System for replacing a cursor image in connection with displaying the contents of a web page

• US 7,975,241 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2005
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lexos Media IP, LLC (Lexos Media, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Lexos Media, Inc.
• Inventors: Hall, Mark S., Schmitter, Thomas A., Rosen, James Samuel
• Primary Examiner(s): BONSHOCK, DENNIS G
• Application Number:
  US11/040,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20050216866A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,356 Days
• Field of Search: 715/861, 715/859, 715/860, 715/862
• US Class Current: 715/861
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04801 Cursor retrieval aid, i.e. visual aspect modification, blinking, colour changes, enlargement or other visual cues, for helping user do find the cursor in graphical user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0263 based upon Internet or website rating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/80 2D [Two Dimensional] animation, e.g. using sprites
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/027 Arrangements and methods specific for the display of internet documents
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/08 Cursor circuits

Abstract

A system for modifying a cursor image, as displayed on a video monitor of a remote terminal, to a specific image having a desired shape and appearance. The system stores cursor image data corresponding to the specific image, and a cursor display code. The cursor display code contains information in response to which the cursor image is modified to the specific image. A server computer transmits specified information to the remote terminal. The information includes at least one cursor display instruction. The cursor display instruction is operable to modify, in conjunction with the cursor information and the cursor image data, a cursor image displayed by a display of the remote terminal in the shape and appearance of the specific image.

Claims

1. A system for displaying at least one image in association with a cursor image, comprising:

at least one client computer receiving content information including at least one cursor display instruction from at least one server computer, the client computer including a display and a processor, the at least one cursor display instruction specifying an appearance of the at least one image,

following receipt of the content information, the at least one client computer processing the at least one cursor display instruction and displaying the at least one image in accordance with the appearance specified by the at least one cursor display instruction,

wherein the specified appearance includes promotional content, and

wherein the at least one image having the specified appearance tracks a movement of said cursor image and is displayed as one of;

(1) at least a part of said cursor image;

or (2) separate from said cursor image at an offset from the position of said cursor image on said display.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said content information further includes specified information to be displayed on said display, and wherein said processor is further operative, in response to movement of said cursor image over at least a portion of said specified information displayed on said display, to process said at least one display instruction to cause said at least one image to selectively appear and disappear on said display.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said processor is further operative, in response to movement of said cursor image over at least a portion of said specified information displayed on said display, to process said at least one display instruction to modify said cursor image.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said processor is further operative, while said cursor image is disposed over at least a portion of said specified information displayed on said display, to process said at least one display instruction to modify said at least one image.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said processor is further operative to process said at least one display instruction to cause said at least one image to change in a predetermined manner with respect to said cursor image on said display.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said processor is further operative to process said at least one display instruction to cause said at least one image to change in said predetermined manner with respect to said cursor image, thereby causing said at least one image to move in a predetermined relationship with said cursor image on said display.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said content information includes video information corresponding to at least one video file.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said processor is further operative to process said video information to modify at least one of said cursor image and said at least one image in accordance with video content contained in said at least one video file.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said content information includes audio information corresponding to at least one audio file.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said processor is further operative to process said audio information to play audio content contained in said at least one audio file.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said content information includes image information corresponding to said at least one image.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said processor is further operative to process said image information, said image information including at least one of data used to form the image having the specified appearance for subsequent display on said display, information corresponding to at least one location of said data used to form the image having the specified appearance, and an identifier associated with said data used to form the image having the specified appearance.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the promotional content comprises advertising material.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said advertising material includes at least one of an image of a good or service corresponding to information displayed on said display, and a message corresponding to the information displayed on said display.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein said advertising material includes at least one of a brand logo and a corporate mascot.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein image information corresponding to said at least one image is received from the at least one server computer.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said at least one server computer comprises at least one first server computer and at least one second server computer, wherein said at least one first server computer is operative to transmit said content information to said client computer, and wherein said at least one second server computer is operative to transmit said image information corresponding to said at least one image to said client computer.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the image having the specified appearance is displayed at a specified offset from the position of said cursor image on said display.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the specified offset is a fixed offset.

20. A method of displaying at least one image in association with a cursor image on a display of a client computer, comprising the steps of:

receiving, by said client computer, content information including at least one cursor display instruction from at least one server computer, the at least one cursor display instruction specifying an appearance of the at least one image; and

following receipt of the content information;

processing, by the client computer, the at least one cursor display instruction; and

displaying the at least one image in accordance with the appearance specified by the at least one cursor display instruction,

wherein the specified appearance includes promotional content, and

wherein the at least one image having the specified appearance tracks a movement of said cursor image and is displayed as one of;

(1) at least a part of said cursor image;

or (2) separate from said cursor image at an offset from the position of said cursor image on said display.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said content information further includes specified information to be displayed on said display, and wherein said at least one display instruction is further executable on said client computer, in response to movement of said cursor image over at least a portion of said specified information displayed on said display, for causing said at least one image to selectively appear and disappear on said client display.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said at least one display instruction is further executable on said client computer, in response to movement of said cursor image over at least a portion of said specified information displayed on said display, for modifying said cursor image.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein said at least one display instruction is further executable on said client computer, while said cursor image is disposed over at least a portion of said specified information displayed on said display, for modifying said at least one image.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein said at least one display instruction is further executable on said client computer for causing said at least one image to change in a predetermined manner with respect to said cursor image on said display.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein said at least one display instruction is further executable on said client computer for causing said at least one image to move in a predetermined relationship with said cursor image on said display.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein said content information includes video information corresponding to at least one video file, and wherein said video information is executable on said client computer for modifying at least one of said cursor image and said at least one image in accordance with video content contained in said at least one video file.

27. The method of claim 20 wherein said content information includes audio information corresponding to at least one audio file, and wherein said audio information is executable on said client computer for playing audio content contained in said at least one audio file.

28. The method of claim 20 wherein the promotional content comprises advertising material.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein at least one of said cursor image and said at least one image comprises said advertising material, said advertising material including at least one of an image of a good or service corresponding to information displayed on said display, and a message corresponding to the information displayed on said display.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein at least one of said cursor image and said at least one image comprise said advertising material, said advertising material including at least one of a brand logo and a corporate mascot.

31. The method of claim 20 further including transmitting, by said at least one server computer, image information corresponding to said at least one image to said client computer.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein said at least one server computer comprises at least one first server computer and at least one second server computer, and wherein said method further includes transmitting, by said at least one first server computer, said content information to said client computer, and transmitting, by said at least one second server computer, said image information corresponding to said at least one image to said client computer.

33. The method of claim 20, wherein the image having the specified appearance is displayed at a specified offset from the position of said cursor image on said display.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the specified offset is a fixed offset.

35. A system for modifying a cursor image, comprising:

at least one client computer receiving content information from at least one server computer, said content information including at least one cursor display instruction specifying an appearance of a visual image,

following receipt of the content information, the at least one client computer processing the at least one cursor display instruction and modifying the cursor image to include the visual image and displaying the modified cursor image,

wherein the visual image includes promotional material, and the visual image tracks a movement of the modified cursor image.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein said content information further includes specified information to be displayed on said display, and wherein said visual image relates to at least a portion of said specified information displayed on said display.

37. The system of claim 35 wherein said content information further includes specified information to be displayed on said display, and wherein said processor is further operative to process said at least one display instruction to modify said cursor image to include said visual image in response to movement of said cursor image over a display of at least a portion of said specified information displayed on said display.

38. The system of claim 35 wherein said visual image comprises at least one prompt.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein said at least one prompt comprises at least one symbol.

40. The system of claim 35 wherein said visual image comprises alphanumeric data.

41. The system of claim 35 wherein said visual image conveys at least one instruction to a user of said client computer.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein said at least one user instruction includes an instruction to actuate a mouse associated with said client computer.

43. The system of claim 35 wherein said promotional content comprises advertising material.

44. The system of claim 35 wherein said modified cursor image comprises a complete change of said cursor image.

45. The system of claim 35 wherein said modified cursor image comprises a partial change of said cursor image.

47. The method of claim 36 wherein said content information further includes specified information to be displayed on said display, and wherein said visual image relates to at least a portion of said specified information displayed on said display.

46. A method of modifying a cursor image, comprising the steps of:

receiving, at least one client computer, content information from at least one server computer, said content information including at least one cursor display instruction specifying an appearance of a visual image, and

following receipt of the content information;

processing, by the client computer, the at least one cursor display instruction;

modifying, by the at least one client computer, the cursor image to include the visual image; and

displaying the modified cursor image,

wherein the visual image includes promotional content and the visual image tracks a movement of the modified cursor image.

48. The method of claim 46 wherein said content information further includes specified information to be displayed on said display, and wherein said at least one display instruction is further executable on said client computer for modifying said cursor image to include said visual image in response to movement of said cursor image over a display of at least a portion of said specified information displayed on said display.

49. The method of claim 46 wherein said visual image comprises at least one prompt.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein said visual image comprises said at least one prompt, and wherein said at least one prompt comprises at least one symbol.

51. The method of claim 46 wherein said visual image comprises alphanumeric data.

52. The method of claim 46 wherein said visual image conveys at least one instruction to a user of said client computer.

53. The method of claim 52 wherein said visual image conveys said at least one instruction to a user of said client computer, and wherein said at least one user instruction includes an instruction to actuate a mouse associated with said client computer.

54. The method of claim 46 wherein said promotional content comprises advertising material.

55. The method of claim 46 wherein said modified cursor image comprises a complete change of said cursor image.

56. The method of claim 46 wherein said modified cursor image comprises a partial change of said cursor image.

57. A system for displaying at least one image in association with a cursor image on a display of a client computer, comprising:

at least one client computer receiving content information including at least one cursor display instruction from at least one server computer, the at least one cursor display instruction specifying an appearance of a visual image,

following receipt of the content information, the at least one client computer processing the at least one cursor display information, modifying the at least one image to include the visual image and displaying the modified image at an offset from the cursor image,

wherein the visual image includes promotional content and tracks a movement of the cursor image.

58. The system of claim 57 wherein said content information further includes specified information to be displayed on said display, and wherein said visual image relates to at least a portion of said specified information displayed on said display.

59. The system of claim 57 wherein said content information further includes specified information to be displayed on said display, and wherein the processor is further operative to process said at least one display instruction to modify said at least one image to include said visual image in response to movement of said cursor image over a display of at least a portion of said specified information displayed on said display.

60. The system of claim 57 wherein said visual image comprises at least one prompt.

61. The system of claim 60 wherein said at least one prompt comprises at least one symbol.

62. The system of claim 57 wherein said visual image comprises alphanumeric data.

63. The system of claim 57 wherein said visual image conveys at least one instruction to a user of said client computer.

64. The system of claim 63 wherein said at least one user instruction includes an instruction to actuate a mouse associated with said client computer.

65. The system of claim 57 wherein said promotional content comprises advertising material.

66. The system of claim 57 wherein said at least one server computer is further operative to transmit image information corresponding to said at least one image to said client computer.

67. The system of claim 66 wherein said at least one server computer comprises at least one first server computer and at least one second server computer, wherein said at least one first server computer is operative to transmit said content information to said client computer, and wherein said at least one second server computer is operative to transmit said image information corresponding to said at least one image to said client computer.

68. The system of claim 57, wherein the modified image including said visual image is displayed at a specified offset from said cursor image on said display.

69. The system of claim 68, wherein the specified offset is a fixed offset.

70. A method of displaying at least one image in association with a cursor image on a display of a client computer, comprising the steps of:

receiving, by at least one client computer, content information from at least one server computer, said content information including at least one cursor display instruction, the at least one cursor display instruction specifying an appearance of a visual image; and

following receipt of the content information;

processing the at least one cursor display instruction;

modifying the at least on image to include the visual image; and

displaying the modified image at an offset from the cursor image,

wherein the visual image includes promotional content and tracks a movement of the cursor image.

71. The method of claim 70 wherein said content information further includes specified information to be displayed on said display, and wherein said visual image relates to at least a portion of said specified information displayed on said display.

72. The method of claim 70 wherein said content information further includes specified information to be displayed on said display, and wherein said at least one display instruction is further executable on said client computer for modifying said at least one image to include said visual image in response to movement of said cursor image over a display of at least a portion of said specified information displayed on said display.

73. The method of claim 70 wherein said visual image comprises at least one prompt.

74. The method of claim 73 including said wherein said visual image comprises said at least one prompt, and wherein said at least one prompt comprises at least one symbol.

75. The method of claim 70 wherein said visual image comprises alphanumeric data.

76. The method of claim 70 wherein said visual image conveys at least one instruction to a user of said client computer.

77. The method of claim 76 wherein said visual image conveys said at least one instruction to a user of said client computer, and wherein said at least one user instruction includes an instruction to actuate a mouse associated with said client computer.

78. The method of claim 70 wherein said promotional content comprises advertising material.

79. The method of claim 70 further including transmitting, by said at least one server computer, image information corresponding to said at least one image to said client computer.

80. The method of claim 79 wherein said at least one server computer comprises at least one first server computer and at least one second server computer, and wherein said method further includes transmitting, by said at least one first server computer, said content information to said client computer, and transmitting, by said at least one second server computer, said image information corresponding to said at least one image to said client computer.

81. The method of claim 70, wherein the modified image including said visual image is displayed at a specified offset from said cursor image on said display.

82. The method of claim 81, wherein the specified offset is a fixed offset.

83. A method of displaying at least one image in association with a cursor image on a display of a client computer, comprising the steps of:

receiving, at said client computer from at least one server computer, content information including at least one cursor display instruction, said content information including a web page and the at least one cursor display instruction specifying an appearance of the at least one image;

following receipt of the content information;

displaying said web page on said display;

processing, at said client computer, said at least one received cursor display instruction; and

displaying said at least one image in association with said cursor image on said display, said at least one image being displayed at an offset from said cursor image on said display,

wherein the at least one image includes promotional content and tracks a movement of the cursor image.

84. The method of claim 83 wherein said second displaying step includes, in response to said moving of said cursor image over said specified region of said web page and said processing of said at least one display instruction, causing said at least one image to selectively appear and disappear on said display.

85. The method of claim 83 further including, in response to said moving of said cursor image over said specified region of said web page and said processing of said at least one display instruction, modifying said cursor image.

86. The method of claim 83 wherein said second displaying step includes, while said cursor image is disposed over the specified region of said web page and responsive to said processing of said at least one display instruction, modifying said at least one image.

87. The method of claim 83 wherein the specified region of said web page is associated with a specified visual image displayed on said display.

88. The method of claim 87 wherein said specified visual image comprises at least one symbol.

89. The method of claim 87 wherein said specified visual image comprises alphanumeric information.

90. The method of claim 87 wherein said promotional content comprises advertising material.

91. The method of claim 83, wherein the at least one image is displayed at a specified offset from said cursor image on said display.

92. The method of claim 91, wherein the specified offset is a fixed offset.