Systems and methods for dynamic pay for performance advertisements

• US 8,934,614 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2008
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thryv, Inc. (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Original Assignee: YP Interatcive LLC
• Inventors: Altberg, Ebbe, Faber, Scott, Hirson, Ron, Van Der Linden, Sean, Manca, Paul G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahee, Md S
• Application Number:
  US12/127,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20090016507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,422 Days
• Field of Search: 379/114.01, 379/114.13, 379/88.13, 379/113.05, 379/114.1, 379/114.12, 705/14.69, 705/37, 705 144- 1442, 705/14.5, 705/14.49, 705/14.51, 705/14.62, 705 1467- 1473
• US Class Current: 379/114.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42195 Arrangements for calling back a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy H04M3/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses to dynamically determine the performance event of a listing based on the progress levels of responses received in response to a presentation of the listing. One embodiment includes: providing a listing on behalf of an entity for presentation to a user; identifying an event from a set of predetermined events based on communications made by the user responsive to a presentation of the listing; and charging the entity a fee per the event identifying from the set of predetermined events.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing, using a computing device, a listing on behalf of an entity for presentation to a user;

identifying, using the computing device, a plurality of events for which the entity is to be charged from a set of predetermined events based on communications made by the user responsive to a presentation of the listing, wherein an event in the set of predetermined events includes the user selecting the listing to receive data by selecting a link or an icon button to request a web page, wherein the plurality of events include a first event and a second event that are dynamically identified after the presentation of the listing, and wherein the second event is subsequent to the first event;

receiving, from the entity, a set of prices, wherein each price in the set of prices corresponds to a respective event in the set of predetermined events;

in response to identifying the first event, charging the entity a first fee corresponding to a first price in the set of prices; and

in response to identifying the second event;

determining that the second event corresponds to a second price in the set of prices that is higher than the first price;

waiving the first fee; and

charging the entity a second fee corresponding to the second price.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of predetermined events includes the user establishing a connection for real time telephonic communications with the entity by:

the user placing a call to a connection provider for a connection for real time telephonic communications with the entity, the user receiving a callback from a connection provider for a connection for real time telephonic communications with the entity, or the user establishing a connection for real time telephonic communications with the entity.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the connection for real time telephonic communications comprises a connection for chat in text, voice or video.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

waiving a charge to the entity responsive to a gap between the identified event and a prior charged event being within a predetermined period, the prior charged event being responsive to a prior presentation of the listing to the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the listing comprises a reference selectable to request a callback for a real time communication connection with the entity;

and the set of predetermined events comprises selecting the reference to request the callback, accepting the callback, and accepting a payment request from the entity over the real time communication connection.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the listing further comprises a telephonic reference including a telephone number without an extension, a telephone number with an extension, a session initiation protocol (SIP) uniform resource identifier (URI), a user identifier of an instant messaging network, or a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) user identifier;

and the set of predetermined events further comprises initiating a telephone call using the telephonic reference.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

charging the user on behalf of the entity responsive to the user accepting the payment request.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the listing is presented on a telephonic apparatus of the user;

and the set of predetermined events comprises selecting a link embedded in the listing to request a document for presentation on the telephonic apparatus of the user, and requesting a peer to peer connection to a telephonic apparatus of the user via the listing.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the telephonic apparatus of the user is configured to transfer an amount to the telephonic apparatus of the entity in response to the user accepting a payment request made via the telephonic apparatus of the entity, wherein the telephonic apparatus of the entity is configured to maintain account information for the entity.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the listing is editable by the user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second fee is a subscription fee for a number of bundled leads.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the telephonic apparatus of the user is a softphone designed to make direct connections over a peer to peer network and the softphone is configured to deduct fees and transfer funds via accounts maintained by the softphone.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined set of events includes the user making a deal with the entity.

14. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

provide a listing on behalf of an entity for presentation to a user;

identify a plurality of events for which the entity is to be charged from a set of predetermined events based on communications made by the user responsive to a presentation of the listing, wherein an event in the set of predetermined events includes the user selecting the listing to receive data by selecting a link or an icon button to request a web page, wherein the plurality of events include a first event and a second event that are dynamically identified after the presentation of the listing, and wherein the second event is subsequent to the first event;

receive, from the entity, a set of prices, wherein each price in the set of prices corresponds to a respective event in the set of predetermined events;

in response to identifying the first event, charge the entity a first fee corresponding to a first price in the set of prices; and

in response to identifying the second event;

determine that the second event corresponds to a second price in the set of prices that is higher than the first price;

waive the first fee; and

charge the entity a second fee corresponding to the second price.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to;

provide a listing on behalf of an entity for presentation to a user;

identify a plurality of events for which the entity is to be charged from a set of predetermined events based on communications made by the user responsive to a presentation of the listing, wherein an event in the set of predetermined events includes the user selecting the listing to receive data by selecting a link or an icon button to request a web page, wherein the plurality of events include a first event and a second event that are dynamically identified after the presentation of the listing, and wherein the second event is subsequent to the first event;

receive, from the entity, a set of prices, wherein each price in the set of prices corresponds to a respective event in the set of predetermined events;

in response to identifying the first event, charge the entity a first fee corresponding to a first price in the set of prices; and

in response to identifying the second event;

determine that the second event corresponds to a second price in the set of prices that is higher than the first price;

waive the first fee; and

charge the entity a second fee corresponding to the second price.