System and method of consistent internet web site banners that provide portal-like functionality

• US 20090164317A1
• Filed: 12/05/2008
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NZCH Corp.
• Original Assignee: NZCH Corp.
• Inventors: Glazer, Avram
• Granted Patent: US 9,369,534 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.520
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

In a continual and integrated approach to Internet banner display rights, a party acquires long-term banner display rights on published web sites of other entities, in a manner so as to ensure full and continual control over the content, look and functionality of the acquired banner space. A variety of different forms of compensation can be provided to the entities which publish the web sites, in exchange for the acquisition of the banner space. The Internet banner is multifunctional, utilizing menus, links and similar user interface items, to operate as a portal to a variety of informational content and services, such as e-commerce, search engines, and the like. These services might be provided by the party which owns the banner space, or by third parties. The banners which appear in the spaces acquired from multiple publishing sites are organized into a networked system, to provide users with integrated and consistent access to the available services. The entity which provides the content and services through the banners can enter into arrangements with end users, to provide incentives for users to access the banners as well as enhance the users'"'"' experience.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

36. The method of claim 13 wherein said rights are perpetual in nature.

14. (canceled)

35. The method of claim 14 wherein said publishing step includes publishing a plurality of different files that contain content relating to different respective topics, and causing the contents of different ones of said files to be displayed in banners in accordance with the web sites in which the banners appear.

15. A method for providing persistent source of content for users of the Internet, comprising the steps of:

publishing at least one file containing content for an Internet web site banner on at least one file server;

establishing an agreement with at least one entity that hosts an Internet web site, which agreement provides irrevocable rights for a period of time to display the contents of said file as a banner on at least one page of the Internet web site hosted by said entity; and

causing contents of said file to appear as a banner whenever a user downloads said page for display.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said agreement is established with a plurality of entities that host Internet web sites, and the contents of said file are caused to appear as a banner whenever a user downloads a web page from any one of said entities'"'"' Internet web sites.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein compensation is provided to each of said entities for said irrevocable rights, and the amount of compensation determines the location at which the banner appears on each entity'"'"'s web site page.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein compensation is provided to each of said entities for said irrevocable rights, and the amount of compensation determines the frequency at which the banner appears on each entity'"'"'s web site.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein compensation is provided to each of said entities for said irrevocable rights, and the amount of compensation determines the size of the banner appears on each entity'"'"'s web site page.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein said banner appears on every page of the Internet web site hosted by said entity.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein said banner comprises a multi-function portal that provides Internet users with access to a plurality of different types of information and services.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said banner provides access to a plurality of different categories of informational content.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said categories are displayed to a user by means of a menu within said banner, and are individually selectable by the user from said menu.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said banner displays individual headlines associated with a selected category of informational content in a scrolling manner.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said individual headlines are displayed in a scrolling manner.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein said headlines are stored in a file that is downloaded to a user'"'"'s site when the user selects the category associated with the headlines.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein each displayed headline comprises a link to a file which contains the content associated with the headline, and which is displayed to the user when the user clicks upon the headline while it is displayed.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein said banner further includes a link to cause all of the headlines associated with a selected category to be displayed for viewing by the user.

29. The method of claim 20 wherein said banner further includes a search function which enables a user to conduct a search from the banner for information of interest in the Internet.

30. The method of claim 20 wherein said banner further includes a community services category which presents a dialog box in which a user can enter text for viewing by other users and view text entered by other users.

31. The method of claim 20 wherein said banner further includes a link that provides access to a web site that contains a listing of product lines, and individual manufacturer information about products in each product line.

32. The method of claim 20, wherein said banner further includes a link that provides access to a web site that provides e-commerce services.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein said manufacturer information comprises graphical files of product brochures.

34. The method of claim 19 wherein said banner is configurable by users to display only selected items from the plurality of different information and services.

37. A method for promoting patronage of a web site on the Internet, comprising the steps of:

hosting a web site on at least one server that is connected to the Internet;

providing user who agree to use said web site as a certified home page with temporary shares of stock;

monitoring users patronage of said web site; and

converting a user'"'"'s shares of temporary stock to irrevocable shares of stock upon confirmation of continued patronage of the web site by the user.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein a plurality of shares of temporary stock are initially issued to a user when the user agrees to use the web site as a certified home page, and portions of the issued shares of temporary stock are converted to irrevocable shares for continued use over successively longer periods of time.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein one or more shares of the temporary stock are revoked if continued patronage of the web site is not confirmed for a predetermined period of time.

40. The method of claim 37 further including the step of issuing additional shares of temporary stock when the user obtains an e-mail address that is affiliated with the web site.

41. The method of claim 37 further including the step of issuing additional shares of temporary stock when the user agrees to use an Internet service provider that is affiliated with the web site for that user'"'"'s source of access to the Internet.

42. The method of claim 37 further including the step of temporarily displaying users'"'"' names on said web site on a random basis, and declaring a user to be an instant winner of a prize if that user clicks on the user'"'"'s name while it is being displayed.