Method and system for compiling a consumer-based electronic database, searchable according to individual internet user-defined micro-demographics

• US 7,720,707 B1
• Filed: 03/14/2001
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 54 Essential Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Home Producers Network LLC
• Inventors: Mowry, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): DURAN, ARTHUR D
• Application Number:
  US09/808,538
• Time in Patent Office: 3,352 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.1, 705/14.4
• US Class Current: 705/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search

Abstract

A system and method for accessing actual human personal preference and opinion data, whose unique demographic parameters are defined by an individual Internet user. The system includes a computer linked to a specialized database that allows individual Internet users to supply and access human personal preference data according to trait and preference variable data input to the system. The data input to the system includes the personal traits and personal preferences of individuals, including feelings, opinions, issues and purchasing or commercial preferences. A data correlating program provides data sorting parameters that are defined by selected degrees of human trait and preference variables. Users, or those accessing the database for customized data results from the overall database, may, in turn, supply information to the database, or build a data profile, should they indicate that the data they seek pertains to individuals similar to themselves. With the present system and method, focus group data, or consumer preference sampling may be accomplished with immediacy and unrivaled relevance, as only users and members of selected relevance to the data solicitation might be contacted. Accordingly, discreet trait and preference specific groups of individuals that would be virtually impossible to locate and sample with typical focus group approaches are capable of being located and sampled with the present system and method.

Claims

1. A method for identifying and contacting an individual via a network comprising the steps of:

(a) storing, on one or more processor readable media that are operatively coupled to one or more processors, at least one database comprising;

(i) electronic trait information comprising information representing traits of a plurality of persons;

(ii) electronic preference information comprising information representing preferences of the plurality of persons;

(iii) electronic identification information comprising at least one of visual and audio information representing at least one person of the plurality of persons; and

(iv) electronic advertiser relevant information comprising information related to one or more of products and services associated with one or more advertisers and further related to at least one of trait and preference valued by at least one of the one or more advertisers;

(b) receiving, via a communication device that is operatively connected to the one or more processors, a first electronic request for information, from a first user computing device operated by a first user, about at least one person within a first demographic, wherein the first demographic is defined by at least a first group of one or more of traits and preferences stored in the at least one database;

(c) determining, by the one or more processors, first electronic responsive information that comprises information which is at least responsive to the first electronic request;

(d) transmitting, via the communication device to the first user computing device, the first electronic responsive information;

(e) generating, by the one or more processors, first electronic fact information based upon at least a determination that electronic trait information and electronic preference information associated with the first user corresponds with the at least one of trait and preference valued by the at least one of the one or more advertisers, wherein the first electronic fact information is generated using at least the advertiser relevant information, wherein the first electronic fact information includes a brand of the at least one or more advertisers and relates to the first electronic responsive information and further relates to a second demographic defined by at least a second group of one or more of traits and preferences stored in the at least one database, wherein no person within the first demographic is within the second demographic, and further wherein at least one trait or preference of the second demographic is not included in the first demographic defined by the first request for electronic information;

(f) transmitting, via the communication device, to the first user computing device, the first electronic fact information and first electronic identification information selected from the electronic identification information and that represents at least one of the plurality of persons who is within the second demographic;

(g) receiving, via the communication device, from the first user computing device, message information for one of the at least one of the plurality of persons who is within the second demographic; and

(h) transmitting, via the communication device, the message information to a second user computing device associated with the one of the at least one of the plurality of persons who is within the second demographic.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method for searching is performed on at least one selected from a group consisting of:

at least one wide area network, at least one local area network, and the Internet.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(i) determining, by the one or more processors, second electronic fact information that comprises information related to at least one or more of traits and preferences of the first demographic; and

(j) transmitting, via the communication device, to the first user computing device, the second electronic fact information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic fact information further comprises a second electronic request for information valued by the at least one of the one or more advertisers.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of:

(i) receiving, via the communication device, second electronic responsive information, from the first user computing device operated by the first user, wherein the second electronic responsive information is at least responsive to the second electronic request.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertiser relevant information is paid for by the at least one of the one or more advertisers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic fact information is paid for by the at least one of the one or more advertisers.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic fact information further comprises at least one statement of fact that comprises at least one trait or preference from the second demographic that relates to at least one brand of good or service associated with the one or more advertisers.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first electronic responsive information and the first electronic fact information comprises a link to a website operated by the one or more advertisers in connection with the advertiser relevant information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating of step (e) further comprises correlating the electronic trait information and the electronic preference information associated with the first user with the at least one of trait and preference valued by the at least one of the one or more advertisers.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the electronic trait information and the electronic preference information associated with the first user is stored in the at least one database.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the electronic trait information and the electronic preference information associated with the first user is identified in response to electronic information provided from the first user computing device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the first electronic fact information is provided electronically by an advertiser.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic fact information further comprises editorial comments with Internet links.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one trait or preference of the second demographic is included in the first demographic.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one trait or preference in the second group is not relevant to the at least one of trait and preference valued by the at least one of the one or more advertisers.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one trait or preference in the second group is relevant to the at least one of trait and preference valued by the at least one of the one or more advertisers.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting steps of steps (d) and (f) occur at substantially the same time.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting steps of steps (d) and (f) occur at different times.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting steps of steps (d) and (f) are combined as a single operational step.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining and generating steps of steps (c) and (e), respectively, are performed at substantially the same time.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining and generating steps of steps (c) and (e), respectively, are performed at different times.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining and generating steps of steps (c) and (e), respectively, are combined as a single operational step.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the transmitting steps of steps (d) and (f) is performed prior to the generating step of step (e).

25. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the transmitting steps of steps (d) and (f) is performed subsequent to the generating step of step (e).

26. The method of claim 3, wherein the steps of (i) and (j) occur before the step of (e).

27. The method of claim 3, wherein the steps of (i) and (j) occur after the step of (e).

28. The method of claim 3, wherein the steps of (i) and (j) occur after the step of (f).

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic fact information further comprises information which has not been requested by the first user computing device.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the one person within the second demographic is a type of person having at least one of the traits or preferences defined in the second demographic.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the one person within the second demographic is one particular person.

65. The method of claim 1, wherein message is posted electronically to an electronic message board.

66. The method of claim 1, wherein the message information is sent electronically by e-mail message.

67. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of visual and audio information comprises still images, motion images or both still and motion images.

68. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user shares no identified traits or preferences with the at least one person within the first demographic.

69. The method of claim 1, wherein the first demographic comprises at least one trait and preference which is not shared by the first user.

75. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the first electronic fact information and electronic identification information occur at different times.

76. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the first electronic fact information and the first electronic identification information occur at substantially the same time.

79. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting of step (f) further includes transmitting second electronic identification information selected from the electronic identification information and that represents a second one of the plurality of persons who is within the second demographic.

32. A system for identifying and contacting an individual via a network, the system comprising:

(a) one or more processor readable media;

(b) one or more processors operatively coupled to the one or more processor readable media;

(c) at least one database stored on the one or more processor readable media, the at least one database comprising;

(i) electronic trait information comprising information representing traits of a plurality of persons;

(ii) electronic preference information comprising information representing preferences of the plurality of persons;

(iii) electronic identification information comprising at least one of visual and audio information representing at least one person of the plurality of persons;

(iv) electronic advertiser relevant information comprising information related to one or more of products and services associated with one or more advertisers and further related to at least one of trait and preference valued by at least one of the one or more advertisers;

(d) the one or more processor readable media having instructions for causing the following steps to be performed by the one or more processors;

(i) receiving, via the communication device that is operatively connected to the one or more processors, a first electronic request for information, from a first user computing device operated by a first user, about one person within a first demographic, wherein the first demographic is defined by at least a first group of one or more of traits and preferences stored in the at least one database;

(ii) determining, by the one or more processors, first electronic responsive information that comprises information which is at least responsive to the first electronic request;

(iii) transmitting, via the communication device to the first user computing device, the first electronic responsive information;

(iv) generating, by the one or more processors, first electronic fact information based upon at least a determination that trait information and preference information associated with the first user corresponds with the at least one of trait and preference valued by the at least one of the one or more advertisers, wherein the first electronic fact information is generated using at least the advertiser relevant information, wherein the first electronic fact information includes a brand of the at least one or more advertisers and relates to the first electronic responsive information and further relates to a second demographic defined by at least a second group of one or more of traits and preferences stored in the at least one database, wherein no person within the first demographic is within the second demographic, and further wherein at least one trait or preference of the second demographic is not included in the first demographic defined by the first request for electronic information;

(v) transmitting, via the communication device, to the first user computing device, the first electronic fact information and first electronic identification information selected from the electronic identification information and that represents at least one of the plurality of persons who is within the second demographic;

(vi) receiving, via the communication device, from the first user computing device, message information for one of the at least one of the plurality of persons who is within the second demographic; and

(vii) transmitting, via the communication device, the message information to a second user computing device associated with the one of the at least one of the plurality of persons who is within the second demographic.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the network is at least one selected from a group consisting of:

at least one wide area network, at least one local area network, and the Internet.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the one or more processor readable media further have instructions for causing the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

(d)(viii) determining, by the one or more processors, second electronic fact information that comprises information related to at least one or more of traits and preferences of the first demographic; and

(d)(ix) transmitting, via the communication device, to the first user computing device, the second electronic fact information.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the first electronic fact information further comprises a second electronic request for information valued by the at least one of the one or more advertisers.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the one or more processor readable media further have instructions for causing the one or more processors to perform the step of:

receiving, via the communication device, second electronic responsive information, from the first user computing device operated by the first user, wherein the second electronic responsive information is at least responsive to the second electronic request.

37. The system of claim 32, wherein the advertiser relevant information is paid for by the at least one of the one or more advertisers.

38. The system of claim 32, wherein the first electronic fact information is paid for by the at least one of the one or more advertisers.

39. The system of claim 32, wherein the first electronic fact information further comprises at least one statement of fact that comprises at least one trait or preference from the second demographic that relates to at least one brand of good or service associated with the one or more advertisers.

40. The system of claim 32, wherein at least one of the first electronic responsive information and first electronic fact information comprises a link to a website operated by the one or more advertisers in connection with the advertiser relevant information.

41. The system of claim 32, wherein the generating of step (d)(iv) further comprises correlating the electronic trait information and the electronic preference information associated with the first user with the at least one of trait and preference valued by the at least one of the one or more advertisers.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the electronic trait information and the electronic preference information associated with the first user is stored in the at least one database.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein at least one of the electronic trait information and the electronic preference information associated with the first user is identified in response to electronic information provided from the first user computing device.

44. The system of claim 32, wherein at least some of the first electronic fact information is provided electronically by an advertiser.

45. The system of claim 32, wherein the first electronic fact information further comprises editorial comments with Internet links.

46. The system of claim 32, wherein at least one person within the second demographic is within the first demographic.

47. The system of claim 32, wherein at least one trait or preference of the second demographic is included in the first demographic.

48. The system of claim 32, wherein at least one trait or preference in the second group is not relevant to the at least one of trait and preference valued by the at least one of the one or more advertisers.

49. The system of claim 32, wherein at least one trait or preference in the second group is relevant to the at least one of trait and preference valued by the at least one of the one or more advertisers.

50. The system of claim 32, wherein the transmitting steps of steps (d)(iii) and (d)(v) occur at substantially the same time.

51. The system of claim 32, wherein the transmitting steps of steps (d)(iii) and (d)(v) occur at different times.

52. The system of claim 32, wherein the transmitting steps of steps (d)(iii) and (d)(v) are combined as a single operational step.

53. The system of claim 32, wherein the determining and generating steps of steps (d)(ii) and (d)(iv), respectively, are performed at substantially the same time.

54. The system of claim 32, wherein the determining and generating steps of steps (d)(ii) and (d)(iv), respectively, are performed at different times.

55. The system of claim 32, wherein the determining and generating steps of steps (d)(ii) and (d)(iv), respectively, are combined as a single operational step.

56. The system of claim 32, wherein at least one of the transmitting steps of steps (d)(iii) and (d)(v) is performed prior to the generating step of step (d)(iv).

57. The system of claim 32, wherein at least one of the transmitting steps of (d)(iii) and (d)(v) is performed subsequent to the generating step of step (d)(iv).

58. The system of claim 34, wherein the steps of (d)(viii) and (d)(ix) occur before the step of (d)(iv).

59. The system of claim 34, wherein the steps of (d)(viii) and (d)(ix) occur after the step of (d)(iv).

60. The system of claim 34, wherein the steps of (d)(viii) and (d)(ix) occur after the step of (d)(v).

61. The system of claim 32, wherein the first electronic fact information further comprises information which has not been requested by the first user computing device.

62. The system of claim 32, wherein the one person within the second demographic is a type of person having at least one of the traits or preferences defined in the second demographic.

70. The system of claim 32, wherein message is posted electronically to an electronic message board.

71. The system of claim 32, wherein the message information is sent electronically by e-mail message.

72. The system of claim 32, wherein the at least one of visual and audio information comprises still images, motion images or both still and motion images.

73. The system of claim 32, wherein the first user shares no identified traits or preferences with the at least one person within the first demographic.

74. The system of claim 32, wherein the first demographic comprises at least one trait and preference which is not shared by the first user.

77. The system of claim 32, wherein the transmitting the first electronic fact information and the first electronic identification information occur at different times.

78. The system of claim 32, wherein the transmitting the first electronic fact information and the first electronic identification information occur at substantially the same time.

63. A system for identifying and contacting an individual, the system comprising:

(a) a web site linked to the internet being adapted to receive a first electronic request for information from a user of a first computing device in response to a prompt to perform a search, wherein the first electronic request is about at least one person within a first demographic;

(b) a processor operatively coupled to the web site; and

(c) one or more databases linked to the processor, the one or more databases containing data related to;

(i) traits of a plurality of persons;

(ii) preferences of the plurality of persons;

(iii) at least one of visual and audio information representing at least one person of the plurality of persons; and

(iv) one or more of products and services associated with one or more advertisers and further related to at least one of trait and preference valued by at least one of the one or more advertisers;

wherein the processor is adapted to;

(1) identify the first demographic by at least a first group of one or more of traits and preferences stored in the at least one database;

(2) generate and transmit to the first user computing device first electronic responsive information that comprises information that is at least responsive to the first electronic request;

(3) generate, based upon at least a determination that trait information and preference information associated with the first user corresponds with the at least one of trait and preference valued by the at least one of the one or more advertisers, and transmit to the first user computing device first electronic fact information, wherein the first electronic fact information includes a brand advertised by the at least one or more advertisers and relates to the first electronic responsive information and further relates to a second demographic identified by at least a second group of one or more of traits and preferences stored in the one or more databases, wherein no person within the first demographic is within the second demographic, and further wherein at least one trait or preference of the second demographic is not included in the first demographic defined by the first request for electronic information; and

(4) receive from the first user computing device message information for one person within the second demographic and transmitting the message information to a second user computing device associated with the one person within the second demographic.

64. The system of claim 63, wherein the processor is further adapted to generate and transmit to the first user computing device second electronic fact information that comprises information related to at least one or more of traits and preferences of the first demographic.