WO2013039573A2 - System and method for providing internet and mobile based social/geo/promo link promotional and coupon data sets for end user display of interactive location-based advertising, location-based deals and offers and location-based services, ad links, promotions, mobile coupons, promotions and sale of consumer, business, government, sports, or educational related products, goods, gambling, or services, integrated with 3d spatial geomapping, mobile mapping, company and local information for selected worldwide locations and social shopping and social networking - Google Patents

System and method for providing internet and mobile based social/geo/promo link promotional and coupon data sets for end user display of interactive location-based advertising, location-based deals and offers and location-based services, ad links, promotions, mobile coupons, promotions and sale of consumer, business, government, sports, or educational related products, goods, gambling, or services, integrated with 3d spatial geomapping, mobile mapping, company and local information for selected worldwide locations and social shopping and social networking Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2013039573A2
WO2013039573A2 PCT/US2012/036896 US2012036896W WO2013039573A2 WO 2013039573 A2 WO2013039573 A2 WO 2013039573A2 US 2012036896 W US2012036896 W US 2012036896W WO 2013039573 A2 WO2013039573 A2 WO 2013039573A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
social
services
geo
mobile
location
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2012/036896
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO2013039573A3 (en
Inventor
Stephan HEATH
Original Assignee
Heath Stephan
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 US13/233,352 external-priority patent/US20130073374A1/en
Priority claimed from US13/337,271 external-priority patent/US10152722B2/en
Priority claimed from US13/337,275 external-priority patent/US10140620B2/en
Priority claimed from US13/359,498 external-priority patent/US10102546B2/en
Priority claimed from US13/369,244 external-priority patent/US10217117B2/en
Priority claimed from US13/430,600 external-priority patent/US10120877B2/en
Priority claimed from US13/439,761 external-priority patent/US10096033B2/en
Application filed by Heath Stephan filed Critical Heath Stephan
Priority to US13/543,871 priority Critical patent/US10127564B2/en
Priority to US13/551,556 priority patent/US9710821B2/en
Priority to US13/594,842 priority patent/US8909771B2/en
Priority to US13/712,919 priority patent/US10129211B2/en
Publication of WO2013039573A2 publication Critical patent/WO2013039573A2/en
Publication of WO2013039573A3 publication Critical patent/WO2013039573A3/en

Links

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
    • G06Q30/00—Commerce
    • G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
    • G06Q30/0207—Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
    • G06Q30/0222—During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
    • 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
    • G06Q30/00—Commerce
    • G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
    • G06Q30/0207—Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
    • G06Q30/0224—Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates based on user history
    • 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
    • G06Q30/00—Commerce
    • G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
    • G06Q30/0207—Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
    • G06Q30/0239—Online discounts or incentives
    • 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
    • G06Q30/00—Commerce
    • G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
    • G06Q30/0241—Advertisements
    • G06Q30/0251—Targeted advertisements
    • G06Q30/0253—During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
    • 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
    • G06Q30/00—Commerce
    • G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
    • G06Q30/0241—Advertisements
    • G06Q30/0251—Targeted advertisements
    • G06Q30/0261—Targeted advertisements based on user location
    • 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
    • G06Q30/00—Commerce
    • G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
    • G06Q30/0241—Advertisements
    • G06Q30/0251—Targeted advertisements
    • G06Q30/0267—Wireless devices
    • 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
    • G06Q30/00—Commerce
    • G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
    • G06Q30/0241—Advertisements
    • G06Q30/0251—Targeted advertisements
    • G06Q30/0269—Targeted advertisements based on user profile or attribute
    • G06Q30/0271—Personalized advertisement

Definitions

  • the subject matter relates to online systems, methods, and computer related aspects of providing broad and alternative category clustering of the same, similar or different categories in social/geo/promo link promotional data sets for end user display of interactive location-based advertising (“LBA”), location-based deals and offers (“LBDO”) and location-based services (“LBS”), ad links, online coupons, promotions, in real time, geotargeted or geotagged promotions via a mobile device or computer, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking.
  • LBA location-based advertising
  • LBDO location-based deals and offers
  • LBS location-based services
  • the Geospatial Revolution examines the world of digital mapping and how it is changing the way we think, behave and interact. Geospatial information influences nearly everything. Seamless layers of satellites, surveillance, and location- based technologies create a worldwide geographic knowledge base vital to the interconnected global community. The Geospatial Revolution explores compelling human stories that explain the history, applications, related privacy issues, and impact of location-based technologies including GPS and GIS. The video episodes are useful for teaching history, social studies, geography, environment, and ecology, science and technology and for learning about career development.
  • the present invention provides one or more of a method, apparatus, computer readable medium, computer system, wireless or wired network, or system to provide consumer, business, government, sports, or education related and integrated social networking, real time geospatial mapping, geo-targeted and geotagging location-based advertisements and location-based services technologies including GPS and GIS and multiple points of interest, receiving current location of user's electronic or mobile device or wireless device or computer and multiple points of interest, cloud-type configuration storing and handling user data across multiple enterprises, generating user behavior data, users profile preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device or an Internet connected computer terminal, for the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, online promotions, social shopping and social networking ("social/geo/promo") links on a website for user customized visual displays showing 3D map presentations with correlated or related broad or alternative categories of social/geo/promo links to be displayed with web
  • the present invention provides in one aspect a system and method for providing combined technologies for social networking interactions using tracking, predicting, and implementing online consumer communications, browsing behavior, buying patterns, social shopping and social networking, social networking communications, embedded geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and affiliate advertising and communications, for users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device (such as a mobile phone networks or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, for promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, for Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services, on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies, company-local information, social shopping and social networking, and social networking communities ("CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN").
  • CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN company-local information, social shopping and social
  • Consumers and members and/or subscribers of the website Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services, (e.g., "Social Shoppers") shop the world for users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile device or tablet device or computer for Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods,
  • Users and members of the present invention can do one or more of the following: Use the present invention after installing Google EarthTM or similar plug-ins; View Social Earth or computer for promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping , social networking, optional information about microloans or microcredit, humanitarian aid and supporting other worldly causes.
  • the invention can also optionally include unique Live View of the planet; View "live social feeds" from social networking sites such as FacebookTM and TwitterTM and “live communications” via Skype; Zoom to birds-eye and human scale view and navigate around stunning 3D satellite images of the virtual Earth; Type in an address and fly directly to the location on the platform in an instant by using the zoom technology; and/or Watch breaking news and videos from SS links.
  • the present invention provides a unique interactive user experience; view live links to places and events knowing that a portion of the dollars spent on the present invention are going to help those in impoverished conditions around the world.
  • the delivery system for a host geospatial website can provide for a multidimensional representation of information and/or sealable version of web content for an infrastructure and global platform that provides users and members and businesses of all types and sizes with access to broad markets for the delivery system and method for providing combined social behavior tracking, online surveillance and web bot software technologies via a mobile device or tablet device or computer for tracking online on behavior and data, cookies, embedded geotargeted or geotagged advertisements, online coupons and affiliate advertising, users profile or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, LB A, LBDO & LBS, ad links, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping, social networking, on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide cloud-type configuration storing and handling user data across multiple applications and generating user behavior data.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide such a mechanism which operates continuously, whenever consumers want and without need for the actual physical availability of vendor and financial intermediary parties.
  • preferred embodiment of the present invention is a method for collecting user data, and optionally creating a user profile.
  • a part of an end user's online or user profile is their Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) such as a user's current geographical location.
  • VGI Volunteered Geographic Information
  • Social network members in different cities, countries, or continents engage in different activities due to accessibility, economy, culture, or other factors.
  • Data mining can be included in combined or separate groups of social network profiles according to their geography in order to discover information about a place. This results in keywords associated with a specific location and provides an automated way to describe a place in an up to date fashion based upon its current local residents.
  • Location-Based Social Network (LBSN) profiles from four different places are analyzed here and the results are presented as they relate to space, time, location and activities.
  • LBSN Location-Based Social Network
  • An inventory of digital content is supplied, wherein at least part of the inventory is pre-stored on a client computer.
  • the inventory includes at least one asset, collateral for an asset, or advertisement.
  • Information about the inventory is displayed to a user of the client computer and user data is collected about the user based on their actions with regard to the information about the inventory.
  • a user profile is then constructed based on the user data.
  • the present invention can also provide in certain embodiments integrated social shopping and social networking, social plugins with "live social feeds" from social networking giants FacebookTM and TwitterTM, e.g., but not limited to FacebookTM and TwitterTM and “live communications" via SkypeTM, into its website(s), which allows Social Shoppers to interact and share the latest mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device (such as a mobile phone networks or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real time, using in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with
  • 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking online coupons, promotions, in real time, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services with their friends, acquaintances, strangers, family, business associates, and others.
  • Tapping into the power of social networking through social networking integration can help users of the present invention connect with thousands or millions of users around the world in real time.
  • TwitterTM the latest social networking phenomenon, enables its users to send and read other users messages called “tweets.”
  • the present invention provides opportunities to use open source technology to rapidly grow its Social Shoppers around the world by utilizing social shopping and social networking integration and developing social applications with "live social feeds" from social networking sites FacebookTM and TwitterTM and “live communications” via SkypeTM into its website and encouraging Social Shoppers to share the latest products or services or daily deals or online coupons with their family, friends, strangers, business associates and acquaintances in these popular social networks.
  • a technique, method, apparatus, and system are described to provide related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets with correlated or related broad or alternative categories to be displayed with web page or mobile content for view by a user.
  • a composite correlation measure between two social/geo/promo link categories can be determined, where the composite correlation measure is one of a maximum, a minimum, or a combination of separate correlation criteria for a first social/geo/promo link category with a second social/geo/promo link category.
  • a method is provided. The method includes selecting a first social/geo/promo link category for a first position of a social/geo/promo link promotional data set.
  • One or more second social/geo/promo link categories are identified using one or more correlation criteria, where at least one second social/geo/promo link category has one or more correlation criteria associated with the first social/geo/promo link category.
  • a third social/geo/promo link category can be selected for a second position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set, where the third social/geo/promo link category is different from the one or more identified second social/geo/promo link categories.
  • the social/geo/promo link promotional data set can be associated with a web page, and the social/geo/promo link categories can be ordered by relevance to the web page. Identifying one or more second social/geo/promo link categories using one or more correlation criteria can include identifying one or more social/geo/promo link categories having a correlation measure that is less than a correlation threshold.
  • the social/geo/promo link categories can be associated with one or more category identifiers, and at least one of the one or more correlation criteria of a second social/geo/promo link category can be a measure of the correlation between a category identifier associated with the second
  • At least one second social/geo/promo link category can have a separate correlation measure for at least one pair-wise combination of a category identifier associated with the at least one second social/geo/promo link category and a category identifier associated with the first social/geo/promo link category.
  • the at least one second social/geo/promo link category can have a composite correlation measure, where the composite correlation measure can be one of a maximum, a minimum, or a combination of the separate correlation criteria for the at least one second social/geo/promo link category. Identifying one or more social/geo/promo link categories having a correlation measure that is less than a correlation threshold can include identifying one or more social/geo/promo link categories having a composite correlation measure that is less than a correlation threshold.
  • a method in one aspect, includes selecting a first social/geo/promo link category for a first position of a social/geo/promo link promotional data set, where the first social/geo/promo link category is in a set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories.
  • social/geo/promo link categories having a correlation measure that is less than a correlation threshold are identified, where the identified social/geo/promo link categories are in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories, and at least one social/geo/promo link category in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories has one or more correlation criteria associated with a most recently selected social/geo/promo link category.
  • a next social/geo/promo link category for a next empty position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set is selected, where the next social/geo/promo link category is in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories.
  • Implementations can include one or more of the following features.
  • the identified social/geo/promo link categories can be removed from the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories.
  • the selected social/geo/promo link categories can be removed from the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories.
  • the social/geo/promo link categories in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories can be associated with a web page, and the social/geo/promo link categories in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories can be ordered by relevance of the social/geo/promo link categories to the web page.
  • a method in one aspect, includes, for a set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories and at least one social/geo/promo link promotional data set associated with a web page, selecting a first social/geo/promo link category for a first position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set, where the first social/geo/promo link category is in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories.
  • social/geo/promo link categories having a correlation measure that is greater than a correlation threshold are identified, where the identified
  • social/geo/promo link categories are in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories, and at least one social/geo/promo link category in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories has one or more correlation criteria associated with a most recently selected social/geo/promo link category. For at least one empty position in the social/geo/promo link promotional data set, a next social/geo/promo link category is selected for a next empty position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set, where the next social/geo/promo link category is in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories.
  • Implementations can include the following feature.
  • the identified social/geo/promo link categories can be removed from the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories before selecting a next social/geo/promo link category for a next empty position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set, and at least one removed identified social/geo/promo link category can be added to the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories before selecting a first
  • social/geo/promo link category for a first position of a next social/geo/promo link promotional data set.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic and block diagram view of an electronic Educational related Products, Goods, Gambling, or Services with /Geospatial Mapping/Mobile Mapping/Company-Local Information/Social Networking/Communities
  • CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information and/or product/good/service distribution system, according to an exemplary embodiment
  • FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram showing, in greater detail, a database server portion of the main server system shown in FIG. 1 ;
  • FIG. 3 is a simplified flowchart diagram view illustrating interactions between the client system, and the main server system, according to an exemplary embodiment
  • FIG. 4 is a simplified flowchart diagram view showing the steps for registration of a new user on the main server system, according to an exemplary embodiment
  • FIG. 5-6 is a simplified flowchart diagram view showing, in greater detail, the steps of updating the master category list, plugins, and brand logo information, respectively, that are shown in block diagram form in FIG. 4, according to an exemplary embodiment;
  • FIG. 7 is a simplified flowchart diagram view showing, in greater detail, the step of updating advertising data that is shown in block diagram form in FIG. 4, according to an exemplary embodiment
  • FIG. 8 is a simplified flowchart diagram view showing the steps involved in obtaining a client script, according to an exemplary embodiment
  • FIGS. 9-10 are simplified flowchart diagram views showing alternate actions taken by the client system in response to selection by the user of a logo pane and an advertising pane, respectively, according to exemplary embodiments;
  • FIG. 11 is a simplified flowchart diagram view showing the steps executed by the client system when a user selects an item from CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information and/or data subcategory list, according to an exemplary embodiment
  • FIGS. 12A/B are flow diagrams of processes for controlling the number of clicks to a clickable advertisement or online coupon, according to exemplary embodiments
  • FIG. 13 illustrates a screen display defining an interface associated with a client system portion, according to an exemplary embodiment
  • FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary implementation of a geospatial decision management system for implementing a geographic information system over a network.
  • FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of a geospatial decision management system depicting exemplary implementations of technical and management interface tools available to a client user.
  • FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of additional components of a geospatial decision management system for implementing access control to presentation of geospatial attributes within a network.
  • FIG. 17 is a flow diagram of exemplary operations for implementing access control to presentation of geospatial attributes within a geospatial decision management system.
  • FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary implementation of a general -purpose mobile and/or computer system that that can be used to implement any, all, and/or various aspects of the present invention, e.g., but not limited to a geospatial decision management system, including access control.
  • FIG. 19 are tables showing lists of representative consumer, business, government, sports, or education related products and services that can be provided in combination with geospatial and mobile mapping, socially responsible information, local, global and company information, users profile preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, location-based advertising, location-based deals and offers, location- based services, ad links, online coupons, promotions, in real time, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and distribution of mobile coupons and/or location-based deals and offers and location-based services in real-time via a mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device (such as a mobile phone networks or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real time, using in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, online coupons, promotions, in real time, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, social networking communities and charity/humanitarian aid or sustainable gift, according to the present invention
  • FIG. 20 is a block diagram of an example online system of the present invention.
  • FIG. 21 A illustrates an example of a related social/geo/promo link promotional data set provided with web page content.
  • FIG. 2 IB illustrates an example of multiple related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets provided with the web page content.
  • FIG. 22 is a block diagram of an example implementation of an advertising management system of the invention that provides related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets with correlated broad and alternative categories.
  • FIG. 23 is a block diagram of an example implementation of the social/geo/promo link server of the present invention.
  • FIG. 24 is a flow diagram of an example process for providing a related social/geo/promo link promotional data set with correlated broad categories.
  • FIG. 25 is a flow diagram of an example process for providing multiple related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets with clustered categories.
  • FIG. 26 is a diagram illustrating some components of an online gaining platform according to at least some embodiments of the present invention.
  • FIG. 27 is a diagram illustrating some components of a transaction server according to some embodiments of the present invention.
  • F!G. 28 is a flowchart illustrating steps which may be performed according to one or more methods associated with some embodiments of the present invention.
  • promotions/Promoting means providing any type of information relating to any product, goods or service, including, but not limited to providing an end user with one or more of publicity, advertising, auctions, bidding, online coupons, discounts, company or local information, affiliate or related company information, local information, products, goods, gambling, or services, and related users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, LBA,
  • LBDO & LBS ad links, online coupons, promotions, in real time, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and distribution of mobile coupons and/or location-based deals and offers and location-based services in real-time via a mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device (such as a mobile phone networks or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real time, using geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services,
  • GPS and GIS technologies in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, online coupons, promotions, in real time, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking and social networking communications, profiles, online behavior and prediction, scalable geospatial and mobile mapping, customized end user webpages or displays, and end user interactions, wherein the providing of information is through any form of electronic communication involving the use of one or more of a computer related system, computer readable medium, internet access, mobile device, wireless data transfer device, computer related access, or other electronic communication.
  • Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services means any product, good or service described herein, or as known in the art:
  • Non-limiting examples of Products, Goods & Services provided by the present invention can include, but are not limited to: search engines or search requests; users profile preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, LBA, LBDO & LBS, ad links, online coupons, promotions, in real time, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and distribution of mobile coupons and/or location-based deals and offers and location-based services in real-time via a mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device (such as a mobile phone networks or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real time, using geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and
  • brokers agents, relocation services, internet marketing, concierge, transportation, entertainment, travel and hospitality services, lenders, appraisers, education, developers, contractors, inspectors, home improvements/remodeling, basement designs, landscaping, home warranties, insurance, indoor and outdoor furniture, fixtures, windows, siding, roofing, heating/cooling, solar, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and similar types) or other services and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels.
  • Sports related Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services means any sports related or sporting event related product, goods or service described herein, or as known in the art:
  • Non-limiting examples of Sports related Products, Goods & Services provided by the present invention can include, but are not limited to: sports related search engines or search requests; users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, assortment of entertainment shopping, online casinos, online sports betting, NBA and college basketball lines, football, soccer, boxing, fighting, merchandise, online penny auctions or online auctions, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements, online coupons and affiliate advertising or services, including without limitation, for such items as e-commerce, sports, media and entertainment, sports, player and player profiles, personal & financial network, travel & hospitality services, real estate, educational services, ancillary services, service providers, online dating, online gambling, gaming, retail stores, virtual communities and virtual goods, real estate information on market trends, mortgage quotes auto loans, insurance and home equity loans; mortgage rates to
  • ancillary services e.g. (e.g. brokers, agents, relocation services, internet marketing, concierge, transportation, entertainment, travel and hospitality services, lenders, appraisers, education, developers, contractors, inspectors, home
  • Sports and Sporting Events that can be included in one or more of Sports related products, goods or services, players and player profiles, include any known or potential sport or sporting event.
  • Non-limiting examples include, but are not limited to: any sport or sporting event as amateur, high school, prep school, boarding school, college, university, recreation, professional, local, city, county, state, region, elle, country, union, league, associated, or group of countries, continental, hemisphere, or any other grouping of any of the above, e.g., collegiate or professional.
  • Professional teams or individuals can be of any form or type or grouping, e.g., but not limited to, minor league, major league, A, AA, AAA, scouting, professional and the like, the top 10 sporting events in the world, e.g.,: NFL, NCAAF, NCAAB, NBA, NASCAR, Horse racing, Golf, MLB, NHL, Indy Car, Cricket, Soccer, Football, Basketball, Tennis, Motor racing, Hockey, Boxing, Fighting; one of top 10 sports in the world: Summer Olympics; & Winter Olympics; Soccer (e.g., World Cup, FIFA events, Premier League, AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, OFC, UEFA, Olympics, men's, women's, college, NCAA, professional); Cricket (e.g.
  • Table Tennis e.g., men's, women's, college, professional, Olympic Games, World Championships, World Table Tennis Championships, Top International Table Tennis Tournaments, World Cup; Baseball (e.g., MLB, AL, NL, Japan's Central League and Pacific League; Cuba's West League and East League; European professional leagues, Baseball World Cup, Olympic baseball tournament, International Baseball Federation (IBAF), Women's baseball amateur basis, Women's Baseball World Cup, World Baseball Classic); Horse Racing (e.g. The Kentucky Derby, The
  • Adventure Sports and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking,
  • the terms "gaming”, ''gambling” or the like refers to either land-based or online events, activities, games, sessions, rounds, hands, rolls and operations etc., including video games, Web games, online casino, casino games, card games, poker, dice games, online sports betting, sporting events and/or any other gaming or gambling events, in addition, the word "bet”, “bid” or the like, refer to any type of wagers, bets or gaming ventures that are placed on random events, whether of monetary or non-monetary value, as known in the art, and 'or as presented herein and below and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services.
  • Educational related refers to anything that can be included in one or more educational related activities, e.g., education related products, goods or services that can include any known or potential educational activity, institution, company, agency, entity, and the like, at any level, e.g., pre-school, elementary school, middle school, high school, prep school, boarding school, college, university, recreational, professional, local, city, county, state, region, elle, country, union, league, associated, or group of countries, continental, hemisphere, or any other grouping of any of the above, e.g., company, collegiate or professional.
  • Educational refers to any type or educational endeavor.
  • Consumer, business, government, sports, or education related products, goods, gambling, or services can include one or more of Branches of Education, e.g., such as, but not limited to, by level, sector, specialization or department: Education by level, e.g., Preschool education, Primary education, Secondary education, Higher education; Autodidacticism; Education by sector: Academia, Adult education, Alternative education, Public education, Private education; Education by specialization or department: Agricultural education , Art education, Business education,
  • Linguistics e.g., Languages, Linguistics: Literature; Literary Theory, Critical theory, Literary criticism, Creative Writing, Performing Art and, Arts Administration; e.g., Music, e.g., Performance, Recorded, Live:
  • Geospatial Analysis using GIS, for environment, life sciences, defense, intelligence, utilities, business applications, coupons, products & services, online shopping, mobile, social networking, travel & hospitality, e-commerce, gambling, natural resources (i.e. oil and gas, forestry, etc.), social sciences, medicine, education and public safety (i.e. emergency management and criminology).
  • the term educational related also can include trades or types of companies included in or as members of a trade association, e.g., but not limited to Trade Associations and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services.
  • Non-limiting examples of virtual geotargeted or geotagged advertisements services provided by the present invention can include, but are not limited to the following: Providing in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking for virtual online geotargeted or geotagged advertisements, digital billboards and other geotargeted or geotagged advertisements for products, goods or services that connects millions of users and members from around the world on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels.
  • Non-limiting examples of virtual auctions services provided by the present invention can include, but are not limited to the following.
  • Non-limiting examples of e-commerce services provided by the present invention can include, but are not limited to the following.
  • Non-limiting examples of virtual media and entertainment services provided by the present invention can include, but are not limited to the following.
  • Non-limiting examples of virtual sports services provided by the present invention can include, but are not limited to the following.
  • Non-limiting examples of virtual travel & hospitality services can include, but are not limited to the following: Providing mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services for travel & hospitality services and other products, goods or services with a powerful network of thousands of travel & hospitality service providers e.g. travel agents, hotels, motels, resorts, airlines, entertainment, transportation, and other related social shopping and social networking, Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services, etc.
  • travel agents e.g. travel agents, hotels, motels, resorts, airlines, entertainment, transportation, and other related social shopping and social networking, Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services, etc.
  • Non-limiting examples of service providers provided by the present invention can include, but are not limited to: allowing service providers and business owners' to reach users and members and consumers online, offering geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services, GPS and GIS technologies and the like, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, advertising opportunities for service providers, business owners and affiliates for business services, healthcare services, specialty financial services, consumer products, specialty retail and media and entertainment, lenders, mortgage companies and the like; providing geotargeted or geotagged advertisements that can appear on consumers' property search results and connecting thousands of service providers and business owners for business services, healthcare services, specialty financial services, consumer products, specialty retail and media and entertainment, lenders, financial institutions or banks, mortgage companies lenders and mortgage companies to provide financing quotes to millions of users and members and consumers online; providing real estate market information and mortgage quotes for, e.g., purchase of a new home, refinance, consolid
  • Entropic and Second Life for members and other products, services, service providers and businesses that connects millions of users and members via the Internet with thousands and millions of members from around the world on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services.
  • GoogleTM also released free APIs for their Google EarthTM platform, allowing users to geo-locate and map their own data. Google is apparently working on a faster, easier Google EarthTM plug-in download as well as an improved Google EarthTM mobile app.
  • the Google EarthTM API is a free service, available for any web site that is free to consumers.
  • the Plug-in and its JavaScript API allow users to place a version of Google EarthTM into web pages. The API does not have all the features of the full Google EarthTM Application but enables sophisticated 3D map applications to be built, including use for GM of the present invention.
  • the GoogleTM also released free APIs for their Google EarthTM platform, allowing users to geo-locate and map their own data. Google is apparently working on a faster, easier Google EarthTM plug-in download as well as an improved Google EarthTM mobile app.
  • the Google EarthTM API is a free service, available for any web site that is free to consumers.
  • the Plug-in and its JavaScript API allow users to place a version of Google EarthTM into web pages.
  • Google EarthTM Plug-in and its JavaScript API let you embed Google EarthTM, a true 3D digital globe, into your web pages. Using the API you can draw markers and lines, drape images over the terrain, add 3D models, or load KML files, allowing you to build sophisticated 3D map applications.
  • Marketers can use different codes for different channels our groups in order to distinguish response rates and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking
  • Internet Forums Internet forums allow users to post a "topic" for others to review. Other users can view the topic and post their own comments in a linear fashion, one after the other.
  • Wikis A wiki is a web page whose content can be edited by its visitors.
  • Social Shopping Is a method of e-commerce where shoppers' friends become involved in the shopping experience.
  • Social Engine refers to a web based framework and platform for developing custom social apps as well as hosting them.
  • a social engine acts as a web operating system for developing all kinds of social networking services and projects.
  • Social cataloging is a software aimed towards academics. It allows the user to post a citation for an article found on the Internet or a website, online database like Academic Search Premier or LexisNexis.
  • Social Online Storage Social online storage applications allow their users to collaboratively create file archives containing files of any type, including cloud storage. Files can either be edited online or from a local computer which has access to the storage system.
  • Virtual Worlds are services where it is possible to meet and interact with other people in a virtual environment reminiscent of the real world. Thus the term virtual reality. Typically, the user manipulates an avatar through the world, interacting with others using chat or voice chat.
  • Computer surveillance is the act of performing surveillance of computer or mobile activity and of data stored on a hard drive or being transferred over the Internet.
  • Network Surveillance The vast majority of computer surveillance involves the monitoring of data and traffic on the Internet. In the United States for example, under the Commissions Assistance For Law Enforcement Act, all phone calls and broadband internet traffic (emails, web traffic, instant messaging, etc.) are required to be available for unimpeded real-time monitoring by Federal law enforcement agencies.
  • Penny Auctions or Online Auctions Is an auction where bidders pay-per-bid for an item and the time increases with each bid.
  • Web Bot Web bot is a software program that is claimed to be able to predict future events by tracking keywords entered on the Internet.
  • Internet bots monitor articles, blogs, forums and other forms of Internet chatter. Words in the lexicon are assigned numeric values for emotional quantifiers such as duration, impact, immediacy, intensity and others.
  • Mobile Device Network Operators includes any company, agency, administrator, network, system, provider, marketer, distributor, developer, and the like, for any mobile or wireless provider, or related hardware, software, server, infrastructure, network, switching, routing, maintenance, or service provider. Non-limiting examples include one or more of, but are not limited to, international, national, regional, provincial, state, county or local mobile network operators.
  • Terrestrial mobile phone network operators e.g.
  • Tata Teleservices India, Tata Group, Temasek, Sivasankaran; (26) Telecom Italia / TIM, Italy (TIM), Konica ; (27) Maxis Communications, Malaysia (Maxis); Ananda Krishnan , Saudi Telecom Company; (28) Turkcell, Turkey (Turkcell), Turkcell Group; (29) Qtel, Vietnamese.
  • Five largest satellite phone network operators measured by number of subscribers (A) Iridium, Proprietary TDMA,; (B) Globalstar, Proprietary CDMA; (C) Thuraya, Proprietary FDMA/GSM; (D) Inmarsat, Proprietary GSM; and (E) ACeS, Dual-mode Satellite/GSM.
  • Frequency-division multiple access provides multiuser access by separating the used frequencies. This is used in GSM to separate cells, which then use TDMA to separate users within the cell.
  • Code- division multiple access This uses a digital modulation called spread spectrum which spreads the voice data over a very wide channel in pseudorandom fashion using a user or cell specific pseudorandom code. The receiver undoes the randomization to collect the bits together and produce the original data.
  • Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access uses bundling of multiple small frequency bands that are orthogonal to one another to provide for separation of users.
  • the users are multiplexed in the frequency domain by allocating specific sub-bands to individual users. This is often enhanced by also performing TDMA and changing the allocation periodically so that different users get different sub-bands at different times.
  • CDMA, TDMA and FDMA have exactly the same spectral efficiency but practically, each has its own challenges - power control in the case of CDMA, timing in the case of TDMA, and frequency generation/filtering in the case of FDMA.
  • TDMA A speaker takes turns talking to a listener. The speaker talks for a short time and then stops to let another couple talk. There is never more than one speaker talking in the room, no one has to worry about two conversations mixing. The drawback is that it limits the practical number of discussions in the room (bandwidth wise).
  • CDMA any speaker can talk at any time; however each uses a different language. Each listener can only understand the language of his or her partner. As more and more couples talk, the background noise (representing the noise floor) gets louder, but because of the difference in languages, conversations do not mix. The drawback is that at some point, one cannot talk any louder. After this if the noise still rises (more people join the party/cell) the listener cannot make out what the talker is talking about without coming closer to the talker. In effect, CDMA cell coverage decreases as the number of active users increases. This is called cell breathing.
  • Mobile Banking or Mobile Wallet Services Payment services operated under financial regulation and performed from or via a mobile device. Mobile payment is an alternative payment method. Instead of paying with cash, check or credit cards, a consumer can use a mobile phone to pay for a wide range of services and digital or hard goods.
  • Celebrity or Entertainment News refers to the communication or presentation of any information about any aspect or activity relating one or more celebrities or the entertainment industry.
  • the invention can also provide mobile payment method and/or system for effectuating an online payment through a computer or a mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device to complete an e-commerce, online purchase, mobile payment, mobile banking and mobile wallet transactions on a three- dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies.
  • Mobile apps for smart phones e.g., but not limited to, AndroidTM and tablets, e.g., iPhoneTM, iPod TouchTM and iPadTM
  • Social Shoppers can explore the same 3D imagery and terrain as on the desktop version. Users can be able to search, detect, receive and pay for geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking. Users will be able to search the globe and fly to their current location or anywhere in the world by typing in the address in the search bar.
  • users can be able to Pan, zoom, and tilt their view as they virtually travel around the globe. Users can be able to search for people, cities, places and businesses around the world and View many layers of geographic information and other information on a three- dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technology.
  • the invention provides opportunities to connect buyers and sellers and reach people at the point of shopping through GPS and GIS technologies - a benefit both to shoppers and merchants.
  • the present invention also provides alternative affiliated promotion or advertising functions, components, and systems, including, but not limited to: one or more of (a) advertising content management system and method; (b) advertising method and product; (c) affiliate distribution of geo-target geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and online coupons with compensation for attention; (d) affiliate system and affiliate device; (e) affiliate system on social networking or social networking communities; (f) affiliated advertising widget; (g) apparatus and method for internet advertising compensation; (h) apparatus, method and article to evaluate affiliate performance; (i) arranging delivery of geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking based users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or
  • a host geospatial website can include realistic virtual landscape using satellite and aerial photography that can include many content layers of web based information, based users profile preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, online coupons, promotions, in real time, e-commerce and mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, social networking communities, social networking activities, social plugins, online coupons, promotions, in real time, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and distribution of mobile coupons and/or location-based deals and offers and location-based services in real-time via a mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device (such as
  • the present invention further provides the use of various marketing and customer generation methods, including, but not limited to, social media platforms to generate traffic to the websites and access points for the present invention, e.g., but not limited to, a SOCIAL EARTH website, in order to provide a large subscriber base of Social Shoppers; Website - Visitors are prompted to register as a Social Shopper when they first visit website and thereafter use the website as a portal for featured Social Earth geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services, entertainment services, online penny auctions, or online auctions, geotargete
  • SOCIAL EARTH For Your Business can provides for help for businesses to reach new customers with the inventions Live View Earth business platform, where are provided businesses featured in a sponsor ads, such as, but not limited to, Premium Sponsor Ads; Gift Cards- Social Shoppers and businesses can purchase Gift Cards for friends, family and customers;
  • FoursquareTM - the invention can provide ad links, promotions via Foursquare so consumers can act and immediately share the information with their friends;
  • Open Source Technologies - the invention provides that Social Shoppers can connect with millions of Social Shoppers in popular social networks such as FacebookTM and TwitterTM using open source technologies;
  • Data Mining - provides for gathering social data for online, mobile advertisers and social brands that are interested in a target market of a particular segment based upon their precise location or other criteria;
  • Image Sharing Sites -the invention provides for Social Shoppers to upload images on image sharing sites such as FlickrTM and PicasawebTM;
  • Social Bookmarking the invention provides for the use of social bookmarking with sites like DiggTM, DeliciousTM, StumbleUponTM, etc.; Search Engine
  • ScooplerTM and SencyTM are powerful tools that can show live streams of microblog updates from TwitterTM, JaikuTM and IdenticaTM, photos from FlickrTM, TwitPicTM and yFrogTM and videos from YouTubeTM and UstreamTM;
  • YouTubeTM: the present invention can provide periodic YouTube videos outlining how to use and maximize user purchasing power using the present invention, e.g., SOCIAL EARTH, as well as soliciting and providing video testimonials from Social Shoppers on an ongoing basis, e.g., incentivizing "four star” videos with a special "Best Expert User” badge to be featured on their profile page;
  • Video Viral Marketing can also be used in the present invention; as well as Blogging, and using article servers (such as ezinearticles.com, goarticles.com, selfgrowth.com, isnare.com); Twitter(TM) Marketing, including, e.g., but not limited to, discounts or other special based users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels,
  • Twitter(TM); affiliates - the invention can further provide API widgets or geo-targeted or geo-tagged LBA, LBDO &
  • Independent Coupon Distributors - the invention can provide network(s) of independent coupon distributors that own ValupakTM or other franchises (and other direct mail coupon companies) to include "Social Earth Coupons" that can be distributed to local businesses.
  • FIG. 1 shows an example of a combined Products, Goods or Services with /Geospatial Mapping/Mobile Mapping/Company-Local Information/Social Networking/Communities ("CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN") system 10 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment combined online Product or Service in combination with geospatial mapping/mobile mapping/Company-Local Information/and/or Social Networking distribution system 10 includes a main server system 12 and a client system 14 that is remote from main server system 12, connected together by a distributed computer network, such as the Internet 16 (network, or mobile device access system).
  • a distributed computer network such as the Internet 16 (network, or mobile device access system).
  • Local Information/and/or Social Networking uses client system 14 to interact with main server system 12 to obtain online Products, Goods or Services.
  • An electronic coupon can be but is not limited to any advertisement that is electronic (e.g., electronic advertisement on website, electronic advertisement sent to client's mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device or computer, a hyper link based on a search result from a search engine and/or any other push/pull techniques).
  • this function can be performed by a direct electronic connection with a sponsor system, and/or can involve loading data from a physically transportable data storage medium (e.g., diskette, tape, CD-ROM, USB drive, cloud storage, etc.).
  • a physically transportable data storage medium e.g., diskette, tape, CD-ROM, USB drive, cloud storage, etc.
  • the coupon sponsor may, and in most cases will, issue in connection with the coupon an associated set of instructions that define how the coupon is to be distributed.
  • such instructions can include restrictions as to the number of coupons that any one user can print out for redemption, the state and/or zip code associated with a user for such user to have access to the coupon, the expiration date, the item and discount amount, etc.
  • Main server system 12 is further configured to be connected to, and/or otherwise receive, advertising information from an advertising sponsor, or purchasing system, e.g., Amazon, or company purchase website or mobile application, or through mobile banking system.
  • advertising information e.g., Amazon, or company purchase website or mobile application, or through mobile banking system.
  • this function can be performed by direct electronic connection with the ad sponsors system, and/or can involve loading data from a physically transportable data storage medium (i.e., diskette, tape, CD- ROM, cloud storage, etc.).
  • the advertising impressions are displayed on client system 14, as described in greater detail below.
  • Main server system 12 can include a website server 18, a front-end server 20, a handler 22, a database server 24, and an FTP server 26.
  • Website server 18 is configured to provide "web pages", mobile app, e-commerce or electronic or mobile device, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, to consumers (including possible users and members of electronic coupon distribution system 10) with Internet access.
  • Internet 16 more particularly, the World Wide Web portion thereof, "WWW”, is an interconnected computer network that is generally distributed throughout the world on discrete interconnected computer nodes having software interfaces generally referred to as "web pages," which further includes geospatial and mobile mapping, based users profile preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, location-based advertisements, location-based deals and offers, location-based services, ad links, online coupons, promotions, in real time, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and distribution of mobile coupons and/or location-based deals and offers and location-based services in real-time via a mobile device geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, location-based advertisements, location-based deals and offers, location-based services, GPS
  • Access to Internet 16 can be made by various methods; typically, however, a non-institutional user obtains access from one of a plurality of Internet Service Providers (ISPs), which in turn obtain authorized access to Internet 16.
  • ISPs Internet Service Providers
  • Navigation on the WWW portion of Internet 16 involves knowledge of a directory structure of various nodes of the Internet (i.e., an "address" to each given resource on Internet 16).
  • Such an address is generally referred to as a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), which typically starts with a protocol name followed by a domain name, for example: http://www.valuepass.com.
  • Website server 18 is configured to provide, among other things, an interface for effecting a download of client software that a consumer can download and execute to establish a client system 14 on his and/or her computer system. In this way the consumer can become an authorized user ("user") of electronic coupon distribution system 10.
  • website server 18 can refer an Internet consumer to FTP server 26 for the client installation file.
  • Front-end server 20 provides multiple interface and allocation/direction features for electronic coupon distribution system 10.
  • Front-end server 20 is the entity that is initially contacted by client system 14 at the start of each new session of combined Products, Goods or Services with /Geospatial Mapping/Mobile Mapping/Company-Local
  • Handler 22 is configured to interface with database server 24. After a new session is established by a user, all subsequent requests by client system 14 can be directed to and are "handled” by handler 22. As a result, handler 22 can thereafter issue a request and/or a command to database server 24, and/or directly respond to client system (if configured to do so).
  • Database server 24 can comprise a plurality of physical, individual general- purpose digital computers configured as database servers, which can be further configured in a cluster arrangement.
  • Database server 24 in one embodiment, can be configured to operate using SQL server software, such as, but not limited to, Microsoft SQL Server Version 7, commercially available from, for example, Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash., U.S.A.
  • FTP server 26 can be configured to operate in cooperation with website server 18 to provide, for example, installation and/or setup programs.
  • the installation program(s) are downloaded to a general-purpose computer (e.g., PC and/or a MAC) for installation of the client software in accordance with the present disclosure.
  • a general-purpose computer e.g., PC and/or a MAC
  • Client system 14 includes client application software 28, DevicelD data 30 (ID) data 30, user preference data 32, user history data 34, CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data 36, and advertising data 38.
  • client system 14 can comprise a general purpose computing apparatus configured to operate in accordance with an operating system having a graphical user interface, such as, for example, Windows 95/98/NT 4.0/2000/Vista/7, and Apple Computer, Inc. MAC OS Operating System for Macintosh platforms.
  • Client system 14 can further include standard peripherals such as a display device 40, a keyboard 42, a pointing device, such as a mouse 44, and an output device, such as a printer 46, for producing a "hard copy" of CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN 48.
  • DevicelD data 30 can be stored on main server system 12, according to an exemplary embodiment. In exemplary embodiments, one, a few, a plurality and/or all DevicelD data 30 can be stored on main server system 12.
  • Client application software 28 comprises software compatible with and executing on client system 14 configured to implement the present disclosure as described herein.
  • Client application software 28 performs various functions including, but not limited to, collecting user information, including preferences, communicating with main server system
  • DevicelD data 30 can comprise a multi-digit number that is assigned by main server system 12, more particularly, database server 24, when a user registers with CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information distribution system 10.
  • DevicelD data 30 can have a format, such as XXXXXXX, where X is a digit between 0-9.
  • DevicelD data 30, however, does not specifically identify the user personally, but rather, more accurately associates a physical machine defining client system 14 with user profile information obtained during registration.
  • DevicelD data 30 is stored on client system 14, main server system 12, and/or both as a part of a User Info object. If the DevicelD data 30 is stored on client system 14, then DevicelD data 30 is provided to main server system 12 when making requests, for example, for new CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data. If a client system 14 operates multiple independent operating systems (e.g., a Mac operating system (a product of Apple Computer, Inc.) and a Windows operating system (a product of Microsoft Corp.)), then there can be a separate DevicelD data 30 for each operating system assigned to that client system 14. Main server system 12 can correlate the provided DevicelD data 30 with user information stored in a profile database.
  • a profile database e.g., a profile database.
  • the user information can then be used in identifying CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information suitable for the user.
  • the user is not personally identified nor is it even possible (e.g., through the "hacking" of main server system 12) to identify the user personally, as such information is not even collected from the user. Accordingly, the approach described herein maintains privacy of the user of CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I- SN information distribution system 10.
  • the User Info object further includes user information collected from the user of client system 14 indicative of one and/or more demographic characteristics of the user.
  • the user information is insufficient to specifically identify the user.
  • such information comprises a postal zip code associated with the user, and a state in which the user resides.
  • Client application software 28 allows the user to update this information after initial registration.
  • the User Info object includes the mode in which the Internet is accessed, for example, through use of a modem (e.g., dial-up), through use of a Local Area Network (LAN), and/or use of a proxy server.
  • the User Info object can further include the version number of the client application software 28.
  • User preference data 32 comprises two main groups.
  • the first group of information contained in user preference data 32 includes information defining how often the main server system 12 is checked for new CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information. In a constructed embodiment, the options include one hour, two hours, four hours (the default), twice a day, and once a day.
  • the first group of information contained in user preference data 32 can also include a miscellaneous item of information indicating whether the user prefers that certain CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information be automatically printed (this can be selected and/or deselected by the user).
  • the second main group of information included in user preference data 32 includes a comprehensive listing of main categories of CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information selected by the user that the user wishes to receive.
  • main CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I- SN information category descriptions can be changed on main server system 12 and downloaded to client system 14 at any time
  • exemplary categories include "Apparel”, “Athletics”, “Automotive”, and “Internet Electronics”, among others.
  • a user can deselect a category, in which case CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information pertaining to that category cannot be sent from main server system 12 to client system 14.
  • User history data 34 comprises data corresponding to events occurring at the remote client system 14, as well as other items pertaining to the operation of client system 14. All these items are stored in a user history file. For example, when a user is browsing through available CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information each CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information that is selected for viewing is noted in the user history file. Likewise, when CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information is selected for printing, that action is also recorded in the user history file. Other examples include when CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information is actually printed, and when an advertising impression (described in further detail below) is displayed on display device 40.
  • the information contained in the user history data 34 is encrypted by client application software 28 in accordance with a client system encryption strategy to protect the integrity of the data contained therein.
  • CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data 36 includes information corresponding to the CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I- SN information available (e.g., for browsing) on client system 14.
  • Each CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information such as CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information 48, includes a plurality of items of information associated therewith.
  • CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information 48 is actually printed out, additional information can be printed out on the "hard copy" of the CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information.
  • additional items can include the DevicelD data 30, portions of the demographic data such as the postal zip code, one and/or more items of the user information contained in user preference data 32, the date and time, and optionally various Internet URLs. Coupon sponsors have found some of the information appearing on printed CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information 48 desirable.
  • CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information 48 when the user redeems CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information 48, for example, at a retail store, information appearing on CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information 48 (which is eventually returned by the retailer to the CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information issuer and/or sponsor) is available to the CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information sponsor. This information can thereafter be used in analyzing and assessing the efficacy of various advertising/promotional strategies.
  • CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data 36 can be stored on a hard drive and/or the like associated with client system 14, and is preferably stored in an encrypted form.
  • CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data 36 corresponding to CBGSE- PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information is encrypted by main server system 12 in accordance with a server system encryption strategy.
  • the encrypted CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data is then transmitted to client system 14.
  • Client system 14 further encrypts the once -encrypted CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data in accordance with a client system encryption strategy to thereby generate doubly encrypted CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data.
  • the doubly encrypted CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data 36 can then be stored on the client system 14.
  • the foregoing encryption steps substantially minimize the occurrence of fraud in the distribution of CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information compared to known systems.
  • a user can therefore not easily defeat the CBGSE-PGGS-GM- CL/I-SN information counting scheme that limits the number of printouts by, for example, exploring the client systems hard drive, identifying CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data, and thereafter producing printed copies of the
  • CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information Use of the environment established by client application software 28 is therefore practically the only means for the user to obtain usable CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information 48.
  • Advertising data 38 comprises a plurality of advertising impressions wherein each impression can include a predetermined combination of text and images. Advertising data 38 is also stored on client system 14 in an encrypted form.
  • Display device 40, keyboard 42, mouse 44, and printer 46 can comprise an apparatus known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
  • CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information database 50 includes CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data similar to that described in connection with CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data 36, but is more in the nature of a master CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information database including the entire universe and/or a larger set of CBGSE-PGGS-
  • Master category list database 54 includes the main CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information category names presently established on CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information distribution system 10.
  • display characteristics such as the color of a main CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information category button can also be stored in database 54.
  • Plugin database 56 includes information as to available plugins for use in connection with client application software 28 of client system 14.
  • Plugin database 56 includes a plurality of plugins. The particular plugins that are selected for use in connection with client application software 28 depends on what added functionality has been configured in client system
  • plugins can be configured to provide Zodiac information, recipe information, and stock quote information to the user. Additionally, a plugin can be configured to provide a new CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information style for the user. In this way, client system 14 can be updated remotely with new functionality.
  • Brand logo database 58 includes information as to how the user interface of client system 14 is "branded.” The default "branding" of the user interface involves the display of a company logo of the assignee of the present disclosure. Also, a corresponding Internet URL for "click through" purposes is associated with the brand image.
  • other companies can arrange (e.g., through a referral of potential new users and members of CBGSE- PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information distribution system 10) to have the user interface of client application software 28
  • User transaction history database 60 includes information contained in user history data 34 uploaded from client system 14. User transaction history database 60 therefore contains information corresponding to actions and/or events taken by and/or involving the user of client system 14. User transaction history database 60 therefore includes a record for each CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information that has been downloaded and/or otherwise provided to client system 14. As each CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information is displayed, and/or printed by the user, for example, the corresponding record in user transaction history database 60 is updated.
  • FIG. 3 (with reference to components referenced in FIGS. 1 and 2) , a brief description of the operation of CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information distribution system 10, particularly the main interactions between client system 14 and main server system 12, can now be set forth. Each time a new session is commenced, the basic steps set forth in FIG. 3 are performed.
  • step 104 client system 14, by way of execution of client application software 28, is initialized.
  • step 106 client application software 28 determines whether there is an identified user device for client system 14, and/or whether the present user is a "new" user device. Client application software 28 can make this determination based on the existence and/or absence of particular files on client system 14 (e.g., a file containing a DevicelD data 30) indicative of whether and/or not this is a "new" user device. If “NO”, then the method branches to step 112. Otherwise, if the answer to step 106 is "YES", then the method branches to step 107.
  • client application software 28 obtains user information from the user.
  • client application software 28 is configured to collect user information from a user of client system 14 indicative of one and/or more demographic characteristics of the user without obtaining information sufficient to specifically identify the user.
  • the information obtained comprises a postal zip code associated with the user, and a State where the user resides.
  • personal information such as the users and members name, e-mail address, residence address, social security number, telephone number, and the like is not obtained in step 107.
  • the foregoing step provides useful information to main server system 12 in the selection of CBGSE-PGGS- GM-CL/I-SN information appropriate for the user (e.g., geographic area).
  • CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information from merchants located geographically proximate the users and members residence can be more easily redeemed by the user, thus increasing the efficacy of the CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information offer.
  • Other information, such as the type of Internet connection (e.g., modem), can also be obtained from the user in step 107.
  • main server system 12 registers the "new" user device.
  • Main server system 12 determines whether the user of remote client system 14 is a "new" user device based on the presence and/or absence of DevicelD data 30 in a message from client system 14 to main server system 12. The "new" user device is then registered on main server system 12.
  • Main server system 12 is configured to register the new user by performing, among other things, the steps of allocating a new DevicelD data 30, and associating the new DevicelD data 30 with the user information obtained in step 107.
  • remote client system 14 can always be identified by its DevicelD data 30.
  • step 109 client system 14 and main server system 12 communicate so as to update the master category list, plugins, brand logo information, advertising data and CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data at the remote client system 14.
  • client application software 28 is executed, by searching the main server system 12 for new information that has come into being between the time the installation and/or setup program that the user used to install client system 14 was populated with such data (the "sync" date), and the present time (the server date).
  • the identified information is downloaded to thereby update client system 14.
  • This step ensures that the user of client system 14 has the most up-to-date information in these categories.
  • the method then proceeds to step 110 wherein main client application software 28 is executed.
  • step 112 client application determines whether client system 14 is "online.”
  • Client system 14 is "online” when the user is connected to the Internet such that client system 14 can communicate with main server system 12.
  • Client system 14, in an exemplary embodiment, cannot force a connection to Internet 16. Rather, if there is no "online” connection, the user of client system 14 can have access to CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information in an "offline” mode of operation.
  • the answer to step 112 is "NO”
  • the method branches to step 110. Otherwise, when the answer step 112 is "YES”, then the method branches to step 114.
  • main server system 12 identifies the remote client system 14 based on a DevicelD data 30 provided by client system 14.
  • main server system 12 can utilize the information "on file", such as state and zip code, for a variety of purposes.
  • the state and zip code data are included in a request by front-end server 20 to database server 24 to select a server that can service this user for this session.
  • the response to the request is a virtual IP address to a particular handler 22, and a selected database "name" of a selected database server 24.
  • step 116 main server system 12, particularly the assigned handler 22 and database server 24, is updated with any information contained in user history data 34 that has not yet been uploaded and processed.
  • the user history file contains information indicative of actions taken by, or, events occurring in response to actions taken by, the user of remote client system 14.
  • user history data 34 contains information such as the identity of CBGSE-
  • the assigned handler 22 in conjunction with database server 24 uses the user history file in at least two ways: (i) to produce data from which a user script can be built by the remote client system 14 and, (ii) to update the user transaction history database 60, which can then be queried to prepare reports that are provided as feedback to the various advertising sponsors, CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information issuers, and CBGSE-PGGS-
  • Step 118 involves obtaining a client script for execution by client system 14.
  • Step 118 includes the substep of identifying CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information at main server system 12 suitable for the user. What is suitable for any particular user can be based on DevicelD data 30, the user information associated with DevicelD data 30, the main CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information categories selected by the user, the OS platform (e.g., MAC OS vs.
  • the OS platform e.g., MAC OS vs.
  • Client system 14 can be sent lists of undownloaded CBGSE-PGGS- GM-CL/I-SN information, undownloaded ads, etc. The lists can only identify, for example, the CBGSE-PGGS-GM- CL/I-SN information to be downloaded (not the CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information itself). Steps 120, 122, and 124 involve obtaining the actual CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data, ad data, etc.
  • step 120 the master category list, plugins, and brand logo information is updated, based on execution of the client script by client system 14. Particularly, client system 14 works through the list of needed items.
  • step 122 advertising data comprising advertising impressions from advertising database 52 are updated at the remote client system 14. This step ensures that the user has the most up-to-date advertising available. Again, client system 14 works through a list of needed ads, sequentially making requests from database server 24.
  • CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data from CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information database 50 is updated at remote client system 14. Updating of the CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data includes retrieving CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data corresponding to the identified CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information (i.e., the list provided as part of the client script).
  • FIG. 4 shows the steps performed on main server system 12 to register a new user device.
  • the process begins in step 176 with commencement of the registration routine.
  • a new DevicelD data 30 is calculated by database server 24.
  • a new entry and/or record is created in a user profile table. The profile entry can associate DevicelD data 30 with the user information collected from the user. The method then proceeds to step 182.
  • step 182 database server 24 determines whether a "sync date” was provided from client system 14. This is a date that describes how "up-to-date" client system 14 is, particularly the CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information and advertising information portions thereof. The "sync date” is automatically provided from client system 14 to database server 24 via the assigned handler 22. If a "sync date” was not provided by client system 14, then the method branches to step 184 where a nominal sync date based on the version of the software installed on the client system is used for downloading and updating purposes. Alternatively, if the answer to step 182 is "YES", then the method branches to step 186.
  • step 186 the date provided by client system 14 is used as the "sync date” to synchronize the data on client system 14 relative to the master data on main server system 12.
  • the "sync date” is not a date that client application software 28 solicits from the user, but rather, is simply a date available within client application software 28 relating to how "current" the data is (i.e., CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information/advertising data, etc.). In either case, the method proceeds to and ends at step 188.
  • FIG. 5 shows step 120 (FIG. 3) in greater detail.
  • step 190 represents a request to obtain a master category list (i.e., the up-to-date list). This request is made from client system 14 (FIG. 1) to the selected database server
  • the master CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information category list (e.g., "Athletics”, “Automotive”, “Internet Electronics”, etc.) can be updated on main server system 12, particularly database server 24. That is, categories can be added, and/or categories can be deleted. In either case, such a change are reflected in user interface 62 of the respective client systems 14 when the next session is invoked by a user.
  • step 192 all undeleted master CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information categories, along with their display color (as displayed on display device 40 of client system 14) are reported out to client system 14 for use by client application software 28.
  • step 194 ends the master CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information category list updating process.
  • step 196 represents a request from client system 14 to database server 24 via handler 22 to obtain a new and/or an up-to-date plugin(s). It should be understood that for an existing user, client system 14 can be executing a client script that includes a list containing needed plugins. The process outlined in FIG. 11 would be executed for each plugin on the list.
  • step 198 database server 24 performs a look-up of the needed plugin to locate the corresponding plugin file (or image).
  • step 200 an "image" and/or copy of the file of the sought-after plugin is encrypted in accordance with a server system encryption strategy, and is reported and/or transmitted via Internet 16 to client system 14.
  • step 202 the plugin update process is completed.
  • FIG. 7 shows step 122 ("updating advertising data") of FIG.3 in greater detail.
  • steps 224-232 illustrate, in accordance with the present disclosure, that advertising text, and images are encrypted to thereby provide secure transmission to client system 14.
  • client system 14 can be executing a client script that includes a list containing needed advertising impressions. The process outlined in FIG. 12 would be executed for each advertising impression on the list.
  • Step 224 marks the beginning of the advertising update method.
  • main server system 12 determines whether the user, more particularly client system 14, is requesting "text" and/or "image” advertising data. If the answer is "text”, then the method proceeds to step 228.
  • main server system 12 particularly database server 24, encrypts the text of the advertising data, and reports out the resulting encrypted advertising data. It should be understood this encryption occurs in accordance with a server system encryption strategy.
  • step 230 the advertising data requested is "image" data.
  • the advertising data (“image” data) is encrypted by main server system 12 according to a main server system encryption strategy, resulting in encrypted advertising image data.
  • the encrypted ad image data is then reported out to client system 14.
  • Step 232 defines the end of the advertising update process.
  • client script is built by client system 14 based on information (e.g., lists) from handler 22 in cooperation with database server 24.
  • the client script provides instructions for main server system 12 to execute.
  • client system 14 issues a request to handler 22 to obtain the "user" and/or "client” script.
  • the client script is then returned to client system 14.
  • Step 268 show the execution of the client script by client system 14, which issues the commands shown in the steps 268-290.
  • client system 14 issues commands via handler 22 to database server 24 to create user transaction records for any new plugins, main CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information categories, advertising data, and/or CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data received by client system 14 since the last client script was retrieved.
  • client system 14 issues commands via handler 22 to database server 24 to check existing user transaction records for any deletions. Any deletions are processed whereby the affected user transaction record is modified to indicate that the client CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information has been deleted.
  • client system 14, in execution of the client script issues a command via handler 22 to database server 24 to report all undownloaded plugins.
  • Database server 24, through handler 22, returns a message containing a listing of all undownloaded plugins. This list is processed by client system 14 after the client script has been completed.
  • client system 14, in execution of the client script issues a command via handler 22 to database server 24 to report all undownloaded advertising impressions.
  • Database server 24 returns a list of all undownloaded ad impressions.
  • client system 14, in execution of the client script issues a command via handler 22 to database server 24 to report all undeleted CBGSE- PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information.
  • step 278 client system 14, in execution of the client script, issues a command via handler 22 to database server 24 to determine whether any of the main CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information categories have been changed. If the answer to this inquiry is "YES”, then flow of the process continues at step 280, wherein the database server 24 reports to client system 14 that a new master category list is needed. Flow then proceeds to step 282.
  • step 282 client system 14, in execution of the client script, issues a command via handler 22 to database server 24 to report all undownloaded
  • Database server 24 returns a listing of all undownloaded CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information.
  • client system 14 in execution of the client script, issues a command via handler 22 to database server 24 to report the current official software version.
  • Database server 24 returns the latest version number.
  • database server 24 is requested to record the current time as the last user login. Flow of the process then continues to step 290, which marks the end of the client script execution.
  • steps 346-350 illustrate the response of client application software 28 when a user "clicks" and/or otherwise selects logo pane 74 of user interface 62.
  • Step 346 marks the beginning of the routine. Step 346 is entered when client application software 28 (via the OS) detects that the user has "clicked” on and/or otherwise selected a portion of logo pane 74.
  • client application software 28 invokes an Internet browser registered with the operating system of client system 14 as the default browser and passes thereto a URL.
  • the Internet browser then connects to a website server resource corresponding to the specified URL. This "click” action, therefore, takes the user to the website of the company displayed in logo pane 74.
  • Step 350 marks the end of this routine.
  • FIG. 10 shows the response of client application software 28 when a user "clicks" on and/or otherwise selects a portion of advertising pane 72.
  • Step 352 marks the beginning of the routine.
  • client application software 28 creates a click-through history record indicative of the fact that the user has "clicked” and/or otherwise selected the advertiser displayed in advertising pane 72. This is included in user history data 34, which can thereafter be encrypted and transmitted to main server system 12 for processing.
  • step 356 the client application software 28 launches an Internet browser registered with the operating system of client system 14, and passes thereto a URL corresponding to the advertiser displayed in advertising pane 72.
  • the Internet browser executes, it connects to a website server resource defined by the URL.
  • the foregoing actions take the user to the advertisers website specified in the URL.
  • Step 358 marks the end of this routine.
  • FIG. 11 illustrates a response taken by client application software 28 when a user "clicks" on and/or otherwise selects an item appearing in CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information subcategory list 68.
  • Step 360 marks the beginning of the process. Step 360 is entered when client application software 28 (via the OS) determines that an item in CBGSE-PGGS-
  • GM-CL/I-SN information subcategory list 68 has been "clicked" on.
  • client application software 28 determines whether the selection was a "click” and/or a "double-click.” Depending on which of these events occurred, client application software 28 can take alternative courses of action. If the action is a single-click, then the method branches to step 364.
  • step 364 the local CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information database is locked by client application software 28.
  • the process proceeds to step 366.
  • step 366 the selected subcategory item is retrieved from the local database on client system 14.
  • step 368 the contents of CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information list 70 is reset by client application software 28 according to the contents of the new subcategory. For example, if the new subcategory pertains to CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information, then the new CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information associated with the new selected subcategory is displayed in CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information list 70.
  • step 370 client application software 28 determines and/or otherwise selects an advertising impression to be displayed in advertising pane 72 in accordance with a predetermined advertising impression selection strategy.
  • the selection criteria includes the identity of the selected CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information subcategory.
  • step 372 a test is performed by client application software 28 to determine whether the newly selected advertising impression is different from the advertising impression currently being displayed. If the answer is "YES", then the process branches to step 374, where the new advertising impression is displayed in advertising pane 72, and an advertising impression history record is created for inclusion in the user history data 34. The method proceeds to step 376.
  • step 376 which is an exit step. If the answer to step 372 is "NO”, however, then the process branches to step 376, which is an exit step. If the action evaluated in step 362 is determined to be a "double click”, then the process branches to step 378. "Double clicking" CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information subcategory is a user request to refresh the contents of that subcategory. I n step 378, client application software 28 creates a refresh history event for that subcategory. In step 380, client application software 28 sends to the database thread a request to flush the current history. The contents of that subcategory are then downloaded (available on display device 40) as if they were new. In step 382, a message is sent to the database thread to do idle processing.
  • FIGS. 12A and 12B are flow diagrams of processes for controlling the number of clicks to a clickable advertisement.
  • a request is received from client application software 28 of a particular client system 14 to view clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements.
  • the request preferably includes DevicelD data
  • the request can be made in response to linking and/or accessing a particular website and/or by submitting the request through user interface 62.
  • an access limit is identified for each of the clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements that are responsive to the received request.
  • main server system 12 can identify an appropriate handler 22 and database server 24 for servicing the request.
  • Handler 22 accesses database server 24, which can includes a list of available clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements, to identify the clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements (including CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information) responsive to the request and to identify the access limits associated with those clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements.
  • step 424 for each of the clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements responsive to the request, it is determined how many times each clickable advertisement has been clicked on by client application software 28 and/or client system 14 based on the associated DevicelD data 30. This information can be determined by checking the values of the counters held in database server 24 for each clickable advertisement corresponding to DevicelD data 30 provided in the request.
  • step 426 clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements are made available to the requesting client system 14 that have been accessed (i.e., clicked on) by client system 14 fewer times than the access limit. To determine if a clickable advertisement should be made available, main server system 12 compares the identified access limit to the determined number of accesses set in the corresponding counter.
  • the clickable advertisement is made available to the requesting client system 14.
  • the access limit is equal to (or less than) the determined number of accesses set in the corresponding counter, then the clickable advertisement is not made available to the requesting client system 14.
  • the clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements made available to the client system 14 can be viewed, for example, in advertising pane 72 and and/or logo pane 74. Each of the clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements made available to client system 14 can be accessed, i.e., clicked on, by the user at client system 14.
  • step 428 in addition to making the clickable advertisement available to be clicked on by the user at client system 14, if the clickable advertisement is CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information, then the user is permitted to print CBGSE- PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information as well.
  • the user can select the "Print Now" button 80, which prints the CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information currently being viewed on printer 46.
  • step 430 in response to the click of the clickable advertisement, the counter associated with that clickable advertisement and corresponding to DevicelD data 30 of client application software 28 and/or client system 14 is incremented.
  • client application software 28 can generate a signal to main server system 12 indicating that the clickable advertisement has been clicked on, and based on that signal the server increments the applicable counter in database server 24.
  • the signal can include information identifying the clickable advertisement, as well as DevicelD data 30 of client system 14. Accordingly, each time a clickable advertisement is clicked on, the counter associated with the clickable advertisement is incremented, and once the count in the counter reaches the access limit, the user at that client system 14 is no longer permitted to click on that clickable advertisement.
  • client system 14 can be a client computer.
  • the method for controlling access to advertisement in a network can include assigning an identifier to a client computer and receiving a request from client application software 28 operating on the client computer to access the advertisement.
  • the request can include the identifier assigned to the client computer.
  • the method can further include transmitting an advertisement access report to a remote server.
  • the method can further include the identifier being assigned to the client computer by the client application.
  • the method can also include that the identifier being assigned to the client computer is not one of a DevicelD data 30 and/or an Internet protocol address.
  • the method can also include encrypting the advertisement at a server to generate a first encrypted advertisement and further encrypting the first encrypted advertisement at the client computer to generate a second encrypted advertisement.
  • FIG. 12B illustrates a process similar to the one in FIG. 12A.
  • a request is received from the client application software 28 to view clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements, the request including DevicelD data 30 that uniquely identifies client system 14 making the request.
  • all clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements that are responsive to the request are made available to the requesting client system 14 in step 434.
  • main server system 12 can identify an appropriate handler 22 and database server 24 for servicing the request.
  • Handler 22 can access database server 24 to identify the clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements responsive to the request.
  • the user at client system 14 can try to click on any of the clickable advertisement made available to client system 14.
  • a request is received by main server system 12 for access to that clickable advertisement.
  • the request can include information identifying the selected clickable advertisement, as well as DevicelD data 30 of the requesting client system 14.
  • an access limit is identified for the selected clickable advertisement. More particularly, main server system 12 can identify an appropriate handler 22 to access database server 24 and identify the access limits associated with the selected clickable advertisement.
  • step 442 the user is permitted to click on and access the selected clickable advertisement if it is determined that the clickable advertisement has been accessed by client system 14 fewer times than the access limit.
  • main server system 12 compares the identified access limit to the determined number of accesses (i.e., clicks) set in the corresponding counter. If the access limit is greater than the determined number of accesses set in the corresponding counter, then the user is permitted to click on and access the clickable advertisement at the requesting client system 14. On the other hand, if the access limit is equal to (or less than) the determined number of accesses set in the corresponding counter, then the user is not permitted to click on and access the clickable advertisement at client system 14. If permitted to click on and access the clickable advertisement, and the clickable advertisement is CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information, then the user can print or add to a cart the CBGSE-
  • step 444 in response to the click of a clickable advertisement, the counter associated with that clickable advertisement and corresponding to DevicelD data 30 of client application software 28 and/or client system 14 is incremented. More specifically, client application software 28 can generate a signal to main server system 12 indicating that the accessed clickable advertisement has been clicked on, and based on that signal main server system 12 increments the applicable counter in database server 24. The signal can include information identifying the clickable advertisement, as well as DevicelD data 30 of client system 14.
  • FIG. 13 illustrations of a screen display defining an interface associated with a client system portion are shown, according to exemplary embodiments, e.g., as Social Earth.
  • FIG. 13 provides the added feature of being able to utilize a pull down menus 652, 654, 656, and 658 to retrieve CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data.
  • FIG. 13 provides the added feature of being able to utilize a pull down menus 652, 654, 656, and 658 to retrieve CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data.
  • a thin client can be operable on client system 14 to interface with main server system 12.
  • a thin client is a client computer and/or client software in client-server architecture networks, which depends primarily on the central server for processing activities, and mainly focuses on conveying input and output between the user and the remote server.
  • a thick and/or fat client does as much processing as possible and passes only data for
  • a Geographic Information System (GIS) (Also Called Geographic Mapping And/or "GM”) is a computer technology that provides an analytical framework for managing and integrating data, solving problems, and/or understanding past, present, and/or future situations.
  • GIS can link information and/or attributes to location data (hereinafter referred to as a "feature"), for example, people to addresses, buildings to parcels, and/or streets within a network.
  • GIS and/or GM can further layer such information to present a better and/or clearer understanding of how many different variables interrelate and/or work together. Layers can be in the form of colored and/or textured overlays, graphics, icons, graphs, and/or other visual indicators of data in context with a geographic location associated with the data.
  • GIS and geospatial technologies are used in the present invention in all fields such as, but not limited to, business and marketing, emergency management, environmental planning, geo-intelligence and security, risk assessment, urban planning and utilities management, as well as industries such as telecommunications, utilities, transportation, education and scientific research constitute some of the largest consumers of this technology, and through its application in numerous daily tasks, as well as logistics companies using it to plan optimal delivery routes, insurance industry to assess risk and vulnerability with geospatial data, the retail sector to understand its customer base to provide more efficient services, while in the communications realm, location-specific applications such as Foursquare, Microsoft GeoLife and Google Buzz on cell phones or social media websites help diffuse this technology to the general public.
  • location-specific applications such as Foursquare, Microsoft GeoLife and Google Buzz on cell phones or social media websites help diffuse this technology to the general public.
  • the invention also includes future growth in the geospatial technologies industry including building capacity and developing broad citizen access to the technology, constructing innovative value-added applications to help businesses make informed decisions, gathering and sharing reliable geospatial data, and training a capable work force, as well as the Internet and advances in information and communications technologies also can be included in its expansion.
  • the invention also can include the purchase and use of place-based GIS-generated products without necessarily being familiar with the technology itself, such the use of GPS or Internet-based maps to locate a particular business outlet, while user access and awareness can stimulate a greater demand for new applications of this technology, which can fuel innovation, and a domino effect can help the industry expand into new markets.
  • User access to geospatial technologies and data are slowly revolutionizing how we view the world. GIS has restored the importance of understanding people-place interactions in an array of activities and decision-making processes. With such value and possibility, leaders and users of this technology should promote its application as broadly as possible.
  • a GIS and/or GM is most often associated with maps formed within a framework of a common coordinate system, such as the World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84). Reference locations within the framework can be specified by and/or translated to and/or from locations defined within a common coordinate system, so as to allow integration of disparate data and functionality with a geospatial browser.
  • a map is only one way a user can work with geographic data in a GIS and/or GM and is only one type of output generated by a GIS and/or GM.
  • a GIS and/or GM can provide many more problem-solving capabilities than using a simple mapping program and/or adding data to an online mapping tool (e.g., in a "mash-up").
  • a GIS and/or GM can be viewed in at least three ways, (1) as a database; (2) as a map; and/or (3) as a model.
  • a GIS provides a unique kind of database relating to the Earth and/or other mapped region, such as a geographic database and/or geo-database.
  • a GM is based on a structured database that describes the mapped region in geographic terms.
  • GM maps can be either two and/or three dimensional in presentation.
  • GM maps are generally constructed of "tiles" that are unit areas of a geographic region. Tiles can be identified in the database by coordinate boundaries and/or individual reference identifications allocated to each tile.
  • the number of tiles covering a particular geographic region can vary depending upon the resolution of the map requested; a high-resolution map (e.g., 1 m) of a geographic area can have substantially more tiles than a lower resolution map of the same area.
  • Maps combining the underlying geographic information with overlays of associated data can be constructed and used as "windows into the database" to support queries, analysis, and editing of the information in a process called “geo-visualization.”
  • a GM is a set of information transformation and/or "geo-processing" tools that derive new geographic datasets from existing datasets. This geo-processing functionality can take information from existing datasets, apply analytic functions, and write results into new derived datasets that show features and feature relationships with the mapped region and present the results to a user.
  • a GM allows mapping of locations and things and identification of places with requested features.
  • GIS mapping can provide information about individual feature and/or present a distribution of features on a map to identify patterns.
  • GM and/or GIS mapping can be based upon and/or filtered by quantities, for example, locations of most and least of a feature.
  • GM and/or GIS mapping can also find and establish relationships between places, features, conditions, and/or events and determine where certain criteria are met and/or not met.
  • GM and/or GIS mapping can also present densities to view concentrations.
  • a density map allows measurement of a number of features using a uniform area unit, such as acres and/or square miles, to clearly present the distribution. This functionality provides an additional level of information beyond simply mapping the locations of features.
  • GM and/or GIS can be used to map changes to anticipate future needs. GM and/or GIS mapping can also be used to map conditions before and after an action and/or event to see the impact. For example, a retail analyst might map the change in store sales before and after a regional ad campaign to see where the ads were most effective.
  • a GM and/or GIS can be implemented in a geospatial decision management system (GDMS) 100, shown in FIG. 14 to provide the geo-processing power and infrastructure to process the data and render geo-visualizations of the data in a user interface.
  • the GDMS 100 of FIG. 14 can be implemented in a combination of a server computer system 102, one and/or more client computer systems 104, and various data sources 106, 108, and 110.
  • GDMS data can be saved in the GDMS server system 102 and/or in a datastore 106, 108, and 110 at a local and/or remote location.
  • the data sources 106 and 108 are depicted as local to the server system 102, whereas the data source 110 is depicted as coupled remotely to the server system 102 via a communications network 112.
  • GDMS data can also be cached in a proxy server.
  • the client system 104 can be coupled remotely to the server system 102 via a communication network 114 (or alternatively, the same communications network 112), although a local connection between the client system 104 and the server system 102 can be employed. It should be understood that multiple client systems can be coupled with the server system 102 concurrently. It should also be understood that the client system 104 and server system 102 can be implemented in an integrated system.
  • the network connection 114 such as an Internet connection, can be used by GDMS client systems 104 to access the data (e.g., data defining layers and/or providing financial information, chemical concentrations, test results, project state reports, etc.) at the remote data sources 106, 108, 110, directly and/or through an intermediate computing system (e.g., a proxy server and/or GDMS server).
  • data e.g., data defining layers and/or providing financial information, chemical concentrations, test results, project state reports, etc.
  • an intermediate computing system e.g., a proxy server and/or GDMS server
  • the client computer 104 can be coupled to an intermediate server, such as a proxy server 118.
  • the proxy server 118 can be positioned between the client computer 104 and the server system 102.
  • the proxy server 118 intercepts all requests to the server system 102 to see if it can fulfill the requests itself with cached data from prior requests. If not, the proxy server 118 forwards the request to the server system 102 to be fulfilled.
  • the proxy server 204 can also be coupled to the communications network 114 and accessed by the client computer 104 and the server system 102 via the network 114.
  • Firewalls 116 can also be implemented between the server system 102 and the client computer 104 and the network 114 for an added layer of security.
  • the connection can be established as a secure connection between the client system 104 and the server 102 and/or the remote data sources 106, 108 and 110.
  • the secure connection can be accomplished by a variety of different methods including, but not limited to, authentication codes and passwords, secure user management tools, firewalls, user authentication, secure user management tools, user pathway mapping and/or encryption, etc.
  • the server system 102 can include an administrative website that can allow authorized users and members to manipulate and assign user rights (e.g., an administrative tier).
  • the server system 102 can also include a security feature, for example, an access control module 136 to establish, control, and monitor access by client computers 104 to certain data stored within and/or accessible within the GDMS 100. Access control can be governed by an administrator and/or it can be an automated function of the access control module 136 based upon attributes of the data requested and permissions held by the user as further described below.
  • the server system 102 can represent one and/or more hardware and software servers providing multiple server functions.
  • server system 102 can form an N-tier system.
  • the server system 102 can also include a web server application subsystem, whereby World Wide Web-enabled applications can provide various aspects of functionality of the GDMS 100.
  • the server system 102 can provide a website where content creators and/or generators can upload geospatially-related data that can be transformed into features referenced to locations within a map of the GDMS 100 for access through the client system
  • the client system 104 connected to the GDMS 100 for geo-visualization of the information.
  • the client system 104 can be implemented as a "thick" client and execute client-installed software for some and/or all of the functionality of the GDMS 100.
  • a monitor 120 coupled to the client system 104, presents a GDMS interface 122 constructed from data and functionality received through the server system 102.
  • the GDMS interface 122 can be generated by a GDMS application executing on the client system 104 and/or alternatively through a server-executed GDMS application that provides the interface components over the network to a dumb terminal and/or a browser application running on the client system 104.
  • the GDMS interface 122 can be a geospatial browser window including a map 124 (e.g., a globe in this illustration), a geo-visualization of data as a layer 126 and individual features 128 on the map 124, a layer manager 130 for selecting data and other features from the databases 106, 108, 110.
  • the GDMS view can also include tool palettes 132 and 134, which can be distinct features of the browser interface, browser plug-ins, and/or separate utilities and/or applications.
  • the GDMS interface 122 can be in the form of a geospatial browser window and one and/or more geospatially-referenced tools.
  • geospatially-referenced tools e.g., tool palettes 132 and 134
  • a tool can provide chemical analysis results pertaining to soil samples taken from the location over time.
  • a tool can retrieve and analyze financial data pertaining to a construction project on a specified region on the map (e.g., a location).
  • the data available to such tools is provided from a variety of data sources and associated with each location within the common coordinate system of the GDMS system 100, such as through specified coordinates (e.g., longitude and latitude), other geographic constraints, and/or organizational constraints (e.g., a project identifier of a project having a specific geographic location and/or constraint, a feature identifier of a feature having a specific geographic location and/or constraint, etc.).
  • specified coordinates e.g., longitude and latitude
  • other geographic constraints e.g., longitude and latitude
  • organizational constraints e.g., a project identifier of a project having a specific geographic location and/or constraint, a feature identifier of a feature having a specific geographic location and/or constraint, etc.
  • the user can view a location through the geospatial browser and access data and/or functionality associated with a location that is accessible through the tools in the browser. These locations can be the same location and/or distinct locations.
  • FIG. 15 further illustrates an example of a GDMS 200 for accessing specific data and/or information within a database based on the association of the information with geospatial coordinates.
  • the GDMS 200 can be implemented by a
  • the GM and/or GIS server system 202 in communication with a GM and/or GIS client computer 204 over a communication network 208, e.g., the Internet.
  • the GM and/or GIS client computer 204 can be used to access information in a decision management datastore (DMD) 206 connected with the GM and/or GIS server system 202.
  • the communication network 208 ideally provides the GM and/or GIS client computer 204 with high-speed access to indexed data on the DMD 206.
  • the GM and/or GIS server system 202 can also include a security feature, for example, an access control module 222 to establish, control, and monitor access by GM and/or GIS client computers 204 to certain data stored within and/or accessible via the DMD 206. Access control can be governed by an administrator and/or it can be an automated function based upon attributes of the data requested and permissions held by the user as further described below
  • the data retrieved from the DMD 206 can be presented in a user interface 210, 216, 222, 224 (of which four exemplary configurations are presented in FIG. 15 at the GM and/or GIS client computer 204.
  • a feature presented in the user interface 210 e.g., a geospatial coordinate and/or geographic location
  • the client computer 204 can be used to access information indexed by features using the DMD 206.
  • the GM and/or GIS client computer 204 can access the indexed data in the DMD 206 by using applications and/or plug- ins, such as technical interfaces 210, 216 and management interfaces 222, 224.
  • the technical interfaces 210, 216 can be used to access technical data associated with particular features. In exemplary implementations such technical data might be biochemical, geochemical, hydro-geological, and/or other physical data on analytes.
  • the management interfaces 118, 120 can be used to access business management data. In exemplary implementations such management data might be business and organizational documents and data associated with particular features.
  • the GM and/or GIS client computer 204 can select the feature 214, i.e., the ground water well, to receive information related to that feature 214.
  • the first technical interface 210 can include a concentric area data tool that can provide technical data related to the ground water well feature 214, for example, latitude and longitude, physical inspection data, water level information, and water contamination information, in a the form of information windows and visual geographic information overlays on a base location map.
  • a contract management concentric data tool can provide management data based upon the selected feature 214, for example, information on construction and/or work in progress, zoning and/or easement information, and/or information on any contracts applicable to the feature 214.
  • a finance management concentric data tool 120 can also provide management data relating to financial information applying to the feature 214 selected, for example, costs of past repairs and/or current maintenance fees.
  • the management interfaces 222, 224 can further comprise a real-time link to a video camera providing a view of the selected feature 214 and any construction and/or activity occurring at the selected feature 214.
  • the GDMS shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 is an innovative, GM and/or GIS-based management decision support tool that optimizes the geo-processing and geo-visualization of available GM and/or GIS data, for example, natural resources, building resources, time -management resources, personnel resources, financial resources, and information resources, and others.
  • the GDMS can enable a GM and/or GIS client to easily visualize and interpret large, multifaceted, and complex information sets in order to make comparative analyses of alternatives, identify potential liabilities and opportunities, and optimize program strategies.
  • the GDMS provides full convergence, and/or integration, of multiple (essentially limitless) disparate data sets within a single virtual three-dimensional (geospatial) model.
  • the disparate data sets, and even sub-data sets within them, can be organized by association with relevant features on the model.
  • groundwater analytical data can be associated with a given groundwater well; building data can be associated with a given building; installation information can be associated with the installation; and command information can be associated with the command.
  • the GDMS full data convergence allows data to be accessed relative to position, scale, resolution, time, and other geospatial attributes and serves as an extremely intuitive and efficient way to organize and access essentially limitless quantities of information.
  • the GDMS allows queries, filters, and comparisons of data to be completed at the GM and/or GIS server system and then visually represented in three dimensions in near real time at the GM and/or GIS client device.
  • the three - dimensional representation of data helps users and members gain a better understanding of the meaning contained within the data more rapidly than using traditional tabular and/or two-dimensional representations of data.
  • the GDMS thus allows the meaning represented in the three-dimensional data to be rapidly communicated to users and members.
  • the GDMS improves on traditional closed and/or organization-specific GM and/or GIS by affording live connections or channels to multiple databases. As the databases are updated, the representations afforded by GDMS can thus be current. This allows a fourth dimension, time, to be factored into resource management decisions. Time is an important additional data factor because previous "views" of the data can be compared to current "views” of the data, in order to gain an understanding of the rates of change (or dynamics) of the real system. In other words, the GDMS allows for differences between time states to be understood and factored into a decision process.
  • a GDMS 100 can be used to provide access to specific sections within documents, which are associated with a particular geographic coordinate, e.g., Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services-Geographic Mapping-Company/Local Information-Social Networking (PS -GM-C/L-SN) information.
  • a geographic coordinate e.g., Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services-Geographic Mapping-Company/Local Information-Social Networking (PS -GM-C/L-SN) information.
  • PS -GM-C/L-SN Services-Geographic Mapping-Company/Local Information-Social Networking
  • a GDMS 100 user can select a specific location and/or 'feature' on a map and be directed to location-based promotions coupons and/or location-based deals and offers and location-based services in real-time via a mobile device geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, location-based advertisements, location-based deals and offers, location-based services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, Consumer, Business,
  • GDMS 100 links and/or ties a 'feature,' and/or specific geographic location, to an indexed database of data.
  • the specific relevant data provided to a user can comprise only portions and/or sections of documents, maps, and/or images related to that specific 'feature' selected. This can greatly increase efficiency of GM and/or GIS by taking a user directly to a relevant section of a document, which can be hundreds and/or thousands of pages in length.
  • the GDMS is a powerful tool that can be used to access enormous quantities of data stored at remote locations.
  • control access to data stored at remote locations for example, an access control module 222 as depicted in FIG. 15 can be implemented.
  • An administrator of the data stored at the remote location to have server-side control over varying levels of access to data.
  • access control can be exercised on the server-side; however, in other implementations this level of access control can be exercised on the client side.
  • access control can also be exercised at/by a given database. It can also be desirable to have different levels of authorization to control data access for employees having different roles within an organization. These levels of authorization can be created and adjusted by an administrator to permit varying levels of access to the data.
  • the GDMS can specifically establish different levels of access to the data can be controlled for each individual and/or can be controlled in groups (e.g., hierarchically) by the administrator and can be created and maintained using operations implemented within the access control module 222.
  • the varying levels of accessibility to data can be controlled using a number of different methods including, but not limited to, authentication codes and passwords, secure user management tools, firewalls, user authentication, user pathway mapping, and/or encryption.
  • the levels of access control to the data can also be controlled by the creation of an individual profile for each user identifying the user's role in the organization and specifying their level of access to the data. Then, when a user logs onto a system, their level of access to data can be known by the system and the user can then only be able to view and/or access data that was commensurate with their level of authorization.
  • the layers of data can also be saved so that other authorized users and members can access the saved layers to view and make additional changes to (or comments on) the layers and then save those additional changes. This allows a given user to open the selected state, make changes, alterations, and comments, and save this new altered state for review and potential further modification by others.
  • Certain GDMS view state data and/or functionality can and/or cannot be accessible to and/or be editable by a user based upon access permissions that have been granted to and/or withheld from the user.
  • access to the different map tiles and/or layers of data can be based upon the scale and/or resolution of the map and/or layer, i.e., access is 'scale-driven/
  • the contextual and/or 'smarf layers of data can be turned on and/or off by an administrator based upon the authorization to access each layer of data.
  • a user's ability to change and/or alter the layers of data can also be dependent upon their level of authorization.
  • an exemplary GDMS 300 is implemented in a server system 302 with a DMD 306 as described above.
  • the server system 302 can further include additional data servers, for example, a map tile server 310 indexed by coordinates, reference number, and/or feature; one and/or more layer servers 312 that provide feature and layer information also indexed by reference to geospatial coordinates, tile reference number, and/or feature; and a document server 314 that can provide Product/Service/Retail-Geographic Mapping-Company/Local Information-Social Networking (PSR-GM-C/L&SC-SN) information, and/or other documents and information associated with a geospatial location (again indexed by coordinate, reference number, and/or feature) in a format not amenable to geo-visualization.
  • PSR-GM-C/L&SC-SN Product/Service/Retail-Geographic Mapping-Company/Local Information-Social Networking
  • the data servers 310, 312, 314 can be connected to the DMD 306 and/or to one another to maximize operating efficiency of the datastore 306.
  • the data servers 310, 312, 314 and the datastore 306 can be located within the same server system 302, while in other implementations, the data servers 310, 312, 314 and the datastore 306 can be distributed across a network.
  • the server system 302 can further comprise a workflow module 316 and an access control module 318 through one and/or a number of different types of software programs (i.e., programming logic and/or computer executable instructions) utilizing a variety of different types of measures to control access to the DMD 306.
  • the workflow module 316 and the access control module 318 can be positioned between the client computer 304 and the DMD 306, as shown in FIG. 16, to provide a layer of access control between the client device 304 and the DMD 306 and/or the data servers 310, 312, 314.
  • the access control module 318 and workflow module 316 can be partially and/or substantially implemented in other locations, for example, on the client device 304, and/or within the communications network 308.
  • access to data can be controlled based merely upon geospatial attributes, for example, the geospatial location (coordinates) of a tile request, scale of a tile request, resolution of a tile request, payment for access, the combination of layers requested, and/or freshness and/or staleness of data requested.
  • geospatial attributes for example, the geospatial location (coordinates) of a tile request, scale of a tile request, resolution of a tile request, payment for access, the combination of layers requested, and/or freshness and/or staleness of data requested.
  • a geospatial attribute can be the ability to download a geospatial dataset as opposed to merely having the ability to view a geo-visualization of such data, e.g., as a layer and/or set of features, e.g., Product, Goods & Services Geographic Mapping-Company/Local Information-Social Networking (PSR-GM-C/L&SC-SN) information.
  • a further example of a geospatial attribute can be the ability to save and/or bookmarks geo-visualization states defines by various combinations of underlying mar tiles and overlying layers and features for easily returning to such states as opposed to having to recreate the same filter query to return to a prior state.
  • a public implementation of the workflow module 316 can be used as an interface for data sources to either upload data to the DMD 306 and/or otherwise register data with the DMD 306 so that the DMD 306 can locate and access the data from a remote server and/or data store managed by the data source.
  • Another exemplary function of the access control module 318 can be embodied in the temporal determination module 328 that allows and/or denies access to map tiles and/or layers based upon the age of the information comprising the particular dataset, e.g. Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or
  • the temporal determination module 328 manages the temporal worth of GM and/or GIS data, for example, by examining time stamps associated with particular GM and/or GIS datasets and comparing the timestamps to any tags that can be encoded with the data indicating that the GM and/or GIS dataset is subject to a fee for service within particular ranges of age.
  • FIG. 17 depicts an exemplary set of access control operations 400 that can be performed according to one
  • the access control module receives a tile request in a receiving operation 402 associated with one and/or more Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services-Geographic Mapping-Company/Local Information-Social
  • PS -GM-C/L&SC-SN Globalstar Networking
  • any request from a client device for GM and/or GIS data can necessarily be associated with one and/or more map tiles.
  • all of the data can have a reference to particular geospatial coordinates, which can optionally broken down in units of map tiles.
  • the access control module can next determine what kind of geospatial attribute is implicated in the bounding box restriction in checking operation 410.
  • the access control module can then invoke one and/or more of the sub-modules described above for further processing assistance.
  • the appropriate sub-module(s) can first determine whether an actual restriction must be imposed on the data request pursuant to the geospatial attribute in determination operation 412. This operation determines whether the requested a value of the geospatial dataset and/or feature actually conflicts with the restriction set by the data contributor. For example, the tile request at a resolution value restricted by the data contributor without additional authorization and/or payment and the tile would be considered actually restricted. Alternatively, if the tile request is at a resolution value within the allowable bounds set by the contributor, then the attribute of the request would not be considered restricted and the tiles and/or associated data would be approved for presentation in sending operation 408.
  • FIG. 18 An exemplary computer system 500 for implementing the file origin determination processes above is depicted in FIG. 18.
  • the computer system 500 can be a computer server with internal processing and memory components as well as interface components for connection with external input, output, storage (e.g., computer, server, or cloud, etc.), network, and other types of peripheral devices.
  • Internal components of the computer system in FIG.18 are shown within the dashed line and external components are shown outside of the dashed line. Components that can be internal and/or external are shown straddling the dashed line.
  • the computer system 500 can be in the form of any of a personal computer (PC), a notebook and/or portable computer, a tablet PC, a handheld media player (e.g., an MP3 player), a smart phone or mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device (such as a mobile phone networks or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real time,, a video gaming device, a set top box, a workstation, a mainframe computer, a distributed computer, an Internet appliance, and/or other computer devices, and/or combinations thereof.
  • PC personal computer
  • notebook and/or portable computer e.g., a notebook and/or portable computer
  • a tablet PC e.g., a handheld media player (e.g., an MP3 player)
  • a smart phone or mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device such as a mobile phone networks or wi-fi networks
  • an Internet connected computer terminal such as a mobile phone networks or wi-fi networks
  • the computer system 500 includes a processor 502 and a system memory 506 connected by a system bus 504 that also operatively couples various system components.
  • processors 502 e.g., a single central processing unit (CPU), and/or a plurality of processing units, commonly referred to as a parallel processing environment.
  • the system bus 504 can be any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus and/or memory controller, a peripheral bus, a switched-fabric, point-to-point connection, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures.
  • the system memory 506 includes read only memory (ROM) 508 and random access memory (RAM) 510.
  • BIOS basic input/output system
  • ROM 508 A basic input/output system (BIOS) 512, containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within the computer system 500, such as during start-up, is stored in ROM 508.
  • a cache 514 can be set-aside in RAM 510 to provide a high-speed memory store for frequently accessed data.
  • a hard disk drive interface 516 can be connected with the system bus 504 to provide read and write access to a data storage device, e.g., a hard disk drive 518, for nonvolatile storage of applications, files, and data.
  • a data storage device e.g., a hard disk drive 518
  • a number of program modules and other data can be stored on the hard disk 518, including an operating system 520, one and/or more application programs 522, other program modules 524, and data files 526.
  • the hard disk drive 518 can further store access control module 564 for restricting access to map and data files and the decision management datastore 566 for housing and managing GM and/or GIS databases according to the exemplary processes described herein above.
  • the hard disk drive 518 can be either an internal component and/or an external component of the computer system 500 as indicated by the hard disk drive 518 straddling the dashed line in FIG.20. In some configurations, there can be both an internal and an external hard disk drive 518.
  • the computer system 500 can further include a magnetic disk drive 530 for reading from and/or writing to a removable magnetic disk 532, tape, and/or other magnetic media.
  • the magnetic disk drive 530 can be connected with the system bus 504 via a magnetic drive interface 528 to provide read and write access to the magnetic disk drive 530 initiated by other components and/or applications within the computer system 500.
  • the magnetic disk drive 530 and the associated computer-readable media can be used to provide nonvolatile storage of computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, and other data for the computer system 500.
  • the computer system 500 can additionally include an optical disk drive 536 for reading from and/or writing to a removable optical disk 538 such as a CD ROM and/or other optical media.
  • the optical disk drive 536 can be connected with the system bus 504 via an optical drive interface 534 to provide read and write access to the optical disk drive 536 initiated by other components and/or applications within the computer system 500.
  • the optical disk drive 530 and the associated computer -readable optical media can be used to provide nonvolatile storage of computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, and other data for the computer system 500.
  • a display device 542 e.g., a monitor, a television, and/or a projector, and/or other type of presentation device can also be connected to the system bus 504 via an interface, such as a video adapter 540 and/or video card.
  • audio devices for example, external speakers and/or a microphone (not shown), can be connected to the system bus 504 through an audio card and/or other audio interface (not shown).
  • the computer system 500 can include other peripheral input and output devices, which are often connected to the processor 502 and memory 506 through the serial port interface 544 that is coupled to the system bus 506.
  • Input and output devices can also and/or alternately be connected with the system bus 504 by other interfaces, for example, a universal serial bus (USB), a parallel port, and/or a game port.
  • USB universal serial bus
  • a user can enter commands and information into the computer system 500 through various input devices including, for example, a keyboard 546 and pointing device 548, for example, a mouse.
  • Other input devices can include, for example, a microphone, a joystick, a game pad, a tablet, a touch screen device, a satellite dish, a scanner, a facsimile machine, and a digital camera, and a digital video camera.
  • Other output devices can include, for example, a printer 550, a plotter, a photocopier, a photo printer, a facsimile machine, and a press (the latter not shown). In some implementations, several of these input and output devices can be combined into a single device, for example, a printer/scanner/fax/photocopier. It should also be appreciated that other types of computer -readable media and associated drives for storing data, for example, magnetic cassettes and/or flash memory drives, can be accessed by the computer system 500 via the serial port interface 544 (e.g., USB) and/or similar port interface.
  • serial port interface 544 e.g., USB
  • the computer system 500 can operate in a networked environment using logical connections through a network interface 552 coupled with the system bus 504 to communicate with one and/or more remote devices.
  • the logical connections depicted in FIG. 18 include a local-area network (LAN) 554 and a wide-area network (WAN) 560.
  • LAN local-area network
  • WAN wide-area network
  • Such networking environments are commonplace in home networks, office networks, enterprise -wide computer networks, and intranets.
  • These logical connections can be achieved by a communication device coupled to and/or integral with the computer system 500. As depicted in FIG.
  • the LAN 554 can use a router 556 and/or hub, either wired and/or wireless, internal and/or external, to connect with remote devices, e.g., a remote computer 558, similarly connected on the LAN 554.
  • the remote computer 558 can be a PC client, a server, a peer device, and/or other common network node, and typically includes many and/or all of the elements described above relative to the computer system 500.
  • the computer system 500 typically includes a modem 562 for establishing communications over the WAN 560.
  • the WAN 560 can be the Internet.
  • the WAN 560 can be a large private network spread among multiple locations.
  • the modem 562 can be a telephone modem, a high-speed modem (e.g., a digital subscriber line (DSL) modem), a cable modem, and/or similar type of communications device.
  • DSL digital subscriber line
  • the modem 562 which can be internal and/or external, is connected to the system bus 518 via the network interface 552.
  • the modem 562 can be connected via the serial port interface 544. It should be appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of and communications devices for establishing a communications link between the computer system and other devices and/or networks can be used. Connection of the computer system 500 with a WAN 560 allows the decision management datastore 566 the ability to access remote GM and/or GIS datastores to provide for a distributed GM and/or GIS platform.
  • the present invention provides in one aspect a delivery system for a geospatial website for a multidimensional representation of information and/or scalable versions of web and mobile device content for an infrastructure and global platform that provides users and members and businesses of all types and sizes with access to broad markets for the delivery of location-based promotions coupons and/or location-based deals and offers and location-based services in real-time via a mobile device geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, location-based advertisements, location-based deals and offers, location-based services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related
  • FIG.20 is a block diagram of an example online advertising system 100.
  • one or more advertisers 104 can directly, or indirectly, enter, maintain, and track advertisement (“ad") information in an ad management system 108.
  • the ads can be stored in a repository 114 coupled to the system 108 (e.g., a MySQL. RTM. database).
  • the ads may be in the form of graphical ads, such as banner ads, text only ads, image ads, audio ads, video ads, ads combining one of more of any of such components, etc.
  • the ads may also include embedded information, such as embedded media, links, meta-information, and/or machine executable instructions.
  • One or more publishers 106 may submit requests for ads or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets to the system 108.
  • the system 108 responds by sending ads, social/geo/promo link promotional data sets, or information that can allow for the retrieval of ads or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets to the requesting publisher 106 for placement/serving on one or more of the publisher's web properties (e.g., websites and other network-distributed content).
  • ads social/geo/promo link promotional data sets
  • information that can allow for the retrieval of ads or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets to the requesting publisher 106 for placement/serving on one or more of the publisher's web properties (e.g., websites and other network-distributed content).
  • the location-based promotions coupons and/or location-based deals and offers and location-based services in real-time via a mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device (such as a mobile phone networks or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real time, or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets can be placed with or embedded in the publisher's content (e.g., videos, articles, search results), which can be stored in a repository 110 at the publisher 106, and/or placed with content received from other sources (e.g., other publishers, advertisers).
  • content e.g., videos, articles, search results
  • publisher's properties available in this system may also include both Internet-distributed and broadcast distributed content such as, but not limited to, television spots, radio spots, print advertising, billboard advertising (electronic or printed), on-vehicle advertising, and the like.
  • Other entities can provide usage information to the system 108, such as, for example, whether or not a conversion or click-through related to an ad has occurred.
  • conversion data can be stored in a repository 112, where it can be used by the system 108 to improve ad-targeting performance.
  • the usage information provided to the system 108 can include measured or observed user behavior related to ads that have been served.
  • the system 108 performs financial transactions, such as crediting the publishers 106 and charging the advertisers 104 based on the usage information.
  • a computer network such as a local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), the Internet, wireless network or a combination thereof, can connect the location-based services, advertisers 104, the system 108, the publishers 106, and the users 102.
  • a publisher 106 is a general content server that receives requests for content (e.g., articles, electronic mail messages, discussion threads, music, video, graphics, networked games, search results, web page listings, information feeds, dynamic web page content, etc.), and retrieves the requested content in response to the request.
  • the content server may submit a request (either directly or indirectly) for location-based promotions or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets to an ad server in the system 108.
  • the location-based services or ad request may include a number of ads desired.
  • the social/geo/promo link promotional data set request may include a number of
  • the location-based promotions , or social/geo/promo link promotional data set request may also include content request information.
  • This information can include the content itself (e.g., page or other content document), a category or keyword corresponding to the content or the content request (e.g., arts, business, computers, arts-movies, arts-music, etc.), part or all of the content request, content age, content type (e.g., text, graphics, video, audio, mixed media, etc.), geolocation or geotagging information, demographic information related to the content, keyword, web property, etc., and the like.
  • content request information can include the content itself (e.g., page or other content document), a category or keyword corresponding to the content or the content request (e.g., arts, business, computers, arts-movies, arts-music, etc.), part or all of the content request, content age, content type (e.g., text, graphics, video, audio, mixed media, etc.), geolocation or geotagging information, demographic information related to the content
  • the content server (or a browser rendering content provided by the content server) can combine the requested content with one or more of the location-based promotions , or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets provided by the system 108.
  • the combination can happen prior to delivery of the content to the user or contemporaneously where the advertising server can serve the ads or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets directly to an end user.
  • the combined content and location based promotions , or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets can be delivered to the user 102 that requested the content for presentation in a viewer (e.g., a browser or other content display system).
  • the content server can transmit information about the location-based promotions , or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets back to the ad server, including information describing how, when, and/or where the location-based promotions , or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets are to be rendered (e.g., in HTML or JavaScript.TM.).
  • the content page 120 can be rendered in the user's viewer with one or more ads 122. When the user 102 clicks on a displayed ad 122 of an advertiser, the user 102 can be redirected to a landing page 118 of the advertiser's web site.
  • the publisher 106 is a search service.
  • a search service can receive queries for search results.
  • the search service can retrieve relevant search results from an index of content (e.g., from an index of web pages).
  • An exemplary search service is described in the article S. Brin and L. Page, "The Anatomy of a Large-Scale Hypertextual Search Engine," Seventh International World Wide Web Conference, Brisbane, Australia and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,285,999, both of which are incorporated herein by reference each in their entirety.
  • Search results can include, for example, lists of web page titles, snippets of text extracted from those web pages, and hypertext links to those web pages, and may be grouped into a predetermined number of search results (e.g., ten).
  • the search service can submit a request for location-based promotions , online coupons, promotions in real-time or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets to the system 108.
  • the request may include a number of ads or
  • a social/geo/promo link promotional data set request may include a number of social/geo/promo link promotional data sets desired and the number of social/geo/promo links per social/geo/promo link promotional data set.
  • the number of location-based promotions , or number of social/geo/promo link promotional data sets may depend on the search results, the amount of screen or page space occupied by the search results or other content to be displayed contemporaneously with the sponsored content, the size and shape of the ads, etc.
  • the number of desired location-based promotions or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in in real-time can be from one to ten, or from three to five.
  • the number of desired social/geo/promo link promotional data sets can be greater than one (e.g., three).
  • the request for ads or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets may also include a query (as entered or parsed), information based on the query (such as geolocation, geotagging or mobile geotagging or geofencing information, whether the query came from an affiliate and an identifier of such an affiliate), and/or information associated with, or based on, the search results.
  • Such information may include, for example, identifiers related to the search results (e.g., document identifiers or "docIDs"), scores related to the search results (e.g., information retrieval ("I ") scores), snippets of text extracted from identified documents (e.g., web pages), full text of identified documents, feature vectors of identified documents, etc.
  • Other information can be included in the request including information related to the content that is to be displayed contemporaneously with the sponsored content.
  • IR scores can be computed from, for example, dot products of feature vectors corresponding to a query and a document, page rank scores, and/or combinations of IR scores and page rank scores, etc.
  • a search service can combine the search results with one or more of the location-based promotions or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions in real-time or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets provided by the system 108. This combined information can then be forwarded/delivered to the user 102 that requested the content.
  • the search results can be maintained as distinct from the ads or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets, so as not to confuse the user between paid geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and presumably neutral search results.
  • the search service can transmit information about the location-based promotions or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real-time or social/geo/promo link promotional data set and when, where, and/or how the or tablet device or wireless data transfer device (such as a mobile phone networks zero online coupons, promotions, in real-time or social/geo/promo link promotional data set was to be rendered back to the system 104.
  • information about the location-based promotions or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal online coupons, promotions, in real-time or social/geo/promo link promotional data set and when, where, and/or how the or tablet device or wireless data transfer device (such as a mobile phone networks equal online coupons, promotions, in real-time or social/geo/promo link promotional data set was to be rendered back to the system 104.
  • the advertising management system 108 can serve publishers 106, such as content servers and search services.
  • the system 108 permits serving of location-based promotions , online coupons, promotions, in real-time ,mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services targeted to content (e.g., documents, web pages, web blogs, etc.) served by content servers.
  • a network or inter-network may include an ad server serving targeted location-based promotions or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, services or ads, online coupons, promotions or in real-time in response to requests from a search service with ad spots for sale.
  • the inter -network is the World Wide Web.
  • the search service can be configured to crawl much or all of the content.
  • one or more content servers may include one or more documents.
  • Documents may include web pages, email, content, embedded information (e.g., embedded media), meta-information and machine executable instructions, and ad spots available.
  • the location-based geotargeted or geotagged advertisements or location-based services or ads, online coupons, promotions, in real time, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and distribution of mobile or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real-time inserted into ad spots in a document can vary each time the document is served or, alternatively, can have a static association with a given document.
  • the system 104 for the system 104 to provide geotargeted or geotagged advertisements to the publisher that are targeted to the user 108 upon whose browser the geotargeted or geotagged advertisements can be displayed, it is advantageous for user profile information about the user 108 to be provided to the system 104.
  • user profile information and other types of data can be collected by the system 108 and stored in a repository 116.
  • the stored data may include, for example, geographic locations of users, ad context information, etc.
  • the system can then select the geotargeted or geotagged advertisements to provide for viewing by the user 108 based at least in part on the user profile information.
  • FIG. 21A illustrates an example 200 of a related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 202 provided with web page content.
  • the content of the web page is directed to the latest in luggage technology.
  • the content of the web page is displayed with related location-based promotions or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real-time and the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 202.
  • the related social geo/promo link promotional data set 202 includes a list of selectable topics or categories 204 related to the content of the web page.
  • the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 202 can present multiple (e.g., four) social/geo/promo links.
  • the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 202 also includes a label (e.g., "Ads by Google") identifying the link unit 202 as advertisement.
  • a label e.g., "Ads by Google
  • Example 200 includes one related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 202 for the web page.
  • the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set includes the following selectable categories 204: luggage, baggage, suitcase, and valise. These categories 204 are related to the content of the web page. However, the categories 204 in the list are very similar to one another. In particular, these categories 204 are synonyms of each other.
  • a user presented with the luggage technology web page content and the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 202 is likely to find little variety in the listed categories 204. If the user decides to select any category, the user is likely to select the first category, (e.g., luggage) and ignore the other three categories because of their high correlation to the first category.
  • the list of location-based advertisement and location-based services or ads, online coupons, promotions, in real time, promotions, in real time, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and distribution of mobile , mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services presented when one category is selected may differ from the list of ads presented when another category is selected.
  • the ads associated with the similar categories that are lower on the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set list are at a disadvantage relative to the ads associated with the first category in the list.
  • FIG. 21B illustrates an example 250 of multiple related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets 252, 262 provided with web page content.
  • the content of the web page is directed to the latest in luggage technology.
  • Example 250 includes two related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets 252, 262 for the web page.
  • the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 252 includes the following selectable categories 254: luggage, vacation getaways, travel agencies, and valise.
  • the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 262 includes the following selectable categories 264: vacation packages, luggage locks, baggage, and tour packages.
  • the categories 254, 264 are related to the content of the web page. However, the categories are scattered across the two related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets 252, 262 without regard to the correlation or diversity of the categories.
  • the luggage category of related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 252 is a synonym of the baggage category of related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 262.
  • the vacation getaways category of related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 252 is a synonym of the vacation packages category of related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 262.
  • the categories within each link unit are diverse. For example, vacation packages and luggage locks are disparate categories in the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 262. If the categories are incoherently assembled in multiple related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets without considering correlation or diversity, a user may have difficulty finding a particular category of interest.
  • FIG. 22 is a block diagram of an example implementation 400 of an advertising management system 108 of FIG.20 that provides related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets with correlated broad and alternative categories.
  • the advertising management system 108 includes a social/geo/promo link server 402, a social/geo/promo link repository 404, and a learning module 406.
  • the system 108 also includes a concept extraction engine 408.
  • the ad server in system 108 also serves related social/geo/promo links.
  • the social/geo/promo link server 402 receives requests for related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets.
  • the social/geo/promo link server 402 receives related social/geo/promo link promotional data set requests from one or more content servers.
  • a social/geo/promo link promotional data set request can accompany an ad request, where both the location-based advertisements and location-based services, ad links, online coupons, promotions, in real time, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and distribution of mobile or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real-time and social/geo/promo link promotional data set are to be displayed with the same content.
  • a content server sends a combined request for both ads and social/geo/promo link promotional data sets.
  • the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set request may include a number (e.g., one, two, or three) of related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets desired and the number (e.g., four or five) of related social/geo/promo link promotional data set categories for each related social/geo/promo link promotional data set.
  • the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set request may also include content request information.
  • the information can include the content itself or one or more categories or keywords corresponding to the content or the content request.
  • the social/geo/promo link server 402 receives candidate related social/geo/promo links from a social/geo/promo link repository 404.
  • the candidate related social/geo/promo links are determined based on keywords corresponding to the requested content with which the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set is to be displayed. Other matching techniques can be used.
  • the social/geo/promo link server 402 identifies categories for the candidate related social/geo/promo links and forwards the categories to a learning module 406.
  • the categories are the same as the candidate related social/geo/promo links.
  • the candidate related social/geo/promo links are a subset of the categories that can be selected for social/geo/promo link promotional data sets displayed with requested content.
  • the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set request can include an identifier (e.g., the Uniform Resource Locator (URL)) of the webpage with the requested content with which the related
  • social/geo/promo link promotional data set is to be displayed.
  • the web page can be crawled to determine one or more concepts evoked by the content of the web page.
  • An optional concept extraction engine 408 can extract concepts from the web page content.
  • the web page concepts can be forwarded to the learning module 406.
  • the learning module 406 receives related social/geo/promo link categories from the social/geo/promo link server 402.
  • the learning module 406 generates or retrieves one or more category identifiers associated with each related social/geo/promo link category.
  • each related social/geo/promo link category can be classified under one or more categories.
  • the category identifiers are predetermined.
  • the category identifiers for the related social/geo/promo link categories can be determined before a related social/geo/promo link promotional data set request is served.
  • the category identifiers are pre-computed for the keywords for ads in the social/geo/promo link repository 404.
  • the learning module 406 also receives web page concepts from the concept extraction engine 408.
  • Web page concepts can also be classified under one or more categories.
  • Category identifiers for the web page concepts can be determined when a related social/geo/promo link promotional data set request is received.
  • the learning module 406 computes one or more correlation criteria for each related social/geo/promo link category.
  • a correlation measure provides a measure of how "close” or “distant” in correlation two category identifiers are, where the pair of category identifiers corresponds to two related social/geo/promo link categories. If category identifiers are determined for the web page concepts, correlation criteria can also be computed between a category identifier associated with a related social/geo/promo link category and a category identifier associated with one of the web page concepts.
  • the correlation measure can be computed using statistics accumulated over a large set of documents (e.g., web pages). For example, the number of instances of a document evoking two category concepts can be determined. The number of instances can be used as a heuristic to measure the correlation between the two categories.
  • the social/geo/promo link server 402 receives from the learning module 406 one or more correlation criteria for each related social/geo/promo link category. In some implementations, the social/geo/promo link server 402 also receives the category identifiers from the learning module 406. The social/geo/promo link server 402 generates the same, similar, broad or alternative, social/geo/promo link categories based on the correlation criteria of the candidate social/geo/promo link categories. The same, similar, broad or alternative, social/geo/promo link categories are organized into one or more related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets which can be provided by the system 108 to the content server to be combined with the requested content.
  • the social/geo/promo link server 402 provides the functionality of the learning module 406, including generation or retrieval of the category identifiers and the correlation criteria.
  • the learning module 406 is not part of system 108.
  • FIG. 23 is a block diagram of an example implementation 500 of the social/geo/promo link server 402 of FIG. 3.
  • the social/geo/promo link server 402 includes a categorizer 502 and a cluster/anti-cluster module 504.
  • the social/geo/promo link server 402 receives requests for related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets.
  • the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set request may include a number of related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets desired and the number of related social/geo/promo link categories per related social/geo/promo link promotional data set.
  • the number of related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets desired can be used to determine whether related social/geo/promo link categories should be same, similar, broad or alternative, clusters or groupings.
  • the social/geo/promo link server 402 receives candidate related social/geo/promo links.
  • the candidate related social/geo/promo links are ordered by relevance to the requested content.
  • the social/geo/promo link server 402 can receive the ordered list of candidate social/geo/promo links.
  • the social/geo/promo link server 402 can receive an unordered list, and the social/geo/promo link server 402 can order the candidate
  • social/geo/promo links by relevance to the requested content using a relevance measure.
  • the categorizer 502 of the social/geo/promo link server 402 identifies categories for the candidate related
  • the categories are the same as the related social/geo/promo links, and the categorizer 502 is not included in the social/geo/promo link server 402.
  • the social/geo/promo link server 402 receives one or more correlation criteria for each category. In some embodiments
  • the social/geo/promo link server 402 also receives the one or more category identifiers associated with each category.
  • category identifiers are also received for the web page concepts and are used to cluster or anti-cluster social/geo/promo link categories.
  • the candidate social/geo/promo links and the correlation criteria are provided as inputs to the cluster/anti-cluster module 504. If the request is for a single related social/geo/promo link promotional data set, the classification of the categories by characteristics (also called categories) is used to improve the diversity of categories coverage (alternative category clustering) of the related social/geo/promo link categories displayed in the single related social/geo/promo link promotional data set.
  • the classification of the related social/geo/promo link categories by categories is used to cluster related social/geo/promo link categories in one related social/geo/promo link promotional data set in the same category or similar categories while those in other related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets are from different categories.
  • FIG. 24 is a flow diagram of an example process 600 for providing a related social/geo/promo link promotional data set with anti-clustered categories.
  • the process 600 begins by selecting a first social/geo/promo link category for a first position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set, where the first social/geo/promo link category is in a set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories (602).
  • the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories is ordered according to the relevance of the social/geo/promo link categories to the requested content of the web page with which the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set is to be displayed.
  • the top relevance scoring social/geo/promo link category is selected for the first position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set.
  • selected social/geo/promo link categories are removed from the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories.
  • the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories can be ordered by relevance to the requested content of a web page. For a set with the following order: A, B, C, D, . . . , L, category A can be chosen as the most relevant social/geo/promo link category for the first position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set.
  • category A can be chosen as the most relevant social/geo/promo link category for the first position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set.
  • the process 600 determines whether there is at least one empty (e.g., unfilled) position remaining in the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set (604).
  • the link unit request can include the number of social/geo/promo link categories desired for the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set.
  • the process 600 ends (612).
  • a related social/geo/promo link promotional data set is displayed with multiple social/geo/promo link categories.
  • social/geo/promo link categories having a correlation measure that is less than a correlation threshold are identified, where the identified social/geo/promo link categories have one or more correlation criteria associated with the most recently selected social/geo/promo link category (606).
  • the identified social/geo/promo link categories are in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories.
  • the correlation threshold can be predetermined.
  • the correlation measure can indicate the "distance" between the category identifiers of two social/geo/promo link categories. That is, the smaller the correlation measure, the smaller the "distance" between the category identifiers, and the more similar the category identifiers are. For this type of correlation measure, the larger the correlation measure, and the less similar the category identifiers are. Identifying categories that have correlation criteria that are less than a correlation threshold means identifying the categories with a category identifier that is close (within the correlation threshold) to a category identifier of the most recently selected category.
  • the correlation measure can indicate the "closeness" of the category identifiers of two social/geo/promo link categories. That is, the larger the correlation measure, the more similar the category identifiers are. For this type of correlation measure, the process 600 would identify the categories having a correlation measure that is greater than a correlation threshold.
  • Social/geo/promo link categories which are identified, are removed from the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories (608). That is, social/geo/promo link categories that are too similar to the most recently selected
  • social/geo/promo link category are eliminated from further consideration based on the correlation criteria.
  • a next social/geo/promo link category is selected for the next empty (e.g., unfilled) position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set, where the next social/geo/promo link category is selected from the set of candidate
  • social/geo/promo link categories For an ordered set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories, the next most relevant social/geo/promo link category remaining in the set is selected for the next position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set.
  • the correlation criteria for a particular social/geo/promo link category are not compared to the correlation threshold unless the preceding social/geo/promo link categories in the ordered set have already been selected or eliminated. That is, after the first most relevant social/geo/promo link category is selected, the second social/geo/promo link category in the ordered set is selected if the second social/geo/promo link category is not too similar to the first social/geo/promo link category. If the second social/geo/promo link category is too similar, the next social/geo/promo link category in the ordered set is checked for correlation.
  • the process continues until the social/geo/promo link positions of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set are filled. If there is at least one empty position remaining in the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set (604), the process repeats steps 606 through 610. The elimination and selection process repeats until a number (e.g., all) of the social/geo/promo link positions for the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set have been filled. If the number (e.g., all) of the positions of the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set have been filled, the process 600 ends (612).
  • correlation criteria of social/geo/promo link categories can be used to reorder the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories. That is, instead of or in addition to using the correlation criteria to eliminate social/geo/promo link categories, correlation criteria can be used to boost or lower the order position of a
  • the boosting or lowering can be based on the correlation measure of a social/geo/promo link category relative to the correlation criteria of other social/geo/promo link categories.
  • the ordering of the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories can account for both relevance to requested content and correlation to previously selected social/geo/promo link categories.
  • FIG. 25 is a flow diagram of an example process 700 for providing multiple related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets with clustered categories.
  • the process 700 begins by determining whether there is at least one empty (e.g., unfilled) related social/geo/promo link promotional data set (702).
  • the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 702
  • the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 702
  • social/geo/promo link promotional data set request can include the number of related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets desired. If there are a predetermined number (e.g., zero) of empty related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets remaining, the process 700 ends (716).
  • a first social/geo/promo link category is selected for a first position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set, where the first social/geo/promo link category is in a set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories (704).
  • the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories is ordered according to the relevance of the social/geo/promo link categories to the requested content of the web page with which the related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets are to be displayed. For an ordered set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories, the top relevance scoring social/geo/promo link category is selected for the first position of the first social/geo/promo link promotional data set.
  • the process 700 determines whether there is at least one empty (e.g., unfilled) position remaining in the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set (706).
  • the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set request can include the number of social/geo/promo link categories desired for each related social/geo/promo link promotional data set.
  • social/geo/promo link categories having a correlation measure that is greater than a correlation threshold are identified, where at least one identified social/geo/promo link category has one or more correlation criteria associated with the most recently selected social/geo/promo link category (708).
  • the identified social/geo/promo link categories are in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories.
  • the correlation threshold can be predetermined. Because the social/geo/promo link categories within a social/geo/promo link promotional data set are being clustered, the social/geo/promo link categories with correlation criteria, which are greater than the correlation threshold, are identified.
  • the social/geo/promo link categories with a correlation measure greater than the correlation threshold are the categories that are too diverse to be clustered with the most recently selected social/geo/promo link category.
  • the correlation measure can indicate the "closeness" of the category identifiers of two social/geo/promo link categories.
  • the process 700 would identify the categories having a correlation measure that is less than a correlation threshold.
  • a given social/geo/promo link category in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories can have a separate correlation measure for at least one pair- wise combination of a category identifier of the given social/geo/promo link category and a category identifier of the most recently selected social/geo/promo link category.
  • a composite correlation measure can be determined for the given social/geo/promo link category, for example, by taking a maximum, a minimum, or a combination (e.g., a weighted combination) of the separate correlation criteria for the given social/geo/promo link category.
  • the social/geo/promo link categories, which are too diverse can be identified by comparing the composite correlation criteria to the correlation threshold.
  • Social/geo/promo link categories, which are identified, are removed from the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories (710). That is, social/geo/promo link categories that are too diverse relative to the most recently selected social/geo/promo link category are eliminated from further consideration based on the correlation criteria.
  • a next social/geo/promo link category is selected for the next empty (e.g., unfilled) position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set, where the next social/geo/promo link category is selected from the set of candidate
  • social/geo/promo link categories (712). For an ordered set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories, the next most relevant social/geo/promo link category remaining in the set is selected for the next position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set.
  • the correlation criteria for a particular social/geo/promo link category are not compared to the correlation threshold unless the preceding social/geo/promo link categories in the ordered set have already been selected or eliminated.
  • the process repeats steps 708 through 712.
  • the elimination and selection process repeats until a number (e.g., all) of the social/geo/promo link positions for the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set have been filled.
  • the process 700 returns to step 702. Again, the process 700 determines whether there is at least one empty (e.g., unfilled) related social/geo/promo link promotional data set remaining (702).
  • the process 700 repeats for the second requested social/geo/promo link promotional data set.
  • the process 700 adds a number (e.g., all) of the removed identified social/geo/promo link categories to the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories (714).
  • This step is not performed for the first social/geo/promo link promotional data set, because before the first social/geo/promo link position is filled in the first social/geo/promo link promotional data set, social/geo/promo link categories have not been removed from the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories.
  • the process 700 repeats steps 704 through 714 until there are a predetermined number (e.g., zero) of remaining empty social/geo/promo link promotional data sets to be filled. If there are a predetermined number (e.g., zero) of empty social/geo/promo link promotional data sets remaining, the process 700 ends (716).
  • a predetermined number e.g., zero
  • the features described can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer hardware, firmware, software, or in combinations of them.
  • the features can be implemented in a computer program product tangibly embodied in an information carrier, e.g., in a machine -readable storage device or in a propagated signal, for execution by a
  • the described features can be implemented advantageously in one or more computer programs that are executable on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor coupled to receive data and instructions from, and to transmit data and instructions to, a data storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device.
  • a computer program is a set of instructions that can be used, directly or indirectly, in a computer to perform a certain activity or bring about a certain result.
  • a computer program can be written in any form of programming language (e.g., Objective -C, Java), including compiled or interpreted languages, and it can be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment.
  • Suitable processors for the execution of a program of instructions include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and the sole processor or one of multiple processors or cores, of any kind of computer.
  • a processor can receive instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random access memory or both.
  • the essential elements of a computer are a processor for executing instructions and one or more memories for storing instructions and data.
  • a computer can also include, or be operatively coupled to communicate with, one or more mass storage devices for storing data files; such devices include magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and optical disks.
  • Storage devices suitable for tangibly embodying computer program instructions and data include all forms of non- volatile memory, including by way of example semiconductor memory devices, such as EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks.
  • semiconductor memory devices such as EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices
  • magnetic disks such as internal hard disks and removable disks
  • magneto-optical disks and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks.
  • the processor and the memory can be supplemented by, or incorporated in, ASICs (application-specific integrated circuits).
  • ASICs application-specific integrated circuits
  • the features can be implemented on a computer having a display device such as a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor for displaying information to the user and a keyboard and a pointing device such as a mouse or a trackball by which the user can provide input to the computer.
  • a display device such as a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor for displaying information to the user and a keyboard and a pointing device such as a mouse or a trackball by which the user can provide input to the computer.
  • the features can be implemented in a computer system that includes a back-end component, such as a data server, or that includes a middleware component, such as an application server or an Internet server, or that includes a front-end component, such as a client computer having a graphical user interface or an Internet browser, or any combination of them.
  • the components of the system can be connected by any form or medium of digital data communication such as a communication network. Examples of communication networks include, e.g., a LAN, a WAN, and the computers and networks forming the Internet.
  • the computer system can include clients and servers.
  • a client and server are generally remote from each other and typically interact through a network.
  • the relationship of client and server arises by virtue of computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship to each other.
  • gaming refers to either land-based or online events, activities, games, sessions, rounds, hands, rolls and operations etc., including video games, Web games, casino games, card games, dice games, spoiling events and/or any other gaming or gambling events
  • bet refers to any type of wagers, bets or gaming ventures that are placed on random events, whether of monetary or nonmonetary value.
  • the present invention provides-a monetary or non-monetary online gaming platform, for enabling online games, gambling, events, activities and/or entertainment, that overcomes the limitations of existing land based and online gaming systems.
  • the present invention provides a platform and method that may separate the actual event, produced by an event generator, and a Web server (i.e. transaction server), that may communicate with both a player and one or more event generators and may processes the event data such that a player may place bets on the outcome of one or more events produced by o ne or more event generators.
  • This separation together with the integration of additional server components, may enable a network-based game management center, (hereinafter referred to as a virtual House' * or just "House" to monitor the results of events from a plurality of event generators in real time, and manage data streams from one or more event generators simultaneously, whether the events are land-based and'or network- based (virtual).
  • One or more players, or groups of players, such as consumer groups may monitor, analyze and play one or more events related to one or more Event generators.
  • an event monitor such as a digital reader may be connected, associated with, and or otherwise collect data from one or more event generators and may digitize and/or transmit to the transaction server data indicative of events which may occur on the one or more event gene ators.
  • image and/or video information may be collected from or near an event generator, and a pattern recognition unit may analyze the image and'or video information from one or more event generators such that the pattern recognition unit may produce a signal indicative of the events which may have occurred on the one or more event generators.
  • Image and/or video information may be collected and transmitted via analog and/or digital communication channels.
  • the image and/or video information may be collected by a video camera, web-cam, still digital camera, or any other suitable device or system known today or to be devised in the future.
  • a person or persons may monitor a game event generator and may manually enter and/or transmit game event data to the transaction server.
  • the image and/or video information collection device e.g. video camera
  • the image and/or video information collection device may be controlled by a computer associate with the pattern recognition unit such that the device is positioned and focused onto those areas of the one or more event generators most relevant at a given moment. For example, during the time bets are places on a roulette table, the image/video collection device may be positioned so as to acquire clear images of the roulette table's be t placing area, and during the spur of the ball, the camera may be repositioned to get a clear view of the bail and the number where it lands.
  • a person or persons may receive location-based promotions or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, real-time, geo-targeted or geo-tagged advertising and distribution of mobile , mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services based users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels.
  • an application, system and method lor automated conversion of image and/or video based gaming data, or data from a reader, digital or analog, into usable statistical data, thereby enabling one or more players to participate using both historic and real time gaming information from one or more games and/or event generators, whether the games are online or offline (e.g. land-based).
  • statistics may be compiled from game event-data collected, whether the data was collected manually through automated means such as a digital reader, video collection device, or the like.
  • part or ail of a specific player's playing history may be recorded and statistics relating to the player's gaming activities may be compiled and presented to the player on demand. A player may use these statistics in making future gaming decisions or developing a gaming/betting strategy.
  • a transaction server or system for players to place bets based on the outcomes of one or more specific games, whether the games are physical or virtual. These bets may be based on standard game results or on alternative elements or derivatives related to the game progress or results.
  • a player may instruct a virtual betting agent to monitor one or more event generators and upon one or a set of events taking places to place one or more bets associated with one or more game event generators, online casino, online sports betting, NBA, college basketball lines, football, soccer.
  • a player may place a bet on some combinatio n of game events occurring on one or more game event generators, either over some period of time or over some number of games or game events.
  • the transaction server may include a risk manage ent unit which may stop or ter inate the acceptance of bets from piayers on one or more game e vent s associated with one or more event generators when it is determined that exposure to potential losses by the House exceeds so e threshold value.
  • a risk manage ent unit may stop or ter inate the acceptance of bets from piayers on one or more game e vent s associated with one or more event generators when it is determined that exposure to potential losses by the House exceeds so e threshold value.
  • Different risk management units may apply to different groups of player and different groups of event generators.
  • FIG, 26 is a monetary or non-monetary online gaming platform or system, generally designated according io at least one embodiment of the present invention, for enabling online games, gambling, events, activities and/or entertainment
  • TS 11 operationally connected to at least one database 12.
  • the database 12 may store player account data, game data for each gaming event (from ail the Event generators, which are described below), player activit and history data, player participation data, player preferences data. House data, and any other data that is relevant for performing the operations of the platform 10.
  • the TS 11 is also operationally connected to at least one Event generator ("EG") 17, such as a land-based (physical) or online (virtual) video game, computer game, chess game, bingo game, roulette table, blackjack table, one-arm bandit machine or sporting game or any other game, entertainment even; and/or gambling event that typically produces a random or indefinite result that may be bet or bid on.
  • An EG may include a mechanism for maintaining, monitoring, implementing or otherwise generating events, as welt as a.
  • the EG 17 may include data reading and transmission tools, devices or systems to transmit event data. Such tools may include electronic or mechanical mechanisms to read analog and/or digital data generated by the EG 17. and transfer this data to the TS, 11. Other examples of such a data reading devices may include optical readers, commonly known in the art, that are typically used in. roulette tables, and or Video cameras. A video camera or any alternative reader may transmit data, digitally either over a digital channel or over an LP. network using digital packets.
  • the TS 11 may be connected to an EG 17 through a. wireline and/or is wireless data network, such as the Internet 18, a. company intranet, and/or Extranet, using communications mediums including cable T V networks, satellite networks and cellular communication networks.
  • Such network, connectivity may enable interactive communications between players 19, the platform 10 and the Event genera.tor(s) 17.
  • the EG(s) 17 may be geographically connected to the TS 11. such as in the case where the EG(s) 1.7 are virtual (computerized ) EG(s) connected to the TS 11.
  • Players according to some embodiments of the pres nt invention may interact with the platform using any type of computing and or communication device, incl uding personal computers, PDAs, mobile telephones, interactive TV, wearable computers, notebook computers, etc.
  • Transaction server may provide a platform and system that may separate an actual event, produced by an Event generator, and the server, that communicates and processes the event data (Transaction server).
  • This separation together with the integration of additional server components, enables the implementation of a virtual House that h monitor the results of events from a plurality of Event generators (in real time), and manage the data from one or more Event generators simultaneously, whether the events that have been generated are land-based and/or virtual.
  • the House subsequently may enable one or more players, or one or more groups of players, such as consumer groups, to monitor, analyze and wager on one or more events produced by one or more EGs simultaneously, whether the events are land-based and/or virtual.
  • the House furthermore may enable one or more players to monitor and interact with one or more external activities, events or gaming sessions (hereinafter referred to as "events”), and "play" these events with the House and/or one or more other players.
  • the above stated functions of the TS 11 may be achieved by receiving event data from one or more EGs 17 and directing the event data to the various components of the TS 11. to the database 12 and to the players 19.
  • Event data may be in the form of data signals representing event results of individual events, or actual recorded data streams, such as video streams, that capture the actual events, in this way players are able to monitor and interact with a plurality of external games or events simultaneously.
  • Players 19, according to the present invention may be operating any network enabled interactive computing or communications device.
  • the present invention furthermore, enables a plurality of players to play against the House, to play against each other, or to form teams whereby the teams may play against each other and/or against the
  • one player or group of players may bear the financial risk for the bets of another player or group of players.
  • players compete against each other, for example poker
  • each player or team of players may bet against each other.
  • a player or group of players may act as the House for another group of players, where the group representing the house may benefit from the losses of the second group and may be responsible for payment resulting from the wins of the second group.
  • the TS 11 may further contain a Network Communication Module (NOM) 13, with server functionality, for receiving and transmitting data between the TS 11 and Event generators (EG) 17, and between tire TS 1 1 and the players 19.
  • NOM 13 may include a security layer for enabling (secure) communication of data to and from the TS 11.
  • the security layer may incorporate relevant security hardware and/or software for protecting data against unauthorized access and keeping the network secure from intruders etc.
  • the TS 11 may further contain a Game Management Unit (GMU) 14 for managing various operations within the TS 1 1, and for enabling interaction between the TS 11 and the EG(s) 17, and between the TS 11 and the players 19.
  • the GMU 14 may also provide a graphic user interface (GUI) that presents event data to the players and enables the players to monitor progress of relevant events, manage accounts, and give commands to the TS 1, such as bidding preferences and rules.
  • the GUI may provide a split screen that divides the player's display device (which may include a PC monitor, interactive TV screen, cellular phone panel, PDA screen or any other display device) into several windows, each one displaying the progress, results anchor statistical data lor at least one individual game. Such a GUI may thereby simultaneous provide viewing, analyzing, bidding and/or managing options to a player over a plurality of games or events.
  • the TS 11 may include a Transactions and Finance Unit (TFU) I S, lor managing of players accounts as well as authentication and implementation of financing and payouts etc. for players.
  • TFU Transactions and Finance Unit
  • the TFU 15 may be adapted to support any financial systems and payment methods, including online (internet based) accounts, credit card accounts, token accounts, ATM accounts, e-bank accounts, or any other player accounts, whether "money” based or "non-money” based accounts.
  • the TFU 15 may request initial deposits (of money or tokens etc.) in a account.
  • the TFU 15 may veri y that the deposit satisfies House rules. Examples of such House rules relating to deposits include but are not limited to: minimum and maximum deposit amount, authentication of the depositor identity and eligibility, and any other deposit related rales and/ r regulations determined by the House.
  • House rules relating to deposits include but are not limited to: minimum and maximum deposit amount, authentication of the depositor identity and eligibility, and any other deposit related rales and/ r regulations determined by the House.
  • the account may then be credited or debited in real time, according to the bids placed by players or payouts received by players.
  • each bid or wager made may be verified by the TFU 15, which queries the player account before confirming a bid, to determine available resources to cover the cost of the bid.
  • the TS 1 1 may be operationally connected to a player's financial institution, credit/debit card account, e-barik, credit-card processing center or any other financial transaction center.
  • This embodiment may enable player participation with the platform 10, while the platform 10 is indirectly connected to the player's account.
  • the TFU 15 may manage each player's online account, including, but not limited to, the following functionalities: verifying player identity; authenticating financial ability of players; securing payments for bids; and implementing deposits of payouts etc.
  • the TS II may enable a player 19 to configure the platform 10 to route video event data or other game data from: EG 17 directly to at least one player 19.
  • video data or alternative gaming data may be received and processed by one or more players 19, in addition to (but not necessarily by) the TS 11.
  • the TS 1 may contain a Video Processing Module (VPM) 16 that may enable processing of video data received from EG 17.
  • VPM 16 may incorporate a video recognition module together with video data analysis software, thereby enabling the VPM 16 to recognize, filter, format and/or analyze etc. raw video data streams from one or a plurality of EG(s) 17, thereby converting such raw data into player-usable data.
  • Any data recognition and conversion tool may be used for this purpose.
  • An example of such a data recognition and formatting tool has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,339,773, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
  • the '773 patent describes a tool for converting data from a received format into another chosen format, and subsequent transmitting or embedding the format. Where necessary, this tool also describes reformatting the data in its original format.
  • video data from EG 17 may alternatively be acquired directly from a security apparatus such as security video cameras that are located in close proximity to an individual event generator.
  • An example of such video-based security apparatus is the iceVision series of applications, from NICE Systems Ltd. (NICE Systems Ltd., 8 I-Iapnina Street, P. O Box 690, 43107 Ra'anana, ISRAEL.
  • the TS 1 may contain an Audio Processing Module (APM) that enables processing of audio data received from EG 17.
  • APM Audio Processing Module
  • This APM may incorporate an audio recognition module together with audio data analysis software, thereby enabling the APM to recognize, filter, format and-'or analyze etc. raw audio data streams from a plurality of EG s) 17, thereby converting such raw data into player-usable data. Any data recognition and conversion tool may be used for this purpose.
  • the TS 1 may contain an image Processing Module (IPM) that enables processing of image data received from EG 17.
  • IPM image Processing Module
  • This IPM may incorporate an image recognition module together with audio data analysis software, thereby enabling the IPM to recognize, filter, format and-'or analyze etc. raw image data streams from a plurality of EG(s) 17, thereby converting such raw data into player-usable data. Any data recognition and conversion tool may be used for this purpose.
  • FIG. 27 illustrates the Transaction server (TS) 21 according to at least one additional embodiment of the present invention.
  • the TS, 21 may contain a security layer 24 for enabling secure communication of data to and from the TS 21.
  • the TS 21 may contain a Statistics and Data Mining Unit (SDMU) 25, for processing event data from a plurality of F.G(s) 17 using statistical and data mining tools, such that raw or primary even; data is converted to usable data for the players and the platform 10.
  • SDMU Statistics and Data Mining Unit
  • the TS 21 may contain a Virtual Betting Agent (VBA) 27 for enabling personal configuration of gaming rules and conditions by players.
  • the VBA 27 may be configured, for example, to limit the bid amounts, determine maximum game times, exiling criteria, profit and loss limits and any individual conditions (e.g.
  • VBA 27 An example of a configuration of loss and profit limits is in the ease where the player determines thai his/her bids can be placed automatically, until such a time that a determined loss or profit limit has been reached, at which time the player's participation in a game may be automatically discontinued. Further examples of options enabled by the VBA 27 include selecting future bets on games/events and/or derivatives of games/events. For example, a player may use statistics to determine that game has more chance of winning the next 5 rounds than game 2. Player may then place a bet on game I, against game 2, in relation to the results of the 5 upcoming rounds.
  • VBA. 27 may provide a stock-exchange type of environment of individual events or games, where players may bet on the probabilities of particular events occurring or future successes of individual events, such that each individual event has a kind of market capital that may be bet on.
  • the VBA 27 may enable at least one player to play against at least one other player.
  • This piayer-lo-p!ayer option is particularly, but not only, relevant in the context of future bets, wherein players may bet against other players on the chances of selected events transpiring.
  • the TS 11 may monitor the requests and references of a plurality of players, and optional ly the combination of two or more players in player groups, thereby providing piayer(s)-io-piayer(s) betting opportunities. As in the typical player-House interactions, according to the present invention, betting occurs, results of events are acquired, and payments are implemented by the TS 11 according to the event results.
  • the TS 21 may contain, a Risk Management System (P.MS) 28, for enabling the House to manage event risks between various events and/or for the House operations as a wbo!e.
  • P.MS Risk Management System
  • the House may determine that any EG 17 that has lost more rounds than it has won within any 50 game routine must be discontinued, or that the entire house should cease activity if a certain amount of money has been lost in a determined period.
  • the RM S 28 may enable the House to see the total exposure or risk at any given moment, anti to cea.se activities at any moment, to limit bets or to f eeze payouts etc.
  • FIG. 28 is a flowchart that illustrates an example of steps performed according to at leas; one process of the present invention.
  • user 19 initially registers with the system 305, and subsequentl utilizes the platform front-end (such as a House Website, as presented b the GMU 24) to select 310 one or more EG(s) for monitoring.
  • the registered player is typical ly required to log in to the platform 10, optionally by using a keyword.
  • the player 19 may subsequently view the various available events and/or manage h is/her portfolio of gaming events, adding or deleting events in which be or she is playing or monitoring. Once the player determines, for examples which games be or she would like to monitor or play, the relevant data is routed from the selected is EG(s) to the player 19 computing device. This touting of event data is typically implemented by the GMU 24.
  • the player 19 subsequently receives 320 event data, and optionally historical and statistical data, from selected Event generators) 17. He/she then places bet(s) 325 on a future event(s) or ongoing events produced by: either a single or multiple Event generators).
  • bets may be monetary and/or non-monet ry: bets. Additionally or alternatively, ;he player 19 may establish rules anc!/or conditions 330 for automatic future bets, optionally using a Virtual Betting Agent (VBA) 27, for enabling personal configuration of gaming rules and/or conditions by players.
  • Betting conditions may include, for example, bid ceilings, payout ceilings loss limits, time limits, and particular event limits etc. Particular event limits may include, for example, a rule that in the case of "x" wins by the House, player game is immediately suspended.
  • TS 21 may authenticate the user and verify the user bid with the Transaction and, Finance Unit iTU) 26. The bid amount may be extracted from 33S the player's account or credit card etc., to confirm the bid placement.
  • the system subsequently tracks events on selected even; generator(s) and compares generated (future) events produced by selected event generator(s) against bets placed, to derive bidding results and/or analyze Automatic Betting Requests (ABR) 340.
  • ABR Automatic Betting Requests
  • the latter process determines whether the ABR(s) have or have not been met, and thereby indicates whether the player's conditions for the placing of a bid have been met. in the case where the ABR have not been met, the system continues tracking events or games 340, until such a: time as the ABR are met. When the ABR has been met, the system informs the user, and returns to request confirmation of bid placement by the player 325.
  • the above event tracking and comparing processes 340 in the cases where bets have been placed, provide the results for the eventis) that the players have bid on.
  • the game ends 360,
  • the payout which may be a monetary or non-monetary payout, is generated, and the payout or game prize, whether monetary or non-monetary, may be transferred from the House to the player account 370.
  • the player account may be a "money" account or a "non-money" account, where bonuses coupons, Incentives etc., may be deposited and/or withdrawn.
  • a conversion may be implemented, in any of the above gaming scenarios, to convert non-monetary deposits into monetary deposits, or non-monetary accounts into monetary accounts, or vice Versa.
  • the user may be authenticated before the payout is made (credited) to the user's account. In the case where the user is not authenticated, the user may need to reregister or otherw se prove his/her identity 305,
  • the player may return directly to step 325 and place one or more additional bets.
  • the results of the event tracking and comparing processes 340 are typically sent to the user 342, enabling the user to determine if he/she wishes to continue interacting with the particular event played (i.e. step 320), without having to start from step 310.
  • a Risk Management System (RMS) 28 may be provided to enable the House to determine risk limits.
  • the RMS 28 may monitor 375 the results of steps 355 and/or 365 (which relate to the event results) or any other steps In at least one gaming process, from one or more EG(s ' ) 17, to determine whether the House determined risk ceiling has been met for the House in general, or for one or more EG(s) 17.
  • TS 11 may act to discontinue 385 one or more activities, such as player bids or payouts, and/or the general functioning of the House, in accordance with the predetermined rules.
  • the gaming process may be conti nued.
  • the RMS 28 may monitor the House- risk at any time, during all or any processes.
  • the example illustrated in FIG. 28 is but one alternative of where the RMS 28 may implement monitoring.
  • the receiving 320 of even; data and (optionally) historical and statistical data from selecied Event generators) 17 may be enabled by the Statistics and Data Mining Unit (SDMU) 25.
  • SDMU 25 may enable processing of event data from a plurality of EG s) 17 using statistical and data mining tools, such that raw or primary gaming data may be converted to usable data for both the players and the platform 10.
  • the establishment of rules and'Or conditions 330 for automatic future bets may be implemented using a Virtual Betting Agent (VBA) 27.
  • VBA 27 may enable personal con figuration of gaming rules and/or conditions by players.
  • a method for enabling a land-based House to provide event betting to remote players.
  • the land-based House may convert at least one existing event or game into an EG 1 .
  • House may also provide a TS 11.
  • the EG 17 may subsequently transfers event results to the TS 11, using a network, whereby the events may be processed and transferred to one or more remote players 19.
  • the remote players 19 may subsequently interact with the existing events, by monitoring events, analyzing event statistics, and placing bets and-'or setting betting conditions and rules using a GUT provided by the TS 11.
  • a method for enabling a non- monetary gaming platform, wherein step 335 is ignored.
  • the system may automatically track the selected events 340, without requiring financial verification.
  • a method for enabling the data and/or results of at least one event generator to be at least partially owned, possessed or otherwise purchased by at least one user, whether the user is an individual, group, partnership, company, incorporation or any other entity, and whether the user is participating in the events or not participating in the events.
  • This embodiment thereby enables users to have interests or rights in the data and/or results of at least one Event generator 17

Landscapes

  • Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Finance (AREA)
  • Accounting & Taxation (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Strategic Management (AREA)
  • Development Economics (AREA)
  • Entrepreneurship & Innovation (AREA)
  • Game Theory and Decision Science (AREA)
  • Economics (AREA)
  • Marketing (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)
  • Information Transfer Between Computers (AREA)

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and system to provide consumer, business, government, sports, or education related, integrated social shopping and social networking, real-time geospatial and mobile mapping, geo-targeted or geo-tagged location based technologies including GPS and GIS and multiple points of interest, receiving current location of user's electronic or mobile device or wireless device or computer and multiple points of interest, cloud storing and handling user data across multiple enterprises, generating user behavior data and based users profile or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, or connections or channels, location-based geotargeted or geotagged location-based services, ad links, promotions, social shopping and social networking ("social/geo/promo") links on a website for user customized visual displays showing 3D map presentations with correlated or related broad or alternative categories of social/geo/promo links to be displayed with web page content for view and interaction by an end user.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING INTERNET AND MOBILE BASED SOCIAL/GEO/PROMO LINK PROMOTIONAL AND COUPON DATA SETS FOR END USER DISPLAY OF INTERACTIVE LOCATION-BASED ADVERTISING, LOCATION-BASED DEALS AND OFFERS AND LOCATION- BASED SERVICES, AD LINKS, PROMOTIONS, MOBILE COUPONS, PROMOTIONS AND SALE OF CONSUMER, BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT, SPORTS, OR EDUCATIONAL RELATED PRODUCTS,
GOODS, GAMBLING, OR SERVICES, INTEGRATED WITH 3D SPATIAL GEOMAPPING, MOBILE MAPPING, COMPANY AND LOCAL INFORMATION FOR SELECTED WORLDWIDE LOCATIONS AND SOCIAL SHOPPING AND SOCIAL NETWORKING PRIORITY: This application is a continuation in part of, and claims priority to, US application nos. 13/233,352, filed 15
September 2011, 13/337271, filed 26 December, 2011, 13/337275, filed 26 December, 2011, 13/359,498, filed 27 January, 2012, 13/369244, filed February 8, 2012, 13/430600, filed March 26, 2012, 13,749735, filed April 4, 2012; and 13/439761, filed April 4, 2012, each of which applications is entirely incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION: The subject matter relates to online systems, methods, and computer related aspects of providing broad and alternative category clustering of the same, similar or different categories in social/geo/promo link promotional data sets for end user display of interactive location-based advertising ("LBA"), location-based deals and offers ("LBDO") and location-based services ("LBS"), ad links, online coupons, promotions, in real time, geotargeted or geotagged promotions via a mobile device or computer, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking.
BACKGROUND
The Geospatial Revolution examines the world of digital mapping and how it is changing the way we think, behave and interact. Geospatial information influences nearly everything. Seamless layers of satellites, surveillance, and location- based technologies create a worldwide geographic knowledge base vital to the interconnected global community. The Geospatial Revolution explores compelling human stories that explain the history, applications, related privacy issues, and impact of location-based technologies including GPS and GIS. The video episodes are useful for teaching history, social studies, geography, environment, and ecology, science and technology and for learning about career development.
Time and resources are wasted in the marketing of online products and services. Consumers waste time shopping in person or attempting to search for products or services online where they lack control or create suitable preferences for access to the search results. One approach taken in response to these and other shortcomings involves providing for products or services over the Internet, e.g., a system for shopping online over public computer networks such as the
Internet. However, users and members of such systems stem usually must be registered, wherein registration and/or subscription by the user can provide information sufficient to identify the user, such as the users and members name, address, Internet e-mail address, and/or an identification number, using an Internet server and a user display terminal in communication therewith. There are, however, numerous shortcomings to such a system. Group buying sites leverage the power of collective bargaining, providing local product or services deals that offer savings for consumers while delivering improved sales numbers to participating merchants.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides one or more of a method, apparatus, computer readable medium, computer system, wireless or wired network, or system to provide consumer, business, government, sports, or education related and integrated social networking, real time geospatial mapping, geo-targeted and geotagging location-based advertisements and location-based services technologies including GPS and GIS and multiple points of interest, receiving current location of user's electronic or mobile device or wireless device or computer and multiple points of interest, cloud-type configuration storing and handling user data across multiple enterprises, generating user behavior data, users profile preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device or an Internet connected computer terminal, for the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, online promotions, social shopping and social networking ("social/geo/promo") links on a website for user customized visual displays showing 3D map presentations with correlated or related broad or alternative categories of social/geo/promo links to be displayed with web page or mobile content for view by an end user.
The present invention provides in one aspect a system and method for providing combined technologies for social networking interactions using tracking, predicting, and implementing online consumer communications, browsing behavior, buying patterns, social shopping and social networking, social networking communications, embedded geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and affiliate advertising and communications, for users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device (such as a mobile phone networks or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, for promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, for Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services, on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies, company-local information, social shopping and social networking, and social networking communities ("CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN").
As users and members and/or subscribers of the website Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services, (e.g., "Social Shoppers") shop the world for users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile device or tablet device or computer for Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods,
Gambling and/or Services from leading brands, merchants and retailers around the world.
Users and members of the present invention can do one or more of the following: Use the present invention after installing Google Earth™ or similar plug-ins; View Social Earth or computer for promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping , social networking, optional information about microloans or microcredit, humanitarian aid and supporting other worldly causes. The invention can also optionally include unique Live View of the planet; View "live social feeds" from social networking sites such as Facebook™ and Twitter™ and "live communications" via Skype; Zoom to birds-eye and human scale view and navigate around stunning 3D satellite images of the virtual Earth; Type in an address and fly directly to the location on the platform in an instant by using the zoom technology; and/or Watch breaking news and videos from SS links. The present invention provides a unique interactive user experience; view live links to places and events knowing that a portion of the dollars spent on the present invention are going to help those in impoverished conditions around the world.
The delivery system for a host geospatial website (accessible via a mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device or computer) can provide for a multidimensional representation of information and/or sealable version of web content for an infrastructure and global platform that provides users and members and businesses of all types and sizes with access to broad markets for the delivery system and method for providing combined social behavior tracking, online surveillance and web bot software technologies via a mobile device or tablet device or computer for tracking online on behavior and data, cookies, embedded geotargeted or geotagged advertisements, online coupons and affiliate advertising, users profile or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, LB A, LBDO & LBS, ad links, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping, social networking, on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new mechanism for tracking social behavior and profiling a user during the marketing of digital content, by any means known in the art, e.g., as disclosed in US
Application no. 09/797647, filed 03/01/2001, which is entirely incorporated herein by reference.
Another object of the invention is to provide cloud-type configuration storing and handling user data across multiple applications and generating user behavior data.
And, another object of the invention is to provide such a mechanism which operates continuously, whenever consumers want and without need for the actual physical availability of vendor and financial intermediary parties.
Briefly, preferred embodiment of the present invention is a method for collecting user data, and optionally creating a user profile. A part of an end user's online or user profile is their Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) such as a user's current geographical location. Social network members in different cities, countries, or continents engage in different activities due to accessibility, economy, culture, or other factors. Data mining can be included in combined or separate groups of social network profiles according to their geography in order to discover information about a place. This results in keywords associated with a specific location and provides an automated way to describe a place in an up to date fashion based upon its current local residents. Location-Based Social Network (LBSN) profiles from four different places are analyzed here and the results are presented as they relate to space, time, location and activities. An inventory of digital content is supplied, wherein at least part of the inventory is pre-stored on a client computer. The inventory includes at least one asset, collateral for an asset, or advertisement. Information about the inventory is displayed to a user of the client computer and user data is collected about the user based on their actions with regard to the information about the inventory. Optionally, a user profile is then constructed based on the user data.
Social Networking Integration: The present invention can also provide in certain embodiments integrated social shopping and social networking, social plugins with "live social feeds" from social networking giants Facebook™ and Twitter™, e.g., but not limited to Facebook™ and Twitter™ and "live communications" via Skype™, into its website(s), which allows Social Shoppers to interact and share the latest mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device (such as a mobile phone networks or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real time, using in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with
3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, online coupons, promotions, in real time, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services with their friends, acquaintances, strangers, family, business associates, and others. Tapping into the power of social networking through social networking integration can help users of the present invention connect with thousands or millions of users around the world in real time. Twitter™ the latest social networking phenomenon, enables its users to send and read other users messages called "tweets." The present invention provides opportunities to use open source technology to rapidly grow its Social Shoppers around the world by utilizing social shopping and social networking integration and developing social applications with "live social feeds" from social networking sites Facebook™ and Twitter™ and "live communications" via Skype™ into its website and encouraging Social Shoppers to share the latest products or services or daily deals or online coupons with their family, friends, strangers, business associates and acquaintances in these popular social networks.
A technique, method, apparatus, and system are described to provide related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets with correlated or related broad or alternative categories to be displayed with web page or mobile content for view by a user. A composite correlation measure between two social/geo/promo link categories can be determined, where the composite correlation measure is one of a maximum, a minimum, or a combination of separate correlation criteria for a first social/geo/promo link category with a second social/geo/promo link category. In general, in one aspect, a method is provided. The method includes selecting a first social/geo/promo link category for a first position of a social/geo/promo link promotional data set. One or more second social/geo/promo link categories are identified using one or more correlation criteria, where at least one second social/geo/promo link category has one or more correlation criteria associated with the first social/geo/promo link category.
Implementations can include one or more of the following features. A third social/geo/promo link category can be selected for a second position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set, where the third social/geo/promo link category is different from the one or more identified second social/geo/promo link categories.
The social/geo/promo link promotional data set can be associated with a web page, and the social/geo/promo link categories can be ordered by relevance to the web page. Identifying one or more second social/geo/promo link categories using one or more correlation criteria can include identifying one or more social/geo/promo link categories having a correlation measure that is less than a correlation threshold. The social/geo/promo link categories can be associated with one or more category identifiers, and at least one of the one or more correlation criteria of a second social/geo/promo link category can be a measure of the correlation between a category identifier associated with the second
social/geo/promo link category and a category identifier associated with the first social/geo/promo link category. At least one second social/geo/promo link category can have a separate correlation measure for at least one pair-wise combination of a category identifier associated with the at least one second social/geo/promo link category and a category identifier associated with the first social/geo/promo link category. The at least one second social/geo/promo link category can have a composite correlation measure, where the composite correlation measure can be one of a maximum, a minimum, or a combination of the separate correlation criteria for the at least one second social/geo/promo link category. Identifying one or more social/geo/promo link categories having a correlation measure that is less than a correlation threshold can include identifying one or more social/geo/promo link categories having a composite correlation measure that is less than a correlation threshold.
In general, in one aspect, a method is provided. The method includes selecting a first social/geo/promo link category for a first position of a social/geo/promo link promotional data set, where the first social/geo/promo link category is in a set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories. For at least one empty position in the social/geo/promo link promotional data set, social/geo/promo link categories having a correlation measure that is less than a correlation threshold are identified, where the identified social/geo/promo link categories are in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories, and at least one social/geo/promo link category in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories has one or more correlation criteria associated with a most recently selected social/geo/promo link category. For at least one empty position in the social/geo/promo link promotional data set, a next social/geo/promo link category for a next empty position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set is selected, where the next social/geo/promo link category is in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories.
Implementations can include one or more of the following features. The identified social/geo/promo link categories can be removed from the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories. The selected social/geo/promo link categories can be removed from the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories. The social/geo/promo link categories in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories can be associated with a web page, and the social/geo/promo link categories in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories can be ordered by relevance of the social/geo/promo link categories to the web page.
In general, in one aspect, a method is provided. The method includes, for a set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories and at least one social/geo/promo link promotional data set associated with a web page, selecting a first social/geo/promo link category for a first position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set, where the first social/geo/promo link category is in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories.
For at least one empty position in the social/geo/promo link promotional data set, social/geo/promo link categories having a correlation measure that is greater than a correlation threshold are identified, where the identified
social/geo/promo link categories are in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories, and at least one social/geo/promo link category in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories has one or more correlation criteria associated with a most recently selected social/geo/promo link category. For at least one empty position in the social/geo/promo link promotional data set, a next social/geo/promo link category is selected for a next empty position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set, where the next social/geo/promo link category is in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories.
Implementations can include the following feature. The identified social/geo/promo link categories can be removed from the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories before selecting a next social/geo/promo link category for a next empty position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set, and at least one removed identified social/geo/promo link category can be added to the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories before selecting a first
social/geo/promo link category for a first position of a next social/geo/promo link promotional data set.
Other implementations are disclosed, including implementations directed to systems and computer-readable medium.
Particular embodiments of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented to realize one or more of the following advantages. The quality of related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets and user experience could be improved by increasing the variety of categories displayed in a single related social/geo/promo link promotional data set. When multiple related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets are to be displayed, individual related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets could include similar categories while sets of categories can be diversified across the multiple related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic and block diagram view of an electronic Educational related Products, Goods, Gambling, or Services with /Geospatial Mapping/Mobile Mapping/Company-Local Information/Social Networking/Communities
("CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN") information and/or product/good/service distribution system, according to an exemplary embodiment;
FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram showing, in greater detail, a database server portion of the main server system shown in FIG. 1 ;
FIG. 3 is a simplified flowchart diagram view illustrating interactions between the client system, and the main server system, according to an exemplary embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a simplified flowchart diagram view showing the steps for registration of a new user on the main server system, according to an exemplary embodiment;
FIG. 5-6 is a simplified flowchart diagram view showing, in greater detail, the steps of updating the master category list, plugins, and brand logo information, respectively, that are shown in block diagram form in FIG. 4, according to an exemplary embodiment;
FIG. 7 is a simplified flowchart diagram view showing, in greater detail, the step of updating advertising data that is shown in block diagram form in FIG. 4, according to an exemplary embodiment;
FIG. 8 is a simplified flowchart diagram view showing the steps involved in obtaining a client script, according to an exemplary embodiment;
FIGS. 9-10 are simplified flowchart diagram views showing alternate actions taken by the client system in response to selection by the user of a logo pane and an advertising pane, respectively, according to exemplary embodiments;
FIG. 11 is a simplified flowchart diagram view showing the steps executed by the client system when a user selects an item from CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information and/or data subcategory list, according to an exemplary embodiment;
FIGS. 12A/B are flow diagrams of processes for controlling the number of clicks to a clickable advertisement or online coupon, according to exemplary embodiments;
FIG. 13 illustrates a screen display defining an interface associated with a client system portion, according to an exemplary embodiment;
FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary implementation of a geospatial decision management system for implementing a geographic information system over a network.
FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of a geospatial decision management system depicting exemplary implementations of technical and management interface tools available to a client user.
FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of additional components of a geospatial decision management system for implementing access control to presentation of geospatial attributes within a network. FIG. 17 is a flow diagram of exemplary operations for implementing access control to presentation of geospatial attributes within a geospatial decision management system.
FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary implementation of a general -purpose mobile and/or computer system that that can be used to implement any, all, and/or various aspects of the present invention, e.g., but not limited to a geospatial decision management system, including access control.
FIG. 19 are tables showing lists of representative consumer, business, government, sports, or education related products and services that can be provided in combination with geospatial and mobile mapping, socially responsible information, local, global and company information, users profile preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, location-based advertising, location-based deals and offers, location- based services, ad links, online coupons, promotions, in real time, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and distribution of mobile coupons and/or location-based deals and offers and location-based services in real-time via a mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device (such as a mobile phone networks or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real time, using in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, online coupons, promotions, in real time, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, social networking communities and charity/humanitarian aid or sustainable gift, according to the present invention.
FIG. 20 is a block diagram of an example online system of the present invention.
FIG. 21 A illustrates an example of a related social/geo/promo link promotional data set provided with web page content. FIG. 2 IB illustrates an example of multiple related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets provided with the web page content.
FIG. 22 is a block diagram of an example implementation of an advertising management system of the invention that provides related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets with correlated broad and alternative categories.
FIG. 23 is a block diagram of an example implementation of the social/geo/promo link server of the present invention. FIG. 24 is a flow diagram of an example process for providing a related social/geo/promo link promotional data set with correlated broad categories.
FIG. 25 is a flow diagram of an example process for providing multiple related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets with clustered categories.
FIG. 26 is a diagram illustrating some components of an online gaining platform according to at least some embodiments of the present invention;
FIG. 27 is a diagram illustrating some components of a transaction server according to some embodiments of the present invention;
F!G. 28 is a flowchart illustrating steps which may be performed according to one or more methods associated with some embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
DEFINITIONS: Promotions/Promoting As used herein the term "promoting" or "promoting" means providing any type of information relating to any product, goods or service, including, but not limited to providing an end user with one or more of publicity, advertising, auctions, bidding, online coupons, discounts, company or local information, affiliate or related company information, local information, products, goods, gambling, or services, and related users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, LBA,
LBDO & LBS, ad links, online coupons, promotions, in real time, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and distribution of mobile coupons and/or location-based deals and offers and location-based services in real-time via a mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device (such as a mobile phone networks or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real time, using geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services,
GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, online coupons, promotions, in real time, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking and social networking communications, profiles, online behavior and prediction, scalable geospatial and mobile mapping, customized end user webpages or displays, and end user interactions, wherein the providing of information is through any form of electronic communication involving the use of one or more of a computer related system, computer readable medium, internet access, mobile device, wireless data transfer device, computer related access, or other electronic communication.
Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services means any product, good or service described herein, or as known in the art: Non-limiting examples of Products, Goods & Services provided by the present invention, can include, but are not limited to: search engines or search requests; users profile preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, LBA, LBDO & LBS, ad links, online coupons, promotions, in real time, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and distribution of mobile coupons and/or location-based deals and offers and location-based services in real-time via a mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device (such as a mobile phone networks or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real time, using geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, online coupons, promotions, in real time, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, entertainment shopping, penny auctions or online auctions, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements, online coupons, and affiliate advertising or services, including without limitation, for such items as e-commerce, sports, media and entertainment, educational, personal & financial network, travel & hospitality services, real estate, educational services, sports and sporting events interest, services, service providers, online dating, online gambling, gaming, retail stores, virtual communities and virtual goods, real estate information on market trends, mortgage quotes auto loans, insurance and home equity loans; mortgage rates to refinance your home, lender quotes, real estate properties, advertisers, service providers and business owners, auto quotes, car loans; messaging, user profiles; RSS links with e.g., news feeds, realtime weather, educational, sports, media and entertainment news and financial markets, real estate (e.g. vacant land, residential, commercial, recreational, retail, shopping malls, hotels, motels, golf courses, casinos, resorts, marinas, industrial, vacation, time shares, condominiums, multifamily, and other types of real estate, etc.), educational services, sports and sporting events interests, ancillary services e.g. (e.g. brokers, agents, relocation services, internet marketing, concierge, transportation, entertainment, travel and hospitality services, lenders, appraisers, education, developers, contractors, inspectors, home improvements/remodeling, basement designs, landscaping, home warranties, insurance, indoor and outdoor furniture, fixtures, windows, siding, roofing, heating/cooling, solar, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and similar types) or other services and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels.
Sports related Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services means any sports related or sporting event related product, goods or service described herein, or as known in the art: Non-limiting examples of Sports related Products, Goods & Services provided by the present invention, can include, but are not limited to: sports related search engines or search requests; users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, assortment of entertainment shopping, online casinos, online sports betting, NBA and college basketball lines, football, soccer, boxing, fighting, merchandise, online penny auctions or online auctions, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements, online coupons and affiliate advertising or services, including without limitation, for such items as e-commerce, sports, media and entertainment, sports, player and player profiles, personal & financial network, travel & hospitality services, real estate, educational services, ancillary services, service providers, online dating, online gambling, gaming, retail stores, virtual communities and virtual goods, real estate information on market trends, mortgage quotes auto loans, insurance and home equity loans; mortgage rates to refinance your home, lender quotes, real estate properties, advertisers, service providers and business owners, auto quotes, car loans; messaging, user profiles; SS links with e.g., news feeds, realtime weather, sports, media and entertainment news and financial markets, real estate (e.g. vacant land, residential, commercial, recreational, retail, shopping malls, hotels,, motels, golf courses, resorts, marinas, industrial, vacation, time shares, condominiums, multifamily, and other types of real estate, etc.), educational services, ancillary services e.g. (e.g. brokers, agents, relocation services, internet marketing, concierge, transportation, entertainment, travel and hospitality services, lenders, appraisers, education, developers, contractors, inspectors, home
improvements/remodeling, basement designs, landscaping, home warranties, insurance, indoor and outdoor furniture, fixtures, windows, siding, roofing, heating/cooling, solar, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and similar types) or other services and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels.
Sports and Sporting Events that can be included in one or more of Sports related products, goods or services, players and player profiles, include any known or potential sport or sporting event. Non-limiting examples include, but are not limited to: any sport or sporting event as amateur, high school, prep school, boarding school, college, university, recreation, professional, local, city, county, state, region, Provence, country, union, league, associated, or group of countries, continental, hemisphere, or any other grouping of any of the above, e.g., collegiate or professional. Professional teams or individuals can be of any form or type or grouping, e.g., but not limited to, minor league, major league, A, AA, AAA, scouting, professional and the like, the top 10 sporting events in the world, e.g.,: NFL, NCAAF, NCAAB, NBA, NASCAR, Horse racing, Golf, MLB, NHL, Indy Car, Cricket, Soccer, Football, Basketball, Tennis, Motor racing, Hockey, Boxing, Fighting; one of top 10 sports in the world: Summer Olympics; & Winter Olympics; Soccer (e.g., World Cup, FIFA events, Premier League, AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, OFC, UEFA, Olympics, men's, women's, college, NCAA, professional); Cricket (e.g. ICC World Cup, World Twenty, Olympics, men's, women's, college, NCAA, professional, Olympics, etc.); Tennis (e.g., Wimbledon, Australian Open, French Open, Shanghai Open, US Open, Indian Wells, ATA, WTA, Olympics, etc.); Hockey (e.g., NHL, WHA, IIHF, junior hockey leagues, adult sport leagues, Olympics, etc.); Cycling (e.g. USA cycling, UCI World Championship, Tour de France, Gyro d' Italia, Vuelta a Espana); Volleyball; Golf (e.g., PGA, Masters, The Open Championship, The PGA Championship, men's, women's, college, NCAA, professional, USGA, Golf Canada, International Golf Network, World Golf Federation, GCSAA, National Golf Federation, IGF, World Senior Golf Federation, Ryder Cup, Olympics, etc.); American Football (e.g., college, professional, high school, NFL, WFL, IFAF, CFL, UFL, IFL, APFL, Arena Football League, Professional Indoor Football League; Basketball (e.g., men's, women's, college, NCAA, professional, NBA,
Table Tennis (e.g., men's, women's, college, professional, Olympic Games, World Championships, World Table Tennis Championships, Top International Table Tennis Tournaments, World Cup; Baseball (e.g., MLB, AL, NL, Japan's Central League and Pacific League; Cuba's West League and East League; European professional leagues, Baseball World Cup, Olympic baseball tournament, International Baseball Federation (IBAF), Women's baseball amateur basis, Women's Baseball World Cup, World Baseball Classic); Horse Racing (e.g. The Kentucky Derby, The
Preakness, The Belmont Stakes, Santa Ana Handicap, Breeder's Cup); Polo (e.g. The Queen's Cup, Polo in the Park, Prince of Wales Cup, Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup, Mercedes-Benz Polo Championship, Cartier International Polo, The Warwickshire Cup); Auto Racing (e.g. dirt track, electric drag racing, karting, open wheel racing, rally racing, road rallying, sports car racing, stock car racing, formula-one racing, Indy car racing); Boxing (e.g. title fights, promotion fights, amateur, UFC, Olympics); Wrestling (e.g. WWE, TNA, CMLL, OVW, APW, UPW, CWF, HWA, AWF, WOW,
ECWA, JCW, WCWO, WWA, Olympics); Fighting (e.g. TFC, UFC, MM A); Cycling; Alternative sports, and
Adventure Sports and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking,
Gambling. The terms "gaming", ''gambling" or the like, refers to either land-based or online events, activities, games, sessions, rounds, hands, rolls and operations etc., including video games, Web games, online casino, casino games, card games, poker, dice games, online sports betting, sporting events and/or any other gaming or gambling events, in addition, the word "bet", "bid" or the like, refer to any type of wagers, bets or gaming ventures that are placed on random events, whether of monetary or non-monetary value, as known in the art, and 'or as presented herein and below and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services.
Educational related refers to anything that can be included in one or more educational related activities, e.g., education related products, goods or services that can include any known or potential educational activity, institution, company, agency, entity, and the like, at any level, e.g., pre-school, elementary school, middle school, high school, prep school, boarding school, college, university, recreational, professional, local, city, county, state, region, Provence, country, union, league, associated, or group of countries, continental, hemisphere, or any other grouping of any of the above, e.g., company, collegiate or professional. Educational refers to any type or educational endeavor. Consumer, business, government, sports, or education related products, goods, gambling, or services can include one or more of Branches of Education, e.g., such as, but not limited to, by level, sector, specialization or department: Education by level, e.g., Preschool education, Primary education, Secondary education, Higher education; Autodidacticism; Education by sector: Academia, Adult education, Alternative education, Public education, Private education; Education by specialization or department: Agricultural education , Art education, Business education,
Chemistry education, Distance education, Gifted education, Language education, Legal education, Mathematics education, Medical education, Music education, Physics education, Religious education, Science education, Special education, Sex education, Vocational Education; Exercise & Health; Academic disciplines: Humanities, e.g.,
History, Linguistics, e.g., Languages, Linguistics: Literature; Literary Theory, Critical theory, Literary criticism, Creative Writing, Performing Art and, Arts Administration; e.g., Music, e.g., Performance, Recorded, Live:
Musical composition, Conducting: Jazz studies, Music Education, Music History, Music Theory, Musicology Ethnomusicology, DANCE, e.g., Dance Choreography, Dance notation, Ethno choreology, History of dance; Theatre, Film, Oral literature, Public speaking; Philosophy, Religion; New Age and other beliefs; Visual arts: e.g., Art history, Drawing and Painting; Social Sciences: e.g., Anthropology, Archaeology, Area studies, Economics, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Geography, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Natural Sciences ,e.g., Space science, Earth sciences; Ecology, Life sciences, Chemistry, Physics, Formal sciences, Computer sciences, Logic, Mathematics, Statistics, Systems Science; Jobs, Professions, or work related to: Business, Divinity, Education, Engineering, Environmental Studies and Forestry, Health Science, Human physical performance and recreation, Journalism, Law, Library and Museum Studies, Military Sciences, Public Administration, Social Work, Sports & History of Sports, Transportation, Degrees and certifications in the field of education; Reading & Digital Library,
Government, such as, News, Funding, How do I find, Research & Statistics, Policy, Programs, About ED.gov., Federal Agencies and What They Do, Profiles in Public Service, Federal Careers, Agriculture & Forestry, Art & Design, Biological Sciences, Business, Communications, Computer Science, Education, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Foreign Languages, International Relations, Legal, Law Enforcement, Math & Statistics, Medical & Public Health, Physical Sciences, Social Sciences, Social Work.
Geospatial Analysis, using GIS, for environment, life sciences, defense, intelligence, utilities, business applications, coupons, products & services, online shopping, mobile, social networking, travel & hospitality, e-commerce, gambling, natural resources (i.e. oil and gas, forestry, etc.), social sciences, medicine, education and public safety (i.e. emergency management and criminology). The term educational related also can include trades or types of companies included in or as members of a trade association, e.g., but not limited to Trade Associations and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services.
Virtual Geotargeted or Geotagged Advertisements: Non-limiting examples of virtual geotargeted or geotagged advertisements services provided by the present invention, can include, but are not limited to the following: Providing in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking for virtual online geotargeted or geotagged advertisements, digital billboards and other geotargeted or geotagged advertisements for products, goods or services that connects millions of users and members from around the world on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels.
Virtual Penny Auction or Online Auction Market: Non-limiting examples of virtual auctions services provided by the present invention, can include, but are not limited to the following. Providing an infrastructure and global platform that provides users and businesses of all types and sizes with access to broad markets of penny auctions or online auctions promoting the sale of Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services with millions of users and members from around the world on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services.
Virtual E-commerce Market: Non-limiting examples of e-commerce services provided by the present invention, can include, but are not limited to the following. Providing an infrastructure and global platform that provides users and members and businesses of all types and sizes with in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking and access to broad markets of e-commerce, ad links, online coupons, promotions, in real time, and other products, goods or services that connects millions of users and members from around the world on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels.
Virtual News, Media and Entertainment Market: Non-limiting examples of virtual media and entertainment services provided by the present invention, can include, but are not limited to the following. Providing an immersive, interactive virtual reality to news, media and entertainment, users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, sporting events, stadiums, venues, athletes, celebrities, commentators, player and player profiles, coaches, scores and updates, scoreboards, sports memorabilia or other merchandise, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements, popular sports around the world such as Summer & Winter Olympics, baseball, basketball, cricket, cycling, golf, hockey, football (American), football (soccer), World Cup Soccer, motorsports, polo, rowing, rugby, swimming, table tennis, tennis, RSS links, videos and other Products, Goods, Gambling or Services and other products, goods or services that connects millions of users and members from around the world on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels.
Virtual Sports Market: Non-limiting examples of virtual sports services provided by the present invention, can include, but are not limited to the following. Providing an immersive, interactive virtual reality to sports, media and
entertainment, users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, sporting events, online gambling, stadiums, venues, athletes, celebrities, commentators, player and player profiles, coaches, scores and updates, scoreboards, sports memorabilia, merchandise, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements, popular sports around the world such as Summer & Winter Olympics, baseball, basketball, cricket, cycling, golf, hockey, football (American), football (soccer), World Cup Soccer, motorsports, polo, rowing, rugby, swimming, table tennis, tennis, RSS links, videos and other products, goods or services that connects millions of users and members from around the world on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels.
Virtual Personal & Financial Network Market: Non-limiting examples of virtual personal & financial network services provided by the present invention, can include, but are not limited to the following: Providing an infrastructure and global platform that provides users and members and businesses of all types and sizes with users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services and access to broad markets of virtual personal & financial network of service providers, products or services that connects millions of users and members from around the world on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels..
Virtual Travel & Hospitality Market: Non-limiting examples of virtual travel & hospitality services provided by the present invention, can include, but are not limited to the following: Providing mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services for travel & hospitality services and other products, goods or services with a powerful network of thousands of travel & hospitality service providers e.g. travel agents, hotels, motels, resorts, airlines, entertainment, transportation, and other related social shopping and social networking, Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services, etc. and other professionals that connects millions of users and members from around the world on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels.
Virtual Real Estate Market: Non-limiting examples of virtual real estate services provided by the present invention, can include, but are not limited to the following: Providing information about mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, various types of real estate, ancillary services and other products, goods or services with a powerful network of thousands of real estate professionals, ancillary services and other affiliates that connects millions of users and members from around the world on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies. Social Earth intends to provide information and links to some of the top real estate websites and integrate real estate information into its website from third party websites such as, but not limited to, Yahoo Real Estate,
Zillow, Realtor.com, Trulia, MSN Real Estate, Homes.com, AOL Real Estate, Rent.com, ZipRealty, MyNewPlace, LoopNet, Apartment Guide, Re/Max Real Estate, Apartments.com, Welchet.com, Redfin, HomeFinder, Listingbook Services, Rentals.com, ForRent.com and other real estate related websites on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels.
Virtual Service Providers: Non-limiting examples of service providers provided by the present invention, can include, but are not limited to: allowing service providers and business owners' to reach users and members and consumers online, offering geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services, GPS and GIS technologies and the like, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, advertising opportunities for service providers, business owners and affiliates for business services, healthcare services, specialty financial services, consumer products, specialty retail and media and entertainment, lenders, mortgage companies and the like; providing geotargeted or geotagged advertisements that can appear on consumers' property search results and connecting thousands of service providers and business owners for business services, healthcare services, specialty financial services, consumer products, specialty retail and media and entertainment, lenders, financial institutions or banks, mortgage companies lenders and mortgage companies to provide financing quotes to millions of users and members and consumers online; providing real estate market information and mortgage quotes for, e.g., purchase of a new home, refinance, consolidating debt, auto loans, insurance quotes or home equity loans and other Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services, advertisers, service providers and business owners from around the world on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels.
Virtual Social Networking Market: Non-limiting examples of virtual social networking services provided by the present invention, can include, but are not limited to the following: Providing a social networking platform with social shopping, social networking and social networking communities and a means for users and members to interact i.e. user profile, social links, share interests and/or activities, social shopping and social networking, social plugins, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, online couponrs, promotions, in real time, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social applications, messaging, online communications, viewing public & private user profiles, blogs, chat rooms, other entertainment, events and interests, emailing and instant messaging, games, groups, etc. for members and other products, goods or services that connects millions of users and members from around the world on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels.
Virtual Online Dating Market: Non-limiting examples of virtual online dating provided by the present invention, can include, but are not limited to the following: Providing an online community for dating, gathering and other types of services for users and members to interact i.e. user profiles, viewing public & private user profiles, online communications, messaging, social links, social plugins, social applications, blogs, chat rooms, sharing interests and/or activities, entertainment, events and interests, emailing and instant messaging, games, groups, etc. and other products, goods or services that connects millions of users and members from around the world on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services.
Virtual Social Gaming Market: Non-limiting examples of social gaming services provided by the present invention, can include, but are not limited to, gaming and social sites, add-ons for online games, digital gifts and other items, online virtual communities and similar or related forms of entertainment, virtual real estate, social networks, searching online for different types of real estate and other Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services, educational services, sports and sporting events interest, ancillary services that connects millions of users and members from around the world on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of location- users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services.
Virtual Retail Stores Market: Non-limiting examples of virtual retail stores services provided by the present invention, can include, but are not limited to, virtual retail stores. Proving users and members and business owners with an online retail store and ability to create a central shopping location where buyers can learn about you and all the products that you sell. Providing online retail stores for members and business owners and other Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services, advertisers, service providers and business owners that connects millions of users and members from around the world on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services.
Virtual Communities Market: Non-limiting examples of virtual communities services by the present invention, can include, but are not limited to, virtual worlds. Virtual worlds are online communities in which individuals are able to interact with each other in real time, and can include v-businesses, which is virtual commerce of goods and services for use in these virtual worlds. Virtual communities have thousands and millions of members, namely people who join the virtual communities to exchange information, gain social support, or to seek entertainment and friendship. Providing users and members and business owners with an online virtual community and other Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services, advertisers, service providers and business owners that connects millions of users and members and members from around the world on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services.
Virtual Goods Market: Non-limiting examples of Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services provided by the present invention, can include, but are not limited to, virtual goods, which can relate to virtual worlds and multiplayer online role playing games (MMO or MMORPG), e.g., like
Entropic and Second Life, for members and other products, services, service providers and businesses that connects millions of users and members via the Internet with thousands and millions of members from around the world on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services.
Giving Back: Social Shoppers can optionally be able to help those who have been impacted by a natural disaster, live in impoverished conditions or are less fortunate in the world. Social Earth plans to provide microloans or microcredit, humanitarian aid and sustainable gifts to those in need and support other worldly causes in developing countries and charities in their communities and local and global causes around our planet and other relief efforts for natural and man- made disasters including oil spills, radioactive contamination, devastating flooding, tornados, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and/or tsunamis. For example, fly to Japan and view a video on the Japan relief effort. By tapping into the power of social networking and bringing together a collective consciousness with millions of Social Shoppers, Social Earth plans on raising awareness for global issues and millions of dollars for microloans or microcredit, humanitarian aid, charitable donations, sustainable gifts and supporting other worldly causes such as feeding the children, providing clean water supply, better education and medical supplies for those in need and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services.
Microloans or Microcredit Market: Non-limiting examples of microloan or microcredit services provided by the present invention, can include, but are not limited to, information about microloans or microcredit, which is an extension of very small loans to those in poverty designed to spur entrepreneur ship. Providing information about mobile banking and mobile wallet services, microloans or microcredit to men and women that lack collateral, steady employment and verifiable credit history and in impoverished conditions around the world and other Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services, advertisers, service providers and business owners that connects millions of users and members with organizations that support disadvantaged men and women from around the world on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels.
Humanitarian Aid Market: Non-limiting examples of humanitarian aid services provided by the present invention, can include, but are not limited to, humanitarian aid for poverty, natural disasters and man-made disasters. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, provide food, clean water, medical supplies and shelter to alleviate suffering and maintain human dignity for those who are suffering. Providing humanitarian aid to those in impoverished conditions and suffering from around the world from natural disasters and manmade disasters and including animals, animal rights and protecting endangered species and wildlife from extinction and that connects millions of users and members and members with organizations that support underprivileged men, women and children and including animals, animal rights and protecting endangered species and wildlife from extinction from around the world from poverty, natural disasters and manmade disasters on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, mobile services, online coupons, promotions, in real time, mobile banking and mobile wallet services.
Charitable Donations or Sustainable Gifts Market: Non-limiting examples of charitable donations or sustainable gifts services provided by the present invention, can include, but are not limited to, charitable donations or sustainable gifts to benefit those in need from around the world and other charitable causes and programs that support: feeding the children, providing clean water supply, better education and medical supplies to those in need, finding solutions to global warming, saving the Amazon Rain Forest and our planet from grave ecological harm.. In addition, Social Earth supports programs that provide assistance for humanitarian aid, violence, children trafficking, women's health, HIV/AIDs, workplace, sexual assault, leadership and finding cures for other infectious diseases, etc. A donation or sustainable gift may take various forms, including cash or a Social Earth Coupon, can include, but are not limited to, a goat, sheep, chicken, water buffalo, cow, stove, carpentry tools, class supplies, health clinic, food, clothing, water, medical or other supplies, services, new or used goods including clothing, toys, food and vehicles. It may also consist of emergency, relief or humanitarian aid items, development aid support and medical care needs as i.e. blood or organs for transplant.
Providing charitable donations or sustainable gifts to those in need in impoverished conditions for such items as food, clothing, education, health or benefit a cause around the world and mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services and other products, services, service providers and business owners that connects millions of users and members from around the world on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels.
A Social Networking Service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people, who, for example, share interests and/or activities. A social network service essentially consists of a representation of each user (often a profile), his/her social links, and a variety of additional services. Most social network services are web based and provide means for users to interact over the Internet, such as e- mail, blogs, chat rooms and instant messaging. Online community services are sometimes considered as a social network service, though in a broader sense, social network service usually means an individual-centered service, whereas online community services are group-centered. Social networking sites allow users to share ideas, activities, events, and interests within their individual networks. The main types of social networking services are those, which contain category places (such as former school year or classmates), means to connect with friends (usually with self-description pages) and a recommendation system linked to trust. Other non-limiting examples can include one or more of the following, e.g., w Facebook™, Twitter™ and other popular social networking sites widely used worldwide, Nexopia (mostly in Canada); Bebo, VKontakte, Hi5, Hyves (mostly in The Netherlands), Draugiem.lv (mostly in Latvia), StudiVZ (mostly in Germany), iWiW (mostly in Hungary), Tuenti (mostly in Spain), Nasza-Klasa (mostly in Poland), Decayenne, Tagged, XING, Badoo and Skyrock in parts of Europe; Orkut and Hi5 in South America and Central
America; and Mixi, Multiply, Orkut, Wretch, renren and Cyworld in Asia and the Pacific Islands and Linkedln and Orkut are very popular in India and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services.
A Social Network is a social structure made up of individuals (or organizations) called "nodes", which are tied
(connected) by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike, sexual relationships, or relationships of beliefs, knowledge or prestige and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services.
Social Layers. The present invention provides layer applications, which are known as "social layers." These social layers allow Social Shoppers to customize their personal experience on SOCIAL EARTH as they search for mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services or services from merchants and sellers in their local area or just about anywhere else in the world based upon their precise location, GPS and GIS technologies, buying preferences, interests or travels take them. Social Shoppers select from a menu of "Purchase" coupon categories such as. (Arts & Entertainment, Travel, Giving Back, Eat & Drink, Deal of the Day) and "Free" coupon categories such as: (Health & Beauty, Sports, Shopping, Groceries). The present invention provides methods and systems that drive traffic to its website by targeting Social Earth Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services and connecting buyers and sellers from around the world on a global platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies, based upon a user's preference and location, which are displayed on a unique Live View of planet Earth. Once a Social Shopper selects one or more coupon categories, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements based upon users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social networking, Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services or services from brands, merchants and retailers from around the world can populate the virtual Earth. Social Shoppers are able to double click on Social Earth mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related
Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services or services and virtually fly directly to its location on Earth. Social Shoppers can also click on one of the featured cities and take a tour of London, San Francisco, Cancun or Denver and zoom down to street level to take a closer look. Social Shoppers enjoy the experience of virtually traveling around the world, zooming in and out to street level in search for great geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services or services and sharing them with their friends, family, business associates, strangers or acquaintances on Social Earth or in these popular social networks and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels.
Geospatial Analysis is an approach to applying statistical analysis and other informational techniques to geographically based data. Such analysis employs spatial software and analytical methods with terrestrial or geographic datasets, including geographic information systems and geomatics. Google Earth™ is a non-limiting example of the application of geospatial analysis, where it provides a virtual globe, map and geographical information program. Google Earth™ is a virtual globe, map and geographic information program that layered with geographic information. Google Earth™ is available for Android, Windows 2000, XP, Vista 7, Mac OS X, Blackberry Storm, iOS and Linux. Google Earth™ provides a wealth of topographical information about our planet Earth on a variety of subjects. Google Earth™ lets you fly anywhere to view satellite imagery, maps, terrain, 3D buildings, galaxies in outer space, and the depths of the ocean. With Google Earth™ 6, users can explore the streets in 3D like never before. Fly from outer space down to the streets with the new Street View and easily navigate your way around. Google Earth™ has also been able to assist in promoting awareness of global problems such as Hurricane Katrina, the war in Iraq and photos of the post Japan earthquake panoramas in Google Earth™. Google Earth™ has many "layers" of data, including videos, photos, Wikipedia, realtime weather, real-time traffic, 3D buildings, GPS tracks and more. The release of free Web mapping applications opened up printable mapping to mainstream Internet users. Google™ also released free APIs for their Google Earth™ platform, allowing users to geo-locate and map their own data. Google is apparently working on a faster, easier Google Earth™ plug-in download as well as an improved Google Earth™ mobile app. The Google Earth™ API is a free service, available for any web site that is free to consumers. The Plug-in and its JavaScript API allow users to place a version of Google Earth™ into web pages. The API does not have all the features of the full Google Earth™ Application but enables sophisticated 3D map applications to be built, including use for GM of the present invention. The Google
Earth™ Plug-in and its JavaScript API let you embed Google Earth™, a true 3D digital globe, into your web pages. Using the API you can draw markers and lines, drape images over the terrain, add 3D models, or load KML files, allowing you to build sophisticated 3D map applications.
Location-Based Services: Location-based services are a general class of computer program level services used to include specific controls for location and time data as control features in computer programs. Location-based services is an information and has a number of uses in social networking today as an entertainment service, which is accessible with mobile devices through the mobile network and uses information on the geographic position of the mobile device.
Location-Based Advertising: Location-based advertising is a new form of advertising that integrates mobile advertising with location-based services. The technology is used to pinpoint consumer's location and provide location specific geotargeted or geotagged advertisements on their mobile device.
Geotagging: Geogtagging is the process of adding geographic identification metadata to various media such as a geotagged photograph or video, website, SMS message, Q codes or RSS feeds and is a form of geospatial metadata. These data usually consist of latitude and longitude coordinates, though they can also include altitude, bearing, distance, and accuracy data and place names. Geotagging can help users find a wide variety of location-specific information. For instance, one can find images taken near a given location by entering latitude and longitude coordinates into s suitable search engine. Geotagging-enabled information can also potentially be used to find location-based news, websites or other resources.
Real-Time Geotagging: Real-time geotagging is a name given to the automatic technique of acquiring media (such as photos, audio or video), associating a specific location with the media, transferring the media to an online map and publishing the media in real-time.
Geocoding: Geocoding refers to a process of taking non-coordinated based geographical identifiers, such as a street address and finding associated geographic coordinates.
Mobile Geotagging: Mobile geotagging identifying people, objects and data by their geographical location. One way to identify the data and object by their physical location is by geotagging them. GPS is increasingly becoming the technology of choice for mobile location-based-services.
Geolocation: Geolocation is the identification of the real-world geographic location of an object such as a radar, mobile phone or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real time,. Geolocation may refer to the practice of assessing the location or the actual assessed location,
Geofencing: Geo fencing is a term utilized primarily in the corporate world that refers to the practice of limiting mobile employees to a specific geographic location by tracking their whereabouts via the technology of global positioning system ("GPS"). With geofencing, as a mobile user enters a pre-defined geography, their mobile device tags them as incoming. Merchant's servers keyed to corresponding apps could be able to send coupons and prompts to new arrivals in the area.
Coupon: In marketing, a coupon is a ticket or document that can be exchanged for a financial discount or rebate when purchasing a product. Customarily, coupons are issued by manufacturers of consumer-packaged goods or by retailers, to be used in retail stores as a part of sales ad links, promotions. They are often widely distributed through mail, magazines, newspapers, the Internet, directly from the retailer, and mobile devices such as cell phones. Since only price conscious consumers are likely to spend the time to claim the savings, coupons function as a form of price discrimination, enabling retailers to offer a lower price only to those consumers who would otherwise go elsewhere. In addition, coupons can also be targeted selectively to regional markets in which price competition is great. Internet Coupons: Online retailers often refer to coupons as "coupon codes," "promotional codes," "promotion codes," "discount codes," "key codes," "promo codes," "surplus codes," "portable codes," "shopping codes," "voucher codes," "reward codes" "discount vouchers" or "source codes." Internet coupons typically provide for reduced cost or free shipping, a specific dollar or percentage discount, or some other offer to encourage consumers to purchase specific products or to purchase from specific retailers. Because paper coupons would be difficult to redeem, typically secret words or codes are distributed for consumers to type in at checkout. Marketers can use different codes for different channels our groups in order to distinguish response rates and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking
Social Networking Integration: The present invention can also provide in certain embodiments social networking links, tracking, collection and/or analysis, including integrated social plugins with "live social feeds" from social networking sites, e.g., but not limited to Facebook™ and Twitter™ and "live communications" via Skype™, into its website(s), which allows Social Shoppers to interact and share the latest product or services deals with their friends, family, business associates, acquaintances and others. Tapping into social networking users through social shopping and social networking integration can help users and members of the present invention connect with thousands or millions of users and members. Twitter™ the latest social networking phenomenon, enables its users and members to send and read other users and members' messages called "tweets." The present invention provides opportunities to use open source technology to rapidly grow its Social Shoppers around the world by utilizing social networking integration with
"live social feeds" from social networking giants Facebook and Twitter and "live communications" via Skype™ into its website and encouraging Social Shoppers to share the latest geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services with their friends, family, business associates, acquaintances and others on Social Earth or in these popular social networks. Social Software Applications. Social software applications include communication tools and interactive tools.
Communication tools typically handle the capturing, storing and presentation of communications, usually written but increasingly including audio and video as well, which can also include tracking and predicting of online communications via a mobile device or tablet device or computer with respect to third party applications and outside social networks such as e.g. Facebook™, Twitter™, Skype™ and other popular social networks around the world. Interactive tools handle mediated interactions between a pair or group of users. They focus on establishing and maintaining a connection amount of users, facilitating the mechanics of conversation and talk and delivery system for behavior targeting and filtering of users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking.
Instant Messaging: An instant messaging application or client allows one to communicate with another person over a network in real time, in relative privacy. One can add friends to a contact or buddy list by entering the person's email address or messenger ID.
Text Chat: Internet Relay Chat (IRC) and other online chat technologies allow users to join and communicate with many people at once, publically.
Groupware: Groupware software allows subjects to share data such as files, photos, text, etc.
Internet Forums: Internet forums allow users to post a "topic" for others to review. Other users can view the topic and post their own comments in a linear fashion, one after the other.
Wikis: A wiki is a web page whose content can be edited by its visitors.
Blogs: Blogs, short for web logs, are online journals for a particular person. The owner can post a message periodically, allowing others to comment. Topics often include the owner's daily life, views on politics or a particular subject important to them.
Prediction Markets: Many predictions market tools have become available that make it easy to predict and bet on future events. This is a more formal version of social interaction, although it qualifies as a robust type of social software. Social Networking Services: Social networking services allow people to come together online around shared interests, hobbies or causes.
Social Shopping: Is a method of e-commerce where shoppers' friends become involved in the shopping experience. Social Engine: Social engine refers to a web based framework and platform for developing custom social apps as well as hosting them. A social engine acts as a web operating system for developing all kinds of social networking services and projects.
Social Guides: A social guide recommending places to visit or contains information about places in the real world such as coffee shops, restaurants and wifi hotspots, etc.
Social Bookmarking: Some web sites allow users to post their list of bookmarks or favorite website for others to search and view them.
Social Cataloging: Social cataloging is a software aimed towards academics. It allows the user to post a citation for an article found on the Internet or a website, online database like Academic Search Premier or LexisNexis. Social Online Storage: Social online storage applications allow their users to collaboratively create file archives containing files of any type, including cloud storage. Files can either be edited online or from a local computer which has access to the storage system.
Social Plug-ins: A button placed on a website and blogs that members can click to share their interests in a site with their friends. A Like Box can also be added to a web page that provides a scrolling window into the organization's
Facebook™ page. The Like Button and Like Box are called "social plugins."
Virtual Worlds: Virtual worlds are services where it is possible to meet and interact with other people in a virtual environment reminiscent of the real world. Thus the term virtual reality. Typically, the user manipulates an avatar through the world, interacting with others using chat or voice chat.
Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs): MMOG's are virtual worlds that add various sorts of point systems, levels, competition and winners and losers to virtual world simulation.
Computer Surveillance: Computer surveillance is the act of performing surveillance of computer or mobile activity and of data stored on a hard drive or being transferred over the Internet.
Network Surveillance: The vast majority of computer surveillance involves the monitoring of data and traffic on the Internet. In the United States for example, under the Commissions Assistance For Law Enforcement Act, all phone calls and broadband internet traffic (emails, web traffic, instant messaging, etc.) are required to be available for unimpeded real-time monitoring by Federal law enforcement agencies.
Penny Auctions or Online Auctions: Is an auction where bidders pay-per-bid for an item and the time increases with each bid.
Web Bot: Web bot is a software program that is claimed to be able to predict future events by tracking keywords entered on the Internet. Internet bots monitor articles, blogs, forums and other forms of Internet chatter. Words in the lexicon are assigned numeric values for emotional quantifiers such as duration, impact, immediacy, intensity and others. Mobile Device Network Operators. The term mobile device network operator includes any company, agency, administrator, network, system, provider, marketer, distributor, developer, and the like, for any mobile or wireless provider, or related hardware, software, server, infrastructure, network, switching, routing, maintenance, or service provider. Non-limiting examples include one or more of, but are not limited to, international, national, regional, provincial, state, county or local mobile network operators. Terrestrial mobile phone network operators, e.g. but not limited to, (1) China Mobile, China; (2) Vodafone, Telenor, Norway; (3) Airtel, India (Airtel); (4) America Movil, Mexico; (5) Telefonica (Movistar, 02 & Vivo), Spain; (6) Orange, France Telecom; (7) VimpelCom, Russia (Beeline Russia, GT); (8) Telenor; Altimo (Alfa Group); (9) SingTel, Singapore; Temasek Holdings; (10) Axiata Group Berhad,
Malaysia (Celcom); (11) China Unicom, China; (12) TeliaSonera, Sweden; (13) Saudi Telecom Company, Saudi Arabia; (14) MTN Group, South Africa; (15) Etisalat, United Arab Emirates; (16) Reliance Communications. India; (17) T-Mobile, Germany (Telekom.de); (18) Verizon Wireless. USA; (19) MTS. Russia (MTS Russia) Sistema; (20) AT&T Mobility, USA; AT&T Inc.; (21) China Telecom, China; (22) Telkomsel, Indonesia (Telkomsel); (23) Idea Cellular, India; Aditya Birla Group , Axiata Group Berhad , Providence Equity; (24) BSNL, India, Government of India; (25)
Tata Teleservices, India, Tata Group, Temasek, Sivasankaran; (26) Telecom Italia / TIM, Italy (TIM), Telefonica ; (27) Maxis Communications, Malaysia (Maxis); Ananda Krishnan , Saudi Telecom Company; (28) Turkcell, Turkey (Turkcell), Turkcell Group; (29) Qtel, Qatar. Five largest satellite phone network operators measured by number of subscribers (A) Iridium, Proprietary TDMA,; (B) Globalstar, Proprietary CDMA; (C) Thuraya, Proprietary FDMA/GSM; (D) Inmarsat, Proprietary GSM; and (E) ACeS, Dual-mode Satellite/GSM. US Mobile phone network operators: Verizon Wireless, AT&T Mobility, Sprint Nextel (Includes Sprint Network, Nextel Network, Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile USA, and Assurance Wireless), T-Mobile USA, TracFone Wireless (Includes NET 10, Straight Talk, SafeLink Wireless); Clearwire (Includes CLEAR); MetroPCS; Cricket; U.S. Cellular; Qwest Wireless; C Spire
Wireless); Alltel; Cincinnati Bell Wireless; nTelos (Includes Frawg); SouthernLINC; Movida Wireless; GCI Wireless
(Includes GCI Network, and Alaska DigiTel Network); Bluegrass Cellular; and Alaska Communications Systems. Mobile Device Communication Standards: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM, around 80-85 % market share) and IS-95 (around 10-15 % market share) were the two most prevalent 2G mobile communication technologies in 2007. In 3G, the most prevalent technology was UMTS with CDMA-2000 in close contention. All radio access technologies have to solve the same problems: to divide the finite RF spectrum among multiple users as efficiently as possible. GSM uses TDMA and FDMA for user and cell separation. UMTS, IS-95 and CDMA-2000 use CDMA. WIMAX and LTE use OFDM. Time-division multiple access (TDMA) provides multiuser access by chopping up the channel into sequential time slices. Each user of the channel takes turns to transmit and receive signals. In reality, only one person is actually using the channel at a specific moment. This is analogous to time-sharing on a large computer server. Frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) provides multiuser access by separating the used frequencies. This is used in GSM to separate cells, which then use TDMA to separate users within the cell. Code- division multiple access (CDMA) This uses a digital modulation called spread spectrum which spreads the voice data over a very wide channel in pseudorandom fashion using a user or cell specific pseudorandom code. The receiver undoes the randomization to collect the bits together and produce the original data. As the codes are pseudorandom and selected in such a way as to cause minimal interference to one another, multiple users can talk at the same time and multiple cells can share the same frequency. This causes an added signal noise forcing all users to use more power, which in exchange decreases cell range and battery life. Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) uses bundling of multiple small frequency bands that are orthogonal to one another to provide for separation of users. The users are multiplexed in the frequency domain by allocating specific sub-bands to individual users. This is often enhanced by also performing TDMA and changing the allocation periodically so that different users get different sub-bands at different times. In theory, CDMA, TDMA and FDMA have exactly the same spectral efficiency but practically, each has its own challenges - power control in the case of CDMA, timing in the case of TDMA, and frequency generation/filtering in the case of FDMA. For a classic example for understanding the fundamental difference of TDMA and CDMA imagine a cocktail party, where couples are talking to each other in a single room. The room represents the available bandwidth: TDMA: A speaker takes turns talking to a listener. The speaker talks for a short time and then stops to let another couple talk. There is never more than one speaker talking in the room, no one has to worry about two conversations mixing. The drawback is that it limits the practical number of discussions in the room (bandwidth wise). CDMA: any speaker can talk at any time; however each uses a different language. Each listener can only understand the language of his or her partner. As more and more couples talk, the background noise (representing the noise floor) gets louder, but because of the difference in languages, conversations do not mix. The drawback is that at some point, one cannot talk any louder. After this if the noise still rises (more people join the party/cell) the listener cannot make out what the talker is talking about without coming closer to the talker. In effect, CDMA cell coverage decreases as the number of active users increases. This is called cell breathing. Mobile Banking or Mobile Wallet Services: Payment services operated under financial regulation and performed from or via a mobile device. Mobile payment is an alternative payment method. Instead of paying with cash, check or credit cards, a consumer can use a mobile phone to pay for a wide range of services and digital or hard goods.
Celebrity or Entertainment News refers to the communication or presentation of any information about any aspect or activity relating one or more celebrities or the entertainment industry.
The use of geospatial and mobile mapping for associating information to specific places can included, but it not limited to, one or more of: Live links to places and events; Data on the landscape; Zoom to birds-eye and human scale views; 3D custom audio/visual content; Interactive 360 panoramas; Fly-through tours with content, narration, music; Stunning imagery and videos; 3D buildings and landscaping, e-commerce and mobile banking tools and hooks; Advertising on the landscape; Advanced search for private and public information; Social shopping and social networking integration;
Self-posting for uploading user generated content; Custom tools, mobile apps and widgets; and the like. Connecting buyers and sellers with Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services with users and members known as " Social Shoppers" in real-time on a geographical area across multiple social layers that are displayed as graphic animated color overlays on a three dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial mapping technology." The invention can also provide mobile payment method and/or system for effectuating an online payment through a computer or a mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device to complete an e-commerce, online purchase, mobile payment, mobile banking and mobile wallet transactions on a three- dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technologies.
Social Earth Mobile allowing Social Shoppers to receive geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services, based upon their precise location. Mobile apps for smart phones (e.g., but not limited to, Android™ and tablets, e.g., iPhone™, iPod Touch™ and iPad™) are provided that can allow Social Shoppers to search, detect, receive and pay for geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services, based upon their online activities, precise location, GPS and GIS technologies, online communications, search inquiries, social shopping and social networking, social networking communities, social plugins, geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, social applications, entertainment shopping, penny auctions or online auctions, bidding, bidding behavior, bidding results, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements, online coupons and affiliate advertising, purchasing, behavior, buying patterns and other criteria, such as shopping or interest preferences.
With Social Earth Mobile, Social Shoppers can explore the same 3D imagery and terrain as on the desktop version. Users can be able to search, detect, receive and pay for geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking. Users will be able to search the globe and fly to their current location or anywhere in the world by typing in the address in the search bar. With a touch of a button, users can be able to Pan, zoom, and tilt their view as they virtually travel around the globe. Users can be able to search for people, cities, places and businesses around the world and View many layers of geographic information and other information on a three- dimensional geospatial platform using geospatial and mobile mapping technology. The invention provides opportunities to connect buyers and sellers and reach people at the point of shopping through GPS and GIS technologies - a benefit both to shoppers and merchants.
The present invention thus provides any known alternative geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking interactions, as functions or content, access, systems, and the like, as known in the art, or as described herein, which can include, but are not limited to, access to trusted user-generated content using social networks, accessing information from multiple networks, social graphs, and content sites, accumulating social relation information for social network services, adaptive packaging of network resources, adaptive social network management, advertising products to groups within social networks, aggregation of social network data, aggregation, standardization and extension of social networking contacts to enhance a television consumer experience, application of social shopping and social networking data, assigning access privileges in a social network, associative memory operators, methods and computer program products for using a social network for predictive marketing analysis, automatically locating web or mobile based social network members, and the like, e.g., those disclosed in one or more of e.g., but not limited to, such social networking functions and/or features as presented in the following US patents and patent applications:
US20100082693, US20100017431, US20110276631, US20100268655, US20100293247, US20080040428,
US20090106822, US20110282944, US20110137722, US20090327432, US20100057859, 7958193, US20100268830,
US20090271247, US20110022602, US20090292814, US20080033776, US20090049525, US20090271244,
US20110047229, US20100114788, US20090144075, US20100153175, US20090215469, US20110131095,
US20080281710, US20090292549, US20110314017, US20110225518, US20080306822, US20100132049,
US20100082695, US20100203963, US20110167071, US20100088364, US20110196922, US20090319288,
US20110258429, US20090150380, US20120023085, US20100036936, US20090210480, US20100042511,
US20100241468, US20100121849, US20110320250, US20110258556, 7987110, US20090030927, 7801971, US20110023101, US20110153553, US20110179161, US20110265011, US20110022657, US20090187624,
US20100229223, US20110173051, US20110055333, US20100287256, US20100005518, US20090265604 , US20090249451 , US20080255989 , US20110060793 , US20100058417, US20110145052, US20090327437, US20110107382 , US20110106884, US20120028623, US20080320139, US20080104225, US20090157439 , US20090182664 , US20090300502 , US20090171691, US20110106597, US20100318925, US20090222348, US20100319034, US20100217721, 8010460, US20080208971, US20110046980, US20080189188, US20090222322, US20100293170, US20110251970, 8073794 , 7970657, US20060042483, US20070288464, US20110197224,
US20110258203, US20090164400, US20120030210, US20100174747, US20100228617, US20110246560,
US20080294678, US20090125230, US20080243933, US20100318619, US20110238752, US20080109296,
US20100185935, US20110213762, US20110078252, US20080140786, US20090282144, US20090259970,
US20110271328, US20110167117, US20090171904, US20110209192, US20100185578, US20110196923,
US20050216300, US20110082747, 7941535, US20090043844, US20110225514, US20110015981, US20110153740,
US20090222448, US20110022669, US20090132652, US20110270923, US20090055263, US20110126121,
US20110185285, US20080275849, US20080133445, US20100077045, US20110125846, US20090307057,
US20100319031, US20110113096, US20110264737, US20100216553, US20100217757, US20110167115,
US20090031301, US20120028718, US20100070335, US20080133658, US20090307073, US20110004660,
US20110179125, US 8010460, US 8027943, US 8010458, US 7827208, US 7890501, US 7809805, US 8099433, US
7933810, US 7970657, US 7669123, US 7797256, US 7788260, US 7725492, US 8081817, US 8037093, US 7945653, US 7827265, US 8108377, US20110093498, US20080033739, US20100049852, US20080046976, US20110044354, US20110093346, US20110145321, US20100229223, US20110087658, US20100257023, US20100169327,
US20100198581, US20090144392, US20110055314, US20110145287, US20110093506, US20110055683,
US20090198487, US20100164957, US20100132049, and US20110093460, which are each entirely incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention also provides alternative affiliated promotion or advertising functions, components, and systems, including, but not limited to: one or more of (a) advertising content management system and method; (b) advertising method and product; (c) affiliate distribution of geo-target geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and online coupons with compensation for attention; (d) affiliate system and affiliate device; (e) affiliate system on social networking or social networking communities; (f) affiliated advertising widget; (g) apparatus and method for internet advertising compensation; (h) apparatus, method and article to evaluate affiliate performance; (i) arranging delivery of geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking based users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels,; (j) assured comprehension advertising system; (k) bond issue information management and distribution system; (1) buying and selling spots for geotargeted or geotagged advertisements, brands, merchants and retailers in mass-market media; (m) centralized affiliated marketplaces systems and methods; (n) computerized networking device with embedded advanced content and web and mobile traffic monetization functionality; (o) context-based transactions using broadcast advertising; (p) customer loyalty and advertising; (q) customizing an advertisement; (r) delivery, targeting, and measuring advertising over networks; (s) electronic publication advertising system; (t) email-based advertising system;
(u) evaluating content based advertising, ad links, online coupons, promotions, in real time, real-time geo-target advertising and distribution of mobile coupons and/or location-based deals and offers and location-based services and location-based geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and location-based services and affiliate advertising; (v) internet business co-op with rotating banners; (w) internet-based and tangible referral system; (x) network interaction correlation; (y) non-authentication access management system for affiliated websites linked with advertisement; (z) offering advertising services; and the like, (a) online platform for web or mobile advertisement partnerships with brands, merchants and retailers or affiliate program; (b) providing purchasing incentives, promotions, in real time, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and distribution of mobile coupons and/or location-based deals and offers and location-based services in real-time via a mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device (such as a mobile phone networks or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real time, online coupons, promotions, in real time, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services and geotargeted or geotagged advertisements; (c) providing targeted geotargeted or geotagged advertisements based on current activity; (d) quality- based online advertisement trading system; (e) revenue generation and sharing for content sharing services; (f) selecting a website affiliate based on maximum potential revenue generation; (g) selecting personalized non-competitive electronic advertising for electronic display; (h) self-funded commission management system; (i) delivery method for notifying a user of geotargeted or geotagged location-based geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and location-based services over a network such as the Internet and distribution of mobile coupons and/or location-based deals and offers and location-based services and location-based geotargeted or geotagged advertisements via text, alert via a mobile app or alert via electronic communication or ringtone or other form of electronic communication to a mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device (such as a mobile phone networks or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real time, or chat information, and (ii) service system and mobile communication terminal for free using of data communication, e.g., but not limited to those disclosed in the following US patents and patent applications: US20080208682, US20100324965, US20070244756, US20080120156, US20080021783, US20030220837, US 6763334, US 7599853, US20100069157, US20050065847, US 7788130, US20080147499, US20110066479, US20100268582, US20020066688, US20070192369, US20090319372,
US20040111319, US20100198670, US20080126515, US20090106098, US20060167820, US20050234775,
US20050171838, US20070218876, US20080172329, US20050038702, US20020072965, US20110191176,
US20040172331, US20100023392, US20040172332, US 7930207, US 7827062, US 7844488, US20040172324, US20030028433, US 5948061, US20070214227, US20020087631, US20110270686, US20090307081,
US20090240582, US20040153366, US20080306823, US20090198551, US 5774534, US20020042914,
US20110246391, US20080059575, each of which patents or patent application is entirely incorporated herein by reference.
NON-LIMITING EXAMPLES OF ALTERNATIVE IMPLEMENTATIONS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION.
A host geospatial website can include realistic virtual landscape using satellite and aerial photography that can include many content layers of web based information, based users profile preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, online coupons, promotions, in real time, e-commerce and mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, social networking communities, social networking activities, social plugins, online coupons, promotions, in real time, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and distribution of mobile coupons and/or location-based deals and offers and location-based services in real-time via a mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device (such as a mobile phone networks or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real time, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social applications, online dating, entertainment shopping, penny auctions or online auctions and geotargeted or geotagged advertisements, online coupons and affiliate advertising or services from brands, merchants and retailers from around the world for a richer user experience.
The present invention further provides the use of various marketing and customer generation methods, including, but not limited to, social media platforms to generate traffic to the websites and access points for the present invention, e.g., but not limited to, a SOCIAL EARTH website, in order to provide a large subscriber base of Social Shoppers; Website - Visitors are prompted to register as a Social Shopper when they first visit website and thereafter use the website as a portal for featured Social Earth geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services, entertainment services, online penny auctions, or online auctions, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements, online coupons and affiliate advertising or services from brands, merchants and retailers from their local area or just about anywhere in the world; Mobile Applications - Consumers can access Social Earth geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services, via a smartphone, mobile device or tablet device or wireless or other similar device, which is compatible with Google Earth™ or other type of plug-in and similar geospatial and mobile mapping technologies, and smart phones; Google Ad Words™ - Google Ad Words™ or similar advertising is provided to maximize search results for Social Earth Coupons; Pay Per Ad - the invention can provide a PPC Ad link on other "high traffic" websites to drive traffic to websites of the invention; In-stream Advertising - In-stream advertising is also provides to use social media platforms such as "live social feeds" from Facebook™ and Twitter™ and "live communications" via Skype™ to spread the word about Social Earth Coupons; User Generated Traffic -the invention can provide rewards to Social Shoppers for sharing and spreading the word about Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services that are offered, e.g., if a certain number of people sign up for Social Earth Coupon, then the deal becomes available to all included; Share Coupons with Friends - the present invention provides this way to make it easy for users and members to share "Social Earth Coupons with friends, family, business associates, strangers, acquaintance and others on social networking and similar sites, e.g., but not limited to, Twitter™, Facebook™, StumbleUpon™, Delicious™, Friendfeed™, or Digg™; Refer A Friend - the invention can provide a Referral Widget and encourage Social Shoppers to refer their friends and receive $10.00 worth of loyalty credits; Loyalty Card Program - the invention can provide Loyalty Card Programs that reward Social Shoppers each time they purchase a Social Earth Coupon; Social Network Feeds - the invention provides where Social Shoppers can suggest a business to others in the Social Shopper community, track their friends and share "live social feeds" from Facebook™ and Twitter™; a Social Earth Credit Card, Social Earth Debit Card and Social Earth Prepaid Phone Card, which will earn loyalty points for even bigger discounts. The Social Earth Cards will also give back a portion of each sales based upon the user's profile selections.
SOCIAL EARTH For Your Business - the present invention can provides for help for businesses to reach new customers with the inventions Live View Earth business platform, where are provided businesses featured in a sponsor ads, such as, but not limited to, Premium Sponsor Ads; Gift Cards- Social Shoppers and businesses can purchase Gift Cards for friends, family and customers; Foursquare™ - the invention can provide ad links, promotions via Foursquare so consumers can act and immediately share the information with their friends; Open Source Technologies - the invention provides that Social Shoppers can connect with millions of Social Shoppers in popular social networks such as Facebook™ and Twitter™ using open source technologies; Data Mining - the invention provides for gathering social data for online, mobile advertisers and social brands that are interested in a target market of a particular segment based upon their precise location or other criteria; Image Sharing Sites -the invention provides for Social Shoppers to upload images on image sharing sites such as Flickr™ and Picasaweb™; Social Bookmarking: the invention provides for the use of social bookmarking with sites like Digg™, Delicious™, StumbleUpon™, etc.; Search Engine Optimization - Key words can be used in the present invention to optimize visibility to top search engines such as: Google™, Yahoo™, Bing™, Ask™ and AOL Search™. Other search engines such as: Collecta™, Topsy™, 48ers™, Leapfish™,
Scoopler™ and Sency™ are powerful tools that can show live streams of microblog updates from Twitter™, Jaiku™ and Identica™, photos from Flickr™, TwitPic™ and yFrog™ and videos from YouTube™ and Ustream™; YouTube™: the present invention can provide periodic YouTube videos outlining how to use and maximize user purchasing power using the present invention, e.g., SOCIAL EARTH, as well as soliciting and providing video testimonials from Social Shoppers on an ongoing basis, e.g., incentivizing "four star" videos with a special "Best Expert User" badge to be featured on their profile page; Video Viral Marketing can also be used in the present invention; as well as Blogging, and using article servers (such as ezinearticles.com, goarticles.com, selfgrowth.com, isnare.com); Twitter(TM) Marketing, including, e.g., but not limited to, discounts or other special based users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device (such as a mobile phone networks or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real time, using geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, LBA, LBDO & LBS services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services, entertainment shopping, penny auctions or online auctions, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements, online coupons, and affiliate advertising or services with their friends on Social Earth and
Twitter(TM); Affiliates - the invention can further provide API widgets or geo-targeted or geo-tagged LBA, LBDO &
LBS services and social links that can be downloaded by affiliates. Social Shoppers can get paid X percent (X%) of sales of Social Earth Coupons on their websites; Independent Coupon Distributors - the invention can provide network(s) of independent coupon distributors that own Valupak™ or other franchises (and other direct mail coupon companies) to include "Social Earth Coupons" that can be distributed to local businesses.
Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals are used to identify identical components in the various views, FIG. 1 shows an example of a combined Products, Goods or Services with /Geospatial Mapping/Mobile Mapping/Company-Local Information/Social Networking/Communities ("CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN") system 10 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment combined online Product or Service in combination with geospatial mapping/mobile mapping/Company-Local Information/and/or Social Networking distribution system 10 includes a main server system 12 and a client system 14 that is remote from main server system 12, connected together by a distributed computer network, such as the Internet 16 (network, or mobile device access system). A user desiring to obtain one and/or more of online Products, Goods or Services in combination with geospatial mapping/mobile mapping/Company-
Local Information/and/or Social Networking uses client system 14 to interact with main server system 12 to obtain online Products, Goods or Services. An electronic coupon can be but is not limited to any advertisement that is electronic (e.g., electronic advertisement on website, electronic advertisement sent to client's mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device or computer, a hyper link based on a search result from a search engine and/or any other push/pull techniques).
Main server system 12 is configured to be connected to, and/or otherwise receive, location-based advertisements, location-based deals and offers, location-based services, ad links, online coupons, promotions, in real time, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and distribution of mobile coupons and/or location-based deals and offers and location- based services in real-time via a mobile device geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, location-based advertisements, location-based deals and offers, location-based services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, social activity, location, Product, Good and/or services information from the issuer of such coupons (i.e., the coupons sponsor) and/or as provided by the website or mobile device and/or other electronically provided information, e.g., by PDA, cell phone, portable electronic tablet, etc., including mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, or e-commerce or m-commerce system based users profile preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels. Although not shown, this function can be performed by a direct electronic connection with a sponsor system, and/or can involve loading data from a physically transportable data storage medium (e.g., diskette, tape, CD-ROM, USB drive, cloud storage, etc.). The coupon sponsor may, and in most cases will, issue in connection with the coupon an associated set of instructions that define how the coupon is to be distributed. For example, such instructions can include restrictions as to the number of coupons that any one user can print out for redemption, the state and/or zip code associated with a user for such user to have access to the coupon, the expiration date, the item and discount amount, etc. Main server system 12 is further configured to be connected to, and/or otherwise receive, advertising information from an advertising sponsor, or purchasing system, e.g., Amazon, or company purchase website or mobile application, or through mobile banking system. Although not shown, this function can be performed by direct electronic connection with the ad sponsors system, and/or can involve loading data from a physically transportable data storage medium (i.e., diskette, tape, CD- ROM, cloud storage, etc.). The advertising impressions are displayed on client system 14, as described in greater detail below. Main server system 12 can include a website server 18, a front-end server 20, a handler 22, a database server 24, and an FTP server 26. Website server 18 is configured to provide "web pages", mobile app, e-commerce or electronic or mobile device, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, to consumers (including possible users and members of electronic coupon distribution system 10) with Internet access. Internet 16, more particularly, the World Wide Web portion thereof, "WWW", is an interconnected computer network that is generally distributed throughout the world on discrete interconnected computer nodes having software interfaces generally referred to as "web pages," which further includes geospatial and mobile mapping, based users profile preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels, location-based advertisements, location-based deals and offers, location-based services, ad links, online coupons, promotions, in real time, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and distribution of mobile coupons and/or location-based deals and offers and location-based services in real-time via a mobile device geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, location-based advertisements, location-based deals and offers, location-based services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, company and local information for selected worldwide locations, and/or any other useful data. Access to Internet 16 can be made by various methods; typically, however, a non-institutional user obtains access from one of a plurality of Internet Service Providers (ISPs), which in turn obtain authorized access to Internet 16. Navigation on the WWW portion of Internet 16 involves knowledge of a directory structure of various nodes of the Internet (i.e., an "address" to each given resource on Internet 16). Such an address is generally referred to as a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), which typically starts with a protocol name followed by a domain name, for example: http://www.valuepass.com. Website server 18 is configured to provide, among other things, an interface for effecting a download of client software that a consumer can download and execute to establish a client system 14 on his and/or her computer system. In this way the consumer can become an authorized user ("user") of electronic coupon distribution system 10. In particular, website server 18 can refer an Internet consumer to FTP server 26 for the client installation file.
Front-end server 20 provides multiple interface and allocation/direction features for electronic coupon distribution system 10. Front-end server 20 is the entity that is initially contacted by client system 14 at the start of each new session of combined Products, Goods or Services with /Geospatial Mapping/Mobile Mapping/Company-Local
Information/Social Networking/Communities ("CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN") distribution system 10, and/or when automatic coupon updates occur. Handler 22 is configured to interface with database server 24. After a new session is established by a user, all subsequent requests by client system 14 can be directed to and are "handled" by handler 22. As a result, handler 22 can thereafter issue a request and/or a command to database server 24, and/or directly respond to client system (if configured to do so). Database server 24 can comprise a plurality of physical, individual general- purpose digital computers configured as database servers, which can be further configured in a cluster arrangement. Database server 24, in one embodiment, can be configured to operate using SQL server software, such as, but not limited to, Microsoft SQL Server Version 7, commercially available from, for example, Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash., U.S.A. FTP server 26 can be configured to operate in cooperation with website server 18 to provide, for example, installation and/or setup programs. The installation program(s) are downloaded to a general-purpose computer (e.g., PC and/or a MAC) for installation of the client software in accordance with the present disclosure.
Client system 14 includes client application software 28, DevicelD data 30 (ID) data 30, user preference data 32, user history data 34, CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data 36, and advertising data 38. In addition, client system 14 can comprise a general purpose computing apparatus configured to operate in accordance with an operating system having a graphical user interface, such as, for example, Windows 95/98/NT 4.0/2000/Vista/7, and Apple Computer, Inc. MAC OS Operating System for Macintosh platforms. Client system 14 can further include standard peripherals such as a display device 40, a keyboard 42, a pointing device, such as a mouse 44, and an output device, such as a printer 46, for producing a "hard copy" of CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN 48. DevicelD data 30 can be stored on main server system 12, according to an exemplary embodiment. In exemplary embodiments, one, a few, a plurality and/or all DevicelD data 30 can be stored on main server system 12.
Client application software 28 comprises software compatible with and executing on client system 14 configured to implement the present disclosure as described herein. Client application software 28 performs various functions including, but not limited to, collecting user information, including preferences, communicating with main server system
12 via Internet 16, and providing an interface for the user for browsing through, and selecting, CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I- SN information for printout. DevicelD data 30 can comprise a multi-digit number that is assigned by main server system 12, more particularly, database server 24, when a user registers with CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information distribution system 10. DevicelD data 30 can have a format, such as XXXXXXXX, where X is a digit between 0-9. DevicelD data 30, however, does not specifically identify the user personally, but rather, more accurately associates a physical machine defining client system 14 with user profile information obtained during registration. DevicelD data 30 is stored on client system 14, main server system 12, and/or both as a part of a User Info object. If the DevicelD data 30 is stored on client system 14, then DevicelD data 30 is provided to main server system 12 when making requests, for example, for new CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data. If a client system 14 operates multiple independent operating systems (e.g., a Mac operating system (a product of Apple Computer, Inc.) and a Windows operating system (a product of Microsoft Corp.)), then there can be a separate DevicelD data 30 for each operating system assigned to that client system 14. Main server system 12 can correlate the provided DevicelD data 30 with user information stored in a profile database. The user information can then be used in identifying CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information suitable for the user. In this embodiment, however, the user is not personally identified nor is it even possible (e.g., through the "hacking" of main server system 12) to identify the user personally, as such information is not even collected from the user. Accordingly, the approach described herein maintains privacy of the user of CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I- SN information distribution system 10.
The User Info object further includes user information collected from the user of client system 14 indicative of one and/or more demographic characteristics of the user. In this embodiment, the user information is insufficient to specifically identify the user. In a constructed embodiment, such information comprises a postal zip code associated with the user, and a state in which the user resides. Client application software 28 allows the user to update this information after initial registration. In addition, the User Info object includes the mode in which the Internet is accessed, for example, through use of a modem (e.g., dial-up), through use of a Local Area Network (LAN), and/or use of a proxy server. The User Info object can further include the version number of the client application software 28. User preference data 32 comprises two main groups. The first group of information contained in user preference data 32 includes information defining how often the main server system 12 is checked for new CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information. In a constructed embodiment, the options include one hour, two hours, four hours (the default), twice a day, and once a day. The first group of information contained in user preference data 32 can also include a miscellaneous item of information indicating whether the user prefers that certain CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information be automatically printed (this can be selected and/or deselected by the user). The second main group of information included in user preference data 32 includes a comprehensive listing of main categories of CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information selected by the user that the user wishes to receive. While the particular main CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I- SN information category descriptions can be changed on main server system 12 and downloaded to client system 14 at any time, exemplary categories include "Apparel", "Athletics", "Automotive", and "Internet Electronics", among others. A user can deselect a category, in which case CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information pertaining to that category cannot be sent from main server system 12 to client system 14.
User history data 34 comprises data corresponding to events occurring at the remote client system 14, as well as other items pertaining to the operation of client system 14. All these items are stored in a user history file. For example, when a user is browsing through available CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information each CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information that is selected for viewing is noted in the user history file. Likewise, when CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information is selected for printing, that action is also recorded in the user history file. Other examples include when CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information is actually printed, and when an advertising impression (described in further detail below) is displayed on display device 40. The information contained in the user history data 34 is encrypted by client application software 28 in accordance with a client system encryption strategy to protect the integrity of the data contained therein.
CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data 36 includes information corresponding to the CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I- SN information available (e.g., for browsing) on client system 14. Each CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information, such as CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information 48, includes a plurality of items of information associated therewith.
In addition, when CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information 48 is actually printed out, additional information can be printed out on the "hard copy" of the CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information. These additional items can include the DevicelD data 30, portions of the demographic data such as the postal zip code, one and/or more items of the user information contained in user preference data 32, the date and time, and optionally various Internet URLs. Coupon sponsors have found some of the information appearing on printed CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information 48 desirable. That is, when the user redeems CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information 48, for example, at a retail store, information appearing on CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information 48 (which is eventually returned by the retailer to the CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information issuer and/or sponsor) is available to the CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information sponsor. This information can thereafter be used in analyzing and assessing the efficacy of various advertising/promotional strategies. CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data 36 can be stored on a hard drive and/or the like associated with client system 14, and is preferably stored in an encrypted form. In particular, and in accordance with the present disclosure, CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data 36 corresponding to CBGSE- PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information is encrypted by main server system 12 in accordance with a server system encryption strategy.
The encrypted CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data is then transmitted to client system 14. Client system 14 further encrypts the once -encrypted CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data in accordance with a client system encryption strategy to thereby generate doubly encrypted CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data. The doubly encrypted CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data 36 can then be stored on the client system 14. The foregoing encryption steps substantially minimize the occurrence of fraud in the distribution of CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information compared to known systems. A user, for example, can therefore not easily defeat the CBGSE-PGGS-GM- CL/I-SN information counting scheme that limits the number of printouts by, for example, exploring the client systems hard drive, identifying CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data, and thereafter producing printed copies of the
CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information. Use of the environment established by client application software 28 is therefore practically the only means for the user to obtain usable CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information 48.
Advertising data 38 comprises a plurality of advertising impressions wherein each impression can include a predetermined combination of text and images. Advertising data 38 is also stored on client system 14 in an encrypted form. Display device 40, keyboard 42, mouse 44, and printer 46 can comprise an apparatus known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
FIG. 2 shows, in greater detail, database server 24 of main server system 12. As described above, database server 24 can comprise a plurality of physical database servers arranged in a cluster. Further physical machines can be added to provide for load balancing (i.e., scalability, and the ability to quickly add additional hardware as load and responsiveness criteria require). Database server 24 can include CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information database 50, an advertising database 52, a master category list master category list database 54, a plugin database 56, a brand logo database 58, and a user transaction history database 60.
CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information database 50 includes CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data similar to that described in connection with CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data 36, but is more in the nature of a master CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information database including the entire universe and/or a larger set of CBGSE-PGGS-
GM-CL/I-SN information available on CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information distribution system 10. Advertising database 52 includes a plurality of ad impressions, which can be a combination of text and/or images. Again, advertising database 52 is in the nature of a master advertising database including all of the advertising impressions included in main server system 12.
Master category list database 54 includes the main CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information category names presently established on CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information distribution system 10. In addition, display characteristics, such as the color of a main CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information category button can also be stored in database 54.
Plugin database 56 includes information as to available plugins for use in connection with client application software 28 of client system 14. Plugin database 56 includes a plurality of plugins. The particular plugins that are selected for use in connection with client application software 28 depends on what added functionality has been configured in client system
14. For example, plugins can be configured to provide Zodiac information, recipe information, and stock quote information to the user. Additionally, a plugin can be configured to provide a new CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information style for the user. In this way, client system 14 can be updated remotely with new functionality. Brand logo database 58 includes information as to how the user interface of client system 14 is "branded." The default "branding" of the user interface involves the display of a company logo of the assignee of the present disclosure. Also, a corresponding Internet URL for "click through" purposes is associated with the brand image. However, in alternate embodiments, other companies can arrange (e.g., through a referral of potential new users and members of CBGSE- PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information distribution system 10) to have the user interface of client application software 28
"branded" with the referring company's logo (and Internet URL for "click through").
User transaction history database 60 includes information contained in user history data 34 uploaded from client system 14. User transaction history database 60 therefore contains information corresponding to actions and/or events taken by and/or involving the user of client system 14. User transaction history database 60 therefore includes a record for each CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information that has been downloaded and/or otherwise provided to client system 14. As each CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information is displayed, and/or printed by the user, for example, the corresponding record in user transaction history database 60 is updated.
Referring now to FIG. 3 (with reference to components referenced in FIGS. 1 and 2) , a brief description of the operation of CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information distribution system 10, particularly the main interactions between client system 14 and main server system 12, can now be set forth. Each time a new session is commenced, the basic steps set forth in FIG. 3 are performed.
In step 104, client system 14, by way of execution of client application software 28, is initialized. In step 106, client application software 28 determines whether there is an identified user device for client system 14, and/or whether the present user is a "new" user device. Client application software 28 can make this determination based on the existence and/or absence of particular files on client system 14 (e.g., a file containing a DevicelD data 30) indicative of whether and/or not this is a "new" user device. If "NO", then the method branches to step 112. Otherwise, if the answer to step 106 is "YES", then the method branches to step 107.
In step 107, client application software 28 obtains user information from the user. In particular, client application software 28 is configured to collect user information from a user of client system 14 indicative of one and/or more demographic characteristics of the user without obtaining information sufficient to specifically identify the user. In a constructed embodiment, the information obtained comprises a postal zip code associated with the user, and a State where the user resides. Personal information such as the users and members name, e-mail address, residence address, social security number, telephone number, and the like is not obtained in step 107. In accordance with the present disclosure, the foregoing step provides useful information to main server system 12 in the selection of CBGSE-PGGS- GM-CL/I-SN information appropriate for the user (e.g., geographic area). CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information from merchants located geographically proximate the users and members residence can be more easily redeemed by the user, thus increasing the efficacy of the CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information offer. Other information, such as the type of Internet connection (e.g., modem), can also be obtained from the user in step 107.
In step 108, main server system 12 registers the "new" user device. Main server system 12 determines whether the user of remote client system 14 is a "new" user device based on the presence and/or absence of DevicelD data 30 in a message from client system 14 to main server system 12. The "new" user device is then registered on main server system 12. Main server system 12 is configured to register the new user by performing, among other things, the steps of allocating a new DevicelD data 30, and associating the new DevicelD data 30 with the user information obtained in step 107. Through the foregoing, remote client system 14 can always be identified by its DevicelD data 30. In step 109, client system 14 and main server system 12 communicate so as to update the master category list, plugins, brand logo information, advertising data and CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data at the remote client system 14. This is done, for the first time client application software 28 is executed, by searching the main server system 12 for new information that has come into being between the time the installation and/or setup program that the user used to install client system 14 was populated with such data (the "sync" date), and the present time (the server date). The identified information is downloaded to thereby update client system 14. This step ensures that the user of client system 14 has the most up-to-date information in these categories. The method then proceeds to step 110 wherein main client application software 28 is executed.
When the answer to step 106 is "NO", then the method branches to step 112. In step 112, client application determines whether client system 14 is "online." Client system 14 is "online" when the user is connected to the Internet such that client system 14 can communicate with main server system 12. Client system 14, in an exemplary embodiment, cannot force a connection to Internet 16. Rather, if there is no "online" connection, the user of client system 14 can have access to CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information in an "offline" mode of operation. Thus, if the answer to step 112 is "NO", then the method branches to step 110. Otherwise, when the answer step 112 is "YES", then the method branches to step 114.
In step 114, main server system 12 identifies the remote client system 14 based on a DevicelD data 30 provided by client system 14. In this way, main server system 12 can utilize the information "on file", such as state and zip code, for a variety of purposes. In a constructed embodiment, the state and zip code data are included in a request by front-end server 20 to database server 24 to select a server that can service this user for this session. The response to the request is a virtual IP address to a particular handler 22, and a selected database "name" of a selected database server 24.
In step 116, main server system 12, particularly the assigned handler 22 and database server 24, is updated with any information contained in user history data 34 that has not yet been uploaded and processed. The user history file contains information indicative of actions taken by, or, events occurring in response to actions taken by, the user of remote client system 14. As described above, user history data 34 contains information such as the identity of CBGSE-
PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information selected, CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information printed, advertising impressions displayed in advertising pane 72, etc. The assigned handler 22 in conjunction with database server 24 uses the user history file in at least two ways: (i) to produce data from which a user script can be built by the remote client system 14 and, (ii) to update the user transaction history database 60, which can then be queried to prepare reports that are provided as feedback to the various advertising sponsors, CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information issuers, and CBGSE-PGGS-
GM-CL/I-SN information referral agents.
Step 118 involves obtaining a client script for execution by client system 14. Step 118 includes the substep of identifying CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information at main server system 12 suitable for the user. What is suitable for any particular user can be based on DevicelD data 30, the user information associated with DevicelD data 30, the main CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information categories selected by the user, the OS platform (e.g., MAC OS vs.
Windows), the version of client application software 28, the cobrand ID, and the promotional code, if any. Use of these criteria can be either inclusive and/or exclusive. Client system 14 can be sent lists of undownloaded CBGSE-PGGS- GM-CL/I-SN information, undownloaded ads, etc. The lists can only identify, for example, the CBGSE-PGGS-GM- CL/I-SN information to be downloaded (not the CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information itself). Steps 120, 122, and 124 involve obtaining the actual CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data, ad data, etc.
In step 120, the master category list, plugins, and brand logo information is updated, based on execution of the client script by client system 14. Particularly, client system 14 works through the list of needed items.
In step 122, advertising data comprising advertising impressions from advertising database 52 are updated at the remote client system 14. This step ensures that the user has the most up-to-date advertising available. Again, client system 14 works through a list of needed ads, sequentially making requests from database server 24.
In step 124, CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data from CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information database 50 is updated at remote client system 14. Updating of the CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data includes retrieving CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data corresponding to the identified CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information (i.e., the list provided as part of the client script).
FIG. 4 (also referring to FIGS. 1, 2) shows the steps performed on main server system 12 to register a new user device. The process begins in step 176 with commencement of the registration routine. In step 178, a new DevicelD data 30 is calculated by database server 24. In step 180, a new entry and/or record is created in a user profile table. The profile entry can associate DevicelD data 30 with the user information collected from the user. The method then proceeds to step 182.
In step 182, database server 24 determines whether a "sync date" was provided from client system 14. This is a date that describes how "up-to-date" client system 14 is, particularly the CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information and advertising information portions thereof. The "sync date" is automatically provided from client system 14 to database server 24 via the assigned handler 22. If a "sync date" was not provided by client system 14, then the method branches to step 184 where a nominal sync date based on the version of the software installed on the client system is used for downloading and updating purposes. Alternatively, if the answer to step 182 is "YES", then the method branches to step 186.
In step 186, the date provided by client system 14 is used as the "sync date" to synchronize the data on client system 14 relative to the master data on main server system 12. It should be emphasized that the "sync date" is not a date that client application software 28 solicits from the user, but rather, is simply a date available within client application software 28 relating to how "current" the data is (i.e., CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information/advertising data, etc.). In either case, the method proceeds to and ends at step 188.
FIG. 5 shows step 120 (FIG. 3) in greater detail. Referring to FIG. 5, step 190 represents a request to obtain a master category list (i.e., the up-to-date list). This request is made from client system 14 (FIG. 1) to the selected database server
24 via handler 22. Such a request is directed to the selected "virtual" IP address as described above. The master CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information category list (e.g., "Athletics", "Automotive", "Internet Electronics", etc.) can be updated on main server system 12, particularly database server 24. That is, categories can be added, and/or categories can be deleted. In either case, such a change are reflected in user interface 62 of the respective client systems 14 when the next session is invoked by a user.
In step 192, all undeleted master CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information categories, along with their display color (as displayed on display device 40 of client system 14) are reported out to client system 14 for use by client application software 28. Step 194 ends the master CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information category list updating process. Referring now to FIG. 11, step 196 represents a request from client system 14 to database server 24 via handler 22 to obtain a new and/or an up-to-date plugin(s). It should be understood that for an existing user, client system 14 can be executing a client script that includes a list containing needed plugins. The process outlined in FIG. 11 would be executed for each plugin on the list.
In step 198, database server 24 performs a look-up of the needed plugin to locate the corresponding plugin file (or image).
In step 200, an "image" and/or copy of the file of the sought-after plugin is encrypted in accordance with a server system encryption strategy, and is reported and/or transmitted via Internet 16 to client system 14. In step 202, the plugin update process is completed.
FIG. 7 shows step 122 ("updating advertising data") of FIG.3 in greater detail. In particular, steps 224-232 illustrate, in accordance with the present disclosure, that advertising text, and images are encrypted to thereby provide secure transmission to client system 14. It should be understood that for an existing user device, client system 14 can be executing a client script that includes a list containing needed advertising impressions. The process outlined in FIG. 12 would be executed for each advertising impression on the list. Step 224 marks the beginning of the advertising update method.
In step 226, main server system 12 determines whether the user, more particularly client system 14, is requesting "text" and/or "image" advertising data. If the answer is "text", then the method proceeds to step 228.
In step 228, main server system 12, particularly database server 24, encrypts the text of the advertising data, and reports out the resulting encrypted advertising data. It should be understood this encryption occurs in accordance with a server system encryption strategy.
Otherwise, the method proceeds to step 230 when the advertising data requested is "image" data. In step 230, the advertising data ("image" data) is encrypted by main server system 12 according to a main server system encryption strategy, resulting in encrypted advertising image data. The encrypted ad image data is then reported out to client system 14. Step 232 defines the end of the advertising update process.
Referring now to FIG. 8, after the user history codes from user history data 34 have been extracted and decoded, a
"client script" is built by client system 14 based on information (e.g., lists) from handler 22 in cooperation with database server 24. The client script provides instructions for main server system 12 to execute. In step 266, client system 14 issues a request to handler 22 to obtain the "user" and/or "client" script. The client script is then returned to client system 14. Step 268 show the execution of the client script by client system 14, which issues the commands shown in the steps 268-290. In step 268, client system 14 issues commands via handler 22 to database server 24 to create user transaction records for any new plugins, main CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information categories, advertising data, and/or CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data received by client system 14 since the last client script was retrieved. In step 270, client system 14 issues commands via handler 22 to database server 24 to check existing user transaction records for any deletions. Any deletions are processed whereby the affected user transaction record is modified to indicate that the client CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information has been deleted. In step 272, client system 14, in execution of the client script, issues a command via handler 22 to database server 24 to report all undownloaded plugins. Database server 24, through handler 22, returns a message containing a listing of all undownloaded plugins. This list is processed by client system 14 after the client script has been completed. In step 274, client system 14, in execution of the client script, issues a command via handler 22 to database server 24 to report all undownloaded advertising impressions. Database server 24 returns a list of all undownloaded ad impressions. In step 276, client system 14, in execution of the client script, issues a command via handler 22 to database server 24 to report all undeleted CBGSE- PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information. In step 278, client system 14, in execution of the client script, issues a command via handler 22 to database server 24 to determine whether any of the main CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information categories have been changed. If the answer to this inquiry is "YES", then flow of the process continues at step 280, wherein the database server 24 reports to client system 14 that a new master category list is needed. Flow then proceeds to step 282.
If the answer to the inquiry in step 278 is "NO", then flow of the process proceeds to step 282. In step 282, client system 14, in execution of the client script, issues a command via handler 22 to database server 24 to report all undownloaded
CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information. Database server 24 returns a listing of all undownloaded CBGSE-PGGS- GM-CL/I-SN information. In step 284, client system 14, in execution of the client script, issues a command via handler 22 to database server 24 to report the current official software version. Database server 24 returns the latest version number. In step 286, database server 24 is requested to record the current time as the last user login. Flow of the process then continues to step 290, which marks the end of the client script execution.
In FIG. 9, steps 346-350 illustrate the response of client application software 28 when a user "clicks" and/or otherwise selects logo pane 74 of user interface 62. Step 346 marks the beginning of the routine. Step 346 is entered when client application software 28 (via the OS) detects that the user has "clicked" on and/or otherwise selected a portion of logo pane 74.
In step 348, client application software 28 invokes an Internet browser registered with the operating system of client system 14 as the default browser and passes thereto a URL. The Internet browser then connects to a website server resource corresponding to the specified URL. This "click" action, therefore, takes the user to the website of the company displayed in logo pane 74. Step 350 marks the end of this routine.
FIG. 10 shows the response of client application software 28 when a user "clicks" on and/or otherwise selects a portion of advertising pane 72. Step 352 marks the beginning of the routine. In step 354, client application software 28 creates a click-through history record indicative of the fact that the user has "clicked" and/or otherwise selected the advertiser displayed in advertising pane 72. This is included in user history data 34, which can thereafter be encrypted and transmitted to main server system 12 for processing.
In step 356, the client application software 28 launches an Internet browser registered with the operating system of client system 14, and passes thereto a URL corresponding to the advertiser displayed in advertising pane 72. When the Internet browser executes, it connects to a website server resource defined by the URL. In-effect, the foregoing actions take the user to the advertisers website specified in the URL. Step 358 marks the end of this routine.
FIG. 11 illustrates a response taken by client application software 28 when a user "clicks" on and/or otherwise selects an item appearing in CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information subcategory list 68. Step 360 marks the beginning of the process. Step 360 is entered when client application software 28 (via the OS) determines that an item in CBGSE-PGGS-
GM-CL/I-SN information subcategory list 68 has been "clicked" on. In step 362, client application software 28 determines whether the selection was a "click" and/or a "double-click." Depending on which of these events occurred, client application software 28 can take alternative courses of action. If the action is a single-click, then the method branches to step 364.
In step 364, the local CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information database is locked by client application software 28. The process proceeds to step 366. In step 366, the selected subcategory item is retrieved from the local database on client system 14. In step 368, the contents of CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information list 70 is reset by client application software 28 according to the contents of the new subcategory. For example, if the new subcategory pertains to CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information, then the new CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information associated with the new selected subcategory is displayed in CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information list 70. In step 370, client application software 28 determines and/or otherwise selects an advertising impression to be displayed in advertising pane 72 in accordance with a predetermined advertising impression selection strategy. In the illustrated embodiment, the selection criteria includes the identity of the selected CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information subcategory. In step 372, a test is performed by client application software 28 to determine whether the newly selected advertising impression is different from the advertising impression currently being displayed. If the answer is "YES", then the process branches to step 374, where the new advertising impression is displayed in advertising pane 72, and an advertising impression history record is created for inclusion in the user history data 34. The method proceeds to step 376.
If the answer to step 372 is "NO", however, then the process branches to step 376, which is an exit step. If the action evaluated in step 362 is determined to be a "double click", then the process branches to step 378. "Double clicking" CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information subcategory is a user request to refresh the contents of that subcategory. I n step 378, client application software 28 creates a refresh history event for that subcategory. In step 380, client application software 28 sends to the database thread a request to flush the current history. The contents of that subcategory are then downloaded (available on display device 40) as if they were new. In step 382, a message is sent to the database thread to do idle processing.
FIGS. 12A and 12B are flow diagrams of processes for controlling the number of clicks to a clickable advertisement. As shown in FIG. 12A, in step 420, a request is received from client application software 28 of a particular client system 14 to view clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements. The request preferably includes DevicelD data
30, which is a unique identifier assigned to the client system 14 that uniquely identifies client system 14 making the request. The request can be made in response to linking and/or accessing a particular website and/or by submitting the request through user interface 62.
In step 422, an access limit is identified for each of the clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements that are responsive to the received request. Based on the received request, main server system 12 can identify an appropriate handler 22 and database server 24 for servicing the request. Handler 22 accesses database server 24, which can includes a list of available clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements, to identify the clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements (including CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information) responsive to the request and to identify the access limits associated with those clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements.
In step 424, for each of the clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements responsive to the request, it is determined how many times each clickable advertisement has been clicked on by client application software 28 and/or client system 14 based on the associated DevicelD data 30. This information can be determined by checking the values of the counters held in database server 24 for each clickable advertisement corresponding to DevicelD data 30 provided in the request. In step 426, clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements are made available to the requesting client system 14 that have been accessed (i.e., clicked on) by client system 14 fewer times than the access limit. To determine if a clickable advertisement should be made available, main server system 12 compares the identified access limit to the determined number of accesses set in the corresponding counter. If the access limit is greater than the determined number of accesses set in the corresponding counter, then the clickable advertisement is made available to the requesting client system 14. On the other hand, if the access limit is equal to (or less than) the determined number of accesses set in the corresponding counter, then the clickable advertisement is not made available to the requesting client system 14. The clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements made available to the client system 14 can be viewed, for example, in advertising pane 72 and and/or logo pane 74. Each of the clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements made available to client system 14 can be accessed, i.e., clicked on, by the user at client system 14.
In step 428, in addition to making the clickable advertisement available to be clicked on by the user at client system 14, if the clickable advertisement is CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information, then the user is permitted to print CBGSE- PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information as well. To print CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information, the user can select the "Print Now" button 80, which prints the CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information currently being viewed on printer 46. In step 430, in response to the click of the clickable advertisement, the counter associated with that clickable advertisement and corresponding to DevicelD data 30 of client application software 28 and/or client system 14 is incremented. More specifically, client application software 28 can generate a signal to main server system 12 indicating that the clickable advertisement has been clicked on, and based on that signal the server increments the applicable counter in database server 24. The signal can include information identifying the clickable advertisement, as well as DevicelD data 30 of client system 14. Accordingly, each time a clickable advertisement is clicked on, the counter associated with the clickable advertisement is incremented, and once the count in the counter reaches the access limit, the user at that client system 14 is no longer permitted to click on that clickable advertisement. It should be noted that client system 14 can be a client computer.
The method for controlling access to advertisement in a network can include assigning an identifier to a client computer and receiving a request from client application software 28 operating on the client computer to access the advertisement.
The request can include the identifier assigned to the client computer. The method can further include transmitting an advertisement access report to a remote server. The method can further include the identifier being assigned to the client computer by the client application. The method can also include that the identifier being assigned to the client computer is not one of a DevicelD data 30 and/or an Internet protocol address. The method can also include encrypting the advertisement at a server to generate a first encrypted advertisement and further encrypting the first encrypted advertisement at the client computer to generate a second encrypted advertisement.
FIG. 12B illustrates a process similar to the one in FIG. 12A. Like the process of FIG. 12A, in step 432 of FIG. 12B, a request is received from the client application software 28 to view clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements, the request including DevicelD data 30 that uniquely identifies client system 14 making the request. However, instead of checking the access limit of responsive clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements, all clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements that are responsive to the request are made available to the requesting client system 14 in step 434. To determine which clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements are responsive, main server system 12 can identify an appropriate handler 22 and database server 24 for servicing the request. Handler 22 can access database server 24 to identify the clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements responsive to the request. The user at client system 14 can try to click on any of the clickable advertisement made available to client system 14.
In step 436, in response to clicking on a selected clickable advertisement, a request is received by main server system 12 for access to that clickable advertisement. The request can include information identifying the selected clickable advertisement, as well as DevicelD data 30 of the requesting client system 14. In step 438, in response to the received request, an access limit is identified for the selected clickable advertisement. More particularly, main server system 12 can identify an appropriate handler 22 to access database server 24 and identify the access limits associated with the selected clickable advertisement. In step 440, it is determined how many times the selected clickable advertisement has been clicked on by client application software 28 and/or client system 14 based on the associated DevicelD data 30. This information can be determined by checking the values of the counter held in database server 24 for the selected clickable advertisement corresponding to DevicelD data 30 provided in the request.
In step 442, the user is permitted to click on and access the selected clickable advertisement if it is determined that the clickable advertisement has been accessed by client system 14 fewer times than the access limit. To determine if a clickable advertisement should be made available, main server system 12 compares the identified access limit to the determined number of accesses (i.e., clicks) set in the corresponding counter. If the access limit is greater than the determined number of accesses set in the corresponding counter, then the user is permitted to click on and access the clickable advertisement at the requesting client system 14. On the other hand, if the access limit is equal to (or less than) the determined number of accesses set in the corresponding counter, then the user is not permitted to click on and access the clickable advertisement at client system 14. If permitted to click on and access the clickable advertisement, and the clickable advertisement is CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information, then the user can print or add to a cart the CBGSE-
PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information, for example, by selecting the "Print Now" button 80, which prints the CBGSE-PGGS- GM-CL/I-SN information currently being viewed on printer 46.
In step 444, in response to the click of a clickable advertisement, the counter associated with that clickable advertisement and corresponding to DevicelD data 30 of client application software 28 and/or client system 14 is incremented. More specifically, client application software 28 can generate a signal to main server system 12 indicating that the accessed clickable advertisement has been clicked on, and based on that signal main server system 12 increments the applicable counter in database server 24. The signal can include information identifying the clickable advertisement, as well as DevicelD data 30 of client system 14.
Referring to FIG. 13, illustrations of a screen display defining an interface associated with a client system portion are shown, according to exemplary embodiments, e.g., as Social Earth. FIG. 13 provides the added feature of being able to utilize a pull down menus 652, 654, 656, and 658 to retrieve CBGSE-PGGS-GM-CL/I-SN information data. It is to be understood that the above description is merely exemplary rather than limiting in nature, the disclosure being limited only by the appended claims. Various modifications and changes can be made thereto by one of ordinary skill in the art, which embody the principles of the disclosure and fall within the spirit and scope thereof. For example, one and/or more steps described herein as being performed by client system 14 and/or main server system 12 can be performed by the other of client system 14 and/or main server system 12, and/or by both.
For example, a thin client can be operable on client system 14 to interface with main server system 12. A thin client is a client computer and/or client software in client-server architecture networks, which depends primarily on the central server for processing activities, and mainly focuses on conveying input and output between the user and the remote server. In contrast, a thick and/or fat client does as much processing as possible and passes only data for
communications and storage to the server. Many thin client devices run only web browsers and/or remote desktop software, meaning that all significant processing occurs on the server.
A Geographic Information System (GIS) (Also Called Geographic Mapping And/or "GM") is a computer technology that provides an analytical framework for managing and integrating data, solving problems, and/or understanding past, present, and/or future situations. A GIS can link information and/or attributes to location data (hereinafter referred to as a "feature"), for example, people to addresses, buildings to parcels, and/or streets within a network. GIS and/or GM can further layer such information to present a better and/or clearer understanding of how many different variables interrelate and/or work together. Layers can be in the form of colored and/or textured overlays, graphics, icons, graphs, and/or other visual indicators of data in context with a geographic location associated with the data. GIS and geospatial technologies are used in the present invention in all fields such as, but not limited to, business and marketing, emergency management, environmental planning, geo-intelligence and security, risk assessment, urban planning and utilities management, as well as industries such as telecommunications, utilities, transportation, education and scientific research constitute some of the largest consumers of this technology, and through its application in numerous daily tasks, as well as logistics companies using it to plan optimal delivery routes, insurance industry to assess risk and vulnerability with geospatial data, the retail sector to understand its customer base to provide more efficient services, while in the communications realm, location-specific applications such as Foursquare, Microsoft GeoLife and Google Buzz on cell phones or social media websites help diffuse this technology to the general public. The invention also includes future growth in the geospatial technologies industry including building capacity and developing broad citizen access to the technology, constructing innovative value-added applications to help businesses make informed decisions, gathering and sharing reliable geospatial data, and training a capable work force, as well as the Internet and advances in information and communications technologies also can be included in its expansion. The invention also can include the purchase and use of place-based GIS-generated products without necessarily being familiar with the technology itself, such the use of GPS or Internet-based maps to locate a particular business outlet, while user access and awareness can stimulate a greater demand for new applications of this technology, which can fuel innovation, and a domino effect can help the industry expand into new markets. User access to geospatial technologies and data are slowly revolutionizing how we view the world. GIS has restored the importance of understanding people-place interactions in an array of activities and decision-making processes. With such value and possibility, leaders and users of this technology should promote its application as broadly as possible.
A GIS and/or GM is most often associated with maps formed within a framework of a common coordinate system, such as the World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84). Reference locations within the framework can be specified by and/or translated to and/or from locations defined within a common coordinate system, so as to allow integration of disparate data and functionality with a geospatial browser. A map, however, is only one way a user can work with geographic data in a GIS and/or GM and is only one type of output generated by a GIS and/or GM. Furthermore, a GIS and/or GM can provide many more problem-solving capabilities than using a simple mapping program and/or adding data to an online mapping tool (e.g., in a "mash-up"). Generally, a GIS and/or GM can be viewed in at least three ways, (1) as a database; (2) as a map; and/or (3) as a model. As a database, a GIS provides a unique kind of database relating to the Earth and/or other mapped region, such as a geographic database and/or geo-database. Fundamentally, a GM is based on a structured database that describes the mapped region in geographic terms. GM maps can be either two and/or three dimensional in presentation. GM maps are generally constructed of "tiles" that are unit areas of a geographic region. Tiles can be identified in the database by coordinate boundaries and/or individual reference identifications allocated to each tile. The number of tiles covering a particular geographic region can vary depending upon the resolution of the map requested; a high-resolution map (e.g., 1 m) of a geographic area can have substantially more tiles than a lower resolution map of the same area. Maps combining the underlying geographic information with overlays of associated data can be constructed and used as "windows into the database" to support queries, analysis, and editing of the information in a process called "geo-visualization." As a model, a GM is a set of information transformation and/or "geo-processing" tools that derive new geographic datasets from existing datasets. This geo-processing functionality can take information from existing datasets, apply analytic functions, and write results into new derived datasets that show features and feature relationships with the mapped region and present the results to a user.
A GM allows mapping of locations and things and identification of places with requested features. GIS mapping can provide information about individual feature and/or present a distribution of features on a map to identify patterns. GM and/or GIS mapping can be based upon and/or filtered by quantities, for example, locations of most and least of a feature. GM and/or GIS mapping can also find and establish relationships between places, features, conditions, and/or events and determine where certain criteria are met and/or not met. GM and/or GIS mapping can also present densities to view concentrations. A density map allows measurement of a number of features using a uniform area unit, such as acres and/or square miles, to clearly present the distribution. This functionality provides an additional level of information beyond simply mapping the locations of features.
GM and/or GIS can be used to map changes to anticipate future needs. GM and/or GIS mapping can also be used to map conditions before and after an action and/or event to see the impact. For example, a retail analyst might map the change in store sales before and after a regional ad campaign to see where the ads were most effective.
A GM and/or GIS can be implemented in a geospatial decision management system (GDMS) 100, shown in FIG. 14 to provide the geo-processing power and infrastructure to process the data and render geo-visualizations of the data in a user interface. The GDMS 100 of FIG. 14 can be implemented in a combination of a server computer system 102, one and/or more client computer systems 104, and various data sources 106, 108, and 110. GDMS data can be saved in the GDMS server system 102 and/or in a datastore 106, 108, and 110 at a local and/or remote location. The data sources 106 and 108 are depicted as local to the server system 102, whereas the data source 110 is depicted as coupled remotely to the server system 102 via a communications network 112. GDMS data can also be cached in a proxy server.
The client system 104 can be coupled remotely to the server system 102 via a communication network 114 (or alternatively, the same communications network 112), although a local connection between the client system 104 and the server system 102 can be employed. It should be understood that multiple client systems can be coupled with the server system 102 concurrently. It should also be understood that the client system 104 and server system 102 can be implemented in an integrated system. The network connection 114, such as an Internet connection, can be used by GDMS client systems 104 to access the data (e.g., data defining layers and/or providing financial information, chemical concentrations, test results, project state reports, etc.) at the remote data sources 106, 108, 110, directly and/or through an intermediate computing system (e.g., a proxy server and/or GDMS server).
The client computer 104 can be coupled to an intermediate server, such as a proxy server 118. The proxy server 118 can be positioned between the client computer 104 and the server system 102. The proxy server 118 intercepts all requests to the server system 102 to see if it can fulfill the requests itself with cached data from prior requests. If not, the proxy server 118 forwards the request to the server system 102 to be fulfilled. The proxy server 204 can also be coupled to the communications network 114 and accessed by the client computer 104 and the server system 102 via the network 114. Firewalls 116 can also be implemented between the server system 102 and the client computer 104 and the network 114 for an added layer of security.
The connection can be established as a secure connection between the client system 104 and the server 102 and/or the remote data sources 106, 108 and 110. The secure connection can be accomplished by a variety of different methods including, but not limited to, authentication codes and passwords, secure user management tools, firewalls, user authentication, secure user management tools, user pathway mapping and/or encryption, etc. In another example, the server system 102 can include an administrative website that can allow authorized users and members to manipulate and assign user rights (e.g., an administrative tier). The server system 102 can also include a security feature, for example, an access control module 136 to establish, control, and monitor access by client computers 104 to certain data stored within and/or accessible within the GDMS 100. Access control can be governed by an administrator and/or it can be an automated function of the access control module 136 based upon attributes of the data requested and permissions held by the user as further described below.
The server system 102 can represent one and/or more hardware and software servers providing multiple server functions.
In addition, one and/or more of the server system 102, the client system 104, and the databases 106, 108 and 110 can form an N-tier system. The server system 102 can also include a web server application subsystem, whereby World Wide Web-enabled applications can provide various aspects of functionality of the GDMS 100. For example, the server system 102 can provide a website where content creators and/or generators can upload geospatially-related data that can be transformed into features referenced to locations within a map of the GDMS 100 for access through the client system
104 connected to the GDMS 100 for geo-visualization of the information. In an alternative implementation, the client system 104 can be implemented as a "thick" client and execute client-installed software for some and/or all of the functionality of the GDMS 100.
A monitor 120, coupled to the client system 104, presents a GDMS interface 122 constructed from data and functionality received through the server system 102. When a user is working within a GDMS 100, s/he is said to be in a GDMS session. The GDMS interface 122 can be generated by a GDMS application executing on the client system 104 and/or alternatively through a server-executed GDMS application that provides the interface components over the network to a dumb terminal and/or a browser application running on the client system 104. The GDMS interface 122 can be a geospatial browser window including a map 124 (e.g., a globe in this illustration), a geo-visualization of data as a layer 126 and individual features 128 on the map 124, a layer manager 130 for selecting data and other features from the databases 106, 108, 110. The GDMS view can also include tool palettes 132 and 134, which can be distinct features of the browser interface, browser plug-ins, and/or separate utilities and/or applications. In one implementation, the GDMS interface 122 can be in the form of a geospatial browser window and one and/or more geospatially-referenced tools. Access to the data and/or functionality is provided by geospatially-referenced tools (e.g., tool palettes 132 and 134) that are associated with and triggered in relation to a specific location in a common coordinate system (e.g., WGS84 and/or some other shared coordinate system) shared by the tools and the geospatial browser. For example, a tool can provide chemical analysis results pertaining to soil samples taken from the location over time. In another example, a tool can retrieve and analyze financial data pertaining to a construction project on a specified region on the map (e.g., a location). The data available to such tools is provided from a variety of data sources and associated with each location within the common coordinate system of the GDMS system 100, such as through specified coordinates (e.g., longitude and latitude), other geographic constraints, and/or organizational constraints (e.g., a project identifier of a project having a specific geographic location and/or constraint, a feature identifier of a feature having a specific geographic location and/or constraint, etc.). In this manner, the user can view a location through the geospatial browser and access data and/or functionality associated with a location that is accessible through the tools in the browser. These locations can be the same location and/or distinct locations.
FIG. 15 further illustrates an example of a GDMS 200 for accessing specific data and/or information within a database based on the association of the information with geospatial coordinates. Again, the GDMS 200 can be implemented by a
GM and/or GIS server system 202 in communication with a GM and/or GIS client computer 204 over a communication network 208, e.g., the Internet. The GM and/or GIS client computer 204 can be used to access information in a decision management datastore (DMD) 206 connected with the GM and/or GIS server system 202. The communication network 208 ideally provides the GM and/or GIS client computer 204 with high-speed access to indexed data on the DMD 206. The GM and/or GIS server system 202 can also include a security feature, for example, an access control module 222 to establish, control, and monitor access by GM and/or GIS client computers 204 to certain data stored within and/or accessible via the DMD 206. Access control can be governed by an administrator and/or it can be an automated function based upon attributes of the data requested and permissions held by the user as further described below
The data retrieved from the DMD 206 can be presented in a user interface 210, 216, 222, 224 (of which four exemplary configurations are presented in FIG. 15 at the GM and/or GIS client computer 204. A feature presented in the user interface 210 (e.g., a geospatial coordinate and/or geographic location) on the client computer 204 can be used to access information indexed by features using the DMD 206.
The GM and/or GIS client computer 204 can access the indexed data in the DMD 206 by using applications and/or plug- ins, such as technical interfaces 210, 216 and management interfaces 222, 224. The technical interfaces 210, 216 can be used to access technical data associated with particular features. In exemplary implementations such technical data might be biochemical, geochemical, hydro-geological, and/or other physical data on analytes. The management interfaces 118, 120 can be used to access business management data. In exemplary implementations such management data might be business and organizational documents and data associated with particular features. Several examples of the use of such tools to interface with the DMD 206 and extract the data are presented below.
As shown in the first technical interface 210 in FIG. 15, if the GM and/or GIS client computer 204 requests information about a particular feature, such as a ground water well located near an airport 212, the GM and/or GIS client computer 204 can select the feature 214, i.e., the ground water well, to receive information related to that feature 214. The first technical interface 210 can include a concentric area data tool that can provide technical data related to the ground water well feature 214, for example, latitude and longitude, physical inspection data, water level information, and water contamination information, in a the form of information windows and visual geographic information overlays on a base location map. In an alternate implementation shown in the second technical interface 216, technical data concerning an area of land 220 around, adjacent, and/or near the airport 218 at the location of the feature 214, for example, landscaping, slope, soil composition, and/or grading information can be presented.
In a further implementation shown in a first management interface 222, a contract management concentric data tool can provide management data based upon the selected feature 214, for example, information on construction and/or work in progress, zoning and/or easement information, and/or information on any contracts applicable to the feature 214. In a further implementation shown in a second management interface 224, a finance management concentric data tool 120 can also provide management data relating to financial information applying to the feature 214 selected, for example, costs of past repairs and/or current maintenance fees. In some implementations the management interfaces 222, 224 can further comprise a real-time link to a video camera providing a view of the selected feature 214 and any construction and/or activity occurring at the selected feature 214.
The GDMS shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 is an innovative, GM and/or GIS-based management decision support tool that optimizes the geo-processing and geo-visualization of available GM and/or GIS data, for example, natural resources, building resources, time -management resources, personnel resources, financial resources, and information resources, and others. The GDMS can enable a GM and/or GIS client to easily visualize and interpret large, multifaceted, and complex information sets in order to make comparative analyses of alternatives, identify potential liabilities and opportunities, and optimize program strategies.
The GDMS provides full convergence, and/or integration, of multiple (essentially limitless) disparate data sets within a single virtual three-dimensional (geospatial) model. The disparate data sets, and even sub-data sets within them, can be organized by association with relevant features on the model. For example, groundwater analytical data can be associated with a given groundwater well; building data can be associated with a given building; installation information can be associated with the installation; and command information can be associated with the command. The GDMS full data convergence allows data to be accessed relative to position, scale, resolution, time, and other geospatial attributes and serves as an extremely intuitive and efficient way to organize and access essentially limitless quantities of information.
The GDMS allows queries, filters, and comparisons of data to be completed at the GM and/or GIS server system and then visually represented in three dimensions in near real time at the GM and/or GIS client device. The three - dimensional representation of data helps users and members gain a better understanding of the meaning contained within the data more rapidly than using traditional tabular and/or two-dimensional representations of data. The GDMS thus allows the meaning represented in the three-dimensional data to be rapidly communicated to users and members.
The GDMS improves on traditional closed and/or organization-specific GM and/or GIS by affording live connections or channels to multiple databases. As the databases are updated, the representations afforded by GDMS can thus be current. This allows a fourth dimension, time, to be factored into resource management decisions. Time is an important additional data factor because previous "views" of the data can be compared to current "views" of the data, in order to gain an understanding of the rates of change (or dynamics) of the real system. In other words, the GDMS allows for differences between time states to be understood and factored into a decision process. In FIG.14 a GDMS 100 can be used to provide access to specific sections within documents, which are associated with a particular geographic coordinate, e.g., Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services-Geographic Mapping-Company/Local Information-Social Networking (PS -GM-C/L-SN) information. More specifically, a GDMS 100 user (or GM and/or GIS client) can select a specific location and/or 'feature' on a map and be directed to location-based promotions coupons and/or location-based deals and offers and location-based services in real-time via a mobile device geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, location-based advertisements, location-based deals and offers, location-based services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, in the promotions and sale of Products, Goods, Gambling, and/or Services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, Consumer, Business,
Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services-Geographic Mapping- Company/Local Information-Social Networking (PSR-GM-C/L&SC-SN) information. Said another way, specific relevant data can be provided to a user based upon the 'feature' selected, not just based upon a traditional search query. Thus, GDMS 100 links and/or ties a 'feature,' and/or specific geographic location, to an indexed database of data. The specific relevant data provided to a user can comprise only portions and/or sections of documents, maps, and/or images related to that specific 'feature' selected. This can greatly increase efficiency of GM and/or GIS by taking a user directly to a relevant section of a document, which can be hundreds and/or thousands of pages in length.
As should be apparent from the above discussion, the GDMS is a powerful tool that can be used to access enormous quantities of data stored at remote locations. When using the GDMS, control access to data stored at remote locations, for example, an access control module 222 as depicted in FIG. 15 can be implemented. An administrator of the data stored at the remote location to have server-side control over varying levels of access to data. Thus, in some implementations, access control can be exercised on the server-side; however, in other implementations this level of access control can be exercised on the client side. Further, access control can also be exercised at/by a given database. It can also be desirable to have different levels of authorization to control data access for employees having different roles within an organization. These levels of authorization can be created and adjusted by an administrator to permit varying levels of access to the data.
The GDMS can specifically establish different levels of access to the data can be controlled for each individual and/or can be controlled in groups (e.g., hierarchically) by the administrator and can be created and maintained using operations implemented within the access control module 222.
The varying levels of accessibility to data can be controlled using a number of different methods including, but not limited to, authentication codes and passwords, secure user management tools, firewalls, user authentication, user pathway mapping, and/or encryption. The levels of access control to the data can also be controlled by the creation of an individual profile for each user identifying the user's role in the organization and specifying their level of access to the data. Then, when a user logs onto a system, their level of access to data can be known by the system and the user can then only be able to view and/or access data that was commensurate with their level of authorization.
The layers of data can also be saved so that other authorized users and members can access the saved layers to view and make additional changes to (or comments on) the layers and then save those additional changes. This allows a given user to open the selected state, make changes, alterations, and comments, and save this new altered state for review and potential further modification by others. Certain GDMS view state data and/or functionality can and/or cannot be accessible to and/or be editable by a user based upon access permissions that have been granted to and/or withheld from the user.
In one implementation, access to the different map tiles and/or layers of data can be based upon the scale and/or resolution of the map and/or layer, i.e., access is 'scale-driven/ The contextual and/or 'smarf layers of data can be turned on and/or off by an administrator based upon the authorization to access each layer of data. A user's ability to change and/or alter the layers of data can also be dependent upon their level of authorization.
With reference now to FIG. 16, an exemplary GDMS 300 is implemented in a server system 302 with a DMD 306 as described above. The server system 302 can further include additional data servers, for example, a map tile server 310 indexed by coordinates, reference number, and/or feature; one and/or more layer servers 312 that provide feature and layer information also indexed by reference to geospatial coordinates, tile reference number, and/or feature; and a document server 314 that can provide Product/Service/Retail-Geographic Mapping-Company/Local Information-Social Networking (PSR-GM-C/L&SC-SN) information, and/or other documents and information associated with a geospatial location (again indexed by coordinate, reference number, and/or feature) in a format not amenable to geo-visualization. As shown in FIG.16, the data servers 310, 312, 314 can be connected to the DMD 306 and/or to one another to maximize operating efficiency of the datastore 306. In some implementations, the data servers 310, 312, 314 and the datastore 306 can be located within the same server system 302, while in other implementations, the data servers 310, 312, 314 and the datastore 306 can be distributed across a network.
The server system 302 can further comprise a workflow module 316 and an access control module 318 through one and/or a number of different types of software programs (i.e., programming logic and/or computer executable instructions) utilizing a variety of different types of measures to control access to the DMD 306. The workflow module 316 and the access control module 318 can be positioned between the client computer 304 and the DMD 306, as shown in FIG. 16, to provide a layer of access control between the client device 304 and the DMD 306 and/or the data servers 310, 312, 314. In other implementations, the access control module 318 and workflow module 316 can be partially and/or substantially implemented in other locations, for example, on the client device 304, and/or within the communications network 308.
Alternately, in an implementation of the GDMS 300 in an open and/or public platform, rather than a system internal to and/or controlled by a particular organization, access to data can be controlled based merely upon geospatial attributes, for example, the geospatial location (coordinates) of a tile request, scale of a tile request, resolution of a tile request, payment for access, the combination of layers requested, and/or freshness and/or staleness of data requested. Another example of a geospatial attribute can be the ability to download a geospatial dataset as opposed to merely having the ability to view a geo-visualization of such data, e.g., as a layer and/or set of features, e.g., Product, Goods & Services Geographic Mapping-Company/Local Information-Social Networking (PSR-GM-C/L&SC-SN) information. A further example of a geospatial attribute can be the ability to save and/or bookmarks geo-visualization states defines by various combinations of underlying mar tiles and overlying layers and features for easily returning to such states as opposed to having to recreate the same filter query to return to a prior state. In such a public platform, contributors of GM and/or GIS data accessible for geo-visualization can place limits and/or restrictions on the availability of and/or accessibility of the GM and/or GIS data. A public implementation of the workflow module 316 can be used as an interface for data sources to either upload data to the DMD 306 and/or otherwise register data with the DMD 306 so that the DMD 306 can locate and access the data from a remote server and/or data store managed by the data source.
Another exemplary function of the access control module 318 can be embodied in the temporal determination module 328 that allows and/or denies access to map tiles and/or layers based upon the age of the information comprising the particular dataset, e.g. Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or
Services-Geographic Mapping-Company/Mobile Mapping/Local Information-Social Networking (CBGSE-PGGS-GM- C/L&SN) information. In an example, data that is significantly older can develop additional value again for use in temporal studies to identify trends. In such a case, the data can again only be accessible upon payment of a fee for the service. The temporal determination module 328 manages the temporal worth of GM and/or GIS data, for example, by examining time stamps associated with particular GM and/or GIS datasets and comparing the timestamps to any tags that can be encoded with the data indicating that the GM and/or GIS dataset is subject to a fee for service within particular ranges of age.
FIG. 17 depicts an exemplary set of access control operations 400 that can be performed according to one
implementation of an access control module within a GDMS. Initially the access control module receives a tile request in a receiving operation 402 associated with one and/or more Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services-Geographic Mapping-Company/Local Information-Social
Networking (PS -GM-C/L&SC-SN) information. It should be understood that any request from a client device for GM and/or GIS data can necessarily be associated with one and/or more map tiles. In order to present a geo -visualization interface, all of the data can have a reference to particular geospatial coordinates, which can optionally broken down in units of map tiles.
If the access control module recognizes that there is a restriction associated with one and/or more of the tiles in the bounding box, the access control module can next determine what kind of geospatial attribute is implicated in the bounding box restriction in checking operation 410. The access control module can then invoke one and/or more of the sub-modules described above for further processing assistance. The appropriate sub-module(s) can first determine whether an actual restriction must be imposed on the data request pursuant to the geospatial attribute in determination operation 412. This operation determines whether the requested a value of the geospatial dataset and/or feature actually conflicts with the restriction set by the data contributor. For example, the tile request at a resolution value restricted by the data contributor without additional authorization and/or payment and the tile would be considered actually restricted. Alternatively, if the tile request is at a resolution value within the allowable bounds set by the contributor, then the attribute of the request would not be considered restricted and the tiles and/or associated data would be approved for presentation in sending operation 408.
An exemplary computer system 500 for implementing the file origin determination processes above is depicted in FIG. 18. The computer system 500 can be a computer server with internal processing and memory components as well as interface components for connection with external input, output, storage (e.g., computer, server, or cloud, etc.), network, and other types of peripheral devices. Internal components of the computer system in FIG.18 are shown within the dashed line and external components are shown outside of the dashed line. Components that can be internal and/or external are shown straddling the dashed line. Alternatively to a server, the computer system 500 can be in the form of any of a personal computer (PC), a notebook and/or portable computer, a tablet PC, a handheld media player (e.g., an MP3 player), a smart phone or mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device (such as a mobile phone networks or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real time,, a video gaming device, a set top box, a workstation, a mainframe computer, a distributed computer, an Internet appliance, and/or other computer devices, and/or combinations thereof.
The computer system 500 includes a processor 502 and a system memory 506 connected by a system bus 504 that also operatively couples various system components. There can be one and/or more processors 502, e.g., a single central processing unit (CPU), and/or a plurality of processing units, commonly referred to as a parallel processing environment. The system bus 504 can be any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus and/or memory controller, a peripheral bus, a switched-fabric, point-to-point connection, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. The system memory 506 includes read only memory (ROM) 508 and random access memory (RAM) 510. A basic input/output system (BIOS) 512, containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within the computer system 500, such as during start-up, is stored in ROM 508. A cache 514 can be set-aside in RAM 510 to provide a high-speed memory store for frequently accessed data.
A hard disk drive interface 516 can be connected with the system bus 504 to provide read and write access to a data storage device, e.g., a hard disk drive 518, for nonvolatile storage of applications, files, and data. A number of program modules and other data can be stored on the hard disk 518, including an operating system 520, one and/or more application programs 522, other program modules 524, and data files 526. In an exemplary implementation, the hard disk drive 518 can further store access control module 564 for restricting access to map and data files and the decision management datastore 566 for housing and managing GM and/or GIS databases according to the exemplary processes described herein above. Note that the hard disk drive 518 can be either an internal component and/or an external component of the computer system 500 as indicated by the hard disk drive 518 straddling the dashed line in FIG.20. In some configurations, there can be both an internal and an external hard disk drive 518.
The computer system 500 can further include a magnetic disk drive 530 for reading from and/or writing to a removable magnetic disk 532, tape, and/or other magnetic media. The magnetic disk drive 530 can be connected with the system bus 504 via a magnetic drive interface 528 to provide read and write access to the magnetic disk drive 530 initiated by other components and/or applications within the computer system 500. The magnetic disk drive 530 and the associated computer-readable media can be used to provide nonvolatile storage of computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, and other data for the computer system 500.
The computer system 500 can additionally include an optical disk drive 536 for reading from and/or writing to a removable optical disk 538 such as a CD ROM and/or other optical media. The optical disk drive 536 can be connected with the system bus 504 via an optical drive interface 534 to provide read and write access to the optical disk drive 536 initiated by other components and/or applications within the computer system 500. The optical disk drive 530 and the associated computer -readable optical media can be used to provide nonvolatile storage of computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, and other data for the computer system 500.
A display device 542, e.g., a monitor, a television, and/or a projector, and/or other type of presentation device can also be connected to the system bus 504 via an interface, such as a video adapter 540 and/or video card. Similarly, audio devices, for example, external speakers and/or a microphone (not shown), can be connected to the system bus 504 through an audio card and/or other audio interface (not shown). In addition to the monitor 542, the computer system 500 can include other peripheral input and output devices, which are often connected to the processor 502 and memory 506 through the serial port interface 544 that is coupled to the system bus 506. Input and output devices can also and/or alternately be connected with the system bus 504 by other interfaces, for example, a universal serial bus (USB), a parallel port, and/or a game port. A user can enter commands and information into the computer system 500 through various input devices including, for example, a keyboard 546 and pointing device 548, for example, a mouse. Other input devices (not shown) can include, for example, a microphone, a joystick, a game pad, a tablet, a touch screen device, a satellite dish, a scanner, a facsimile machine, and a digital camera, and a digital video camera. Other output devices can include, for example, a printer 550, a plotter, a photocopier, a photo printer, a facsimile machine, and a press (the latter not shown). In some implementations, several of these input and output devices can be combined into a single device, for example, a printer/scanner/fax/photocopier. It should also be appreciated that other types of computer -readable media and associated drives for storing data, for example, magnetic cassettes and/or flash memory drives, can be accessed by the computer system 500 via the serial port interface 544 (e.g., USB) and/or similar port interface.
The computer system 500 can operate in a networked environment using logical connections through a network interface 552 coupled with the system bus 504 to communicate with one and/or more remote devices. The logical connections depicted in FIG. 18 include a local-area network (LAN) 554 and a wide-area network (WAN) 560. Such networking environments are commonplace in home networks, office networks, enterprise -wide computer networks, and intranets. These logical connections can be achieved by a communication device coupled to and/or integral with the computer system 500. As depicted in FIG. 18, the LAN 554 can use a router 556 and/or hub, either wired and/or wireless, internal and/or external, to connect with remote devices, e.g., a remote computer 558, similarly connected on the LAN 554. The remote computer 558 can be a PC client, a server, a peer device, and/or other common network node, and typically includes many and/or all of the elements described above relative to the computer system 500.
To connect with a WAN 560, the computer system 500 typically includes a modem 562 for establishing communications over the WAN 560. Typically the WAN 560 can be the Internet. However, in some instances the WAN 560 can be a large private network spread among multiple locations. The modem 562 can be a telephone modem, a high-speed modem (e.g., a digital subscriber line (DSL) modem), a cable modem, and/or similar type of communications device.
The modem 562, which can be internal and/or external, is connected to the system bus 518 via the network interface 552.
In alternate embodiments the modem 562 can be connected via the serial port interface 544. It should be appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of and communications devices for establishing a communications link between the computer system and other devices and/or networks can be used. Connection of the computer system 500 with a WAN 560 allows the decision management datastore 566 the ability to access remote GM and/or GIS datastores to provide for a distributed GM and/or GIS platform.
All directional references (e.g., proximal, distal, upper, lower, upward, downward, left, right, lateral, front, back, top, bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, clockwise, and counterclockwise) are only used for identification purposes to aid the readers understanding of the present invention, and do not create limitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, and/or use of the invention. Connection references (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, and joined) are to be construed broadly and can include intermediate members between a collection of elements and relative movement between elements unless otherwise indicated. As such, connection references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected and in fixed relation to each other. The exemplary drawings are for purposes of illustration only and the dimensions, positions, order and relative sizes reflected in the drawings attached hereto can vary.
As presented in FIG.19, The present invention provides in one aspect a delivery system for a geospatial website for a multidimensional representation of information and/or scalable versions of web and mobile device content for an infrastructure and global platform that provides users and members and businesses of all types and sizes with access to broad markets for the delivery of location-based promotions coupons and/or location-based deals and offers and location-based services in real-time via a mobile device geotagging, real-time geotagging, geocoding, geotargeted, geolocation, mobile geotagging, geofencing, mobile mapping, location-based advertisements, location-based deals and offers, location-based services, GPS and GIS technologies, and the like, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, social shopping and social networking, Consumer, Business, Government, Sports, or Education related
Products, Goods, Gambling and/or Services or services from brands, merchants and retailers from around the world.
FIG.20 is a block diagram of an example online advertising system 100. In some implementations, one or more advertisers 104 can directly, or indirectly, enter, maintain, and track advertisement ("ad") information in an ad management system 108. The ads can be stored in a repository 114 coupled to the system 108 (e.g., a MySQL. RTM. database). The ads may be in the form of graphical ads, such as banner ads, text only ads, image ads, audio ads, video ads, ads combining one of more of any of such components, etc. The ads may also include embedded information, such as embedded media, links, meta-information, and/or machine executable instructions. One or more publishers 106 may submit requests for ads or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets to the system 108. The system 108 responds by sending ads, social/geo/promo link promotional data sets, or information that can allow for the retrieval of ads or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets to the requesting publisher 106 for placement/serving on one or more of the publisher's web properties (e.g., websites and other network-distributed content). The location-based promotions coupons and/or location-based deals and offers and location-based services in real-time via a mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device (such as a mobile phone networks or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real time, or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets can be placed with or embedded in the publisher's content (e.g., videos, articles, search results), which can be stored in a repository 110 at the publisher 106, and/or placed with content received from other sources (e.g., other publishers, advertisers).
In some implementations, publisher's properties available in this system may also include both Internet-distributed and broadcast distributed content such as, but not limited to, television spots, radio spots, print advertising, billboard advertising (electronic or printed), on-vehicle advertising, and the like.
Other entities, such as users 102 and advertisers 104, can provide usage information to the system 108, such as, for example, whether or not a conversion or click-through related to an ad has occurred. In some implementations, conversion data can be stored in a repository 112, where it can be used by the system 108 to improve ad-targeting performance. The usage information provided to the system 108 can include measured or observed user behavior related to ads that have been served. In some implementations, the system 108 performs financial transactions, such as crediting the publishers 106 and charging the advertisers 104 based on the usage information. A computer network, such as a local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), the Internet, wireless network or a combination thereof, can connect the location-based services, advertisers 104, the system 108, the publishers 106, and the users 102.
One example of a publisher 106 is a general content server that receives requests for content (e.g., articles, electronic mail messages, discussion threads, music, video, graphics, networked games, search results, web page listings, information feeds, dynamic web page content, etc.), and retrieves the requested content in response to the request. The content server may submit a request (either directly or indirectly) for location-based promotions or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets to an ad server in the system 108. The location-based services or ad request may include a number of ads desired. The social/geo/promo link promotional data set request may include a number of
social/geo/promo link promotional data sets desired and the number of social/geo/promo links per social/geo/promo link promotional data set. The location-based promotions , or social/geo/promo link promotional data set request may also include content request information. This information can include the content itself (e.g., page or other content document), a category or keyword corresponding to the content or the content request (e.g., arts, business, computers, arts-movies, arts-music, etc.), part or all of the content request, content age, content type (e.g., text, graphics, video, audio, mixed media, etc.), geolocation or geotagging information, demographic information related to the content, keyword, web property, etc., and the like.
In some implementations, the content server (or a browser rendering content provided by the content server) can combine the requested content with one or more of the location-based promotions , or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets provided by the system 108. The combination can happen prior to delivery of the content to the user or contemporaneously where the advertising server can serve the ads or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets directly to an end user. The combined content and location based promotions , or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets can be delivered to the user 102 that requested the content for presentation in a viewer (e.g., a browser or other content display system). The content server can transmit information about the location-based promotions , or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets back to the ad server, including information describing how, when, and/or where the location-based promotions , or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets are to be rendered (e.g., in HTML or JavaScript.TM.). The content page 120 can be rendered in the user's viewer with one or more ads 122. When the user 102 clicks on a displayed ad 122 of an advertiser, the user 102 can be redirected to a landing page 118 of the advertiser's web site.
In another example, the publisher 106 is a search service. A search service can receive queries for search results. In response, the search service can retrieve relevant search results from an index of content (e.g., from an index of web pages). An exemplary search service is described in the article S. Brin and L. Page, "The Anatomy of a Large-Scale Hypertextual Search Engine," Seventh International World Wide Web Conference, Brisbane, Australia and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,285,999, both of which are incorporated herein by reference each in their entirety. Search results can include, for example, lists of web page titles, snippets of text extracted from those web pages, and hypertext links to those web pages, and may be grouped into a predetermined number of search results (e.g., ten).
The search service can submit a request for location-based promotions , online coupons, promotions in real-time or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets to the system 108. The request may include a number of ads or
social/geo/promo link promotional data sets desired. A social/geo/promo link promotional data set request may include a number of social/geo/promo link promotional data sets desired and the number of social/geo/promo links per social/geo/promo link promotional data set. The number of location-based promotions , or number of social/geo/promo link promotional data sets may depend on the search results, the amount of screen or page space occupied by the search results or other content to be displayed contemporaneously with the sponsored content, the size and shape of the ads, etc. In some implementations, the number of desired location-based promotions or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in in real-time can be from one to ten, or from three to five. In some implementations, the number of desired social/geo/promo link promotional data sets can be greater than one (e.g., three). The request for ads or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets may also include a query (as entered or parsed), information based on the query (such as geolocation, geotagging or mobile geotagging or geofencing information, whether the query came from an affiliate and an identifier of such an affiliate), and/or information associated with, or based on, the search results. Such information may include, for example, identifiers related to the search results (e.g., document identifiers or "docIDs"), scores related to the search results (e.g., information retrieval ("I ") scores), snippets of text extracted from identified documents (e.g., web pages), full text of identified documents, feature vectors of identified documents, etc. Other information can be included in the request including information related to the content that is to be displayed contemporaneously with the sponsored content. In some implementations, IR scores can be computed from, for example, dot products of feature vectors corresponding to a query and a document, page rank scores, and/or combinations of IR scores and page rank scores, etc.
A search service can combine the search results with one or more of the location-based promotions or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions in real-time or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets provided by the system 108. This combined information can then be forwarded/delivered to the user 102 that requested the content. The search results can be maintained as distinct from the ads or social/geo/promo link promotional data sets, so as not to confuse the user between paid geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and presumably neutral search results. The search service can transmit information about the location-based promotions or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real-time or social/geo/promo link promotional data set and when, where, and/or how the or tablet device or wireless data transfer device (such as a mobile phone networks„ online coupons, promotions, in real-time or social/geo/promo link promotional data set was to be rendered back to the system 104.
As can be appreciated from the foregoing, the advertising management system 108 can serve publishers 106, such as content servers and search services. The system 108 permits serving of location-based promotions , online coupons, promotions, in real-time ,mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services targeted to content (e.g., documents, web pages, web blogs, etc.) served by content servers. For example, a network or inter-network may include an ad server serving targeted location-based promotions or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, services or ads, online coupons, promotions or in real-time in response to requests from a search service with ad spots for sale. Suppose that the inter -network is the World Wide Web. The search service can be configured to crawl much or all of the content. Some of this content can include ad spots (also referred to as "inventory") available. In this example, one or more content servers may include one or more documents. Documents may include web pages, email, content, embedded information (e.g., embedded media), meta-information and machine executable instructions, and ad spots available. The location-based geotargeted or geotagged advertisements or location-based services or ads, online coupons, promotions, in real time, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and distribution of mobile or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real-time inserted into ad spots in a document can vary each time the document is served or, alternatively, can have a static association with a given document.
In one implementation, for the system 104 to provide geotargeted or geotagged advertisements to the publisher that are targeted to the user 108 upon whose browser the geotargeted or geotagged advertisements can be displayed, it is advantageous for user profile information about the user 108 to be provided to the system 104. In some implementations, user profile information and other types of data can be collected by the system 108 and stored in a repository 116. The stored data may include, for example, geographic locations of users, ad context information, etc. The system can then select the geotargeted or geotagged advertisements to provide for viewing by the user 108 based at least in part on the user profile information.
FIG. 21A illustrates an example 200 of a related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 202 provided with web page content. In example 200, the content of the web page is directed to the latest in luggage technology. The content of the web page is displayed with related location-based promotions or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real-time and the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 202. The related social geo/promo link promotional data set 202 includes a list of selectable topics or categories 204 related to the content of the web page. The related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 202 can present multiple (e.g., four) social/geo/promo links. In some implementations, the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 202 also includes a label (e.g., "Ads by Google") identifying the link unit 202 as advertisement.
Example 200 includes one related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 202 for the web page. The related social/geo/promo link promotional data set includes the following selectable categories 204: luggage, baggage, suitcase, and valise. These categories 204 are related to the content of the web page. However, the categories 204 in the list are very similar to one another. In particular, these categories 204 are synonyms of each other. A user presented with the luggage technology web page content and the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 202 is likely to find little variety in the listed categories 204. If the user decides to select any category, the user is likely to select the first category, (e.g., luggage) and ignore the other three categories because of their high correlation to the first category.
Despite the correlation in the categories 204, the list of location-based advertisement and location-based services or ads, online coupons, promotions, in real time, promotions, in real time, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and distribution of mobile , mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services presented when one category is selected may differ from the list of ads presented when another category is selected. The ads associated with the similar categories that are lower on the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set list are at a disadvantage relative to the ads associated with the first category in the list.
FIG. 21B illustrates an example 250 of multiple related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets 252, 262 provided with web page content. The content of the web page is directed to the latest in luggage technology.
Example 250 includes two related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets 252, 262 for the web page. The related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 252 includes the following selectable categories 254: luggage, vacation getaways, travel agencies, and valise. The related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 262 includes the following selectable categories 264: vacation packages, luggage locks, baggage, and tour packages. The categories 254, 264 are related to the content of the web page. However, the categories are scattered across the two related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets 252, 262 without regard to the correlation or diversity of the categories. For example, the luggage category of related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 252 is a synonym of the baggage category of related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 262. The vacation getaways category of related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 252 is a synonym of the vacation packages category of related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 262. Additionally, the categories within each link unit are diverse. For example, vacation packages and luggage locks are disparate categories in the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set 262. If the categories are incoherently assembled in multiple related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets without considering correlation or diversity, a user may have difficulty finding a particular category of interest.
FIG. 22 is a block diagram of an example implementation 400 of an advertising management system 108 of FIG.20 that provides related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets with correlated broad and alternative categories. The advertising management system 108 includes a social/geo/promo link server 402, a social/geo/promo link repository 404, and a learning module 406. In some implementations, the system 108 also includes a concept extraction engine 408. In some implementations, the ad server in system 108 also serves related social/geo/promo links.
The social/geo/promo link server 402 receives requests for related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets. In some implementations, the social/geo/promo link server 402 receives related social/geo/promo link promotional data set requests from one or more content servers. A social/geo/promo link promotional data set request can accompany an ad request, where both the location-based advertisements and location-based services, ad links, online coupons, promotions, in real time, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and distribution of mobile or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, in real-time and social/geo/promo link promotional data set are to be displayed with the same content. In some implementations, a content server sends a combined request for both ads and social/geo/promo link promotional data sets. The related social/geo/promo link promotional data set request may include a number (e.g., one, two, or three) of related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets desired and the number (e.g., four or five) of related social/geo/promo link promotional data set categories for each related social/geo/promo link promotional data set. The related social/geo/promo link promotional data set request may also include content request information. For example, the information can include the content itself or one or more categories or keywords corresponding to the content or the content request.
The social/geo/promo link server 402 receives candidate related social/geo/promo links from a social/geo/promo link repository 404. In some implementations, the candidate related social/geo/promo links are determined based on keywords corresponding to the requested content with which the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set is to be displayed. Other matching techniques can be used.
The social/geo/promo link server 402 identifies categories for the candidate related social/geo/promo links and forwards the categories to a learning module 406. In some implementations, the categories are the same as the candidate related social/geo/promo links. In some implementations, the candidate related social/geo/promo links are a subset of the categories that can be selected for social/geo/promo link promotional data sets displayed with requested content.
In some implementations, the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set request can include an identifier (e.g., the Uniform Resource Locator (URL)) of the webpage with the requested content with which the related
social/geo/promo link promotional data set is to be displayed. Using the identifier, the web page can be crawled to determine one or more concepts evoked by the content of the web page. An optional concept extraction engine 408 can extract concepts from the web page content. The web page concepts can be forwarded to the learning module 406. Some examples of concept extraction engines are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,231,393 and U.S. 2004/0068697, each of which, is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The learning module 406 receives related social/geo/promo link categories from the social/geo/promo link server 402. The learning module 406 generates or retrieves one or more category identifiers associated with each related social/geo/promo link category. As described above, each related social/geo/promo link category can be classified under one or more categories. In some implementations, the category identifiers are predetermined. For example, the category identifiers for the related social/geo/promo link categories can be determined before a related social/geo/promo link promotional data set request is served. In some implementations, the category identifiers are pre-computed for the keywords for ads in the social/geo/promo link repository 404.
In some implementations, the learning module 406 also receives web page concepts from the concept extraction engine 408. Web page concepts can also be classified under one or more categories. Category identifiers for the web page concepts can be determined when a related social/geo/promo link promotional data set request is received.
The learning module 406 computes one or more correlation criteria for each related social/geo/promo link category. A correlation measure provides a measure of how "close" or "distant" in correlation two category identifiers are, where the pair of category identifiers corresponds to two related social/geo/promo link categories. If category identifiers are determined for the web page concepts, correlation criteria can also be computed between a category identifier associated with a related social/geo/promo link category and a category identifier associated with one of the web page concepts.
In some implementations, the correlation measure can be computed using statistics accumulated over a large set of documents (e.g., web pages). For example, the number of instances of a document evoking two category concepts can be determined. The number of instances can be used as a heuristic to measure the correlation between the two categories.
That is, the larger the number of instances, the more likely the two categories are similar. Techniques for associating documents and co-occurring category concepts are described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0242013 Al, filed Oct.
26, 2006, for "Suggesting Targeting Information for Ads, Such as Websites and/or Categories of Websites for Example," Attorney Docket No. GP-497-00-US, which published patent application is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The correlation measure is further discussed below.
The social/geo/promo link server 402 receives from the learning module 406 one or more correlation criteria for each related social/geo/promo link category. In some implementations, the social/geo/promo link server 402 also receives the category identifiers from the learning module 406. The social/geo/promo link server 402 generates the same, similar, broad or alternative, social/geo/promo link categories based on the correlation criteria of the candidate social/geo/promo link categories. The same, similar, broad or alternative, social/geo/promo link categories are organized into one or more related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets which can be provided by the system 108 to the content server to be combined with the requested content.
In some implementations, the social/geo/promo link server 402 provides the functionality of the learning module 406, including generation or retrieval of the category identifiers and the correlation criteria. In these implementations, the learning module 406 is not part of system 108.
FIG. 23 is a block diagram of an example implementation 500 of the social/geo/promo link server 402 of FIG. 3. The social/geo/promo link server 402 includes a categorizer 502 and a cluster/anti-cluster module 504. The social/geo/promo link server 402 receives requests for related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets. The related social/geo/promo link promotional data set request may include a number of related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets desired and the number of related social/geo/promo link categories per related social/geo/promo link promotional data set. The number of related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets desired can be used to determine whether related social/geo/promo link categories should be same, similar, broad or alternative, clusters or groupings.
The social/geo/promo link server 402 receives candidate related social/geo/promo links. In some implementations, the candidate related social/geo/promo links are ordered by relevance to the requested content. The social/geo/promo link server 402 can receive the ordered list of candidate social/geo/promo links. Alternatively, the social/geo/promo link server 402 can receive an unordered list, and the social/geo/promo link server 402 can order the candidate
social/geo/promo links by relevance to the requested content using a relevance measure.
The categorizer 502 of the social/geo/promo link server 402 identifies categories for the candidate related
social/geo/promo links. In some implementations, the categories are the same as the related social/geo/promo links, and the categorizer 502 is not included in the social/geo/promo link server 402.
The social/geo/promo link server 402 receives one or more correlation criteria for each category. In some
implementations, the social/geo/promo link server 402 also receives the one or more category identifiers associated with each category. In some implementations, category identifiers are also received for the web page concepts and are used to cluster or anti-cluster social/geo/promo link categories.
The candidate social/geo/promo links and the correlation criteria are provided as inputs to the cluster/anti-cluster module 504. If the request is for a single related social/geo/promo link promotional data set, the classification of the categories by characteristics (also called categories) is used to improve the diversity of categories coverage (alternative category clustering) of the related social/geo/promo link categories displayed in the single related social/geo/promo link promotional data set. If the request is for multiple related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets, the classification of the related social/geo/promo link categories by categories is used to cluster related social/geo/promo link categories in one related social/geo/promo link promotional data set in the same category or similar categories while those in other related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets are from different categories.
FIG. 24 is a flow diagram of an example process 600 for providing a related social/geo/promo link promotional data set with anti-clustered categories. The process 600 begins by selecting a first social/geo/promo link category for a first position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set, where the first social/geo/promo link category is in a set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories (602). In some implementations, the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories is ordered according to the relevance of the social/geo/promo link categories to the requested content of the web page with which the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set is to be displayed. For an ordered set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories, the top relevance scoring social/geo/promo link category is selected for the first position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set. In some implementations, selected social/geo/promo link categories are removed from the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories.
As an example, the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories can be ordered by relevance to the requested content of a web page. For a set with the following order: A, B, C, D, . . . , L, category A can be chosen as the most relevant social/geo/promo link category for the first position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set. The process 600 determines whether there is at least one empty (e.g., unfilled) position remaining in the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set (604). In some implementations, the link unit request can include the number of social/geo/promo link categories desired for the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set. If there are a predetermined number (e.g., zero) of empty positions remaining in the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set, the process 600 ends (612). Generally, a related social/geo/promo link promotional data set is displayed with multiple social/geo/promo link categories.
If there is at least one empty position remaining in the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set,
social/geo/promo link categories having a correlation measure that is less than a correlation threshold are identified, where the identified social/geo/promo link categories have one or more correlation criteria associated with the most recently selected social/geo/promo link category (606). The identified social/geo/promo link categories are in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories. In some implementations, the correlation threshold can be predetermined.
In some implementations the correlation measure can indicate the "distance" between the category identifiers of two social/geo/promo link categories. That is, the smaller the correlation measure, the smaller the "distance" between the category identifiers, and the more similar the category identifiers are. For this type of correlation measure, the larger the correlation measure, and the less similar the category identifiers are. Identifying categories that have correlation criteria that are less than a correlation threshold means identifying the categories with a category identifier that is close (within the correlation threshold) to a category identifier of the most recently selected category.
Alternatively, in some implementations, the correlation measure can indicate the "closeness" of the category identifiers of two social/geo/promo link categories. That is, the larger the correlation measure, the more similar the category identifiers are. For this type of correlation measure, the process 600 would identify the categories having a correlation measure that is greater than a correlation threshold.
Social/geo/promo link categories, which are identified, are removed from the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories (608). That is, social/geo/promo link categories that are too similar to the most recently selected
social/geo/promo link category are eliminated from further consideration based on the correlation criteria.
A next social/geo/promo link category is selected for the next empty (e.g., unfilled) position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set, where the next social/geo/promo link category is selected from the set of candidate
social/geo/promo link categories (610). For an ordered set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories, the next most relevant social/geo/promo link category remaining in the set is selected for the next position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set.
In some implementations, when the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories is ordered according to relevance, the correlation criteria for a particular social/geo/promo link category are not compared to the correlation threshold unless the preceding social/geo/promo link categories in the ordered set have already been selected or eliminated. That is, after the first most relevant social/geo/promo link category is selected, the second social/geo/promo link category in the ordered set is selected if the second social/geo/promo link category is not too similar to the first social/geo/promo link category. If the second social/geo/promo link category is too similar, the next social/geo/promo link category in the ordered set is checked for correlation. The process continues until the social/geo/promo link positions of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set are filled. If there is at least one empty position remaining in the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set (604), the process repeats steps 606 through 610. The elimination and selection process repeats until a number (e.g., all) of the social/geo/promo link positions for the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set have been filled. If the number (e.g., all) of the positions of the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set have been filled, the process 600 ends (612).
In some implementations, correlation criteria of social/geo/promo link categories can be used to reorder the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories. That is, instead of or in addition to using the correlation criteria to eliminate social/geo/promo link categories, correlation criteria can be used to boost or lower the order position of a
social/geo/promo link category in the ordered set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories. For example, the boosting or lowering can be based on the correlation measure of a social/geo/promo link category relative to the correlation criteria of other social/geo/promo link categories. In this implementation, the ordering of the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories can account for both relevance to requested content and correlation to previously selected social/geo/promo link categories.
FIG. 25 is a flow diagram of an example process 700 for providing multiple related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets with clustered categories. The process 700 begins by determining whether there is at least one empty (e.g., unfilled) related social/geo/promo link promotional data set (702). In some implementations, the related
social/geo/promo link promotional data set request can include the number of related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets desired. If there are a predetermined number (e.g., zero) of empty related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets remaining, the process 700 ends (716).
At the start of the process 700, the requested social/geo/promo link promotional data sets have not been filled, so the process 700 continues to the next step to fill the first requested social/geo/promo link promotional data set. A first social/geo/promo link category is selected for a first position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set, where the first social/geo/promo link category is in a set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories (704). In some implementations, the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories is ordered according to the relevance of the social/geo/promo link categories to the requested content of the web page with which the related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets are to be displayed. For an ordered set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories, the top relevance scoring social/geo/promo link category is selected for the first position of the first social/geo/promo link promotional data set.
The process 700 determines whether there is at least one empty (e.g., unfilled) position remaining in the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set (706). In some implementations, the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set request can include the number of social/geo/promo link categories desired for each related social/geo/promo link promotional data set.
If there is at least one empty position remaining in the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set,
social/geo/promo link categories having a correlation measure that is greater than a correlation threshold are identified, where at least one identified social/geo/promo link category has one or more correlation criteria associated with the most recently selected social/geo/promo link category (708). The identified social/geo/promo link categories are in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories. In some implementations, the correlation threshold can be predetermined. Because the social/geo/promo link categories within a social/geo/promo link promotional data set are being clustered, the social/geo/promo link categories with correlation criteria, which are greater than the correlation threshold, are identified. That is, for a correlation measure that indicates "distance," the social/geo/promo link categories with a correlation measure greater than the correlation threshold are the categories that are too diverse to be clustered with the most recently selected social/geo/promo link category.
Alternatively, in some implementations, the correlation measure can indicate the "closeness" of the category identifiers of two social/geo/promo link categories. For this type of correlation measure, the process 700 would identify the categories having a correlation measure that is less than a correlation threshold.
In some implementations, a given social/geo/promo link category in the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories can have a separate correlation measure for at least one pair- wise combination of a category identifier of the given social/geo/promo link category and a category identifier of the most recently selected social/geo/promo link category. A composite correlation measure can be determined for the given social/geo/promo link category, for example, by taking a maximum, a minimum, or a combination (e.g., a weighted combination) of the separate correlation criteria for the given social/geo/promo link category. In these implementations, the social/geo/promo link categories, which are too diverse, can be identified by comparing the composite correlation criteria to the correlation threshold.
Social/geo/promo link categories, which are identified, are removed from the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories (710). That is, social/geo/promo link categories that are too diverse relative to the most recently selected social/geo/promo link category are eliminated from further consideration based on the correlation criteria.
A next social/geo/promo link category is selected for the next empty (e.g., unfilled) position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set, where the next social/geo/promo link category is selected from the set of candidate
social/geo/promo link categories (712). For an ordered set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories, the next most relevant social/geo/promo link category remaining in the set is selected for the next position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set.
In some implementations, when the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories is ordered according to relevance, the correlation criteria for a particular social/geo/promo link category are not compared to the correlation threshold unless the preceding social/geo/promo link categories in the ordered set have already been selected or eliminated.
If there is at least one empty position remaining in the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set (706), the process repeats steps 708 through 712. The elimination and selection process repeats until a number (e.g., all) of the social/geo/promo link positions for the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set have been filled.
If a number (e.g., all) of the positions of the related social/geo/promo link promotional data set have been filled, the process 700 returns to step 702. Again, the process 700 determines whether there is at least one empty (e.g., unfilled) related social/geo/promo link promotional data set remaining (702). Consider the case, in the second example, where two related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets are requested. Because only the first related social/geo/promo link promotional data set has been filled, the process 700 repeats for the second requested social/geo/promo link promotional data set.
Before continuing to step 704, the process 700 adds a number (e.g., all) of the removed identified social/geo/promo link categories to the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories (714). This step is not performed for the first social/geo/promo link promotional data set, because before the first social/geo/promo link position is filled in the first social/geo/promo link promotional data set, social/geo/promo link categories have not been removed from the set of candidate social/geo/promo link categories. For later social/geo/promo link promotional data sets, previously removed social/geo/promo link categories are added back to the set of candidate social geo/promo link categories because, although these categories were too dissimilar to be included in the cluster for the first social geo/promo link promotional data set, the social/geo/promo link categories for the other social/geo/promo link promotional data sets are chosen to be diverse relative to the social/geo/promo link categories selected for the first social/geo/promo link promotional data set.
The process 700 repeats steps 704 through 714 until there are a predetermined number (e.g., zero) of remaining empty social/geo/promo link promotional data sets to be filled. If there are a predetermined number (e.g., zero) of empty social/geo/promo link promotional data sets remaining, the process 700 ends (716).
The features described can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer hardware, firmware, software, or in combinations of them. The features can be implemented in a computer program product tangibly embodied in an information carrier, e.g., in a machine -readable storage device or in a propagated signal, for execution by a
programmable processor; and method steps can be performed by a programmable processor executing a program of instructions to perform functions of the described implementations by operating on input data and generating output.
The described features can be implemented advantageously in one or more computer programs that are executable on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor coupled to receive data and instructions from, and to transmit data and instructions to, a data storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device. A computer program is a set of instructions that can be used, directly or indirectly, in a computer to perform a certain activity or bring about a certain result. A computer program can be written in any form of programming language (e.g., Objective -C, Java), including compiled or interpreted languages, and it can be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment.
Suitable processors for the execution of a program of instructions include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and the sole processor or one of multiple processors or cores, of any kind of computer.
Generally, a processor can receive instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random access memory or both. The essential elements of a computer are a processor for executing instructions and one or more memories for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer can also include, or be operatively coupled to communicate with, one or more mass storage devices for storing data files; such devices include magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and optical disks. Storage devices suitable for tangibly embodying computer program instructions and data include all forms of non- volatile memory, including by way of example semiconductor memory devices, such as EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and the memory can be supplemented by, or incorporated in, ASICs (application-specific integrated circuits).
To provide for interaction with a user, the features can be implemented on a computer having a display device such as a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor for displaying information to the user and a keyboard and a pointing device such as a mouse or a trackball by which the user can provide input to the computer.
The features can be implemented in a computer system that includes a back-end component, such as a data server, or that includes a middleware component, such as an application server or an Internet server, or that includes a front-end component, such as a client computer having a graphical user interface or an Internet browser, or any combination of them. The components of the system can be connected by any form or medium of digital data communication such as a communication network. Examples of communication networks include, e.g., a LAN, a WAN, and the computers and networks forming the Internet.
The computer system can include clients and servers. A client and server are generally remote from each other and typically interact through a network. The relationship of client and server arises by virtue of computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship to each other.
ONLINE GAMBLING:
Unless specifically stated otherwise, as apparent from the following discussions, it is appreciated that throughout the specification discussions utilizing terms such as ''processing", ''computing*', "calculating*', "determining", or the like, refer 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 within the computing system's registers and/or memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computing system's memories, registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.
Furthermore, usage of the word "gaming", "gambling" or the like, refer to either land-based or online events, activities, games, sessions, rounds, hands, rolls and operations etc., including video games, Web games, casino games, card games, dice games, spoiling events and/or any other gaming or gambling events, in addition, the word "bet", "bid" or the like, refer to any type of wagers, bets or gaming ventures that are placed on random events, whether of monetary or nonmonetary value.
The present invention provides-a monetary or non-monetary online gaming platform, for enabling online games, gambling, events, activities and/or entertainment, that overcomes the limitations of existing land based and online gaming systems.
The present invention provides a platform and method that may separate the actual event, produced by an event generator, and a Web server (i.e. transaction server), that may communicate with both a player and one or more event generators and may processes the event data such that a player may place bets on the outcome of one or more events produced by o ne or more event generators. This separation, together with the integration of additional server components, may enable a network-based game management center, (hereinafter referred to as a virtual House'* or just "House" to monitor the results of events from a plurality of event generators in real time, and manage data streams from one or more event generators simultaneously, whether the events are land-based and'or network- based (virtual). One or more players, or groups of players, such as consumer groups, may monitor, analyze and play one or more events related to one or more Event generators.
According to at least one embodiment of the present invention, an event monitor such as a digital reader may be connected, associated with, and or otherwise collect data from one or more event generators and may digitize and/or transmit to the transaction server data indicative of events which may occur on the one or more event gene ators.
According to further embodiment of the present invention, image and/or video information, digital or analog, may be collected from or near an event generator, and a pattern recognition unit may analyze the image and'or video information from one or more event generators such that the pattern recognition unit may produce a signal indicative of the events which may have occurred on the one or more event generators. Image and/or video information may be collected and transmitted via analog and/or digital communication channels. The image and/or video information may be collected by a video camera, web-cam, still digital camera, or any other suitable device or system known today or to be devised in the future.
According to some embodiments of the present invention, a person or persons may monitor a game event generator and may manually enter and/or transmit game event data to the transaction server. According to some embodiments, the image and/or video information collection device (e.g. video camera) may be controlled by a computer associate with the pattern recognition unit such that the device is positioned and focused onto those areas of the one or more event generators most relevant at a given moment. For example, during the time bets are places on a roulette table, the image/video collection device may be positioned so as to acquire clear images of the roulette table's be t placing area, and during the spur of the ball, the camera may be repositioned to get a clear view of the bail and the number where it lands. According to some emboidments of the present invention, a person or persons may receive location-based promotions or wi-fi networks) or an Internet connected computer terminal, online coupons, promotions, real-time, geo-targeted or geo-tagged advertising and distribution of mobile , mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services based users profile and/or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels.
There is provided, in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention, an application, system and method lor automated conversion of image and/or video based gaming data, or data from a reader, digital or analog, into usable statistical data, thereby enabling one or more players to participate using both historic and real time gaming information from one or more games and/or event generators, whether the games are online or offline (e.g. land-based). According to further embodiments of the present invention, statistics may be compiled from game event-data collected, whether the data was collected manually through automated means such as a digital reader, video collection device, or the like.
As part of some further embodiments of the present invention, part or ail of a specific player's playing history may be recorded and statistics relating to the player's gaming activities may be compiled and presented to the player on demand. A player may use these statistics in making future gaming decisions or developing a gaming/betting strategy.
There is also provided, in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention, a transaction server or system for players to place bets based on the outcomes of one or more specific games, whether the games are physical or virtual. These bets may be based on standard game results or on alternative elements or derivatives related to the game progress or results.
According to some embodiments of the present invention, a player may instruct a virtual betting agent to monitor one or more event generators and upon one or a set of events taking places to place one or more bets associated with one or more game event generators, online casino, online sports betting, NBA, college basketball lines, football, soccer. According to farther embodiments of the present invention, a player may place a bet on some combinatio n of game events occurring on one or more game event generators, either over some period of time or over some number of games or game events.
According to some embodim nts of the present invention, the transaction server may include a risk manage ent unit which may stop or ter inate the acceptance of bets from piayers on one or more game e vent s associated with one or more event generators when it is determined that exposure to potential losses by the House exceeds so e threshold value. Different risk management units may apply to different groups of player and different groups of event generators. Specifically, reference is now made to FIG, 26, which is a monetary or non-monetary online gaming platform or system, generally designated according io at least one embodiment of the present invention, for enabling online games, gambling, events, activities and/or entertainment, in FIG. 26 is shown a Transaction server (TS 11, operationally connected to at least one database 12. The database 12 may store player account data, game data for each gaming event (from ail the Event generators, which are described below), player activit and history data, player participation data, player preferences data. House data, and any other data that is relevant for performing the operations of the platform 10. The TS 11 is also operationally connected to at least one Event generator ("EG") 17, such as a land-based (physical) or online (virtual) video game, computer game, chess game, bingo game, roulette table, blackjack table, one-arm bandit machine or sporting game or any other game, entertainment even; and/or gambling event that typically produces a random or indefinite result that may be bet or bid on. An EG may include a mechanism for maintaining, monitoring, implementing or otherwise generating events, as welt as a. mechanism for enabl ing transmission of event data relating to individual events (games/tables/macbines etc.) to the TS 11. This data may be in the form of data signals that transmit game results, audio streams; images, video streams of actaai event recordings, or any other data format that represents monitored events. The EG 17 may include data reading and transmission tools, devices or systems to transmit event data. Such tools may include electronic or mechanical mechanisms to read analog and/or digital data generated by the EG 17. and transfer this data to the TS, 11. Other examples of such a data reading devices may include optical readers, commonly known in the art, that are typically used in. roulette tables, and or Video cameras. A video camera or any alternative reader may transmit data, digitally either over a digital channel or over an LP. network using digital packets.
The TS 11 may be connected to an EG 17 through a. wireline and/or is wireless data network, such as the Internet 18, a. company intranet, and/or Extranet, using communications mediums including cable T V networks, satellite networks and cellular communication networks. Such network, connectivity may enable interactive communications between players 19, the platform 10 and the Event genera.tor(s) 17. According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the EG(s) 17 may be geographically connected to the TS 11. such as in the case where the EG(s) 1.7 are virtual (computerized ) EG(s) connected to the TS 11. Players according to some embodiments of the pres nt invention, may interact with the platform using any type of computing and or communication device, incl uding personal computers, PDAs, mobile telephones, interactive TV, wearable computers, notebook computers, etc.
Transaction server ("TS") 11, according to some embodiments of the pres nt invention, may provide a platform and system that may separate an actual event, produced by an Event generator, and the server, that communicates and processes the event data (Transaction server). This separation, together with the integration of additional server components, enables the implementation of a virtual House that h monitor the results of events from a plurality of Event generators (in real time), and manage the data from one or more Event generators simultaneously, whether the events that have been generated are land-based and/or virtual. The House subsequently may enable one or more players, or one or more groups of players, such as consumer groups, to monitor, analyze and wager on one or more events produced by one or more EGs simultaneously, whether the events are land-based and/or virtual. The House furthermore may enable one or more players to monitor and interact with one or more external activities, events or gaming sessions (hereinafter referred to as "events"), and "play" these events with the House and/or one or more other players.
The above stated functions of the TS 11 may be achieved by receiving event data from one or more EGs 17 and directing the event data to the various components of the TS 11. to the database 12 and to the players 19. Event data may be in the form of data signals representing event results of individual events, or actual recorded data streams, such as video streams, that capture the actual events, in this way players are able to monitor and interact with a plurality of external games or events simultaneously. Players 19, according to the present invention, may be operating any network enabled interactive computing or communications device. The present invention, furthermore, enables a plurality of players to play against the House, to play against each other, or to form teams whereby the teams may play against each other and/or against the
House.
According to some embodiments of the present invention, one player or group of players may bear the financial risk for the bets of another player or group of players. In some games according to some embodiments of the present invention, where players compete against each other, for example poker, each player or team of players may bet against each other. in other games, a player or group of players may act as the House for another group of players, where the group representing the house may benefit from the losses of the second group and may be responsible for payment resulting from the wins of the second group.
The TS 11 may further contain a Network Communication Module (NOM) 13, with server functionality, for receiving and transmitting data between the TS 11 and Event generators (EG) 17, and between tire TS 1 1 and the players 19. The NCM 13 may include a security layer for enabling (secure) communication of data to and from the TS 11. The security layer may incorporate relevant security hardware and/or software for protecting data against unauthorized access and keeping the network secure from intruders etc.
The TS 11 may further contain a Game Management Unit (GMU) 14 for managing various operations within the TS 1 1, and for enabling interaction between the TS 11 and the EG(s) 17, and between the TS 11 and the players 19. The GMU 14 may also provide a graphic user interface (GUI) that presents event data to the players and enables the players to monitor progress of relevant events, manage accounts, and give commands to the TS 1, such as bidding preferences and rules. According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the GUI may provide a split screen that divides the player's display device (which may include a PC monitor, interactive TV screen, cellular phone panel, PDA screen or any other display device) into several windows, each one displaying the progress, results anchor statistical data lor at least one individual game. Such a GUI may thereby simultaneous provide viewing, analyzing, bidding and/or managing options to a player over a plurality of games or events.
in addition, the TS 11 may include a Transactions and Finance Unit (TFU) I S, lor managing of players accounts as well as authentication and implementation of financing and payouts etc. for players. The TFU 15 may be adapted to support any financial systems and payment methods, including online (internet based) accounts, credit card accounts, token accounts, ATM accounts, e-bank accounts, or any other player accounts, whether "money" based or "non-money" based accounts.
According to at least one embodiment of the present invention, the TFU 15 may request initial deposits (of money or tokens etc.) in a account. The TFU 15 may veri y that the deposit satisfies House rules. Examples of such House rules relating to deposits include but are not limited to: minimum and maximum deposit amount, authentication of the depositor identity and eligibility, and any other deposit related rales and/ r regulations determined by the House. Once this deposit has been made, the account may then be credited or debited in real time, according to the bids placed by players or payouts received by players. According to this embodiment, each bid or wager made may be verified by the TFU 15, which queries the player account before confirming a bid, to determine available resources to cover the cost of the bid. According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the TS 1 1 may be operationally connected to a player's financial institution, credit/debit card account, e-barik, credit-card processing center or any other financial transaction center. This embodiment may enable player participation with the platform 10, while the platform 10 is indirectly connected to the player's account. In this way, the TFU 15 may manage each player's online account, including, but not limited to, the following functionalities: verifying player identity; authenticating financial ability of players; securing payments for bids; and implementing deposits of payouts etc.
According to an additional embodiment of the present invention, in the case where EG 1? is equipped with multicasting software, the TS II may enable a player 19 to configure the platform 10 to route video event data or other game data from: EG 17 directly to at least one player 19. In this way, video data or alternative gaming data may be received and processed by one or more players 19, in addition to (but not necessarily by) the TS 11.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the TS 1 may contain a Video Processing Module (VPM) 16 that may enable processing of video data received from EG 17. This VPM 16 may incorporate a video recognition module together with video data analysis software, thereby enabling the VPM 16 to recognize, filter, format and/or analyze etc. raw video data streams from one or a plurality of EG(s) 17, thereby converting such raw data into player-usable data. Any data recognition and conversion tool may be used for this purpose. An example of such a data recognition and formatting tool has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,339,773, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. The '773 patent describes a tool for converting data from a received format into another chosen format, and subsequent transmitting or embedding the format. Where necessary, this tool also describes reformatting the data in its original format. Such video data from EG 17 may alternatively be acquired directly from a security apparatus such as security video cameras that are located in close proximity to an individual event generator. An example of such video-based security apparatus is the iceVision series of applications, from NICE Systems Ltd. (NICE Systems Ltd., 8 I-Iapnina Street, P. O Box 690, 43107 Ra'anana, ISRAEL.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the TS 1 may contain an Audio Processing Module (APM) that enables processing of audio data received from EG 17. This APM may incorporate an audio recognition module together with audio data analysis software, thereby enabling the APM to recognize, filter, format and-'or analyze etc. raw audio data streams from a plurality of EG s) 17, thereby converting such raw data into player-usable data. Any data recognition and conversion tool may be used for this purpose.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the TS 1 may contain an image Processing Module (IPM) that enables processing of image data received from EG 17. This IPM may incorporate an image recognition module together with audio data analysis software, thereby enabling the IPM to recognize, filter, format and-'or analyze etc. raw image data streams from a plurality of EG(s) 17, thereby converting such raw data into player-usable data. Any data recognition and conversion tool may be used for this purpose.
Reference is now made to FIG. 27, which illustrates the Transaction server (TS) 21 according to at least one additional embodiment of the present invention. The TS, 21 may contain a security layer 24 for enabling secure communication of data to and from the TS 21.
According to an additional embodiment of the present invention, the TS 21 may contain a Statistics and Data Mining Unit (SDMU) 25, for processing event data from a plurality of F.G(s) 17 using statistical and data mining tools, such that raw or primary even; data is converted to usable data for the players and the platform 10. There are many tools known in the art for undertaking statistical analysis and data mining on data. Such provision of gaming data may be provided to players on a continual and real-time basis. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the TS 21 may contain a Virtual Betting Agent (VBA) 27 for enabling personal configuration of gaming rules and conditions by players. The VBA 27 may be configured, for example, to limit the bid amounts, determine maximum game times, exiling criteria, profit and loss limits and any individual conditions (e.g. in "a" even!, do "b") etc. An example of a configuration of loss and profit limits is in the ease where the player determines thai his/her bids can be placed automatically, until such a time that a determined loss or profit limit has been reached, at which time the player's participation in a game may be automatically discontinued. Further examples of options enabled by the VBA 27 include selecting future bets on games/events and/or derivatives of games/events. For example, a player may use statistics to determine that game has more chance of winning the next 5 rounds than game 2. Player may then place a bet on game I, against game 2, in relation to the results of the 5 upcoming rounds. Another example is where p!ayer desires to bid for a derivative occurrence in game 3, such as on the probability that the next card is "white". In this way, players may configure rules for automatic betting based on actual game results or derivative information from game data, which is derived from analyzing game progress and/or results to develop new sets of events based on the probability of events happening. By enabling the above, the VBA. 27 may provide a stock-exchange type of environment of individual events or games, where players may bet on the probabilities of particular events occurring or future successes of individual events, such that each individual event has a kind of market capital that may be bet on.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the VBA 27 may enable at least one player to play against at least one other player. This piayer-lo-p!ayer option is particularly, but not only, relevant in the context of future bets, wherein players may bet against other players on the chances of selected events transpiring. The TS 11 may monitor the requests and references of a plurality of players, and optional ly the combination of two or more players in player groups, thereby providing piayer(s)-io-piayer(s) betting opportunities. As in the typical player-House interactions, according to the present invention, betting occurs, results of events are acquired, and payments are implemented by the TS 11 according to the event results.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the TS 21 may contain, a Risk Management System (P.MS) 28, for enabling the House to manage event risks between various events and/or for the House operations as a wbo!e. For example, the House may determine that any EG 17 that has lost more rounds than it has won within any 50 game routine must be discontinued, or that the entire house should cease activity if a certain amount of money has been lost in a determined period. The RM S 28 may enable the House to see the total exposure or risk at any given moment, anti to cea.se activities at any moment, to limit bets or to f eeze payouts etc.
FIG. 28 is a flowchart that illustrates an example of steps performed according to at leas; one process of the present invention. As can be seen in the figure, user 19 initially registers with the system 305, and subsequentl utilizes the platform front-end (such as a House Website, as presented b the GMU 24) to select 310 one or more EG(s) for monitoring. The registered player is typical ly required to log in to the platform 10, optionally by using a keyword.
biometric data or any other necessary private code or key. The player 19 may subsequently view the various available events and/or manage h is/her portfolio of gaming events, adding or deleting events in which be or she is playing or monitoring. Once the player determines, for examples which games be or she would like to monitor or play, the relevant data is routed from the selected is EG(s) to the player 19 computing device. This touting of event data is typically implemented by the GMU 24. The player 19 subsequently receives 320 event data, and optionally historical and statistical data, from selected Event generators) 17. He/she then places bet(s) 325 on a future event(s) or ongoing events produced by: either a single or multiple Event generators). These bets may be monetary and/or non-monet ry: bets. Additionally or alternatively, ;he player 19 may establish rules anc!/or conditions 330 for automatic future bets, optionally using a Virtual Betting Agent (VBA) 27, for enabling personal configuration of gaming rules and/or conditions by players. Betting conditions may include, for example, bid ceilings, payout ceilings loss limits, time limits, and particular event limits etc. Particular event limits may include, for example, a rule that in the case of "x" wins by the House, player game is immediately suspended. After bets have been placed, TS 21 may authenticate the user and verify the user bid with the Transaction and, Finance Unit iTU) 26. The bid amount may be extracted from 33S the player's account or credit card etc., to confirm the bid placement.
in either of the above scenarios, the system subsequently tracks events on selected even; generator(s) and compares generated (future) events produced by selected event generator(s) against bets placed, to derive bidding results and/or analyze Automatic Betting Requests (ABR) 340. The latter process determines whether the ABR(s) have or have not been met, and thereby indicates whether the player's conditions for the placing of a bid have been met. in the case where the ABR have not been met, the system continues tracking events or games 340, until such a: time as the ABR are met. When the ABR has been met, the system informs the user, and returns to request confirmation of bid placement by the player 325. The above event tracking and comparing processes 340, in the cases where bets have been placed, provide the results for the eventis) that the players have bid on. In the case where the bet is lost, the game ends 360, In the case where the bet is won, the payout, which may be a monetary or non-monetary payout, is generated, and the payout or game prize, whether monetary or non-monetary, may be transferred from the House to the player account 370. The player account may be a "money" account or a "non-money" account, where bonuses coupons, Incentives etc., may be deposited and/or withdrawn. According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a conversion may be implemented, in any of the above gaming scenarios, to convert non-monetary deposits into monetary deposits, or non-monetary accounts into monetary accounts, or vice Versa. The user may be authenticated before the payout is made (credited) to the user's account. In the case where the user is not authenticated, the user may need to reregister or otherw se prove his/her identity 305,
Alternatively, the player may return directly to step 325 and place one or more additional bets. The results of the event tracking and comparing processes 340 are typically sent to the user 342, enabling the user to determine if he/she wishes to continue interacting with the particular event played (i.e. step 320), without having to start from step 310.
According to at least one embodiment of the present invention, a Risk Management System (RMS) 28 may be provided to enable the House to determine risk limits. The RMS 28 may monitor 375 the results of steps 355 and/or 365 ( which relate to the event results) or any other steps In at least one gaming process, from one or more EG(s') 17, to determine whether the House determined risk ceiling has been met for the House in general, or for one or more EG(s) 17. In the case wheie a determined risk limit has been met 380, TS 11 may act to discontinue 385 one or more activities, such as player bids or payouts, and/or the general functioning of the House, in accordance with the predetermined rules. In the case where a determined risk limit has not been met 390, the gaming process may be conti nued. The RMS 28 may monitor the House- risk at any time, during all or any processes. The example illustrated in FIG. 28 is but one alternative of where the RMS 28 may implement monitoring, According to at least one embodiment of the present invention, the receiving 320 of even; data and (optionally) historical and statistical data from selecied Event generators) 17 may be enabled by the Statistics and Data Mining Unit (SDMU) 25. The SDMU 25 may enable processing of event data from a plurality of EG s) 17 using statistical and data mining tools, such that raw or primary gaming data may be converted to usable data for both the players and the platform 10.
According to at least one embodiment of the present invention, the establishment of rules and'Or conditions 330 for automatic future bets may be implemented using a Virtual Betting Agent (VBA) 27. The VBA 27 may enable personal con figuration of gaming rules and/or conditions by players.
According to a fijrther embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for enabling a land-based House to provide event betting to remote players. According to at least one version of this embodiment, as can be seen with reference to FIG. 26, the land-based House may convert at least one existing event or game into an EG 1 . The land-based
House may also provide a TS 11. The EG 17 may subsequently transfers event results to the TS 11, using a network, whereby the events may be processed and transferred to one or more remote players 19. The remote players 19 may subsequently interact with the existing events, by monitoring events, analyzing event statistics, and placing bets and-'or setting betting conditions and rules using a GUT provided by the TS 11.
According to a fijrther embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for enabling a non- monetary gaming platform, wherein step 335 is ignored. In this case, once the user has placed a bid. the system may automatically track the selected events 340, without requiring financial verification.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for enabling the data and/or results of at least one event generator to be at least partially owned, possessed or otherwise purchased by at least one user, whether the user is an individual, group, partnership, company, incorporation or any other entity, and whether the user is participating in the events or not participating in the events. This embodiment thereby enables users to have interests or rights in the data and/or results of at least one Event generator 17
POTENTIAL ASPECTS OR ELEMENTS OF THE CLAIMED INVENTION THAT CAN BE OPTIONALLY EXCLUDED OR NEGATIVELY CLAIMED. The present invention can also in particular claimed embodiments exclude or negatively claim one or more aspect of the following list, e.g., to more particularly recite or exclude embodiments or elements that might occur in cited or other published art. Accordingly, the present invention can optionally exclude, not include, or not provide, one of more, or any combination of, INSERT.
A number of implementations have been described. Nevertheless, it can be understood that various modifications may be made. For example, elements of one or more implementations may be combined, deleted, modified, or supplemented to form further implementations. As yet another example, the logic flows depicted in the figures do not require the particular order shown, or sequential order, to achieve desirable results. In addition, other steps may be provided, or steps may be eliminated, from the described flows, and other components may be added to, or removed from, the described systems. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

What is Claimed is:
1. (Currently Amended) A method for providing on a computer or mobile device a combination of online advertisements or coupons for or with consumer, business, government, sports, or education related products, goods, gambling, or services, geospatial and mobile mapping, related company or local information, and location-based services, social shopping and social networking, through-providing access to advertisements on a network, the method comprising:
(a) electronically assigning on a computer or mobile device or wireless device via a processor an identifier to a client mobile device or wireless device or computer receiving a request from a client application operating on the client mobile device or wireless device or computer to access a website that offers a combination of (i) location-based services, (ii) online coupons, consumer, business, government, sports, or education related products, goods, gambling, or services; in combination with: (iii) geospatial and mobile mapping, (iv) company or local or global information, (v) social shopping and social networking; (vi) advertisements; (vii) e-commerce, (viii) mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, and (ix) types of online coupons, products, goods and services, the request including the identifier assigned to the client;
(b) electronically providing on a computer or mobile device or wireless device via a processor through said website or mobile access or wireless access to a combination of: (i) location-based services, (ii) online coupons, consumer, business, government, sports, or education related products, goods, gambling, or services; in combination with: (iii) geospatial and mobile mapping, (iv) company or local information; (v) social shopping and social networking; (vi) advertisements; (vii) e-commerce, (viii) mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services and (ix) online coupons, products, goods and services;
(c) electronically monitoring and analyzing on a computer or mobile device or wireless device via a processor information accessed by the client mobile device or wireless device computer to determine one or more of client mobile device or wireless device or computer user preferred locations, interests, preferences, networking interests or connections, online coupons, consumer, business, government, sports, or education related products, goods, gambling, or services, advertisements, e-commerce, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services and marketing interests; and
(d) electronically providing on a computer or mobile device or wireless device via a processor, based on said monitoring and analyzing in step (c), the client mobile device or wireless device or computer with access to customized webpages comprising selected location-based services, online coupons, consumer, business, government, sports, or education related products, goods, gambling, or services, in combination with geospatial maps and mobile mapping, geo-target advertisements, mobile geo-tagging, real-time geo-tagging, geo-tagged location, location-based deals and offers, geo-coding and geo-fencing technologies, company product or service information, social shopping and social networking; relevant to said type of information accessed by the client mobile device or wireless device or computer related to user's preferred locations, interests, preferences, or networking interests or connections, consumer, business, government, sports, or education related products, goods, gambling, or services, advertisements, e-commerce, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services and marketing interests of users and members of said client mobile device or wireless device or computer.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said coupon or advertisement is provided to said mobile device based or wireless device on the current location of the user and said coupon or advertisement is for a retail product or service provide location-based services, search, detect, receive, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services and located near said mobile device or wireless device or tablet device.
3. A method for providing social shopping and social networking interactions using Internet and mobile devices or wireless device that provide end user customized interactive displays of three dimensional (3D) geospatial maps comprising end user customized location-based services, ad links and promotions relating to consumer, business, government, sports, or education related products, goods, gambling, or services, and related company and local information for selected worldwide locations, said method comprising:
(a) collecting and analyzing initial end user data via a processor on a computer system or mobile device or wireless device to provide initial end users data sets, said initial end users data sets comprising (1) initial end users' (A) online activity, (B) geo-target location-based services and technologies including GPS or GIS and multiple points of interest, (C) current location of user's computer or mobile device or wireless device, (D) online communications, (E) text or communication chat information, (F) associated users, (G) preferred public locations, (H) games or gambling, (I) sports and sporting events interests, (J) educational interests, (K) social shopping and social networking, (L) search inquiries, (M) videos or photos, (N) instant messenger, (O) social networking activities, (P) end user profiles, (Q) viewing and interactions with location-based services, online ad links, promotions, ( ) purchasing, (S) purchasing behavior, (T) generating user behavior data, (U) user preferences, (V) buying patterns and (W) e- commerce; said initial end user data sets further comprising initial end users related (2) consumer profiles, (3) trends, (4) cloud-type configuration sharing and handling large amounts of user data across multiple enterprises and (5) target markets;
(b) generating, via a processor on a computer system or mobile device or wireless device, first promotional data sets from said initial end user data sets, said first promotional data sets comprising first sets of customized location- based services, ad links, promotions for each of (i) said initial end users, (ii) additional end users, and (iii) target end user groups, said first sets of customized location-based services, ad links, promotions relating to consumer, business, government, sports, or education related (1) Products, (2) Goods, (3) Gambling; (4) Services, (5) company and local information for selected worldwide locations, (6) integrated social shopping and social networking and (7) associated 3D geospatial and mobile mapping coordinates; and
(c) generating, via a processor on a computer system or mobile device or wireless device, second promotional data sets from said first promotional data sets to provide 3D geospatial map interactive displays comprising said first sets of customized location-based services, ad links, promotions relating to consumer, business, government, sports, or education related (1) Products, (2) Goods, (3) Gambling; (4) Services, (5) company and local information for selected worldwide locations, (6) integrated social shopping and social networking and (7) associated 3D geospatial and mobile mapping coordinates; and
(d) selecting and integrating, into said 3D geospatial map interactive displays comprising said first sets of customized location-based services, ad links, promotions, a first social/geo/promo link category for a first position of a social/geo/promo link promotional data set; and identifying one or more second social/geo/promo link categories using one or more correlation criteria, at least one second social/geo/promo link category having one or more correlation criteria associated with the first social geo/promo link category.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein said method further comprises providing said second promotional data sets to a third party.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein said third party is selected from a government agency, a credit reporting agency, a company, an educational or financial institution, bank, a lender or mortgage company, an auto company, or a regulatory agency according to applicable laws and regulations.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein said company is selected from a financial services company, a product company, a services company, a brand, merchant or retailer, a real estate company or related services, a financial institution or bank, an entertainment company, an online penny or online auction, or other type of service company.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein The method of claim 2, wherein said second promotional data sets further comprise one selected from statistics regarding donations, humanitarian aid and sustainable gifts made by the end users or other end users.
8. The method of claim 8, wherein said method further comprises providing said statistics to said end users, other end users, or third parties.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said method further comprises said end user designating a portion of a purchase, or providing links or websites to said end user, to provide charitable contributions, humanitarian aid, or loans.
10. Amethod of claim 1, wherein said product or service is a brand, merchant or retailer for travel & hospitality, real estate, educational services, sport services, entertainment shopping services, online penny and online auction services, service provider services, business center services, affiliate services, or related products or services.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: selecting a third social/geo/promo link category for a second position of the social/geo/promo link promotional data set, where the third social/geo/promo link category is different from the one or more identified second social geo/promo link categories.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein: the social/geo/promo link promotional data set is associated with a web page or mobile device or wireless device; and the social geo/promo link categories are ordered by relevance to the web page.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying one or more second social geo/promo link categories using one or more correlation criteria further comprises: identifying one or more social/geo/promo link categories having a correlation measure that is less than a correlation threshold.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one second social/geo/promo link category has a separate correlation measure for at least one pair-wise combination of a category identifier associated with the at least one second social/geo/promo link category and a category identifier associated with the first social/geo/promo link category.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein said computer system or mobile device or wireless device is provided by a mobile device operator using a mobile device communication standard.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein said Product or Service includes celebrity, real-time weather or entertainment news.
17. The method of claim 1, wherein said internet access in step (a) is subject to identity verification.
18. The method of claim 1, wherein social networking links are provided as one selected from social shopping and social networking, social plugins, social applications, SSLs, cookies, and embedded advertisements.
19. The method of claim 1, wherein said promotion or service comprises job or employment search inquiries.
20. The method of claim 1, wherein promotion or service comprises educational services related search inquiries.
21. The method of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises behavior tracking communications with other social networks.
22. A method of claim 1, wherein said promotions, in real time, products or services are selected from users profile or lifestyle preferences and preferred locations, interests, preferences or networking interests or connections or channels or channels, location-based geotargeted or geotagged advertisements, location-based deals and offers and location-based services, ad links, online coupons, promotions, in real time, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements and distribution of mobile coupons and/or location-based deals and offers and location-based services in real-time in real-time via a mobile device or tablet device or wireless data transfer device (such as a mobile phone networks mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, clickable geotargeted or geotagged advertisements, embedded geotargeted or geotagged advertisements by geo-targeted or geo-tagged location, location-based deals and offers, daily deal coupons, last minute deals, free or discounted printable coupons, business directories, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements, text, SMS marketing, search, multimedia, operating systems, mobile devices, mobile services, mobile banking and mobile wallet services, mobile payment or electronic payments, express checkout, money transfer, social media, keywords, coupons, instant messaging marketing, voting, e-cards, short codes, commerce, shopping, push content, geo-information, geo-social information, auctions, online auctions, e-commerce, m-commerce, media and entertainment, sports, online gambling, personal networks, online casino, financial networks, travel and hospitality services, real estate and related services, educational services, ancillary services, geotargeted or geotagged advertisements, service providers and business owners, business services, healthcare services, financial services, consumer products, specialty retail, media, entertainment, lenders, mortgage companies, social shopping and social networking, online dating, gaming, online retail stores, virtual communities, virtual goods or other services.
PCT/US2012/036896 2011-09-15 2012-05-08 System and method for providing internet and mobile based social/geo/promo link promotional and coupon data sets for end user display of interactive location-based advertising, location-based deals and offers and location-based services, ad links, promotions, mobile coupons, promotions and sale of consumer, business, government, sports, or educational related products, goods, gambling, or services, integrated with 3d spatial geomapping, mobile mapping, company and local information for selected worldwide locations and social shopping and social networking WO2013039573A2 (en)

Priority Applications (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US13/543,871 US10127564B2 (en) 2011-09-15 2012-07-08 System and method for using impressions tracking and analysis, location information, 2D and 3D mapping, mobile mapping, social media, and user behavior and information for generating mobile and internet posted promotions or offers for, and/or sales of, products and/or services
US13/551,556 US9710821B2 (en) 2011-09-15 2012-07-17 Systems and methods for mobile and online payment systems for purchases related to mobile and online promotions or offers provided using impressions tracking and analysis, location information, 2D and 3D mapping, mobile mapping, social media, and user behavior and
US13/594,842 US8909771B2 (en) 2011-09-15 2012-08-26 System and method for using global location information, 2D and 3D mapping, social media, and user behavior and information for a consumer feedback social media analytics platform for providing analytic measurements data of online consumer feedback for global brand products or services of past, present or future customers, users, and/or target markets
US13/712,919 US10129211B2 (en) 2011-09-15 2012-12-12 Methods and/or systems for an online and/or mobile privacy and/or security encryption technologies used in cloud computing with the combination of data mining and/or encryption of user's personal data and/or location data for marketing of internet posted promotions, social messaging or offers using multiple devices, browsers, operating systems, networks, fiber optic communications, multichannel platforms

Applications Claiming Priority (16)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US13/233,352 2011-09-15
US13/233,352 US20130073374A1 (en) 2011-09-15 2011-09-15 System and method for providing combined coupon/geospatial mapping/ company-local & socially conscious information and social networking (c-gm-c/l&sc/i-sn)
US13/337,271 2011-12-26
US13/337,271 US10152722B2 (en) 2011-09-15 2011-12-26 System and method for providing combination of online coupons, products or services with advertisements, geospatial mapping, related company or local information, and social networking
US13/337,275 2011-12-26
US13/337,275 US10140620B2 (en) 2011-09-15 2011-12-26 Mobile device system and method providing combined delivery system using 3D geo-target location-based mobile commerce searching/purchases, discounts/coupons products, goods, and services, or service providers-geomapping-company/local and socially-conscious information/social networking (“PS-GM-C/LandSC/I-SN”)
US13/359,498 US10102546B2 (en) 2011-09-15 2012-01-27 System and method for tracking, utilizing predicting, and implementing online consumer browsing behavior, buying patterns, social networking communications, advertisements and communications, for online coupons, products, goods and services, auctions, and service providers using geospatial mapping technology, and social networking
US13/359,498 2012-01-27
US13/369,244 2012-02-08
US13/369,244 US10217117B2 (en) 2011-09-15 2012-02-08 System and method for social networking interactions using online consumer browsing behavior, buying patterns, advertisements and affiliate advertising, for promotions, online coupons, mobile services, products, goods and services, entertainment and auctions, with geospatial mapping technology
US13/430,600 2012-03-26
US13/430,600 US10120877B2 (en) 2011-09-15 2012-03-26 Broad and alternative category clustering of the same, similar or different categories in social/geo/promo link promotional data sets for end user display of interactive ad links, coupons, mobile coupons, promotions and sale of products, goods and services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking
US201213749735A 2012-04-04 2012-04-04
US13/439,761 US10096033B2 (en) 2011-09-15 2012-04-04 System and method for providing educational related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets for end user display of interactive ad links, promotions and sale of products, goods, and/or services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping, company and local information for selected worldwide locations and social networking
US13/749,735 2012-04-04
US13/439,761 2012-04-04

Related Parent Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US13/337,275 Continuation-In-Part US10140620B2 (en) 2011-09-15 2011-12-26 Mobile device system and method providing combined delivery system using 3D geo-target location-based mobile commerce searching/purchases, discounts/coupons products, goods, and services, or service providers-geomapping-company/local and socially-conscious information/social networking (“PS-GM-C/LandSC/I-SN”)
US13/439,735 Continuation-In-Part US10127563B2 (en) 2011-09-15 2012-04-04 System and method for providing sports and sporting events related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets for end user display of interactive ad links, promotions and sale of products, goods, gambling and/or services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping, company and local information for selected worldwide locations and social networking

Related Child Applications (4)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US13/439,735 Continuation-In-Part US10127563B2 (en) 2011-09-15 2012-04-04 System and method for providing sports and sporting events related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets for end user display of interactive ad links, promotions and sale of products, goods, gambling and/or services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping, company and local information for selected worldwide locations and social networking
US13/439,761 Continuation-In-Part US10096033B2 (en) 2011-09-15 2012-04-04 System and method for providing educational related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets for end user display of interactive ad links, promotions and sale of products, goods, and/or services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping, company and local information for selected worldwide locations and social networking
US13/543,871 Continuation-In-Part US10127564B2 (en) 2011-09-15 2012-07-08 System and method for using impressions tracking and analysis, location information, 2D and 3D mapping, mobile mapping, social media, and user behavior and information for generating mobile and internet posted promotions or offers for, and/or sales of, products and/or services
US13/594,842 Continuation-In-Part US8909771B2 (en) 2011-09-15 2012-08-26 System and method for using global location information, 2D and 3D mapping, social media, and user behavior and information for a consumer feedback social media analytics platform for providing analytic measurements data of online consumer feedback for global brand products or services of past, present or future customers, users, and/or target markets

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2013039573A2 true WO2013039573A2 (en) 2013-03-21
WO2013039573A3 WO2013039573A3 (en) 2014-05-08

Family

ID=47883913

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2012/036896 WO2013039573A2 (en) 2011-09-15 2012-05-08 System and method for providing internet and mobile based social/geo/promo link promotional and coupon data sets for end user display of interactive location-based advertising, location-based deals and offers and location-based services, ad links, promotions, mobile coupons, promotions and sale of consumer, business, government, sports, or educational related products, goods, gambling, or services, integrated with 3d spatial geomapping, mobile mapping, company and local information for selected worldwide locations and social shopping and social networking

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2013039573A2 (en)

Cited By (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN103546581A (en) * 2013-11-08 2014-01-29 上海斐讯数据通信技术有限公司 Cloud education system facing pre-school children
CN104112165A (en) * 2014-05-19 2014-10-22 浙江工业大学 Intelligent power distribution network fault recovery method based on multi-target discrete particle swarm
DE102013222395A1 (en) 2013-11-05 2015-05-07 Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft A method and apparatus for providing environmental information to a vehicle driver
CN105430706A (en) * 2015-11-03 2016-03-23 国网江西省电力科学研究院 WSN (Wireless Sensor Networks) routing optimization method based on improved PSO (particle swarm optimization)
US9629076B2 (en) 2014-11-20 2017-04-18 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Network edge based access network discovery and selection
US9655034B2 (en) 2014-10-31 2017-05-16 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Transaction sensitive access network discovery and selection
US10129706B2 (en) 2015-06-05 2018-11-13 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Context sensitive communication augmentation
CN108965462A (en) * 2018-08-06 2018-12-07 长安大学 Multiply trip analogue system and its implementation altogether based on group agent cooperation interaction
US10162351B2 (en) 2015-06-05 2018-12-25 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Remote provisioning of a drone resource
CN109660444A (en) * 2017-10-10 2019-04-19 刘庆辉 Information sharing AC system based on electronic map
US10470241B2 (en) 2016-11-15 2019-11-05 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Multiple mesh drone communication
US10506070B2 (en) 2017-02-13 2019-12-10 Carl Ford Web communication based content servicing and delivery system, method, and computer program
WO2019237176A1 (en) * 2018-06-12 2019-12-19 Wgames Incorporated Location-based interactive graphical interface device
WO2020170005A1 (en) * 2019-02-18 2020-08-27 Soltanmoradi Ali The system and selling application in the form of business and service centers in virtual and augmented reality platforms
CN111861520A (en) * 2019-04-24 2020-10-30 杭州晨熹多媒体科技有限公司 Commodity object information processing method, device and system
US11900426B1 (en) * 2023-05-11 2024-02-13 Quick Quack Car Wash Holdings, LLC Apparatus and method for profile assessment
US12067509B2 (en) 2020-06-15 2024-08-20 Capital One Services, Llc Determining a fulfillment location for an expedited package request

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20100094752A1 (en) * 2008-10-15 2010-04-15 Heath Stephan Method and system for mobile banking and mobile payments
US20110035284A1 (en) * 2009-08-06 2011-02-10 Mehran Moshfeghi Location-aware content and location-based advertising with a mobile device
US20110041168A1 (en) * 2007-08-14 2011-02-17 Alan Murray Systems and methods for targeting online advertisements using data derived from social networks
US20110082736A1 (en) * 2009-10-01 2011-04-07 Citizens Financial Group, Inc. Method and system for linking mobile phone services with a banking provider

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20110041168A1 (en) * 2007-08-14 2011-02-17 Alan Murray Systems and methods for targeting online advertisements using data derived from social networks
US20100094752A1 (en) * 2008-10-15 2010-04-15 Heath Stephan Method and system for mobile banking and mobile payments
US20110035284A1 (en) * 2009-08-06 2011-02-10 Mehran Moshfeghi Location-aware content and location-based advertising with a mobile device
US20110082736A1 (en) * 2009-10-01 2011-04-07 Citizens Financial Group, Inc. Method and system for linking mobile phone services with a banking provider

Cited By (26)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102013222395A1 (en) 2013-11-05 2015-05-07 Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft A method and apparatus for providing environmental information to a vehicle driver
CN103546581A (en) * 2013-11-08 2014-01-29 上海斐讯数据通信技术有限公司 Cloud education system facing pre-school children
CN104112165A (en) * 2014-05-19 2014-10-22 浙江工业大学 Intelligent power distribution network fault recovery method based on multi-target discrete particle swarm
US9655034B2 (en) 2014-10-31 2017-05-16 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Transaction sensitive access network discovery and selection
US10028211B2 (en) 2014-10-31 2018-07-17 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Transaction sensitive access network discovery and selection
US10542487B2 (en) 2014-11-20 2020-01-21 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Network edge based access network discovery and selection
US9629076B2 (en) 2014-11-20 2017-04-18 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Network edge based access network discovery and selection
US9961625B2 (en) 2014-11-20 2018-05-01 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Network edge based access network discovery and selection
US10162351B2 (en) 2015-06-05 2018-12-25 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Remote provisioning of a drone resource
US11644829B2 (en) 2015-06-05 2023-05-09 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Remote provisioning of a drone resource
US10129706B2 (en) 2015-06-05 2018-11-13 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Context sensitive communication augmentation
US11144048B2 (en) 2015-06-05 2021-10-12 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Remote provisioning of a drone resource
US11039002B2 (en) 2015-06-05 2021-06-15 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Context sensitive communication augmentation
CN105430706A (en) * 2015-11-03 2016-03-23 国网江西省电力科学研究院 WSN (Wireless Sensor Networks) routing optimization method based on improved PSO (particle swarm optimization)
US10470241B2 (en) 2016-11-15 2019-11-05 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Multiple mesh drone communication
US10973083B2 (en) 2016-11-15 2021-04-06 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Multiple mesh drone communication
US11005966B2 (en) 2017-02-13 2021-05-11 Carl Ford Web communication based content servicing and delivery system, method, and computer program
US10506070B2 (en) 2017-02-13 2019-12-10 Carl Ford Web communication based content servicing and delivery system, method, and computer program
CN109660444A (en) * 2017-10-10 2019-04-19 刘庆辉 Information sharing AC system based on electronic map
WO2019237176A1 (en) * 2018-06-12 2019-12-19 Wgames Incorporated Location-based interactive graphical interface device
CN108965462B (en) * 2018-08-06 2019-06-21 长安大学 Multiply trip analogue system and its implementation altogether based on group agent cooperation interaction
CN108965462A (en) * 2018-08-06 2018-12-07 长安大学 Multiply trip analogue system and its implementation altogether based on group agent cooperation interaction
WO2020170005A1 (en) * 2019-02-18 2020-08-27 Soltanmoradi Ali The system and selling application in the form of business and service centers in virtual and augmented reality platforms
CN111861520A (en) * 2019-04-24 2020-10-30 杭州晨熹多媒体科技有限公司 Commodity object information processing method, device and system
US12067509B2 (en) 2020-06-15 2024-08-20 Capital One Services, Llc Determining a fulfillment location for an expedited package request
US11900426B1 (en) * 2023-05-11 2024-02-13 Quick Quack Car Wash Holdings, LLC Apparatus and method for profile assessment

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2013039573A3 (en) 2014-05-08

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US10120877B2 (en) Broad and alternative category clustering of the same, similar or different categories in social/geo/promo link promotional data sets for end user display of interactive ad links, coupons, mobile coupons, promotions and sale of products, goods and services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping and mobile mapping and social networking
US10127563B2 (en) System and method for providing sports and sporting events related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets for end user display of interactive ad links, promotions and sale of products, goods, gambling and/or services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping, company and local information for selected worldwide locations and social networking
US10217117B2 (en) System and method for social networking interactions using online consumer browsing behavior, buying patterns, advertisements and affiliate advertising, for promotions, online coupons, mobile services, products, goods and services, entertainment and auctions, with geospatial mapping technology
US10127564B2 (en) System and method for using impressions tracking and analysis, location information, 2D and 3D mapping, mobile mapping, social media, and user behavior and information for generating mobile and internet posted promotions or offers for, and/or sales of, products and/or services
US10102546B2 (en) System and method for tracking, utilizing predicting, and implementing online consumer browsing behavior, buying patterns, social networking communications, advertisements and communications, for online coupons, products, goods and services, auctions, and service providers using geospatial mapping technology, and social networking
US9710821B2 (en) Systems and methods for mobile and online payment systems for purchases related to mobile and online promotions or offers provided using impressions tracking and analysis, location information, 2D and 3D mapping, mobile mapping, social media, and user behavior and
US10152722B2 (en) System and method for providing combination of online coupons, products or services with advertisements, geospatial mapping, related company or local information, and social networking
US11361292B2 (en) Selected place on map or from category specific list of nearby places associated payment interface for making payment
US10140620B2 (en) Mobile device system and method providing combined delivery system using 3D geo-target location-based mobile commerce searching/purchases, discounts/coupons products, goods, and services, or service providers-geomapping-company/local and socially-conscious information/social networking (“PS-GM-C/LandSC/I-SN”)
US10096033B2 (en) System and method for providing educational related social/geo/promo link promotional data sets for end user display of interactive ad links, promotions and sale of products, goods, and/or services integrated with 3D spatial geomapping, company and local information for selected worldwide locations and social networking
WO2013039573A2 (en) System and method for providing internet and mobile based social/geo/promo link promotional and coupon data sets for end user display of interactive location-based advertising, location-based deals and offers and location-based services, ad links, promotions, mobile coupons, promotions and sale of consumer, business, government, sports, or educational related products, goods, gambling, or services, integrated with 3d spatial geomapping, mobile mapping, company and local information for selected worldwide locations and social shopping and social networking
US11201981B1 (en) System for notification of user accessibility of curated location-dependent content in an augmented estate
US8909771B2 (en) System and method for using global location information, 2D and 3D mapping, social media, and user behavior and information for a consumer feedback social media analytics platform for providing analytic measurements data of online consumer feedback for global brand products or services of past, present or future customers, users, and/or target markets
US11989754B2 (en) Linking a transaction between a merchant and a resident of the same vicinity to the resident viewing the merchant broadcast advertisement
US20130073374A1 (en) System and method for providing combined coupon/geospatial mapping/ company-local & socially conscious information and social networking (c-gm-c/l&sc/i-sn)
US10129211B2 (en) Methods and/or systems for an online and/or mobile privacy and/or security encryption technologies used in cloud computing with the combination of data mining and/or encryption of user's personal data and/or location data for marketing of internet posted promotions, social messaging or offers using multiple devices, browsers, operating systems, networks, fiber optic communications, multichannel platforms
US20120129590A1 (en) System and Method for Interactive Location-Based Gameplay
US10783554B1 (en) Generation of promotion in an augmented reality
US20120095822A1 (en) System and method for delivering and securely redeeming location-specific promotions
JP2015503148A (en) Identifying the same user of multiple communication devices based on web page visits, application usage, location, or route
CN102067119A (en) Electronic profile development, storage, use and systems for taking action based thereon
US11688029B2 (en) Wagering platforms and access derived from machine-readable codes
WO2022232771A1 (en) Systems and methods for quality control related to nft purchase
US20150127405A1 (en) State-of mind, situational awareness engine apparatus and method
CN109565513A (en) To the deep-link of media player device

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 12831666

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A2

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase

Ref document number: 12831666

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A2