Compensation system for selected paths in hierarchical networks

• US 7,917,381 B1
• Filed: 01/30/2008
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motipate Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Motipate Incorporated
• Inventors: Ho, Tsz-Tak Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Jabr; Fadey S
• Application Number:
  US12/022,895
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1, 705/7, 705/59, 705/319
• US Class Current: 705/7.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A compensation system is provided which assigns compensations to nodes in specific paths within a hierarchical network. The system receives a task and a compensation method from an original poster and generates an original, uniquely identifiable posting, which can be viewed by various contacts. If any of these contacts is unwilling or unable to achieve the task, then they can generate a derived uniquely identifiable posting based on the original posting, which can then be viewed by one or more of their contacts. This process is repeated until an Nth level contact achieves the task, forming a hierarchical network of contacts with the original poster as a root node of the network. The contacts in the chain of contacts from the original poster to the achieving contact are compensated according to the stated compensation method. Contacts not in the achieving contact path are compensated differently from those in the path.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for providing a compensation system for selected paths in a hierarchical network, comprising:

(a) receiving a task and a compensation method from an original poster by a server;

(b) generating by a server an original posting for the task;

(c) sending an address of the original posting by the server to one or more next level contacts of the original poster, wherein the address of the original posting uniquely identifies the original posting as being from the original poster;

(d) for each given next level contact unwilling or unable to achieve the task, generating by the server a derived posting based on the posting sent to the given next level contact, wherein an address of the derived posting uniquely identifies the derived posting as being from the original poster, the given next level contact, and each intervening contact between the original poster and the given next level contact;

(e) for each given next level contact unwilling or unable to achieve the task, sending the address of the derived posting by the server to one or more next level contacts of the given next level contact;

(f) repeating by the server the generating (d) and sending (e) for each given next level contact unwilling or unable to achieve the task until an Nth level contact achieves the task;

(g) determining by the server an achieving path from the address of the posting sent to the Nth level contact, wherein the achieving path comprises the original poster, the Nth level contact, and each intervening contact between the original poster and the Nth level contact who was unwilling or unable to achieve the task; and

(h) compensating by the server each contact in the achieving contact path according to the compensation method, wherein contacts not in the achieving task are not compensated according to the compensation method.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the original poster, the next level contacts, and the Nth level contact form a hierarchical network of contacts with the original poster as a root node of the network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the compensation method is based on cost functions of each contact in the achieving contact path.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the original posting comprises ownership and posting reference information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending (c) comprises:

(c1) displaying by the server information of the original posting when the address of the original posting is accessed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending (c) comprises:

(c1) posting the address of the original posting by the server; and

(c2) displaying by the server information of the original posting when the address of the original posting is accessed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending (e) comprises:

(e1) displaying by the server information of the derived posting when the address of the derived posting is accessed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending (e) comprises:

(e1) posting the address of the derived posting by the server; and

(e2) displaying by the server information of the derived posting when the address of the derived posting is accessed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the derived posting comprises:

information for the original posting;

information of a hierarchical relationship between the given next level contact and the original poster; and

the intervening contacts between the original poster and the given next level contact.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the compensating (h) comprises:

(h1) deciphering by the server the derived posting sent to the Nth level contact to obtain information for the contacts in the achieving path and the original posting; and

(h2) compensating by the server each contact in the achieving path according to the compensation method.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the task comprises one or more of the following:

a transaction in a listing system;

a transaction in a recruiting system;

a sale of merchandize;

a sale of a subscription service;

finding a vendor or supplier;

a financial transaction;

a real estate transaction;

locating an item;

locating a person;

provisioning of a service;

facilitating a service;

franchising;

content delivery; and

dating service.

12. A computer readable non-transitory medium with program instructions for providing a compensation system for selected paths in a hierarchical network, comprising the instructions for:

(a) receiving a task and a compensation method from an original poster;

(b) generating an original posting, for the task;

(c) sending an address of the original posting to one or more next level contacts of the original poster, wherein the address of the original posting uniquely identifies the original posting as being from the original poster;

(d) for each given first level contact unwilling or unable to achieve the task, generating a derived posting based on the posting sent to the given next level contact, wherein an address of the derived posting uniquely identifies the derived posting as being from the original poster, the given next level contact, and each intervening contact between the original poster and the given next level contact;

(e) for each given next level contact unwilling or unable to achieve the task, sending the address of the derived posting to one or more next level contacts of the given next level contact;

(f) repeating generating (d) and sending (e) for each given next level contact unwilling or unable to achieve the task until an Nth level contact achieves the task;

(g) determining an achieving path from the address of the posting sent to the Nth level contact, wherein the achieving path comprises the original poster, the Nth level contact, and each intervening contact between the original poster and the Nth level contact who was unwilling or unable to achieve the task; and

(h) compensating each contact in an achieving contact path according to the compensation method, wherein contacts not in the achieving path are not compensated according to the compensation method.

13. A compensation system, comprising:

a server for hosting a web site, wherein an original poster posts a task on the web site, wherein the server;

receives the task and a compensation method from the original poster,

generates an original posting for the task,

sends an address of the original posting to one or more next level contacts of the original poster, wherein the address of the original posting uniquely identifies the original posting as being from the original poster,

for each given next level contact unwilling or unable to achieve the task, generates a derived posting based on the posting sent to the given next level contact, wherein an address of the derived posting uniquely identifies the derived posting as being from the original poster, the given next level contact, and each intervening contact between the original poster and the given next level contact,

for each given next level contact unwilling or unable to achieve the task, sends the address of the derived posting to one or more next level contacts of the given next level contact,

repeats the generates and sends for each next level contact unwilling or unable to achieve the task until an Nth level contact achieves the task,

determines an achieving path from the address of the posting sent to the Nth level contact, wherein the achieving path comprises the original poster, the Nth level contact, and each intervening contact between the original poster and the Nth level contact who was unwilling or unable to achieve the task, and

compensates each contact in the achieving path, wherein contacts not in the achieving task are not compensated according to the compensation method.