User-driven data network communication system and method

• US 7,756,744 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2001
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Conversant, LLC (Publicis Groupe SA)
• Original Assignee: Dotomi Incorporated (Alliance Data Systems Corporation)
• Inventors: Koch, Tamir, Schiff, Eyal
• Primary Examiner(s): Myhre; James W
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOLDMAN, MICHAEL H
• Application Number:
  US10/169,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20030158777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,274 Days
• Field of Search: 705/10, 705/14, 705/39, 705/27, 705/23, 705/14.49, 705/14.51, 705/14.56, 705/14.68, 705/14.73, 715/716
• US Class Current: 705/14.55
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0258 Registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0272 Period of advertisement exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

A system is disclosed for messaging over a data network, such as the Internet and interactive TV, which allows every registered user to generate and update one or more user portfolio(s) containing information relative to Providers and/or individuals of which the user is willing to view their messages. The messages are displayed inside the space of the webpage where usually banners are shown. The system may provide benefits to the user upon displaying messages with commercial value to him. The disclosed messaging system allows an easy and effective communication path between providers and users any time publicly or privately in the banner area of a web site, which does not occupy additional space on the user'"'"'s browser, and does not require the user to load another application besides his browser.

Claims

1. A method for messaging over a data network, comprising the steps of:

a) providing an Administration Server (AS) in which user portfolios are stored, said AS being in communication with a terminal belonging to a user;

b) allowing every registered user that browses a portal or a web site over said data network, to generate and update one or more user portfolio(s) containing information relative to Providers or individuals, messages of whom the user is willing to view; and

c) allowing specific users to communicate with other specific users or specific Providers on a user-to-user communication basis, by sending messages directly from the user browser and displaying personalized or different messages to one or more users on their terminals and according to the information contained in their user portfolio, wherein said messages are displayed within a space of a web page belonging to said portal or web site, in which banners are normally displayed or destined to be displayed without changing the view of the user browser,

wherein instead of the banner, each user sees a personal message, adapted to him according to said user-to-user communication basis.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein whenever the messages have a commercial value, further comprising:

a) providing benefit(s) to the user for messages displayed to him; and

b) debiting the Provider for messages displayed to said one or more users.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

a) providing one or more message templates to an additional server;

b) selecting one or more customer from a data base, to which the templates should be sent;

c) generating one or more messages by attaching one or more templates to said selected one or more customer; and

d) transferring said one or more generated messages to the AS, from which said messages should be sent to one or more selected customer.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the data base is a local or remote client data base.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data network is the Internet.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the information contained in the user'"'"'s portfolio comprises an indication of a viewing priority for each Provider.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the message comprises an advertisement.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the terminal is a device with Internet connectivity or with any other digital media connectivity.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the terminal is selected from a PC, a hand-held device and a cellular telephone.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the advertisement is in a form that can be viewed on a graphical, textual or video application which enables to view messages on the Internet.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the advertisement is in a form that can be viewed on a web browser page.

12. The method according to claim 11, comprising attaching to messages to be displayed start and end dates before and after which the message cannot be displayed.

13. The method according to claim 12, comprising attaching to messages to be displayed differential values for specific customers or groups of customers.

26. The method according to claim 1, wherein the order or the frequency in which messages are displayed to a user are determined by the user himself.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the user determines the order or frequency by indicating a preference in his portfolio.

14. A system for messaging over a data network, particularly the Internet, comprising:

a) an Administration Server (AS) provided with storage means in which user portfolios are stored;

b) a terminal belonging to a user, said terminal being in communication with said AS;

c) means for allowing every registered user that browses a portal or a web site over said data network, to generate and update user portfolios containing information relative to the Providers and the individuals of which the user is willing to receive their messages while exposed to digital media; and

d) display means associated with the user'"'"'s terminal, for sending messages directly from the user browser and displaying personalized or different messages to said one or more users said messages according to the information contained in the user portfolio, wherein said messages are displayed within a space of a web page belonging to said portal or web site, in which banners are normally displayed or destined to be displayed without changing the view of the user browser,

wherein instead of the banner, each user sees a personal message, adapted to him according to said user-to-user communication basis.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein whenever the messages displayed have a commercial value, further comprising:

a) means for providing benefit(s) to the user for said messages displayed to him; and

b) means for debiting the Provider for said messages displayed to said one or more users.

16. The system according to claim 14, further comprising an additional server, said additional server comprising means for generating messages.

23. The system according to claim 15, comprising means for notifying the AS of a current identity of the person who is surfing from a computer at a given time.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the means for notifying the AS comprise one or more of an external client, and embedded source or subroutines, ActiveX controls, or suitable browser plug-ins or components.

25. The system according to claim 24, which is a stand alone person-to-person communication system, which is not connected to an advertising messaging system.

17. A method for communicating between two or more users of a data network, particularly of the Internet, comprising the steps of:

a) providing an Administration Server (AS) in which user portfolios are stored, said AS being in communication with a terminal belonging to a user;

b) allowing every registered user that browses a portal or a web site over said data network, to generate and update a user portfolio containing information relative to surfers the messages originating from whom or which the user is wiling to view; and

c) allowing specific users to communicate with other specific users or specific Providers on a user-to-user communication basis, by sending messages directly from the user browser and displaying personalized or different messages to one or more users on their terminal said messages according to the information contained in the user portfolio, wherein said messages are displayed within a space of a web page belonging to said portal or web site, in which banners are normally displayed or destined to be displayed without changing the view of the user browser,

wherein instead of the banner, each user sees a personal message, adapted to him according to said user-to-user communication basis.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the message is in a form that can be viewed on a graphical or textual application which enables to view messages on the Internet.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the message is in a form that can be viewed on a web browser.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the user is recognized by saving a cookie on his terminal.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the user accesses the AS system from a temporary terminal, such as a public terminal, in which the user logs-in into his portfolio, and requests that the browser from which he is temporarily surfing be identified as belonging to him for a limited period of time, whereby a “

temporary cookie”

is stored on said temporary terminal.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the user voids the cookie by actively logging-out of the system.

28. A method for messaging over a data network, comprising the steps of:

a) allowing every registered user that browses a portal or a web site over said data network, to generate and update one or more user portfolio(s) containing information relative to Providers or individuals the messages of which the user is willing to view; and

b) allowing specific users to communicate with other specific users or specific Providers on a user-to-user communication basis, by sending messages directly from the user browser and displaying personalized or different messages to one or more users on their terminal messages according to the information contained in the user portfolio, wherein said messages are displayed in a space of a web page belonging to said portal or web site, in which banners are normally displayed or destined to be displayed without changing the view of the user browser, and optionally providing benefit(s) to the user for viewing said messages.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the user generation or the update of the user'"'"'s portfolio is effected via the user'"'"'s browser.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the user generation or the update of the user'"'"'s portfolio is carried out by a plug-in of the browser.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein the generation or the update of the user'"'"'s portfolio is carried out by functionality built-in the browser.

32. The method according to claim 28, wherein the user'"'"'s portfolio is stored in a user'"'"'s browser or in a location accessible by it.

33. The method according to claim 28, wherein the user'"'"'s portfolio is stored at a portal level.

34. The method according to claim 28, wherein the message is a message received by a recipient and forwarded to one or more additional recipient(s).