US 12,008,593 B2
System, method and computer program for varying affiliate position displayed by intermediary
Michael D. Swinson, Santa Monica, CA (US); Jason McBride, Santa Monica, CA (US); Isaac Lemon Laughlin, Los Angeles, CA (US); and Thomas J. Sullivan, Santa Monica, CA (US)
Assigned to TrueCar, Inc., Santa Monica, CA (US)
Filed by TrueCar, Inc., Santa Monica, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 19, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/084,524.
Application 18/084,524 is a continuation of application No. 17/378,474, filed on Jul. 16, 2021, granted, now 11,532,003.
Application 17/378,474 is a continuation of application No. 16/670,448, filed on Oct. 31, 2019, granted, now 11,132,702, issued on Sep. 28, 2021.
Application 16/670,448 is a continuation of application No. 14/604,014, filed on Jan. 23, 2015, granted, now 10,482,485, issued on Nov. 19, 2019.
Application 14/604,014 is a continuation of application No. 13/891,835, filed on May 10, 2013, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/646,075, filed on May 11, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2023/0117296 A1, Apr. 20, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06Q 30/0201 (2023.01); G06Q 30/0241 (2023.01)
CPC G06Q 30/0206 (2013.01) [G06Q 30/0277 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
generating, by an intermediary computer, a view comprising endogenous variables and exogenous variables associated with an item, wherein each of the endogenous variables represents an endogenous feature of an affiliate of an intermediary, the endogenous features being changeable by the affiliate, wherein each of the exogenous variables represents an exogenous feature of the affiliate with respect to the item, the exogenous feature being uncontrollable by the affiliate, the intermediary computer communicatively connected to a website of the intermediary and operating independently of the affiliate;
providing, by the intermediary computer through a user interface, the view to a user device associated with the affiliate, wherein the user interface comprises a visualization function for user-selection of any of the endogenous variables in the view and for visualizing effects of varying a value of a user-selected endogenous variable;
receiving, by the intermediary computer through the user interface, an indication that an endogenous variable has been selected by a user from the endogenous variables in the view;
determining, by the intermediary computer in response to the user selecting the endogenous variable from the endogenous variables in the view, effects of how setting the user-selected endogenous variable at different levels affects a plurality of affiliate decision-making metrics for determining a display position of the affiliate on the website of the intermediary responsive to a website visitor inquiring about the item through the website;
generating, by the intermediary computer, a visualization of the effects thus determined, wherein the visualization of the effects comprises the plurality of affiliate decision-making metrics; and
providing, by the intermediary computer through the user interface, the visualization of the effects and the plurality of affiliate decision-making metrics to the user device.