Patent ID: 7240022

Claim:
A distributed information gathering system for use with at least two web sites on the Internet, the system comprising: a plurality of independent participating web sites providing a plurality of content information; a profile server including a database storing a plurality of client profiles wherein each of the plurality of client profiles is established by a participating client; a transaction server communicatively connected to the profile server and the plurality of independent participating web sites, the transaction server configured to receive an information request from one of the plurality of independent participating web sites initiated by the participating client at one of the plurality of independent participating web sites, wherein the information request includes a request to retrieve content from a web server that is independent of the transaction server and the profile server, the content including a different one of the plurality of participating web sites, the transaction server further including; a control circuit communicatively coupled to the profile server and the transaction server and programmed to execute: a demographics routine to determine client demographic information based on the received information request initiated by the participating client at one of the plurality of participating web sites and the client profile corresponding to the participating client, wherein the received information request is stored on the transaction server and the client profile is stored on the profile server; an incentive award routine to award incentive points to the participating client in response to the received information request initiated by the participating client at one of the plurality of participating web sites, to store the awarded incentive points on the profile server for future redemption by the participating client, to award the incentive award on a first visit to one of the plurality of participating web sites, and to award a second incentive award for a subsequent visit if the subsequent visit occurs after a predetermined period of time; and a redirection routine to send a redirection message to the participating website at which the participating client initiated the information request that redirects the participating client to the different one of the plurality of participating web sites, where in the redirection message is sent from the transaction server.