METHOD FOR PROVIDING ADVERTISEMENTS ON PERSONAL COMPUTER USING SYSTEM BIOS
Technical Field
•The present invention relates in general to a method for looping images on a computer screen, and more particularly to a method for displaying and looping a desired image on a computer screen and making it hard to remove such a display function.
Background Art
As well known to those skilled in the art, a general desktop computer comprises a graphic card for performing a display function to display a desired image on a screen. Even though such a display function is additionally programmed to display a desired image on the screen of the desktop computer, it can easily be removed by deleting an associated application program or replacing the graphic card with a different one.
In some cases, a desired image is displayed on a computer screen and such a display function must be prevented from being removed. For example, a computer seller may display an advertising image on a screen of a computer to obtain advertising revenue upon selling the computer. In this case, a computer purchaser may remove such a display function by deleting an associated application program or replacing an associated graphic card with a different one, thereby causing an advertiser to shrink from thus advertising using a computer. As a result, there is a need for a method capable of displaying a desired image on a computer screen and making it hard to remove such a display function.
Disclosure of the Invention
Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for displaying a desired image on a computer screen and making it hard to remove such a display function.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for looping images displayed on a computer screen.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method for checking the operation of an advertising application program, wherein a system BIOS periodically checks the operation of the advertising application program and, if the operation of the advertising application program is not normal, stops the operation of a system and requests the' user to re¬ install the advertising application program. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by a provision of a method for looping images on a screen of a computer, comprising the first step of programming a graphic chip set of the computer with image data to be displayed and an image position control signal from a system BIOS; the second step of displaying a desired image on a desired position of the computer screen under control of the graphic chip set; and the third step of looping the image displayed at the above second step at a predetermined period under control of a main board chip set timer. Preferably, the above first step may include the step of programming the graphic chip set in such a manner that the displayed image can provisionally disappear for a little while in a specific condition.
Further, preferably, the above computer may be a notebook
computer.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for checking the operation of an advertising application program, comprising the first step of allowing a main board chip set timer of a computer to apply a system management interrupt control signal to a system BIOS at a predetermined period; the second step of allowing the system BIOS to check the operation of the advertising application program in response to the system management interrupt control signal from the main board chip set timer; the third step of allowing the advertising application program to send information about its current operating status to the system BIOS in response to an operating status information sending request from the system BIOS; the fourth step of upon receiving no response .or an abnormal response resulting from a file deletion or modification from the advertising application program, allowing the system BIOS to stop the operation of a system, compulsorily re-boot the system and request the user to re-install the advertising application program; and the fifth step of allowing the system BIOS to wait for the next system management interrupt control signal upon receiving a normal response from the advertising application program.
Preferably, the above computer may be a notebook computer.
Brief Description of the Drawings
The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which-'
Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a control flow of a
method for looping images on a computer screen in accordance with the present invention',
Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of the image looping method in accordance with the present invention, wherein: Fig. 2a is a view showing the original state of a work indication line on the computer screen;
Fig. 2b is a view showing a state where advertising images are displayed on the work indication line; and
Fig. 2c is a view showing a state where the advertising images displayed in Fig. 2b are looped and different advertising images are displayed on the work indication line; and
Fig. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for checking the operation of an advertising application program in accordance with the present invention.
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a control flow of a method for looping images on a computer screen in accordance with the present invention. As shown in this drawing, a main board chip set timer 11 provides an SMI (System Management Interrupt) control signal to a system BIOS (Basic Input Output System) 12, and a graphic chip set 13 controls a display unit 14.
In more detail, the system BIOS 12 applies a desired image to be displayed and a position-on-screen control signal to the graphic chip set 13, which then displays the desired image from the system BIOS 12 on a desired position of the computer screen in response to the control signal from the system BIOS 12. The main board chip set timer 11 is used to program the system BIOS 12 in such a manner that it can periodically loop the image displayed as ment ioned above.
Alternatively, the system BIOS 12 may be programmed in such a manner that the displayed image can provisionally disappear for a little while in a specific condition.
In particular, in a notebook computer, the graphic chip set 13 is contained in a main board. In this regard, according to the image looping method of the present invention as mentioned above, only the replacement of the main board makes it possible to remove the display function which is programmed in the graphic chip set 13 to display the desired image on the specific position of the computer screen.
Consequently, in the case where the display function is programmed to display the desired image at the time that the notebook computer is brought to market, it cannot be removed later by the user, thereby obtaining a continuous advertisement effect based on the image.
Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of the image looping method in accordance with the present invention, wherein Fig. 2a is a view showing the original state of a work indication line on the computer screen, Fig. 2b is a view showing a state where advertising images are displayed on the work indication line and Fig. 2c is a view showing a state where the advertising images displayed in Fig. 2b are looped and different advertising images are displayed on the work indication line.
For example, if a mouse pointer is positioned on a ' START' button at the leftmost portion of the work indication line or a clock indicator at the rightmost portion of the work indication line, then the advertising images displayed and looped on the work indication line as shown in Figs. 2b and 2c provisionally disappear for a little while so that the user can check the original state of the work indication line or select Other works.
Thereafter, if the mouse pointer moves beyond the ' START' button or clock indicator of the work indication line, then the advertising images are again displayed on the work indication line. Fig. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for checking the operation of an advertising application program in accordance with the present invention.
In Fig. 3, an advertising/information sending application program 15 functions to display a specific advertising image on a computer screen and, when a computer user accesses a desired site on the Internet, detect address information of the accessed site and send the detected site address information to a specific advertisement server.
As shown in Fig. 3, the main board chip set timer 11 periodically applies the SMI control signal to the system BIOS 12, which then checks the operation of the advertising application program 15. Upon receiving an operating status information sending request from the system BIOS 12, the advertising application program 15 sends information about its current operating status to the system BIOS 12. Upon receiving no response or an abnormal response resulting from a file deletion or modification from the advertising application program 15, the system BIOS 12 stops the operation of a system, compulsorily re¬ boots the system and requests the user to re-install the advertising application program 15. If the system BIOS 12 receives a normal response from the advertising application program 15, then it waits for the next SMI control signal.
Industrial Applicability
As apparent from the above description, the present
invention provides a method for providing advertisements on a personal computer using a system BIOS, wherein an advertising function cannot be easily removed because it is controlled according to a program stored in the system BIOS. Therefore, a continuous advertisement effect can be ensured, thereby making it possible to expect profits from advertisements programmed in a computer brought to market .
Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.