METHOD FOR DISTRIBUTING ADVERTISEMENTS TO CLIENT DEVICES HAVING E-MAIL SOFTWARE INSTALLED INCLUDING MULTIPLE ADVERTISEMENT OPERATIONAL MODES
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Abstract
Software for use on a client device that is configured for communications via a communications network instantiates a communications function that effects an advertisement download communication link between the client device and an advertisement distribution server system via the communications network, at selected advertisement download times, an advertisement download function that downloads advertisements identified in a playlist(s) generated by at least one playlist server, via the advertisement download communication link, at the selected advertisement download times, an advertisement storage function for storing the downloaded advertisements on a storage medium associated with the client device, and an advertisement display function that effects display of at least selected ones of the stored advertisements.
116 Citations
98 Claims
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1-53. -53. (canceled)
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55. A method for use on a client device that is configured for communications via a communication network, comprising:
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a communication function that effects an advertisement download communication link between the client device and an advertisement distribution server system via the communications network, at selected advertisement download times;
an advertisement download function that downloads advertisements from the advertisement distribution server system via the advertisement download communication link;
an advertisement storage function for storing downloaded advertisements on a storage medium associated with the client device;
an advertisement display function that effects display of one or more selected ones of the stored advertisements, wherein the software includes at least two operating modes, including a first operating mode in which the advertisement download function is activated, and a second operating mode in which the advertisement download function is not activated;
a play list function that;
specifies a complete set of advertisements the client should have along with parameters for displaying those advertisements;
assists in determining what advertisements are to be shown for a particular user class as well as transmitting particular advertisement parameters; and
wherein advertisements comprise advertisement files each of which includes an advertisement and a plurality of ad display parameters associated with that advertisement and wherein the advertisement display function displays the stored advertisement according to the ad display parameters; and
wherein the ad display parameters include, for each of the plurality of stored advertisements the following parameters;
a maximum face time that the associated advertisement is to be displayed wherein the face time comprises a time period during which a prescribed minimum level of user activity occurs;
a maximum cumulative face time that the associated advertisement is to be displayed;
the maximum number of times per day that the associated advertisement is to be displayed;
a start date/time before which the associated advertisement should not be displayed; and
an end date/time after which the associated advertisement should not be displayed. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76)
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77. A computer-readable medium on which is stored a computer program comprising computer instructions for use on a client device that is configured for communications via a communication network, comprising:
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a communication function that effects an advertisement download communication link between the client device and an advertisement distribution server system via the communications network, at selected advertisement download times;
an advertisement download function that downloads advertisements from the advertisement distribution server system via the advertisement download communication link;
an advertisement storage function for storing downloaded advertisements on a storage medium associated with the client device;
an advertisement display function that effects display of one or more selected ones of the stored advertisements, wherein the software includes at least two operating modes, including a first operating mode in which the advertisement download function is activated, and a second operating mode in which the advertisement download function is not activated;
a play list function that;
specifies a complete set of advertisements the client should have along with parameters for displaying those advertisements;
assists in determining what advertisements are to be shown for a particular user class as well as transmitting particular advertisement parameters; and
wherein advertisements comprise advertisement files each of which includes an advertisement and a plurality of ad display parameters associated with that advertisement and wherein the advertisement display function displays the stored advertisement according to the ad display parameters; and
wherein the ad display parameters include, for each of the plurality of stored advertisements the following parameters;
a maximum face time that the associated advertisement is to be displayed wherein the face time comprises a time period during which a prescribed minimum level of user activity occurs;
a maximum cumulative face time that the associated advertisement is to be displayed;
the maximum number of times per day that the associated advertisement is to be displayed;
a start date/time before which the associated advertisement should not be displayed; and
an end date/time after which the associated advertisement should not be displayed. - View Dependent Claims (78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98)
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92. The computer readable medium of 91, wherein the adware nag window comprises a modeless window.
Specification