Abstract:
An interactive computer system that identifies Customers when the Customer selects a display that appears on an Affiliate site. The system connects the Customer to the selected Merchant site and to the Clearinghouse site which frames the Customer&#39;s view. The Frame lists other network sites that are selected by the Clearinghouse site as of possible interest to the Customer. Sales revenue is generated for a Merchant and commission revenue is generated for the referring Affiliate based on purchases by an end user Customer during the initial and subsequent visits to the Clearinghouse site.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates in general terms to a data processing system that encourages electronic commerce by providing a Customer that selects an offering by a particular Merchant with other related sites on the network and enables immediate transport to those sites on a Frame that appears with the Merchant site.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    This invention relates to techniques for generating revenue through use of an interactive computer system.  
           [0003]    Recently, networks of interconnected computers, such as the Internet, have provided a convenient framework for obtaining information and transacting business. The World Wide Web (the Web), which is a collection of interconnected computers that forms a subset of the Internet, allows users to navigate areas of interest. Information is made available by accessing a site on the Web using, for example, a personal computer with an application program known as a browser. Information from the introductory page, or home page, of a particular site is linked to other pages that can be accessed, for example, through hyperlinks that may appear as a word or a graphic image on one Web site. Additional hyperlinks allow a user to be connected to other Web sites.  
           [0004]    The Internet has become an important vehicle of commerce by providing consumers with easy access to a wealth of information about the goods and services that merchants provide and by facilitating transactions regarding such goods and services. To expand users&#39; knowledge and awareness of various merchants on the Web, the use of banner advertisements has become common at some popular sites. The banners combine graphics and text to provide an appealing display to encourage user interest. By clicking on the banner, the merchant Web site associated with the banner appears on the user&#39;s computer screen. The user then can obtain information about the goods and/or services provided by the merchant and can place an order for those goods and/or services through an on-line transaction. Commerce generated by the banner or similar promotional links have become increasingly important in allowing merchants to transact business over the Internet.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]    [0005]FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary interactive computer network.  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 2 shows a computer network supporting service on the World Wide Web.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 3 illustrates exemplary relationships among various Internet sites including a merchant-affiliate network.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 4 illustrates exemplary user traffic flow in the merchant-affiliate network.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary affiliate Internet site.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary framed merchant Internet site.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary framed page of a primary site.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary home page of the primary site.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 9 illustrates another example of user traffic flow in the merchant-affiliate network.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating how various user activities can be tracked in the merchant-affiliate network. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]    As shown in FIG. 1, an exemplary interactive computer network  10 , such as the Internet, includes interconnected computers that support communications among different types of users. Such users can include, for example, businesses, individuals, universities and financial institutions, among others. The network  10  can support various types of communication links, such as telephone  12 , paging  14 , cellular  16  and cable television  18  links. Terminal equipment used with the network  10  can include, for example, local area networks (LANs)  20 , personal computers  22  with modems  24 , pocket organizers  26 , personal data assistants (PDAs)  28 , and content servers  29  of multi-media, audio, video and other information.  
         [0016]    As shown in FIG. 2, an exemplary Internet network  30  supports Web service. A Web browser  32  is connected through the network  30  to a Web server  34  that can be implemented, for example, as a computer and that provides content, such as images, text, video, sound and Java applets, to users. An Internet Service Provider (ISP)  36  links the browser  32  to the network  30 , and an ISP  38  links the server  34  to the network. Regional service providers  40 ,  42  and other intermediaries route traffic between the ISPs  36 ,  38 .  
         [0017]    The techniques described below allow revenue to be generated by encouraging and maintaining Internet traffic in a merchant-affiliate network. Each site in the merchant-affiliate network has a defined relationship with other sites in the network. FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary relationship among Internet sites including a primary site  50  that serves as a portal to provide search capabilities and to enable Web browsers to access content services. A merchant-affiliate network includes one or more merchant sites  52  and one or more affiliate sites  54 . The network also may include one or more sub-affiliate sites  56  each of which is associated with an affiliate site. Each sub-affiliate  56  serves a dual role as both an affiliate and a sub-affiliate.  
         [0018]    In general, each affiliate site  54  hosts a merchant banner that provides a link to an associated merchant&#39;s site as well as to the primary site  50 . For example, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a user  60  may access an affiliate site  54 A that includes a banner  62  associated with a particular merchant. By clicking on the banner  62 , a browser on the user&#39;s personal computer accesses both the primary site  50  and the merchant&#39;s site  52 A (typically identified in the banner). The browser transports the user simultaneously to both the merchant site  52 A and the primary site  50 . Using a technique known as framing, both the primary site  50  and the merchant&#39;s site  52 A are displayed on the user&#39;s computer screen. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the merchant&#39;s Web site  52 A appears in the lower portion of the screen and is framed by the primary site  50  which appears in the frame  64  at the top of the screen. The frame  64  serves as a gateway to the portal  51  (FIG. 4) and lists multiple categories that may be of interest to the user. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the frame  64  displays various links, such as Auctions, Computers, and Travel, among others.  
         [0019]    The user  60  can choose to browse the merchant&#39;s site  52 A and can complete one or more transactions for goods and/or services provided by the merchant. The user  60  also can select one of the categories that appear in the frame  64  by clicking on the corresponding link to access other sites through the portal  51 . For example, if the user  60  clicks on the link identified as Computers, a list of merchants providing goods and/or services related to computers would appear in the lower portion  66  of the user&#39;s computer screen as shown in FIG. 7. The links in the frame  64  remain displayed on the user&#39;s screen so that the user still can access any of the listed categories. The user  60  can choose to click on one of the listed merchants to access that merchant&#39;s Web site. The merchant&#39;s Web site then would appear in the lower portion of the screen, while the list of categories in the frame  64  also remains displayed at the top of the screen. The user  60  can browse the merchant site and can complete one or more transactions. As before, the user  60  still has the option of accessing other sites through the portal  51  by clicking on one of the links in the frame  64 .  
         [0020]    The user  60  also can access the home page of the primary site  50  by clicking on a banner or other link  68  in the frame  64 . If the user clicks on the link  68 , the home page  70  of the primary site  50  appears in the lower portion of the screen, as shown in FIG. 8. The home page  70  allows the user  60  to search the Web for particular information by entering one or more search terms. The primary site includes a search engine for that purpose. The user also may access news and other content from the home page via links that appear on the user&#39;s screen. When the home page  70  is displayed, the frame  64  also appears in the upper portion of the user&#39;s screen.  
         [0021]    Returning to FIG. 4, the user&#39;s browser also can access both a merchant site  52  and the primary site  50  through a sub-affiliate site, such as the sub-affiliate site  56 A. For example, if the user  60  clicks on a banner associated with the merchant  52 A while visiting the sub-affiliate site  56 A, the browser transports the user simultaneously to both the merchant site  52 A and the primary site  50  as described above.  
         [0022]    Alternatively, if the user  60  were to click on a banner  63  associated with another merchant  52 B while visiting an affiliate site  54 B or a sub-affiliate site  56 B, the browser would transport the user simultaneously to both the merchant site  52 B and the primary site  50 .  
         [0023]    As is evident from the foregoing discussion, a user can enter one or more merchant Web sites  52  through an affiliate site  54  or a sub-affiliate site  56 . Specifically, as the user navigates within a particular merchant Web site, the frame  64  remains displayed on the user&#39;s screen so that the user can access other Web sites via the portal  51  by clicking on any of the displayed links.  
         [0024]    As indicated by FIG. 4, a user  72  also can access the home page  70  of the primary site  50  directly. In that case, the user&#39;s screen would appear as in FIG. 8, with the home page  70  in the lower portion of the screen and the frame  64  in the upper portion.  
         [0025]    As described below, when a user enters an affiliate site  54  that has a banner for a particular merchant site, revenue can be generated for that affiliate based on the user&#39;s activity with respect to the particular merchant site as well as the user&#39;s activity with respect to other merchant sites visited as a result of clicking on the banner and subsequently clicking on links in the frame  64 . Therefore, an affiliate can obtain revenue streams from multiple merchant sites even though the affiliate&#39;s site may display a banner for only one particular merchant site.  
         [0026]    Various types of revenue can be generated for affiliate sites  54  and for the primary site  50  based on tracking various Web-user activities: (1) impression revenue, in other words, revenue that is generated based on a user&#39;s viewing a merchant&#39;s banner  62  when the user visits an affiliate site  54 ; (2) revenue based on the number of hits, in other words, revenue that is generated based on a user&#39;s visiting a merchant site  52  by clicking on a banner  62  in an affiliate site  54  or clicking on a link accessed through the portal  51 ; and (3) transaction revenue, based on revenue that is generated as a result of completed transactions with one or more merchant sites  52 .  
         [0027]    In general, each merchant site  52  establishes its own revenue program for affiliate sites  54 . For example, one merchant site may agree to pay affiliates a fixed percentage of completed transactions, whereas another merchant may agree to pay a fixed amount of money for each hit to its site. A third merchant might agree to pay a fixed sum of money for each time a user views a site that includes a banner or link to the merchant&#39;s site. Revenue that a particular merchant has agreed to pay to affiliates is paid to the affiliate site  54  through which the user entered the merchant-affiliate network.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 9 illustrates an example of how an affiliate, such as the affiliate  54 A, can obtain revenue streams from multiple merchant sites, such as the merchant sites  52 A and  52 B. In this example, it is assumed that the merchant site  52 A pays affiliates a fixed amount for each hit, and that the merchant site  52 B only pays affiliates a fixed percentage of the monies it receives for each completed transaction. For the purpose of illustration, it is further assumed that a user  60  visits the affiliate site  54 A and clicks on the banner  62  associated with the merchant site  52 A. The user&#39;s browser accesses the merchant site  52 A as described above. That activity constitutes a hit for which the merchant site  52 A has agreed to pay the affiliate  54 A regardless of whether the user completes a transaction at the merchant site. After visiting the merchant site  52 A the user  60  can access the portal  51  through the frame  64  that appears on its screen (see, for example, FIG. 6). From the portal  51 , the user may access the merchant site  52 B and complete a transaction, for example, by purchasing goods while visiting the merchant site. The completed transaction constitutes an activity for which the merchant site  52 B has agreed to pay the affiliate  54 A. After completing the transaction at the merchant site  52 B, the user  60  can choose to exit the Internet or visit other sites through the portal  51 . In general, the frame  64  will continue to appear on the user&#39;s computer screen until he leaves the browser, and revenue can continue to be generated on behalf of the affiliate  54 A until he leaves the browser or until he exits and later re-enters the merchant-affiliate network through netUnet.com.  
         [0029]    Revenue also is generated for the owner of the primary site  50 . The primary site  50  receives from each merchant  52  a fixed percentage of the amounts paid by the merchant to affiliates  54 . The fixed amounts can vary from one merchant to another depending on the basis of the merchant&#39;s payment to affiliate sites. For example, a merchant that pays affiliates a fixed amount for each hit could pay the primary site  50  two percent of the amount paid to the affiliates, whereas a merchant that pays affiliates a fixed percentage of gross revenues would pay the primary site only one percent of the amount paid to the affiliates. The primary site also can obtain impression revenue by displaying merchants&#39; advertising banners through the portal  51 . Each time a user views a merchant&#39;s banner through the portal  51 , the merchant would pay a fixed amount to the primary site. Similarly, a user&#39;s clicking on a merchant&#39;s banner or completing a transaction with the merchant are recognized as events that can generate revenue for the primary site if the merchant&#39;s affiliate program is based on impression revenue.  
         [0030]    The server associated with the primary site  50  tracks the number of times a user views a banner or link to a merchant&#39;s site, the number of hits to each merchant&#39;s site, and the value of transactions completed at each merchant site. The server associated with the primary site also tracks the affiliate site through which the user entered the merchant-affiliate network. In that way, each revenue-generating activity can be associated with the appropriate affiliate site. For example, when a user accesses an affiliate&#39;s site  54 , the server associated with the primary site  50  pulls up a particular merchant&#39;s banner, and the server records that event as an impression. Similarly, if the user clicks on the merchant&#39;s banner and is transported to the merchant&#39;s Web site, the server records the event as a hit.  
         [0031]    To assist the server associated with the primary site  50  in keeping track of completed transactions, cookies can be used (see FIG. 10). Cookies are pieces of data placed, for example, in the user&#39;s browser by a server associated with the primary site  50 . Each cookie stores various information including codes that allow the server associated with the primary site  50  to identify the affiliate site through which the user obtained access to the merchant-affiliate network. The cookie is lodged in the user&#39;s browser when the user clicks on a merchant&#39;s banner while visiting an affiliate Web site  54 . When a user completes a transaction at a merchant site  52 , the cookie is stored in the merchant&#39;s transaction server. Information stored in the merchant&#39;s transaction server is uploaded to the primary site&#39;s server on a periodic basis, for example, at the end of each day. Alternatively, the merchant&#39;s transaction server can include a script that captures the cookie and uploads it to the primary site&#39;s server immediately. The value of the transaction, as well as the time, date and nature of the transaction, also can be uploaded to the primary site&#39;s server.  
         [0032]    Similarly, when a user travels through the portal  51  and clicks on a link within the portal, the primary site&#39;s server captures the cookie and reports the event as a hit.  
         [0033]    The system encourages Web site owners to become affiliates. For example, a user visiting a merchant site  52 A can click on a link  74  (FIG. 6) to join the merchant&#39;s affiliate program. Similarly, a user can click on a link  78  (FIG. 6) appearing in the frame  64  to join an affiliate program. If a cookie previously was stored in the user&#39;s browser, then the user is directed to a registration page allowing the user join the affiliate program of the merchant associated with the affiliate site identified by the cookie. Furthermore, the new affiliate becomes a sub-affiliate of the affiliate identified by the cookie. If a cookie identifying an affiliate site was not previously stored in the user&#39;s browser, the user is directed to a general registration page for new affiliates. In that case, the new affiliate is not considered a sub-affiliate because it did not become a member of the affiliate program by visiting an existing affiliate Web site. In addition, members of an affiliate program can login using a link  76  (FIG. 6) to view the details of affiliate programs run by other merchants.  
         [0034]    A sub-affiliate is treated like an affiliate with respect to revenue payments by the merchants. However, an affiliate also can receive revenue when a user accesses the merchant-affiliate network through a sub-affiliate. Each merchant can establish its own program according to which affiliates receive revenue based on the revenue received by its sub-affiliates.  
         [0035]    For example, in one scenario, it is assumed that a merchant pays affiliates 10% of gross sales based on completed transactions and also pays an affiliate 30% of the revenues paid to that affiliate&#39;s sub-affiliates. It is further assumed that the merchant pays the primary site a fixed percentage of, for example, 1% of its gross sales achieved as a result of users accessing the merchant-affiliate network. If a particular merchant has gross sales of $1,000 as a result of one or more users accessing the merchant site via a particular sub-affiliate, then the sub-affiliate would receive 10% of $1,000, in other words $100, from the merchant. In addition, the affiliate associated with the sub-affiliate would receive 30% of $100, in order words $30, from the merchant. Furthermore, the primary site would receive 1% of the gross sales, in other words $10.  
         [0036]    In another scenario, it is assumed that a merchant pays affiliates $0.01 for every hit to its site that occurs as a result of users accessing the merchant-affiliate network. The merchant also pays an affiliate 50% of the revenues paid to sub-affiliates associated with the affiliate. It is further assumed that the merchant pays the primary site a fixed percentage of 2% of the amounts paid to the affiliates (and sub-affiliates). If a particular merchant has 10,000 hits to its site as a result of one or more users accessing the merchant site through a particular sub-affiliate, then the sub-affiliate would receive $100 from the merchant. In addition, the affiliate associated with the sub-affiliate would receive 50% of $100, in other words $50, from the merchant. Furthermore, the primary site would receive 2% of $150, in order words, $3.  
         [0037]    As previously mentioned, the primary site  50  uses a search engine that allows users to perform on-line searches (see FIG. 8). In one implementation, new affiliates automatically are placed within the search engine. Affiliates can be ranked based on the amount of user traffic they generate for the merchants. For example, an affiliate that generates a large amount of traffic can be placed in a higher ranking within the response to a search. Affiliates that fail to generate traffic during a particular time frame can be removed at least temporarily from the search engine.  
         [0038]    The placement of merchant links within the portal  51  can be based on the revenues paid by each merchant during a particular time frame. For example, merchants paying greater revenues to affiliates during a particular month would be ranked higher on the list of merchants appearing on a page of the portal  51  (see, for example, FIG. 7). In one implementation, merchants that base their affiliate programs on impression revenue would not be listed.  
         [0039]    Other implementations are within the scope of the invention.