METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING ON-LINE TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING A CONTENT OWNER, AN ADVERTISER, AND A TARGETED CONSUMER
First Claim
1. A system for processing a transaction involving an information content provider, an ad content provider, and a consumer over at least one computer network, said information content provider being associated with an information content server, said ad content provider being associated with an ad content server, and said consumer being associated with at least one consumer computer, said system comprising:
- at least one memory; and
at least one processor operative to execute at least one computer program out of said at least one memory;
to receive, over said at least one computer network, first terms associated with compensation to be paid to said consumer by said ad content provider upon consumption of ad content by said consumer;
to receive, over said at least one computer network, second terms associated with compensation to be paid to said information content provider upon consumption of information content by said consumer;
to receive, over said at least one computer network, an indication that said consumer has satisfied said first terms;
responsive to said indication that said consumer has satisfied said first terms, to forward, over said at least one computer network, an electronic invoice for a first payment amount for receipt at said ad content server, said first payment amount to be remitted by said ad content provider for use, at least in part, in connection with said compensation to be paid to said consumer;
to receive, over said at least one computer network, an indication that said consumer has satisfied said second terms; and
responsive to said indication that said consumer has satisfied said second terms, to forward, over said at least one computer network, an electronic payment for a second payment amount for receipt at said information content server, said second payment being forwarded as said compensation to be paid to said information content provider.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods of delivering and accessing information such as targeted advertisements and other information content in a computer network environment that increase the efficiency of services provided by advertisers, while enhancing the economics of information content owners. The system implements a triangular economic transaction enabling negotiated transactions involving an information content owner, an advertiser, and a consumer. During the transactions between the respective parties, the information content owner is in control over terms of sale for its information content, the advertiser is in control over terms of its advertising campaign, and the consumer maintains control over personal profile information upon which the targeting of advertisements is based. The system allows the consumer to view targeted advertisements or any desired information content at a computer or computerized device on his or her own schedule, while maintaining a desired level of on-line privacy.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A system for processing a transaction involving an information content provider, an ad content provider, and a consumer over at least one computer network, said information content provider being associated with an information content server, said ad content provider being associated with an ad content server, and said consumer being associated with at least one consumer computer, said system comprising:
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at least one memory; and at least one processor operative to execute at least one computer program out of said at least one memory; to receive, over said at least one computer network, first terms associated with compensation to be paid to said consumer by said ad content provider upon consumption of ad content by said consumer; to receive, over said at least one computer network, second terms associated with compensation to be paid to said information content provider upon consumption of information content by said consumer; to receive, over said at least one computer network, an indication that said consumer has satisfied said first terms; responsive to said indication that said consumer has satisfied said first terms, to forward, over said at least one computer network, an electronic invoice for a first payment amount for receipt at said ad content server, said first payment amount to be remitted by said ad content provider for use, at least in part, in connection with said compensation to be paid to said consumer; to receive, over said at least one computer network, an indication that said consumer has satisfied said second terms; and responsive to said indication that said consumer has satisfied said second terms, to forward, over said at least one computer network, an electronic payment for a second payment amount for receipt at said information content server, said second payment being forwarded as said compensation to be paid to said information content provider. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for receiving ad content and information content over at least one computer network, comprising:
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at least one consumer computer associated with at least one consumer, said at least one consumer computer including; at least one memory; and at least one processor operative to execute at least one computer program out of said at least one memory; to receive said ad content over said at least one computer network; to provide a first output containing said ad content for consumption by said at least one consumer; to receive, over said at least one computer network, compensation for the consumption of said ad content by said at least one consumer; to forward, over said at least one computer network for receipt at at least one first server computer, a request for authorization to use said compensation as electronic payment for said information content, said request being initiated by said at least one consumer associated with said at least one consumer computer; to receive, over said at least one computer network, said authorization to use said compensation as said electronic payment and a digital ticket for enabling access to said information content; to forward said digital ticket over said at least one computer network for receipt at a second server computer; and in response to having forwarded said digital ticket, to receive said information content over said at least one computer network. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A system for receiving targeted content over at least one computer network, comprising:
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at least one memory; and at least one processor operative to execute at least one computer program out of said at least one memory; to receive a plurality of content targeting criteria over said at least one computer network; to match said plurality of content targeting criteria against consumer profile information to generate matching results, said matching results being indicative of one or more successful matches between a portion of said plurality of content targeting criteria and said consumer profile information; to forward, over said at least one computer network, said matching results for receipt at at least one server computer; in response, at least in part, to having forwarded said matching results, to receive, over said at least one computer network, targeted content for consumption by at least one consumer, said targeted content being based, at least in part, on said matching results; and to receive, over said at least one computer network, an amount of compensation for the consumption of said targeted content by said at least one consumer, said amount of compensation being based, at least one part, on said portion of said plurality of content targeting criteria successfully matching said consumer profile information. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A system for receiving ad content and information content over at least one computer network, comprising:
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at least one memory; and at least one processor operative to execute at least one computer program out of said at least one memory; to forward, over said at least one computer network for receipt at a first server computer, a request for first ad content, said request being initiated by a consumer; in response to having forwarded said request for said first ad content, to receive first ad targeting criteria over said at least one computer network; to match said first ad targeting criteria against consumer profile information associated with said consumer to generate first matching results; to forward said first matching results over said at least one computer network for receipt at said first server computer; to receive said first ad content over said at least one computer network based on said first matching results; to monitor behavior of said consumer while consuming said first ad content; to update said consumer profile information based on the monitored behavior of said consumer; and to receive second ad content over said at least one computer network, said second ad content being based on results of matching second ad targeting criteria against the updated consumer profile information. - View Dependent Claims (36, 43)
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37. A system for displaying information content and one or more ad content items to a consumer, each of said information content and said one or more ad content items having an associated value, said information content further having an associated duration, said system comprising:
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at least one display; at least one memory; and at least one processor operative to execute at least one computer program out of said at least one memory; in response to an input selection from said consumer, to selectively display, on said at least one display, said information content or said one or more ad content items for consumption by said consumer; to display, on said at least one display, a first visual representation of said information content, said first visual representation having a first dimension representative of said value or said duration of said information content; to display, on said at least one display, one or more second visual representations corresponding to one or more respective ad content items, each of said one or more second visual representations having a second dimension representative of said value of the respective ad content item, said second dimension being less than said first dimension and being representative of a portion of said information content that said consumer would be entitled to consume if the respective ad content item were consumed by said consumer; and to display, on said at least one display, said one or more second visual representations in association with said first visual representation to graphically display a relationship between said value of each respective ad content item and said value or said duration of said information content. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. A method of processing a transaction involving an information content provider, an ad content provider, and a consumer over at least one computer network, said information content provider being associated with an information content server, said ad content provider being associated with an ad content server, and said consumer being associated with at least one consumer computer, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving, over said at least one computer network, first terms associated with compensation to be paid to said consumer by said ad content provider upon consumption of ad content by said consumer; receiving, over said at least one computer network, second terms associated with compensation to be paid to said information content provider upon consumption of information content by said consumer; receiving, over said at least one computer network, an indication that said consumer has satisfied said first terms; responsive to the receipt of said indication that said consumer has satisfied said first terms, forwarding, over said at least one computer network, an electronic invoice for a first payment amount for receipt at said ad content server, said first payment amount to be remitted by said ad content provider, at least in part, as said compensation to be paid to said consumer; receiving, over said at least one computer network, an indication that said consumer has satisfied said second terms; and responsive to the receipt of said indication that said consumer has satisfied said second terms, forwarding, over said at least one computer network, an electronic payment for a second payment amount for receipt at said information content server, said second payment being forwarded as said compensation to be paid to said information content provider.
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40. A method of receiving ad content and information content over at least one computer network, comprising the steps of:
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receiving said ad content over said at least one computer network; providing a first output containing said ad content for consumption by at least one consumer; receiving, over said at least one computer network, compensation for the consumption of said ad content by said at least one consumer; forwarding, over said at least one computer network for receipt at a first server computer, a request initiated by said at least one consumer for authorization to use said compensation as electronic payment for said information content; receiving, over said at least one computer network, said authorization to use said compensation as said electronic payment and a digital ticket for enabling access to said information content; forwarding, over said at least one computer network for receipt at a second server computer, said digital ticket to access said information content; and receiving said information content over said at least one computer network.
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41. A method of receiving targeted content over at least one computer network, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a plurality of content targeting criteria over said at least one computer network; matching said plurality of content targeting criteria against consumer profile information to generate matching results, said matching results being indicative of one or more successful matches between a portion of said plurality of content targeting criteria and said consumer profile information; forwarding, over said at least one computer network, said matching results for receipt at at least one server computer; in response, at least in part, to said forwarding of said matching results, receiving, over said at least one computer network, targeted content based, at least in part, on said matching results for consumption by at least one consumer; and receiving, over said at least one computer network, an amount of compensation for the consumption of said targeted content by said at least one consumer, said amount of compensation being based, at least one part, on said portion of said plurality of content targeting criteria successfully matching said consumer profile information.
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42. A method of receiving ad content and information content over at least one computer network, comprising the steps of:
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forwarding, over said at least one computer network for receipt at a first server computer, a request initiated by a consumer for first ad content; in response to said forwarding of said request for said first ad content, receiving first ad targeting criteria over said at least one computer network; locally matching said first ad targeting criteria against consumer profile information associated with said consumer to generate first matching results; forwarding said first matching results over said at least one computer network for receipt at said first server computer; receiving said first ad content over said at least one computer network based on said first matching results; monitoring behavior of said consumer while consuming said first ad content; and updating said consumer profile information based on the monitored behavior of said consumer.
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44. A method of displaying information content and one or more ad content items to a consumer, each of said information content and said one or more ad content items having an associated value, said information content further having an associated duration, said method comprising the steps of:
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in response to an input selection from said consumer, selectively displaying, on said at least one display, said information content or said one or more ad content items for consumption by said consumer; displaying, on said at least one display, a first visual representation of said information content, said first visual representation having a first dimension representative of said value or said duration of said information content; displaying, on said at least one display, one or more second visual representations corresponding to one or more respective ad content items, each of said one or more second visual representations having a second dimension representative of said value of the respective ad content item, said second dimension being less than said first dimension and being representative of a portion of said information content that said consumer would be entitled to consume if the respective ad content item were consumed by said consumer; and displaying, on said at least one display, said one or more second visual representations in association with said first visual representation to graphically display a relationship between said value of each respective ad content item and said value or said duration of said information content.
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Specification