METHOD, SYSTEM, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR MULTI-LEVEL MARKETING

• US 20080033744A1
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Inventors: Jones, Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US11/835,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20080033744A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0279 Fundraising management

Abstract

A method and system of multi-level marketing including automatically sharing income between at least one intermediate marketing level including at least one for-profit entity, a middle level including at least one non-profit entity, and at least one lower level including a mixture of non-profit entities and for-profit entities. The for-profit entities can share a portion of or all of their income with non-profit entities such as charitable organizations. The various entities in the system can serve as sponsors to other entities.

Claims

1. A method of multi-level marketing, comprising:

automatically sharing income between at least one higher level including at least one for-profit entity, a middle level including at least one for-profit entity, and

at least one income producing level including a mixture of non-profit entities and for profit entities.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said sharing includes providing a middle level marketing entity with a percentage of earnings earned by a recruit of the middle level marketing entity.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving an indication of whether one of the entities in the levels wishes to donate an additional portion of the entity'"'"'s earnings to one of the non-profit entities.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a sponsor after a new entity of the income producing level is identified.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a sponsor identification code corresponding to the sponsor along with identification of the new entity.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an option for a new income producing entity to donate at least a portion of earnings to one of the non-profit entities when the new income producing entity learns of an entity of the intermediate level without having been directed to the entity of the intermediate level by the entity of the marketing level.

7. A method for recruiting human searchers in an information search system, comprising:

associating a human searcher with a sponsor; and

sharing compensation between the human searcher and the sponsor.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said sharing includes determining recruitment

compensation for the sponsor based on a multi-level marketing structure having at least one middle marketing level including at least one for-profit entity, a higher level including at least one for-profit entity;

and at least one income producing level including a mixture of non-profit entities and for-profit entities.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said determining includes compensating the sponsor with a percentage of income associated with the human searcher.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said determining includes providing the human

searcher with a choice regarding allocation of the income associated with the human searcher.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the human searcher and the sponsor are provided with a verification notification to ensure that both parties are mutually aware of their relationship.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the choice regarding allocation of the income associated with the human searcher includes distribution of earnings to the sponsor when the sponsor is one of the non-profit entities.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein said associating includes:

presenting an option on an interactive information product about the sponsor to allow the human searcher to be associated with the sponsor when conducting searches; and

automatically associating the human searcher with the sponsor when the option is selected by the human searcher.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein a sponsor identifier identifying said sponsor is encrypted.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said presenting includes associating the human searcher with an identifier of the sponsor.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the membership page includes a second option to donate earnings of the human searcher to the sponsor when the sponsor is a non-profit organization.

17. A computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed cause a computer to perform a method comprising:

associating a human searcher with a sponsor; and

sharing compensation between the human searcher and the sponsor.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein said method further comprises:

determining recruitment compensation for the sponsor based on a multi-level marketing structure including at least one middle level including at least one for-profit entity, a management level including at least one for-profit entity, and at least one income producing level including a mixture of non-profit entities and for-profit entities.

19. A method, comprising:

performing a web-based income producing task at an income producing level; and

automatically sharing income between at least one higher level including at least one for-profit entity, a middle level including at least one for-profit entity, and at least one income producing level including a mixture of non-profit entities and for profit entities.

20. A computer readable storage for controlling a computer including

a sponsor record, comprising:

a sponsor identification field;

a sponsoree identification field; and

an earnings field.

21. A system, comprising:

a search computer system adapted to transmit search queries; and

at least one website interface communicatively coupled to said search computer system to allow communication to occur between said search computer system and at least one other computer system or website.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said search computer system includes a donee election graphical user interface and a donor information graphical user interface.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the donee election graphical user interface shows to potential donor/sponsoree other causes to which the potential donor/sponsoree may wish to donate in order to become not-for-profit.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the donee election graphical user interface delivers targeted appeals to donors/sponsorees in a graphics window when needs arise.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the donor information graphical user interface displays a top number of contributors contributing most to a given cause.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the donor information graphical user interface delivers targeted advertising to a donee from a donor organization that is for-profit who is on said donee'"'"'s top number of contributors selection in the donor information graphical user interface.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the donee election graphical user interface delivers a targeted advertisement to a donor in a graphics window that is based on a selected donees list included in the donee election graphical user interface.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein the donor information graphical user interface illustrates where a given donor/sponsoree ranks graphically using a graphics window.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein the donee election graphical user interface includes a window displaying total contributions in percentages and/or monetary amounts.

30. The system of claim 22, wherein the donor information graphical user interface and the donee election graphical user interface include fixed fields.

31. The system of claim 22, wherein the donee election graphical user interface can be utilized to liquidate any net earnings at year-end.

32. A search computer system adapted to transmit search queries and allow users to be sponsored;

and at least one website interface communicatively coupled to said search computer system to allow communication to occur between said search computer system and at least one other computer system or website, said search computer system

providing sponsorship and receiving access by a lower level member assessing the search computer system via a blog or a charitable organization,

determining a sponsor identifier by tracing a uniform resource locator used to access the search computer system,

adding sponsoree to sponsor database, determining a required contribution for sponsoree to contribute to contribute to sponsor;

adding an amount of total contribution in sponsor database,

determining whether sponsoree wishes to contribute an additional monetary amount,

adding a for-profit status to the sponsoree database if said determination yields a negative result, and when said determination yields a positive result,

determining an additional amount of sponsoree'"'"'s earnings sponsoree wishes to pledge,

updating the sponsoree database with an additional contribution amount,

updating the sponsor database with an additional amount, and

adding non-profit status to the sponsoree database.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein a price is established for said transfer.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein a price is established for said transfer.

33. A method comprising;

Selecting a donee;

initiating a transfer of information to a donor of the donee; and

displaying the information to the donor.

35. A method comprising:

Selecting a donor;

identifying a donor associated with the selected donor; and

initiating a transfer of information to the identified donor.