US6289318B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and architecture for multi-level commissioned advertising on a computer network
Assignee: KEYNETIC SYSTEMS LLC
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Filing: 1999-03-24
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Granted: 2001-09-11
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Expires: 2019-03-24
Abstract
Abstract A method and architecture for rewarding a merchant that operates a server on a computer network, and in particular on the Internet, when a consumer accesses the server and later access a server of a paying merchant, i.e. a merchant who has agreed to provide a reward to one or more of the merchants the consumer accessed on the way, in tracing a course through the network, to accessing the paying merchant. The invention involves having a service operate servers, on the computer network, that automatically distribute any reward provided by a paying merchant. The method is not intended to reward all merchants visited by a consumer on the way to a paying merchant; it distributes rewards only approximately, trading off accuracy for a lower burden of computation.
Inventors
- 👤 Timothy P. Barber
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 19:18
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/02; G06Q30/0207; G06Q30/0214; G06Q30/0226; G06Q30/0239
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
198 words
A method, for use on a computer network, for distributing a reward from a paying merchant to participating merchants, the paying merchant and participating merchants all operating servers connected to the computer network, the reward to be distributed after a consumer visits a web site of the paying merchant, the method comprising the steps of: a) recording each access by the consumer of a participating merchant web site, including access by the consumer of the paying merchant web site; b) accepting referral points issued by the paying merchant when a consumer accesses a pre-determined web site of the paying merchant; and c) distributing to participating merchants the referral points according to criteria that limit the number of participating merchants, the criteria including a requirement that the consumer have visited a web site of a participating merchant before visiting the pre-determined web site of the paying merchant; and wherein the distributing to participating merchants is calculated based on a pre-agreed pass-on percentage for each participating merchant, the pass-on percentage indicating what percentage of any referral points the participating merchant agrees to pass on to other participating merchants who satisfy the criteria for receiving a portion of the referral points.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
198 words
A method, for use on a computer network, for distributing a reward from a paying merchant to participating merchants, the paying merchant and participating merchants all operating servers connected to the computer network, the reward to be distributed after a consumer visits a web site of the paying merchant, the method comprising the steps of: a) recording each access by the consumer of a participating merchant web site, including access by the consumer of the paying merchant web site; b) accepting referral points issued by the paying merchant when a consumer accesses a pre-determined web site of the paying merchant; and c) distributing to participating merchants the referral points according to criteria that limit the number of participating merchants, the criteria including a requirement that the consumer have visited a web site of a participating merchant before visiting the pre-determined web site of the paying merchant; and wherein the distributing to participating merchants is calculated based on a pre-agreed pass-on percentage for each participating merchant, the pass-on percentage indicating what percentage of any referral points the participating merchant agrees to pass on to other participating merchants who satisfy the criteria for receiving a portion of the referral points.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein the criteria include a requirement that the consumer visit a participating merchant within a pre-determined time before the consumer visits the pre-determined web site of the paying merchant in order for the participating merchant to be awarded a portion of the referral points.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein the criteria include a requirement that after last visiting a participating merchant before the consumer visits the pre-determined web site of the paying merchant, the consumer not visit more than a pre-determined number of other participating merchants in order for the participating merchant to be awarded a portion of the referral points.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
198 words
An architecture, for use on a computer network, for distributing a reward from a paying merchant to participating merchants, the paying merchant and participating merchants all operating servers connected to the computer network, the reward to be distributed after a consumer visits a web site of the paying merchant, the architecture comprising: a) means for recording each access by the consumer of a participating merchant web site, including access by the consumer of the paying merchant web site; b) means for accepting referral points issued by the paying merchant when a consumer access a pre-determined web site of the paying merchant; c) means for distributing to participating merchants the referral points according to criteria that limits the number of participating merchants, the criteria including a requirement that the consumer have visited a web site of a participating merchant before visiting the pre-determined web site of the paying merchant; wherein the means for distributing to participating merchants uses a pre-agreed pass-on percentage for each participating merchant, the pass-on percentage indicating what percentage of any referral points the participating merchant agrees to pass on to other participating merchants who satisfy the criteria for receiving a portion of the referral points.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
198 words
An architecture, for use on a computer network, for distributing a reward from a paying merchant to participating merchants, the paying merchant and participating merchants all operating servers connected to the computer network, the reward to be distributed after a consumer visits a web site of the paying merchant, the architecture comprising: a) means for recording each access by the consumer of a participating merchant web site, including access by the consumer of the paying merchant web site; b) means for accepting referral points issued by the paying merchant when a consumer access a pre-determined web site of the paying merchant; c) means for distributing to participating merchants the referral points according to criteria that limits the number of participating merchants, the criteria including a requirement that the consumer have visited a web site of a participating merchant before visiting the pre-determined web site of the paying merchant; wherein the means for distributing to participating merchants uses a pre-agreed pass-on percentage for each participating merchant, the pass-on percentage indicating what percentage of any referral points the participating merchant agrees to pass on to other participating merchants who satisfy the criteria for receiving a portion of the referral points.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
50 words
The architecture of claim 4 , wherein the criteria includes a requirement that the consumer visit a participating merchant within a pre-determined time before the consumer visits the pre-determined web site of the paying merchant in order for the participating merchant to be awarded a portion of the referral points.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
The architecture of claim 4 , wherein the criteria includes a requirement that after last visiting a participating merchant before the consumer visits the pre-determined web site of the paying merchant, the consumer not visit more than a pre-determined number of other participating merchants in order for the participating merchant to be awarded a portion of the referral points.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
216 words
An architecture, for use on a computer network, for executing a service of distributing a reward from a paying merchant to participating merchants, the paying merchant and participating merchants all operating servers connected to the computer network, the reward to be distributed after a consumer visits a web site of the paying merchant, the architecture comprising: a) a checkpoint server, for recording each access by the consumer of a participating merchant web site, including access by the consumer of the paying merchant web site; b) an accounting server, for accepting referral points issued by the paying merchant when a consumer accesses a pre-determined web site of the paying merchant, and for distributing to participating merchants the referral points according to criteria that limit the number of participating merchants, the criteria including a requirement that the consumer have visited a web site of a participating merchant before visiting the pre-determined web site of the paying merchant; and c) a merchant database server, for hosting a database of information about each participating merchant needed in performing the service, the information including a pass-on percentage, and for a paying merchant also a number of referral points the paying merchant agrees to issue for distribution to participating merchants whenever a consumer visits an indicated web site of the paying merchant.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
216 words
An architecture, for use on a computer network, for executing a service of distributing a reward from a paying merchant to participating merchants, the paying merchant and participating merchants all operating servers connected to the computer network, the reward to be distributed after a consumer visits a web site of the paying merchant, the architecture comprising: a) a checkpoint server, for recording each access by the consumer of a participating merchant web site, including access by the consumer of the paying merchant web site; b) an accounting server, for accepting referral points issued by the paying merchant when a consumer accesses a pre-determined web site of the paying merchant, and for distributing to participating merchants the referral points according to criteria that limit the number of participating merchants, the criteria including a requirement that the consumer have visited a web site of a participating merchant before visiting the pre-determined web site of the paying merchant; and c) a merchant database server, for hosting a database of information about each participating merchant needed in performing the service, the information including a pass-on percentage, and for a paying merchant also a number of referral points the paying merchant agrees to issue for distribution to participating merchants whenever a consumer visits an indicated web site of the paying merchant.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
The architecture of claim 7 , wherein the criteria include a requirement that the consumer visit a participating merchant within a pre-determined time before the consumer visits the pre-determined web site of the paying merchant in order for the participating merchant to be awarded a portion of the referral points.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
59 words
The architecture of claim 7 , wherein the criteria include a requirement that after last visiting a participating merchant before the consumer visits the pre-determined web site of the paying merchant, the consumer not visit more than a pre-determined number of other participating merchants in order for the participating merchant to be awarded a portion of the referral points.
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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) | 2004-09-10 | 2005-03-12 | 2005-09-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-09-10 | 2009-03-12 | 2009-09-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-09-10 | 2013-03-12 | 2013-09-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |