Patent Publication Number: US-2012047027-A1

Title: System and method of information fulfillment

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Web-based advertisement systems and methods are widely used on the Internet. Traditional systems basically deliver content of interest to targeted groups or individuals and considered the advertisement effect accomplished. Further actions are not taken. If the targeted groups or individuals need further information, they have to conduct further information gathering efforts on their own. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The first object of the present invention is to delivered content of interest to targeted groups or individuals via the Internet. 
     The second object of the present invention is to prompt the targeted groups or individuals to provide further inquiries that would meet the needs of the targeted groups or individuals. 
     The third object of the present invention is to provide information corresponding to the prompted inquiries to the targeted groups or individuals as information fulfillment. 
     The fourth object of the present invention is to provide official websites of information source providers to the targeted groups or individuals. 
     The fifth object of the present invention is to provide accessible geographical information and contact information to the targeted groups or individuals. 
     The sixth object of the present invention is to facilitate direct communication between a user computer with an advertisement server and a database. 
     The seventh object of the present invention is to minimize traffics so as to achieve a speedy information fulfillment. 
     The eighth object of the present invention is to insulate a user computer from directly communicating with an advertisement server and a database. 
     The ninth object of the present invention is to record and data-mine information exchanged between a user computer, an advertisement server and a database. 
     The eleventh object of the present invention is to record and data-mine information exchanged between a user computer, an advertisement server and a database after information fulfillment is completed. 
     The twelve object of the present invention is to load a video player with a plug-in software to an Internet browser of a user computer or terminal so that the plug-in software can provide interpretation of an advertisement to be displayed on the Internet browser of the user computer or terminal. 
     Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon a review of the written specification, drawings and claims as a whole. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a general network architecture of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a first embodiment of a specific network architecture of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a second embodiment of a specific network architecture of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a computer user view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is another computer user view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a screen view of information delivered to the user computer or terminal. 
         FIG. 7  is another screen view of additional information delivered to the user computer or terminal. 
         FIG. 8  is a further screen view of additional information delivered to the user computer or terminal. 
         FIG. 9  is a third embodiment of a specific network architecture of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a first diagram giving a general hardware and software layout of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a second diagram giving a general hardware and software layout of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Internet-based advertisement is widely used for its inherent ability to reach a massive number of people and potential customers with relative operating ease, expedient delivery and low operating cost. While it is the latest preferred technology for advertisement, advertisers continue to use the latest technology with the mindset of traditional advertisement media like newspapers, flyers, radio and television. Specifically, advertisers continue to act under the limitations of traditional advertisement media and fail to capitalize on the immediate follow-up efforts that could lead to better advertising effects as the targeted groups or individuals have just paid specific attention to the advertised subject matter. The present invention attempts to detach from traditional media limitations and use the current technology to its potential by capitalizing on immediate follow-up efforts that could achieve a better advertising effect. 
       FIG. 1  shows a diagrammatic view of the present invention  100  where a plurality of user computers or terminals  102 - 1  to  102 - n  is connected to the Internet  104  to reach a service provider  106  as depicted by a plurality of arrows  108 - 1  to  108 - n  and the service provider  106  can reach the plurality of user computers or terminals via arrows  110 - 1  to  110 - n.    
     The following discussion focuses upon user computer or terminal  102 - 1  to illustrate workings of the present invention and the full feature of the present invention can be understood by being cognizant that at any moment in time, there could be multiple user computers or terminals accessing the same service provider  106 . Upon receipt of a communication from user computer or terminal  102 - 1 , further communications can be provided by the service provider  106  to the user computer or terminal as depicted by arrow  110 - 1 . An example of such mode of communication could be the user computer directly reaching the electronic presence of service provider  106  or via re-routing by search engines, links, etc. to reach the electronic presence of service provider  106 . User computers or terminals  110 - 1  to  110 - n  can of course be personal computers or server terminals in the conventional sense. Given many forms of microprocessor-based devices in the marketplace are not called computers or terminals, but for the purpose of this invention, they are regarded as computers or terminals by virtue of their microprocessor controlled features. These types of devices include but not limited to personal pocket devices, portable pocket devices, smart phones, IPODs, IPADs, IPHONES, personal assistants, GPS&#39;s, mini-computers, televisions, game consoles like game boys, Sony Play Stations, Nintendo&#39;s, X-boxes, Wii, etc. Given most if not all of these microprocessor-based devices are connected to the Internet via satellites, repeaters, wireless routers, gateways, etc., it should be understood  FIG. 1  is a generic diagram illustrative of connections without excluding any specific type of intervening devices necessary for a successful connection. 
     In addition to the above explained user computer or terminal  102 - 1  initiated model of communication, it is also possible for a service provider  106  initiated model of communication. In this case, service provider  106  may initiate contact with user computer  102 - 1  as depicted by arrow  110 - 1 . For example, such service provider initiated contact could be through email advertisements, pop-up advertisements or pre-existing advertisements, etc. appearing on the user computer or terminal  102 - 1 . Once the targeted-individual shows interest of any information perceived, that individual may communicate with the service provider  106  as depicted by arrow  108 - 1 . 
     One should recognize that bi-lateral communication is not always necessary before further communication can be made possible. Once communication is successfully established either unilaterally or bilaterally between the user computer or terminal  102 - 1  and service provider  106 , information fulfillment can be made possible. 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  provide two specific embodiments of the present invention which could facilitate information fulfillment. Before addressing specific features and details of  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a general description of their features is given in  FIGS. 10 and 11  as depictions  1000  and  1100 . Generally, a user can visit a publisher website  1002  via an internet browser. The publisher website  1002  along with a video player and a plug-in software  1014  can be loaded onto the browser with various components. This can include but not limited to, for example, images, text, and an online video player, among other possibilities. It should be understood that a user can also visit a publisher web site through a mobile application or a computer application other than a web browser. 
     Once the user has clicked on an icon or link to request a piece of interested content appearing on an advertisement menu of the publisher website  1002 , an advertisement request  1008  is made to the advertisement server  1004 . This advertisement request  1008  can contain information about the publisher, the content and the user, among other possibilities. This can include Geo-location, Content Metadata and User cookie data, among other possibilities. 
     The advertisement server  1004  would process the advertisement request  1008  from the video player  1006 . This process matches the information that is sent by the advertisement request  1008  with the campaign criteria stored in the advertisement server  1004 . The advertisement server  1004  has to make a decision upon receipt of the advertisement request  1008 . An advertisement response  1010  is sent from the advertisement server  1004  back into the video player  1006 . This advertisement response  1010  can contain the video creative, business rules, and rendering rules that the video player  1006  will process. The present invention can define “advertisement”  1012  as a package of components that is sent to the video player  1006 . This package of components can include but not limited to video creative, business rules, rendering rules and data request, among other possibilities. Once the advertisement is loaded into the video player  1006 , various components will launch their own codes. The plug-in software  1014  would interpret the advertisement in the form of data-stream from the advertisement server so that the advertisement can be properly displayed on the user computer or terminal. One of this package of components is the data request  1102  feature. The data request  1102  feature can be one of various components that the advertisement  1012  can launch. Data request  1102  can be done as an auto data request or a user initiated data request. This data request  1102  could contain various information pertaining to the user, the content, and the advertiser, among other possibilities. The database  1106  will process the request  1102  and based on the various criteria of the request  1102  in terms of geo, content, user, among other possibilities, a data response  1104  is sent back to the advertisement  1012 . This response  1104  is then displayed back by the video player  1006  after being interpreted by the plug-in software  1014  into a format recognizable and playable by the internet browser. Thus, the advertisement  1012  now has specific data that is related to the user and/or the content that is being displayed. 
       FIG. 2  shows a first embodiment of the present invention. In an example use thereof, a user computer  102 - 1  could visit service provider  106  via internet  104 .  FIG. 4  shows an example screen  412  of the user computer  102 - 1 , where an internet browser such as an internet explorer  408 , firefox, etc. or other browser brand representatively shown as occupied one screen layer, publisher website  402  representatively shown as occupied a second screen layer, video player  404  with a plug-in software  414  representatively shown as occupied a third screen layer and advertisement menu  406  representatively shown as occupied a fourth screen layer. It should be noted that separate layers of screens are representatively shown only and they need not co-exist at the same time. They may appear individually at different phases of using the present invention. Even though the video player  404  is shown to be a separate screen, it can be one of the components of the publisher website  402 . Alternatively, it could either be a software program loaded from the service provider  106  or a resident software program preinstalled on the user computer  102 - 1  that can be executed. In this specification, download also include situations where programs or data transmitted to the user computer  102 - 1  by loading, streaming, data-streaming, etc. 
     From the advertisement menu  406 , a selection may be made. Upon activation of a selection, an advertisement request depicted as arrow  206  in  FIG. 2  is communicated to advertisement server  202 . The advertisement request  206  could contain information about the publisher, the content and the user, such as geographical location, content metadata, and user cookie data, among other possibilities. The advertisement server  202  processes the advertisement request  206  by matching the information sent by the advertisement request  206  with appropriate campaign criteria residing in the advertisement server  202 . Upon finding a match, the advertisement server  202  sends an advertisement response as depicted by arrow  208  to the video player  404  with a plug-in software  414 , or a resident video player of user computer or terminal  102 - 1 . This advertisement response  208  could contain the video creative, business rules, and rendering rules among other possibilities that the video player needs to process. 
     In this example usage, “advertisement” is a package of components that is sent to video player  404  and interpreted by the plug-in software  414  rendering the advertisement displayable on the internet browser of the user computer or terminal  102 - 1 . These components can include video creative, business rules, rendering rules and data request, among other possibilities. Once the video player  404  has loaded the advertisement, various components would launch their own codes. 
       FIG. 5  shows advertisement  502  selected from advertisement menu  406  in  FIG. 4  being displayed on screen  412 . The advertisement may be played as depicted by play icon  504 , stopped as depicted by stop icon  506 , paused as depicted by pause icon  508 , rewound as depicted by rewind icon  510 , fast-forwarded as depicted by fast-forward icon  512 , and asserted sound control as depicted by sound control icon  514 . Within the duration of playing the advertisement and thereafter, a data request prompt  516  is always present. At any time a user deems appropriate, data may be entered into this data request prompt  516  as an indication more information is required. Data could be gender based, geographical base, model specific base, individual base, chronological based or any bases under which differentiation, categorization and identification could be made that is appropriate for the nature of the advertisement. In the instant example, the exampled advertisement is for DeVry University™. One of the objectives of this advertisement is to lead potential students to the closest campus in which they can enroll. Therefore, the data prompt is designed to be geographical based. Once a potential student enters geographical information such as a zip code, the data requested information is communicated to database  204  depicted as arrow  210  in  FIG. 2 . 
     The advertisement could continue to play or simply stop once a data request  210  is made. The decision depends upon advertiser preferences. Some advertisers prefer targeted viewers to fully comprehend the advertisement before proceed further. Other advertisers prefer speedy delivery of viewer requested information.  FIG. 6  shows an example that once a zip code is entered into data prompt  516 , the advertisement is paused with a play icon  602  prominently displayed so that users have a choice whether to continue viewing the advertisement or proceed with viewing the data requested. 
     Database  204  upon receipt of the data request  210  proceeds to process the data request and deliver the requested data  212  to user computer or terminal  102 - 1 .  FIGS. 6-7  are information matching the requested data in this example. There is some overlapped information covered by both figures. Shown in a geographical map format is a campus location of a DeVry University™ located closest to the user typed-in zip code. 
     Displaying below the geographical map format is tabulated information regarding campuses located surrounding the typed-in zip code. As shown, they are the Arlington campus  704 , Bethesda campus  706 , Manassas campus  708 , King of Prussia campus  710  and Philadelphia campus  712 . Corresponding with each campus are contact information  714 , programs offered  716  and up-coming or on-going note-worthy events  718 . Based on user interest, a selection can be made from campus location  713 , contact information  714 , program offered  716  and events  718 , and the requested information can be delivered. 
     Should the user wishes to explore campus locations other than those already displayed, state prompt  703  and zip code prompt  705  may be used to seek other campus locations. A menu  707  is also available to provide information for example related to Why choose DeVry University™, College &amp; Degree Programs, Locations, Online Options, Financial Aid &amp; Tuition, Admissions and Career Services. All selections may be clicked by a user and appropriate linked information would appear. 
     On  FIG. 8  is shown screen  800  containing main menu  720  which breaks down into sub-menus for Perspective Students  722 , Current Students  724 , Alumni  726 , Partners &amp; Employees  728 , About DeVry University™  730  and Online Communities  732 . Under each sub-menu is shown a number of selections of interest, clicking of which would lead to linked information for the viewing convenience of the user. 
     Even though this example uses DeVry University™ as illustrations of what information could be provided by the data request features, it should be understood that this is merely one of endless number of examples the present invention can be tailored to provide. Therefore, this example should not be viewed in a restrictive way unduly limiting the potential usage of the present invention. The information provided by data request could be tailor-made information on behalf of an advertising client or simply a link to the website of the advertising client. 
     The architecture shown in  FIG. 2  is a minimum traffic and fastest response time model whereby after the initial contact between user computer or terminal  102 - 1  and service provider  106 , traffic is directed to achieve direct communication between user computer or terminal  102 - 1  with advertisement server  202  and database  204 . With minimum traffic, request, response and delivery times are kept to a minimum to ensure speedy information fulfillment. This model is quite useful for advertisers who do not need the service provider to data mine any detailed information exchanged between user computer or terminal  102 - 1  and advertisement server  202  and database  204 . However, if the advertiser wishes data mining, at the end of all information exchanges such as when publisher website  402  is cancelled, video player  404  is cancelled, advertisement menu  406  is canceled, advertisement  502  is canceled, user computer or terminal  102 - 1  is turned off or other designated triggering events, a detailed report can be transmitted from advertisement server  202  and database  204  to service provider  106  as representatively shown by arrows  214  and  216 . 
     To make correspondence of detailed reports possible, when information is loaded from service provider  106  to user computer or terminal  102 - 1 , such as when publisher website  402 , video player  404  with plug-in software  414  or advertisement menu  406  was loaded to the internet browser of the user computer or terminal  102 - 1 , an identifier is loaded therewith as well. This identifier would be the key that matches the detailed reports from advertisement server  202  and database  204 . In this example, given the detailed report is transmitted after information fulfillment is completed, the user computer or terminal  102 - 1  never experienced any un-necessary delays. The architecture shown in  FIG. 3  is a secured and detailed data mining model, whereby user computer or terminal  102 - 1  cannot directly communicate with advertisement server  202  and database  204 . All communications must go through service provider  106 . As all communications among advertisement  202 , database  203  and user computer  102 - 1  are exclusively with service provider  106 , the overall integrity of the advertisement server  202  and database  204  can be assured. 
     This model would be ideal to serve older user computers or terminals  102 - 1  to  102 - n  with less powerful capabilities in terms of processor speed, storage capacities and latest software capabilities. The service provider would then be able to use its capabilities to process everything on its end and send the processed information that requires minimum level of local processing time, storage capacity and software capabilities to the user computers or terminals  102 - 1  to  102 - n.    
     Given all communications from user computers or terminals  102 - 1  to  102 - n  must go through service provider  106 , provider  106  functions as a first line of defense for virus attacks, security breaches and hacker attempts and other harms against the service provider  106 , advertisement server  202  and database  204 . 
     The architecture of  FIG. 3  could also be used to data mine and record information exchanges between the user computers or terminals  102 - 1  to  102 - n , advertisement server  202  and database  204 . 
     In an example use of the  FIG. 3  embodiment, a user computer  102 - 1  could visit service provider  106  via internet  104 .  FIG. 4  shows an example screen  412  of the user computer  102 - 1 , where an internet browser such as an internet explorer  408  or another browser brand representatively shown as occupying one screen layer, publisher website  402  representatively shown as occupying a second screen layer, video player  404  with plug-in software  414  representatively shown as occupying a third screen layer and advertisement menu  406  representatively shown as occupied a fourth screen layer. The representative layers of screens need not co-exist at the same time, they may simply exist singly or in combination at different times. Even though the video player  404  is shown to be a separate screen, it could be one of the components of the publisher website  402 . Alternatively, it could either be a software program loaded from the service provider  106  or a resident software program preinstalled on the user computer  102 - 1  that can be independently executed. 
     From the advertisement menu  406 , a selection may be made. Upon activation of a selection, an advertisement request depicted as arrow  306  is communicated to service provider  106  which in turn directs to advertisement server  202  as depicted by instruction arrow  312  after any processing events are completed at service provider  106 . The advertisement request  306  could contain information about the publisher, the content and the user, such as geographical location, content metadata, and user cookie data, among other possibilities. The advertisement server  202  processes the instruction arrow  312  by matching the information sent by the advertisement request  306  with appropriate campaign criteria residing in the advertisement server  202 . Upon finding a match, the advertisement server  202  sends an advertisement response as depicted by arrow  320  to service provider  106  and in turn to video player  404  and plug-in software  414  of user computer or terminal  102 - 1 . This advertisement response  320  could contain the video creative, business rules, and rendering rules among other possibilities that the video player needs to process. 
     In this example usage, “advertisement” is a package of components that is sent to video player  404  and interpreted by the plug-in software preparing for display. These components can include video creative, business rules, rendering rules and data request, among other possibilities. Once the video player  404  has loaded the advertisement, various components would launch their own codes. 
       FIG. 5  shows advertisement  502  selected from advertisement menu  406  being displayed on screen  412 . The advertisement may be played as depicted by play icon  504 , stopped as depicted by stop icon  506 , paused as depicted by pause icon  508 , rewound as depicted by rewind icon  510 , fast-forwarded as depicted by fast-forward icon  512 , and asserted sound control as depicted by sound control icon  514 . Within the duration of playing the advertisement and thereafter, a data request prompt  516  is always present. At any time a user deems appropriate, data may be entered into this data request prompt  516  as an indication more information is required. Data could be gender based, geographical base, model specific base, individual base, chronological based or any bases under which differentiation, categorization and identification could be made that is appropriate for the nature of the advertisement. In the instant example, the exampled advertisement is for DeVry University™. One of the objectives this advertisement is to lead potential students to the closest campus in which potential students can enroll. Therefore, the data prompt is designed to be geographical based. Once a potential student enters geographical information such as a zip code, the data request information  308  is communicated to service provider  106  which in turn is directed to database  204  by instruction request  310  after any processing event is completed at service provider  106 . 
     The advertisement could continue to play or simply stop once a data request  308  is made or a response to request  308  is ready to be played. The decision depends upon advertiser preferences. Some advertisers prefer targeted viewers to fully comprehend the advertisement before proceed further. Other advertisers prefer speedy delivery of viewer requested information.  FIG. 6  shows an example that once a zip code is entered into data prompt  516 , the advertisement is paused with a play icon  602  prominently displayed so that users have a choice whether to continue viewing the advertisement or proceed with viewing the data requested. 
     Database  204  upon receipt of the data request  310  proceeds to process the data request  308  and deliver the requested data  330  to service provider  106  and in turn to user computer or terminal  102 - 1  via arrow  332 .  FIGS. 6-7  are information matching the requested data in this example. There is some overlapped information covered by both figures. Shown in a geographical map format is a campus location of a DeVry University™ located closest to the user typed-in zip code. 
     Displaying below the geographical map format is tabulated information regarding campuses located surrounding the typed-in zip code. As shown they are the Arlington campus  704 , Bethesda campus  706 , Manassas campus  708 , King of Prussia campus  710  and Philadelphia campus  712 . Corresponding with each campus are contact information  714 , programs offered  716  and up-coming or on-going note-worthy events  718 . Based on user interest, a selection can be made from campus location  713 , contact information  714 , program offered  716  and events  718 , and the requested information can be delivered. 
     Should the user wishes to explore campus locations other than those already displayed, state prompt  703  and zip code prompt  705  may be used to seek other campus locations. A menu  707  is also available to provide information for example related to Why choose DeVry University™, College &amp; Degree Programs, Locations, Online Options, Financial Aid &amp; Tuition, Admissions and Career Services. All selections may be clicked by a user and appropriate linked information would appear. 
     On  FIG. 8  is shown screen  800  containing main menu  720  which breaks down into sub-menus for Perspective Students  722 , Current Students  724 , Alumni  726 , Partners &amp; Employees  728 , About DeVry University™  730  and Online Communities  732 . Under each sub-menu is shown a number of selections of interest, clicking of which would lead to linked information for the viewing convenience of the user. 
     Even though this example uses DeVry University™ as illustrations of what information could be provided by the data request features, it should be understood that this is merely one of endless number of examples the present invention can be tailored to provide. Therefore, this example should not be viewed in a restrictive way unduly limiting the potential usage of the present invention. The information provided by data request could be tailor-made information on behalf of an advertising client or simply a link to the website of the advertising client. Therefore, instead of the single tier advertisement of prior generation technology, the present invention provides multi-tier information fulfillment. 
       FIG. 9  shows another architecture as compared to the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 2-3 . This embodiment is a hybrid of the embodiments in  FIGS. 2-3  in that it provides security to the advertisement server  202  and database  204  yet provides expedient information fulfillment by making them download capable only and directly to the user computer or terminal  102 - 1  by passing service provider  106 . As many of the reference numerals in  FIG. 9  are the same as those in  FIG. 3 , explanations with the same reference numerals are adopted herein. 
     More specifically, user terminal  102 - 1  communicates its information needs to the service provider  106  via arrow  306 . Information needs  306  are communicated by the service provider  106  to advertisement server  202  via arrow  312 . Fulfillment information corresponding to information needs  306  are directly loaded from advertisement server  202  to user computer or terminal  102 - 1  via arrow  208 . 
     Similarly, once the user computer or terminal  102 - 1  communicates its information requirements to service provider  106  via arrow  308 , Service provider  106  communicates the same information requirement to the database  204  via arrow  310 . Database  202  then communicates information fulfillment to the user computer or terminal  102 - 1  via arrow  316 . Notice advertisement server  202  and database  204  are loaded only with respect to user computer or terminal  102 - 1  and they cannot upload anything therefrom the user computer or terminal  102 - 1 . Therefore, overall integrity of the advertisement server  202  and database  204  can be ensured.