Marketing system and method processing market information of consumers and dealers via a network

• US 7,016,863 B1
• Filed: 07/28/1997
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Tanaka, Hideki, Kamakura, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Kazimi, Hani M.
• Application Number:
  US08/901,692
• Time in Patent Office: 3,158 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/10, 705/26
• US Class Current: 705/14.32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0232 Frequent usage rewards other than merchandise, cash or travel
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0615 Anonymizing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A marketing system is provided wherein consumers disclose their purchase demands so that dealers can purchase the disclosed information. A market information registering unit registers market information including the consumers'"'"' demands, and a personal information registering unit registers personal information about the consumers. The market information is posted at posting unit, and a dealer, browsing the posted market information, purchases the market information, whereupon a personal information acquiring unit acquires the personal information. Based on the personal information, the dealer accesses the consumer. The personal information acquiring unit includes a prior approval demand determining unit, which determines whether or not the consumer'"'"'s approval is required before the dealer accesses the consumer. Also, the personal information acquiring unit includes an access confirming unit for seeking the consumer'"'"'s approval when the prior approval is required.

Claims

1. A marketing system for processing market information of consumers and dealers via an electronic network, comprising:

a personal information registering unit registering personal information of a consumer, where the personal information includes information personally identifying the consumer;

a market information registering unit registering non-binding market information that advertises a non-binding market interest of the consumer;

a posting unit for extracting and posting the non-binding market information registered in said market information registering unit while withholding from the dealers a portion of the personal information of the consumer necessary for a dealer to identify and contact the consumer about the viewed market information;

a personal information acquiring unit purchasing and acquiring for a dealer, after the dealer has viewed the posted market information, the previously withheld portion of the personal information of the consumer necessary for the dealer to identify and contact the consumer about the viewed market information;

a prior approval demand determining unit determining, based on the personal information registered in said personal information registering unit, whether prior approval by the consumer is required before the dealer can use the portion of the consumer'"'"'s personal information to personally contact the consumer about the viewed market information;

an access confirming unit seeking approval for access by the dealer from the consumer who registered the purchased market information, when said prior approval demand determining unit judges that the prior approval is required;

an information extracting unit extracting, from the registered personal information, personal information to be disclosed to the dealer when access approval is confirmed; and

a pickup processing unit permitting the dealer to pickup the personal information extracted by the information extracting unit; and

an accounting unit for charging the dealer when the dealer has purchased the market information posted at said posting unit,

wherein said access confirming unit cancels the purchase of the personal information by the dealer when the consumer does not approve the dealer'"'"'s access.

2. The marketing system according to claim 1, wherein the personal information registered in said personal information registering unit includes a type of access to the consumer.

3. The marketing system according to claim 2, wherein the type of access includes at least one of indirect or direct electronic mail, indirect or direct facsimile transmission, indirect or direct mail of material, telephone call, and visit.

4. The marketing system according to claim 1, wherein the personal information registered in said personal information registering unit includes pre-categorized information and format-free information.

5. The marketing system according to claim 1, further comprising a posting continuation confirming unit for performing at regular intervals of time a process of inquiring of the consumer whether the consumer desires the market information to be continuously posted at said posting unit.

6. The marketing system according to claim 1, further comprising a point providing unit for giving the consumer a bonus point when the consumer has registered the personal information or market information.

7. The marketing system according to claim 6, wherein said point providing unit gives the consumer an extra point if the consumer purchases goods from the dealer who has purchased the market information.