Method, system and apparatus for location based advertising

• US 20060155597A1
• Filed: 01/10/2005
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: David Martin Gleason
• Original Assignee: David Martin Gleason
• Inventors: Gleason, David Martin
• Application Number:
  US11/032,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20060155597A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.120
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0247 Calculate past, present or future revenues
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements

Abstract

The invention relates to a method, system and apparatus for managing a small business'"'"' advertising. More specifically, the system creates and administers a virtual online world accessible to users (players) within a virtual environment. A player interacts with various elements of the virtual environment and during those interactions the advertising is displayed to the user. To subscribe to the virtual environment, a player provides user information through a registration process to create a user profile. The system selects and displays advertisements that are correlated to a given user. The correlation between advertisement and user in one embodiment of the invention is based on a user'"'"'s zip code. Further, in order to facilitate the quick adoption of the system among small business owners, a fundraising paradigm is implemented. More specifically, people volunteer to sell advertising opportunities within a virtual environment in exchange for a share of sales revenues.

Claims

1. A method for using a computer system to manage advertising data comprising:

registering a system user as part of an online community;

extracting user data from information stored during the registration process;

determining a geographic zone corresponding to the extracted system user data;

displaying advertising data to the system user based on the geographic zone, wherein the advertising data is created by an advertising user for placement within the online community and the advertising is displayed in response to system user interaction with elements of the online community.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

distributing sales revenue to at least one fundraising referral entity.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

distributing sales revenue to multiple fundraising referral entity according to a cascading referral implementation.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the geographic zone is designated by the advertising user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the geographic zone is based on a system user'"'"'s zip code.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the geographic zone is based on GPS coordinates.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the advertising data is configured as an award certificate created by the advertising user on the system.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein a portion of the advertising data is configured as at least one coupon created by the advertising user on the system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein coupons created by the advertising user are displayed to the system user in a designated coupon area of the online community.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein a portion of the advertising data is configured as at least one award certificate created by the advertising user on the system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the award certificate is presented to a system user upon the completion of a mini-game.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein a portion of the advertising data is configured as at least one banner advertisement created by the advertising user on the system.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the online community is implemented as an online game.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the advertising data is displayed to the system user as the system user interacts with elements of the online game.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the system user accrues award points during interactions with elements of the online game.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the system user is able to redeem award points in an redemption area of the online community.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the online game is a multi-player online game.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the advertising data is displayed to the system user as the system user interacts with elements of the multi-player online game.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the system user accrues award points during interactions with elements of the online game.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the system user is able to redeem award points in an redemption area of the online community.

21. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

generating the advertising data with a graphical user interface configured to customize advertisement parameters.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

creating an advertising user'"'"'s portfolio for storing advertisements generated by the advertising user.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

creating at least one advertising efficacy metric associated with an advertisement.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the advertising efficacy metric is associated with the advertisement by an advertisement identifier assigned to the advertisement when it is created.

25. A system for using a computer system to manage advertising data comprising:

a memory having program code stored therein;

a processor operatively connected to said memory for carrying out instructions in accordance with said stored program code, wherein said program code, when executed by said processor causes said processor to;

register a system user as part of an online community;

extract user data from information stored during the registration process;

determine a geographic zone corresponding to the extracted system user data;

display advertising data to the system user based on the geographic zone, wherein the advertising data is created by an advertising user for placement within the online community and the advertising is displayed in response to system user interaction with elements of the online community.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising:

distribute sales revenue to at least one fundraising referral entity.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising:

distribute sales revenue to multiple fundraising referral entity according to a cascading referral implementation.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the geographic zone is designated by the advertising user.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the geographic zone is based on a system user'"'"'s zip code.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the geographic zone is based on GPS coordinates.

31. The system of claim 26, wherein the advertising data is configured as an award certificate created by the advertising user on the system.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein a portion of the advertising data is configured as at least one coupon created by the advertising user on the system.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein coupons created by the advertising user are displayed to the system user in a designated coupon area of the online community.

34. The system of claim 26, wherein a portion of the advertising data is configured as at least one award certificate created by the advertising user on the system.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the award certificate is presented to a system user upon the completion of a mini-game.

36. The system of claim 26, wherein a portion of the advertising data is configured as at least one banner advertisement created by the advertising user on the system.

37. The system of claim 26, wherein the online community is implemented as an online game.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the advertising data is displayed to the system user as the system user interacts with elements of the online game.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the system user accrues award points during interactions with elements of the online game.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the system user is able to redeem award points in an redemption area of the online community.

41. The system of claim 37, wherein the online game is a multi-player online game.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the advertising data is displayed to the system user as the system user interacts with elements of the multi-player online game.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the system user accrues award points during interactions with elements of the online game.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the system user is able to redeem award points in an redemption area of the online community.

45. The system of claim 26, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate the advertising data with a graphical user interface configured to customize advertisement parameters.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the processor is further configured to:

create an advertising user'"'"'s portfolio for storing advertisements generated by the advertising user.

47. The system of claim 45, wherein the processor is further configured to:

create at least one advertising efficacy metric associated with an advertisement.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the advertising efficacy metric is associated with the advertisement by an advertisement identifier assigned to the advertisement when it is created.