Demographic information gathering and incentive award system and method
First Claim
1. A method, implemented in a computer-based information gathering system, of providing an incentive award to a user for visiting a participating web site, the method comprising:
- registering, at the information gathering system, a user with the information gathering system, including generating a database record to store the user'"'"'s profile in a profile server, wherein the information gathering system maintains an award point account associated with the user and wherein award points are specific to the information gathering system and are redeemable for a product or a service;
allocating, at the information gathering system, award points to a web site proprietor in response to a request to purchase award points, wherein the request is transmitted to a central provider operating in the information gathering system, wherein the web site proprietor operates the participating web site, wherein the participating web site is operated independently of the information gathering system;
awarding, at the information gathering system, a selected amount of award points to the registered user for a visit to the participating web site in response to receiving a message from the participating web site, including updating the database record associated with the registered user to allocate the selected amount of award points to the award point account of the registered user, wherein the visit conforms to a business rule; and
in response to receiving a redemption order from the registered user, wherein the redemption order requests a product or a service in exchange for a certain amount of award points;
(i) placing, at the information gathering system, a purchase order corresponding to the redemption order with the web site proprietor, and (ii) automatically deducting, at the information gathering system, the certain amount of award points from the award account.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of providing an incentive award to a user for visiting a participating web site includes registering a user with the information gathering system which maintains an award point account associated with the user and where award points are specific to the information gathering system, making award points available for purchase to a web site proprietor which operates the participating web site, awarding a predetermined amount of award points by the web site proprietor to the registered user for a visit conforming to a predefined rule to the participating web site, updating the award point account associated with the registered user, and exchanging award points associated with the registered user for a good or a service.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method, implemented in a computer-based information gathering system, of providing an incentive award to a user for visiting a participating web site, the method comprising:
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registering, at the information gathering system, a user with the information gathering system, including generating a database record to store the user'"'"'s profile in a profile server, wherein the information gathering system maintains an award point account associated with the user and wherein award points are specific to the information gathering system and are redeemable for a product or a service; allocating, at the information gathering system, award points to a web site proprietor in response to a request to purchase award points, wherein the request is transmitted to a central provider operating in the information gathering system, wherein the web site proprietor operates the participating web site, wherein the participating web site is operated independently of the information gathering system; awarding, at the information gathering system, a selected amount of award points to the registered user for a visit to the participating web site in response to receiving a message from the participating web site, including updating the database record associated with the registered user to allocate the selected amount of award points to the award point account of the registered user, wherein the visit conforms to a business rule; and in response to receiving a redemption order from the registered user, wherein the redemption order requests a product or a service in exchange for a certain amount of award points;
(i) placing, at the information gathering system, a purchase order corresponding to the redemption order with the web site proprietor, and (ii) automatically deducting, at the information gathering system, the certain amount of award points from the award account. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An information gathering system for use on the Internet, the system comprising:
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a central provider computer system configured to sell award points to a participating web site operated independently of the information gathering system, the central provider including; a database storing a plurality of user profiles, wherein each of the plurality of user profiles includes demographic information and a balance of award points associated with a registered user; a transaction server including; a first routine for maintaining the balance of award points of each registered user; a second routine for awarding award points to a registered user for performing a first activity, wherein the participating web site defines the first activity and wherein the participating site obtains personal information associated with the registered user from the central provider in response to detecting a visit by the registered user; and a third routine for allocating award points to the participating web site in response to a request to purchase award points received from the participating web site; and a redemption site for accepting and processing, at the information gathering system, a redemption order that requests an exchange of a good or a service for a predefined amount of award points, wherein the transaction server automatically deducts the predefined amount of award points in response to receiving the redemption order from the registered user, wherein the redemption site is stored as a markup file in a memory coupled to a server. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method in a computer-based information gathering system of providing an incentive award to a registered user for visiting a participating web site, the method comprising:
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registering, at the information gathering system, a plurality of users with the information gathering system, including generating a plurality of database records in a profile server to store respective profiles of the plurality of user, wherein the information gathering system solicits personal information from the plurality of users, wherein the information gathering system maintains a profile for each of the plurality of registered users, the profile storing personal information of the user and an award point balance in an award point account, wherein award points are specific to the information gathering system; allocating, at the information gathering system, award points to the participating web site, wherein a web site proprietor operates the participating web site independently of the information gathering system, and wherein the web site proprietor purchases the award points from the information gathering system; automatically providing the personal information related to the user to the participating web site; awarding, at the information gathering system, a selected amount of award points to the registered user for a visit to the participating web site, including updating plurality of database records associated with the registered user to allocate the selected amount of award points to the award point account of the registered user, wherein the visit conforms to a business rule specified by the web site proprietor; and in response to receiving a redemption order from the registered user, wherein the redemption order requests a product or a service in exchange for a certain amount of award points;
(i) placing, at the information gathering system, a purchase order corresponding to the redemption order with the web site proprietor, and (ii) automatically deducting, at the information gathering system, the certain amount of award points from the award account. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification