U.S. patent application number 09/149405 was filed with the patent office on 2001-11-22 for system and method for distributing data over a communications network for dsplay during start-up.
Invention is credited to BRUCK, TIMO, COHN, ALAN, PERLMAN, STEPHEN G..
Application Number | 20010044832 09/149405 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 22530128 |
Filed Date | 2001-11-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010044832 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
COHN, ALAN ; et al. |
November 22, 2001 |
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISTRIBUTING DATA OVER A COMMUNICATIONS
NETWORK FOR DSPLAY DURING START-UP
Abstract
A system and method for distributing and presenting data such as
video advertisements from a host server to a browsing device
through a communications network. The method involves detecting an
extended period of nonuse of the browsing device, establishing
contact between the browsing device and the host server, preloading
data from the host server to the browsing device, storing the data
in the browsing device, detecting a start-up operation of the
browsing device, and presenting the data through the browsing
device.
Inventors: |
COHN, ALAN; (NEW YORK,
NY) ; BRUCK, TIMO; (MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA) ;
PERLMAN, STEPHEN G.; (MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WORKMAN NYDEGGER & SEELEY
1000 EAGLE GATE TOWER
60 EAST SOUTH TEMPLE
SALT LAKE CITY
UT
84111
US
|
Family ID: |
22530128 |
Appl. No.: |
09/149405 |
Filed: |
September 8, 1998 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
709/217 ;
709/227 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 69/329 20130101;
H04L 67/535 20220501; H04L 9/40 20220501 |
Class at
Publication: |
709/217 ;
709/227 |
International
Class: |
G06F 015/16 |
Claims
1. A method of delivering data from a host server to a browsing
device through a communications network, the method comprising
steps of: detecting an extended period of nonuse of the browsing
device; establishing contact between the browsing device and the
host server during the extended period of nonuse; preloading the
data from the host server to the browsing device though the
communications network; storing the data in the browsing device;
detecting a start-up operation of the browsing device; and
presenting the data through the browsing device during the start-up
operation.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
detecting a determined browsing device event during preloading; and
interrupting preloading of the data upon detecting the determined
browsing device event.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determined browsing device
event is an initiation of network communications by the browsing
device.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
interrupting the presenting of the data upon detecting a completion
of the start-up operation.
5. The method of claim 4, further including the step of: resuming
presentation of the data upon detecting a download waiting period
during which the browsing device has attempted to begin, but has
not completed, downloading information from a remote server on the
communications network.
6. The method of claim 1, further including the step of: sending a
report from the browsing device to the host server through the
communications network to confirm completion of presenting the
data.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is text data.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is graphical data.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is audio data.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is video data.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is advertising
data.
12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
displaying a transition page on the browsing device; and presenting
the data within the transition page.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of
downloading a format for the transition page from the host server
to the browsing device during a first period of idle time in
browsing device operation.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the downloading is achieved by
transmitting a URL from the host server to the browsing device and
downloading HTML code containing the format for the transition page
from an Internet site located at the URL to the browsing
device.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein downloading HTML code
containing the format occurs multiple times during a single use
session of the browsing device, such that the format for the data
changes during the session.
16. A system for distributing data to a user of a communications
network, the system comprising: a host server; a browsing device
including a display device, the browsing device being connectable
to the host server through the communications network; wherein the
host server and the browsing device are collectively configured to
establish a connection between the browsing device and the host
server upon detection of an extended period of nonuse of the
browsing device and to preload data from the host server to the
browsing device through the communications network; and wherein the
browsing device is configured to present the data upon detection of
a start-up operation of the browsing device and cease to present
the data upon detection of a completion of the start-up
operation.
17. A method for distributing video data from a host server to a
browsing device through a communications network, the method
comprising the steps of: detecting an extended period of nonuse of
the browsing device; waking the browsing device from the extended
period of nonuse; establishing contact through the communications
network between the host server and the browsing device; preloading
the video data from the host server to the browsing device through
the communications network; storing the video data on a mass
storage device of the browsing device; shutting down the browsing
device and returning the browsing device to the state of nonuse;
detecting a start-up operation of the browsing device; presenting
the video data through the browsing device during the start-up
operation.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:
reporting a completed impression for the video data from the
browsing device to the host server through the communications
network.
19. A system for distributing video data, the system comprising: a
host server connectable to a communications network; a browsing
device including a display device and a memory, the browsing device
being connectable to the communications network and configured to
communicate through the communications network with the host
server; a sensor configured to detect an extended period of nonuse
of the browsing device and wake the browsing device upon detection
of the extended period of nonuse; wherein the browsing device is
configured to preload video data from the host server to the
browsing device through the communications network upon waking from
the extended period of nonuse, and to shut down and return to a
state of nonuse after preloading; and wherein the browsing device
is configured to present the video data upon detection of a
start-up operation of the browsing device.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates generally to distributing data
to users of a communications network, and more particularly, to
distributing data from a host server to a browsing device via a
communications network such as the Internet.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In modern society, communications networks such as the
Internet enable vast numbers of persons to communicate a virtually
limitless variety of information across great distances. The
development of the World Wide Web has enabled persons with
relatively little technical training to find and display
information in a multimedia format using a browsing device, such as
a personal computer or television set-top box (STB), running a
browser program, such as MICROSOFT.RTM. Internet Explorer or
Netscape Navigator. As a result, the number of sites and the number
of users on the Internet have concomitantly experienced meteoric
growth.
[0003] For aid in accessing the Internet, many users subscribe to
Internet access services, such as the WEBTV.RTM. Internet access
network. (WEBTV is a registered trademark of WebTV Networks, Inc.
of Mountain View, Calif.) The WEBTV Internet access network
includes a large number of browsing devices, referred to as client
terminals, and at least one host server. The client terminals are
connected to the Internet via conventional modem pools, either by
Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) connection, a telephone
line, or another data link, and can directly access web pages
established by Internet publishers. The host server communicates
with the client terminals to provide a convenient standardized
interface for accessing the Internet. The host server also offers
supplemental services, such as email, news reports, television
program guides, and enhanced access to certain web pages for
subscribers of the service.
[0004] As the audience of users of these Internet access services
has grown, so too has the potential of such services to deliver
advertising content through the Internet. Unfortunately, while a
healthy variety of advertising methods exists for publishers of
Internet sites, vendors of Internet access services face a lack of
methods by which they may effectively deliver advertising content
to their subscribers.
[0005] The publisher of an Internet site is able to advertise by
several presently known methods. For example, a publisher may
include advertisements in graphical banners or audio jingles on an
Internet site. A publisher also may include a text or graphical
link to another web page containing information about an advertiser
or advertised product. It is also known to embed hidden
advertisement links within a standard hypertext link to a
destination Internet site. When a user selects the link, intending
to go to the destination page, the user also unwittingly triggers
the embedded link, and is briefly shown an advertisement before the
browsing device continues to download the destination page. This
type of interstitial advertising requires the user to wait while
the browsing device downloads and displays the advertisement.
Interstitial advertising methods are also known in which
advertising information embedded in a web page or in the home page
of the browser, or cached in the client browsing device itself, is
presented in response to selection of a hypertext link on a web
page (see Judson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,643, the disclosure of which
is herein incorporated by reference). These advertising methods
also delay the user during download of the advertising
information.
[0006] Publishers of Internet sites typically advertise using "pull
technology". Pull technology is so-named because a user must
request information, or pull it, from a server before the
information will be sent to the user's browsing device. For each of
the abovementioned forms of advertising, the user must direct the
browsing device to download the information.
[0007] Despite the availability of advertising methods for
publishers, Internet access services face several problems when
advertising. First, pull technology is not an effective means of
distributing advertising for Internet access services. Often an
Internet access service merely offers the user a dial-up connection
to the Internet. In such a case, the Internet access service is
largely invisible to the user. The user typically uses a modem to
dial a phone number and establishes a connection to the Internet,
and uses an off-the-shelf browser program to access web pages
through the Internet. Pull technology cannot be used to distribute
advertising to a user of such an Internet access service because
the user is not accessing any web pages published by the Internet
access service.
[0008] Other Internet access services, such as the WEBTV Internet
access network, offer Internet access via a proprietary interface
allowing access to subscriber services, such as a web directory and
search engine, as well as to the Internet. Pull technology may be
used to advertise directly to users of such an Internet access
service, but only when the users are accessing the web pages
published by the Internet access service. When users simply use the
Internet access service to view external web pages on the Internet,
not published by the Internet access provider, pull technology is
ineffective to distribute advertising.
[0009] When a user's browsing device is pointed elsewhere, Internet
access services must resort to "push technology" for advertising.
According to push technology, a server pushes information to a
browsing device without request from the user, or based on a
predetermined request from the user. Current push technology causes
the user two types of delay. First, the user experiences delay as
the browsing device takes time to download the pushed information.
Second, the user is delayed when interrupted by an unrequested
display of pushed information. Such delay may be annoying to the
user, and may decrease the effectiveness of the advertising due to
the intrusive nature of the advertisement.
[0010] Current browsing devices also cause the user delay. Users
typically experience delay during start-up and shutdown of the
device. In addition, a browsing device may appear to stall while
performing internal operations, such as erasing cached files.
Finally, the browsing device may experience delay when connecting
to external devices and remote computers via a communications
network. These inherent delays in using the browsing device further
aggravate the user and decrease the enjoyability of using a
browsing device to navigate a communications network.
[0011] It would be desirable to provide a method for distributing
data wherein data is downloaded from a host server across a
communications network and displayed by a browsing device without
causing delay to the user of the browsing device. It would also be
desirable to utilize inherent delays in browsing device operation,
such as wasted startup time and downloading time between web pages,
to display advertising.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] A method and system are provided for delivering data from a
host server to a browsing device through a communications network
for display during start-up of the browsing device. The method
typically includes detecting an extended period of nonuse of the
browsing device, establishing contact between the browsing device
and the host server, preloading the data from the host server to
the browsing device, and storing the data in the browsing device.
To display the data, the browsing device detects a start-up
operation and presents the data during the start-up operation.
[0013] The system typically includes a host server connectable to a
browsing device through a communications network. The host server
and browsing device are configured to establish contact upon
detection of an extended period of nonuse in the browsing device,
and preload data from the host server to the browsing device. The
browsing device is configured to detect a start-up operation and
present the data during the start-up operation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic view of a browsing device in
the form of a set-top box configured for use in accordance with the
present invention.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating the architecture of
the browsing device of FIG. 1.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a browsing device in the form
of a personal computer configured for use as part of the present
invention.
[0017] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the structure of a
communications network for use by browsing devices as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 3.
[0018] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for distributing
data through a communications network.
[0019] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for distributing
data through a communications network to be presented on start-up
of a browsing device.
[0020] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the transitions available to a
user when switching between web pages.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] FIGS. 1-7 and the following discussion are intended to
provide a brief, general description of a suitable networked
computing environment in which the invention may be implemented.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention may be
practiced with other networked computer devices, including
hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems, minicomputers, mainframe
computers, and the like. The invention may also be practiced in
distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by
remote processing devices that are linked through a communications
network.
[0022] FIG. 1 depicts a browsing device 10 in the form of a WEBTV
client terminal. As indicated, the client terminal includes an
electronics unit 12, an ordinary television 14, and a remote
control 16. Electronics unit 12 typically is referred to as a
set-top box (STB), because of its usual placement on top of
television 14. Set-top box 12, however, may be built into
television 14, forming an integral unit. The client terminal uses
television 14 as a display device for displaying both video data
and a graphical user interface, and as a loudspeaker device for
emitting audio data. The set-top box is coupled to the television
by a communications link 18. The link is an RF (radio frequency),
S-video, composite video, or other equivalent form of
communications link.
[0023] The set-top box includes hardware and/or software for
receiving and decoding a broadcast video signal 20, such as an
NTSC, PAL, SECAM or other TV system video signal, and providing
video data to the television via link 20. Set-top box 12 also
includes a browser program, which may be implemented in hardware
and/or software, to cause a graphical user interface 22 to be
displayed on television 14. The browser program enables a user to
access various WEBTV network services, browse the World Wide Web,
send email, or otherwise access the Internet.
[0024] Client terminal 10 may include both a standard modem and an
ISDN modem, such that the communication link between set-top box 12
and the Internet can be either a telephone (POTS) connection 24 or
an ISDN connection 26. The set-top box receives power through a
power line 28.
[0025] Remote control 16 is operated by the user to control
television viewing, and to control the client terminal while
browsing the World Wide Web, sending email, or performing other
Internet-related functions. The set-top box receives commands from
remote control 16 via an infrared (IR) communication link.
Alternately, the link between the remote control and the set-top
box may be an RF communication link or any equivalent communication
link (e.g., wires, etc.).
[0026] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating internal features of
set-top box 12. In this illustration, operation of the client
terminal is controlled by a processing unit, such as central
processing unit (CPU) 30, which is coupled to an
Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) 32. The CPU executes
software designed to implement various features of the present
invention. ASIC 32 contains circuitry which may be used to
implement these features. ASIC 32 is coupled to an audio
digital-to-analog converter (DAC) 34 which provides audio output to
television 14. In addition, ASIC 32 is coupled to a video encoder
36 which provides video output to television 14. An IR interface 38
detects IR signals transmitted by remote control 16 and, in
response, provides corresponding electrical signals to ASIC 32. A
standard telephone modem 40 and an ISDN modem 42 are coupled to
ASIC 32 to provide for connection(s) to the Internet. Those skilled
in the art will appreciate that the set-top box also may include a
cable television or radio frequency modem (not shown).
[0027] A TV interface 44 is coupled to ASIC 32 to receive broadcast
video signals, such as an NTSC video signal, and to provide
corresponding electrical signals to ASIC 32. This allows video data
carried in broadcast video signal 20 to be presented to the viewer
on television 14. More specifically, TV interface 44 is configured
to digitize the incoming video signal, which is stored in RAM 48,
so that ASIC 32 and CPU 30 can process the video signal before
displaying it on the television. This configuration enables the
set-top box to generate shared screen viewing where the video
signal only occupies a portion of the screen. The remaining screen
area then can be used to display various user interface controls or
data, such as video programming information.
[0028] Also coupled to ASIC 32 is memory, including random access
memory (RAM) 48 and read-only memory (ROM) 46, which provides for
storage of program code for implementing application software to be
executed by the set-top box. Note that ROM 46 may be a programmable
ROM (PROM), or any form of erasable PROM (EPROM), or flash memory.
A mass storage device 50 optionally may be provided and coupled to
ASIC 42. The mass storage device may be used to input software or
data to the client terminal or to store downloaded software or
data. Mass storage device 50 can be any suitable device for storing
machine-executable instructions, such as a magnetic drive, optical
drive, and the like.
[0029] FIG. 3 depicts an alternate browsing device in the form of a
conventional personal computer 11, including a central processing
unit (CPU) 52, a memory 54, and a bus 56 that couples various
components (including the memory) to the CPU. The bus 56 may be any
of several types of bus structures, including a memory bus or
memory controller, a peripheral bus, or a local bus using any of a
variety of bus architectures. The memory includes read only memory
(ROM) 58 and random access memory (RAM) 60. A basic input/output
system 62 (BIOS), containing basic routines which help to transfer
information between elements within the personal computer (such as
during start-up), is stored in ROM 58.
[0030] The personal computer further includes a hard disk drive 66
for reading from and writing to a hard disk, a magnetic disk drive
68 for reading from or writing to a removable magnetic disk, and an
optical disk drive 70 for reading from or writing to a removable
optical disk such as a CD ROM or other optical media. Hard disk
drive 66, magnetic disk drive 68, and optical disk drive 70 are
connected to bus 56 by a hard disk drive interface 72, a magnetic
disk drive interface 74, and an optical drive interface 76,
respectively. The drives and their associated computer-readable
media provide nonvolatile storage of computer-readable
instructions, data structures, program modules and other data for
the personal computer.
[0031] Although the exemplary environment shown in FIG. 3 employs a
hard disk, a removable magnetic disk, and a removable optical disk,
it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other
types of computer readable media which can store data which is
accessible by a computer (e.g. magnetic cassettes, flash memory
cards, digital video disks, Bernoulli cartridges, random access
memories (RAMs), read only memories (ROMs), etc.) also may be
used.
[0032] A number of program modules may be stored on the hard disk,
magnetic disk, optical disk, ROM 58, or RAM 60, including an
operating system, one or more application programs, other program
modules, and program data. A user may enter commands and
information into the personal computer 11 through input devices
such as a keyboard 78 and/or a pointing device (mouse) 80. Other
input devices (not shown) may include a microphone, joystick, game
pad, satellite dish, scanner, or the like. These and other input
devices often are connected to the processing unit 52 through a
serial port interface 82 which is coupled to the bus. However, the
input devices may be connected by other interfaces, such as a
parallel port, game port or a universal serial bus (USB).
[0033] A monitor 84 or other type of display device is also
connected to the bus 56 via an interface, such as a video adapter
86. In addition to the monitor, personal computers typically
include other peripheral output devices (not shown) such as
speakers and printers. Finally, personal computer 11 includes a
browser program, which may be implemented in hardware and/or
software, to cause a graphical user interface to be displayed on
monitor 84. The user employs the graphical user interface to browse
the World Wide Web, send email, and otherwise access the Internet.
The personal computer also typically includes a modem 88, such as
an ISDN modem or telephone line modem, connected to the serial bus
for communication with remote computers through a communications
network.
[0034] FIG. 4 illustrates a basic configuration of a networked
computing environment in which a browsing device, such as a client
terminal or personal computer, typically operates. A number of
browsing devices 10 are coupled to a modem pool 90 via
bidirectional data connections 92, which may be a telephone
connection, ISDN connection, or any other similar type of
connection, such as cable and satellite forward channels. Modem
pool 90 typically is coupled through a router, such as that
conventionally known in the art, to a number of remote servers 94
via a conventional communications network 96, such as the Internet.
The communications network also includes a host server 98, which
specifically supports and communicates with browsing devices 10.
The browsing devices each have a connection to host server 98
through modem pool 90 and the Internet. Note that modem pool 90 is
a conventional modem pool, such as is found today throughout the
world providing access to the Internet and private networks.
[0035] The present invention preferably is implemented on a
communications network navigable by hypertext links, such as the
World Wide Web. The World Wide Web encompasses a vast collection of
web pages residing as data files on remote servers connected to the
Internet. Each web page is downloadable and viewable by a browsing
device, and often contains hypertext links, which, if selected,
cause the browsing device to point to, or download and display, a
new web page.
[0036] Within the World Wide Web, a collection of related web pages
forms a web site. Individuals or organizations that provide content
to the World Wide Web are known as publishers. A single publisher
on the Internet may establish a single page, an entire web site, or
multiple web sites. Web pages are stored as data files on remote
servers, and transmitted to browsing devices upon request from each
browsing device. Each remote server has a unique domain name or
Internet protocol (IP) address which marks its location on the
Internet. Each data file which contains web page data has a unique
file path to indicate its location within the remote server.
[0037] To download and present data from a remote server over the
communications network, browsing device 10 contacts a remote server
94 through communications network 96 using a network address such
as a universal resource locator (URL). The URL, it will be
appreciated, contains the protocol by which the data is to be
transferred, as well as the domain name or IP address at which the
remote server is located, and the file path of the specific file to
be transferred. The remote server then transmits the requested data
to the browser program, which in turn displays the data according
to predefined conventions.
[0038] Data files containing web pages typically are transmitted
using the HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and encoded using the
HyperText Markup Language (HTML). The HTML language provides a
standard for interpretation of text data, formatting instructions,
and other behavioral attributes of a web page, including links to
other web pages or resource files containing image, video, and
audio data.
[0039] In the above-described environments, a method for preloading
and presenting certain data, such as advertising data, during
periods when browsing device 10 would otherwise experience idle
time, may be practiced as follows. As shown in FIG. 5 at 110, the
browsing device detects a first period of idle time in browsing
device operation. This first period of idle time may be an extended
period of nonuse of the browsing device, such as when the main
functional components of the browsing device are turned off during
late night or early morning hours. Typically, such an extended
period of nonuse is identified by the user, the user specifying a
time of day when the browsing device is not likely to be in use.
Alternatively, a sensor, implemented in hardware and/or software,
may be employed to record the length of time the main functional
components of the browsing device have been turned off, and wake
the browsing device after a predetermined period of time. In
another alternative, this first period of idle time may be a period
of temporary inactivity in browsing device operation, such as a
period of network communications inactivity, a connect waiting
period during which the browsing device is attempting to connect to
a remote server through the communications network, or a stalled
download period during which the browsing device is connected to,
but not receiving information from, a remote server. A period of
network communications inactivity occurs when the browsing device,
or alternatively the browser program, is not engaged in any
communication over the communications network. The browser may
establish contact with the host server through the communications
network upon detecting the first period of idle time. Alternately,
the browsing device and host server may maintain constant
contact.
[0040] As shown at 120, either after or prior to establishing
contact, a selection program module at the host server selects
data, typically advertising data, to download to the browsing
device from the host server. While the selection program typically
resides at the host server, those skilled in the art will
appreciate that it could alternately reside on any device connected
to communications network 96, and communicate selected data to the
host server over the communications network.
[0041] The selection program examines outstanding orders from
advertisers, and selects data containing an advertisement, a group
of advertisements, or other data, to preload into the memory of the
browsing device over the communications network upon detection of
the first period of idle time. Internet advertising typically is
sold by a unit of presentation time known as an impression.
Advertisers may purchase a number of impressions for a particular
advertisement to be presented within a given time period. For
example, an advertiser may purchase 6000 impressions of an
advertisement to be presented to users in July. The selection
program balances outstanding orders for impressions of
advertisements and chooses the most appropriate advertisement for
presentation. For alternative methods of selection of data, see the
copending U.S. Pat. application entitled "System for Targeting
Information to Specific Users on a Computer Network" filed Sep. 8,
1998, by inventors John Adelus, Dean Blackketter, Alan Cohn, and
Thomas Scott, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by
reference.
[0042] As indicated at 130, the data is preloaded from the host
server to the memory of the browsing device over the communications
network. At step 140, the browsing device attempts to detect a
determined browsing device event during preloading. The determined
browsing device event, for example, may be an initiation of other
network communications activity by the browser program and/or
browsing device, such as downloading a new web page. Alternatively,
the determined browsing device event may be a user interaction with
the graphical user interface of the browser program. If a
determined browsing device event is detected, the browsing device
will interrupt the preloading of information to resume or restart
at a later time, as shown at step 150.
[0043] After establishing contact and preloading, the data is then
stored, at step 160, in the browsing device. The data may be stored
in memory such as RAM, a mass storage device such as a hard drive,
or other memory device.
[0044] To avoid unnecessary downloading of data, browsing device 10
may communicate to the selection program the identity of data which
the browsing device has currently cached in memory and/or on a mass
storage device. The selection program typically does not instruct
the host server to download data already stored in the browsing
device. The selection program thus has the capability to remember
which data has been preloaded to a given browsing device, and
refrain from unnecessarily downloading the same data twice.
[0045] As shown at 170, at some point after the data is preloaded
and stored, either during the same session of use or at some later
time, the browsing device detects a second period of idle time in
browsing device operation. This second period of idle time may
occur at various points of inactivity in the graphical user
interface of the browsing device. The second period of idle time,
for example, may be a download waiting period during which the
browsing device has attempted to begin, but has not completed,
downloading information from a remote server on the communications
network. Alternately, the second period of idle time may be a
connect waiting period during which the browsing device attempts
to, but is temporarily unable to, connect with a remote computer on
the network. Furthermore, the second period of idle time may be a
start-up waiting period during a start-up operation of the browsing
device, after which certain components of the browsing device are
functional such that the data may be displayed. Data is only
presented during time in which the browsing device would otherwise
be idle. Therefore, user operation of the browsing device is not
delayed or encumbered.
[0046] To control the flow of advertising, the browsing device can
independently evaluate three conditions before proceeding to
present the data to the user through the browser. First, as shown
at 180, when the user inputs a destination URL into the GUI of the
browsing device, the browsing device detects whether a publisher
shift has occurred. Alternatively stated, the browsing device
detects whether the destination URL is an address to a web page
published by a different publisher than the publisher of the
currently viewed URL. Publisher shifts may be detected by applying
a predetermined process to compare the domain names of a current
URL and a destination URL for commonalities typically associated
with a common publisher, such as identical top and mid level
domains within each domain name. For an example of such a process,
see the copending U.S. Pat. application entitled "System And Method
For Controlling Delivery Of Content Over A Communications Network"
filed Sep. 8, 1998 by Timo Bruck and Alan Cohn, the disclosure of
which is herein incorporated by reference. Advertising data
typically will be presented only if a publisher shift has
occurred.
[0047] Second, if a publisher shift has occurred, the browsing
device determines the "weight" of the transition between URLs, as
shown at step 190. A transition designated as "heavy" is eligible
for a display of data. A transition designated as "light" is
ineligible. Preferably, all publisher shift transitions are
predetermined to be heavy, such that data may be displayed at each
publisher shift. All other transitions are light.
[0048] Third, as shown at step 200, the frequency of data
presentation according to the present invention may be throttled by
communicating a frequency value from the host server to the
browsing device, and determining whether a minimum period of time
corresponding to the frequency value has elapsed since a previous
presentation of data. If the minimum period of time has not yet
elapsed, the data will not be presented. Once the minimum period of
time has elapsed, the browsing device will allow the presentation
of data, and thereafter, will start the time period anew to measure
the next interval between data presentations.
[0049] Once the browsing device determines that data will be
presented, the browsing device displays a transition page at step
210, which provides the format for the display of the data. The
transition page typically is encoded in HTML format and saved in a
mass storage device of the browsing device. Upon command from the
host server the browsing device can download a new transition page
with a new format from the host server, or from some other remote
server connected to the communications network. A new transition
page may be downloaded multiple times during a single use session
of the browsing device by a user, such that the format for display
of the data changes during the session. Alternately, the transition
page is hard-coded into the browser software in the browsing
device. The transition page may appear to be opaque, such that no
other web page can be seen through the transition page.
Alternately, the transition page may appear partially translucent,
such that either the currently viewed page or the destination page
is visible through part of the transition page. The transition page
may be formatted to contain data that is text data, graphical data,
audio data, or video data.
[0050] After displaying the transition page, the browsing device
commences to display the preloaded data according to the format
prescribed by the transition page, as shown at step 220. The data
may be of virtually any type interpretable by the browsing device,
including but not limited to moving images encoded in MACROMEDIA
flash, mpeg video, avi, or animated gif formats, pictures encoded
in gif, jpeg, or pict formats, or audio encoded in wav, aiff, or
snd formats.
[0051] Once the data is displayed, the browsing device, at step
230, attempts to detect a determined browsing device event, such as
user interaction with the graphical user interface of the browsing
device or completion of a download of a web page. Where the second
period of idle time is a connect waiting period, the determined
browsing device event may be a successful connection to a remote
server.
[0052] When the browsing device detects the determined browsing
device event, the browsing device interrupts the display of the
transition page and data, as shown at step 240. Thereafter, the
browsing device displays the web page the browsing device was
preparing to display, or waiting to connect to, at the commencement
of the second period of idle time. Where the data contains more
than one advertisement, presentation of a first advertisement may
be immediately followed by the presentation of a second
advertisement. Alternatively, the browsing device may wait until
detection of a third period of idle time to present the second
advertisement. The browsing device also may resume presentation of
data that is interrupted by the determined browsing device event
upon detection of a third period of idle time by the browsing
device.
[0053] Preferably, the browsing device records the length of
presentation time of the data, as shown at step 250. Once the data
has been presented for a predetermined amount of time, the browsing
device may report to the host server that a completed impression of
the data has been achieved. Alternatively, the browsing device may
report the actual length of the presentation time of the data to
the host server. The host server may reprogram the browsing device
through the communications network to adjust the predetermined
amount of time required for an impression.
[0054] Typically, the browsing device records an impression even
where the presentation of the data is interrupted. This is
accomplished by adding a period of preinterruption presentation
time to a period of post-interruption presentation time to satisfy
the predetermined amount of time required for an impression. The
host server also can instruct the browsing device to report
completion of an impression to the host server only if the data is
displayed for the predetermined amount of time without
interruption. The browsing device typically records the length of
time the data is presented in discrete time intervals. The browsing
device may record the length of time the data is presented in real
time.
[0055] For large advertisements such as lengthy video
presentations, which require great amounts of time to download, the
present invention typically is practiced by preloading data upon
detection of an extended period of nonuse of the browsing device
(e.g., when the browsing device would otherwise be turned off), and
displaying the video data during the start-up operation of the
browsing device. Such an extended period of nonuse, as occurs in
the early morning hours when users are asleep, typically is
identified by the user, the user specifying a time of day when the
browsing device is not in use. Alternatively, the extended period
of nonuse may be detected by a sensor in the browsing device.
[0056] As shown at step 310 in FIG. 6, the extended period of
nonuse is detected by the browsing device, typically at a user
identified time, and the browsing device wakes from nonuse and
contacts the host server, as indicated at 320. At step 330, the
host server selects a video advertisement according to a
predetermined advertising management process. The host server
preloads the selected video advertisement to the browsing device
during the period of nonuse, as shown at 340, and the browsing
device stores the video advertisement 350 on a mass storage device
such as a hard drive. The browsing device typically shuts down
after successfully preloading the video advertisement and returns
to a state of nonuse, as shown at step 360.
[0057] At step 370, the browsing device detects the start-up
operation. At step 380, while waiting for the browsing device to
complete the start-up operation and make a connection with the host
server, a period also referred to as the start-up waiting period,
the browsing device presents the video advertisement on the display
device. Typically, a video advertisement is 15 or 30 seconds in
length, depending on the amount of memory available on the browsing
device. A video advertisement is typically shown in its entirety
before the start-up operation is complete. However, presentation of
a video advertisement may be interrupted by the browsing device
upon detection of the completion of the start-up operation and
start-up waiting period. As shown at 390, when the video
advertisement is shown to completion the browsing device records
the successful presentation of the video advertisement, and reports
completion of the presentation (also referred to as an impression)
to the host server through the communications network.
[0058] For smaller quantities of data, such as graphical banners or
MACROMEDIA flash presentations, data may be preloaded during
periods of temporary inactivity in the network communications of
the browsing device and/or browser program, and presented during
download waiting periods. As shown in FIG. 7, the graphical user
interface 400 displays a current web page 410 located at a current
URL 420. The browsing device receives a user command to download a
destination web page, for example, when a user selects a hypertext
link 430 or inputs a destination URL 440. Upon receiving such a
command, the browsing device preferably displays an advertisement
450 within a transition page 460 while the browsing device is
transitioning from displaying the current web page to displaying
the destination web page. Where display of an advertisement is not
desirable, the browsing device also may trigger the display of a
progress bar 480 over the current web page 410, or blank transition
page 470 during the download waiting period. After completion of
the download waiting period, the browsing device displays a
destination web page 490, located at the destination URL 440.
[0059] While the invention has been disclosed in its preferred
form, the specific embodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated
herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous
variations are possible. Applicant regards the subject matter of
the invention to include all novel and non-obvious combinations and
subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or
properties disclosed herein. No single feature, function, element
or property of the disclosed embodiments is essential. The
following claims define certain combinations and subcombinations
which are regarded as novel and non-obvious. Other combinations and
subcombinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties
may be claimed through amendment of the present claims or
presentation of new claims in this or a related application. Such
claims are also regarded as included within the subject matter of
applicant's invention irrespective of whether they are broader,
narrower, or equal in scope to the original claims.
* * * * *