Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for advertising that performs the steps of delivering an electronic advertisement comprising one or more menu options and a reference to a network location for retrieving specified content associated with each menu option for inclusion in a first electronic document, receiving a selection of one or more menu options from the electronic advertisement and delivering a subsequent accessible document including content from the referenced network location associated with the menu option selected, the subsequent accessible document including the electronic advertisement.

Abstract: Method and system of distributing advertisements for storage in a network. The stored advertisements being retrievable for insertion within or other association with services provided to a network subscriber. Identifying characteristics of the advertisement may be used to facilitate the storage thereof and identifying characteristics of the customs may be used to facilitate advertisements associated with services accessed thereby.

Abstract: A system and method links one or more disparate community awareness management (CAM) datasets for a community awareness program (CAP) with one or more spatial layers to create linked CAM datasets. One or more data attributes common to a CAM dataset and a spatial layer are identified, and the link is defined between the CAM dataset and the spatial layer. The spatial layer and the linked CAM dataset then may be queried using a single input query. Features from the spatial layer and features from the linked CAM dataset that match the query are generated for display. In one embodiment, a system and method manage CAP assets, transactions, interest areas for the CAP, and buffer areas for the CAP. An audience utility enables entering and maintaining audience data for the CAP. A journal utility enables making journal entries for one or more audience members, CAP assets, transactions, and/or other CAM data. A link document utility enables linking one or more documents to CAM data.

Abstract: A technique for rewarding a user's interaction behavior in a computer network environment, such as the Internet. A reward is provided for following a hyperlink in a first document to a second document and then returning to the original document again. The reward can be provided in terms of (positively priced) information or payment in the form of bonus points or cash payment or access to computerized services and the like. The required information to effect the reward is stored in databases. The invention provides motivation for the user to definitely and intentionally return to the original document, rather than being lost to the owner of the original document as the user visits other web sites after visiting the second document.

Abstract: A computer process is disclosed for selecting items to present or recommend to users based on the referring sites accessed by such users. The process includes tracking referrals of users from referring sites to a target site, and recording the item selections of the referred users from an electronic catalog of the target site. The process may also include analyzing the recorded item selections of the users to identify, for a particular subset of the referring sites, a set of items that correspond to group preferences of users referred to the target site by the subset of referring sites. These identified items may thereafter be presented to users who access a site that is a member of the subset of referring sites.

Abstract: A super-saturation method for information-media substantially relates to a three-body cooperation to direct information to an electronic media consumer (reader, surfer, viewer, listener, etc.). Embodiments of the present invention facilitate a first media body substantially offering out of context information placement using a second cooperating media body. A facilitator body preferably guarantees that a consumer of the second media is a known consumer of the first media. Accordingly, the second media body presents an out of context information placement. For example, an exclusive members-only Internet site “AAA” is oversubscribed with potential paying advertising content at $100 CPM. This exclusive site then offers unfulfilled advertisers an option to present their advertisements to certified “AAA” viewers, albeit on a non-AAA Internet site, for $50 CPM. The facilitator locates a certified AAA viewer at an Internet site “BBB” that normally charges $30 CPM.

Abstract: A system for managing promotions over a network includes a promotion server system having a computer processor and associated datastore, the datastore containing data representative of terms and statistics of one or more item promotions, and a commercial server system including a computer processor, the commercial server system being selectively coupleable to the promotion server system over the network. The promotion server system includes promotion code for transferring, to the commercial server system, the data representative of the terms and statistics of the promotions.

Abstract: The present invention shows a method and a device system for tokenless authorization of commercial transactions between a user and a seller. The user registers at least one registration biometric sample, and at least one user financial account. The seller registers with the computer system at least one seller financial account. The seller offers a proposed commercial transaction to the user, which includes price information. The user accepts the seller's proposed commercial transaction by adding to the proposed commercial transaction the user's personal authentication information. The bid biometric sample is forwarded to the computer system. The computer system compares the bid biometric sample with registration biometric samples. Upon successful match, a financial account of the user is debited and a financial account of the seller is credited, wherein a commercial transaction is conducted without the user having to use any portable man-made memory devices such as smartcards or swipe cards.

Abstract: A method enabling a frequent shopper reward system capable of tracking performance data of a plurality of members or account holders linked to a single frequent shopper account.

Abstract: Provided are computer based methods and apparatus for carrying out an incentive award program by a business entity, comprising the steps of participating in a transaction having at least two parties, determining at least one of these parties to be an award recipient, and providing the award, wherein the award includes at least one investment chosen from a plurality of vehicles for investment and wherein the business entity may be the owner or an authorized operator of the incentive award program.

Abstract: A user information general management unit for generally managing user registration information and using status information transmitted from a user side of a computer-related product is provided at a system manager side, for example, a user registration centre. A user registration/reference unit for notifying the user information general management unit of the user registration information and the using status information at a request from the user, and for requesting new information provided from a vendor side about a computer-related product is provided on a user side. With this configuration, a user registration operation can be simple on the user side, the time and the cost required in checking the using status on the vendor side can be reduced, and an appropriate service for a user can be realized.

Abstract: A method executed on a server for distributing user-acceptable and highly effective advertisements and enabling detailed status representation on an awareness system. Advertisement icons such as a company symbol can be subsequently added to alternatives of user statuses and the icons can be set as user statuses. Display of an advertisement icon as status of an acquaintance in a buddy list allows companies to announce services or items they provide as used by the acquaintance represented by the status. Since advertisement icons are propagated via a reliable network composed of acquaintances in the buddy list, users form a favorable impression of the advertisements and high advertising effectiveness is expected.