US 11,080,737 B1Granted

System and method for generating an affiliate link from a selected item on a computing device

OwnerRajat Kalra, Chung Ming Tseinventors

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Abstract

The invention provides a system and method for generating affiliate links that may be shared between users of computing devices. A method of the invention may include the steps of receiving from a server system a user identifier of a client system (e.g. smartphone with client application) and persistently storing the client identifier at the client system. Information identifying an item such as a product or retailer may be displayed as well as an indication of a single action to be performed (e.g. “share” button) to generate an affiliate link from the product information. In response to the indicated single action being performed, the client system automatically sends relevant item information and user information to the server system which creates an affiliate link by referring to a database of affiliate information. The generated affiliate link is communicated to the client system which may communicate the affiliate link to other computing users directly via SMS or via other computing applications such as email or a social network. The user initiated the sharing action may earn revenue when other users purchase an item by interacting with the shared affiliate link.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A computer-implemented method for generating an affiliate link from an item selected on a computing application, the item and corresponding information originating from at least one merchant site that offers an affiliate program, the method comprising:

receiving from a server system a user identifier of a first client system;
persistently storing the user identifier at the first client system;
at the first client system, displaying item information identifying the item and displaying a selectable single action user interface element to generate an affiliate link related to the item information, wherein the selectable single action user interface element excludes input of any affiliate program information;
in response to selection of the single action user interface element at the first client system, sending to a server system a request to generate an affiliate link based on at least some of the item information and the user identifier;
at the server system, in response to the request to generate an affiliate link, determining a match between the item information and a respective affiliate program by referencing a database, the match being determined using matching criteria based on a text contextual search or an image search, the database containing user information, item information, and affiliate program information associated with respective item information;
at the server system, automatically generating the affiliate link based on the determined match;
and
at the server system, automatically sending the generated affiliate link to the first client system;
wherein the method is performed in absence of any interaction between the first client system and the at least one merchant site, and in absence of any interaction between the server system and the at least one merchant site.

6 more elements

A non-transitory computer readable medium for generating an affiliate link from an item selected on a first client system, the item and corresponding information originating from at least one merchant site that offers an affiliate program, the computer readable medium comprising instructions executable by a server system to:

transmit, to the first client system, a user identifier;
wherein the first client system is caused to:
persistently store the user identifier;
and
display item information identifying the item and displaying a selectable single action user interface element to generate an affiliate link related to the item information, wherein the selectable single action user interface element excludes input of any affiliate program information;
in response to selection of the single action user interface element at the first client system, receive, from the first client system, a request to generate an affiliate link, the request including item information and the user identifier;
in response to the request, determine a match between the item information and a respective affiliate program by accessing a database, the match being determined using matching criteria based on a text contextual search or an image search, the database containing user information, item information, and affiliate program information associated with respective item information;
generate an affiliate link based on the determined match;
and
communicate the generated affiliate link to the first client system;
wherein the server system is caused to access the database and generate the affiliate link in absence of any interaction with the at least one merchant site.

8 more elements

A system for generating an affiliate link for an item offered by at least one merchant site that has an affiliate program, the system comprising:

a first client system executing a client application;
a server system executing a server application;
and
a database in communication with the server system, the database storing containing user information, item information, and affiliate program information associated with respective item information;
the client application, when executed, causing the first client system to:
provide a user interface element for selecting the item for which to generate the affiliate link;
in response to selection of the user interface element, send a request to the server system to generate the affiliate link, the request including item information related to the item and a user identifier;
wherein the first client system provides the user interface element and sends the request in absence of any interaction with the at least one merchant site;
the server application, when executed, causing the server system to:
in response to the request to generate the affiliate link, determine a match between the item information and a respective affiliate program by accessing the database, the match being determined using matching criteria based on a text contextual search or an image search;
generate the affiliate link based on the determined match;
and
send the generated affiliate link to the first client system;
wherein the server system accesses the database and generates the affiliate link in absence of any interaction with the at least one merchant site.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/891,690Filed 8 Feb 2018 · us provisional application
Priority: 9 Feb 2017
Granted: 3 Aug 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G06Q 30/0214
Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates: referral reward systems
G06F 16/9566
Using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]: uRL specific, e.g. using aliases, detecting broken or misspelled links
G06F 16/9558
Using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]: details of hyperlinks; Management of linked annotations
G06Q 30/0641
Electronic shopping [e-shopping]: utilising user interfaces specially adapted for shopping