System for a multi-media tool bar with advertisements

• US 8,145,529 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2008
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: I-Fax.com Incorporated
• Original Assignee: I-Fax.com Incorporated
• Inventors: Worthington, Cristian Alfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Reagan, James A
• Application Number:
  US12/209,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20090076963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 705/50
• US Class Current: 705/14.52
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0243 Comparative campaigns
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics

Abstract

A system comprised of a Tool Bar equipped with the ability to: a) encrypt emails that are sent to computer users who must download and maintain a copy of the Tool Bar to receive the encryption keys needed to decrypt emails; b) display Advertisements in an area of the Tool Bar designed to support text, graphics and video advertisements; c) display various multi-media sessions that allow the user to watch Internet videos, listen to Internet music, read RSS content and engage in other Internet media applications; d) carry out a process by which the computer user can install the Tool Bar in a number of computer applications. e) carry out a process by which the video, radio and RSS functions of the Tool Bar can be continuously viewed as the user moves between software applications.

Claims

1. A method of generating advertising revenue from advertisements displayed on users'"'"' computers, each user'"'"'s computer having a computer display able to provide a graphical user interface, data storage and being accessible to the Internet, the method comprising:

i) pushing a tool bar to the user'"'"'s interface by an action that is not initiated by the user;

ii) assigning a first-time user a unique identification;

iii) storing said unique identification in said data storage of said first-time user'"'"'s computer;

iv) storing a user profile including information provided by the user or other data captured about the user'"'"'s prior behaviour in association with said unique identification;

v) each subsequent time said first-time user activates said tool bar, retrieving said first-time user'"'"'s unique identification from said data storage and passing said unique identification to a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) on an advertising server;

vi) said advertising server running a CGI that returns advertising content to said tool bar in response to said unique identification and said associated user profile;

vii) said toolbar displaying said advertising content; and

viii) providing an incentive to maintain the tool bar on the user'"'"'s interface;

wherein said tool bar is adapted to communicate advertisements.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said action that is not initiated by the user is the sending of a message to said user and said message includes a message instructing unregistered recipients how to register with the system.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said tool bar is adapted to display advertisements by providing a plurality of areas of the tool bar which display text, graphics or video.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said incentive is a selection of multi-media information and entertainment services which may be selected by the user for viewing.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said tool bar is adapted to display said multi-media information and entertainment services by providing at least one area of the tool bar which displays text, graphics or video.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said tool bar is adapted to display said multi-media information and entertainment services by providing a plurality of areas of the tool bar which display text, graphics or video.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said tool bar permits said user to view, hear or interact with multi-media information.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein said advertisements are delivered from a remote server or from a local source on the user'"'"'s computer.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said advertisements are delivered from a remote server by means of a CGI (Common Gateway Interface) that is executed by the tool bar.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein said user can install the tool bar in a plurality of application programs.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the multi-media information and entertainment services which may be selected by the user for viewing can be continuously viewed on said tool bar as the user moves between said applications.

12. A computer readable storage medium having program code stored thereon, wherein the program code, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 1.

13. A computer readable storage medium having program code stored thereon, wherein the program code, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 4.