System, apparatus and method for presenting and displaying content on a wide area network

• US 7,454,498 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2004
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Hoshiko LLC (Raoul Management LLC)
• Inventors: Shuster, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ibrahim; Mohamed
• Application Number:
  US10/884,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20050021612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,601 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709227-228
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Embodiments of the instant invention are directed to a system, apparatus and method for monitoring a user'"'"'s activities and displaying and presenting unsolicited content to users over a wide area network. Embodiments of the instant invention include a monitoring system comprising an activity monitor and a content transfer and display means, wherein the activity monitor comprises an event identifier and a timer. The monitoring system monitors user activities, identifies trigger events, measures the elapsed time of inactivity of the user and initiates the presentation of unsolicited data, or content, to the user computer. In general, the monitoring system identifies trigger events and measures the elapsed time between trigger events. If the elapsed time between the trigger events exceeds a predefined time period the monitoring system causes unsolicited data to be presented on the user computer.

Claims

1. A system for presenting unsolicited data over a wide area network to a user, wherein the user operates a web-browser on a user computer connected to said wide area network, the system comprising:

a server computer adapted for connecting to said wide area network;

content data for presentation in a web-browser window on said user computer, wherein said content data is stored in a memory of said server computer and said web-browser is a stand-alone application operating on said user computer and is adapted to display said web-browser window on a desktop of said user computer when activated;

a monitoring application in said memory of said server computer, said monitoring application configured to be sent to said user computer together with the content data requested by said user, to be linked to at least said web-browser window such that said monitoring application is closed when said web-browser window is closed, and to automatically execute on said user computer after being received by said user computer;

a server application in said memory of said server computer, said server application comprising instructions for receiving a request for said content data from said user computer, sending said content data to said user computer, and sending said monitoring application together with said content data to said user computer; and

unsolicited data for presentation to said user, said unsolicited data stored in said memory of said server computer;

wherein said server application further comprises instructions for receiving a request for said unsolicited data over said wide area network and for sending said unsolicited data to said user computer over said wide area network;

wherein said request for said unsolicited data is generated by said monitoring application after said web-browser window remains inactive for a predetermined period of time.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring application further comprises:

instructions for detecting occurrence of a first trigger event;

instructions for measuring an amount of time from the occurrence of said first trigger event; and

instructions for comparing the amount of time measured with said predetermined amount of time.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said first trigger event is said content data being presented in said web-browser window.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said monitoring application is further adapted to present said unsolicited data to said user in said web-browser window by replacing said content data with said unsolicited data.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said monitoring application is further adapted to present said unsolicited data to said user in a second web-browser window, such that said second web-browser window remains in focus until said user performs an action that moves said second web-browser window out of focus.

6. A computer system for communicating over a wide area network, comprising:

at least one memory for storing content data, unsolicited data, and a monitoring application; and

at least one server application adapted to;

receive a request for said content data from a user computer connected to said wide area network;

transmit said content data and together with said monitoring application to said user computer in response to said request for said content data;

receive a request for said unsolicited data from said user computer; and

transmit said unsolicited data to said user computer in response to said request for said unsolicited data;

wherein the monitoring application is adapted to;

automatically execute on said user computer in response to use of said content data by said user computer;

generate a request for said unsolicited data after said content data has been presented in a web-browser window on said user computer for a predetermined period of time; and

terminate in response to said web-browser window being closed.

7. The computer system of claim 6, wherein said monitoring application is further adapted to present said unsolicited data in a second web-browser window on said user computer.

8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein said monitoring application is further adapted to open said second web-browser window and at least initially display said second web-browser window on said desktop in focus.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein said monitoring application is further adapted to leave said second web-browser window in focus until a user of said user computer performs an action to move said second web-browser window out of focus.

10. The computer system of claim 8, wherein said monitoring application is further adapted to make said second web-browser window out of focus until a user of said user computer performs an action to move said second web-browser window in focus.

11. The computer system of claim 6, wherein said at least one server application is further adapted to transmit said content data and said monitoring application together as components of a web page.

12. The computer system of claim 6, wherein said monitoring application is further adapted to present said unsolicited data in said web-browser window.

13. The computer system of claim 6, wherein said monitoring application is further adapted to replace at least a portion of said content data in said web-browsing window with said unsolicited data.

14. A method for presenting unsolicited data over a wide area network to a user, wherein said user is operating a web-browser on a computer connected to said wide area network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for user-requested data from said user computer over said wide area network, wherein said user-requested data is for presentation in a web-browser window, wherein said web-browser is an application operating on said user computer and is adapted to display said web-browser window on a desktop of said user computer when activated;

sending said user-requested data to said user computer over said wide area network;

sending program instructions together with said user-requested data to said user computer over said wide area network for monitoring browser activation time;

receiving a request for said unsolicited data over said wide area network, wherein said request for said unsolicited data is generated by said program instructions; and

sending said unsolicited data to said user computer over said wide area network;

wherein said program instructions are configured to;

automatically execute in response to use of said user-requested data by said user computer;

detect occurrence of a first trigger event;

measure an amount of time from said occurrence of said first trigger event;

compare said amount of time measured with a predetermined amount of time;

request said unsolicited data once said amount of time measured is equal to a predetermined amount of time; and

terminate when said web-browser window is closed.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said program instructions are further configured to present said unsolicited data to said user in said web-browser window.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said program instructions are further configured to present said unsolicited data to said user by replacing a portion of said user-requested data in said web-browser window with said unsolicited data.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said steps of sending said user-requested data to said user computer and sending said program instructions to said user computer are performed at substantially the same time.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said first trigger event is deemed to occur when said user-requested data is presented to said user in said web-browser window.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein said programming instructions are further configured to:

detect occurrence of a second trigger event; and

measure an amount of time from said occurrence of said first trigger event to said occurrence of said second trigger event.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein said unsolicited data at least initially remains presented to said user after said user interacts with said user computer.