Internet advertising system and method

• US 7,249,059 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2002
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Function Media LLC
• Original Assignee: Function Media LLC
• Inventors: Dean, Michael A., Stone, Lucinda
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender; Florian (Ryan)
• Assistant Examiner(s): ADE, OGER GARCIA
• Application Number:
  US10/193,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20020178093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,839 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/28, 705/27, 705/2
• US Class Current: 705/14.73
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0617 Representative agent
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

An internet advertising system and method that enables a third party professional to manage the creation, publication, and display of advertisements on internet media venues owned or controlled by entities other than the seller and other than the third party professional in a form automatically modified to comply with the media venues'"'"' presentation rules, which may include design or style standards for “look and feel,” editorial standards, and distribution factors. Self-serve, menu driven interfaces are provided for third party professionals to target internet media venues, and for internet media venues to enter their presentation rules. An ad modification engine processes or customizes the advertisement for publication and display on each internet media venue in compliance with the media venue'"'"'s presentation rules.

Claims

1. A computer system allowing a third party professional to manage, create and publish customized electronic advertisements, for a seller, to internet media venues owned or controlled by other than the seller and other than the third party professional, comprising:

a first interface to the computer system through which each of the internet media venues is prompted to input presentation rules for the internet media venue for displaying electronic advertisements on the internet media venue;

a first database storing the presentation rules input by the internet media venues through the first interface;

a second interface to the computer system through which a seller is prompted to input information identifying the seller; and

a second database storing the identifying information input by the seller through the second interface;

a third interface to the computer system through which the third party professional is prompted to input information to select one or more of the internet media venues and prompted to input information to create an electronic advertisement for the seller for publication to the selected internet media venues;

a third database storing the information input by the third party professional through the third interface; and

a computer controller of the computer system processing and publishing the electronic advertisement to one or more of the selected internet media venues whereby the electronic advertisement is displayed on the one or more of the selected internet media venues in compliance with the presentation rules of the internet media venue.

2. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising an advertisement generation program for displaying the advertisement published by the computer controller on the one or more of the selected internet media venues in compliance with the internet media venue presentation rules.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the interface for the third party professional prompts the third party professional for information to create and manage customized electronic advertisements for one or more sellers.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the second interface prompts the seller to input information to select a third party professional.

5. The computer system of claim 4, wherein the second interface presents a list of available third party professionals.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the interface for the third party professional prompts the third party professional for information identifying the third party professional.

7. The computer system of claim 6, further comprising a fourth database storing the information identifying the third party professional.

8. The computer system of claim 4, wherein the second interface prompts the seller for information to review the actions of the selected third party professional.

9. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the second interface prompts the seller with a choice of appointing a third party professional to act as the agent of the seller to create or manage customized electronic advertisements.

10. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the computer system and the computer controller each comprise a network of computers.

11. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the electronic advertisement comprises the advertisement or components of the advertisement.

12. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the internet media venue is a website comprising one or more web pages.

13. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the internet media venue comprises one or more virtual locations.

14. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the interface for the third party professional prompts the third party professional with a choice of advertisement types.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the choice of advertisement types includes a text advertisement.

16. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the choice of advertisement types includes an image advertisement.

17. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the choice of advertisement types includes an interactive advertisement.

18. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the third interface for the third party professional prompts the third party professional for advertising content or other components of the advertisement.

19. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the selection information input by the third party professional targets one or more internet media venues.

20. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising a general management program of the computer controller for generating online reports.

21. The computer system of claim 20, wherein the online reports include accounting reports.

22. The computer system of claim 20, wherein the online reports include trend analysis reports.

23. The computer system of claim 20, wherein the online reports include billing and collection reports.

24. The computer system of claim 20, wherein the online reports include transaction reports.

25. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the first, second and third interfaces are self-serve interfaces that prompt the internet media venue, seller and third party professional to input information using a menu-driven format.

26. The computer system of claim 25, wherein the menu-driven format includes one or more forms with text entry areas and menu-driven choices.

27. A method of using a computer system allowing a third party professional to manage, create and publish customized electronic advertisements, for a seller, to internet media venues owned or controlled by other than the seller and other than the third party professional, comprising:

prompting each of the internet media venues through a first interface to the computer system to input presentation rules for the internet media venue for displaying electronic advertisements on the internet media venue;

storing the presentation rules for the internet media venues in a first database;

prompting the seller through a second interface to the computer system to input information identifying the seller;

storing the identifying information input by the seller through the second interface in a second database;

prompting the third party professional through a third interface to the computer system to input information to select one or more of the internet media venues and to create an electronic advertisement for the seller for publication to the selected internet media venues;

storing the information input by the third party professional through the third interface in a third database; and

processing and publishing the electronic advertisement to one or more of the selected internet media venues, whereby the electronic advertisement is displayed on the one or more of the selected internet media venues in compliance with the presentation rules of the internet media venue.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of displaying the advertisement published by the computer controller on the one or more of the selected internet media venues in compliance with the internet media venue presentation rules.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of prompting the third party professional through the interface for the third party professional for information to create and manage customized electronic advertisements for one or more sellers.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of prompting the seller through the second interface for information to select a third party professional.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of presenting a list of available third party professionals through the second interface.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of prompting the third party professional through the interface for the third party professional for information identifying the third party professional.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of storing the information identifying the third party professional in a fourth database.

34. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of prompting the seller through the second interface for information to review the actions of the selected third party professional.

35. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of prompting the seller through the second interface with a choice of appointing a third party professional to act as the agent of the seller to create or manage customized electronic advertisements.

36. The method of claim 27, wherein the computer system and the computer controller each comprise a network of computers.

37. The method of claim 27, wherein the electronic advertisement comprises the advertisement or components of the advertisement.

38. The method of claim 27, wherein the internet media venue is a website comprising one or more web pages.

39. The method of claim 27, wherein the internet media venue comprises one or more virtual locations.

40. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of prompting the third party professional through the interface for the third party professional with a choice of advertisement types.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the choice of advertisement types includes a text advertisement.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the choice of advertisement types includes an image advertisement.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein the choice of advertisement types includes an interactive advertisement.

44. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of prompting the third party professional through the interface for the third party professional for advertising content or other components of the advertisement.

45. The method of claim 27, wherein the selection information input by the third party professional targets one or more internet media venues.

46. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of generating online reports.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the online reports include accounting reports.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the online reports include trend analysis reports.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the online reports include billing and collection reports.

50. The method of claim 46, wherein the online reports include transaction reports.

51. The method of claim 27, wherein the steps of prompting an internet media venue, a seller and a third party professional through the first, second and third interfaces to input information includes prompting the internet media venue, seller and third party professional to input information through a self-serve interface using a menu-driven format.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the step of prompting the internet media venue, seller and third party professional to input information through self-serve interfaces using a menu-driven format includes providing one or more forms including text entry areas and menu-driven choices.