초록 ▼

An online interactive system comprising a business referral and income generation system linked to one or more listed web sites of businesses in a particular locality or geographical area. Revenue is generated by way of such methods as: Merchants listing their web sites in one or more web site direc

An online interactive system comprising a business referral and income generation system linked to one or more listed web sites of businesses in a particular locality or geographical area. Revenue is generated by way of such methods as: Merchants listing their web sites in one or more web site directories for multiple communities; banner ads; local and national coupons issued by merchants; classified job listings; classified realty listings; “4 Sale” ads; and fees for supplemental services called “Extended Services” serving to provide interactive capabilities to static web sites. The system enables quicker and substantially automated and on-line self-posting, design, selection, updating and payment for listings, ads and coupons, among other things.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An on-line, interactive web site information system for increasing access to localized business and markets, the system having one of more functions for displaying advertising, information and business listings and referring users such as shoppers or merchants to the web sites of merchants listed

1. An on-line, interactive web site information system for increasing access to localized business and markets, the system having one of more functions for displaying advertising, information and business listings and referring users such as shoppers or merchants to the web sites of merchants listed with respect to certain localized geographic locations such as town and cities, and certain categories, comprising:means for substantially automated creation and entry of said business listings and advertising by users of said system, wherein the users have direct access to modify, add or remove the advertising information and/or business listings; means for substantially automated selection by said merchants of said categories and said localized geographic locations wherein said advertising, information and/or business listings will appear so as to enable geographic targeting of said users of said system and to allow merchants in the geographic areas to direct the advertising, information and/or business listings to localized geographic locations so as to provide greater exposure to said merchants within the localized geographic locations; means for displaying said advertising, information and/or business listings for a duration of time based on said selected categories and said localized geographic locations; means for viewing said advertising, information and/or business listings based on the selection by the user of at least one of said localized geographic locations and at least one of said categories in which the merchant advertisements, business listings and/or information is displayed; means for linking said advertising, business listings and/or information to the web pages of others; at least one-hyper link corresponding to a category to link users to the web site of at least one merchant; means for building databases from the information provided by users of the system; means for recording and providing account review information to users of the system; means for users to access the system to add and delete said information, business listings and advertisements for display on the system; extended services means; means for recording statistics about usage of the system; marketing analysis means for monitoring activity among the various functions of the system; and means for generating revenue through the selection by the merchants of one or more of said functions. 2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said system further comprises accounting means for keeping track of the revenues generated by the system and any commissions owed to others.3. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said system further comprises means for substantially automated updating of said business listings, advertising and information.4. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said system further includes means for substantially automated, on-line payment for said business listings, information and advertising.5. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said system further comprises means for substantially automated display of coupons for a selected time period.6. The invention according claim 5 wherein said coupons automatically stop being displayed upon the expiration of said time period.7. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said system further comprises means for substantially automated display of advertising for a selected time period.8. The invention according to claim 7 wherein said advertising automatically stops being displayed upon the expiration of said time period.9. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said system further comprises providing different levels of passwords to different users of the system.10. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said hyper-link comprises an area simulating the appearance of a button that can be selected.11. The invention according to claim 10 wherein said hyper-link further appears to be lit up when links to business web pages exist for said category.12. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said hyper-link further comprises means for indicating that there are no links to business web pages in a given category.13. The invention according to claim 12 wherein said means for indicating that there are no links web pages in a given category comprises an area having the appearance of a darkened button.14. The system of claim 1 wherein the creation and entry of said business listings and advertising by users of said system occurs in real time.15. An on-line, interactive web site information system having one of more functions for displaying advertising, information and business listings and referring users such as shoppers or merchants to the web sites of merchants listed with respect to certain localized geographic locations such as towns and cities, and certain categories comprising:means for substantially automated creation of said business listings and advertising by users of said system; means for substantially automated selection by said merchant of said categories and said geographic locations wherein said advertising, information and/or business listings will appear so as to enable geographic targeting of said users of said system and to allow merchants in the geographic locations to direct the advertising, information and/or business listings to localized geographic locations so as to provide greater exposure to said merchants within the localized geographic locations; means for displaying said advertising, information and/or business listings; means for viewing said advertising, information and/or business listings based on the selection by the user of at least one of said geographic locations and at least one of said categories in which the merchant advertisements, business listings and/or information is displayed; means for lining said advertising, business listings and/or information to the web pages of others; at least one-hyper link corresponding to a category to link users to the web site of at least one merchant; means for building databases from the information provided by users of the system; means for recording and providing account review information to users of the system; means for users to add and delete said information, business listings and advertisements for display on the system; means for selecting the towns and categories in which to display said advertising business listings and information; extended services means; means for recording statistics about usage of the system; marketing analysis means for monitoring activity among the various functions of the system; means for generating revenue from said usage of said system comprising: fees from merchants for listing their web sites in specific geographic locations; fees from banner ads displayed in specific geographic locations; fees from coupons made available in specific geographic locations; fees from for sale listings displayed in specific geographic locations; and fees from extended service; and accounting means for keeping track of the revenue created by the system and any commissions owed to others. 16. The invention according to claim 15 wherein said for sale listings further include means to offer items for sale on a best offer basis.17. The invention according to claim 15 wherein said system further comprises providing different levels of passwords to different users of the system.18. The invention according to claim 15 wherein said hyper-link comprises an area simulating the appearance of a button that can be selected.19. The invention according to claim 18 wherein said hyper-link further appears to be lit up when links to business web pages exist for said category.20. The invention according to claim 15 wherein said hyper-link further comprises means for indicating that there are no links to business web pages in a given category.21. An on-line, interactive web site information system for increasing access to localized business and markets, the system allowing information to be inputted by merchants and other users and accessed by consumers based on selected localized geographic areas and topical categories, the system comprising:one or more Internet web pages having information organized into a hierarchy of geographic areas that allows the merchants and consumers to select from a plurality of topical categories in a plurality of localized geographic areas to input or view localized information, wherein merchants in the localized geographic areas may direct the information to localized markets so as to provide greater exposure to the merchants within the localized geographic areas; a web server for displaying the one or more Internet web pages; means for the merchants to input the information into the system for viewing by the consumers on the one or more Internet web pages using a substantially automated process, wherein the means for inputting the information comprises means for selecting the localized geographic areas and topical categories to list and/or display the information, and wherein the merchant has direct access to modify, add or remove the information; means for the consumers to select at least one of the topical categories in at least one of the plurality of localized geographic areas; means for displaying the information to the consumers based on the selected at least one of the topical categories in the at least one of the plurality of localized geographic areas; means for monitoring usage of the system; means for providing statistics regarding the usage of the system; and means for generating revenue based on the information inputted by the merchants. 22. The system of claim 21, wherein the information includes business advertising.23. The system of claim 21, wherein the information includes coupons.24. The system of claim 23, wherein the coupons are of limited duration.25. The system of claim 21 which further comprises means for calculating fees based on the usage of the system.26. The system of claim 21 which further comprises means to limit access to the information.27. The system of claim 26 wherein the limiting means comprises a password required to access the information.28. The system of claim 21, wherein the information includes job postings.29. The system of claim 21 which further comprises means for providing extended services.30. The system of claim 29 wherein the extended services include allowing commercial transactions.31. The system of claim 21 wherein the at least one of the plurality of localized geographic areas is selected by town name.32. The system of claim 21 wherein the at least one of the plurality of localized geographic areas is selected by zip code.33. The system of claim 21 which further comprises means for the consumers to directly contact the merchants.34. The system of claim 21 which further comprises means to allow for commercial transactions between the merchants and the consumers.35. The system of claim 21 which further comprises means for the consumers to list items for sale, wherein the consumers select at least one topical category and at least one localized geographic area in which to list the items.36. The system of claim 21 which further comprises hyperlinks to allow the consumers to access websites of the merchants.37. The system of claim 21 wherein the means for the consumers to select at least one of the topical categories in at least one of the plurality of localized geographic areas comprises drill-down menus.38. The system of claim 21 wherein the information comprises business listings.39. The system of claim 21 wherein the inputting of the information into the system occurs in substantially real time.40. A method for providing an on-line interactive web site for referring a consumer to one or more merchants or other users and for increasing access to localized business and markets, the method comprising the steps of:providing one or more pages containing information organized into a hierarchy of geographic areas that allows the merchants and consumers to select from at least one topical category in a plurality of localized geographic areas to input or view localized information, wherein merchants in the localized geographic areas may direct the information to localized markets so as to provide greater exposure to the merchants within the localized geographic areas; providing means for the one or more merchants to connect to at least one web page of the one or more web pages; allowing the one or more merchants to select at least one of the localized geographic areas and at least one of the topical categories to list or display information pertaining to the one or more merchants; allowing the one or more merchants to input information into the system for viewing by the consumers on the one or more web pages through a substantially automated process, wherein the information is accessible on the one or more web pages under the localized geographic areas and topical categories selected by the one or more merchants, and wherein the merchant has direct access to modify, add or remove the information; connecting the consumer to the one or more web pages; allowing the consumer to select at least one topical category from at least one localized geographic area; displaying the merchant information in response to the geographic area and topical category selected by the consumer; monitoring the information that is accessed; providing statistics regarding the information accessed; and generating revenue based on the information that is inputted by the merchants. 41. The method of claim 40 wherein the method further comprises the step of calculating fees based on the information accessed.42. The method of claim 40 wherein the method further comprises the step of providing extended services.43. The method of claim 42 wherein the step of providing extended services comprises providing commercial transactions between the merchants and the consumers.44. The method of claim 40 wherein the method further comprises the step of prompting for a password to access the information.45. The method of claim 40 wherein the information includes at least one coupon.46. The method of claim 45 which further comprises the step of providing a set time period for the at least one coupon to be listed on at least one of the series of web pages, wherein the at least one coupon will automatically expire upon expiration of the set time period.47. The method of claim 40 which further comprises the step of generating revenue from the one or more merchants for listing the merchant information in the hierarchy of geographic areas and topical categories.48. The method of claim 40 which further comprises the step of providing means for the one or more merchants to update or edit the merchant information.49. The method of claim 40 which further comprises the step of providing means for the consumers to access websites of the one or more merchants.50. The method of claim 40 wherein the geographic areas and topical categories are provided in drill-down menus.51. The method of claim 40 wherein the inputting of the information occurs in real time.52. The method of claim 40 wherein the information comprises business listings.53. An on-line, interactive web site information system for allowing information to be inputted by merchants and other users and accessed by consumers based on localized geographic areas and topical categories, the system comprising:one or more Internet web pages having information organized into a hierarchy of geographic areas, wherein the geographic areas include a plurality of localized geographic areas organized into a plurality of topical categories; a web server for displaying the one or more Internet web pages; means for the merchants to input the information onto the one or more Internet web pages through a substantially automated process, wherein the means for inputting the information comprises means for selecting the geographic areas and topical categories to list and/or display the information, wherein merchants in the localized geographic areas may direct the information to localized markets so as to provide greater exposure to the merchants within the localized geographic areas; means for the consumers to select at least one of the topical categories in at least one of the plurality of localized geographic areas; means for displaying the information to the consumer based on the selected at least one of the topical categories in the at least one of the plurality of localized geographic areas; means for monitoring usage of the system; means for providing statistics regarding the usage of the system; and means for generating revenue based on the information inputted by the merchants comprising: fees from merchants for listing their web sites in the localized geographic areas; and fees from coupons made available in the localized geographic areas. 54. The system of claim 53 wherein the means for the consumers to select at least one of the topical categories in at least one of the plurality of localized geographic areas comprises drill-down menus.55. The system of claim 53 wherein the information comprises business listings.