Enhanced network based promotional tracking system

• US 20040111381A1
• Filed: 07/09/2002
• Published: 06/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rakuten USA, Inc. (Rakuten Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Linkshare Corporation (Rakuten Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ho, Cheryl, Meng, Jianhao, Messer, Stephen D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,778,877 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/78
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0855 involving a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A novel communications network tracks and manages Merchant and Affiliate promotional efforts in a seamless, integrated fashion. Operative characteristics include central control over new, Rich Media promotional links, allowing sophisticated promotions employing Java-based presentations or similar to be easily applied across a broad network of connected Affiliate sites. The system accomplishes this, in part, by providing a selective API for use in wrapping the promotional links. In accordance with this protocol, these links may be hosted by the Clearinghouse or Merchant, and sourced from a variety of third-party vendors.

Claims

1. A system for use with a computer network that includes a plurality of Merchant computers and a plurality of content provider computers, each Merchant computer providing computer-based access to at least one of goods and services, the system comprising:

a Clearinghouse server coupled to the computer network, wherein the content provider computers are part of an Affiliate network and are programmed to provide promotional links transferring Users accessing a content provider server first to the Clearinghouse server, and, thence, to a Merchant computer for reviewing product and/or service information;

wherein the Clearinghouse server is loaded with a computer program for selecting promotional links for use in the Affiliate network, the promotional links each comprising one or more applets for local execution so as to provide at lest one of an audio or visual presentation to the Users, wherein the presentation is included within a common coding protocol for selective placement on the Affiliate network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the Clearinghouse server is loaded with a partitioned Web Site program that provides separate areas for Merchant and Affiliate access to presentations for selective uploading and downloading.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the presentations are hosted by the Clearinghouse server.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the presentations are hosted by a Merchant computer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the presentations are selected from the group consisting of:

e-mail, search box, text, banner, and storefront.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising programming for selectively incorporating the presentations in a Java script to create a common API for use by a plurality of Merchants.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more Affiliates access the Clearinghouse sever for selective review of one or more Merchant offerings.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the Clearinghouse server tracks User interactions with the presentations.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the Clearinghouse server tracks commerce associated with the select promotional links.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of wrapping select promotional links in Java script tag to permit centralized control of the content thereof.

9. A method for managing promotional links provided in an Internet-based computer network, the method comprising the steps of:

a) placing a plurality of proposed promotional links on a Clearinghouse server for access by Merchants and/or Affiliates;

b) loading a computer program on the Clearinghouse server for configuring select promotional links for use by Affiliates to direct potential customers to one or more Merchants;

c) sourcing the configured select promotional links to the Affiliates; and

d) providing a mechanism for centralized editing of the select promotional links by and/or for the Merchants at the Clearinghouse server.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the select promotional links are selected from the group consisting of:

a search box, e-mail, dynamic text, and applet-driven promotion.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, the promotional links are selected from the group consisting of:

a search box, dynamic text, and Java script promotion.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the promotional link is wrapped in a Java script tag.