System and method for targeting advertisements to tenants in a building

Abstract

A system and method for targeting advertisements to tenants in a building by providing a portal for a building accessible via the Internet with the portal based upon the specific needs of targeted advertising in the building. Advertisements are received from a user of the portal and the advertisements are distributed to a target audience in the building that is determined based upon historical transaction data for the building. A user is provided with the historical transaction data of previous transactions by tenants in the building. The portal is designed to suit the specific needs of a building.

1 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A system for targeting advertisements to tenants in a building, the system comprising:
 at least one server accessible via a communications network, said at least one server providing a portal for a building accessible by one or more users via said communications network;   said server further including   a receiving module operable to receive a request from a user to place an advertisement targeted at tenants in said building;   a transmitting module operable to place said advertisement at said portal for said building in accordance with said targeted-tenants in said building;   a database operable to store a user profile for each of said one or more users and historical transaction data for determining said targeted-tenants in said building; and   a database server operable to retrieve and process the historical transaction data, wherein the processed historical transaction data is used to identify a target group of users for said advertisement and to select which users to include in the selected group of users.   
     
     
         9 . The system for targeting advertisements to tenants in a building as defined in claim  8 , wherein said portal for a building includes a home page for each of said one or more users; each user being uniquely identified and having a specific user role with respect to said portal for a building. 
     
     
         10 . A system for targeting advertisements to tenants in a building as defined in claim  8 , wherein said building is a building network and said communications network is the Internet. 
     
     
         11 . A method for controlling the advertisements viewable to tenants in a building, the method under the control of a manager, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a portal for a building, the portal accessible to the tenants via the Internet;   associating at least one advertiser with said portal for the building;   identifying one or more categories for which the advertiser qualifies under;   receiving at least one request from the advertiser to place an advertisement on the portal;   wherein the manager can selectively grant or deny the request;   and wherein upon granting the request from the advertiser, posting the advertisement at the portal for the building;   creating one or more purchasing classes comprising one or more tenants of the building, each purchasing class being able to purchase a list of products or services via the portal, at least two purchasing classes having a different list of products or services that the respective class can purchase; and   assigning each of the tenants of the building to one or more purchasing classes;   
     
     
         12 . A method for controlling the advertisements viewable to tenants and services and products purchased by the tenants in a building, said method under the control of a manager, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a portal for a building, said portal accessible via the Internet by a plurality of tenants of said building;   providing a tenant home page specific to each tenant of said building;   associating an advertiser with the portal;   receiving at least one request from said advertiser to place an advertisement on said portal, wherein said request identifies one or more tenants of said building to whom said advertisement is to be presented, the one or more tenants being selected by said advertiser; and   granting or rejecting said request, and
 upon granting said request, posting said advertisement on the tenant home page of each tenant selected by said advertiser.