Multi-level marketing computer network server

• US 6,408,281 B1
• Filed: 08/09/2000
• Issued: 06/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Allyn M. Shell, Velma M.D. Anderson
• Original Assignee: Allyn M. Shell, Velma M.D. Anderson
• Inventors: Shell, Allyn M., Anderson, Velma M. D.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOI, KYLE JAEHUN
• Application Number:
  US09/636,654
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/35, 705/99, 705/14
• US Class Current: 705/26.82
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0274 Split fees
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0276 Advertisement creation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0637 Approvals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing

Abstract

A server system for multi-level vending of any electronically transferable product through a communications network directly to a customer'"'"'s computer. This server system (herein called a Sales Support Server) integrates the collection of a payment via the network and the automatic distribution of the product with the calculation of commissions using a multi-level marketing commission structure and the distribution of commissions and fees via the network. The preferred configuration includes a client application (herein called a Sales App) which runs as a plug-in to a network browser on the customer'"'"'s computer and which provides a purchase request and registration data to a Sales Support Server and performs the installation of the product on the customer'"'"'s computer. The Sales Support Server acquires the payment, transfers the product, calculates and pays the commissions, and adds the purchaser'"'"'s registration information to the multi-level sales database for the product. The usefulness of this invention includes physical product distribution through a shipping and handling system.

Claims

1. A method for purchasing products and distributing product-based, multilevel commissions comprising:

step of loading product information, a price for the product, and a predetermined commission structure for the product into a sales server,

step of purchasing a product,

step of calculating product-based, multilevel commissions and fees for each purchase,

step of registering sellers, developers/manufacturers, and other payees, and

step of distributing the calculated commissions and fees to the sellers, developer/manufacturer, and other payees;

wherein all said steps comprising this method are adapted to one or more computers.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of purchasing a product comprises a client and a sales server:

wherein the client method comprises;

step of selecting a product,

step of establishing a connection to the sales server for the selected product,

step of constructing a purchase request and submitting it to the sales server,

step of accepting and submitting payment information, and

step of receiving a downloaded product when an electronically transferable product is selected;

wherein the sales server method comprises;

step of accepting a purchase request,

step of authorizing a purchase,

step of downloading the product when an electronically transferable product is selected, and

step of issuing a shipping order for the product when a physical product is selected;

wherein all said steps comprising this method are adapted to one or more computers.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of selecting a product comprises:

step of browsing online catalog description pages,

step of acquiring the identification of the product and the seller reference information from the catalog description page;

wherein all said steps comprising this method are adapted to one or more computers.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of selecting a product comprises:

step of acquiring the identification of the product and the seller reference information from a user entry;

wherein said step comprising this method is adapted to one or more computers.

5. The method of claim 2:

wherein the client method further comprises;

step of receiving and displaying a shipping order verification when a physical product is selected;

wherein the sales server method further comprises;

step of sending to the client method a shipping order verification when a physical product is selected;

and wherein all said steps comprising this method are adapted to one or more computers.

6. The method of claim 2:

wherein the client method further comprises;

step of receiving from the server back-order information when a physical product is selected,

step of determining from customer if he desires to continue with purchase or cancel purchase, and

step of sending to the server a purchase cancellation;

wherein the sales server method further comprises;

step of determining back-order information when a physical product is selected,

step of sending to the client method back-order information, and

step of receiving from the client a purchase cancellation;

and wherein all said steps comprising this method are adapted to one or more computers.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of issuing a shipping order for the product comprises:

step of preparing customer tracking information,

step of sending the shipping order to the shipping and handling system when the shipping and handling system is separate from the sales server,

step of determining order tracking information,

step of informing customer of order tracking information, and

step of associating customer tracking information and order tracking information;

and wherein all said steps comprising this method are adapted to one or more computers.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of determining order tracking information comprises:

step of preparing order tracking information when shipping and handling system is integrated with the sales server;

wherein said step comprising this method is adapted to one or more computers.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of determining order tracking information comprises:

step of receiving order tracking information when the shipping and handling system is separate from the sales server;

wherein said step comprising this method is adapted to one or more computers.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of determining order tracking information comprises:

step of receiving instructions on how the customer acquires order tracking information when the shipping and handling system provided by an independent service;

wherein said step comprising this method is adapted to one or more computers.

11. The method of claim 2 wherein the server method further comprises:

step of receiving a confirmation of delivery, and

step of completing the purchase transaction.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein step of loading product information, a price for the product, and a predetermined commission structure for the product comprises a client and a server:

wherein the client method comprises;

step of specifying product files of an electronically transferable product when an electronically transferable product is being loaded,

step of specifying preliminary shipping information when a physical product is being loaded,

step of specifying product price and commission structure,

step of specifying developer/manufacturer information,

step of establishing a connection to the server,

step of uploading product files or preliminary shipping information to the server,

step of uploading the price and commission structure to the server, and

step of uploading developer/manufacturer information to the server;

wherein the server method comprises;

step of accepting the uploaded product files or preliminary shipping information,

step of accepting the uploaded price and commission structure, and

step of accepting developer/manufacturer information;

wherein all said steps comprising this method are adapted to one or more computers.

13. The method of claim 12:

wherein the server method further comprises;

step of associating a unique product reference identification with the product data, and

step of downloading the product reference identification and Sales Server contact information;

wherein the client method further comprises;

step of receiving and storing the downloaded product reference identification and Sales Server contact information;

wherein all said steps comprising this method are adapted to one or more computer.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of calculating product-based, multilevel commissions and fees comprising:

step of determining the number of paid commission levels from the product data record,

step of determining the amount of commission to be paid for each level from the product data record,

step of identifying the first level seller from the sale data,

step of identifying each additional level seller from the registration data file using the prior level seller information, for each additional level to be paid,

step of determining the method of pay for each level'"'"'s seller from the registration data file,

step of determining any payees and amount each is to be paid from the product data record,

step of determining the method of pay for each payee from the registration data file, and

step of determining the amount of pay and the method of pay for the developer/manufacturer from the registration data file;

wherein all said steps comprising this method are adapted to one or more computers.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of registering sellers, developers/manufacturers, and other payees comprises a client and a server:

wherein the client method comprises;

step of submitting the purchaser'"'"'s seller registration information, and

step of receiving the seller reference information downloaded by the said server;

wherein the server method comprises;

step of storing a registration data record,

step of generating seller reference information, and

step of downloading the seller reference information to said client;

wherein all said steps comprising this method are adapted to one or more computers.