Method and apparatus for implementing search engine with cost per action revenue model

• US 20070124287A1
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intersections Incorporated (Aura Sub, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Anchorfree Incorporated
• Inventors: Gorodyansky, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,647,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0215 Including financial accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0246 Traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0247 Calculate past, present or future revenues
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

The inventive technology enables the search engine operator to charge the advertisers who place their links on the search engine only if the user uses the search results to visit the advertiser'"'"'s web portal(s) and generates revenue for the advertiser. This concept is especially attractive to the advertisers because it eliminates the risk, which the advertisers face in conventional search engines, when they are changed by the search engine per user click irrespectively of whether the user'"'"'s visit resulted in advertiser'"'"'s revenue.

Claims

1. A computerized search and advertising system comprising:

a. a web interface operable to receive a search query from a user, wherein the search query specifies a search information;

b. a search system operable to receive the search query from the web interface and to generate a search request based on the search query;

c. a search engine operable to receive the search request from the search system and to provide to the search system a plurality of search results responsive to the search request; and

d. a database operable to store a plurality of paid advertisings;

wherein the search system is additionally operable to;

i. receive a plurality of search results;

ii. retrieve at least one paid advertising information from the database, wherein the retrieved paid advertising is relevant to the search information and wherein the paid advertising information comprises a paid advertising link;

iii. insert the at least one paid advertising link into the plurality of search results; and

iv. cause the web interface to display the inserted paid advertising link and the plurality of search results to the user.

2. The computerized search and advertising system of claim 1, wherein the operator of the search and advertising system receives payment only if the user uses the paid advertising link to generate revenue.

3. The computerized search and advertising system of claim 1, wherein if the user uses the paid advertising link to generate revenue, a portion of the generated revenue is received by the operator of the search and advertising system.

4. The computerized search and advertising system of claim 3, wherein upon receipt of the portion of the revenue, the user is provided with a credit.

5. The computerized search and advertising system of claim 4, further comprising a third database operable to store credit information for the user.

6. The computerized search and advertising system of claim 4, further comprising a user interface for collecting user information, wherein the search system is operable to establish an account for the user based on the collected user information.

7. The computerized search and advertising system of claim 4, further comprising a storage area allocated for storing user account information, information on the user activities and a credit provided to the user.

8. The computerized search and advertising system of claim 1, further comprising a second database operable to store information on activity of the user.

9. The computerized search and advertising system of claim 1, wherein the paid advertising link is inserted above the plurality of search results.

10. The computerized search and advertising system of claim 1, wherein the paid advertising link is designated with a visual object informing the user that is the user takes a predetermined action, the user would be given a credit.

11. A computer-implemented method comprising:

a. receiving a search query from a user, wherein the search query specifies a search information;

b. generating a search request based on the search query and forwarding the search request to a search engine;

c. receiving a plurality of search results responsive to the search request from the search engine;

d. retrieving at least one paid advertising information from a database, wherein the retrieved paid advertising is relevant to the search information and wherein the paid advertising information comprises a paid advertising link;

e. inserting the at least one paid advertising link into the plurality of search results; and

f. causing the web interface to display the inserted paid advertising link and the plurality of search results to the user.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising determining whether the user used the paid advertising link to generate revenue, and if so, providing a portion of the generated revenue to operator of a search and advertising system.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising determining whether the user used the paid advertising link to generate revenue, and, if so, providing payment to operator of search and advertising system.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein upon receipt of the portion of the revenue, the user is provided with a credit.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising storing information on activity of the user.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising collecting information from the user and establishing a user account.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, further comprising allocating a storage area and storing in the allocated storage area user account information, information on the user activities and information on a credit provided to the user.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the paid advertising link is inserted above the plurality of search results.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the paid advertising link is designated with a visual object informing the user that is the user takes a predetermined action, the user would be given a credit.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the paid advertising link is highlighted.