Method, system, and apparatus for advertising

• US 20070208616A1
• Filed: 03/01/2006
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Michael Choi
• Original Assignee: Michael Choi
• Inventors: Choi, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/365,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20070208616A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.130
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

A method, system, and apparatus for enabling a display device to display advertisements is disclosed. The display device is enabled to simultaneously display a first advertisement and a representation of a geographical region. The geographical region is within a geographical super-region, and the geographical super-region is associated with a first entry in a database. The first advertisement is associated with the first entry in the database. The display device is also enabled to receive a selection of the geographical sub-region and display a second advertisement. The geographical sub-region is associated with a second entry in the database, and the second advertisement is associated with the second entry in the database.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a display device to display advertisements, the method comprising:

enabling the display device to simultaneously display a first advertisement and a representation of a geographical sub-region, wherein

the geographical sub-region is within a geographical super-region,

the geographical super-region is associated with a first entry in a database, and

the first advertisement is associated with the first entry in the database;

receiving a selection of the geographical sub-region; and

enabling the display device to display a second advertisement, wherein

the geographical sub-region is associated with a second entry in the database, and

the second advertisement is associated with the second entry in the database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

the first and second advertisements are associated with a category.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

enabling the display device to display a representation of the category, wherein the category is associated with a third advertisement, and

the third advertisement is associated with the second entry in the database;

receiving a selection of the category; and

enabling the display device to simultaneously display the third advertisement and the representation of the sub-category.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein

the first entry in the database comprises the representation of the geographical super-region, and

the second entry in the database comprises the representation of the geographical sub-region.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the first advertisement and the representation of the geographical sub-region in a web browser, and

removing the first advertisement from the web browser before displaying the second advertisement.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein

a plurality of geographical super-regions includes the geographical super-region,

a first level of a geographical hierarchy includes the plurality of geographical super-regions,

a plurality of geographical sub-regions includes the geographical sub-region,

each sub-region in the plurality of geographical sub-regions is within the geographical super-region, and

a second level of a geographical hierarchy includes the plurality of geographical sub-regions.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein

the representation of the geographical sub-region comprises at least one of:

a geographical map; and

a textual description of the geographical sub-region;

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the textual description of the geographical sub-region comprises at least one of:

a zip code;

a name of a neighborhood;

a name of a city;

a name of a county;

a name of a state;

a name of a metropolitan area; and

a name of a country.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the display device to simultaneously display the representation of the geographical sub-region, the first advertisement, a representation of a first category, and a coupon, wherein

the coupon is associated with the first advertisement.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

generating a statistical report, wherein

the statistical report provides data indicating at least one of;

a number of times the coupon has been printed,

a number of times the first advertisement has been viewed, and

a number of times the first advertisement has been bookmarked.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of a third advertisement; and

enabling the display device to display the third advertisement, wherein

the third advertisement is associated with the second entry in the database.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein

the first entry in the database includes:

a first field identifying the first advertisement, and

a second field identifying the geographical super-region.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein

the first entry in the database further includes:

a third field identifying a category.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of a third advertisement; and

displaying the third advertisement, wherein

the third advertisement is associated with the geographical sub-region.

14. A method for displaying advertisements, the method comprising:

simultaneously displaying a first advertisement and a map, wherein

the map represents a geographical sub-region,

the geographical sub-region is within a geographical super-region,

the first advertisement is associated with the geographical super-region;

receiving a selection of the geographical sub-region; and

displaying a second advertisement, wherein

the second advertisement is associated with the geographical sub-region.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein

the first and second advertisements are associated with a category.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

displaying a representation of the category, wherein the category is associated with a third advertisement, and

the third advertisement is associated with the geographical sub-region;

receiving a selection of the category; and

simultaneously displaying the third advertisement and a representation of a sub-category.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein

the receiving a selection of the geographical sub-region comprises receiving a selection of the map.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

simultaneously displaying the representation of the geographical sub-region, the first advertisement, a representation of a first category, and a coupon, wherein

the coupon is associated with the first advertisement.

20. A method for enabling a display device to display advertisements, the method comprising:

enabling the display device to simultaneously display a first advertisement and a representation of a geographical super-region, wherein

a geographical sub-region is within the geographical super-region,

the geographical sub-region is associated with a first entry in a database, and

the first advertisement is associated with the first entry in the database;

receiving a selection of the geographical super-region; and

enabling the display device to display a second advertisement, wherein

the geographical super-region is associated with a second entry in the database, and

the second advertisement is associated with the second entry in the database.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein

a plurality of geographical super-regions includes the geographical super-region,

a first level of a geographical hierarchy includes the plurality of geographical super-regions,

a plurality of geographical sub-regions includes the geographical sub-region,

each sub-region in the plurality of geographical sub-regions is within the geographical super-region, and

a second level of a geographical hierarchy includes the plurality of geographical sub-regions.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein

the representation of the geographical super-region comprises at least one of:

a geographical map, and

a textual description of the geographical sub-region.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein

the first entry in the database includes:

a first field identifying the first advertisement, and

a second field identifying the geographical sub-region.

24. A computer program product comprising:

a first set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to enable a display device to simultaneously display a first advertisement and a representation of a geographical sub-region, wherein

the geographical sub-region is within a geographical super-region,

the geographical super-region is associated with a first entry in a database, and

the first advertisement is associated with the first entry in the database;

a second set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to receive a selection of the geographical sub-region;

a third set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to enable the display device to display a second advertisement, wherein

the geographical sub-region is associated with a second entry in the database, and

the second advertisement is associated with the second entry in the database; and

computer readable media, wherein

the computer program product is encoded in the computer readable media.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein

the first and second advertisements are associated with a category.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, further comprising:

a fourth set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to enable the display device to display a representation of the category, wherein the category is associated with a third advertisement, and

the third advertisement is associated with the second entry in the database;

a fifth set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to receive a selection of the category; and

a sixth set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to enable the display device to simultaneously display the third advertisement and a representation of a sub-category.

27. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein

the first entry in the database comprises the representation of the geographical super-region, and

the second entry in the database comprises the representation of the geographical sub-region.

28. The computer program product of claim 24, further comprising:

a fourth set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to display the first advertisement and the representation of the geographical sub-region in a web browser; and

a fifth set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to remove the first advertisement from the web browser before displaying the second advertisement.

29. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein

the representation of the geographical sub-region comprises at least one of:

a geographical map; and

a textual description of the geographical sub-region.

30. The computer program product of claim 24, further comprising:

a fourth set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to enable the display device to simultaneously display the representation of the geographical sub-region, the first advertisement, a representation of a first category, and a coupon, wherein

the coupon is associated with the first advertisement.

31. The computer program product of claim 24, further comprising:

a fourth set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to receive a selection of a third advertisement; and

a fifth set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to enable the display device to display the third advertisement, wherein

the third advertisement is associated with the second entry in the database.

32. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein

the first entry in the database includes:

a first field identifying the first advertisement, and

a second field identifying the geographical super-region.

33. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, comprising computer instructions for causing a display device to display an advertisement, the computer data signal causing the display device to:

simultaneously display a first advertisement and a map, wherein

the map represents a geographical sub-region,

the geographical sub-region is within a geographical super-region,

the first advertisement is associated with the geographical super-region;

receive a selection of the map; and

display a second advertisement, wherein

the second advertisement is associated with the geographical sub-region.

34. An apparatus comprising:

means for enabling a display device to simultaneously display a first advertisement and a representation of a geographical sub-region, wherein

the geographical sub-region is within a geographical super-region,

the geographical super-region is associated with a first entry in a database, and

the first advertisement is associated with the first entry in the database;

receiving a selection of the geographical sub-region; and

enabling the display device to display a second advertisement, wherein

the geographical sub-region is associated with a second entry in the database, and

the second advertisement is associated with the second entry in the database.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein

the first and second advertisements are associated with a category.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising:

means for enabling the display device to display a representation of the category,

wherein the category is associated with a third advertisement, and

the third advertisement is associated with the second entry in the database;

means for receiving a selection of the category; and

means for enabling the display device to simultaneously display the third advertisement and a representation of a sub-category.

37. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein

the first entry in the database comprises a representation of the geographical super-region, and

the second entry in the database comprises the representation of the geographical sub-region.

38. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising:

means for displaying the first advertisement and the representation of the geographical sub-region in a web browser, and

means for removing the first advertisement from the web browser before displaying the second advertisement.

39. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein

a plurality of geographical super-regions includes the geographical super-region,

a first level of a geographical hierarchy includes the plurality of geographical super-regions,

a plurality of geographical sub-regions includes the geographical sub-region,

each sub-region in the plurality of geographical sub-regions is within the geographical super-region, and

a second level of the geographical hierarchy includes the plurality of geographical sub-regions.

40. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising:

means for receiving a selection of a third advertisement; and

means for enabling the display device to display the third advertisement, wherein the third advertisement is associated with the second entry in the database.

41. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein

the first entry in the database includes:

a first field identifying the first advertisement,

a second field identifying the geographical super-region, and

a third field identifying a category.

42. A system for enabling the displaying of advertisements, the system comprising:

a geography database, wherein

the geography database includes;

a first geographical entry associated with a geographical super-region,

a second geographical entry associated with a geographical sub-region, and

the geographical sub-region is within the geographical super-region;

an advertisement database, wherein

the advertisement database includes;

a first advertisement associated with the first geographical entry, and

a second advertisement associated with the second geographical entry; and

a first module configured to enable simultaneous displaying of a representation of the geographical sub-region and the first advertisement.

43. The system of claim 42, further comprising

a category database, wherein the category database includes

first and second categories, wherein

the second category is a sub-category of the first category, and

the second category is associated with the first advertisement.

44. The system of claim 43, further comprising:

a second module configured to receive a selection of the second category, and

a third module configured to receive a selection of the geographical sub-region

45. The system of claim 42, wherein the geography database further comprises:

a first hierarchical level, wherein

the first hierarchical level includes a plurality of geographical super-regions, and

the plurality of geographical super-regions includes the geographical super-region; and

a second hierarchical level, wherein

the second hierarchical level includes a plurality of geographical sub-regions,

the plurality of geographical sub-regions includes the geographical sub-region, and

each geographical sub-region in the plurality of geographical sub-regions is within the geographical super-region.

46. The system of claim 42, further comprising:

a second module, wherein the second module is configured to receive a selection of the geographical sub-region, and

a third module, wherein the third module is configured to receive a selection of a category.

47. A method for adding advertisements to a database, the method comprising:

enabling a display device to display a representation of a first geographical region;

receiving a selection of the first geographical region;

enabling the display device to display a representation of a second geographical region, wherein the second geographical region is within the first geographical region;

receiving an advertisement; and

adding a database entry to the database, wherein

the database entry associates the first geographical region with the advertisement.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

enabling the display device to display a representation of a category;

receiving a selection of the category; and

associating the advertisement with the category.

49. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

enabling the display device to simultaneously display the representation of the category, the representation of the first geographical region, and the advertisement.

50. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

receiving keywords; and

associating the keywords with the advertisement.

51. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

receiving a coupon; and

associating the coupon with the advertisement.

52. The method of claim 47, wherein

the database entry includes:

a first field identifying the advertisement, and

a second field identifying the first geographical region.

53. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

receiving a coupon, wherein

the database entry associates the advertisement with the coupon.