Computer-implemented hierarchical revenue model to manage revenue allocations among derived product developers in a networked system

1. A computer-implemented method comprising;

storing, in a data storage device by use of a processor in a computer in data communication with the data storage device, a plurality of digital components, each digital component of the plurality of digital components having associated characteristics, the plurality of digital components including, derived digital components that inherit characteristics from ancestor digital components, at least one of the inherited characteristics being revenue values corresponding to each ancestor digital component;

allocating, being performed by the processor, a first revenue value associated with a first digital component, the first digital component being related to a first party;

allocating, being performed by the processor, a second revenue value associated with a second digital component, the second digital component being related to a second party, the second party being different from the first party;

modifying, being performed by the processor, the first digital component to include at least a portion of the second digital component, thereby producing a third digital component, the third digital component being a derived digital component that inherits characteristics of the first and the second digital components, the third digital component inheriting the first revenue value from the first digital component, the third digital component inheriting the second revenue value from the second digital component;

combining, being performed by the processor, the inherited first revenue value with the inherited second revenue value to produce a third revenue value associated with the third digital component;

allocating, being performed by the processor, a first portion of the third revenue value to the first party, the value of the first portion corresponding to the inherited first revenue value; and

allocating, being performed by the processor, a second portion of the third revenue value to the second party, the value of the second portion corresponding to the inherited second revenue value.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second digital component is derived from the first digital component.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first digital component is a parent of the second digital component.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first revenue value is reduced by a pre-determined percentage.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second revenue value is reduced by a pre-determined percentage.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the third revenue value is reduced by a pre-determined percentage.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 further including:

providing a fourth revenue value associated with the third digital component, the fourth revenue value being a retail price associated with the third digital component, the retail price being the third revenue value multiplied by a profit multiplier.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 further including:

providing a fourth revenue value associated with the third digital component, the fourth revenue value being a retail price, wherein the fourth revenue value is computed based on the third revenue value.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein an identity of a parent of the second digital component is specified via a user interface.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second digital component has a plurality of parent digital components.

11. A computer-implemented apparatus comprising:

a processor

a data storage device in data communication with the processor, the data storage device for storing a plurality of digital components, each digital component of the plurality of digital components having associated characteristics, the plurality of digital components including derived digital components that inherit characteristics from ancestor digital components, at least one of the inherited characteristics being revenue values corresponding to each ancestor digital component;

a first processing module, executable by the processor, to allocate a first revenue value associated with a first digital component, the first digital component being related to a first party;

a second processing module, executable by the processor, to allocate a second revenue value associated with a second digital component, the second digital component being related to a second party, the second party being different from the first party;

a third processing module, executable by the processor, to modify the first digital component to include at least a portion of the second digital component, thereby producing a third digital component, the third digital component being a derived digital component that inherits characteristics of the first and the second digital components, the third digital component inheriting the first revenue value from the first digital component, the third digital component inheriting the second revenue value from the second digital component;

the third processing module further to combine the inherited first revenue value with the inherited second revenue value to produce a third revenue value associated with the third digital component, to allocate a first portion of the third revenue value to the first party, the value of the first portion corresponding to the inherited first revenue value, and to allocate a second portion of the third revenue value to the second party, the value of the second portion corresponding to the inherited second revenue value.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the second digital component is derived from the first digital component.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the first digital component is a parent of the second digital component.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the first revenue value is reduced by a pre-determined percentage.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the second revenue value is reduced by a pre-determined percentage.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the third revenue value is reduced by a pre-determined percentage.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 further including:

a fourth processing module to provide a fourth revenue value associated with the third digital component, the fourth revenue value being a retail price associated with the third digital component, the retail price being the third revenue value multiplied by a profit multiplier.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 further including:

a fourth processing module to provide a fourth revenue value associated with the third digital component, the fourth revenue value being a retail price, wherein the fourth revenue value is computed based on the third revenue value.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein an identity of a parent of the second digital component is specified via a user interface.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the second digital component has a plurality of parent digital components.