Electronic cards systems and methods

• US 20040254859A1
• Filed: 03/29/2004
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lions & Bears LLC
• Original Assignee: Lions & Bears LLC
• Inventors: Aslanian, John R. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,702,542 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0252 based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A system for sending cards and/or gifts to one or more entity using a computer network is provided. The system can include a computer network with at least one client computer and at least one server connected to the network. The at least one client computer can have a user interface with which a user can input an entity-centric event date. The server can receive a signal from said client computer based on the user input of the event date. The server includes a time-from-event module that determines a non-yearly event date after said event date. The client computer displays the non-yearly event date and provides means for a user to purchase cards or gifts for an entity. In most preferred embodiments, the non-yearly event date is a month-from-birth date of the individual. In some preferred embodiments, the electronic cards include combined advertisements contained within the display regions of the electronic cards.

Claims

1. A system for sending cards and/or gifts to one or more celebrated entity using a computer network, comprising:

a) a computer network including at least one server that is capable of communicating with at least one client computer;

b) said server being configured to cause said at least one client computer to present a user interface with which a user can input at least one entity-centric event date; and

c) said server being configured to receive a signal from said client computer based on the user input of the event date, said server including a time-from-event module that determines a non-yearly event date based on said event date, and said server transmitting a non-yearly event date signal for at least one of the at least one client computer.

2. The system of claim 1, further including a client computer that receives said non-yearly even date signal and that displays said non-yearly event date and provides means for a user to transmit signals for the purchase of cards or gifts for an individual or group of individuals.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said non-yearly event date is a month-from-birth date of an individual.

6. The system of claim 1, further including a client computer that displays said non-yearly event date in a family tree of a group of entities.

4. The system of claim 4, wherein said month-from-event date is a month number that is a multiple of five.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said month-from-event date is a month number that is a multiple of ten.

7. A system for sending cards and/or gifts to one or more celebrated entity using a computer network, comprising:

a) a computer network including at least one server that is capable of communicating with at least one client computer;

b) said server being configured to cause the at least one client computer to present a user interface with which a user can input data; and

c) said server computer configured to cause an electronic card to be displayed on a display screen of at least one of the least one client computer, said electronic card being in a electronic card region of said display screen and including an advertisement region in the electronic card region of said electronic card.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said advertisement region is fixed with respect to said electronic card region.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said advertisement region moves with respect to said electronic card region.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein said advertisement relates to a product or service not affiliated with an owner of the server.

23. The system of claim 7, wherein said advertisement relates to a product or service that is secondary to a purpose of the e-card.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said purpose of the e-card relates to a birthday celebration.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein said purpose of the e-card relates to a time-based celebratory event or holiday.

11. A method for making a combined e-ad and e-card product that is presented to a recipient using a computer network, comprising:

a) creating electronic card data;

b) creating electronic ad data;

c) combining the electronic card data with the electronic ad data;

d) displaying with the combined data a combined e-ad and e-card product with the e-ad integrated within the e-card.

12. A method for the electronic distribution of advertisements, comprising:

a) providing an on-line interface with which a user can select one or more advertisement from a set of advertisements;

b) incorporating the one or more selected advertisement into an electronic communication to a recipient known to said user; and

c) awarding said user valuable consideration for delivery of the electronic communication to the recipient.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said set of advertisements is a plurality of advertisements.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said set of advertisements is more than 10 advertisements.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said set of advertisements is more than 100 advertisements.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said set of advertisements is more than 1000 advertisements.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein said electronic communications include e-cards.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein said electronic communications include e-invitations.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein said electronic communications include e-mail.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein said valuable consideration includes allowing said user to send said electronic communication with a reduced cost or no cost.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein said valuable consideration includes accounting for having a payment rendered to said user.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said accounting is based at least in part on a purchase of an item of an advertiser of the selected advertisement by the recipient.

26. An electronic network system including at least one electronic device capable of transmitting and receiving data, comprising:

a) at least one electronic device including a processor, memory, a display;

b) said at least one electronic device including means for inputting an event date via a user interface and for transmitting an event date signal related thereto over said electronic network to a server computer;

c) said at least one electronic device including means for receiving a non-yearly event age signal from the server computer in response to said transmitting said event date signal; and

d) said at least one electronic device including means for displaying non-yearly event age information based on said non-yearly event age signal.

27. The electronic network system of claim 26, wherein said at least one electronic device includes means for user selection of an electronic card.

28. The electronic network system of claim 27, wherein said at least one electronic device includes means for user purchase of a gift.

29. The electronic network system of claim 26, wherein said non-yearly event age information includes months-from-birth date.

30. The electronic network system of claim 29, wherein said non-yearly even age information includes weeks-from-birth date.

31. The electronic network system of claim 26, wherein said at least one electronic device includes means to display said non-yearly event age information in a family tree of a group of entities.

32. A computer system, comprising:

a) at least one first client device configured to communicate over a network with at least one server;

b) said at least one client device having a processor, memory, and a display;

c) said at least one client device including means for user selection of an electronic card from a plurality of electronic cards for delivery to at least one recipient, said electronic card having an electronic card region and an advertisement in the electronic card region, said means including a graphical user interface created using browser software executing on said at least one client computer in communication with the at least one server;

d) at least one second client device configured to receive image and text data over the network for display to said at least one recipient of the selected electronic card with said electronic card region and said advertisement in said electronic card region.

33. The computer system of claim 32, wherein said advertisement region is fixed with respect to said electronic card region.

34. The computer system of claim 32, wherein said advertisement region moves with respect to said electric card region.

35. The computer system of claim 32, wherein said advertisement relates to a product or service secondary to a purpose of said electronic card.