System and method for enabling an advertisement to follow the user to additional web pages

• US 20050096979A1
• Filed: 12/31/2003
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Koningstein, Ross
• Granted Patent: US 7,930,206 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.68
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0246 Traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0272 Period of advertisement exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

A computer-implemented method and system for advertising that performs the steps of delivering an electronic advertisement comprising one or more menu options and a reference to a network location for retrieving specified content associated with each menu option for inclusion in a first electronic document, receiving a selection of one or more menu options from the electronic advertisement and delivering a subsequent accessible document including content from the referenced network location associated with the menu option selected, the subsequent accessible document including the electronic advertisement.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for advertising comprising the steps of:

delivering an electronic advertisement comprising one or more menu options and a reference to a network location for retrieving specified content associated with each menu option for inclusion in a first electronic document;

receiving a selection of one or more menu options from the electronic advertisement;

delivering a second electronic document including content from the referenced network location associated with the menu option selected, the second electronic document including the electronic advertisement.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein one of the menu options includes a home menu option and further comprising the steps of:

receiving a selection of the home menu option; and

delivering the first electronic document including the electronic advertisement.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the electronic advertisement comprises a morphing electronic advertisement that includes a first display format, a second display format and instructions for interpreting user actions to enable an end user system to display both formats.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the first and second electronic document comprise web pages.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the network locations specified in reference to the menu options comprise network locations provided by or affiliated with a host entity that delivered the first electronic document and electronic advertisement.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

storing a price parameter value in association with one or more advertisements for performance by end users viewing the advertisement; and

wherein the advertisement comprises a target reference to an advertiser network location.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 wherein performance is determined to have occurred when an end user selects the target reference.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 wherein performance is determined to have occurred based on user activity associated with the second display format.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 wherein the user activity comprises a predetermined period of time viewing the second display format.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 wherein the user activity comprises the user request to view the second display format.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 wherein the user activity comprises a predetermined number of user selections of menu options available in the second display format.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of associating a reference to the advertisement for use by the user in retrieving the advertisement.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the user may bookmark the advertisement using the reference.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the second electronic document comprises a document provided by the advertiser.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the document provided by the advertiser comprises a web page from the advertiser'"'"'s web site.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the second electronic document comprises an electronic document that interfaces with a user to permit the user to purchase one or more items.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of receiving feedback information related to a user'"'"'s purchase of one or more items.

18. An apparatus for delivering advertising comprising the steps of:

an electronic advertisement output means for delivering an electronic advertisement comprising one or more menu options and a reference to a network location for retrieving specified content associated with each menu option;

selection receiving means for receiving a selection of one or more menu options from the electronic advertisement;

delivery means for delivering a second electronic document including content from the referenced network location associated with the menu option selected, the second electronic document including the electronic advertisement.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein one of the menu options includes a home menu option and wherein the selection receiving means receives a selection of the home menu option;

and

wherein the delivery means delivers the first electronic document including the electronic advertisement.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the electronic advertisement comprises a morphing electronic advertisement that includes a first display format, a second display format and instructions for interpreting user actions to enable an end user system to display both formats.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the first and second electronic document comprise web pages.

22. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the network locations specified in reference to the menu options comprise network locations provided by or affiliated with a host entity that delivered the first electronic document and electronic advertisement.

23. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising:

storage means for storing a price parameter value in association with one or more advertisements for performance by end users viewing the advertisement; and

wherein the advertisement comprises a target reference to an advertiser network location.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein a wherein performance is determined to have occurred when a user selects the target reference.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein performance is determined to have occurred based on user activity associated with the second display format.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the user activity comprises a predetermined period of time viewing the second display format.

27. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the user activity comprises the user request to view the second display format.

28. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the user activity comprises a predetermined number of user selections of menu options available in the second display format.

29. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising storage means that stores a reference to the advertisement for use by the user in retrieving the advertisement.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the user may bookmark the advertisement using the reference.

31. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the second electronic document comprises a document provided by the advertiser.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the document provided by the advertiser comprises a web page from the advertiser'"'"'s web site.

33. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the second electronic document comprises an electronic document that interfaces with a user to permit the user to purchase one or more items.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 further comprising feedback means for receiving feedback information related to a user'"'"'s purchase of one or more items.

35. An apparatus for delivering advertising comprising the steps of:

an electronic advertisement output system for delivering an electronic advertisement comprising one or more menu options and a reference to a network location for retrieving specified content associated with each menu option;

a selection receiving module that receiving a selection of one or more menu options from the electronic advertisement;

a delivery module that delivers a second electronic document including content from the referenced network location associated with the menu option selected, the second electronic document including the electronic advertisement.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein one of the menu options includes a home menu option and wherein the selection receiving means receives a selection of the home menu option;

and

wherein the delivery module delivers the first electronic document including the electronic advertisement.

37. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the electronic advertisement comprises a morphing electronic advertisement that includes a first display format, a second display format and instructions for interpreting user actions to enable an end user system to display both formats.

38. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the first and second electronic document comprise web pages.

39. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the network locations specified in reference to the menu options comprise network locations provided by or affiliated with a host entity that delivered the first electronic document and electronic advertisement.

40. The apparatus of claim 35 further comprising:

a database system for storing a price parameter value in association with one or more advertisements for performance by end users viewing the advertisement; and

wherein the advertisement comprises a target reference to an advertiser network location.

41. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein a wherein performance is determined to have occurred when a user selects the target reference.

42. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein performance is determined to have occurred based on user activity associated with the second display format.

43. The apparatus of claim 42 wherein the user activity comprises a predetermined period of time viewing the second display format.

44. The apparatus of claim 42 wherein the user activity comprises the user request to view the second display format.

45. The apparatus of claim 42 wherein the user activity comprises a predetermined number of user selections of menu options available in the second display format.

46. The apparatus of claim 35 further comprising a storage system that stores a reference to the advertisement for use by the user in retrieving the advertisement.

47. The apparatus of claim 45 wherein the user may bookmark the advertisement using the reference.

48. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the second electronic document comprises a document provided by the advertiser.

49. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the document provided by the advertiser comprises a web page from the advertiser'"'"'s web site.

50. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the second electronic document comprises an electronic document that interfaces with a user to permit the user to purchase one or more items.

51. The apparatus of claim 49 further comprising a feedback module that receives feedback information related to a user'"'"'s purchase of one or more items.