WO2011075763A1 - Procédé et appareil pour mettre en place une communauté virtuelle - Google Patents

Procédé et appareil pour mettre en place une communauté virtuelle Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2011075763A1
WO2011075763A1 PCT/AU2010/001704 AU2010001704W WO2011075763A1 WO 2011075763 A1 WO2011075763 A1 WO 2011075763A1 AU 2010001704 W AU2010001704 W AU 2010001704W WO 2011075763 A1 WO2011075763 A1 WO 2011075763A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
affiliate
client
database
virtual community
providing
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/AU2010/001704
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Joseph Hersch
David Charles Brudenell
Paul Augustine Chan
Original Assignee
Pureprofile Pty. Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from AU2009906158A external-priority patent/AU2009906158A0/en
Application filed by Pureprofile Pty. Ltd filed Critical Pureprofile Pty. Ltd
Publication of WO2011075763A1 publication Critical patent/WO2011075763A1/fr

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06Q10/00—Administration; Management
    • G06Q10/10—Office automation; Time management

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to databases and in particular to databases for defining a virtual community.
  • the invention has been developed primarily as a method and apparatus for providing a virtual community and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular field of use.
  • Known virtual communities involve a prospective member directly registering their details with the community provider. When registering, the prospective member typically provides contact details to the provider and their virtual account is then established and/or monitored and/or managed by the community provider. Once registered a member can enter and/or review and/or interact within the virtual community. Control of data associated with member profiles is maintained by the community provider.
  • an apparatus for providing a virtual community the community being associated with one or more affiliates each having a respective client database, the apparatus comprising:
  • a member database for containing a member record indicative of a member to the virtual community
  • the member record is associated with a first affiliate client database record indicative of a client to the first affiliate.
  • the apparatus further comprises a web server for providing registered users a web interface to the virtual community.
  • a virtual community the community being associated with one or more affiliates each having a respective client database, the method comprising the steps of:
  • the member record is associated with a first affiliate database client record indicative of a client to the first affiliate.
  • the method further comprises the step of: preparing an invitation to the client. More preferably, an invitation is transmitted to the client by a first affiliate. Most preferably, the invitation is in the form of an email transmitted to the client by a first affiliate server.
  • a virtual community the community being associated with one or more affiliates each having a respective client database, the method comprising the steps of:
  • member database having one or more member records each indicative of a member to the virtual community, wherein member records are associated with a respective affiliate database client record indicative of a client to an related affiliate;
  • the method preferably further comprises the steps of:
  • a member record is associated with one respective affiliate database.
  • the member database comprises a plurality of member sub- databases.
  • each member sub-database is associated with one respective affiliate database.
  • the set of target members are preferably grouped into one or more sub-sets, wherein members of a sub-set are associated with a single affiliate, for providing campaign correspondence to the sub-set of target members.
  • Campaign correspondence in the form of an email preferably has the email from-field set to correspond to a respective affiliate.
  • the member record is associated with a client record by a common unique key. More preferably, the key is provided by a respective affiliate database server. Alternatively, the key is provided by a respective member database server.
  • the contact details for a member is not identified within a member record.
  • providing external correspondence to a target member comprises: providing external correspondence with a key indicative of a respective client to an affiliate server; obtaining the client contact details from an affiliate client database associated with the affiliate server; transmitting the correspondence to the respective client.
  • the external correspondence is in the form of an email correspondence.
  • the email correspondence preferably includes a link to a web page within the virtual community.
  • the community is associated with a plurality of affiliates, each having a respective client database. More preferably, the virtual community defines a community of common interest, and each of the plurality of affiliates is associated with the common interest. Most preferably, each of the plurality of affiliates is identified within the community as being associated with a non-intersecting category forming a subset of the common interest.
  • the community is associated with a plurality of affiliates, each having a respective client database. More preferably, each of the plurality of affiliates has a noncompete manner within the community.
  • a second affiliate can instigate providing campaign correspondence to a first member invited by a first affiliate. More preferably, the campaign correspondence is provided to the first member by the first affiliate to a respective first client. Most preferably, the second affiliate does not access the contact detail of the first client.
  • the apparatus enables member anonymity within the virtual community. More preferably, member anonymity is enabled by requiring referencing of an affiliate client database for obtaining contact details for a member. Most preferably, the member record is associated with a client record by a common unique key.
  • a processor apparatus for providing a virtual community, the community being associated with one or more affiliates each having a respective client database, the apparatus comprising:
  • a member database for containing a member record indicative of a member to the virtual community
  • a user access interface for a processor device the processor device being adapted to provide a virtual community, the community being associated with one or more affiliates each having a respective client database the processor device being coupleable to member database, the interface comprising: a control program adapted to provide a method as herein described.
  • a method for provide a virtual community in a computer system comprising the steps as herein described.
  • a computer readable medium for operation with a processor device to enable a user access interface the computer readable medium comprising computer code for executing a method of providing a virtual community as herein described.
  • a computer readable medium for operation with a processor device to provide a method of providing a virtual community as herein described.
  • FIG. 1 A is a schematic view of an example apparatus for providing a virtual
  • FIG. IB is a schematic view of an example apparatus for providing a virtual
  • FIG. 2A is a schematic view of the apparatus of FIG. IB, showing an email server associated with an affiliate;
  • FIG. 2B is a schematic view of the apparatus of FIG. IB, showing an associated
  • FIG. 3 is an example flowchart for a method of providing a virtual community
  • FIG. 4 is an example flowchart for a method of providing a virtual community according to the invention.
  • FIG. 5 is an example flowchart for a method of providing a virtual community according to the invention.
  • FIG. 6 is a data flow diagram for a method of providing a virtual community
  • FIG. 7 is a data flow diagram for a method of providing a virtual community
  • FIG. 8 is a schematic view of an example apparatus for providing a virtual
  • FIG. 9 is a data flow diagram for a method of providing a virtual community
  • FIG. 10 is a data flow diagram for a method of providing a virtual community
  • FIG. 11 is an example flow chart for a method of providing a virtual community according to the invention.
  • FIG. 12 is an example layout of a web interface for providing access to a virtual community according to the invention.
  • a client can include an individual or business.
  • a client can include a customer, a consumer, a user and or a supplier.
  • New digital channels are creating unique revenue opportunities for advertisers to raise awareness, gain influence, and execute campaigns at a lower cost to more targeted and influential audiences than traditional advertising and promotion efforts can reach.
  • it is typically beneficial to: identify and assess target markets for the campaign;
  • Enable these components of an online advertising campaign typically requires monitoring a client over a significant timeframe and/or obtaining profile data about a client, which would not be easily available to a single advertiser. Marketing campaigns often require that data about a client be provide or obtained.
  • FIG. 1A shows a schematic view of an embodiment apparatus 100 for providing a virtual community.
  • the virtual community is associated with an affiliate server 110 having a respective client database 112 that contains client records.
  • the apparatus comprises a database sever 120 having a member database 122 for containing a member record indicative of registered member to the virtual community.
  • the member record is associated with the affiliate database client record indicative of a client to the first affiliate.
  • the affiliate server and database server are couplable to a data network 130 for transmitting and receiving data.
  • the apparatus further comprises a web server 124, couplable to a data network 130, for providing registered members 140 a web interface to the virtual community.
  • the virtual community is associated with a plurality of affiliate servers 110 and 115 having respective client databases 112 and 117 that contain client records.
  • the apparatus comprises a database sever 120 having a plurality of member databases 122 and 127 for retaining member records indicative of a member to the virtual community.
  • the member database 122 and 127 contains member records respectively corresponding to client records contained in client database 112 and 117.
  • a web server 124 provides registered members 140 a web interface to the virtual community.
  • the affiliate server, database server and web server are couplable to a data network 130 for transmitting and receiving data.
  • a database is used to retain data about a client or a member. It will be appreciated that, by matching data using common characteristics found within the data set, resulting groups of clients or members can be identified. For example, a data set containing all purchase transactions of a member can be grouped by: year the transaction occurred; sale price of the transaction; or the member location. It will be appreciated that other groupings are possible, subject to available data.
  • a database record typically consists of one set of tuples for a given table (or database). Records can typically be interpreted as a corresponding row of a table. Elements of the table comprise attributes relating to the record. Applications can access data by specifying queries, which use operations to select (or identify) records, project to identify attributes, and join to combine relations. It is typically necessary for each record of a database to be uniquely identifiable by some combination (one or more) of its attribute values. This combination is referred to as a primary key. Typically the key is prepared or assigned when creating a new record. Alternatively, a key can be generated and/or assigned by either an affiliate server or a member (or virtual community) server.
  • a database can be a distributed database.
  • a distributed database is a database that is under the control of a central database management system (or server), wherein storage need not be attached to a common CPU or comprise a plurality of sub-databases.
  • a distributed database may be stored across multiple computers located in the same physical location, or may be dispersed over a data network of interconnected computers. Collections of data (for example as a database) can be distributed across multiple physical locations or sub-databases.
  • providing a virtual community can further comprise preparing a client invitation for transmitting - for example via email - to the client of a respective affiliate.
  • an email can be sent by either an affiliate email server or a server associated with the virtual community. If the virtual community member record does not include an email address, emails can be sent by an affiliate email server, whereby a specific member can be matched to a client of an affiliate (who is/has provided the introduction on which the membership is based) by a database key that is typically prepared or assigned when creating a new member record.
  • An email correspondence preferably includes a link to a web page within the virtual community.
  • the appearance of the virtual community presented to the member can be customised on the basis of the associated affiliate.
  • the virtual community can be presented from a perspective predetermined by the affiliate.
  • having the associate between affiliate and member can preserve the affiliate's tenure over a customer/member, while still enabling the customer/member access to diverse range of categories.
  • each affiliate is allocated one or more non-intersecting topics within the virtual community.
  • FIG. 2 A shows an embodiment schematic view of an apparatus 200 for providing a virtual community, which is based on the apparatus 100 of FIG. IB.
  • FIG. 2 A shows an embodiment schematic view of an apparatus 200 for providing a virtual community, which is based on the apparatus 100 of FIG. IB.
  • an email server (212 and 217) is associated with a respective affiliate (1 10 and 115).
  • An email template and key for each targeted member can be provided to the affiliate, whereby the affiliate can assemble and send an email to the client.
  • FIG. 2B shows an embodiment schematic view of an apparatus 250 for providing a virtual community, which is based on the apparatus 100 of FIG. IB.
  • FIG. 2B shows an embodiment schematic view of an apparatus 250 for providing a virtual community, which is based on the apparatus 100 of FIG. IB.
  • an email server 255 is associated with the virtual community apparatus.
  • An email address can be provided (by the client or affiliate) and stores in a member record.
  • an email can be directly sent to a member by the virtual community email server 255.
  • a member record that is related with a client record - which was first introduced by an affiliate - retains an association within respective databases via a key recorded against both the client and member record. To this extent, a member record can be matched to a client record. Further, by maintaining an association between a member and corresponding affiliate that provided first accepted introduction, external access to the member profile can be restricted to the respective affiliate.
  • a prospective member can be restricted from opening a further membership as possible invited by a subsequent affiliate.
  • any one or more of: web cookie technology; internet protocol address matching; name (with or without or other identifying detail) matching; email address matching (if requested); can be used to restrict a prospective member to a single membership within the community.
  • FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a flowchart for a method 300 of providing a virtual community.
  • the community being associated with one or more affiliates, wherein each affiliate has a respective client database.
  • the method 300 comprises:
  • STEP 310 receiving data indicative of a client from a first client database
  • STEP 320 creating record for a respective member within a first member
  • STEP 330 receiving acceptance from the client in response to an invitation
  • STEP 340 completing registration of the member within a virtual community.
  • the method can further comprise the step of: preparing an invitation to the client - for transmitting to the client of a first affiliate.
  • an email in preparing a client invitation for transmitting - for example via email - to the client of a respective affiliate, an email can be sent by either an affiliate email server or a server associated with the virtual community.
  • an affiliate may invite a client from a first client database by sending an email containing data indicative of both the respective client and affiliate. This could be in the form of a unique URL to a registration page associated with the virtual community.
  • a key for identifying the client may be issued by the affiliate. Once a client is registered, this key (or a newly generated key) may be used by the virtual community server for associated a client record with respective member record.
  • this method comprises:
  • STEP 330 receiving acceptance from the client in response to an invitation; and STEP 340, completing registration of the member within a virtual community; then
  • STEP 310 receiving data indicative of a client from a first client database
  • STEP 320 creating record for a respective member within a first member database.
  • contact details for a member for example in the form of an email address
  • the contact details for a member maintained in the member database may be initially provided by an affiliate, but need not be the same contact details for a respective client maintained in the client database.
  • a member may elect to change contact details associated with a respective member record.
  • anonymity/privacy can be maintained for a client of a first affiliate, as a second affiliate does not access the contact details of either the client/member.
  • FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of a flowchart for a method 400 of providing a virtual community.
  • the community being associated with one or more affiliates, wherein each affiliate has a respective client database.
  • the method 400 comprises:
  • STEP 410 providing a member database having one or more member records each indicative of a member to the virtual community, wherein member records are associated with a respective affiliate database client record indicative of a client to an related affiliate;
  • STEP 420 identifying a set of target members from the member database
  • STEP 430 preparing a campaign correspondence for the set of target members
  • STEP 440 providing campaign correspondence to the set of target members.
  • an email can be sent by either an affiliate email server or a server associated with the virtual community.
  • the set of target members are preferably grouped into one or more sub-sets, wherein members of a sub-set are associated with a single affiliate, for providing campaign correspondence to the sub-set of target members.
  • Campaign correspondence in the form of an email preferably has the email from-field set to correspond to a respective affiliate.
  • one or more member records within the member database can have an extended profile data. This extended profile data may have been gained from a plurality of affiliates and/or answers to questions provided by one or more affiliates. This extended profile data is aggregated for the purpose of identifying a set of target members.
  • anonymity/privacy can be maintained for a client of a first affiliate, by any one or more of the following: restricting a first affiliate access to a member record data to only extended profile data that was originally gained from the first affiliate and/or answers to questions provided by the first affiliate; prohibiting a second affiliate access to all member record data of a member not corresponding to a respective client of the second affiliate; prohibiting a second affiliate access to all member record data of a member not originally gained from the second affiliate and/or answers to questions provided by the second affiliate.
  • the campaign correspondence in the form of an email can be sent to a member/client by a server of either the virtual community or the respective affiliate.
  • a richer data set may be interrogated when identifying a set of target members.
  • a first affiliate can devise a campaign by
  • FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a flowchart for a method 500 of providing a virtual community.
  • the community being associated with one or more affiliates, wherein each has a respective client database.
  • the method 500 comprises:
  • STEP 510 preparing a campaign activity
  • STEP 520 preparing selection parameters for identifying a set of target
  • STEP 530 preparing a campaign correspondence.
  • the campaign can be a dynamic or static campaign, involving one or more affiliates (with or without a co-sponsor).
  • a second affiliate can instigate providing campaign correspondence to a targeted first member that was invited by a first affiliate.
  • correspondence can be provided to the first member by the first affiliate to a respective first client.
  • the email may be transmitted by a server associated with the virtual environment.
  • the second affiliate does not access the contact detail of the first client/member.
  • member anonymity/privacy can be maintained within the virtual community, by requiring referencing - via a common unique key - an affiliate client database for obtaining contact details for a member.
  • a second affiliate can instigate providing campaign correspondence to a targeted first member invited by a first affiliate by transmitting the correspondence from a server associated with the virtual environment.
  • the contact details for a member maintained in the member database need not be the same contact details for a respective client maintained in the client database. It will be appreciated that, anonymity/privacy can be maintained for the first client, as the second affiliate does not access the contact details of the first client/member.
  • FIG. 6 shows an embodiment data flow diagram 600 for providing a virtual community.
  • the virtual community is associated with one or more affiliates, wherein each affiliate has a respective client database.
  • the virtual community can provide a 'community of common interest' to enable multiple interrelated category affiliates to connect and engage with clients (or consumers) over the internet.
  • the interrelated categories are non-overlapping, thereby to reducing the risk of competition between affiliates.
  • the software implemented virtual community provides affiliates with an opportunity to combine their respective client and/or marketing databases in a 'virtual', third-party hosted environment.
  • a database from each affiliate - including the respective information held - can be kept private from third-parties or other affiliates by way of database virtualization and information organization and targeting software.
  • the data flow (or workflow) for one affiliate migrating database information from their hosted environment to the virtual environment comprises:
  • the member database may only retain or utilise details associated with registered members.
  • the member database may retain all details initially provided by an affiliate in relation one or more of their clients.
  • client information can include any one or more of the following elements:
  • This information contained in the client database can be maintained by the affiliate ongoing throughout their involvement with the virtual community. As a new client is added to the client database, the affiliate can invite them to the virtual community. A unique link can be provided to each affiliate for the purposes of tracking client registrations into virtual community. Referring to creating one or more member records in a member database (at 620). A table (or grouping of tables) can be created to contain potential member details captured from an affiliate client database. The affiliate can selectively provide data attributes from their client database. This table/information is typically maintained/located in an independently-managed co-location. The member database is typically updated regularly by one or more of the following sources: replicating updated affiliate client record data/information;
  • restricted access to 'extended' profile information/data associated with a first member record - gained from the member participation in a campaign and/or the member providing further information- can be provided to a first affiliate that introduces a respective first client.
  • This restricted access may include only access to information/data that was either originally gained from the first affiliate and/or answers to questions provided by the first affiliate.
  • This data, subject to access restrictions, may be further posted back to the respective client record held within a client database. The posting back may occure on request of the affiliate or virtual community, or on a scheduled basis.
  • Database virtualisation of one or more affiliate client databases can allows selective access to multiple instances of a DBMS (or different DBMS platforms) simultaneously and in a transparent fashion, regardless of their physical location.
  • one or more affiliate client databases can be at least partially replicated within the virtual community as a member database. Updated affiliate client record data/information can be pulled into the member database. In an embodiment, member record updates can also be pushed to the respective affiliate client database.
  • an invitation email is generated and sent to the client inviting them to be a member of the virtual community.
  • the email typically contains a web link for the client to follow for opening a registration web page of the virtual community.
  • a template email can be first prepared, and then an email can be sent by the affiliate server.
  • a virtual comminute can be accessed by a website, wherein a consumer facing website can be used by registered and unregistered members (as best shown in FIG. 8).
  • the content of the website virtual environment can be created (or provided) by affiliates, sponsors, advertisers, members and other information sources. The content can be provided as general access content within the virtual environment, or to specific members though (or in response to) a profile login page.
  • Registration may include any one or more of the following campaign types:
  • a unique member key is established, which enables an affiliate to match a client to a specific member (and visa versa). For example, an affiliate can use this key to assign an email address (held in a client database) to a selected member. In this embodiment, an affiliate can send an email to a selected member by - matching the member to a known client (using an associated member key), recovering the email address, and sending an email.
  • Profiling software is adapted to create/identify groups of individual members for subsequently providing a targeted campaign activity. This campaign activity can include an email campaign, web campaign and/or analysis.
  • profiling software is adapted to provide one or more of the following features:
  • Country Profiling - a member can be assigned a country of registration.
  • Gender and Age Group Portfolio Profiling - a member can be assigned a gender and age profile (for example - Male, 18-24)
  • Demographic Profiling - a member can be assigned a demographic profile, which by example can include race, income, disabilities, mobility, educational attainment, home ownership, and/or employment status.
  • Geographic Profiling - a member can be assigned a geographic profile which by example can include state, council, suburb, and/or postcode.
  • affiliate Profiling answers to one or more affiliate provided question, typically relating to the affiliate category within the virtual community.
  • Activity Profiling identified for one or more attributes of "Country Profiling", “Gender and Age Group Portfolio”, “Demographic Profiling”, “Geographic Profiling”, “Affiliate Profiling”.
  • reporting of profiles can include any one or more of the following:
  • an individual may also register with the virtual community without being a client of an affiliate. Typically, the individual would be requested to provide further profile information - that would otherwise have been provided by an affiliate when introducing a client. In this example, the client may not be associated with an affiliate, but could be associated with an affiliate at a later time.
  • Content held within the virtual community can be added at 690.
  • This content 691 can be provided by affiliates, sponsors, advertisers, members and other information sources.
  • the data flow (or workflow) for providing a campaign comprises: at 710, providing a member data base;
  • a member views/participates in a campaign.
  • Database virtualisation of one or more affiliate client databases can allows selective access to multiple instances of a DBMS (or different DBMS platforms) simultaneously and in a transparent fashion, regardless of their physical location.
  • the member records stored in the member database can be maintained and updated to reflect registration details obtained (at 650) and profiling of member responses and/or actions made within the virtual community (at 660) - as shown in FIG. 6.
  • identifying a target group of members selected to receive the campaign on the basis of a preselected criteria (at 720).
  • Grouping/targeting software enables the identification of groups within the member database.
  • features of the targeting software can include any one or more of the following:
  • assigning campaign parameters can include any one or more of the following:
  • a group of members are identified and collected as a list of targeted members.
  • the list of members may be subdivided on the basis of a corresponding affiliate who initially invited the member to join the virtual community.
  • an email rendering queue and SMTP email engine can be provided. This is a linking table where a newly created campaigns (each with one or more country, age & gender groups are assigned) are queued for delivery by an SMTP email engine.
  • a unique member key is established, which enables an affiliate to match a client to a specific member. For example, an affiliate can use this key to assign an email address (held in a client database) to a selected member. In this embodiment, an affiliate can send an email to a selected member by - matching the member to a known client (using an associated member key), recovering the email address, and sending an email.
  • campaign data (including the campaign correspondence and target group of members) can be provided to an email rendering queue.
  • activity reporting for the affiliates can include any one or more of the following:
  • a campaign can be delivered to those members who are identified into those groups.
  • a selected member can be sent a campaign email, for example by the affiliate and to their nominated affiliate email address (gmail, yahoo, hotmail, etc.) or by an email engine associated with the virtual community.
  • the campaign email can contain any one or more of the following: a logo;
  • a campaign can include questions by one or more parties to the campaign.
  • questions by an affiliate can relate to any one or more of the following purposes:
  • a third-party entity can access members (typically at a cost per member) to answer questions and participate in campaigns.
  • a third party typically participates as a partner in a joint-campaign with an affiliate. It will be appreciated that the 'buying decision' journey has changed, as the Internet is becoming epicenter of client marketing.
  • customers can be influenced by any one or more of the following: recommendations from their friends, other consumer opinions posted online, branded websites, editorial content (for example newspaper articles), television, magazine and newspaper advertising, radio advertising, movie advertising, search engine result ads, online banner ads, text ads on mobile phones.
  • a 'Common Interest Community' for example A Kitchen Community.
  • a member has an account where the content can be administered, created and delivered, thereby providing a method of connecting with and engaging with clients.
  • This embodiment can extend the potential targeted audience by associating a company product or brand with a permission-based ' Common-Interest-Community' .
  • a Kitchen-Interest-Community can be provided, wherein products and services are highly competitive.
  • This example embodiment can provide an online platform that targets consumers across a range of interests relating to the kitchen, cooking, appliances and food. As the market is saturated with many similar products trying to differentiate themselves, a common interest content-rich community website can attract a far greater audience than single brand websites.
  • a kitchen common interest community can include the following categories:
  • FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of an embodiment apparatus 800 for providing a virtual community.
  • the virtual community is associated with an affiliate server 810 for each of the affiliate.
  • Each affiliate server 810 has a respective client database 860 that contains their client records.
  • the apparatus comprises a database sever 820 having a plurality of member databases 851 through 857 for retaining member records indicative of a member to the virtual community.
  • separate member databases are maintained for collecting members of the community associated with (invited by) an affiliate.
  • Each affiliate can be further associate with one or more categories within the common interest community.
  • the member record is associated with the affiliate database client record indicative of a client to the first affiliate.
  • the affiliate server and database server are couplable to a data network 130 for transmitting and receiving data.
  • the member database 851 can be associated with members invited by an affiliate related to the category cooking appliances.
  • database 852 can be associated with members invited by an affiliate related to the category refrigerators; database 853 dishwashers; database 854 small kitchen appliances; database 855 floor- care; and database 856 fully auto espresso machines.
  • Database 857 can be associated with members that joined without an affiliate invitation.
  • the apparatus further comprises a web server 824, couplable to a data network 130, for providing registered members 140 a web interface to the virtual community.
  • Each affiliate (or company) invites their customers to join a 'virtual community'. This enables an affiliate to interact with registered members in three modes:
  • separate member databases (910 and 920) can be housed in a secure 3rd-party environment, whereby access can be provided though a permission-based e-pro filing engine.
  • the member database 910 contains a member record 911.
  • This record 911 contains a key 912 for relating the member record with a corresponding client record 951 within a respective affiliate client database 950, via the corresponding key 952.
  • This member record contains further profile data provided to, or obtained within, the virtual community.
  • the client record can further contain contact details for the client, for example in the form of an email address 953.
  • An affiliate can sends an invitation to join the virtual community via email to their clients (or customers) whereby the client has an opportunity to opt-in and/or opt-out. Clients that opt-in, are directed to a website associated with the virtual community. The email is from the inviting affiliate and provides a link to a registration page within the virtual community website.
  • a target collection of members can be defined by a respective set of member keys. These member keys are further linked to one or more affiliates, and can be grouped accordingly. This sub- grouping of keys can be forwarded to the appropriate affiliate (for example 1021 and 1022), such that corresponding clients (for example 1031) can be identified and a respective email address (for example 1031) retrieved.
  • a campaign email can be forwarded to each identified emails address (for example 1041 and 1042).
  • the campaign email typically has a link to a corresponding campaign page within the virtual community and/or member online account (for example 1051 and 1052)
  • FIG. 11 shows, is an example flow chart for a method 1100 of providing a virtual community according to the invention.
  • the method comprises the steps of:
  • STEP 1110 an affiliate sending and invitation to a client
  • STEP 1120 the client accepts the invitation STEP 1130, the client completes a registration process and becomes a registered member of the virtual community;
  • STEP 1140 the member is profiled to receive campaigns from affiliates to the virtual community.
  • the client can opt out (STEP 1150) in response to the invitation and will not receive campaigns from affiliates associated with the virtual community.
  • each registered member associated with the virtual community is allocated a virtual web based account, for providing a customisable experience.
  • the member can create a rich e-profile about themselves and their interests within the Common Interest Community.
  • the e-provide can include information indicative of any one or more of the following:
  • FIG. 12 shows an example layout of a web interface 1200 for providing access to a virtual community according to the invention. This is a segmented display for distinguishing categories associated with affiliates (preferably in a non-compete environment).
  • an example virtual community associated with the kitchen can include affiliates associated with categories of: Cooking Appliances, Refrigerators, Dishwashers, Small Kitchen Appliances, Floor-care, and Fully Auto Espresso machines.
  • third party co-sponsors could include publishers of cook books.
  • Having non overlapping categories can providing a non-compete environment.
  • the web interface 1200 can contain a plurality of category headings 1210 associated with each of category (for example 1212, 1214, 1216, and 1218) assigned to an affiliate.
  • the web interface can further include a banner 1220 having dynamic selected campaigns, and media rich content panel 1230.
  • a registration panel 1240 can also be provided for enabling new customers to join without receiving an invitation. Registration provides the customer with a member account within the virtual community.
  • a campaign panel 1250 can also be provided for displaying details of a campaign and receiving feedback from the member. All Campaigns can be emailed to members and also uploaded (or registered with the members' online account. Typically the campaign can be made available until the member chooses to view it. Campaigns can require a member to answer selected questions, which further assists in enriching their client profile.
  • Each affiliate can be represented within the category headings 1210, by their respective allocated categories of interest.
  • the affiliate can maintain (or provide) a profile page for each product category. This profile page can be constantly updated to display one or more products per category.
  • a registered member is able to submit their review of the presented product.
  • Members are invited to complete a category profile (for example 20 questions).
  • the rich content provided by each of the affiliate on a category item page can be further supplemented by integrated cross-promotion and active co-sponsorship campaigns.
  • a campaign can include a scheduled event (for example via streamed media), and a member account has a calendar, whereby a diary entry can be set by the member.
  • the virtual community content can include: ambient PR media launches, trade launches, blogging, SEO CPA videos interviews, fan profiles, micro-sites and news segments.
  • integrated scheduling can be created for: providing a dynamic 'Showcase' campaigns; co- sponsorship opportunities; integration of product in content creation; and ongoing, noncompetitive content delivery.
  • the virtual community while sselling brands and products to a wider audience and expanding the target market, provide a two-way communication between affiliates and client/members. This can assist in identifying 'active loyalists' within a client database, which may be harness in word-of-mouth campaigns.
  • a virtual community can be created a 'community of common interest' to enable multiple related category affiliates connect and engage with members (potential consumers) on the Internet.
  • the virtual community website can serve as a showcase for the 'best of the best' products of each category through images, product profiles, product demonstration videos, consumer reviews, experiences and articles.
  • a non-competitive common interest community can enhance otherwise dormant databases and create a large, active community for affiliates to showcase their brands and products via a business/consumer two-way conversation.
  • the virtual community can operate as an independent online business, whereby member databases are typically hosted by an independent third-party managed service provider.
  • a software application/service underlying the virtual community can enable the building of live, permission-based websites.
  • Profiling software can allow the virtual community to create deep profiles of each registered member through questions and online activities. These profiles form the basis of the virtual community permission-marketing interaction used to target affiliates, products and co-sponsored campaigns via email - while typically loading each campaign into respective targeted members' virtual member account.
  • advantages of the virtual community can include any one or more of the following:
  • an independent managed information technology service can provide, manage and host separate member databases.
  • the affiliate client information and link to virtual community membership can be maintained.
  • the member profile developed within the virtual community remains the property of the affiliate who first introduced their client to become the member.
  • Developing a deeper and more engaging communication strategy for an affiliate can include co-sponsorship opportunities offered in conjunction with an affiliate campaign (and their media partners) to leverage opportunities within the virtual community.
  • the software platform underlying the virtual community can enable an affiliate to enhance their existing database client profiles by including additional category-related questions. This information can be collected over a period of time and can serve to: enrich the affiliate's knowledge of their client, target them for marketing activities, identify loyalists, and engage these types of consumer in ongoing word of mouth activities.
  • an affiliate can discover any one or more of the following:
  • software platform underlying the virtual community can enhance a member profile by identifying/accumulating/storing attributes associated with any one or more of the following:
  • software platform underlying the virtual community can also identify/accumulate/store attributes associated with a group of members, including any one or more of the following:
  • a greater marketing pool of potential target members can be defined.
  • Clients of affiliates can be invited to the virtual community, without the affiliate relinquishing total control of the client data, and while maintaining client confidentiality/privacy.
  • Data indicative of a member profile is obtained/developed for each registered member. By way of example, this data can be obtained by collecting client responses to promotions and/or questionnaires.
  • a member of the virtual community can be directly marketed to by active sending of an e-mail.
  • an e-mail will contain a link to advertising within the virtual community, which may be displayed within the member's login profile.
  • a client corresponding to a member can be identified by matching a member key associated with a member record with a corresponding key in a client record.
  • the virtual community typically includes a more diverse range of topics than would be offered by an individual affiliate, while typically constraining topics/campaigns to a single collection of common interests.
  • initial contact can be made by an affiliate to the proposed introduced member.
  • the affiliate can act as a proxy for communicating with or to the client (as members of the virtual community).
  • client as members of the virtual community.
  • affiliate databases are augmented to provide candidate members of the virtual community.
  • Software underlying a virtual community can develop a profile on each member, from which members can be assessed or targeted for various campaigns. It will also be appreciated that by developing the profile of a member, a corresponding client record within an affiliate's database can also be enhanced.
  • processing refers to the action and/or processes of a computer or computing system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulate and/or transform data represented as physical, such as electronic, quantities into other data similarly represented as physical quantities.
  • processor may refer to any device or portion of a device that processes electronic data, e.g., from registers and/or memory to transform that electronic data into other electronic data that, e.g., may be stored in registers and/or memory.
  • a "computer” or a “computing machine” or a “computing platform” may include one or more processors.
  • the methodologies described herein are, in one embodiment, performable by one or more processors that accept computer-readable (also called machine-readable) code containing a set of instructions that when executed by one or more of the processors carry out at least one of the methods described herein.
  • Any processor capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken are included.
  • a typical processing system that includes one or more processors.
  • Each processor may include one or more of a CPU, a graphics processing unit, and a programmable DSP unit.
  • the processing system further may include a memory subsystem including main RAM and/or a static RAM, and/or ROM.
  • a bus subsystem may be included for communicating between the components.
  • the processing system further may be a districuted processing system with processors coupled by a network. If the processing system requires a display, such a display may be included, e.g., an liquid crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube (CRT) display. If manual data entry is required, the processing system also includes an input device such as one or more of an alphanumeric input unit such as a keyboard, a pointing control device such as a mouse, and so forth.
  • the processing system in some configurations may include a sound output device, and a network interface device.
  • the memory subsystem thus includes a computer-readable carrier medium that carries computer-readable code (e.g., software) including a set of instructions to cause performing, when executed by one or more processors, one of more of the methods described herein.
  • computer-readable code e.g., software
  • the software may reside in the hard disk, or may also reside, completely or at least partially, within the RAM and/or within the processor during execution thereof by the computer system.
  • the memory and the processor also constitute computer-readable carrier medium carrying computer-readable code.
  • a computer-readable carrier medium may form, or be included in a computer program product.
  • the one or more processors operate as a standalone device or may be connected, e.g., networked to other processor(s), in a networked deployment, the one or more processors may operate in the capacity of a server or a client machine in server-client network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer or distributed network environment.
  • machine shall also be taken to include any collection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein.
  • each of the methods described herein is in the form of a computer-readable carrier medium carrying a set of instructions, e.g., a computer program that are for execution on one or more processors, e.g., one or more processors that are part of whatever the device is.
  • a computer-readable carrier medium carrying computer readable code including a set of instructions that when executed on one or more processors cause the a processor or processors to implement a method.
  • aspects of the present invention may take the form of a method, an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects.
  • the present invention may take the form of carrier medium (e.g., a computer program product on a computer-readable storage medium) carrying computer-readable program code embodied in the medium.
  • the software may further be transmitted or received over a network via a network interface device.
  • the carrier medium is shown in an exemplary embodiment to be a single medium, the term “carrier medium” should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets of instructions.
  • the term “carrier medium” shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution by one or more of the processors and that cause the one or more processors to perform any one or more of the methodologies of the present invention.
  • a carrier medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media.
  • Non-volatile media includes, for example, optical, magnetic disks, and magneto-optical disks.
  • Volatile media includes dynamic memory, such as main memory.
  • Transmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise a bus subsystem. Transmission media also may also take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during radio wave and infrared data communications.
  • carrier medium shall accordingly be taken to included, but not be limited to, solid-state memories, a computer product embodied in optical and magnetic media, a medium bearing a propagated signal detectable by at least one processor of one or more processors and representing a set of instructions that when executed implement a method, a carrier wave bearing a propagated signal detectable by at least one processor of the one or more processors and representing the set of instructions a propagated signal and representing the set of instructions, and a transmission medium in a network bearing a propagated signal detectable by at least one processor of the one or more processors and representing the set of instructions.
  • any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.
  • some of the embodiments are described herein as a method or combination of elements of a method that can be implemented by a processor of a computer system or by other means of carrying out the function.
  • a processor with the necessary instructions for carrying out such a method or element of a method forms a means for carrying out the method or element of a method.
  • an element described herein of an apparatus embodiment is an example of a means for carrying out the function performed by the element for the purpose of carrying out the invention.
  • any formulas given above are merely representative of procedures that may be used. Functionality may be added or deleted from the block diagrams and operations may be interchanged among functional blocks. Steps may be added or deleted to methods described within the scope of the present invention.
  • any one of the terms comprising, comprised of or which comprises is an open term that means including at least the elements/features that follow, but not excluding others. Thus, the term comprising, when used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being limitative to the means or elements or steps listed thereafter.
  • a device comprising A and B should not be limited to devices consisting only of elements A and B. Any one of the terms including or which includes or that includes as used herein is also an open term that also means including at least the elements/features that follow the term, but not excluding others. Thus, including is synonymous with and means comprising.
  • Coupled should not be interpreted as being limitative to direct connections only.
  • the terms “coupled” and “connected,” along with their derivatives, may be used. It should be understood that these terms are not intended as synonyms for each other.
  • the scope of the expression a device A coupled to a device B should not be limited to devices or systems wherein an output of device A is directly connected to an input of device B. It means that there exists a path between an output of A and an input of B which may be a path including other devices or means.
  • Coupled may mean that two or more elements are either in direct physical or electrical contact, or that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other but yet still co-operate or interact with each other.
  • an embodiment of the invention can consist essentially of features disclosed herein.
  • an embodiment of the invention can consist of features disclosed herein.
  • the invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein.

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Abstract

Procédé et appareil pour mettre en place une communauté virtuelle, la communauté étant associée à un ou plusieurs adhérents possédant chacun une base de données respective de clients. Le procédé comporte les étapes consistant à : recevoir des données indicatives d'un client en provenance d'une première base de données de clients ; créer un enregistrement de membre relatif à un membre considéré au sein d'une première base de données de membres ; recevoir l'acceptation du client en réponse à une invitation ; et achever l'inscription du membre dans une communauté virtuelle. La base de données de membres contient un premier enregistrement de membre, qui est associé à un enregistrement dans la base de données de clients du premier adhérent indicatif d'un client du premier adhérent.
PCT/AU2010/001704 2009-12-21 2010-12-21 Procédé et appareil pour mettre en place une communauté virtuelle WO2011075763A1 (fr)

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AU2009906158A AU2009906158A0 (en) 2009-12-21 Method and Apparatus for Providing a Virtual Community
AU2009906158 2009-12-21

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