Access to internet search capabilities

• US 6,983,311 B1
• Filed: 08/04/2000
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NetZero Incorporated (B. Riley Financial, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NetZero Incorporated (B. Riley Financial, Inc.)
• Inventors: MacKenzie, Harold, Zebian, Marwan, Warren, Terry, Blaser, Shane, Haitsuka, Stacy, Burr, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne, Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thuha
• Application Number:
  US09/632,773
• Time in Patent Office: 1,978 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/206, 709/203, 709/219, 709/229, 707/3, 707/4, 707/10, 707/102, 705/14, 705/5, 705 26- 27, 725/116, 725/22, 725/42, 725/43, 715/745, 715/854, 713/201
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a client application for enabling access to an online service and displaying advertisements while the user is accessing the online service. The client application receives play lists from the online service provider. The play lists include information about advertisements to be played and the order of play. The client application also receives match lists from the online service provider. The match lists include information about advertisements to be played when the user performs certain actions. The client application also displays a wide variety of sponsorship information in connection with the online service. The sponsorship information is displayed in hypertext format. The client application provides the user with information related to a sponsor when the user clicks on hypertext associated with the sponsor.

Claims

1. A method of displaying advertisements to a user of an online service using a client application on a local device, the device including an input device and an output device, the local device accessing an online sever associated with the online service and providing interaction with the online service, the method comprising:

a) the client application activating;

b) the client application establishing and managing an online session with the online server, wherein the client application is not a browser application;

c) the client application causing a client window to be displayed on the output device of the local device, the client window including a search button icon;

d) the client application obtaining a data access string from the user in response to the user selecting the search button icon, wherein the data access string is search term;

e) the client application causing the local device to access data from a web server, the data being related to the data access string;

f) the client application receiving a match list from an ad server establishing the online session, the match list comprising at least one match object comprising an activity identifier and an ad object, the ad object comprising a resource locator for a given advertisement and a resource locator for a click-through associated with the given advertisement;

g) the client application comparing the data access string to the match list;

h) if the data access string match one of the activity identifier in the match list, then in the client application, an ad display process causing the given advertisement of the ad object of the match object corresponding to the matched activity identifier to be displayed in the client window on the output device of the local device;

i) the client application causing a browser application to open on the local device; and

i) the browser application accessing an Internet web site associated with the resource locator;

k) the browser application displaying a web page associated with the Internet web site, the web page being displayed in a browser window on the output device of the local device.

2. The method of displaying advertisements to a user of an online service using a client application on a local device of claim 1, wherein the data access string comprises an uniform resource locator associated with an Internet web site.

3. The method of displaying advertisements to a user of an online service using a client application on a local device of claim 1, wherein the data access string comprises a REAL NAME Internet Keyword.

4. The method of displaying advertisements to a user of an online service using a client application on a local device of claim 1, wherein the client application causing the local device to access data related to the data access string comprises the client application causing the local device to use an Internet search engine to conduct an Internet search using the data access string as a search term.

5. The method of displaying advertisements to a user of an online service using a client application on a local device of claim 1, wherein the client application commencing an online session comprises:

a) the client application transmitting a request to the online server to authorize the local device to interact with a web server;

b) the online server providing authorization for the local device to interact with the web server.

6. The method of displaying advertisements to a user of an online service using a client application on a local device of claim 1, wherein the client application commences an online session by establishing a communication channel via a public switched telephone network from the local device to the online server.

7. A method of displaying advertisements to a user of an online service using a client application on a local device, the device including an input device and an output device, the local device accessing an online sever and a web server associated with the online service and providing interaction with the online service, the method comprising:

a) the client application activating;

b) the client application establishing and managing an online session with the online server, wherein the client application is not a browser application;

c) the client application causing a client window to be displayed on the output device of the local device, the client window including a search button icon associated with accessing of data from the web server;

d) the client application obtaining a data access string from the user in response to the user selecting the search button icon, wherein the data access string is search term;

e) the client application causing the local device to access data from the web server, the data being related to the data access string;

f) the client application receiving a match list from an ad server establishing the online session, the match list comprising at least one match object comprising an activity identifier and an ad object, the ad object comprising a resource locator for a given advertisement and a resource locator for a click-through associated with the given advertisement;

g) the client application comparing the data access string to the match list;

h) if the data access string match one of the activity identifier in the match list, then in the client application, an ad display process causing the given advertisement of the ad object of the match object corresponding to the matched activity identifier to be displayed in the client window on the output device of the local device;

i) the client application causing a browser application to open on the local device; and

j) the browser application accessing an Internet web site associated with the resource locator;

k) the browser application displaying a web page associated with the Internet web site, the web sage being displayed in a browser window on the output device of the local device.

8. The method of displaying advertisements to a user of an online service using a client application on a local device of claim 7, wherein the data access string comprises an uniform resource locator associated with an Internet web site.

9. The method of displaying advertisements to a user of an online service using a client application on a local device of claim 7, wherein the data access string comprises a REAL NAME Internet Keyword.

10. The method of displaying advertisements to a user of an online service using a client application on a local device of claim 7, wherein the client application causing the local device to access data related to the data access string comprises the client application causing the local device to use an Internet search engine to conduct an Internet search using the data access string as a search term.