Systems, methods and computer program products for facilitating display of content within application programs executing on electronic devices

• US 20020004855A1
• Filed: 05/18/2001
• Published: 01/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZAMA Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Ebm/Ip, Llc
• Inventors: Guan, Xiaohu, Cox, Steve, Spitz, David, Gordon, Tom, Thrash, Jay, Borger, Dana, Squire, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 8,843,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/328
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0246 Traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

An application program interface (API) is operably associated with application programs executing on an electronic device and enables the application programs to retrieve, store, and display content. The API enables application programs to communicate with other application programs and to send/retrieve content to/from other application programs. In addition, the API is configured to perform various event accounting functions. A gateway communicates with an electronic device application program via the API and is configured to retrieve content from a content server in response to receiving requests from the application programs. The gateway is configured to serve content retrieved from the content server to the electronic device, as well as to other servers and/or devices. Methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for dynamically selecting advertisements for use within user-requested content wherein the advertisements are stored locally within a user client device.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates the display of content within electronic devices, comprising:

a communications network;

a content server connected to the communications network that is configured to serve content; and

an electronic device configured to communicate via the communications network, comprising;

an application program configured to display content from the content server; and

an application program interface (API) operably available to the application program that enables the application program to retrieve content from the content server via the communications network.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a gateway connected to the communications network, wherein the gateway is configured to communicate with the application program via the API, to retrieve content from the content server in response to requests from the application program, and to serve content to the electronic device.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the gateway is configured to convert a format of content retrieved from the content server into a format compatible with the electronic device.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the content server is configured to serve packages of content units.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the API is configured to specify one or more restrictions on content units in a package.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein a restriction comprises a limitation on one or more of a size and/or number of promotional content units in a package.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein a restriction comprises one or more of a user preference and/or an electronic device preference.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the API comprises storage logic for retrievably storing content within the electronic device.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the API comprises content selection logic for selecting content stored within the electronic device for display by the application program.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the API comprises user response logic for processing user responses to content displayed by the application program.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the user response logic comprises content display logic for displaying content in response to user activation of content.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the API comprises notification logic for notifying a server about content displayed by the application program.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the API comprises notification logic for notifying a server about user interaction with content displayed by the application program.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the content comprises promotional content.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the promotional content comprises content selected from the group consisting of advertisements, electronic coupons, and notifications.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein the content server comprises a promotional content server.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a handheld electronic device.

18. A system that facilitates the display of content within electronic devices, comprising:

a communications network;

a content server connected to the communications network that is configured to serve content; and

an electronic device configured to communicate via the communications network, comprising;

an application program configured to display content from the content server; and

an application program interface (API) operably available to the application program that enables the application program to retrieve content from the content server via the communications network, wherein the API comprises notification logic for notifying a server about content displayed by the application program, and notification logic for notifying a server about user interaction with content displayed by the application program.

19. The system according to claim 18, further comprising a gateway connected to the communications network, wherein the gateway is configured to communicate with the application program via the API, to retrieve content from the content server in response to requests from the application program, and to serve content to the electronic device.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein the gateway is configured to convert a format of content retrieved from the content server into a format compatible with the electronic device.

21. The system according to claim 18, wherein the content server is configured to serve packages of content units.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the API is configured to specify one or more restrictions on content units in a package.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein a restriction comprises a limitation on one or more of a size and/or number of promotional content units in a package.

24. The system according to claim 22, wherein a restriction comprises one or more of a user preference and/or an electronic device preference.

25. The system according to claim 18, wherein the API comprises storage logic for retrievably storing content within the electronic device.

26. The system according to claim 18, wherein the API comprises content selection logic for selecting content stored within the electronic device for display by the application program.

27. The system according to claim 18, wherein the API comprises user response logic for processing user responses to content displayed by the application program.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein the user response logic comprises content display logic for displaying content in response to user activation of content.

29. The system according to claim 18, wherein the content comprises promotional content.

30. The system according to claim 29, wherein the promotional content comprises content selected from the group consisting of advertisements, electronic coupons, and notifications.

31. The system according to claim 18, wherein the content server comprises a promotional content server.

32. The system according to claim 18, wherein the electronic device comprises a handheld electronic device.

33. A method of displaying content within an application program executing within an electronic device, the method comprising the following:

selecting content stored within the electronic device for display by an application program executing on the electronic device;

displaying the selected content within the application program; and

notifying a remotely located content server that the selected content has been displayed.

34. The method according to claim 33, further comprising processing user responses to content displayed by the application program.

35. The method according the claim 34, wherein processing user responses to content comprises displaying content within the application program in response to user activation of the content.

36. The method according the claim 33, further comprising notifying a server about content displayed by the application program.

37. The method according the claim 33, further comprising notifying a server about user interaction with content displayed by the application program.

38. The method according the claim 34, wherein the content comprises promotional content.

39. The method according to claim 35, wherein the promotional content comprises content selected from the group consisting of advertisements, electronic coupons, and notifications.

40. The method according to claim 33, wherein the promotional content server comprises an ad server.

41. A computer program product that facilitates the display of content within electronic devices, the computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer readable program code comprising:

computer readable program code that selects content stored within an electronic device for display by an application program executing on the electronic device;

computer readable program code that displays the selected content within the application program; and

computer readable program code that notifies a remotely located content server that the selected content has been displayed.

42. The computer program code according to claim 41, further comprising computer readable program code that processes user responses to content displayed by the application program.

43. The computer program code according to claim 42, wherein the computer readable program code that processes user responses to content comprises computer readable program code that displays content within the application program in response to user activation of the content.

44. The computer program code according the claim 41, further comprising computer readable program code that notifies a server about content displayed by the application program.

45. The computer program code according the claim 41, further comprising computer readable program code that notifies a server about user interaction with content displayed by the application program.

46. The computer program code according to claim 41, wherein the content comprises promotional content.

47. The computer program code according to claim 46, wherein the promotional content comprises content selected from the group consisting of advertisements, electronic coupons, and notifications.

48. An electronic device, comprising:

an application program executing thereon;

a display;

a plurality of stored content units that are configured to be displayed by the application program within the display; and

an agent in communication with the application program, comprising;

means for requesting a remote content server to select a content unit for insertion within the application program within the display;

means for receiving an identification of a content unit selected by the remote content server;

means for retrieving the selected content unit from the plurality of stored content units; and

means for displaying the retrieved content unit within the application program.

49. The electronic device according to claim 48, wherein the agent further comprises:

means for retrieving content units from remote content servers; and

means for storing retrieved content units within the electronic device.

50. The electronic device according to claim 48, further comprising means for notifying a remote ad server of display of an advertisement within the display.

51. The electronic device according to claim 48, wherein the electronic device is a handheld device.

52. The electronic device according to claim 48, wherein a content unit comprises a promotional content.

53. The electronic device according to claim 52, wherein a promotional content unit comprises content selected from the group consisting of advertisements, electronic coupons, and notifications.

54. An electronic device, comprising:

an application program executing thereon;

a display;

a plurality of stored content unit s that are configured to be displayed by the application program within the display; and

an agent in communication with the application program, comprising;

means for selecting a content unit for insertion within the application program within the display;

means for retrieving the selected content unit from the plurality of stored content units; and

means for inserting the retrieved content unit within the application program.

55. The electronic device according to claim 54, wherein the ad agent further comprises:

means for retrieving advertisements from remote ad servers; and

means for storing retrieved advertisements within the wireless communicator.

56. The electronic device according to claim 54, further comprising means for notifying a remote ad server of display of an advertisement within the display.

57. The electronic device according to claim 54, wherein the electronic device is a handheld device.

58. The electronic device according to claim 54, wherein a content unit comprises a promotional content unit.

59. The electronic device according to claim 54, wherein a promotional content unit comprises content selected from the group consisting of advertisements, electronic coupons, and notifications.

60. A method of providing dynamically selected advertising within content requested by a client device, the method comprising the following performed by the client device:

requesting content from a server;

receiving the requested content and a link to an ad server, wherein the requested content includes a portion designated to receive a dynamically selected advertisement therewithin, and wherein the link is configured to cause the client device to request an advertisement from the ad server;

requesting the ad server to select an advertisement for insertion within the requested content designated portion;

receiving an identification of an advertisement selected by the ad server;

retrieving the selected advertisement from within the client device; and

displaying the requested content and selected advertisement via a display of the client device.

61. The method according to claim 60, wherein requesting content from a server is preceded by:

retrieving one or more advertisements from an ad server; and

storing the retrieved one or more advertisements within the client device.

62. The method according to claim 60, wherein the content is a Web page.

63. The method according to claim 60, wherein displaying the requested content and selected advertisement is followed by notifying the ad server of usage of the selected advertisement.

64. The method according to claim 60, wherein the client device is a handheld device.

65. A method of providing dynamically selected advertising within content requested by a client device, the method comprising the following steps performed by the client device:

requesting content from a server;

receiving the requested content and a link to an ad server, wherein the requested content includes a portion designated to receive a dynamically selected advertisement therewithin, and wherein the link is configured to cause the client device to request an advertisement from the ad server;

redirecting a request to the ad server to an ad agent executing on the client device, wherein the ad agent is configured to dynamically select an advertisement for display within the requested content;

selecting an advertisement for display within the requested content from within the client device; and

displaying the requested content and selected advertisement via a display of the client device.

66. The method according to claim 65, wherein requesting content from a server is preceded by:

retrieving one or more advertisements from an ad server; and

storing the retrieved one or more advertisements within the client device.

67. The method according to claim 65, wherein the content is a Web page.

68. The method according to claim 65, wherein displaying the requested content and selected advertisement is followed by notifying the ad server of usage of the selected advertisement.

69. The method according to claim 65, wherein the client device is a handheld device.

70. A client device, comprising:

a Web browser;

a display;

a plurality of stored advertisements that are configured to be displayed by the Web browser within the display; and

an ad agent in communication with the Web browser, comprising;

means for requesting a remote ad server to select an advertisement for insertion within content displayed by the Web browser within the display;

means for receiving an identification of an advertisement selected by the remote ad server;

means for retrieving the selected advertisement from the plurality of stored advertisements; and

means for inserting the retrieved advertisement within content displayed by the Web browser via the display.

71. The client device according to claim 70, wherein the ad agent further comprises:

means for retrieving advertisements from remote ad servers; and

means for storing retrieved advertisements within the client device.

72. The client device according to claim 70, further comprising means for notifying a remote ad server of display of an advertisement within the display.

73. The client device according to claim 70, wherein the client device is a handheld device.

74. A client device, comprising:

a Web browser;

a display;

a plurality of stored advertisements that are configured to be displayed by the Web browser within the display; and

an ad agent in communication with the Web browser, comprising;

means for selecting an advertisement for insertion within content displayed by the Web browser within the display;

means for retrieving the selected advertisement from the plurality of stored advertisements; and

means for inserting the retrieved advertisement within content displayed by the Web browser via the display.

75. The client device according to claim 74, wherein the ad agent further comprises:

means for retrieving advertisements from remote ad servers; and

means for storing retrieved advertisements within the client device.

76. The client device according to claim 74, further comprising means for notifying a remote ad server of display of an advertisement within the display.

77. The client device according to claim 74, wherein the client device is a handheld device.

78. A computer program product that provides dynamically selected advertising within content requested by a client device, the computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer readable program code comprising:

computer readable program code that requests content from a server;

computer readable program code that receives the requested content and a link to an ad server, wherein the requested content includes a portion designated to receive a dynamically selected advertisement therewithin, and wherein the link is configured to cause the client device to request an advertisement from the ad server;

computer readable program code that requests the ad server to select an advertisement for insertion within the requested content designated portion;

computer readable program code that receives an identification of an advertisement selected by the ad server;

computer readable program code that retrieves the selected advertisement from within the client device; and

computer readable program code that displays the requested content and selected advertisement via a display of the client device.

79. The computer program product according to claim 78, further comprising:

computer readable program code that retrieves one or more advertisements from an ad server; and

computer readable program code that stores the retrieved one or more advertisements within the client device.

80. The computer program product according to claim 78, wherein the content is a Web page.

81. The computer program product according to claim 78, further comprising computer readable program code that notifies the ad server of usage of the selected advertisement.

82. The computer program product according to claim 78, wherein the client device is a handheld device.

83. A computer program product that provides dynamically selected advertising within content requested by a client device, the computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer readable program code comprising:

computer readable program code that requests content from a server;

computer readable program code that receives the requested content and a link to an ad server, wherein the requested content includes a portion designated to receive a dynamically selected advertisement therewithin, and wherein the link is configured to cause the client device to request an advertisement from the ad server;

computer readable program code that redirects a request to the ad server to an ad agent executing on the client device, wherein the ad agent is configured to dynamically select an advertisement for display within the requested content;

computer readable program code that selects an advertisement for display within the requested content from within the client device; and

computer readable program code that displays the requested content and selected advertisement via a display of the client device.

84. The computer program product according to claim 83, further comprising:

computer readable program code that retrieves one or more advertisements from an ad server; and

computer readable program code that stores the retrieved one or more advertisements within the client device.

85. The computer program product according to claim 83, wherein the content is a Web page.

86. The computer program product according to claim 83, further comprising computer readable program code that notifies the ad server of usage of the selected advertisement.

87. The computer program product according to claim 83, wherein the client device is a handheld device.