Internet-based product brand marketing communication network configured to allow members of a product brand management team to communicate directly with consumers browsing HTML-encoded pages at an electronic commerce (EC) enabled web-site along the fabric of the world wide web (WWW), using programable multi-mode virtual kiosks (MMVKS) driven by server-side components and managed by product brand management team members

• US 7,848,948 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2004
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomas J. Perkowski
• Original Assignee: IPF Incorporated
• Inventors: Perkowski, Thomas J., Muchhal, Vaibhava, O'Hara, Kathleen, Kennedy, Katherine, Ulloa, Jr., Fernando
• Primary Examiner(s): Carlson, Jeffrey D
• Application Number:
  US10/812,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20050004838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,444 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14
• US Class Current: 705/14.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like

Abstract

An Internet-based product brand marketing communication network allowing members of a consumer product brand management team to communicate directly with consumers present at HTML-encoded pages of an electronic commerce (EC) enabled Web-site along fabric of the World Wide Web (WWW), using programmable Multi-Mode Virtual Kiosks (MMVKs) driven by server-side components and managed by product brand management team members and/or authorized parties. When a consumer'"'"'s Web browser encounters an MMVK tag along the WWW, the MMVK is generated and automatically plays through its display modes, inviting and allowing the consumer to review and interact with advertising spots, promotional spots, and brand information resources displayed within the GUI of the MMVK, along the fabric of the WWW where the MMVK has been installed. Web-based subsystems are provided for programming these display modes.

Claims

1. An Internet-based product brand marketing communication network configured to allow members of a product brand management team to communicate directly with consumers browsing HMTL-encoded pages at an electronic commerce (EC) enabled Web-site along the World Wide Web (WWW), said Internet-based product brand marketing communication network comprising:

an e-commerce (EC) enabled information server supporting said EC-enabled Web-site which includes a plurality of HTML-encoded pages containing at least one of images and text descriptions of a plurality of consumer products;

a first Web-based subsystem configured to allow members of a product brand management team associated with one or more consumer products, and authorized parties, to create and manage a consumer product information (CPI) link structure for each said consumer product,

wherein said CPI link structure includes the following items;

(i) a unique product identifier assigned to said consumer product;

(ii) a set of URLs for a plurality of brand information resources located on the WWW;

a second Web-based subsystem configured to allow members of said product brand management team, and said authorized parties, to create and deploy one or more Web-based Multi-Mode Virtual Kiosks (MMVKs) for one or more of said consumer products and being accessible by consumers using a Web browser;

wherein each said MMVK comprises (i) a computer-executable server-side component stored on a first Internet-enabled information server operably connected to the Internet, and (ii) a MMVK tag that references said computer-executable server-side component and is embedded within an HTML-encoded page of said EC-enabled Web-site; and

wherein each said MMVK has a graphical user interface (GUI) that is characterized by a plurality of independently programmable display modes selected from the group consisting of (i) an advertising display mode for displaying one or more advertising spots, (ii) a promotional display mode for displaying one or more promotional spots, and (iii) a brand information network (BIN) menu display mode for displaying a set of brand information resources;

a plurality of Web-based information servers operably connected to the Internet, for storing and configured to serve said one or more advertising spots, said one or more promotional spots and said set of brand information resources to said Web browser, for display to consumers through said plurality of independently programmable display modes of each said MMVK;

wherein said first Web-based subsystem is further configured to allow members of said product brand management team and said authorized parties to independently program said set of brand information resources displayable during said BIN menu display mode of each said MMVK; and

a third Web-based subsystem is configured to allow members of the product brand management team and said authorized parties to independently program the advertising and promotional display modes of each MMVK with one or more advertising and promotional spots;

wherein the Web browser of a consumer is configured to process said MMVK tag embedded within said HTML-encoded page;

wherein said first Internet-enabled information server is configured to automatically execute the computer-executable server-side component corresponding to the MMVK tag;

wherein said first Internet-enabled information server is configured to generate and serve the corresponding MMVK to the Web browser; and

wherein said MMVK is configured to automatically play through said display modes, in a programmed sequential manner, allowing the consumer to review and interact with the advertising spots, promotional spots, and/or brand information resources displayed within the GUI of said MMVK, at said EC-enabled Web-site where said MMVK tag has been embedded.

2. The Internet-based product brand marketing communication network of claim 1, which further comprises a facility programmed to automatically measure the interaction between consumers and each said MMVK, and generate metrics reports relating to said interaction.

3. The Internet-based product brand marketing communication network of claim 1, wherein, for each MMVK created and deployed for a consumer product, the computer-executable server-side component associated with said MMVK comprises said unique product identifier assigned to the consumer product.

4. The Internet-based product brand marketing communication network of claim 3, wherein, for each MMVK created and deployed for one said consumer product, the computer-executable server-side component associated with the MMVK comprises a consumer product information requesting (CPIR) servlet loaded onto said first Internet-enabled information server.

5. The Internet-based product brand marketing communication network of claim 1, wherein said CPI link structure further comprises, for each said consumer product,

(iii) a Trademark (™

) assigned to said consumer product;

(iv) a Product Descriptor (PD) associated with said consumer product; and

(v) a set of display attributes associated with each brand information resource in said CPI link structure.

6. The Internet-based product brand marketing communication network of claim 1, wherein said set of brand information resources are selected from the group consisting of product videos, audio files, product images, product specifications, product advertisements, and product promotions.

7. The Internet-based product brand marketing communication network of claim 5, wherein said set of display attributes are selected from the group consisting of text for said URLs, graphical icons displayed next to said URLs, and sound files associated with said URLs.

8. The Internet-based product brand marketing communication network of claim 1, wherein said Web browser of the consumer is configured to automatically respond to the consumer clicking on a graphical component at which said MMVK tag is embedded in said HTML-encoded page.

9. The Internet-based product brand marketing communication network of claim 5, wherein a supply-chain information management system is configured to import said unique product identifier, said ™

and said PD associated with each said CPI link structure, into a database supported on said Internet-based product brand marketing communication network.

10. The Internet-based product brand marketing communication network of claim 1, wherein said first Web-based subsystem includes a relational database management system (RDBMS) for storing and managing at least one said CPI link structure for each said consumer product.

11. The Internet-based product brand marketing communication network of claim 1, wherein said unique product identifier is a Universal Product Number (UPN).

12. The Internet-based product brand marketing communication network of claim 11, wherein said UPN is selected from the group consisting of a UPC number and a UPC/EAN number.

13. An Internet-based product brand marketing communication network configured to allow members of a product brand management team to communicate directly with consumers browsing HMTL-encoded pages at an electronic commerce (EC) enabled Web-site along the World Wide Web (WWW), said Internet-based product brand marketing communication network comprising:

an e-commerce (EC) enabled information server supporting said EC-enabled Web-site which includes a plurality of HTML-encoded pages containing at least one of the images and text descriptions of a plurality of consumer products;

a first Web-based subsystem configured to allow members of a brand management team associated with one or more consumer products, and authorized parties, to create and manage a consumer product information (CPI) link structure for each said consumer product,

wherein said CPI link structure includes the following items;

(i) a unique product identifier assigned to the consumer product; and

(ii) a set of URLs for a plurality of brand information resources located on the WWW;

a second Web-based subsystem configured to allow members of said product brand management team, and said authorized parties, to create and deploy one or more Web-based Multi-Mode Virtual Kiosks (MMVKs) for one or more of said consumer products and being accessible by consumers using a Web browser;

wherein each said MMVK comprises (i) a computer-executable server-side component stored on a first Internet-enabled information server operably connected to the Internet, and (ii) a MMVK tag that references said computer-executable server-side component and is embedded within an HTML-encoded page of said EC-enabled Web-site; and

wherein each said MMVK has a graphical user interface (GUI) characterized by a plurality of independently programmable display modes selected from the group consisting of (i) an advertising display mode for displaying one or more advertising spots, (ii) a promotional display mode for displaying one or more promotional spots, and (iii) a brand information network (BIN) menu display mode for displaying a set of brand information resources;

a plurality of Web-based information servers operably connected to the Internet, for storing and configured to serve said one or more advertising spots, said one or more promotional spots and said set of brand information resources to said Web browser, for display to consumers through said plurality of independently programmable display modes of each said MMVK;

wherein said second Web-based subsystem is further configured to allow members of the product brand management team and authorized parties to independently program said set of brand information resources displayable during said BIN menu display mode of each said MMVK; and

a third Web-based subsystem configured to allow members of said product brand management team and said authorized parties to independently program the advertising and promotional display modes of each MMVK with one or more advertising and promotional spots; and

a facility programmed to measure the interaction between consumers and said MMVK, and generate metric reports relating to said interaction;

wherein the Web browser of a consumer is configured to process said MMVK tag embedded within at least one said HTML-encoded page;

wherein said first Internet-enabled information server is configured to automatically execute the computer-executable server-side component corresponding to said MMVK tag;

wherein said first Internet-enabled information server is configured to generate and serve the corresponding MMVK to the Web browser, allowing the consumer to review and interact with the advertising spots, promotional spots, and brand information resources displayed within the GUI of said MMVK, at said EC-enabled Web-site where said MMVK tag has been embedded.

14. The Internet-based product brand marketing communication network of claim 13, wherein, for each MMVK created and deployed for a consumer product, the computer-executable server-side component associated with said MMVK comprises said unique product identifier assigned to the consumer product.

15. The Internet-based product brand marketing communication network of claim 14, wherein, for each MMVK created and deployed for a particular consumer product, the computer-executable server-side component associated with the MMVK comprises a consumer product information requesting (CPIR) servlet loaded onto said first Internet-enabled information server.

16. The Internet-based product brand marketing communication network of claim 13, wherein said CPI link structure further comprises, for each consumer product,

(iii) a Trademark (™

) assigned to said consumer product;

(iv) a Product Descriptor (PD) associated with said consumer product; and

(v) a set of display attributes associated with each brand information resource in said CPI link structure.

17. The Internet-based product brand marketing communication network of claim 13, wherein said set of brand information resources are selected from the group consisting of product videos, audio files, product images, product specifications, product advertisements, and product promotions.

18. The Internet-based product brand marketing communication network of claim 16, wherein said set of display attributes are selected from the group consisting of text for said URLs, graphical icons displayed next to said URLs, and sound files associated with said URLs.

19. The Internet-based product brand marketing communication network of claim 13, wherein said Web browser of the consumer is configured to automatically respond to the consumer clicking on a graphical component at which said MMVK tag is embedded in said HTML-encoded page.

20. The Internet-based product brand marketing communication network of claim 16, wherein a supply-chain information management system is configured to import said unique product identifier, said ™

and said PD associated with each said CPI link structure, into a database supported on said Internet-based product brand marketing communication network.

21. The Internet-based product brand marketing communication network of claim 13, wherein said first Web-based subsystem includes a relational database management system (RDBMS) for storing and managing at least one said CPI link structure for each said consumer product.

22. The Internet-based product brand marketing communication network of claim 13, wherein said unique product identifier is a Universal Product Number (UPN).

23. The Internet-based product brand marketing communication network of claim 22, wherein said UPN is selected from the group consisting of a UPC number and a UPC/EAN number.