USER-DRIVEN DATA NETWORK COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD
First Claim
1. An apparatus for user-driven data network communication, comprising:
- a storage medium storing a plurality of user portfolios including a first user portfolio; and
a processor in communication with the storage medium and a user browser, the processor executing instructions causing the apparatus to;
allow a first user accessing at least one of a portal and a web site via the user browser and the data network to update the first user portfolio which is associated with the first user and including information which relates to messages of at least one of a content providing entity and a specified content type, which the first user is interested in viewing, and the information is updated by transmitting messages directly from the user browser; and
cause the user browser to display a page to the first user, the page including a predefined space, which based on the information in the first user portfolio, alternatively displays user-specific messages and non-user-specific messages, wherein the page content is displayed without changing a size of the predefined space to display the user-specific messages.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system is disclosed for messaging over a data network, such as the Internet and interactive TV, which allows every registered user to generate and update one or more user portfolio(s) containing information relative to Providers and/or individuals of which the user is willing to view their messages. The messages are displayed inside the space of the webpage where usually banners are shown. The system may provided benefits to the user upon displaying messages with commercial value to him. The disclosed messaging system allows an easy and effective communication path between providers and users any time publicly or privately in the banner area of a web site, which does not occupy additional space on the user'"'"'s browser, and does not require the user to load another application besides his browser.
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Citations
57 Claims
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1. An apparatus for user-driven data network communication, comprising:
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a storage medium storing a plurality of user portfolios including a first user portfolio; and a processor in communication with the storage medium and a user browser, the processor executing instructions causing the apparatus to; allow a first user accessing at least one of a portal and a web site via the user browser and the data network to update the first user portfolio which is associated with the first user and including information which relates to messages of at least one of a content providing entity and a specified content type, which the first user is interested in viewing, and the information is updated by transmitting messages directly from the user browser; and cause the user browser to display a page to the first user, the page including a predefined space, which based on the information in the first user portfolio, alternatively displays user-specific messages and non-user-specific messages, wherein the page content is displayed without changing a size of the predefined space to display the user-specific messages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for user-driven data network communication, comprising:
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storing a plurality of user portfolios on an administration server which is in communication with a user browser; allowing a first user accessing at least one of a portal and a web site via the user browser and the data network to update a first user portfolio of the plurality of user portfolios, the first user portfolio associated with the first user and including information which relates to messages of at least one of a content providing entity and a specified content type, which the first user is interested in viewing, and the information is updated by transmitting messages directly from the user browser; and displaying a page in the user browser to the first user, the page including a predefined space, which based on the information in the first user portfolio, alternatively displays user-specific messages and non-user-specific messages, wherein the page content is displayed without changing a size of the predefined space to display the user-specific messages. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for user-driven data network communication, comprising:
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providing an administration server storing user portfolios, the administration server being in communication with a user terminal; allowing a registered user that browses at least one of a portal and a web site over said data network to generate and update a user portfolio containing information relating to message senders that the user authorizes to send messages to the user; and allowing the user to send messages directly from the user browser to display personalized messages on the user browser according to the information contained in the user portfolio, wherein the personalized messages are displayed within a space of a page in the user browser, the page belonging to the at least one of the portal and the web site, wherein the space displays banners to unregistered users, wherein the personalized messages are displayed without changing the view of the user browser as otherwise displayed with banners in the space. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An apparatus for user-driven data network communication, comprising:
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a storage medium storing user portfolios; and a processor in communication with the storage medium and a user terminal, the processor executing instructions causing the apparatus to; allow a registered user that browses at least one of a portal and a web site over the data network to generate and update a user portfolio containing information relating to message senders that the user authorizes to send messages to the user, and allow the user to send messages directly from a user browser to display personalized messages on the user browser according to the information contained in the user portfolio, wherein the personalized messages are displayed within a space of a page in the user browser, the page belonging to the at least one of the portal and the web site, wherein the space displays banners to unregistered users, and wherein the personalized messages are displayed without changing the view of the user browser as otherwise displayed with banners in the space. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method for user-driven data network communication, comprising:
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providing an administration server storing user portfolios, the administration server being in communication with a user terminal; allowing a first user that browses at least one of a portal and a web site over the data network to generate and update a first user portfolio containing information relating to message senders that provide messages that the user is interested in viewing; allowing the first user to communicate with at least one of a second user and a content provider by sending messages directly from a user browser; and displaying a page in the user browser to the first user, the page including a predefined space, which based on the authorization information in the first user portfolio, alternatively displays user-specific messages and non-user-specific messages, wherein the page content is displayed without changing a size of the predefined space to display the user-specific messages. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method for user-driven data network communication, comprising:
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allowing a first user that browses at least one of a portal and a web site over the data network to generate and update a user portfolio containing information relating to message senders that provide messages that the user is interested in viewing; allowing the first user to communicate with at least one of a second user and a content provider by sending messages directly from a user browser; and displaying a page in the user browser to the first user, the page including a predefined space, which based on the authorization information in the user portfolio, alternatively displays user-specific messages and non-user-specific messages, wherein the page content is displayed without changing a size of the predefined space to display the user-specific messages. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A method for tailoring banners displayed on a user terminal, comprising:
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accessing via the user terminal a personalized list including at least one interest category that the user is interested in, the personalized list stored in a user profile; selecting via the user terminal at least one interest category to add to the personalized list, wherein after the added selected interest category is selected, banners displayed on the user terminal are tailored to content related to the selected interest category.
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57. A method for tailoring banners displayed on a user terminal, comprising:
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accessing via the user terminal a personalized list including at least one interest category that the user is interested in, the personalized list stored in a user profile; selecting via the user terminal at least one interest category to remove from the personalized list, wherein after the removed selected interest category is selected, banners displayed on the user terminal are tailored to content other than the selected interest category.
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Specification