Internet marketing method and system

• US 6,477,509 B1
• Filed: 01/06/2000
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Efunz.com
• Original Assignee: Efunz.com
• Inventors: Hammons, James P., Silsby, Laura L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess, Douglas
• Assistant Examiner(s): GORT, ELAINE L
• Application Number:
  US09/478,649
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/14
• US Class Current: 705/26.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0214 Referral reward systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0219 based on funds or budget
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A method and system for communication and trade on a network, in which information is directed at the computer screen of a consumer by merchants of goods, services, or information. A lending partner would provide the initial capital to offer the consumer an incentive for signing up for the system, and for supplying pertinent information about herself. A management system would integrate the merchant information with consumer information, to send a targeted stream of information to the user. Purchases could be made from the system, whether connected to the network or not. Background data transfer or auto-refreshing of data would be options for the system. The lending partner would be repaid for the consumer'"'"'s incentive from revenues paid into the management system related to each individual consumer transaction.

Claims

1. In an arrangement comprising at least one computer network, said network connecting at least one personal computer to at least one information-system computer, said personal computer being associated with at least one system user, a method for network participation, utilizing incentives and mutual reinforcements between a system user, an information provider, and an investor, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving funds in a management fund, from one or more investors, to be used for providing a viewing incentive to a system user;

providing a viewing incentive for a plurality of system users to participate in said network participation;

gathering system user profile information from said system users;

storing said system user profile information in a system user profile database on said information provider computer;

gathering product information from one or more information providers and storing it on said information-system computer;

providing said system users with product information for viewing on a computer screen in use by said system user;

receiving from said information providers a product information presentation fee which is paid into said management fund, for presenting information to said system users which said information providers have selected for such presentation;

providing said system users with a means of interacting with product information or advertising;

receiving a fee from said information providers for transactions which result from said product information presented to said system users; and

paying one or more investor from said management fund to repay said investor for said viewing incentives paid to said system users.

2. The method of network participation of claim 1 which further comprises the step of receiving a commitment from said system users to view targeted information for a period of time.

3. The method of network participation of claim 1 in which further comprises the steps of:

gathering system user profile information from system users who are consumers who purchase goods and services; and

receiving a commitment from said consumers users to view advertising information for goods and services for a period of time.

4. The method of network participation of claim 1 in which further comprises the steps of:

providing consumers a means of interacting with product information by purchasing goods and services.

5. The method for network participation of claim 4 in which the step of providing said system users with a means of interacting with product information by purchasing goods and services further comprises an on-line payment means.

6. The method of network participation of claim 5 which further includes the step of providing credit for on-line purchases.

7. The method for network participation of claim 6 which further comprises the step of ordering a product by a system user, using one click of a selection device, when said system user is connected to said network, or not connected to said network.

8. The method of network participation of claim 1 in which further comprises the steps of:

comparing said system user profile information with said provided information;

providing said system users with information for viewing on a computer screen in use by said system user, in which said information is tailored to said system user based on a match between said system user profile information and said product information.

9. The method of network participation of claim 8 which further comprises the steps of:

providing said consumer profile information to an investor who is a consumer lending partner in order to pre-qualify said consumer for a credit account with said consumer lending partner; and

allowing lender to make credit available to said consumers by providing credit account information from said consumer lending partner to said consumers on said computer screen.

10. The method for network participation of claim 9 which further comprises the step of paying a new account bounty to said management fund by said consumer lending partner for consumers who open a credit account with said consumer lending partner.

11. The method for network participation of claim 8 which further comprises the step of providing a means for system users to earn additional trading incentives based on hours of exposure to product information and advertising.

12. The method for network participation of claim 1 which further comprises the step of providing a means for system users to earn additional viewing incentives based upon exploration of product information.

13. The method for network participation of claim 1 which further comprises the step of providing a means for system users to earn additional viewing incentives based on hours of exposure to product information and exploration of product information.

14. The method for network participation of claim 1 which further comprises the step of providing a means for system users to earn additional viewing incentives based upon signup of referred new system users to said trading system by said system users.

15. The method for network participation of claim 1 which further comprises the step of providing incentives to said system user for system related activities.

16. The method for network participation of claim 15 in which the step of providing a viewing incentive for consumers to participate in said network participation further comprises providing selected goods or services provided by said information providers.

17. The method for network participation of claim 1 in which the step of providing a viewing incentive for system users to participate in said system further comprises an internet currency which can be used toward purchase of goods or services from said information providers.

18. The method for network participation of claim 1 which further comprises the step of displaying a number which represents a running total of said system user'"'"'s current incentive total on said computer screen of said system user.

19. The method for network participation of claim 1 which further comprises the steps of;

sensing said system user'"'"'s product information viewing activity;

transmitting information about said system user'"'"'s product information viewing activity to said information-system computer; and

dynamically adjusting product information provided to said system user according to said system user'"'"'s product information viewing activity and system user profile information.

20. The method for network participation of claim 1 which further comprises the step of installing product information software on said system user'"'"'s computer which has the ability to display product information to said consumer.

21. The method for network participation of claim 20 which further comprises the step of displaying stored product information to said system user when said system user'"'"'s computer is or is not connected to said network.

22. The method for network participation of claim 21 which further comprises the step of refreshing said stored product information when said consumer connects to said network.

23. The method for network participation of claim 21 which further comprises the step of presenting changing product information to said system user, when said system user is or is not connected to said network, from said stored product information.

24. The method for network participation of claim 20 which further comprises the step of refreshing said stored product information by autorefreshing.

25. The method for network participation of claim 1 which further comprises the step of sensing said system user'"'"'s internet activity, transmitting information about said system user'"'"'s internet viewing activity to said information-system computer, and dynamically adjusting product information provided to said system user according to said system user'"'"'s internet activity.

26. The method for network participation of claim 1 in which the step of providing said system users with a means of purchasing products from said information providers comprises an on-line product selection means.

27. In an arrangement comprising at least one computer network, said network connecting at least one personal computer to at least one information-system computer, said personal computer being associated with at least one computer user, a method for trading, utilizing incentives and mutual reinforcements between a consumer, a merchant, and a consumer lending partner, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving funds in a management fund, from one or more consumer credit partners, to be used for providing a trading incentive to a consumer;

providing a trading incentive for a plurality of consumers to participate in said trading;

gathering consumer profile information from said consumers;

storing said consumer profile information in a consumer profile database on said information provider computer;

receiving a commitment from said consumers to view targeted advertising for a period of time;

installing ad viewing and activity management software on said consumer'"'"'s computer which has the ability to display product information to said consumer;

displaying stored product information to said consumer when said consumer'"'"'s computer is or is not connected to said network;

refreshing said stored product information when said consumer connects to said network;

gathering product information from one or more merchants and storing it on said information system computer;

comparing said consumer profile information with said product information;

providing said consumers with product information tailored to said consumer based on a match with said consumer profile information and said product information, for viewing on a computer screen in use by said consumer;

sensing said consumer'"'"'s product viewing activity, and transmitting information about said consumer'"'"'s product viewing activity to said information-system computer, and dynamically adjusting product information provided to said consumer according to said consumer'"'"'s product viewing activity;

receiving from said merchants an advertising fee which is paid into a management fund, for product information which said merchants have provided to said consumers;

providing said consumers with an on-line means of purchasing products from said merchants;

receiving a sales fee from said merchants for sales transacted with said consumers;

providing said consumer profile information to said consumer lending partner in order to pre-qualify said consumer for a credit account with said consumer lending partner;

making credit available to said consumers by providing credit account information from said consumer lending partner to said consumers on said computer screen;

paying said consumer credit lender from said management fund to repay said consumer credit lender for said trading incentives initially paid to said consumers;

receiving into said management fund from said consumer lender partner a new account bounty by said consumer lending partner for consumers who open a credit account with said consumer lending partner;

providing a means for consumers to earn additional trading incentives based on exposure to product information; and

providing a means for consumers to earn additional trading incentives based on signup of referred new consumers.