System and method for integrating a message into a graphical environment

• US 6,061,659 A
• Filed: 06/03/1997
• Issued: 05/09/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digital Marketing Communications Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Digital Marketing Communications Incorporated
• Inventors: Murray, Peter N
• Primary Examiner(s): MacDonald, Allen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRECCA, MICHELE S
• Application Number:
  US08/868,122
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/1, 345/326, 345/418, 345/439, 345/435
• US Class Current: 705/14.73
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

A method and system of conveying information to a user in specified content displayed in an interactive graphical environment. The information comprises a predetermined message defined by message parameters to create an image and stored in a message memory. The content includes predetermined specifications for assimilating said message. The method comprises the steps of retrieving the specified content from a content memory then identifying the predetermined specifications from the content for substituting a portion of the content into a transformed representation of the predetermined message. After retrieving and identifying, the predetermined message is obtained from the message memory and transformed into a scaled message according to the specifications to substitute the message into the content portion and define a modified environment. After substitution, the method concludes by communicating the modified environment to the user, whereby the message, having been assimilated into the content, attracts substantial attention to effect improved cognitive processing and recall.

Claims

1. A method for conveying to a user at least one predetermined message within a specified content displayed in an interactive graphical environment, said predetermined message having message parameters defining an image and being stored in a message memory, said method comprising the steps of:

retrieving said content from a content memory;

obtaining predetermined specifications programmed into said content including coordinate information defining a location within said content and a predetermined scale factor associated with the location;

obtaining said message from said message memory;

scaling said message according to said predetermined scale factor of the location in said content to create a scaled message;

automatically integrating said scaled message into said content at the location to define a modified environment; and

communicating said modified environment to said user.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said message comprises an icon having a baseline size, said scaling step comprising scaling said icon from the baseline size to one of a plurality of sizes for integration into any one of a plurality of specified contents.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein:

said scale factor relates to the perspective orientation of the location within the content at which said message is to be integrated.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said message parameters further include scheduled display periods for conveying said message, said communicating step including the step of displaying said modified environment pursuant to said scheduled display periods.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein said displaying step includes the steps of:

receiving data representing said modified environment using a web browser; and

formatting said data to form an image comprising said modified environment.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein:

said message parameters and predetermined specifications comprise Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) instructions; and

said web browser comprises an HTML compliant processor for responding to said parameters and instructions.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said at least one predetermined message comprises a sequence of messages.

8. A method according to claim 1 and further including, after the step of communicating, the step of:

enabling said user to respond to said message.

9. The method as in claim 8, wherein the enabling step comprises a dynamic link between the interactive graphical environment at the client side and a server at the server side.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein:

said content relates to a particular genre, and said information relates to said particular genre.

11. A method for transforming a message icon for assimilation into a graphical image portion of content that is to be displayed on a display screen of a computer system having a memory, said method comprising the steps of:

retrieving coordinate information programmed into said content, said coordinate information defining a location within said image;

retrieving scale information associated with said location within said image;

scaling said message icon in accordance with said scale information;

automatically assimilating said scaled message icon into said image at said location; and

displaying said scaled message icon at said location within said image.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said message icon has a base-line size and is scalable to one of a plurality of sizes for assimilation into any one of a plurality of images.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said image includes representations of physical features with relative sizes, said scale information comprising a scale factor which correlates with the relative sizes of said physical features proximate said location in the image.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein:

said scale factor relates to the perspective orientation of the physical location within the content at which said message is to be included.

15. An interactive system for assimilating a message into user specified content and for displaying said content and at least one message in a graphical environment through a computer network to a user, said message being stored in a message memory connected to said network, said content including coordinate information defining a location within said content and a predetermined scale factor associated with the location programmed therein, said system including:

means for retrieving said content from a content memory;

means for obtaining said coordinate information and said predetermined scale factor associated with the location defined by the coordinate information;

means for obtaining at least one said message from said message memory;

means for transforming said obtained message into a corresponding scaled message in accordance with said predetermined scale factor;

means for automatically including said scaled message into said content at the location to define a modified environment; and

means for communicating said modified environment to said user.

16. An interactive system according to claim 15 wherein:

said means for retrieving comprises an object manager.

17. An interactive system according to claim 16 wherein:

said object manager comprises a stand-alone server.

18. An interactive system according to claim 16 wherein said object manager resides on a server having both said content memory and said message memory.

19. An interactive system according to claim 16 wherein:

said means for communicating includes an object placer connected in networked communication with said object manager and cooperating with a network navigator to receive data from said object manager and format said data to form an image comprising said modified environment.

20. An interactive system according to claim 19 wherein:

said object manager includes an object transport; and

said object placer includes

an object link for receiving transmissions from said object transport,

an object runner for displaying said message according to said coordinate information and said predetermined scale factor, and

an object reporter for dynamically communicating with said object manager.

21. An interactive system for attracting attention to an advertisement, said system including:

a web browser for transmitting content requests from a user to a computer network over a communication path, said web browser including an object placer;

at least one content server which stores content together with predetermined specifications for assimilating said advertisement into said content, said specifications including a scaling factor representative of the relative size of graphical features in said content and location coordinates for designating the position of said advertisement in said content;

at least one message server which stores said advertisement, said advertisement including an image defined by predetermined message parameters;

an object manager communicatively connected to said respective content and message servers and operative to retrieve said content and advertisement from said respective content and message servers and to transform said advertisement into a scaled message according to said scaling factor for automatically integrating said scaled message into said content at said location coordinates for subsequent transmission to said web browser.

22. The system as in claim 21, wherein said object placer includes an object reporter in communication with said object manager, said object reporter managing interaction with between the user and said computer network.

23. An object manager for use in an interactive system which automatically transforms user selected content into modified content which conveys at least one message for attracting the attention of the user, said object manager including:

means for retrieving a scale factor associated with a coordinate location defining a location within said content, said scale factor being programmed into said content;

means for scaling at least one said message according to said scaling factor; and

means for automatically integrating said scaled message into said content at the defined location.