EP0844577A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Multi-level marketing computer network server
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1997-11-03
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2017-11-03
Abstract
Abstract A server system for multi-level vending of any electronically transferable product (101) through a communications network (102) directly to a customer's computer (103). This server system (herein called a Sales Support Server (104)) integrates the collection of a payment (105) via the network (102) and the automatic distribution of the product (101) with the calculation (106) of commissions (107) using a multi-level marketing commission structure (108) and the distribution of commissions (107) and fees (109) via the network (102). The preferred configuration includes a client application (herein called a Sales App (110)) which can run as a plug-in to a network browser on the customer's computer (103) and which provides a purchase request (111) and registration data (112) to a Sales Support Server (104) and performs the installation (113) of the product (101) on the customer's computer (103). The Sales Support Server (104) acquires the payment (105), transfers the product (101), calculates (106) and pays the commissions (107), and adds seller registration information (112) to the multi-level sales database (114) for the product. The usefulness of this invention includes physical product distribution through a shipping and handling system.
Inventors
- 👤 Allyn M. Shell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 23:28
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/06; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/08; G06Q20/10; G06Q20/20; G06Q20/204; G06Q20/38; G06Q20/40; G06Q20/401; G06Q30/02; G06Q30/0207; G06Q30/0222; G06Q30/0239; G06Q30/0241; G06Q30/0273; G06Q30/0274; G06Q30/0276; G06Q30/0277; G06Q30/0601; G06Q30/0609; G06Q30/0633; G06Q30/0635; G06Q30/0637; G06Q30/0641; G06Q40/00; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99932
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
60 words
In an electronic computer network, a general purpose commercial
server system with: a) a means for accepting via the network, the identification of
the product and the identification of the seller, b) a means for making a sales transaction, and c) a means for calculating multi-level commissions and other
fees. d) a means for dispersing the commissions and other fees.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
32 words
The server system identified in claim 1 wherein the general
purpose commercial server system is comprised of one or more
general purpose computers which collectively provide the means
identified in claim 1.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
The server system identified in claim 1 wherein the means for
making a sales transaction is comprised of: a) a means for acquiring the price, b) a means for storing the price, c) a means for informing the client of the price via the network, d) a means for acquiring the payment for the product, and e) a means for vending the product.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The server system identified in claim 3 wherein the means for
acquiring the payment for the product is comprised of: a) a means for obtaining credit card information, b) a means for validating credit, and c) a means for capturing payment.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The server system identified in claim 3 wherein the means for
acquiring the payment for the product is comprised of: a) a means for accepting an electronic cash payment or an
electronic funds transfer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
72 words
The server system identified in claim 3 wherein the means for
vending the product is in whole or in part comprised of: a) a means for accepting a copy of the electronic part of the
product, b) a means for storing a copy of the electronic part of the
product, and c) a means for transferring a new copy of the electronic part of
the product via the network to the client.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
The server system identified in claim 3 wherein the means for
vending the product is in part comprised of: a) a means for preparing a purchase order, and b) a means for issuing the purchase order to a manual or an
automatic shipping and handling system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
140 words
The server system identified in claim 1 wherein the means for
calculating multi-level commissions and other fees is comprised of: a) a means for accepting the information that identifies the
amount or percentage to be paid to each individual
commission level of a multi-level commission structure, b) a means for storing a multi-level commission structure which
contains at least the amount or percentage to be paid to
each individual commission level, c) a means for storing records of individual sellers which
contains at least (1) a means for storing individual seller's
personal data, (2) a means for storing individual seller's method
of pay information, and (3) a means for identifying the next level seller. d) a means for calculating commissions using a multi-level
commission structure, and e) a means for calculating other fees and associating them with
the appropriate payees.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
The server system identified in claim 8 wherein the means for
calculating the multi-level commissions and other fees is further
comprised of: f) a means for summing the calculated commissions for each
seller, and g) a means for storing the summ of the commissions for each
seller.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
85 words
The server system identified in claim 8 wherein the means for
calculating commissions using a multi-level commission structure is
comprised of: a) a means for calculating an individual commission for each
level from the stored commission structure, b) a means for associating the first level commission with the
seller identified by the customer, c) a means for repeatitivly determining the next level seller
from the record of the current seller, and d) a means for associating the next level commission with the
next level seller.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
46 words
The server system identified in claim 1 wherein the means for
dispersing the commissions and other fees is in whole or in part
comprised of: a) a means for issuing a paycheck to each seller having a
commission and/or to each payee to receive a fee.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
63 words
The server system identified in claim 1 wherein the means for
dispersing the commissions and other fees is in whole or in part
comprised of: a) a means for identifying the bank accounts of the sellers
and/or payees, b) a means for contacting the bank account via the network, and c) a means for making an electronic funds transfer to the bank
account.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
91 words
The server system identified in claim 1 being further comprised
of: e) a means for registering sellers via the network which is
comprised of: (1) a means for accepting the personal data of the
new seller, (2) a means for accepting the method of pay
information for the new seller, (3) a means for accepting the identity of the next
level seller, (4) a means for creating an individual seller
record and next level seller
identification, and (5) a means for informing the client of the
identification of the new seller.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
55 words
On a customer's general purpose computer in an electronic
computer network, a client application comprised of at least one
of: a) a means for allowing a customer to purchase a multi-level
marketing product via the network, and/or b) a means for allowing a user to register to sell a multi-level
marketing product via the network.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The client application identified in claim 14 wherein the
client application comprises a plug-in to a network browser.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
78 words
The client application identified in claim 14 wherein the means
for allowing a customer to purchase a multi-level marketing product
is comprised of: a) a means for acquiring the identification for the product and
the seller and the information for contacting the server
that vends the product, b) a means for acquiring the customer's method of payment
information, c) a means for contacting the server that vends the product, and d) a means for making a sales transaction.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
87 words
The client application identified in claim 16 wherein the means
for making a sales transaction is comprised of: a) a means for informing the server of the identification for the
product and the seller, b) a means for accepting from the server the price information, c) a means for informing the customer of the price information, d) a means for informing the server of the method of payment
information, and e) a means for accepting the transfer of an electronic copy of a
product via the network.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
The client application identified in claim 17 wherein the means
for making a sales transaction is further comprised of: f) a means for installing the product on the computer on which
the client application is running.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
149 words
The client application identified in claim 14 wherein the means
for allowing a user to register to sell a multi-level marketing
product is comprised of: a) a means for acquiring the new seller's personal data and
method of pay information, b) a means for acquiring the identification for the product and
the next level seller identification and the information
for contacting the server that vends the product, c) a means for contacting the server that vends the product, d) a means for informing the server of the new seller's personal
data and method of pay information, e) a means for informing the server of the identification for the
product and the next level seller, f) a means for accepting the new seller identification, and g) a means for informing the new seller of the identification of
the product, the new seller identification, and the
information for contacting the server.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
98 words
On general purpose computer in an electronic computer network
a client application comprised of: a) a means for accepting the identification of a copy of the
electronic part of the product, b) a means for accessing the copy of the electronic part of the
product, c) a means for accepting the price, d) a means for accepting the mult-level commission structure, e) a means for contacting the server that vends the product, and f) a means for upoading to the server the price and the multi-level
commission structure and a copy of the electronic
part of the product.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.