Managed affiliate system and method

• US 20050177844A1
• Filed: 01/03/2005
• Published: 08/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: XWEB Incorporated
• Original Assignee: XWEB Incorporated
• Inventors: Levi, Ron, Piccionelli, Greg
• Granted Patent: US 7,720,961 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a managed affiliate system and method configured to provide authorized content for use and distribution. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention are directed to a managed affiliate system that is configured to verify and monitor whether the content or property offered for use or sale by a participant is in compliance with any use restrictions.

Claims

1. A method for providing an affiliate program on a computer network having a provider computer and a participant computer, wherein the provider computer and the participant computer are in communication therebetween, the provider computer having content for use on the participant computer on a participant web site, the method comprising:

preauthorizing a set of content for use by the affiliate program;

prescreening the participant web site for problematic content; and

transferring at least a portion of the content to the participant computer.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving registration information on the provider computer from the participant computer, the registration information including at least one uniform resource locator; and

determining the acceptability of the uniform resource locator for participation in the affiliate program.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the portion of transferred content is authorized for use on the uniform resource locator by the participant computer.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising transferring control of the uniform resource locator to the provider computer.

5. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein determining the acceptability of the uniform resource locator comprises comparing the uniform resource locator to a predefined set of use restricted terms.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising approving, by the provider computer, the content for use on the participant computer.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising identifying restrictions appurtenant to the content, and storing the restrictions in association with the content.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, the computer network further including a user computer, the user computer being in communication with the provider computer and the participant computer, wherein a user can access the participant computer or the provider computer via the user computer, the method further comprising:

collecting user identification information and age verification information for the user, and storing the identification and age verification information in a customer database; and

screening the user to determine the user'"'"'s eligibility to access content on the affiliate program.

9. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising defining for each uniform resource locator, by the participant computer, whether each uniform resource locator is to be associated with restricted or non-restricted content.

10. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising providing, to the user computer, access to the uniform resource locator.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising transferring control software to the participant computer, the control software being configured to notify the provider computer whether content associated with a uniform resource locator has been altered.

12. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising restricting access to the uniform resource locator if the content associated with the uniform resource locator has been altered, wherein the new content has not been authorized for use on the uniform resource locator by the provider computer.

13. A method for providing an affiliate system operated on a computer network having a provider computer, a participant computer, and a user computer, wherein the provider computer, the participant computer, and the user computer are in communication therebetween, the provider computer having content for use on the participant computer, the method comprising:

receiving on the provider computer, identification of at least one uniform location resource from the participant computer, the uniform resource locator identifying a web page configured to include content, wherein the participant computer controls access of the user computer to the uniform resource locator;

reviewing the uniform resource locator and the web page to determine the acceptability of the uniform resource locator;

transferring the control of access to the uniform resource locator to the provider computer;

transferring, from the provider computer to the participant computer, at least a portion of the content for use on the uniform resource locator; and

providing, to the user computer, access to the uniform resource locator.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the web page contains terms, and wherein reviewing the uniform resource locator and web page comprises comparing the uniform resource locator and the terms on the web page to a predefined set of use restricted terms.

15. A method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising defining for each uniform resource locator, by the participant computer, whether the content to be associated with each uniform resource locator is restricted or non-restricted.

16. An affiliate system operated on a computer network having a provider computer, a participant computer, and a user computer, wherein the provider computer, the participant computer, and the user computer are in communication therebetween, the provider computer having content for use on the participant computer on a participant web site, the affiliate system comprising:

a program manager, the program manager being configured to receive registration information from the participant computer and to prescreen the participant'"'"'s web site;

a content database, the content database being coupled to the provider computer and containing content approved for use on the participant computer; and

a use rights manager, the use rights manager being coupled to the content database and being configured to control access of the user computer to the content on the affiliate system.

17. A system for providing an affiliate program on a computer network having a provider computer and a participant computer, wherein the provider computer and the participant computer are in communication therebetween, the provider computer having content for use on the participant computer on a participant web site, the system comprising:

means for operating the provider computer to receive registration information from the participant computer, the registration information including at least one uniform resource locator;

means for operating the provider computer to determine the acceptability of the uniform resource locator;

means for transferring control of the uniform resource locator to the provider computer; and

means for transferring at least a portion of the content to the participant computer for use on the uniform resource locator.