “enter” a store by selecting the store'"'"'s location on the map. The system enables town residents to benefit from local store familiarity with Internet convenience while supporting the economic health of a local community.

Claims

1. A method of developing a community access portal for a specific town over a computer network, the method comprising:

(a) generating a home page with links to web pages that are relevant to the specific town, wherein one of the links is a map link to a map page that displays a map of the specific town;

(b) providing town links from the map page to subscribing addresses in the specific town, wherein at least one of the town links is a retail store;

(c) displaying products available from the retail store via the at least one of the town links; and

(d) enabling a customer to complete a transaction with the retail store over the computer network.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (a) is practiced by generating the home page with links including a member link that enables a user to subscribe as a community member and create, update and edit a member profile.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the member link further enables the member to shop retail stores of the specific town.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the member link further enables the member to effect payment of town service bills.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (a) is practiced by generating the home page with links including a community link that enables a user to access community information.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (a) is practiced by generating the home page with links including a live feed link that enables a user to access live video feeds from around the specific town via the computer network.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the live video feeds comprise at least one of school classrooms, daycare centers, sporting events, special events, town streets, and town meetings.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (a) is practiced by generating the home page with links including a restaurant link that enables a user to access information about restaurants in the specific town and make reservations.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (a) is practiced by generating the home page with links including a hospital link that enables a user to access hospital information and make video visits.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (a) is practiced by generating the home page with links including an E-mail link that enables a user to E-mail other community member users.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (a) is practiced by generating the home page with links including a retailer link that enables a user to rent space as a retailer, update inventory, and list items for sale or auction.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (c) is practiced by accessing images of the retail store.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein step (c) is further practiced by accessing images of an interior of the retail store, enabling the user to virtual shop the retail store.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein step (c) is further practiced by accessing video clips of the goods and services.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (d) is practiced by providing an option to effect local delivery of the purchased products.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (d) is practiced by receiving payment for the purchased products over the computer network.

17. A web page developed according to the method of claim 1.

18. A web page according to claim 17, comprising:

a plurality of links to web pages that are relevant to the specific town, wherein one of the links is a map link to a map page that displays a map of the specific town;

a plurality of town links from the map page to subscribing addresses in the specific town, wherein at least one of the town links is a retail store;

means for displaying products available from the retail store via the at least one of the town links; and

means for enabling a customer to complete a transaction with the retail store over the computer network.

19. A computer system for maintaining a community access portal for a specific town, the computer system comprising:

at least one user computer running a computer program that requests information according to subscriber addresses in a specific town via a town map; and

a system server running a server program, the at least one user computer and the system server being interconnected by a computer network, the system server sending the requested information according to the subscriber addresses and enabling a user via the user computer to virtual shop a retail store on the town map and complete a transaction over the computer network.

20. A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium for maintaining a community access portal for a specific town, the computer program comprising:

means for generating a home page with links to web pages that are relevant to the specific town, wherein one of the links is a map link to a map page that displays a map of the specific town;

means for providing town links from the map page to subscribing addresses in the specific town, wherein at least one of the town links is a retail store;

means for displaying products available from the retail store via the at least one of the town links; and

means for enabling a customer to complete a transaction with the retail store over the computer network.