Integrated Marketing Portal for Businesses

• US 20070250705A1
• Filed: 04/19/2006
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Market Hardware, Inc. (EverCommerce, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Market Hardware, Inc. (EverCommerce, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Patrick, Kraff, Brian, McGarry, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,917,391 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0266 based on the position of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A system supports creation of design and tangible and intangible commodities related to them such as logos, printed materials, handbooks, web sites, etc. Among various features described are a collaborative environment to help executives communicate preferences to a designer, an automated system for creating design works such as logos, and delivery systems to deliver completed materials to finishers such as printers.

Claims

1. A computer implantable method of defining products that use design elements, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a command to a server to search a library of design elements;

transmitting a command to said server to select and a command to edit a selected one of said design elements;

transmitting a command to said server to store an edited design element resulting responsively to said command to edit, said edited design element being generated by a server receiving said command to edit;

receiving renderings of a plurality of products responsively to said edited design element and generating a display thereof from said server;

transmitting a command to said server to select a selected one of said products and purchase the same.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said step of creating includes applying rules stored on said server to modify said design elements according to a respective one of said products.

3. A computer and server programmed to implement the method of claim 2.

4. A computer programmed to implement the method of claim 1.

5. A method of reviewing design elements presented for sale on a terminal, comprising the steps of:

browsing or searching a library and transmitting a command to a server to select a design element for review or editing;

transmitting to said server a request to hold said design element;

said server designating said design element as held and preventing further access to said design element for purchase or editing;

transmitting a request to release said design element from said hold such that said design element is accessible for purchase or editing.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein said step of transmitting a request to hold includes indicating a payment of a fee or incur an obligation, said step of designating being contingent on said payment of a fee or incurring of said obligation.

7. A method as in claim 5, wherein said design element includes a logo.

8. A computer and server programmed to implement the method of FIG. 5.

9. A method of sending a mailing, comprising the steps of:

positioning a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver incorporated in a transceiver at a specified location;

selecting a command on said transceiver to request a mailing to be sent to an address designated by said GPS receiver;

transmitting a position determined by said GPS receiver by said transceiver to a server with access to predefined documents, said mailing being a specified one of said predefined documents;

transmitting a command by said server, along with data containing information relating to said mailing, to print and mail said mailing to a fulfillment service.

10. A method as in claim 9, further comprising the step of transmitting multiple addresses to said transceiver from said server, receiving at said transceiver a selection of one of said multiple addresses, and transmitting a selected address to said server.

11. A method as in claim 10, further comprising determining a name of an occupant of said selected address and including said name in said data containing information relating to said mailing.

12. A computer and server configured to implement the method of claim 9.

13. A method of editing and purchasing designs, comprising the steps of:

at a first time, browsing a library of designs in a browse window, said step of browsing including rendering designs stored in said library using generic text;

receiving data from a user at a second later time indicating a company name;

at a third time later than said second, browsing said library of designs in a browse window, said step of browsing including rendering said designs stored in said library using said company name instead of said generic text.

14. A method as in claim 13, wherein said designs include logos.

15. One or more computers programmed to implement the method of claim 13.

16. A data object, comprising:

a definition of a graphical design;

at least one key associated with said graphical design;

said definition of said graphical design being encrypted with said at least one key;

said at least one key further providing authorizing access to services for at least one of editing said graphical design and printing said graphical design.

17. A data object as in claim 16, further comprising instructions for using said data object.

18. A method of using the data object of claim 16, comprising:

indicating said data object is for sale in a bidding server;

describing in said indication services authorized by said at least one key;

accepting said at least one key at a server and establishing a user session to at least one of edit and print said graphical design.

20. A method of selling designs, comprising:

accepting a design definition through a designer user interface;

accepting rules for modification of said design through said designer user interface;

accepting commands to select, edit, and purchase said design through a user interface;

transacting a purchase of said design;

paying for said design conditionally based on said purchase of said design.

21. A method as in claim 20, further comprising:

accepting a command to generate versions of said design and rendering said versions responsively to said command to generate and said rules.

22. A method as in claim 21, wherein said step of rendering includes displaying multiple ones of said versions on a single display.

23. One or more computers configured to implement the invention of claim 22.

24. A method editing a design, comprising:

transmitting a command to a server to search a library of design elements;

transmitting a command to said server to select and a command to edit a selected one of said design elements;

transmitting a command to said server to store an edited design element resulting responsively to said command to edit, said edited design element being generated by a server receiving said command to edit;

storing a sequence of data relating to editing interactions including said command to edit;

transmitting a help request to said server;

transmitting said sequence to said server;

generating a response at said server responsively to said help request and said sequence.

25. A method as in claim 24, wherein said step of generating a response includes generating a display viewable by a human assistant.

26. A method as in claim 24, wherein said step of generating a response includes recognizing features of said sequence and searching a library of recommended designs responsively to a feature recognized in said sequence.

27. One or more computers configured to implement the invention of claim 26.