Trusted third party clearing house for lead tracking

Abstract

A method and system for tracking sales leads includes receiving, with a processor of a lead clearing house server and over a network, messages that include personal lead information encrypted with a one-way hash algorithm, each message comprising at least one encrypted lead. The processor may store the received encrypted leads in memory of the server in relation to a log containing activity history with relation to respective encrypted leads. The processor may compare the encrypted personal lead information of the stored encrypted leads with personal lead information of received encrypted leads. The processor may update the log of respective encrypted leads responsive to identifying a match between personal lead information of a received and a stored encrypted lead. The processor may communicate, over the network to a participant that sent the matching encrypted lead, a status based on the updated log related to the matching encrypted lead.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A lead clearing house server for tracking sales leads, comprising:
 a network interface operable to receive, over a network, messages comprising personal lead information encrypted with a one-way hash algorithm, each message comprising at least one encrypted lead;   a memory operable to store received encrypted leads together with a log in relation to respective encrypted leads;   a processor in communication with the memory and the network interface and operable to execute:
 a comparison module configured to compare the encrypted personal lead information of received encrypted leads with stored encrypted leads; and 
 a logging module configured to log receipt of the encrypted leads along with associated log information, and when a received encrypted lead has a stored encrypted lead with matching encrypted personal lead information, to update the log that is stored in relation to the matching stored encrypted lead; and 
   a communication module in communication with the processor and the network interface and operable to send to a participant of the lead clearing house that sent the at least one encrypted lead a status based on the log in memory related to the at least one encrypted lead.   
     
     
         20 . The lead clearing house server of  claim 19 , wherein the processor is further operable to authenticate the connection between the participant and the lead clearing house server when receiving the at least one encrypted lead, and wherein each message further includes unencrypted log information comprising a participant identification as a result of the authentication. 
     
     
         21 . The lead clearing house server of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one encrypted lead comprises a grouping of at least two items of personal lead information combined together before being encrypted by the one-way hash algorithm. 
     
     
         22 . The lead clearing house server of  claim 19 , wherein the status comprises a status selected from the group consisting of:
 a number of times an encrypted lead is received by the lead clearing house server;   a date and time an encrypted lead is at least one of first captured and first sold; and   the number of times an encrypted lead has been re-sold.   
     
     
         23 . The lead clearing house server of  claim 19 , wherein the status comprises a validation selected from the group consisting of that:
 an encrypted lead is not a duplicate;   an encrypted lead with a history of being sold at least once has not been converted; and   an encrypted lead is being sold in a location of an address of the encrypted lead.   
     
     
         24 . The lead clearing house server of  claim 19 , wherein the status comprises at least one of whether a consumer in possession of an encrypted lead has contacted the person represented by the encrypted lead and the point at which the consumer is in working the encrypted lead. 
     
     
         25 . The lead clearing house server of  claim 19 , wherein each message further includes unencrypted log information selected from the group consisting of:
 a date and time stamp when the lead was captured;   a date and time stamp when the lead was sold or purchased; and   a lead type.   
     
     
         26 . The lead clearing house server of  claim 19 , wherein the communication module is further operable to communicate with a lead exchange to receive therefrom encrypted lead information messages having at least one encrypted lead and to send to the lead exchange statuses based on the log corresponding to the at least one encrypted lead. 
     
     
         27 . A computer-implemented method executable by a lead clearing house server having a processor and memory, the method comprising:
 receiving, with the processor over a network, messages that include personal lead information encrypted with a one-way hash algorithm, each message comprising at least one encrypted lead;   storing, with the processor in memory, the received encrypted leads in relation to a log containing activity history with relation to respective encrypted leads;   comparing, with the processor, the encrypted personal lead information of the stored encrypted leads with personal lead information of received encrypted leads;   updating, with the processor, the log of respective encrypted leads responsive to identifying a match between personal lead information of a received and a stored encrypted lead; and   communicating, over the network to a participant that sent the matching encrypted lead, a status based on the updated log related to the matching encrypted lead.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising:
 authenticating a connection between the participant and the lead clearing house server when receiving an encrypted lead from the participant;   wherein respective messages further include unencrypted log information comprising a participant identification as a result of the authentication.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein respective encrypted leads comprise a grouping of at least two items of personal lead information combined together before being encrypted by the one-way hash algorithm. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the status comprises a status selected from the group consisting of:
 a number of times a matching encrypted lead is received by the lead clearing house server;   a date and time a matching encrypted lead is at least one of first captured and first sold; and   the number of times a matching encrypted lead has been re-sold.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the status comprises a validation selected from the group consisting of that:
 an encrypted lead is not a duplicate;   an encrypted lead with a history of being sold at least once has not been converted; and   an encrypted lead is being sold in a location of an address of the encrypted lead.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the status comprises at least one of whether a consumer in possession of an encrypted lead has contacted the person represented by the encrypted lead and the point at which the consumer is in working the encrypted lead. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein each message further includes unencrypted log information selected from the group consisting of:
 a date and time stamp when the lead was captured;   a date and time stamp when the lead was sold or purchased; and   a lead type.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising:
 communicating with a lead exchange to receive therefrom encrypted lead information messages having at least one encrypted lead; and   sending to the lead exchange statuses based on the log corresponding to the at least one encrypted lead.   
     
     
         35 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions for tracking sales leads executable by a computing device having a processor and memory, the computer-readable storage medium comprising:
 instructions to direct the processor to receive messages that include personal lead information encrypted with a one-way hash algorithm, each message comprising at least one encrypted lead;   instructions to direct the processor to store in the memory the received encrypted leads in relation to a log containing activity history with relation to respective encrypted leads;   instructions to direct the processor to compare the encrypted personal lead information of the stored encrypted leads with personal lead information of received encrypted leads;   instructions to direct the processor to update the log of respective encrypted leads responsive to identifying a match between personal lead information of a received and a stored encrypted lead; and   instructions to direct the processor to communicate, over the network to a participant that sent the matching encrypted lead, a status based on the updated log related to the matching encrypted lead.   
     
     
         36 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 35 , further comprising a set of instructions to direct the processor to authenticate a connection between the participant and the lead clearing house server when receiving an encrypted lead from the participant;
 wherein respective messages further include unencrypted log information comprising a participant identification as a result of the authentication.   
     
     
         37 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 35 , wherein respective encrypted leads comprise a grouping of at least two items of personal lead information combined together before being encrypted by the one-way hash algorithm. 
     
     
         38 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 35 , further comprising a set of instructions to direct the processor to:
 communicate with a lead exchange to receive therefrom encrypted lead information messages having at least one encrypted lead; and   send to the lead exchange statuses based on the log corresponding to the at least one encrypted lead.