System for conducting an exchange of click-through traffic on internet web sites

• US 20030195837A1
• Filed: 04/11/2003
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guy Vandevelde, Miodrag Kostic
• Original Assignee: Guy Vandevelde, Miodrag Kostic
• Inventors: Vandevelde, Guy, Kostic, Miodrag
• Granted Patent: US 8,494,950 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A system for exchanging click-through traffic between web sites of interested exchange partners on the Internet employs an intermediary web site for registering interested exchange partners and conducting a trial process for click-through traffic between exchange partners'"'"' web sites during a trial period prior to opening a bidding process of the interested exchange partners for an exchange partner'"'"'s click-through traffic. Each exchange partner'"'"'s web site is linked to the intermediary web site by embedding a links code which points to an addressable file stored with the intermediary web site containing the link content of each interested exchange partner'"'"'s web site to be displayed in the links area on an exchange partner'"'"'s web site during the trial process. The results of the exchange trials are compared with metrics for the exchange parameters that inform the exchange participants of the success of their interaction. The intermediary web site can then conduct a bidding process where the exchange participants can bid for click-through traffic from the exchange partner'"'"'s web site. Based on the bidding process, the best matched exchange partners can establish an exchange relationship in which mutual click-through traffic is exchanged between the exchange partners'"'"' web sites.

Claims

1. A system for exchanging click-through traffic between web sites of interested exchange partners on the Internet comprising:

(a) an intermediary web site accessible through the Internet for registering exchange partners interested in buying/selling click-through traffic of visitors to another exchange partner'"'"'s web site;

(b) a first facility for establishing a link from a first exchange partner'"'"'s (clicks-Sender) web site and for storing link contents of a plurality of other interested exchange partners'"'"' (clicks-Receivers) web sites at the intermediary web site, wherein the respective link content of each other exchange partner'"'"'s web site can be addressed through the intermediary web site by the link from the first exchange partner'"'"'s web site for display on the first exchange partner'"'"'s web site;

(c) a second facility for conducting a trial process of click-through traffic sent from said first exchange partner'"'"'s web site to each of said plurality of other interested exchange partners by the intermediary web site conducting the addressing of the respective link content of each other interested exchange partner'"'"'s web site in turn by the link from the first exchange partner'"'"'s web site during a given trial period;

(d) a third facility for conducting a bidding process after the trial period is concluded, in which the other interested exchange partners can bid a price each is willing to pay for the click-through traffic from the first exchange partner'"'"'s web site; and

(e) a fourth facility for enabling the first exchange partner to select a winning bid of an interested exchange partner and conclude a sale of click-through traffic from the first exchange partner'"'"'s web site to the winning other exchange partner'"'"'s web site.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the link from the exchange partner'"'"'s web site is enabled by a links code pasted in a given links area on the exchange partner'"'"'s web site page which points to an addressable file at the intermediary web site storing link content of another interested exchange partner, for retrieving the link content and displaying it in the corresponding links area on the exchange partner'"'"'s web site.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the facilities of the intermediary web site enable interested exchange partners to conduct a direct exchange of click-through traffic without a trial process.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein after the exchange partners have selected each other and an exchange relationship is established, the intermediary web site operates to measure the click-through traffic sent the exchange partners web sites during the exchange relationship.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the intermediary web site enables either exchange partner to terminate the exchange relationship if it does not meet their requirements.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the second facility is configured to automatically select for the bidding process the other interested exchange websites which had the best click-through parameters during the trial process of highest click-through ratio and/or traffic quality.

7. A method for exchanging click-through traffic between web sites of interested exchange partners on the Internet comprising:

(a) registering exchange partners interested in exchanging click-through traffic of visitors with other exchange partners web sites;

(b) establishing a link from an exchange partner'"'"'s web site to an intermediary web site, and storing link contents of a plurality of interested other exchange partners'"'"' web sites at the intermediary web site, wherein the respective link content of each interested other exchange partner'"'"'s web site can be addressed through the intermediary web site by the link from the exchange partner'"'"'s web site for display on the exchange partner'"'"'s web site;

(c) conducting a trial process for click-through traffic between the exchange partner'"'"'s web site and said plurality of interested other exchange partners'"'"' web sites by the intermediary web site conducting the addressing of the respective link content of each interested other exchange partner'"'"'s web site in turn during a given trial period;

(d) conducting a bidding process after the trial period is concluded, in which the interested other exchange partners can bid a price each is willing to pay for the click-through traffic from the exchange partner'"'"'s web site; and

(e) enabling the exchange partner to select a winning other exchange partner and establish an exchange relationship for mutual exchange of click-through traffic between the exchange partners'"'"' web sites.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the link from the exchange partner'"'"'s web site is enabled by a links code pasted in a given links area on the exchange partner'"'"'s web site page which points to an addressable file at the intermediary web site storing link content of another interested exchange partner, for retrieving the link content and displaying it in the corresponding links area on the exchange partner'"'"'s web site.

9. A method according to claim 7, wherein the facilities of the intermediary web site enable interested exchange partners to conduct a direct exchange of click-through traffic without a trial process.

10. A method according to claim 7, wherein after the exchange partners have selected each other and an exchange relationship is established, the intermediary web site operates to measure the click-through traffic sent the exchange partners web sites during the exchange relationship.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the intermediary web site enables either exchange partner to terminate the exchange relationship if it does not meet their requirements.

12. A method according to claim 7, wherein the second facility is configured to automatically select for the bidding process the other interested exchange websites which had the best click-through parameters during the trial process of highest click-through ratio and/or traffic quality.