WO2001069479A1

WO2001069479A1 - The internet advertising method using a mouse pointer

Info

Publication number: WO2001069479A1
Application number: PCT/KR2000/000315
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ki Tae Kim
Original assignee: Ki Tae Kim
Priority date: 2000-03-14
Filing date: 2000-04-06
Publication date: 2001-09-20
Also published as: AU3682600A; KR20010091322A

Abstract

The present invention relates to an Internet advertising method using a mouse pointer, receives advertisements and contents from and ad provider through TCP-IP provided in Windows and displays such advertisements and contents on the advertisement window of a mouse pointer when Internet advertisements are to be viewed. Thus, the present invention can provide Internet advertisements without using web browsers. The present invention also receives advertisements and contents from an ad provider and stores them in a memory space, thus making it possible to provide Internet advertisements even while the system is off-line, by using the off-line advertisements and contents which have been stored in a pertinent memory space.

Description

THE INTERNET ADVERTISING METHOD USING A MOUSE

POINTER

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to the Internet advertising method using the mouse pointer. The present invention relates to the Internet advertising method using the mouse pointer. More particularly, the present invention relates to the Internet advertising method using the mouse pointer, whereby advertisements and contents, and Internet ad viewing information are transmitted through TCP/IP provided in Windows so that advertisements and contents may be provided without using web browsers.

BACKGROUND ART

Recently, as people's interests in the Internet increase to a great extent, Internet advertisements are multiplying rapidly because companies may advertise themselves to a wide range of viewers at a comparatively low price through the Internet. In fact, a research shows that more advertisements are viewed or listened to from the Internet than from other media such as newspaper, magazines or radio. Thus, the TV is the only medium that is ahead of the Internet as a source of advertisements. All of these facts prove that a great attention is paid to the Internet advertisements. The effect of the Internet advertisements differs greatly depending on where and how the Internet advertisements are displayed. The most ordinary and popular form of advertising is the banner advertisement, which is a small size graphic inserted into a web page. The banner advertisement is developing into a big banner advertisement, utilizing a menu bar, tool bar or URL (Uniform Resource Locator) input window without impairing the user's original intent to acquire information. By providing the most appropriate advertisements and relevant information to each individual netizen based upon various demographic parameters such as a customer's gender, age, occupation, income and education level, and other information such as a customer's life style, consumption desire and disposition, etc., the Internet will be used as an essential medium for one-to-one marketing, database marketing and customer relations marketing to maintain a life-long relationship with each netizen.

However, the above-mentioned type of Internet advertising has encountered its limitation to a certain degree and, thus, it is urgent to develop new technologies for the Internet advertising. In particular, because Internet advertisements are very small in size compared with ordinary contents of web sites and are located on the top or on a side of a web site, most netizens whose interests lie in the contents of the web site tend to ignore the Internet advertisements.

In order to overcome such shortcomings, animation effect is added to some

Internet advertisements. Nonetheless, the fundamental and critical limitation that advertisements are displayed at fixed locations reduces the effect of advertisements.

Moreover, hardware of mediocre properties cannot support any significant advertising effect, further limiting the outlook of the Internet advertising.

As another way to overcome the shortcomings of the current Internet advertising methods, an advertising method called "Cursor Advertising" has been introduced. In the Cursor Advertising method, the mouse pointer is changed into a character displaying an ad image or a simple advertising phrase when a particular web site is accessed.

In other words, the conventional Internet advertisements which had been displayed in fixed locations were changed into advertisements which follow the movements of the mouse pointer. However, the Internet advertising methods using the mouse pointer automatically change the mouse pointer into advertisements whenever a particular web site is accessed, resultantly inconveniencing netizens who do not wish to view advertisements. In the conventional mouse pointer Internet advertising, whenever a netizen accesses a particular web site, the mouse pointer changes into a predetermined form of advertisements regardless of the netizen's wish and, thus, the netizen cannot but view the advertisement which moves along with the mouse pointer even if he or she does not want to view the advertisement. Furthermore, a netizen who wishes to view a certain advertisement may watch the advertisement only while he or she is connected to the particular web site. This aspect limits the effect of the conventional advertising methods using the mouse pointer.

As described above, conventional Internet advertising methods, which provide advertisements in a stick form at fixed locations or advertisements moving correspondingly to the mouse pointer, have failed to attract netizens' interests. In the Internet advertising method providing advertisements that move following the movements of the mouse pointer, an advertisement may be viewed only while the particular web site is accessed. As another drawback, in the conventional method of Internet advertising, a netizen who does not desire to view an advertisement has no choice but to watch the advertisement which follows the mouse pointer.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In order to resolve problems described above, the present invention attains the following purposes. First, the present invention has a purpose in providing Internet advertisements without going through a web browser, by receiving advertisements and contents from an ad provider through TCP/IP of Windows and by displaying the advertisements and contents on the advertisement window of the mouse pointer in the event that a user wishes to view Internet advertisements.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide Internet advertisements by receiving and storing, in a particular memory, off-line advertisements and contents transmitted from an ad provider through TCP/IP of Windows and by using the said offline advertisements and contents stored in the said memory in the event a user wishes to view Internet advertisements in the off-line state.

Furthermore, the present invention enables the ad provider to calculate the reverse viewing fees for the internet advertisements actually viewed and to pay the fees to advertisement viewers, by transmitting, to the ad provider through TCP/IP, the internet ad viewing information related to the internet advertisements displayed on the advertisement window of the mouse pointer in either on-line or off-line state.

In order to achieve the above-stated purposes, the present invention's Internet advertising method using the mouse pointer, for viewing of on-line Internet advertisements, comprises the steps of: setting up the mouse pointer so that the mouse pointer is always located at the top of the window; connecting an ad provider through the Internet without running a separate web browser; receiving on-line advertisements and contents from the said ad provider through Windows' TCP/IP and displaying the said on-line advertisements and contents on the advertisement window of the mouse pointer; transmitting on-line ad viewing information related to the said on-line advertisements and contents displayed on the advertisement window of the mouse pointer to the said ad provider through TCP/IP; and calculating on-line reverse viewing fees based upon the said transmitted on-line ad viewing information and paying the said fees to an ad viewer. Moreover, in order to enable a viewer to watch Internet advertisements even when he or she is off-line using the advertisements and contents transmitted from the said ad provider during the on-line state, the present invention further comprises a step of receiving off-line advertisements and contents from the said ad provider and storing the said advertisements and contents in a memory.

The present invention's Internet advertising method using the mouse pointer, for viewing of off-line Internet advertisements, comprises the steps of: setting up the mouse pointer so that the mouse pointer may always be located at the top of the window; displaying the said off-line advertisements and contents, which were stored at the said memory during the on-line state; storing the off-line ad viewing information related to the said off-line advertisements and contents displayed on the advertisement window of the mouse pointer in a memory; transmitting the said off-line ad viewing information which had been stored in the said memory to the said ad provider through TCP/IP; and calculating off-line reverse viewing fees based upon the said transmitted off-line ad viewing information and paying the said fees to an ad viewer.

The said ad viewing information contains the advertisements and contents provision time, which is counted by detecting the location of the mouse pointer carrying the advertisements and contents, and size information of the advertisement window of the mouse pointer carrying the said advertisements and contents. Additionally, the present invention's Internet advertising method using the mouse pointer further comprises a step of stopping the Internet ad viewing by releasing the Internet advertisement pointer function through a pop-up menu in the event that the ad viewer wishes to stop viewing the Internet advertisements. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating the connection made between a main server and a client system for provision of Internet advertisements using the mouse pointer according to the present invention. Fig. 2 shows diagrams illustrating pop-up menus for Windows for cases without and with the Internet advertisement pointer function.

Fig. 3 is a flow chart illustrating the present invention's Internet advertising procedure using the mouse pointer in the event that the client system is on-line.

Fig. 4 shows diagrams illustrating on-line advertisements and contents which are displayed on the advertisement window of the mouse pointer according to the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a flow chart illustrating the present invention's Internet advertising procedure using the mouse pointer in the event that the client system is off-line. Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred implementation of the present invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

As illustrated in Fig. 1 , the Internet advertisements using the mouse pointer according to the present invention are provided through information exchanges between main server (10) which provides on-line/off-line advertisements and contents and client system (20) which displays the on-line/off-line advertisements and contents provided from the said main server to the advertisement window of the mouse pointer.

Here, information exchanges between the said main server (10) and the said client system (20) are made not through a separate web browser but by TCP/IP provided in Windows (i.e., operation systems or application programs). The said client system (20), while displaying the advertisements and contents on the advertisement window of the mouse pointer, also transmits to the said main server (10) the ad viewing information related to the displayed advertisements and contents, making the efficient Internet advertisement management possible. In this manner, the said main server (10) may calculate the reverse viewing fees based upon the ad viewing information transmitted from the client system (20) and pay such fees periodically to users of the client system (20), who actually viewed the Internet advertisements.

The above-mentioned ad viewing information means the advertisements and contents provision time, which is counted by detecting the location of the mouse pointer carrying the advertisements and contents, and the size information of the advertisement window of the mouse pointer carrying the said advertisements and contents.

In order to provide the Internet advertisements using the mouse pointer according to the present invention, the client system (20) must have installed in it application programs for TCP/IP processor (21), advertisement pointer setup unit (22), mouse pointer management unit (23) and screen display unit (24). The said TCP/IP processor (21), through TCP/IP, receives advertisements and contents from the main server (10), or transmits ad viewing information (advertisements and contents provision time, advertisement window size information) to the said main server. The said advertisement pointer setup unit (22) sets up the Internet advertisement pointer function so that the mouse pointer may always be located at the top of the window in the event that a user wishes to view Internet advertisements.

The said Internet advertisement pointer function may be set up as a pop-up menu in any window of operation systems and application programs. Pop-up menus for Windows without and with the said Internet advertisement pointer function (NeoPointer Top) are illustrated in Fig. 2a and Fig. 2b.

When the Internet advertisement pointer function is set up, the said mouse pointer management unit (23) detects the location of the mouse pointer carrying Internet advertisements, counts the advertisement and content provision period and transmits the counted advertisements and contents provision time to the TCP/IP processor (21). The said screen display unit (24) displays the advertisements and contents on the advertisement window of the mouse pointer, and transmits the size information of the advertisement window of the mouse pointer to the TCP/IP processor (21).

If a user, who wishes to view Internet advertisements, is connected to the Internet through a public or private telecommunication network (in other words, the user is on-line), the said client system (20) with the above-illustrated application programs display, real time, on the mouse pointer the on-line advertisements and contents provided by the said main server (10). If it is the off-line state, the said client system (20) displays on the mouse pointer the off-line advertisements and contents, which have been transmitted to it during the on-line state.

In the Internet advertisement method using the mouse pointer, which provides the Internet advertisements through information exchanges between the said main server (10) and the client system (20), provides different advertisements and contents depending on whether the client system (20) is on-line or off-line. First, the Internet advertising procedure using the mouse pointer for a case where the client system (20) is on-line is explained with reference to Fig. 3.

When the said client system (20) is connected to the Internet through a public or private telecommunication network and, thus, it is on-line (step S31), the pertinent operation system and application programs are executed to ask the system user whether the user wishes to view on-line Internet advertisements (step S32). If the system user responds that he or she wishes to view on-line Internet advertisements, application programs in the said client system (20) set up the Internet advertisement pointer function so that the mouse pointer may always be located at the top of the window (step S33). Then, the main server (10) is automatically connected through the Internet without a need to run a separate web browser (step S34). This is possible because the application programs enable the main server (10) to be connected to the Internet through TCP/IP, which is provided in Windows, without going through a web browser.

Then, application programs of the said client system (20) receive on-line advertisements and contents from the main server (10) through TCP/IP and display them on the advertisement window of the mouse pointer (steps S35-S37). At this time, so that the system user may view the Internet advertisements even when he or she is offline, the said client system (20) receives the off-line advertisements and contents, in addition to the on-line advertisements and contents, from the said main server (10) and stores them in the memory (step S36).

On-line advertisements and contents which are displayed on the advertisement window of the said mouse pointer are illustrated in Fig. 4a. As shown in Fig. 4a, animation advertisements may be displayed real time on the upper part of the advertisement window and simple contents like messages may be displayed real time on the lower part of the window.

Thereafter, the pertinent application program of the said client system (20) detects the location of the moving mouse pointer which carries the on-line advertisements and contents on its advertisement window, counts the advertisements and contents provision time (i.e., the time period when the on-line Internet advertisements are actually viewed), and, at the same time, obtains information of the said advertisement window's size. The said advertisements and contents provision period and the advertisement window's size information (i.e., the on-line ad viewing information) are transmitted through TCP/IP to the main server (10) by the application program (step S38). The said main server (10), which is the ad provider, calculates on- line reverse viewing fees based upon the said transmitted on-line ad viewing information and periodically pays the ad viewer the calculated fees (step S39).

Second, the Internet advertising procedure using the mouse pointer for a case where the client system (20) is off-line is explained with reference to Fig. 5.

When the said client system (20) starts its operation, the operation system and its application programs recognize the off-line state (step S51) and ask the system user whether he or she wishes to view off-line Internet advertisements (step S52).

If the system user's response is affirmative, the application program of the client system (20) sets up the Internet advertisement pointer function so that the said mouse pointer may always be located at the top of the window (step S53). Then, the application program of the client system (20) retrieves the off-line advertisements and contents which have been stored in the memory during the on-line state, and displays the said off-line advertisements and contents on the advertisement window of the mouse pointer (step S54).

Fig. 4b illustrates one example of the off-line advertisements and contents displayed on the advertisement window of the said mouse pointer, which is a small icon- form advertisement or contents.

Thereafter, the application program of the said client system (20) detects the location of the moving mouse pointer which carries the off-line advertisements and contents on its advertisement window, counts the advertisements and contents provision time (i.e., the time period when the off- line Internet advertisements are actually viewed), and, at the same time, obtains information of the said advertisement window's size. The said advertisements and contents provision time and the advertisement window's size information are stored in the memory by the application program (step S55). Then, when the client system (20) becomes on-line, the said advertisements and contents provision time and the advertisement window's size information (i.e. the offline ad viewing information) are transmitted to the main server (10) through TCP/IP which is provided in Windows (step S56). The said main server (10), which is the ad provider, calculates on-line reverse viewing fees based upon the said transmitted off-line ad viewing information and periodically pays the off-line reverse viewing fees to the user of the said client system, the ad viewer (step S57).

If the system user wishes to stop viewing the Internet advertisements, the present invention's Internet advertisement pointer function may be released by a simple setup. For example, the Internet advertisement pointer function release may be added to the pop-up menu through the right button of the mouse and if the said release is selected, the advertisement window of the mouse pointer is eliminated suspending the Internet ad viewing.

As described above, according to the present invention's Internet advertising method using the mouse pointer, on-line/off-line advertisements and contents are transmitted from the ad provider through Windows' TCP/IP, without going through a separate web browser, and may be displayed on the advertisement window of the mouse pointer regardless of the on-line or off-line state.

Furthermore, the Internet ad viewing information related to the Internet advertisements displayed on the advertisement window of the said mouse pointer is also transmitted to the ad provider through Windows' TCP/IP. In this manner, the said ad provider calculates the on-line or off-line reverse viewing fees and pays the reverse viewing fees to the ad viewer who has actually viewed the Internet advertisements.

The present invention is not limited to the above-explained example of the preferred implementation. Various alternatives, modifications and changes of the present invention may be embodied within the extent apparent to a person with the ordinary knowledge of the art related to the present invention. For example, the present invention may be used for connection with various contents such as contents for Internet mail, Internet fax, chatting, search, Internet broadcasting, Internet shopping mall, etc.

As explained above, the present invention provides Internet advertisements without going through a web browser, by receiving advertisements and contents from an ad provider through Windows' TCP/IP and displaying the said advertisements and contents on the advertisement window of the mouse pointer.

Furthermore, by receiving the off-line advertisements and contents from the ad provider through Windows' TCP/IP and storing them in the memory, the present invention provides Internet advertisements for a user who wishes to view Internet advertisements during the off-line state, using the off-line advertisements and contents stored in the said memory.

Additionally, the present invention, by transmitting, to the ad provider through TCP/IP, the Internet ad viewing information related to the Internet advertisements displayed on the advertisement window of the mouse pointer in the on-line or off-line state, enables the said ad provider to calculate the reverse viewing fees for the Internet advertisements actually viewed and to pay the ad viewer the said calculated reverse viewing fees for the actually viewed Internet advertisements.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS

1. The Internet advertising method using the mouse pointer, for viewing of on-line Internet advertisements, comprising the steps of: setting up the mouse pointer so that the mouse pointer may always be located at the top of the window; connecting an ad provider through the Internet without running a separate web browser; receiving on-line advertisements and contents from the said ad provider through Windows' TCP/IP and displaying the said on-line advertisements and contents on the advertisement window of the mouse pointer; transmitting on-line ad viewing information related to the said on-line advertisements and contents displayed on the advertisement window of the mouse pointer to the said ad provider through TCP/IP; and calculating on-line reverse viewing fees based upon the said transmitted on-line ad viewing information and paying the said fees to an ad viewer.

2. The Internet advertising method using the mouse pointer according to claim 1 , for the purpose of enabling the ad viewer to watch Internet advertisements even when he or she is off-line, using the advertisements and contents transmitted from the said ad provider during the on-line state, further comprising the step of: receiving off-line advertisements and contents from the said ad provider and storing the said advertisements and contents in a memory.

3. The Internet advertising method using the mouse pointer, for viewing of off-line Internet advertisements, comprising the steps of: setting up the mouse pointer so that the mouse pointer may always be located at the top of the window; displaying the said off-line advertisements and contents, which have been stored at the said memory during the on-line state; storing the off-line ad viewing information related to the said off-line advertisements and contents displayed on the advertisement window of the mouse pointer in a memory; transmitting, when it becomes the on-line state, the said off-line ad viewing information which had been stored in the said memory to the said ad provider through TCP/IP; and calculating off-line reverse viewing fees based upon the said transmitted offline ad viewing information and paying the said fees to an ad viewer.

4. The Internet advertising method using the mouse pointer according to claim 1 or claim 3, wherein the said ad viewing information contains the advertisements and contents provision time, which is counted by detecting the location of the mouse pointer carrying the advertisements and contents, and size information of the advertisement window of the mouse pointer carrying the said advertisements and contents.

5. The Internet advertising method using the mouse pointer according to claim 1 or claim 3, further comprising the step of stopping the Internet ad viewing by releasing the Internet advertisement pointer function through a pop-up menu in the event that the ad viewer wishes to stop viewing the Internet advertisements.