Web-based interactive meeting facility with revenue generation through sponsorship

• US 9,117,220 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2010
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meetup Incorporated (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Meetup Incorporated (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Whalin, Gregory P., Heiferman, Scott, Meeker, Matthew, Kamali, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARPER, ELIYAH STONE
• Application Number:
  US12/846,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20110161130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,853 Days
• Field of Search: 707/805.687, 707/708
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/221 Column-oriented storage; Management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0252 based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

A computer-implemented method to help organize in-person gatherings of users of topic-related interest includes the steps of: providing a web-based meeting facility to a plurality of users, wherein each of the plurality of users choose to join at least one of a plurality of meeting groups based on at least one of topic-related interest and geographic locale; enabling at least one organizer to maintain control of organizing meetings with the at least one of the plurality of meeting groups, wherein the one of the plurality of meeting groups is made up of a subset of the plurality of users; and providing the organizer with a revenue generation facility where the organizer generates revenue through commercial sponsorship of at least one of the meeting group and specific meetings.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for organizing in-person gatherings of users of topic-related interest, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a web-based meeting facility to a plurality of users, wherein each of the plurality of users chooses to join at least one of a plurality of meeting groups based on at least topic-related interest and at least one of the following;

a city, a town, a state, or any combination thereof, the plurality of meeting groups associated with a plurality of in-person gatherings;

enabling, through the web-based meeting facility, at least one organizer of the plurality of users to maintain control of organizing at least one in-person gathering associated with the at least one of the plurality of meeting groups, wherein the at least one of the plurality of meeting groups is comprised of a subset of the plurality of users, and wherein the at least one organizer is provided with additional privileges, control, and/or facilities from other users of the plurality of users; and

providing the organizer, through the web-based meeting facility, with a revenue generation facility where the organizer generates revenue through sponsorship of at least one of the meeting group and specific meetings, wherein the revenue generation facility comprises financial management tool configured to facilitate the at least one organizer to;

(i) accept an offer submitted by a third-party sponsor, and (ii) at least one of the following;

record revenue received from the third-party sponsor, place an advertisement provided by the third-party sponsor on a website corresponding to the at least one meeting group, or any combination thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sponsorship is provided by the sponsor through the meeting facility.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the organizer is presented with the option to opt into the sponsorship.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the organizer is presented with the option to opt out of the sponsorship.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the sponsorship is funded through a financial management facility.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the funding is provided to the organizer through a financial enterprise application.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the sponsor chooses meeting groups from the plurality of meeting groups to provide sponsorship.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sponsorship is provided by the organizer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the revenue from sponsorship is provided to the organizer independent of meeting facility actions other than enabling the organizer to utilize a financial management facility associated with the meeting facility.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the sponsorship includes an advertisement placed on a website associated with the at least one of the plurality of meeting groups.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the advertisement is provided through the meeting facility.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the advertisement is provided through the organizer.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the organizer is presented with the option to hide the advertisement.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein the sponsorship includes the sponsor providing revenue to at least one of the organizer and the meeting facility when the subset of the plurality of users use a venue associated with the sponsor.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the sponsorship is paid to the organizer through a financial enterprise application.

16. A system for organizing in-person gatherings or events, comprising at least one server computer including at least one processor, the at least one server computer configured to:

provide, to a plurality of users at a plurality of user devices, at least one graphical user interface configured to facilitate the plurality of users to join at least one selected meeting group of a plurality of meeting groups based at least partially on a selected topic, wherein the plurality of meeting groups correspond with a plurality of in-person gatherings or events;

receive, from at least one organizer of the plurality of users associated with at least one meeting group of the plurality of meeting groups, at least one request to create or schedule an in-person gathering or event associated with the at least one meeting group, wherein the at least one organizer has at least one of privileges and control over the at least one meeting group; and

provide, to the at least one organizer, at least one graphical user interface comprising at least one financial management tool configured to facilitate the at least one organizer to;

(i) accept an offer submitted by a third-party sponsor, and (ii) at least one of the following;

record revenue received from the third-party sponsor, place an advertisement provided by the third-party sponsor on a website corresponding to the at least one meeting group, or any combination thereof.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one server computer is further configured to provide, to at least one sponsor, at least one graphical user interface configured to facilitate the at least one sponsor to submit a request to sponsor the at least one meeting group.

18. A computer-implemented method for organizing in-person gatherings or events, comprising:

receiving, from at least one user device, at least one search request comprising at least one topic and a geographic locale;

displaying, on or with the at least one user device, a plurality of meeting groups at least partially based on the at least one topic-related interest and the geographic locale, wherein the plurality of meeting groups are associated with a plurality of in-person gatherings or events;

receiving, from the at least one user device, a request from at least one user of a plurality of users to join at least one meeting group of the plurality of meeting groups;

displaying, on or with at least one device associated with an organizer of the at least one meeting group, options configured to enable the at least one organizer to;

create or schedule an in-person gathering or event, select a venue for an in-person gathering or event, terminate a membership of the at least one user, control access to or membership of the at least one meeting group, or any combination thereof, wherein the options provide at least one of privileges, controls, and facilities only available to the organizer or other organizers; and

displaying, on or with the at least one device associated with the organizer, at least one interface comprising a financial management tool configured to facilitate the at least one organizer to;

(i) accept an offer submitted by a third-party sponsor, and (ii) at least one of the following;

record revenue received from the third-party sponsor, place an advertisement provided by the third-party sponsor on a website corresponding to the at least one meeting group, or any combination thereof.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the financial management tool is configured to facilitate the organizer to:

record revenue received from a sponsor or members of the at least one meeting group.