Electronic property viewing system for providing virtual tours via a public ...

1. A method in a computer system for providing an electronic template for inputting and providing a virtual tour of one or more real property units over a public communications network, comprising the following steps:

a. making available to one or more affiliates independent from the computer system via the public communications network, a virtual tour template on one or more memory areas, said virtual tour template providing a framework for said one or more affiliates to directly input photographs and a data set to create a virtual tour of a real property unit;

b. receiving from the one or more affiliates via the public communications network, at least one movable photograph of part or all of the real property unit and storing the at leas one movable photograph in one or more memory areas such that it is available to be retrieved by the virtual tour template and thereby included as part of the virtual tour;

c. receiving from the one or more affiliates via the public communications network, the data set corresponding to the movable photograph, and storing the data set in the one or more memory areas such that it is available to be retrieved by the virtual tour template and thereby included as part of the virtual tour; and

d. making available to one or more clients via the public communications network, the virtual tour utilizing the at least one movable photograph and the data set in the virtual tour template.

2. A method in a computer system for providing an electronic template as recited in claim 1, and further the virtual tour is made available via the public communications network, as a link from a website of the one or more affiliates.

3. A method in a computer system for providing an electronic template as recited in claim 2, and further comprising the steps of returning the one or more clients viewing the virtual tour to the website of the one or more affiliates upon conclusion of the virtual tour.

4. A method in a computer system as recited in claim 1, and further comprising the following steps:

a. receiving from the one or more affiliates independent from the computer system via the public communications network at least one still photograph of the real property unit, and storing the at least one still photograph in the one or more memory areas such that the still photograph is available to be included in the virtual tour; and

b. making available to one or more clients via the public communications network, the virtual tour which also includes the at least one still photograph in the virtual tour template as part of the virtual tour.

5. A method in a computer system as recited in claim 4, and further comprising the steps of providing a brochure template of the real property unit on the one or more memory areas, the brochure template utilizing the at least one still photograph and data from the first data set, to create an electronic real property unit brochure.

6. A method in a computer system as recited in claim 1, and further wherein the at least one movable photograph is stored in one or more memory areas such that it is available to be dynamically retrieved by the virtual tour template and thereby included as part of the virtual tour.

7. A method in a computer system for providing an electronic template for inputting and providing a virtual tour of one or more real property units over a public communications network, comprising the following steps:

a. making available to one or more affiliates independent from the computer system via the public communications network, a virtual tour template on one or more memory areas, said virtual tour template providing a framework for affiliates to directly input photographs and a data set to create a virtual tour of a real property unit;

b. said virtual tour template giving the one or more affiliates the option to directly input a movable photograph having a three hundred sixty degree range and a movable photograph having less than a three hundred sixty degree range;

c. receiving from the one or more affiliates via the public communications network, at least one movable photograph of part or all of the real property unit, and storing the at least one movable photograph in one or more memory areas such that it is available to be retrieved by the virtual tour template and thereby included as part of the virtual tour;

d. receiving from the one or more affiliates via the public communications network, the data set corresponding to the movable photograph, and storing the data set in the one or more memory areas such that it is available to be retrieved by the virtual tour template and thereby included as part of the virtual tour; and

e. making available to one or more clients via the public communications network, the virtual tour utilizing the at least one movable photograph and the data set in the virtual tour template.

8. A method in a computer system for providing an electronic template for inputting and providing a virtual tour of one or more real property units over a public communications network, as recited in claim 7, and wherein the virtual tour template additionally gives the affiliate the option of directly inputting a still photograph.

9. A method in a computer system as recited in claim 7, and further wherein the at least one movable photograph is stored in one or more memory areas such that it is available to be dynamically retrieved by the virtual tour template and thereby included as part of the virtual tour.

10. A method in a computer system as recited in claim 7, and further wherein the data set in the one or more memory areas is stored in one or more memory areas such that it is available to be dynamically retrieved by the virtual tour template and thereby included as part of the virtual tour.

11. A method in a computer system as recited in claim 7, and further wherein the virtual tour dynamically utilizes the at least one movable photograph and the data set in the virtual tour template.

12. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system, for providing an electronic template for inputting and providing a virtual tour of one or more real property units over a public communications network, comprising the following steps:

a. making available to one or more affiliates independent from the computer system via the public communications network, a virtual tour template on one or more memory areas, said virtual tour template providing a framework for the one or more affiliates to directly input photographs and a data set to create a virtual tour of a real property unit;

b. receiving from the one or more affiliates via the public communications network, at least one movable photograph of part or all of the real property unit, and storing the at least one movable photograph in one or more memory areas such that it is available to be retrieved by the virtual tour template and thereby included as part of the virtual tour;

c. receiving from the one or more affiliates via the public communications network, the data set corresponding to the movable photograph, and storing the data set in the one or more memory areas such that it is available to be retrieved by the virtual tour template and thereby included as part of the virtual tour; and

d. making available to one or more clients via the public communications network, the virtual tour utilizing the at least one movable photograph and the data set in the virtual tour template.

13. A method in a computer system for displaying an affiliate input system to enable an affiliate independent from the computer system to input via a public communications network, at least one movable photograph and at least one data set pertaining to the at least one movable photograph, into a real property unit virtual tour template, to create or edit a dynamic virtual tour of the real property unit, comprising the following steps:

a. providing a set of computer readable instructions providing the dynamic virtual tour of the real property unit, which includes the affiliate input system;

b. displaying a login screen for the entry of data to enable the affiliate to access the affiliate input system;

c. displaying a data set input template which allows the affiliate to enter a data set pertaining to the real property unit such that the data set is made available for use in the dynamic virtual tour;

d. displaying a photograph input template which allows the affiliate to directly upload at least one movable photograph, such that the photographs are available for use in the dynamic virtual tour; and

e. making available for display to a client via the public communications network, a display of the virtual tour which includes part or all of the data set and includes the at least one movable photograph.

14. A method in a computer system as recited in claim 13, and only wherein the displaying of the data input template and the displaying of the photograph input window are contained on the same screen display.