SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING DESKTOP MESSAGING AND END-USER PROFILING

• US 20090144362A1
• Filed: 11/26/2008
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: David E. Richmond, Evan P. Richmond, Leonard R. Richmond
• Original Assignee: David E. Richmond, Evan P. Richmond, Leonard R. Richmond
• Inventors: Richmond, Leonard R., Richmond, David E., Richmond, Evan P.
• Application Number:
  US12/324,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20090144362A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

This application relates to systems and methods for providing desktop messaging and end-user profiling in a computer environment. Generally, implementation includes delivering imaged-based content (including advertisements) and/or multi-media messages to an end-user on a periodic basis. In some cases, the content is conveyed from a server software application to a client device via a conduit that does not use an Internet browser, RSS, XML, Javascripts, ActiveX, or an e-mail client. As the end-user reads or otherwise interacts with the software application on a client machine, software on the machine collects profile information from the end-user. This profile information is used to target additional content for the particular end-user.

Claims

1. A computer program product for implementing within a computer system a method for providing a desktop messenger and profiling system, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium for providing computer program code means utilized to implement the method, wherein the computer program code means is comprised of executable code for;

assigning a unique identity code to an end-user;

using a communication conduit to convey content from a server to a client machine;

displaying the content on the client machine;

tracking end-user profile information on the client machine;

correlating the profile information with the unique identity code to create an end-user profile; and

targeting updated content to the end-user based on the end-user profile.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the content comprises imaged-based content.

3. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the image-based content is shown on the client computer in a content display window comprising a composite of images.

4. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the image-based content is mapped for hyperlinks.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising updating the content through the use of a pull technology.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein the updating comprises:

using the client machine to retrieve a configuration file comprising a reported file size and a reported alpha-numeric code of an update file;

retrieving the update file; and

comparing the reported file size and the reported alpha-numeric code with an actual file size and an actual alpha-numeric code of the update file.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the content is automatically displayed on the client machine as a content display window and as a top layer on a desktop environment, at a pre-determined time.

8. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the updating process pre-downloads the content before allowing the end-user to select the content.

9. A computer program product for implementing within a computer system a method for providing a desktop messenger and profiling system, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium for providing computer program code means utilized to implement the method, wherein the computer program code means is comprised of executable code for;

assigning a unique identity code to an end-user when an account is set up on a client machine;

using a communication conduit to convey image-based content from a server to the client machine;

displaying the image-based content on the client machine as a content display window;

using client software on the client machine to track end-user profile information on the client machine;

reporting the profile information to a server software application;

correlating the profile information with the unique identity code to create an end-user profile; and

making available, for retrieval by the client machine, update content that is targeted to the end-user based on the end-user profile.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the content display is automatically displayed on the client machine as a top window layer on a desktop environment, at a pre-determined time.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising updating the content, wherein the updating comprises:

using the client machine to retrieve a configuration file comprising a reported file size and a reported alpha-numeric code of an update file;

retrieving the update file; and

comparing the reported file size and the reported alpha-numeric code with an actual file size and an actual alpha-numeric code of the update file.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the image-based content is mapped for hyperlinks.

13. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the content display window comprises a composite of image-based content.

14. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the profile information is selected from contextual profile information, temporal profile information, behavioral profile information, biographical profile information, and geographical profile information.

15. A method for providing desktop messaging and end-user profiling in a computer environment, the method comprising:

assigning a unique identity code to an end-user;

using a communication conduit to convey content from a server to a client machine;

displaying the content on the client machine;

tracking end-user profile information on the client machine;

correlating the profile information with the unique identity code to create an end-user profile; and

targeting updated content to the end-user based on the end-user profile.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the content comprises imaged-based content.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the image-based content is shown on the client computer in a content display window comprising a composite of images.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the image-based content is mapped for hyperlinks.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the content is automatically displayed on the client machine as a content display window and as a top layer on a desktop environment, at a pre-determined time.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising updating the content, wherein the updating comprises:

using the client machine to retrieve a configuration file comprising a reported file size and a reported alpha-numeric code of an update file;

retrieving the update file; and

comparing the reported file size and the reported alpha-numeric code with an actual file size and an actual alpha-numeric code of the update file.