Abstract: A technique is provided that involves issuing an advertisement code to be posted on an advertisement medium or an invite code issued in response to a request from a user, generating a parameter for associating the advertisement code or the invite code with a predetermined reward, and generating page data and returning the page data upon being accessed by a browser application of a terminal device based on an address specified by the advertisement code or the invite code. The page data is associated with a description of operations for passing the parameter corresponding to the advertisement code or the invite code and starting a predetermined game application.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing a retail network, the retail network including at least one manufacturer and/or merchant of a product or service; at least one retail or non-retail affiliate for promoting the product or service; and a retail network agent having a processor configured to execute computer readable instructions to manage retail transactions between the at least one manufacturer and/or merchant and the at least one affiliate.

Abstract: Systems and methods to accommodate business relationships between a supplier, an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), and an end user. A supplier provides a server having a web site that is accessible by OEM's and end users to purchase subsystems and consumable parts and materials. The OEM's and end users are associated with each other by the server in accordance with established business relationships. The server manages accounts of the OEM's and associated end users to reward on-line credits to the OEM's and the end users when the OEM's and the end users make purchases from the supplier. The rewarding of on-line credits are structured to generate additional business for the supplier from the OEM's and the associated end users.

Abstract: System to manage and provide dynamic personalized prices as a result of a promotion of the product by the customer on the internet, in particular through a mobile device. The present invention has application in the intersection between physical commerce and the online identity of its customers using their mobile phones and its data connections as a means for identification and communication. This invention consists in a computer system that allows customers of physical stores, using their mobile phones, to promote the store and its products and be rewarded with special deals with optimized value and customized for that particular customer, taking into account, among other things, the degree of his online social influence. Accordingly, the present invention is useful for allowing algorithmically optimization of the prices of their products, and for letting the store know automatically and in real time the identity of the customers present in their stores as well as the products they are interested.

Abstract: Various technologies described herein pertain to joining a computing device in a local network to a community Wi-Fi network. The community Wi-Fi network includes disparate computing devices that share respective network bandwidth capacities with member consumer devices of the community Wi-Fi network. The computing device receives an opt-in signal indicating that the computing device desirably be added to the community Wi-Fi network. Responsive to receiving the opt-in signal, the computing device retrieves account parameters. The account parameters include data indicating a network bandwidth capacity allocated to the account, which is usable by the computing device. A shared portion of the network bandwidth capacity is determined based at least in part upon the parameters of the account. The computing device is configured to share the shared portion of the network bandwidth capacity for consumption by member consumer device(s).

Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes identifying at least a portion of an image as a taggable product appearing in the image. A tag is generated, by a computer processor, for the taggable product. The tag is associated with the identified portion of the image and includes information about the taggable product, where generating the tag converts the taggable product into a tagged product. A first ad is prioritized over a plurality of other ads for display on a web page in conjunction with the image, where the prioritization is based at least in part on the first ad being related to the tagged product.

Abstract: A method is provided for on-line retail sales by a merchant through referrals from people who have influence over customer buying decisions, such as doctors in the case of food products, and who has an internet web site. The method involves each influencer including a sub-site of the influencer's website which permits a customer to select products for purchase. The products which are available are selected by the influencer from those available in the merchant's product list. Once the customer selects products for purchase the customer is transferred to the merchant's e-commerce site for ordering, payment and delivery. The merchant rewards the influencer for purchases of the merchant's products made through the influencer's web site.

Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes identifying at least a portion of an image as a taggable product appearing in the image. A tag is generated, by a computer processor, for the taggable product. The tag is associated with the identified portion of the image and includes information about the taggable product, where generating the tag converts the taggable product into a tagged product. A first ad is prioritized over a plurality of other ads for display on a web page in conjunction with the image, where the prioritization is based at least in part on the first ad being related to the tagged product.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention describe an offer service that incentivizes people to share offer invitations with other people. An offer invitation gives a person an opportunity to subscribe to a customized offer with an incentive (e.g., a discount on a good or service) provided by a vendor. The offer invitation can take many forms. In one aspect, the offer invitation is a digital communication (e.g., a text, email, social post) that provides some details and provides a means to subscribe to the offer. The offer invitation can be passed between users that each receives a different offer upon subscribing to the offer. A user may receive a different sharing incentive based on the sharing mechanism he uses to share a user invitation. For example, a user may receive a larger incentive when he shares an offer invitation through his social network than when he shares via email.

Abstract: A system for enabling a referral of a product, comprising: a retriever for retrieving from a database a product identifier; a generator for generating product referral data with respect to an external system using the retrieved product identifier, wherein the generated product referral data is retrievable by a first device in communication with the external system, the product referral data once retrieved being for addition to an external database in communication with the external system, by accessing the external system using a nominated user identifier of a user, and the product referral data once added to the external database is retrievable by a second device in communication with the external system, the product referral data once retrieved by the second device being for generation of user identification data corresponding to the nominated user identifier; and a receiver for receiving the user identification data and making an award to the user.

Abstract: A method for assessing a finder's fee for directing merchant traffic includes: transmitting, by a transmitting device, offer data related to an offer for the purchase of goods or services to a mobile communication device, wherein the related offer is associated with a merchant; receiving, by a receiving device, an indication that a user of the mobile communication device viewed the transmitted offer data; receiving, by the receiving device, an indication that the mobile communication device was located at a geographic location associated with the merchant within a predetermined period of time of the viewing of the transmitted offer data by the user of the mobile communication device; generating, by a processing device, an authorization request for a payment transaction for a finder's fee to be paid by the merchant; and transmitting, by the transmitting device, the authorization request.

Abstract: A method whereby advertisers wish to deliver at least one of offerings and advertising messages relative to at least one of a product and a service to a target audience of users selected by a system operator during an advertising campaign. The method includes defining the users within the context of a social network, selecting the users from among the users of the social network, storing the information relevant to the defined users and utilizing the information stored/defined within the social network to deliver the messages to the users in an optimal manner.

Abstract: A purchase-transaction-settled online consumer referral and reward system and method using real-time specific merchant sales information is provided for the advertising publishing industry. The system provides a pay per transaction platform that allows advertising publishers to monetize interactive and/or broadcast media advertising by tracking and linking ad acceptance events to consummated consumer purchases.

Abstract: A method for dynamic coupon pricing includes steps of: receiving an indication of a trigger event regarding a value of a coupon; receiving an identification of the coupon; calculating a real-time value of the coupon by automatically updating the stated value of the coupon according to coupon price parameters; and providing the real-time value of the coupon.

Abstract: An external traffic advertisement system is provided that generates advertisement sets based on analysis of visits to a web site that were referred by an external source. The advertisement system aggregates the referral information for each referral type. A referral type may be defined by one or more of keyword text derived from the query text of the referrals, landing page type, external source, product identifier, and so on. The advertisement system may, for each referral type, aggregate the total revenue from the visits of that referral type and may generate a count of the number of converting visits for that referral type. The advertisement system then identifies those referral types whose aggregated information satisfies an advertisement criterion and generates an advertisement set for each identified referral type with a keyword derived from keyword text and with a link based on the landing page type of the referral type.

Abstract: A system for interconnecting enhanced and diversified communications with commercial applications using efficient and user-friendly features and methods by which users can create, share, and proliferate symbols, use translations, message contractions, message expansions, hidden messages, scrolling or bill-boarding messages, timed messages, Morse messages, and inter-language translations, all using various forms of formatting and presentation configurations.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for promoting a device (105). In the method a promotion mode is enabled on the device (105) and a biometric identification of a user (110) of the device (105) is performed. After this, and based on the biometric identification, it is determined whether the user (110) is unknown whereby a reward procedure is performed on the device (105). The biometric identification may involve capturing an image (11) of the user (110) with a camera (107) associated with the device (105), and the device (105) may be owned by another user (100). The invention concerns also an apparatus and a computer program.

Abstract: A method for tracking abandonment rates. A client computer may send a first message to a server requesting a content unit to be incorporated into a web page. The client computer may receive, from the server computer, the content unit including deliverable content and a communications element configured to send messages generated by the content unit to the server. After delivering the deliverable content, the client computer may send a second message to the server via the communications element, the second message indicating that the delivery of the deliverable content has been completed.

Abstract: A system providing a marketplace wherein professional goods and creators of the professional goods are organized and ranked to allow a user of the system. The system is configured to allow the creators to control access to their goods made available to consumers via the marketplace. The consumers may use the access to determine a value of goods and directly compensate one or more of the creators for an increased level of access, which may include one or more incentives to gain additional access, for instance, if the consumer shares the good. The system is configured to generate a suggested payment price based on value rating and highest payment data associated with each of the goods, which may be based on feedback from one or more of the consumers. The goods and the creators are organized and ranked by assigning a variable weight to value metrics based on the feedback from the consumers or other action or behavior of the consumer detected by the system.

Abstract: A server according to an embodiment allows a user to more comfortably enjoy communication with other users.

Abstract: This document describes proximity-based task notification. By notifying a user of an entity at which the user can perform a task when that entity is near to the user, the techniques enable the user to decide, at a time and location likely convenient to the user, whether or not to perform the task now at the entity or wait until a later occasion. If the user wishes to forgo performing the task, the techniques can notify the user again when the entity or some other entity is likely to be convenient to the user.

Abstract: A method of placing an order performed by a mobile computing device. The method includes the steps of reading a near field communication element on or in a product, determining characteristics of the product based on the step of reading the near field communication element, and accessing or acquiring information about a user of the mobile computing device. The method also includes the steps of combining at least some of the characteristics of the product and at least some of the information about the user, and placing the order based on the step of combining. The characteristics of the product may include a product number or identifier, and the information about the user may include a size for the product.

Abstract: A method for syndicating promotional posts on a social network site is disclosed. This method may allow individual influencers on the social network site to be paid for allowing advertisers to add promotional posts to their social network feeds. The method may allow advertisers to select particular boards or categories and approve particular promotional posts.

Abstract: Systems, computer-implemented methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for social request routing and reward distribution. In a computer-implemented method according to one embodiment of the invention: a request is created, the request is routed between one or more users of one or more social networks, the request is fulfilled, rewardable users are rewarded based on the request's successful forwarding path(s). The invention may be used to fulfill requests that require cooperation between potentially unacquainted individuals.

Abstract: The systems and methods described herein relate to computerized incentive management including a unified and centralized program whereby individuals with social media accounts (users) can earn points for interacting with various social media sites according to parameters set by a sponsor. The system can be configured to identify qualifying social media interactions based on a wide variety of flexible factors.

Abstract: A system and method of storing data related to social publishers and associating the data with electronic brand data is disclosed. The system includes an online persona definition module configured to receive information about a social publisher and, based on the received information, associate personality traits with the social publisher. A social influence measurement module receives social network metrics and social network activities related to social publishers and determine a level of social influence for the social publishers. A brand promoter management module is configured to receive data from the brand promoter, the including targeting elements for an advertising campaign, including a specified a level of social influence and a set of personality traits. The brand promoter may also upload brand art to display within the social network. An association is configured to determine if social publishers meet the targeting elements.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for tracking transactions over a computer network is provided. An advertisement is provided to a user using a web client, such as a web browser, at a user node. The user selects the advertisement, e.g., by clicking on the advertisement, to request to an ad server for redirection to a transaction node associated with the advertisement. The ad server formats a cookie and provides to the user node. When the user requests a transaction after the redirection, the transaction node sends a transaction confirmation after performing the transaction. The transaction confirmation includes a command to record the transaction. In response to the command, the user node provides a query string and the cookie to the ad server for the transaction to be recorded.

Abstract: Particular embodiments of the present invention are related to a digital media benefit attachment mechanism for generating or attaching revenue rights and other benefits to one or more entities associated with socially distributed media.

Abstract: There is provided an information processing device including an association unit configured to associate content of which a first post destination is designated by a first user with a predetermined advertisement, and a transmission control unit configured to transmit the content associated with the predetermined advertisement by the association unit to the first post destination as affiliate content, and when the affiliate content is reproduced in the first post destination and then a second post destination is designated by a second user, to transmit a duplicate of the affiliate content of which the second post destination has been designated to the second post destination.

Abstract: A method for promoting sales including receiving an indication from a potential customer's device that a computerized application on the potential customer's device was activated after the potential customer sees a tangible consumer product and a signal from a wireless tag located in the tangible consumer product was received at the potential customer's device, and responsive to the indication, issuing a reward associated directly with the tangible consumer product.

Abstract: A method is described for rewarding a viewer of a broadcast program in exchange for the viewer proving his presence at the time that certain program content is being broadcast. The method involves the use of running an application in a television environment, said application displaying a graphic inviting the viewer to intervene in some manner and to subsequently log the viewer's intervention, thereby documenting his viewing activity. The method further allows for the convenient and mobile reporting of the status of a log of the viewer's viewing activity. Finally, the method allows for the convenient and flexible redemption of accrued credit, as documented in the viewing log, against goods and/or services.

Abstract: A method of incorporating a prospect into an enrollment tree of a multi-level marketing organization using a microprocessor, the enrollment tree having a tree structure and a member, each member being positioned on a level of the enrollment tree, said method having the steps of: determining a value of a sponsor goal, obtaining network information, obtaining enrollment information, identifying a vacancy in the downline of a member, assigning a prospect to the identified vacancy, and incorporating the prospect into the enrollment tree as a new member.

Abstract: A method embodiment includes receiving data indicative of a person accessing at least one of a first network-available electronic content or a second network-available electronic content, perhaps in a Web 2.0 environment. Also, receiving data indicative of an involvement between the person and a third party. The involvement being independent of the person activating a link to a site owned by the third party that is included in the first network-available electronic content or in the second network available electronic content. Further, assessing a behavioral influence by the first network-available electronic content and/or the second network-available electronic content on the indicated involvement with respect to the possible matters of interest between the person and a third party. Also, facilitating delivery of a benefit to an owner of the first network-available electronic content and/or an owner of the second network-available electronic content in response to the assessed behavioral influence.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for obtaining insight information for a plurality of user devices. In an embodiment, an identification of target location(s) are received from a client. For each of the target location(s), the target location is categorized, and insight algorithm is automatically selected for the target location from a plurality of different insight algorithms based on the categorization of the target location. The selected insight algorithm can be configured to, for each of a plurality of user devices, receive a location of the user device, and determine whether or not to store an event record for the user device based on the location of the user device.

Abstract: A system to facilitate affiliate marketing that includes a server system, a first memory system residing on the server system and a website with a plurality of web pages to measure and monitor to facilitate affiliate marketing. The system includes a plurality of users that are a plurality of members of the system to facilitate affiliate marketing. The users include a plurality of sellers supplying one or more goods or services to the system to facilitate affiliate marketing, a plurality of buyers purchasing the one or more goods or services to the system to facilitate affiliate marketing, a plurality of introducer affiliates introducing one or more new users to the system to facilitate affiliate marketing, a plurality of referral affiliates referring a potential buyer to a potential seller, or referring a potential seller to a potential buyer and a network operator operating and maintaining the system to facilitate affiliate marketing.

Abstract: An automated group promotion electronic system. A Group-Buy-Promotion (GBP) server and client system together with a product management back end database system are implemented. Deals based on the number of participants are created, posted and broadcasted. Dynamic market changes of a product-for-sale are tracked. Group buying and information broadcasting are automated with an ease of use. Credits are provided to customers who participate in a Deal at the end of a Deal to encourage group and volume purchases and are also tracked. Regardless a particular customer's purchasing power, whether a retail customer, a wholesale merchant or large scale government procurement; a participant, of any size, benefits from other customers participating in a particular Deal.

Abstract: Magnetic stripe cards configured to be coupled to a ferromagnetic material are described. In one embodiment, a magnetic stripe card may include a substrate, a magnetic stripe coupled to the substrate, and at least one magnet coupled to the substrate. The magnet may have a magnetic pull force equal to or greater than that necessary to support a total weight of the substrate, the magnetic stripe, and the magnet when coupled to the ferromagnetic material.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided for importing contacts. A contact importer leverages the various contacts associated with a user of a content management service to find potential new users and/or customers. A contact importer may run on one or more devices of a user associated with an account on a content management system, and import various contacts of that user to a contact list. The list may be culled to weed out non-human contacts, and processed so as to assign an affinity score to each contact, expressing a degree of affinity to the user. Incentives may be offered to the user for either sending or approving an invitation to a contact to register with the content management system, paid upon the invitee successfully registering. Different incentives may be offered for an accepted invitation from various contacts or classes thereof.

Abstract: A method performed by a recommender system to recommend items to a new user includes calculating reward estimates from multiple multi-armed bandit models of a user and her social network friends. The new user's social network friends have multi-armed bandit models that are well established. The mixed multi-armed bandit estimates are processed to select the arm that maximizes the estimated reward to the new user. The multi-armed bandit arm of the greatest reward estimate is played and the new user responds by providing feedback so that the new user's multi-armed bandit model is updated as time progresses.

Abstract: Providing prices and incentives, in one aspect, may comprise estimating a first agent's own willingness to pay for a product, for each of multiple first agents; estimating the first agent's influence on one or more of multiple second agents' willingness for purchasing the product, for each of the multiple first agents; estimating an effort to influence the first agent to take an action that would influence the one or more second agents in purchasing the product, for each of the multiple first agents; and based on at least the first agent's willingness to pay for the product, the first agent's influence, and the effort to influence the first agent, identifying simultaneously a price of the product for the first agent and an incentive for the first agent to take the action, that maximizes a profit of a seller of the product.

Abstract: A machine based system for facilitating deals is provided that has a memory for storing a list of mavens that assist a vendor in the facilitation of the deal. The list of mavens includes at least one maven that is not an existing customer of the vendor. A voucher for redemption is generated that has information on the deal. A processor is included that determines that the voucher has been redeemed. The processor assigns a commission. The deal may include an incentive for a customer that redeems the voucher.

Abstract: Providing prices and incentives, in one aspect, may comprise estimating a first agent's own willingness to pay for a product, for each of multiple first agents; estimating the first agent's influence on one or more of multiple second agents' willingness for purchasing the product, for each of the multiple first agents; estimating an effort to influence the first agent to take an action that would influence the one or more second agents in purchasing the product, for each of the multiple first agents; and based on at least the first agent's willingness to pay for the product, the first agent's influence, and the effort to influence the first agent, identifying simultaneously a price of the product for the first agent and an incentive for the first agent to take the action, that maximizes a profit of a seller of the product.

Abstract: After a telecommunications interaction apparently concludes between first and second parties to the interaction, an automated means for detecting the termination of the interaction jumps in and presents at least one of the parties with an opportunity to participate in a survey (an instant survey) relating to the just-terminated interaction. In one embodiment, the interaction is between a prospective consumer and a lead buyer (or an agent of the buyer) and the instant survey queries the buyer or agent regarding immediate impressions of the quality of the purchased lead that brought the prospective consumer and the lead buyer (or agent) into contact with one another. In one embodiment, results of instant surveys feed into a ranking system that ranks the quality of leads provided through a specific sponsor and remuneration to the sponsor is automatically adjusted according to instant survey results collected for that sponsor.

Abstract: An information management device includes a storage unit that stores distribution information representing whether shop information has been distributed. The information management device includes a determining unit that determines whether the shop information has been distributed when a request for distributing of the shop information from a first user to a second user is received. The information management device includes a distributing unit that distributes the shop information to the second user when the determining unit determines that the shop information has not been distributed.

Abstract: A system and method for determining popularity of a video based in part on requests for the video received from a referrer, grouping videos whose popularity based on requests from referrers exceeds a threshold and displaying those videos in a channel or providing them in a web feed.

Abstract: A native virtual currency is awarded to parties of the system, for example potential customers of commercial parties, for use in commerce. The awarding entity, the system, itself accepts native virtual currency toward payment for system services provided to members, for example advertising a party's willingness to accept a native virtual currency in transactions and other commerce related services.

Abstract: A system and method for targeted delivery of promotional messages from a sender to a receiver are disclosed. The system includes a website providing access to a plurality of promotional messages, and comprises a web-based user interface enabling the sender to create a set of promotional targeting records. A promotional targeting record comprises the sender's communication identifier, a targeted destination's communication identifier, and a selected promotional message. The created promotional targeting records are stored in a database.

Abstract: The invention provides systems and methods for administering a rewards program in which points are earned by both shopping and online promotional activity. The rewards program preferably includes real-time earning of points and real-time price reductions. In certain aspects, the invention provides a method of influencing consumer behavior that includes using a computer system for giving consumers reward points for performing activities that include both online shopping and online brand promotion, offering the consumers a discount on a purchase, and—for each consumer that accepts the offer—depleting that consumer's reward points by an amount.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for managing a referral program. One or more of a name and additional identifying details for a referrer are registered in a database. A referrer's name is received from a referred party. It is verified whether the referrer's name provided by the referred party matches a registered referrer's name in the database. Additional identity information is used to verify a referrer's identity in the event that two registered referrers have identical names. A reward is granted to the referrer after a specified act has been completed by the referred party.

Abstract: A method of operating a digital system where the method includes providing a server connected to a communications network configured for two-way communications for system users, and configuring the server to display purchase offers, prizes, or other marketing information on user devices. The method also includes linking scannable codes with the digital system and user devices, so that when one of the scannable codes is scanned, the user device, on which the scan was made, is connected to a website where an offer is presented, wherein the offer can be a discount associated with a purchase, a sponsorship amount associated with a purchase, a gift card, a rebate, or a prize.