System for and method of interactive screen savers

• US 20030052928A1
• Filed: 09/14/2001
• Published: 03/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Williams, Bruce G.
• Application Number:
  US09/953,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20030052928A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/867
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system for and a method of enabling screen saver programs to establish a communications link to a remote server upon utilization. In addition, the present invention comprises, within the screen saver images, selectable portions, that when selected, connect the computer user to a corresponding internet site through a web server. This selection is typically performed through movement of a mouse or similar tracking device and selection of the selectable area.

Claims

1. A system including an interactive screen saver comprising:

a remote server; and

a computer having control over a screen saver program, said computer configured to initiate said screen saver program in response to a lack of user input for a predetermined period of time, said screen saver program configured to;

display a screen saver image, having a selectable portion, and

establish a communication link with said remote server upon an initialization of said screen saver program.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said screen saver program is configured to transmit information to said server upon selection of said selectable portion of said screen saver image.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said transmitted information pertaining to said selectable portion of screen saver images.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said selectable portion of said screen saver image is affiliated with a website.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said communication link is at least a portion of an internet.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer includes a keyboard and wherein a depression of a key on said keyboard terminates an initiated screen saver program.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer includes a pointing device and wherein a movement of said pointing device does not terminate an initiated screen saver program.

8. A method of advertising, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying a screen saver image on a computer monitor said image with a selectable portion, said displaying initiated in response to a lack of user input for a predetermined period of time;

receiving an input from a pointing device where a cursor associated with said pointing device is located on said selectable portion and a selected button is depressed which said cursor is so positioned; and

connecting said computer displaying said screen saver image to a web site associated with said selectable portion, in response to received ones of said inputs.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of:

updating certain portions of said displayed image from information sent from said connected web site.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

recording identifying information in response to receiving said input.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein said screen saver image is displayed by a screen saver program.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

updating at least a portion of said screen saver image from a connection with said web site.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein a screen saver program is terminated when a key depression is received from a keyboard.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein said images are stored in a database and wherein said database is accessible by a server at said connected web site.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said server can be accessed by a client and wherein said access is used to update at least a portion of said images on said database.

16. A method of connecting to a web server, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying a screen saver image on a computer monitor in response to a lack of user input for a predetermined period of time;

including within said screen saver selectable images and associated web addresses;

monitoring said selectable images for a selection; and

responding to a selection by connecting said computer to the web address associated with said selection.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of:

communicating information corresponding to said selection of said selectable image via electronic means to said associated web address.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of:

updating a database of said screen saver images, said updating occurring which said computer is connected to said web address.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

tracking the number of selections of selectable images identified; and

correlating the number of selections to a number of entries in a giveaway program.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

storing user specific information in a statistical database; and

targeting marketing by using said specific information.