US5819285A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for capturing, storing and processing co-marketing information associated with a user of an on-line computer service using the world-wide-web.
Assignee: Rateze Remote Mgmt LLC
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Filing: 1995-09-20
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Granted: 1998-10-06
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Expires: 2015-09-20
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for capturing and storing a co-marketer identification symbol representing an identity of an entity that has referred a user on a user station to a computer service, wherein the user station is coupled to the computer service by a communications path. A database is provided for storing a plurality of user records. Each of the user records includes a user identification field for storing information uniquely associating each of the user records with a user, and a co-marketer identification field for storing identity information representing the identity of an entity that directed the user to the computer service. An enrollment means is coupled to the communications path and the database, and is provided for enrolling a user on the computer service. The enrollment means includes means for determining a co-marketer that directed the user to the computer service, and means for assigning a unique user identification number to the user. The enrollment means further includes means for storing a co-marketer identification symbol representative of a co-marketer and the unique user identification number of a user in the co-marketer identification and user identification fields, respectively, of one of the user records.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas Damico
- 👤 Joshua Kopelman
- 👤 Sheryl F. Wamoglu
- 👤 Marvin I. Weinberger
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 18:41
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/02; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/955; G06F16/9566; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99945; Y10S707/99948
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
276 words
An apparatus for capturing and storing a co-marketer identification symbol representing an identity of an entity that has referred a user on a user station to a computer service, said user station being coupled to said computer service by a communications path, comprising: (A) a database for storing a plurality of user records, each of said user records including a user identification field for storing information uniquely associating each of said user records with a user, and a co-marketer identification field for storing identity information representing an identity of an entity that directed said user to said computer service; (B) enrollment means, coupled to said communications path and said database, for enrolling said user on said computer service; (C) said enrollment means including means for determining a co-marketer that directed said user from a site on a world-wide web (WWW) associated with said co-marketer to a site on said WWW associated with said computer service and for associating a co-marketer identification symbol representative of said co-marketer with said user, means for assigning a unique user identification number to said user, means for determining whether said co-marketer that directed said user to said computer service is an authorized co-marketer of said computer service, and means for identifying a WWW address of a third-party WWW page, wherein said address of said third-party WWW page is used by said enrollment means to determine said co-marketer that directed said user to said computer service; and (D) said enrollment means including means for storing said co-marketer identification symbol and said unique user identification number in said co-marketer identification and user identification fields, respectively, of one of said plurality of user records.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
276 words
An apparatus for capturing and storing a co-marketer identification symbol representing an identity of an entity that has referred a user on a user station to a computer service, said user station being coupled to said computer service by a communications path, comprising: (A) a database for storing a plurality of user records, each of said user records including a user identification field for storing information uniquely associating each of said user records with a user, and a co-marketer identification field for storing identity information representing an identity of an entity that directed said user to said computer service; (B) enrollment means, coupled to said communications path and said database, for enrolling said user on said computer service; (C) said enrollment means including means for determining a co-marketer that directed said user from a site on a world-wide web (WWW) associated with said co-marketer to a site on said WWW associated with said computer service and for associating a co-marketer identification symbol representative of said co-marketer with said user, means for assigning a unique user identification number to said user, means for determining whether said co-marketer that directed said user to said computer service is an authorized co-marketer of said computer service, and means for identifying a WWW address of a third-party WWW page, wherein said address of said third-party WWW page is used by said enrollment means to determine said co-marketer that directed said user to said computer service; and (D) said enrollment means including means for storing said co-marketer identification symbol and said unique user identification number in said co-marketer identification and user identification fields, respectively, of one of said plurality of user records.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising software downloading means for downloading user software for accessing said computer service from said computer service to said user station via said WWW.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said user software includes a null co-marketer identification symbol.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
71 words
The apparatus of claim 1, said enrollment means further comprising means for determining whether said user station was directed to said computer service through said third party page on said WWW, and means for identifying a co-marketer identification symbol from a co-marketer identification code embedded in user software on said user station if said user station was not directed to said computer service through said third party page on said WWW.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising: (E) one-time bounty payment generation means, coupled to said enrollment means and said database, for generation of a one-time payment record for issuing a one-time payment to a co-marketer when said enrollment means stores a user record having a co-marketer identification symbol corresponding to said co-marketer on said database.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 5, further including a co-marketer identification table for storing co-marketer records representative of each of a plurality of candidate co-marketers, each of said co-marketer records including a field for storing a number of users previously directed to said computer service by said co-marketer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said one-time bounty payment generation means determines an amount for said one-time payment record in accordance with said number of users previously directed to said computer service by said co-marketer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of said co-marketer records further includes a field for indicating whether a co-marketer is eligible for recurring bounty payments.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising: (F) recurring bounty payment generation means, coupled to said enrollment means and said database, for generation a recurring bounty payment record for issuing a recurring-bounty payment to a co-marketer on a periodic basis in accordance with a number of users previously directed to said computer service by said co-marketer and currently enrolled on said computer service.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said computer service is an on-line computer service.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
250 words
A method for capturing and storing co-marketer information representing an identity of an entity that has referred a user on a user station to a computer service, said user station being coupled to said computer service by a communications path, comprising the steps of: (A) providing a database for storing a plurality of user records, each of said user records including a user identification field for storing information uniquely associating each of said user records with a user, and a co-marketer identification field for storing identity information representing an identity of an entity that directed said user to said computer service; (B) enrolling said user on said computer service, said enrolling step comprising: (i) determining a co-marketer that directed said user from a site on a world-wide web (WWW) associated with said co-marketer to a site on said WWW associated with said computer service by identifying a WWW address of a third-party WWW page, wherein said address of said third-party WWW page is used to determine said co-marketer that directed said user to said computer service; (ii) associating a co-marketer identification symbol representative of said co-marketer with said user; (iii) assigning a unique user identification number to said user; (iv) determining whether said co-marketer that directed said user to said computer service is an authorized co-marketer of said computer service; and (v) storing said co-marketer identification symbol and said unique user identification number in said co-marketer identification and user identification fields, respectively, of one of said plurality of user records.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
250 words
A method for capturing and storing co-marketer information representing an identity of an entity that has referred a user on a user station to a computer service, said user station being coupled to said computer service by a communications path, comprising the steps of: (A) providing a database for storing a plurality of user records, each of said user records including a user identification field for storing information uniquely associating each of said user records with a user, and a co-marketer identification field for storing identity information representing an identity of an entity that directed said user to said computer service; (B) enrolling said user on said computer service, said enrolling step comprising: (i) determining a co-marketer that directed said user from a site on a world-wide web (WWW) associated with said co-marketer to a site on said WWW associated with said computer service by identifying a WWW address of a third-party WWW page, wherein said address of said third-party WWW page is used to determine said co-marketer that directed said user to said computer service; (ii) associating a co-marketer identification symbol representative of said co-marketer with said user; (iii) assigning a unique user identification number to said user; (iv) determining whether said co-marketer that directed said user to said computer service is an authorized co-marketer of said computer service; and (v) storing said co-marketer identification symbol and said unique user identification number in said co-marketer identification and user identification fields, respectively, of one of said plurality of user records.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-10-05 | 2002-04-06 | 2002-10-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-10-05 | 2006-04-06 | 2006-10-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-10-05 | 2010-04-06 | 2010-10-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |