User interface for receiving information via a transmission medium

• US 6,907,578 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2000
• Issued: 06/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ignite Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ignite Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Wilson, Scott H., Minnis, Todd W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cabeca, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, TING ZHOU
• Application Number:
  US09/745,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20020083138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,636 Days
• Field of Search: 345/835, 345/837, 715/835, 715/837, 715/808, 715/809, 715/810
• US Class Current: 715/837
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a computer-implemented method for interfacing with a resident application of a computer system. Upon receipt of a data file in a background space of the computer system, a user interface having plural command interfaces is generated. By selecting a first one of the plural command interfaces, an instruction is issued to the resident application. If a first one of the command interfaces is selected, the data file is transferred to a foreground space of the computer system and opened. Conversely, by selecting a second one of the plural command interfaces, the data file is deleted without opening or transfer to the foreground space.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented user interface for opening a media file transmitted to a background space of a computer system via a network using a polite push data transmission technique, comprising:

a first command interface, the execution of which transfers said media file to a foreground space of said computer system and opens said media file;

a second command interface, the execution of which deletes said media file without opening said media file or transferring said media file to said foreground space;

a third command interface, the execution of which delays opening of said media file for a selected time period; and

a fourth command interface, the execution of which establishes a link with an address associated with an originator of said media file;

wherein said first, second, third and fourth command interfaces all form part of a first level icon, and further comprising;

a second level icon, the selection of which drills down to said first level icon.

2. The user interface of claim 1, wherein selection of said fourth command interface opens a browser and commands said browser to link to said address.

3. The user interface of claim 1, wherein said user interface further comprises a text box in which information describing said received media file is contained.

4. The user interface of claim 1, wherein said media file is an advertisement for goods or services that are the subject of an advertising campaign.

5. The user interface of claim 1, wherein a survey resides at said address.

6. The user interface of claim 1, further comprising an initial icon displayed upon initiation of said arrival of said media file, said second level icon being displayed upon completion of said arrival of said media file.

7. The user interface of claim 6, wherein said initial icon has a reduced size relative to said second level icon.

8. The user interface of claim 1, further comprising a notification application coupled to said first and second command interfaces, said notification application transmitting a notification to a remote application upon selection of either said first command interface or said second command interface, said remote application constructing an evaluation of an advertising campaign being at least partially conducted by transmitting said media file to said computer system, said evaluation being constructed using notifications issued by said notification application in response to selection of either said first or second command interfaces.

9. The user interface of claim 8, wherein:

selection of said first command interface causes said notification application to issue a notification of an opening of said transmitted media file; and

selection of said second command interface causes said notification application to issue a notification of a deletion of said transmitted media file prior to opening thereof.

10. The user interface of claim 8, wherein selection of said third command interface, causes said notification application to issue a notification of a delay in opening said media file, said remote application constructing said evaluation of said advertising campaign using said notifications issued upon selection of said third command interface.

11. The user interface of claim 8, wherein said remote application constructing said evaluation of said advertising campaign uses information received during interchanges conducted after establishment of said link with said address.

12. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the execution of the third command interface causes said first level icon to close and then to automatically re-open at the end of said selected time period.