PROVIDING ACCESS TO INFORMATION RESOURCES USING A DIGITAL NETWORK PROTOCOL
First Claim
1. Apparatus for use in providing a user of a computer with access to information resources via a digital network protocol, the apparatus comprising:
- a data storage device;
a first program module stored on the data storage device in a computer-readable format;
said first program module being operable upon execution by the computer to cause the display of a graphical user interface comprising a window separated into a number of regions;
a first one of said regions including a number of user-selectable items, one or more of which are each associated with a different data set, said data set(s) each representative of a different category of information and each of said data set(s) comprising a number of user-selectable links to different information resources;
a second one of said regions comprising an information display region;
a second program module operable upon execution to request informational data to be displayed in said information display region;
wherein said first program module is operable in response to user input to use a digital network protocol and retrieve an associated information resource using the digital network protocol, said first program module further being operable in response to the user input to notify said second program module of the user input, whereby said informational data is displayed in said second region of the graphical user interface of said first program module; and
wherein said second program module is operable in response to notifications from said first program module to request the informational data to be displayed from among a larger amount of said informational data, said second program module further being operable to store statistical data regarding the display of said requested informational data.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing an automatically upgradeable software application includes targeted advertising based upon demographics and user interaction with the computer. The software application includes a display region used for banner advertising that is downloaded over a network such as the Internet. The software application is accessible from a server via the network and demographic information on the user is acquired by the server and used for determining what advertising will be sent to the user. The software application further targets the advertisements in response to normal user interaction with the computer. A distribution tool is provided for software distribution and upgrading over the network. Also provided is a user profile that is accessible to any computer on the network. Furthermore, multiple users of the same computer can possess Internet web resources and files that are personalized, maintained and organized.
10 Citations
30 Claims
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1. Apparatus for use in providing a user of a computer with access to information resources via a digital network protocol, the apparatus comprising:
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a data storage device; a first program module stored on the data storage device in a computer-readable format; said first program module being operable upon execution by the computer to cause the display of a graphical user interface comprising a window separated into a number of regions; a first one of said regions including a number of user-selectable items, one or more of which are each associated with a different data set, said data set(s) each representative of a different category of information and each of said data set(s) comprising a number of user-selectable links to different information resources; a second one of said regions comprising an information display region; a second program module operable upon execution to request informational data to be displayed in said information display region; wherein said first program module is operable in response to user input to use a digital network protocol and retrieve an associated information resource using the digital network protocol, said first program module further being operable in response to the user input to notify said second program module of the user input, whereby said informational data is displayed in said second region of the graphical user interface of said first program module; and wherein said second program module is operable in response to notifications from said first program module to request the informational data to be displayed from among a larger amount of said informational data, said second program module further being operable to store statistical data regarding the display of said requested informational data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. Apparatus for providing a user of the apparatus with access to information resources via a digital network protocol, the apparatus comprising:
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a computer having a processing device, display, and a data storage device storing program modules including first and second program modules; said first program module presenting, on said display upon execution by said processing device, a graphical user interface (GUI) having a number of regions on said display including a first region containing a number of user-selectable items and a second region comprising an information display region; said second program module, upon execution by said processing device, being operable to obtain informational data at said computer, said informational data being received at said computer via a wireless communication path using a digital network protocol; wherein, said first program module is operable to access an information resource, the information resource being presented on the display and the informational data being presented on the display in the information display region of the graphical user interface. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification