Dynamic document context mark-up technique implemented over a computer network

• US 20020120505A1
• Filed: 08/29/2001
• Published: 08/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amobee, Inc. (Nexxen International Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Ezula, Inc.
• Inventors: Vitos, Henit, Friedman, Benny, Henkin, Assaf, Shaham, Yoav
• Granted Patent: US 7,451,099 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

A technique is disclosed for generating markup information to be displayed on a client computer system. The client system includes memory configured to store at least one update file which comprises keyword information relating to keywords suitable for markup. In one implementation, the update file is generated at a remote server system and downloaded to the client system. When a new document (e.g. a web page) is displayed on the client system to an end user, selected context associated from the document is analyzed for selected keywords. In a specific implementation, the selected keyword information is provided by an entity other than the end user. Using the selected keyword information, specific context in the document is selected to be marked up. According to a specific embodiment, the selection of the document context to be marked up may be performed at the client system. Markup operations are then implemented at the client system on at least a portion of the selected document context, thereby resulting in marked up document context which has a visual appearance that is different than the appearance of the initial parsed context. Additionally, a pop-up advertisement may be automatically displayed on the client system based upon the identified context in the document. When the user clicks on a portion of the marked up document context, the user may be redirected to a target URL which was not included as part of the initial parsed document context. Alternatively, a pop-up window or layer which includes a plurality of different links may be displayed to the user.

Claims

1. A method for implementing an information distribution campaign to end users of a data network, the data network including at least one server system associated with a campaign provider, and including at least one client system associated with an end user, the method comprising:

selecting keywords relating a first information distribution campaign;

generating campaign information files which include the selected keywords;

transmitting the campaign information files to the client system;

selecting, at the client system, using the campaign information, specific context of a first document to be marked up, wherein at least a portion of the first document is displayed on the client system; and

performing, at the client computer system, markup operations on at least a portion of said selected specific context.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the first document is stored locally at the client system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first information distribution campaign corresponds to an advertising campaign associated with a first advertiser.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the selection of the keywords is performed by the first advertiser.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising charging the first advertiser for clicks that the user has performed on keywords which were marked up on the client system.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the first advertiser is charged on a cost-per-click basis.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the markup operations result in marked up document context which has a visual appearance that different than its initial parsed appearance.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the marked up document context includes a link based on information included in the at least one update file.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the marked up document context corresponds to keywords selected by a campaign provider.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the marked up document context corresponds to keywords selected by an advertiser.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first document corresponds to a web page retrieved from a web site.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the first document corresponds to a frame in a web page retrieved from a web site.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying at least a portion of the first document to the end user via a browser application.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the generating of the campaign information files is implemented at the server system.

15. A computer program product, the computer program product including a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein, the computer readable code comprising computer code for implementing the method of claim 1.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein at least a portion of the first document is stored locally at the client system.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the first information distribution campaign corresponds to an advertising campaign associated with a first advertiser.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the selection of the keywords is performed by the first advertiser.

20. The system of claim 18 being further configured or designed to charge the first advertiser for clicks that the user has performed on keywords which were marked up on the client system.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the first advertiser is charged on a cost-per-click basis.

22. The system of claim 16 wherein the markup operations result in marked up document context which has a visual appearance that different than its initial parsed appearance.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the marked up document context includes a link based on information included in the at least one update file.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the marked up document context corresponds to keywords selected by a campaign provider.

25. The system of claim 22 wherein the marked up document context corresponds to keywords selected by an advertiser.

26. The system of claim 16 wherein the first document corresponds to a web page retrieved from a web site.

27. The system of claim 16 wherein the first document corresponds to a frame in a web page retrieved from a web site.

28. The system of claim 16 being further configured or designed to display at least a portion of the first document to the end user via a browser application.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the determining of the estimated available click inventory is implemented at the server system.

31. The method of claim 29 further comprising calculating a projected number of clicks associated with each of the selected keywords, based upon the information relating to the first campaign time period.

32. The method of claim 29 further comprising receiving a third portion of information from the first information distributor relating to desired entities selected for use in distributing information relating to the first information distribution campaign;

and

determining an estimated available click inventory for the first information distribution campaign using at least one of said first, second, and third portions of information.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the desired entities include publishers.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein the desired entities include distributors.

35. The method of claim 29 wherein the first information distribution campaign corresponds to an advertising campaign, and wherein the first information distributor corresponds to an advertiser.

36. A computer program product, the computer program product including a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein, the computer readable code comprising computer code for implementing the method of claim 29.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the determining of the estimated available click inventory is implemented at the server system.

39. The system of claim 37 being further configured or designed to calculate a projected number of clicks associated with each of the selected keywords, based upon the information relating to the first campaign time period.

40. The system of claim 37 being further configured or designed to receive a third portion of information from the first information distributor relating to desired entities selected for use in distributing information relating to the first information distribution campaign;

and

the system being further configured or designed to determine an estimated available click inventory for the first information distribution campaign using at least one of said first, second, and third portions of information.

41. The system of claim 40 wherein the desired entities include publishers.

42. The system of claim 40 wherein the desired entities include distributors.

43. The system of claim 37 wherein the first information distribution campaign corresponds to an advertising campaign, and wherein the first information distributor corresponds to an advertiser.

16. A system for implementing an information distribution campaign to end users of a data network, the system comprising:

at least one server system associated with a campaign provider; and

at least one client system associated with an end user;

the server system being configured or designed to allow selection of keywords relating a first information distribution campaign;

the server system being further configured or designed to generate campaign information files which include the selected keywords;

the server system being further configured or designed to transmit the campaign information files to the client system;

the client system being configured or designed to select, using the campaign information, specific context of a first document to be marked up, wherein at least a portion of the first document is displayed on the client system; and

the client system being further configured or designed to perform, markup operations on at least a portion of said selected specific context.

29. A method for implementing an on-line information distribution to end users of a data network, the data network including at least one server system associated with a campaign provider, and including at least one client system associated with an end user, the method comprising:

receiving a first portion of information from a first information distributor relating to selected keywords which the first information distributor desires to use in a first information distribution campaign;

receiving a second portion of information from the first information distributor relating to a time period for implementing the first campaign; and

determining an estimated available click inventory for the first information distribution campaign using said first and second portions of information.

37. A system for implementing an on-line information distribution to end users of a data network, the data network including at least one server system associated with a campaign provider, and including at least one client system associated with an end user, the system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one interface configured or designed to provide a communication link to at least one other network device in the data network; and

memory;

the system being configured or designed to receive a first portion of information from a first information distributor relating to selected keywords which the first information distributor desires to use in a first information distribution campaign;

the system being further configured or designed to receive a second portion of information from the first information distributor relating to a time period for implementing the first campaign; and

the system being further configured or designed to determine an estimated available click inventory for the first information distribution campaign using said first and second portions of information.