Method and system for monetizing content

• US 20090265257A1
• Filed: 06/22/2009
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pure Verticals, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pure Verticals, Inc.
• Inventors: Klinger, Theresa, Wada, Ariel
• Granted Patent: US 8,244,593 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering

Abstract

An e-commerce system, comprising an endorsement engine, a first interface software coupled to the endorsement engine and adapted to interact with one or more content sources connected over a network and adapted to enable subscriptions from users using a protocol, and a second interface software coupled to the endorsement engine and adapted to interact with one or more merchants to receive information about products, is disclosed. In an embodiment, the first interface software enables an endorsing user to browse the content sources and select a content item, to enter code associated with the selected content element, to view product information provided by merchants, to select a product for endorsement, and to enter code associated with the selected product. Upon retrieval of content by a viewing user who previously subscribed to the content source using the protocol, at least one of the content-specific code and the product-specific code is also provided to the viewing user via the protocol. Upon activation of the content-specific code, the viewing user is connected to the selected content and is able to view the selected content, and upon activation of the product-specific code by a viewing user, the viewing user is connected to a network-connected shopping cart, and is thereby enabled to buy the product.

Claims

1. An e-commerce system, comprising:

an endorsement engine executing on a network-connected server and adapted to enable subscriptions from users using a protocol; and

a first interface software executing on a network-connected server coupled to the endorsement engine and adapted to interact with one or more content sources connected over a network and adapted to enable subscriptions from users using the protocol;

a second interface software executing on a network-connected server coupled to the endorsement engine and adapted to interact with one or more merchants connected over a network to receive information concerning at least products available for sale;

wherein the interface software enables an endorsing user to browse the content sources and to select a content item, and the first interface software enables the endorsing user to enter code associated with the selected content element, and the first interface software enables the endorsing user to view product information concerning products made available for endorsement by one or more merchants via the second interface software, and to select a product for endorsement, and the first interface software enables the endorsing user to enter code associated with the selected product, the product-specific code compatible with the selected content item; and

wherein upon retrieval of content by a viewing user who previously subscribed to the content source using the protocol, at least one of the content-specific code and the product-specific code is also provided to the viewing user via the protocol; and

wherein upon the activation of the content-specific code by a viewing user, the viewing user is connected to the selected content still located at its original content source and is able to view the selected content while still connected to the first interface software; and

wherein upon the activation of the product-specific code by a viewing user, the viewing user is connected to a network-connected shopping cart, and is thereby enabled to buy the product.

2. A method for monetizing online content using a subscription protocol, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving information from a plurality of merchants related to products at a network-connected server;

(b) transmitting information and code related to a specific product from a network-connected server to an endorsing user;

(c) retrieving information and code related to a specific content element suitable for online display from a third party and making it available to the endorsing user;

(d) embedding the product-related code and content-related code into a software module executing on a network-attached server on request from the endorsing user;

(e) enabling subscription to the specific content element or its source via a protocol by a viewing user;

(f) upon the content-related code being activated by the viewing user following retrieval of the content element according to the subscription, enabling the viewing user to view the retrieved content element; and

(g) upon the product-related code being activated by the viewing user while viewing the retrieved content, connecting the viewing user to a network-connected shopping cart, thereby enabling the viewing user to purchase the product.