System, method and computer-readable medium for online marketing and visual presentations of software programs

• US 8,359,546 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2008
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: C/O Witzig Hannah Sanders & Reagan, GLR Growth Fund LP
• Original Assignee: Digital Delivery Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Peterson, Harold Lee, Martin, Geoffrey, Marinacci, Christopher John
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdul-Ali, Omar
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANK, ANDREW L
• Application Number:
  US12/287,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20090132964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,572 Days
• Field of Search: 705 51- 53, 705/59, 705/64, 715/810, 715/815, 715/821, 715/828, 715/840, 715/843, 715/846, 715/853
• US Class Current: 715/810
• 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 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A graphical user interface (GUI) presents a primary icon in a minimal visual area of a video display screen of a computer. Selecting the primary icon directs the computer to display a line of segments, where each segment associated with one or more software programs or electronic documents. The GUI allows a user to directly access items of visual and/or audio media by selecting one or more documents or software programs associated with a selected segment. The GUI optionally allows selected a line or segment for transmission from the computer to another computer, wherein copies one or more documents or software applications are transmitted to the second computer.

Claims

1. In a computer comprising a video display and a selection device, a method for actuating a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

), comprising;

purchasing a digital key via an online purchase;

enabling an actuation of a software application by application of the purchased key to a wrapper associated with the application;

presenting a visual selection button on the video display;

launching a continuous line icon presenting a plurality of GUI string elements including at least a first GUI string element and a second GUI string element upon receipt of a selection command of the selection button from the selection device, wherein the plurality of GUI string elements are sequentially linearly ordered and contiguously positioned within the line icon and the second GUI string element is positioned laterally relative to the first GUI string element; and

launching at least one drop down menu upon receipt of a selection command of the first GUI string element from the selection device, wherein the GUI string element comprises a program icon for selectable actuation of the software application and the GUI string elements being noncontiguous with the selection button.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual selection button has a minimal square area of the display screen.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a size of the displayed area of the selection button is programmable by a user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one presented GUI string element is enabled with at least one drop down menu having a single activation selection.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein each GUI string element is actuated upon separate selection.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one GUI string element is displayed in a prespecified color.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the prespecified color is selected by a user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one GUI string element is associated with an audio data, and the audio data is rendered upon proximate positioning of a cursor driven by the selection device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the audio data is selected and associated with the at least one GUI string element by a user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one document is associated with the at least one GUI string element.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein an open condition of the at least one document is indicated by a visual quality of the associated at least one GUI string element.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the computer is bi-directionally communicatively coupled with an electronics communications network, and the method further comprises selecting the at least one document and transmitting the at least one document from the computer to the electronics communications network.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the electronics communications network is the Internet.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one document is transmitted as an email attachment.

15. A computer, comprising:

means for performing an online purchase of a digital key, the digital key for

enabling actuation of a computational functionality;

means for visually rendering a selection button, the selection button presenting a minimal visual display area;

means for visually rendering a continuous line icon presenting a plurality of GUI string elements including at least a first GUI string element and a second GUI string element upon user selection of the selection button, wherein the plurality of GUI string elements are sequentially linearly ordered and contiguously positioned within the line icon and the string elements are noncontiguous with the selection button; and

means for associating at least two applications programs with the continuous line icon first GUI string element, wherein at least one application enables the computational functionality.

16. A tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising machine-readable instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method comprising:

acquiring a digital key via an online transaction;

applying the digital key to enable a computational functionality;

presenting a visual selection button on the video display;

launching a continuous line icon presenting a plurality of GUI string elements including at least a first GUI string element and a second GUI string element upon receipt of a selection command of the selection button from the selection device, wherein the plurality of GUI string elements are sequentially linearly ordered and contiguously positioned within the line icon and the second GUI string element is positioned laterally relative to the first GUI string element, and the line icon is noncontiguous with the selection button; and

launching at least one drop down menu upon receipt of a selection command of the first GUI string element, wherein the GUI string element comprises at least one program icon for selectable actuation of a software application that provides the enabled computational functionality.