Method and system for conducting a plurality of cyber-based conventions

• US 8,812,583 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2009
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: D&P Ventures, Inc.
• Original Assignee: D&P Ventures, Inc.
• Inventors: Franke, Paul D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Siddiqi, Mohammad A
• Application Number:
  US12/536,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20090292768A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,840 Days
• Field of Search: 709203-205, 709/312
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

A method and system for conducting multiple Internet-based conventions, events, conferences, trade shows and meetings (“conventions”) includes a plurality of meeting planner clients, exhibitor/sponsor clients and attendee clients, all using web browser computers and a central website server on the Internet. The system receives and stores initial convention data, and control parameter rules from meeting planner clients. Then the system receives and stores exhibit booth display data and control parameter rules for said convention from exhibitor/sponsor clients. Based on search criteria provided by the participating attendee client, the central website server releases stored database convention information and provides a wide array of convention activity simulated with the program instructions and the databases. Thus, the system allows the creation of a “virtual convention venue” for conventions that exist only on the central website server and available using the Internet. Additionally, the system supports and augments a convention being held in a physical or venue-based center (e.g., Moscone Center in San Francisco).

Claims

1. A method for interest tracking during at least one online event, the method implemented on a central website system comprising a plurality of services accessible to a plurality of users over the Internet, the method comprising:

a. in response to receiving input at the central website system from a first user, processing, building, designing, loading, controlling, formatting, and/or setting up at least one online event, wherein the at least one online event is associated with at least one interest;

b. storing, in a database at the central website system, the at least one interest in a profile record associated with the first user;

c. receiving, from at least one second user, at the central website system, a search for at least one interest;

d. storing, in the database at the central website system, the at least one interest in a profile record associated with the at least one second user;

e. associating, at the central website system, the at least one interest of the first user and the at least one interest of the at least one second user;

f. facilitating, at the central website system, participation by at least one of the first user and the at least one second user in the at least one online event;

g. tracking or identifying, at the central website system, new information associated with the at least one interest of at least one of the first user and the at least one second user during the at least one online event;

h. based at least partially upon an existing profile record, stored in the database, of at least one third user, identifying at least one third user associated with the at least one interest of at least one of the first user and the at least one second user;

i. generating, at the central website system, using at least one profiler alert function, at least one alert comprising at least one link to content, in the central website system, that is at least partially associated with the new information;

j. sending, from the central website system, the at least one alert to the at least one third user; and

k. using the at least one link, facilitating access, at the central website system, to at least a portion of the content that is at least partially associated with the new information.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the at least one interest comprises content including at least one of:

an interest, profile content, a product name, a service name, a brand name, a sponsor name, a personal name, in singular form, in plural form, a subject category, a theme, a subject, a keyword, a phrase, a formatted phrase, a proceeding, geographic location, medical content, audio content, video content, or any combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user, the at least one second user, and the at least one third user comprises at least one of:

a social network, an association, a social group, a social circle, a group of users having a common interest, a plurality of network users, or any combination thereof.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising visually presenting or causing a visual presentation of, the geographic location on a map of at least one user.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising processing, at the central website system, for the first user to limit access to at least a portion of the new information.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising processing, at the central website system, at least one search of a database, wherein the search is at least partially based upon at least one of:

an exact keyword search, a related subject category search, a phrase search comprising at least one keyword, a restrictive keyword, or any combination thereof.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one online event is related to or associated with at least one physical meeting.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising broadcasting, from the central website system, using at least one of an audio streaming technique and a video streaming technique, to at least one of the first user, the at least one second user, and the at least one third user.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising processing a selection of additional information to be displayed.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying or causing the display of at least a portion of the content at least partially associated with the new information to at least one of the first user, the at least one second user, and the at least one third user.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising processing, at the central website system, to associate the at least one online event to a time schedule.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising processing, at the central website system, to add at least one new user to the at least one online event.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first user, the at least one second user, and the at least one third user is at least one of:

an attendee, a meeting planner, a sponsor, an exhibitor, an advertiser, a business, an organization, a person, an individual, a member, a professional, a participant, a travel provider, or any combination thereof.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one online event is at least one of:

a meeting, a convention, an exposition, an event, a conference, a trade show, a forum, or any combination thereof.

15. A system comprising at least one computer having at least one processor and at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium containing program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

a. in response to receiving input at the system from a first user, process, build, design, load, control, format, and/or set up at least one online event, wherein the at least one online event is associated with at least one interest;

b. store, in a database at the system, the at least one interest in a profile record associated with the first user;

c. receive, from at least one second user, at the system, a search for at least one interest;

d. store, in the database at the system, the at least one interest in a profile record associated with the at least one second user;

e. associate, at the system, the at least one interest of the first user and the at least one interest of the at least one second user;

f. facilitate, at the system, participation by at least one of the first user and the at least one second user in the at least one online event;

g. track or identify, at the system, new information associated with the at least one interest of at least one of the first user and the at least one second user during the at least one online event;

h. based at least partially upon an existing profile record, stored in the database, of at least one third user, identify at least one third user associated with the at least one interest of at least one of the first user and the at least one second user;

i. generate, at the system, using at least one profiler alert function, at least one alert comprising at least one link to content, in the system, that is at least partially associated with the new information;

j. send, from the system, the at least one alert to the at least one third user; and

k. using the at least one link, facilitate access, at the system, to at least a portion of the content that is at least partially associated with the new information.

16. A system comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium containing program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

a. in response to receiving input at a central website system from a first user, process, build, design, load, control, format, and/or set up at least one online event, wherein the at least one online event is associated with at least one interest;

b. store, in a database at the central website system, the at least one interest in a profile record associated with the first user;

c. receive, from at least one second user at the central website system, a search for at least one interest;

d. store, in the database at the central website system, the at least one interest in a profile record associated with the at least one second user;

e. associate, at the central website system, the at least one interest of the first user and the at least one interest of the at least one second user;

f. facilitate, at the central website system, participation by at least one of the first user and the at least one second user in the at least one online event;

g. track or identify, at the central website system, new information associated with the at least one interest of at least one of the first user and the at least one second user during the at least one online event;

h. based at least partially upon an existing profile record, stored in the database, of at least one third user, identify at least one third user associated with the at least one interest of at least one of the first user and the at least one second user;

i. generate, at the central website system, using at least one profiler alert function, at least one alert comprising at least one link to content, in the central website system, that is at least partially associated with the new information;

j. send, from the central website system, the at least one alert to the at least one third user; and

k. using the at least one link, facilitate access, at the central website system, to at least a portion of the content that is at least partially associated with the new information.