Affiliate manipulation system and method

• US 7,818,214 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2005
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Linkgine Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Linear Five Corp.
• Inventors: Donaldson, Willie L.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAMPAGNE, DONALD
• Application Number:
  US11/053,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20050203766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,079 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/26
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0214 Referral reward systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0617 Representative agent

Abstract

An affiliate manipulation system that permits consumers, ISPs, search engines and intermediaries to maximize affiliate program participation in transactions by or through them. The affiliate manipulation system accesses an affiliate-capable merchant through the Internet at the direction of a buyer or consumer through an ISP or search engine. An affiliate code for a preferred commercial agent is inserted into the purchase order. The preferred commercial agent is the buyer or consumer, ISP, search engine or other designated recipient. When the buyer initiates a purchase from the affiliate-capable merchant, the system inserts the affiliate code for the preferred commercial agent where there was no affiliate code, or replaces an existing affiliate code in favor of the preferred commercial agent. A purchase order is effected through the affiliate-capable merchant. The order is completed and credit for the sale is given to the preferred commercial agent, based upon the affiliate code.

Claims

1. A method for operating an automated affiliate manipulation system comprising:

receiving a request for preexisting data from a first computer,

identifying the requested preexisting data at an intermediary computer, the intermediary computer being separate from the first computer, analyzing the requested preexisting data at the intermediary computer to automatically identify at least one data element corresponding to an affiliate-capable merchant,

determining that the at least one data element comprises an existing affiliate code

determining that the existing affiliate code does not comprise the preferred affiliate code,

creating modified data at the intermediary computer by automatically associating the preferred affiliate code with the data element, and removing any existing affiliate code associated with the data element, the modified data comprising at least one affiliate link, wherein the affiliate link comprises a URL associated with the affiliate-capable merchant, delivering the modified data to the first computer, and communicating the affiliate code to the affiliate-capable merchant upon selection of the affiliate link.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising retrieving the preexisting data from a plurality of sources and delivering the modified data to a single user.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising retrieving the preexisting data from a single source and delivering the modified data to a plurality of users.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising retrieving the preexisting data from a plurality of sources and delivering the modified data to a plurality of users.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising retrieving the preexisting data from a single source and delivering the modified data to a single user.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising defining the intermediary computer as a server.

7. A method for operating an automated affiliate manipulation system comprising:

receiving a request for preexisting data from a first computer,

identifying the requested preexisting data at an intermediary computer,

analyzing the requested preexisting data at the intermediary computer to automatically identify at least one data element corresponding to an affiliate-capable merchant,

determining that the data element comprises an existing affiliate code,

determining that the existing affiliate code is not associated with a preferred commercial agent,

creating modified data at the intermediary computer by automatically associating an affiliate code for the preferred commercial agent with the data element, and removing any existing affiliate code associated with the data element, the modified data comprising at least one affiliate link, wherein the affiliate link comprises a URL associated with the preferred commercial agent, and

serving the modified data from the intermediary computer, where the modified data was created, to the first computer.