System and method of displaying comparative advertising on the internet
First Claim
1. In combination, a method of displaying a plurality of electronic files and a means for minimizing the latency period caused by successive server round trips, comprising:
- providing said plurality of electronic files, consisting of written documents, photographs, movies, spreadsheets, database reports, or any other electronic file that conveys information, in a database, such as a vendor database, providing a marquee category file consisting of a plurality of phrases each associated with one of the plurality of electronic files;
a first means of displaying on an electronic screen a first display, or marquee display, displaying said marquee category file so that said plurality of phrases move so that more than can fit within said marquee display can be viewed;
a second means of indicating any one of the plurality of phrases in the marquee display;
a third means of presenting on said electronic screen a second display, or grid display, for the presentation of any one of the plurality of electronic files selected by said means of indicating any of the plurality of phrases in the marquee display;
a fourth means of presenting in said grid display, in a comparison format, the information in any one of the plurality of electronic files; and
a fifth means of minimizing the experience of successive server round trips when the means of indicating any one of the plurality of phrases in the marquee display results in the electronic file being presented on the electronic screen by any method, such as using threads of a Java applet, whereby a person can review listings of information, such as categories of internal company or government entity phone numbers, or desired products or services on a common local area network or on the Internet without leaving the home page of any Web site that uses the present method and minimizing the experience of the latency periods subsequent to the first round trip, and whereby a Web site can provide either a free or a fee based listing service that is a business directory for all products and services, like a yellow pages on the Internet with the additional function of being able to sort listings and display them either in a non-comparison or in a comparison format.
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Abstract
A novel system and method is provided for displaying files over a local area network or over the Internet. It is appropriate for displaying either hierarchical information or comparative information either within a company or government entity or within vertical markets. The method includes the steps of defining headings for either non-comparative information or comparative information within any company or government entity or within any vertical market, listing either hierarchical information or the products or services of vendors in a vertical market, including vendors that do not have a Web presence, allowing vendors to enter the information defined by the headings, allowing vendors to enter descriptions differentiating products or services in their market, allowing clients to research products or services, and providing a means of soliciting products or services not listed. The step of displaying files eliminates the wait for successive server round trips after the first server round trip, saving client time. The method includes displaying the files on the home page, preventing client confusion.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. In combination, a method of displaying a plurality of electronic files and a means for minimizing the latency period caused by successive server round trips, comprising:
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providing said plurality of electronic files, consisting of written documents, photographs, movies, spreadsheets, database reports, or any other electronic file that conveys information, in a database, such as a vendor database, providing a marquee category file consisting of a plurality of phrases each associated with one of the plurality of electronic files;
a first means of displaying on an electronic screen a first display, or marquee display, displaying said marquee category file so that said plurality of phrases move so that more than can fit within said marquee display can be viewed;
a second means of indicating any one of the plurality of phrases in the marquee display;
a third means of presenting on said electronic screen a second display, or grid display, for the presentation of any one of the plurality of electronic files selected by said means of indicating any of the plurality of phrases in the marquee display;
a fourth means of presenting in said grid display, in a comparison format, the information in any one of the plurality of electronic files; and
a fifth means of minimizing the experience of successive server round trips when the means of indicating any one of the plurality of phrases in the marquee display results in the electronic file being presented on the electronic screen by any method, such as using threads of a Java applet, whereby a person can review listings of information, such as categories of internal company or government entity phone numbers, or desired products or services on a common local area network or on the Internet without leaving the home page of any Web site that uses the present method and minimizing the experience of the latency periods subsequent to the first round trip, and whereby a Web site can provide either a free or a fee based listing service that is a business directory for all products and services, like a yellow pages on the Internet with the additional function of being able to sort listings and display them either in a non-comparison or in a comparison format. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A system of displaying a plurality of electronic files, comprising:
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a vendor database including information storage means for storing said plurality of electronic files, consisting of written documents, photographs, movies, spreadsheets, database reports, or any other electronic file that conveys information;
a marquee category file consisting of a plurality of phrases each associated with one of said plurality of electronic files;
a first display, or marquee display, displaying said marquee category file on an electronic screen so that said plurality of phrases move so that more than can fit within said marquee display can be viewed;
a means of indicating any one of the plurality of phrases in the marquee display;
a second display, or grid display, for the presentation in a comparison format any one of said plurality of electronic files selected by said means of indicating any one of the plurality of phrases in the marquee display; and
a means of presenting in said grid display, in a comparison format, the information in any one of said multiplicity of electronic files, whereby a person can review listings of information, such as categories of internal company of government entity phone numbers, or desired products or services on a common local area network or on the Internet without leaving the home page of any Web site that uses the present system. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification