Advertising method using software products

• US 7,003,478 B1
• Filed: 02/17/2000
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hesel Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hyung-Sik Choi
• Inventors: Choi, Hyung-sik
• Primary Examiner(s): STAMBER, ERIC W
• Application Number:
  US09/507,093
• Time in Patent Office: 2,196 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 709/219, 717/174, 717/177, 717/178
• US Class Current: 705/14.73
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H

Abstract

An advertising method using software products in which at least one advertisement is inserted so that the software products can be distributed for free or at a low cost. The advertising method comprises the steps of: inserting at least one advertisement into at least one portion of a software program contained in a software product, by support from an advertising sponsor during the making of the software product; making the software program stop in operation during use of the software program when a sponsored advertisement is displayed on a display screen; and resuming the software program only when the sponsored advertisement displayed on the screen is clicked on.

Claims

1. An advertising method using software products in which at least one advertisement is inserted so that the software products can be distributed for free or at a low cost, the advertising method comprising the steps of:

inserting at least one advertisement into at least one portion of a software program contained in a software product during the making of the software product;

making the software program stop in operation during use of the software program when the inserted advertisement is displayed on a display screen; and

resuming the software program only when the inserted advertisement displayed on the display screen is clicked on;

wherein the software program with the inserted advertisement is reproducible and operable without connecting to the Internet.

2. An advertising method of claim 1, further comprising the step of downloading a software program, where an advertisement of an advertisement sponsor is included in at least a part thereof, from the Internet for free or at low cost.

3. An advertising method of claim 2, wherein when a software program including an advertisement in at least a part thereof is used, as the advertisement of an advertisement sponsor links to a web site such as the home page of an advertisement sponsor, the web site is easily accessed by clicking on the web site address.

4. An advertising method of claim 1, wherein a window through which at least one advertisement is displayed can exist as another open window on the display screen.