Interactive electronic desktop action method and system for executing a transaction

• US 7,813,963 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2005
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pen
• Original Assignee: Pen
• Inventors: Pen, The
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Jeffrey A
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZUKANOVICH, BRANDY A
• Application Number:
  US11/318,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20070150601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,750 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 725/37, 725/52, 725/53, 725/60, 725/61
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for increasing the yield of response to an electronic solicitation to take action by presenting direct action links within the solicitation itself. These direct action links are distinguished by the ability to initiate a transaction when a user interacts with them, without the need to search for or access any other web page or site to begin the authorization. The direct action links are themselves updated without requiring the intervention of the user. The increased marketing efficiency is further enhanced by using a software program other than a conventional internet browser or conventional email client to connect with the user. The enhanced program has the capability of storing information about the user of the system for use in authorizing future transactions, the capability of establishing a dedicated communications connection which uniquely identifies the user to another system, and the capability of remembering previous actions taken by the user. Any protocol of secure encryption can be supported in all these communications. On a recurrent basis the user receives media content containing these direct action links, in addition to alerts when new direct action links are available for the user'"'"'s consideration. With respect to streaming media content these direct action links can be coordinated to the subject of the stream at any moment over time. A business entity, either non-commercial or commercial, can execute the transaction itself, can execute it on behalf of another business entity, or can set a direct action link to transmit the authorization to another business entity for their own execution. A method and system is further described where a server system can coordinate a peer-to-peer network of client systems to distribute the media content containing these direct action links using the bandwidth capacities of the client systems themselves, or with the informed consent of particular users to send other messages through their own outgoing email functions as the sender. The products and services authorized by these transactions can either be fulfilled back through the system used by the user for the communications, or else be delivered or performed by other means.

Claims

1. A method of executing a transaction by a first client system, the method comprising:

(a) a first client system establishing an identifiable connected relationship with a first server system,

(1) wherein the identifiable connected relationship is established by a dedicated software program,

(2) wherein the dedicated software program uniquely identifies the first client system running the dedicated software program using a fixed unique identifier,

(3) wherein user information is associated with the unique identifier, the user information representing at least in part authorization information required to execute the transaction;

(b) communicating the fixed unique identifier to the first server system as state information, wherein the state information is information remembered by the dedicated software program and includes at least system information;

(c) receiving the fixed unique identifier communicated as state information, transmitting media content by the first server system to the first client system, the media content including a plurality of direct action functions;

(d) selecting at least one of the plurality of direct action functions to initiate the transaction;

(e) in response to the selection of at least one of the plurality of direct action functions, determining whether the first server system or a server system other than the first server system is a target of the direct action function;

(1) in response to determining that the first server system is the target of the direct action function;

(ii) providing any additional information required to authorize the execution of the transaction, and

(iii) directing the execution of the transaction by the first server system;

(2) in response to determining that a server system other than the first server system is the target of the direct action function;

(i) directing the first client system to the server system other than the first server system;

(ii) formatting and transmitting the user information by the first client system to the server system other than the first server system;

(iii) providing any additional information required by the server system other than the first server system to authorize the execution of the transaction;

(iv) directing the execution of the transaction by the server system other than the first server system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting at least one of the direct action functions on an immediately perceptible part of the client system.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the first server system alerting the user of the first client system that there is new media content available from it.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing information about a plurality of users of the first client system for use in authorizing a plurality of future transactions by those users.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the first server system executing some part of the transaction on behalf of a second server system representing a different business entity than the first server system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) wherein the media content from the first server system is distributed through a peer-to-peer network of a plurality of first client systems,

(b) the peer-to-peer network being coordinated under the control of the first server system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) wherein the media content is streaming media content,

(b) coordinating the plurality of direct action functions with the subject of the streaming media content over time

(c) the media content to be transmitted recurrently, without requiring the intervention of the user of the first client system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) wherein the transaction is for the first client system to send messages to a plurality of second client systems,

(b) using the computer resources of the first client system consenting to be the source thereof to send those messages.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the ultimate fulfillment of the transaction is performed specifically by some means other than delivery of media content back through the first client system.

10. A system for executing a transaction, the system comprising:

a first client system;

a first server system;

at least one server system other than the first server system;

the system configured to perform a method comprising;

(a) the first client system establishing an identifiable connected relationship with the first server system,

(1) wherein the identifiable connected relationship is established by a dedicated software program,

(2) wherein the dedicated software program uniquely identifies the first client system running the dedicated software program using a fixed unique identifier,

(3) wherein user information is associated with the unique identifier, the user information representing at least in part authorization information required to execute the transaction;

(b) communicating the fixed unique identifier to the first server system as state information, wherein the state information is information remembered by the dedicated software program and includes at least system information;

(c) receiving the fixed unique identifier communicated as state information, transmitting media content by the first server system to the first client system, the media content including a plurality of direct action functions;

(d) selecting at least one of the plurality of direct action functions to initiate the transaction;

(e) in response to the selection of at least one of the plurality of direct action functions, determining whether the first server system or the at least one server system other than the first server system is a target of the direct action function;

(1) in response to determining that the first server system is the target of the direct action function;

(ii) providing any additional information required to authorize the execution of the transaction, and

(iii) directing the execution of the transaction by the first server system;

(2) in response to determining that at least one server system other than the first server system is the target of the direct action function;

(i)directing the first client system to the at least one server system other than the first server system;

(ii) formatting and transmitting the user information by the first client system to the at least one server system other than the first server system;

(iii) providing any additional information required by the at least one server system other than the first server system to authorize the execution of the transaction;

(iv) directing the execution the transaction by the at least one server system other than the first server system.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising presenting at least one of the direct action functions on an immediately perceptible part of the first client system.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising the first server system alerting the user of the first client system that there is new media content available from it.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising storing information about a plurality of users of the first client system for use in authorizing a plurality of future transactions by those users.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

(a) an affiliated server system representing a different business entity than the first server system,

(b) the target server system executing some part of the transaction on behalf of the affiliated server system.

15. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

(a) a peer-to-peer network of a plurality of first client systems,

(b) the first server system coordinating under its control the peer-to-peer network,

(c) the peer-to-peer network to distributing the media content from the first server system.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

(a) wherein the media content is streaming media content,

(b) coordinating the plurality of direct action functions with the subject of the streaming media content over time,

(c) the media content to be transmitted recurrently, without requiring the intervention of the user of the first client system.

17. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

(a) wherein the transaction is for the first client system to send messages to a plurality of second client systems,

(b) the computer resources of the first client system to be used as the source for sending those messages, with the consent of the first client system.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the ultimate fulfillment of the transaction is performed specifically by some means other than delivery of media content back through the first client system.