Patent · US Expired

Mandatory message display and reporting system

US6148332A · kind A · utility

89Cited by
6References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 26, 1999
Grant dateNov 14, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 26, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L67/02
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A client software component for a personal computer (PC) interacts with a server of an Internet Service Provider (ISP) to require messages, such as advertisements, to be displayed in a particular manner on a display screen of the PC for interaction with a user and reporting user activity. As long as a valid communication connection between the PC and the ISP exists, the PC is forced to display a particular message in a particular fashion. A user will not be allowed to minimize the message, close the message, or hide the message behind other windows on the PC display screen. The messages will also be interactive so that users are able to get more information related to a particular message, such as by automatically browsing to an associated location on the World Wide Web of the Internet. Information related to interaction with the user is also tracked and communicated back to the ISP for storage and reporting. The user is also able to designate message selection criteria, such as expressing an interest in seeing certain types of advertisements.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.