Dynamically modifying the display of a computing device to provide advertisements

• US 20060183467A1
• Filed: 04/11/2006
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brett B. Stewart
• Original Assignee: Brett B. Stewart
• Inventors: Stewart, Brett B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,840,689 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.300
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0295 Proximity-based methods, e.g. position inferred from reception of particular signals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices

Abstract

A geographic-based communications service system has a mobile unit for transmitting/receiving information, and access points connected to a network. The access points are arranged in a known geographic locations and transmit and receive information from the mobile unit. When one of the access points detects the presence of the mobile unit, it sends a signal to the network indicating the location of the mobile unit and the information requested by the mobile unit. Based on the signal received from the access point, the network communicates with information providers connected to the network and provides data to the mobile unit through the access point corresponding to the location of the mobile unit.

Claims

1-169. -169. (canceled)

170. A method, comprising:

identifying a connection of a client device to a wireless access point; and

causing an appearance of a screen presented on the client device to be modified to reflect a brand associated with a provider of the wireless access point.

171. The method of claim 170 wherein causing the appearance of the screen presented on the client device to be modified comprises:

combining content to be displayed in a browser window with features associated with the brand of the provider of the wireless access point.

172. The method of claim 171 wherein the features comprise at least one of a toolbar, a tool palate, a background of the screen, and a logo of the provider of the wireless access point.

173. The method of claim 170 further comprising:

receiving data specifying the features associated with the brand of the provider of the wireless access point.

174. The method of claim 170 wherein identifying the connection of the client device to the wireless access point comprises:

receiving an identifier of the wireless access point.

175. The method of claim 170 wherein the wireless access point provides Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) Internet access to a user of the client device.

176. The method of claim 175 wherein the WiFi Internet access is provided to the user free of charge in exchange to a user consent to receive ads.

177. The method of claim 170 further comprising:

displaying advertisements relating to the provider of the wireless access point on the screen of the client device.

178. A method comprising:

displaying, in a browser window on a client device, features associated with a brand of a provider of a first wireless access point;

detecting that the client device has switched from the first wireless access point to a second wireless access point; and

dynamically modifying the features associated with the brand of the provider of the first wireless access point with features associated with a brand of a provider of the second wireless access point.

179. The method of claim 178 wherein the features comprise at least one of a toolbar, a tool palate, a background of the screen, and a logo of the provider of the wireless access point.

180. The method of claim 178 wherein each of the first and second wireless access points provides Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) Internet access to a user of the client device.

181. The method of claim 180 wherein the WiFi Internet access is provided to the user free of charge in exchange to a user consent to receive ads.

182. The method of claim 178 further comprising:

dynamically replacing in the browser window advertisements relating to the provider of the first wireless access point with advertisements relating to the provider of the second wireless access point.

183. An apparatus comprising:

means for displaying, in a browser window on a client device, features associated with a brand of a provider of a first wireless access point;

means for detecting that the client device has switched from the first wireless access point to a second wireless access point; and

means for dynamically modifying the features associated with the brand of the provider of the first wireless access point with features associated with a brand of a provider of the second wireless access point.

184. A computer readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed on a processing system, cause the processing system to perform a method comprising:

identifying a connection of a client device to a wireless access point; and

causing an appearance of a screen presented on the client device to be modified to reflect a brand associated with a provider of the wireless access point.

185. A computer readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed on a processing system, cause the processing system to perform a method comprising:

displaying, in a browser window on a client device, features associated with a brand of a provider of a first wireless access point;

detecting that the client device has switched from the first wireless access point to a second wireless access point; and

dynamically modifying the features associated with the brand of the provider of the first wireless access point with features associated with a brand of a provider of the second wireless access point.