US5809242A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic mail system for displaying advertisement at local computer received from remote system while the local computer is off-line the remote system
Assignee: Juno Online Services Inc
•
Filing: 1996-04-19
•
Granted: 1998-09-15
•
Expires: 2016-04-19
Abstract
Abstract A system for providing scheduled messages to a remote user in a batch oriented system. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a user creates and/or reads electronic mail locally. While the user creates the electronic mail, a message is displayed to the user on a portion of the local monitor, the message preferably changing in accordance with a local display schedule and stored on a local storage device. The message is preferably targeted to the particular user. When the user is ready to transmit the e-mail created and/or receive e-mail addressed to him, the user's local client establishes a connection via a modem with a remote e-mail server system. The remote e-mail server system not only receives the e-mail transmitted by the user and/or transmits e-mail addressed to the user, but also updates the user's local messages in accordance with a distribution schedule. After the e-mail and message updates are transmitted, the user's local client computer is disconnected from the remote e-mail server system.
Inventors
- 👤 David E. Shaw
- 👤 Charles E. Ardai
- 👤 Brian D. Marsh
- 👤 Mark A. Moraes
- 👤 Dana B. Rudolph
- 👤 Jon D. Mc Auliffe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 13:06
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/10; G06Q10/107; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/02; H; H04; H04L; H04L51/00; H04L51/21; H04L51/214
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 64
Claim 1
Independent Claim
111 words
In an electronic mail system, a method for displaying advertisements to a user at a local computer when the local computer is off-line, comprising the steps of: creating an electronic mail message at the local computer; establishing a communications link between the local computer and a remote system; receiving an advertisement from the remote system; storing the advertisement on a storage device at the local computer; transferring the electronic mail message from the local computer to the remote system; terminating the communications link between the local computer and the remote system; and outputting the advertisement at the local computer while the local computer is off-line with respect to the remote system.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
111 words
In an electronic mail system, a method for displaying advertisements to a user at a local computer when the local computer is off-line, comprising the steps of: creating an electronic mail message at the local computer; establishing a communications link between the local computer and a remote system; receiving an advertisement from the remote system; storing the advertisement on a storage device at the local computer; transferring the electronic mail message from the local computer to the remote system; terminating the communications link between the local computer and the remote system; and outputting the advertisement at the local computer while the local computer is off-line with respect to the remote system.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the advertisement is output when the user is creating or reading electronic mail messages.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: at the local computer, recording in a statistics file an indication that the advertisement was output; and storing the statistics file on the storage device at the local computer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method of claim 3 further comprising the steps of: creating a second electronic mail message at the local computer while the local computer is off-line with respect to the remote system; re-establishing the communications link between the local computer and the remote system; and transferring the statistics file and the second electronic mail message from the local computer to the remote system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the step of outputting the advertisement takes places concurrently with the step of creating the second electronic mail message.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of utilizing the statistics file to create a billing account related to the advertisement.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the local computer initiates the communications link with the remote system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the remote system is coupled to the Internet.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the initial steps of: receiving, at the remote system, a member profile from the user, the member profile comprising demographic information about the user; utilizing the member profile to determine which advertisement is to be communicated to the user.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
136 words
In an electronic mail system, a method for displaying advertisements to a user at a local computer when the local computer is off-line, comprising the steps of: establishing a communications link between the local computer and a remote system; receiving a plurality of advertisements from the remote system; storing the plurality of advertisements on a storage device at the local computer; transferring an electronic mail message from the remote system to the local computer; storing the electronic mail message on the storage device at the local computer; terminating the communications link between the local computer and the remote system; outputting the electronic mail message at the local computer; concurrently with the previous step, outputting one of the plurality of advertisement at the local computer while the local computer is off-line with respect to the remote system.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
136 words
In an electronic mail system, a method for displaying advertisements to a user at a local computer when the local computer is off-line, comprising the steps of: establishing a communications link between the local computer and a remote system; receiving a plurality of advertisements from the remote system; storing the plurality of advertisements on a storage device at the local computer; transferring an electronic mail message from the remote system to the local computer; storing the electronic mail message on the storage device at the local computer; terminating the communications link between the local computer and the remote system; outputting the electronic mail message at the local computer; concurrently with the previous step, outputting one of the plurality of advertisement at the local computer while the local computer is off-line with respect to the remote system.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of replacing the output advertisement with a second one of the plurality of advertisements while the local computer is off-line with respect to the remote system.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of: at the local computer, recording in a statistics file an indication of the advertisements that were output; and storing the statistics file on the storage device at the local computer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of: creating an electronic mail message at the local computer while the local computer is off-line with respect to the remote system; re-establishing the communications link between the local computer and the remote system; and transferring the statistics file and the second electronic mail message from the local computer to the remote system.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 13 wherein a third one of the plurality of advertisements is output while the electronic mail message is created.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of utilizing the statistics file to create a billing account related to the advertisement.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the local computer initiates the communications link with the remote system.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 10 further comprising the initial steps of: receiving, at the remote system, a member profile from the user, the member profile comprising demographic information about the user; utilizing the member profile to determine which advertisements are to be communicated to the user.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
194 words
In an electronic mail system, a method for displaying advertisements to a user at a local computer when the local computer is off-line, comprising the steps of: creating a first electronic mail message at the local computer; concurrently with the previous step, outputting a first advertisement at the local computer while the user is creating the first electronic mail message; establishing a communications link between the local computer and a remote system; receiving a second advertisement from the remote system; storing the second advertisement on a storage device at the local computer; transferring the first electronic mail message from the local computer to the remote system; transferring a second electronic mail message from the remote system to the local computer; storing the second electronic mail message on the storage device at the local computer; terminating the communications link between the local computer and the remote system; outputting the second advertisement at the local computer while the local computer is off-line with respect to the remote system; and concurrently with the previous step, displaying the second electronic mail message at the local computer while the local computer is off-line with respect to the remote system.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
194 words
In an electronic mail system, a method for displaying advertisements to a user at a local computer when the local computer is off-line, comprising the steps of: creating a first electronic mail message at the local computer; concurrently with the previous step, outputting a first advertisement at the local computer while the user is creating the first electronic mail message; establishing a communications link between the local computer and a remote system; receiving a second advertisement from the remote system; storing the second advertisement on a storage device at the local computer; transferring the first electronic mail message from the local computer to the remote system; transferring a second electronic mail message from the remote system to the local computer; storing the second electronic mail message on the storage device at the local computer; terminating the communications link between the local computer and the remote system; outputting the second advertisement at the local computer while the local computer is off-line with respect to the remote system; and concurrently with the previous step, displaying the second electronic mail message at the local computer while the local computer is off-line with respect to the remote system.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 18 wherein the first advertisement is stored on the storage device of the local computer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of outputting the first advertisement in place of the second advertisement while the second electronic mail message is displayed and while the local computer is off-line with respect to the remote system.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 18 further comprising the steps of: at the local computer, recording in a statistics file an indication that the first advertisement was output; and transferring the statistics file from the local computer to the remote system when the communications link is established between the local computer and the remote system.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of utilizing the statistics file at the remote system to create a billing account related to the advertisement.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 18 wherein the local computer initiates the communications link with the remote system.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 18 further comprising the initial steps of: receiving, at the remote system, a member profile from the user, the member profile comprising demographic information about the user; and utilizing the member profile to determine which advertisements are to be communicated to the user.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
128 words
A method to operate an e-mail system having a server system and a plurality of user computers, comprising the steps of: enabling the creation and reading of e-mail messages at user computers while the user computers are off-line with respect to the server system; transferring e-mail messages between the user computers and the server system while the user computers are on-line with respect to the server system; transferring advertisements from the server system to the user computers while the user computers are on-line with respect to the server system; storing the transferred advertisements locally at the user computers; and outputting the stored advertisements at the user computers when e-mail messages are being created or read and while the user computers are off-line with respect to the server system.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
128 words
A method to operate an e-mail system having a server system and a plurality of user computers, comprising the steps of: enabling the creation and reading of e-mail messages at user computers while the user computers are off-line with respect to the server system; transferring e-mail messages between the user computers and the server system while the user computers are on-line with respect to the server system; transferring advertisements from the server system to the user computers while the user computers are on-line with respect to the server system; storing the transferred advertisements locally at the user computers; and outputting the stored advertisements at the user computers when e-mail messages are being created or read and while the user computers are off-line with respect to the server system.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 25 wherein the advertisements are output at the user computers in turn, according to a predetermined scheme, independent of content of the e-mail messages created and read at the user computers.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 25 wherein each advertisement transferred to a user computer is output a plurality of times at the user computer.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 25 wherein advertisements are output regardless of whether e-mail messages are received.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
142 words
A method of operating an e-mail system having a plurality of user computers operated by users and a server system, comprising the steps of: enabling the creation and reading of e-mail messages at user computers while the user computers are off-line with respect to the server system; determining, at the server system, advertisements that are relevant for each user; transferring e-mail messages between the user computers and the server system while the user computers are on-line with respect to the server system; transferring relevant advertisements from the server system to the user computers while the user computers are on-line with respect to the server system; storing the transferred advertisements locally at the user computers; outputting the stored advertisements at the user computers when e-mail messages are being created or read while the user computers are off-line with respect to the server system.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
142 words
A method of operating an e-mail system having a plurality of user computers operated by users and a server system, comprising the steps of: enabling the creation and reading of e-mail messages at user computers while the user computers are off-line with respect to the server system; determining, at the server system, advertisements that are relevant for each user; transferring e-mail messages between the user computers and the server system while the user computers are on-line with respect to the server system; transferring relevant advertisements from the server system to the user computers while the user computers are on-line with respect to the server system; storing the transferred advertisements locally at the user computers; outputting the stored advertisements at the user computers when e-mail messages are being created or read while the user computers are off-line with respect to the server system.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 29 further comprising the steps of: recording in a statistics file at the user computers which advertisements are output; and electronically providing the statistics file to the server system.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 29 further comprising the steps of: outputting each advertisement a plurality of times; recording in a statistics file at the user computers a count indicating how many times each advertisement is output; and electronically providing the statistics file to the server system.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
151 words
In an electronic mail system, a method for displaying advertisements to a user at a local computer when the local computer is off-line, comprising the steps of: coupling the local computer to a remote system; receiving a first advertisement and a second advertisement from the remote system; storing the first advertisement and the second advertisement on a storage device at the local computer; transferring an electronic mail message from the remote system to the local computer; storing the electronic mail message on the storage device at the local computer; decoupling the local computer from the remote system; displaying the electronic mail message at the local computer; and concurrently with the previous step, (a) displaying the first advertisement at the local computer while the electronic mail message is displayed, and (b) after a predetermined time, displaying the second advertisement in place of the first advertisement while the electronic mail message is displayed.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
151 words
In an electronic mail system, a method for displaying advertisements to a user at a local computer when the local computer is off-line, comprising the steps of: coupling the local computer to a remote system; receiving a first advertisement and a second advertisement from the remote system; storing the first advertisement and the second advertisement on a storage device at the local computer; transferring an electronic mail message from the remote system to the local computer; storing the electronic mail message on the storage device at the local computer; decoupling the local computer from the remote system; displaying the electronic mail message at the local computer; and concurrently with the previous step, (a) displaying the first advertisement at the local computer while the electronic mail message is displayed, and (b) after a predetermined time, displaying the second advertisement in place of the first advertisement while the electronic mail message is displayed.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
211 words
In an electronic mail system, a method for displaying advertisements to a user at a local computer when the local computer is off-line, comprising the steps of: creating a first electronic mail message at the local computer; concurrently with the previous step, displaying a first advertisement at the local computer while the user is creating the first electronic mail message; storing, in a statistics file, information to identify that the first advertisement was displayed; coupling the local computer to a remote system; receiving a second advertisement from the remote system; storing the second advertisement on a storage device at the local computer; transferring the first electronic mail message from the local computer to the remote system; transferring the statistics file from the local computer to the remote system; transferring a second electronic mail message from the remote system to the local computer; storing the second electronic mail message on the storage device at the local computer; decoupling the local computer from the remote system; displaying the second advertisement at the local computer while the local computer is communicatively disconnected from the remote system; and concurrently with the previous step, displaying the second electronic mail message at the local computer while the local computer is off-line with respect to the remote system.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
211 words
In an electronic mail system, a method for displaying advertisements to a user at a local computer when the local computer is off-line, comprising the steps of: creating a first electronic mail message at the local computer; concurrently with the previous step, displaying a first advertisement at the local computer while the user is creating the first electronic mail message; storing, in a statistics file, information to identify that the first advertisement was displayed; coupling the local computer to a remote system; receiving a second advertisement from the remote system; storing the second advertisement on a storage device at the local computer; transferring the first electronic mail message from the local computer to the remote system; transferring the statistics file from the local computer to the remote system; transferring a second electronic mail message from the remote system to the local computer; storing the second electronic mail message on the storage device at the local computer; decoupling the local computer from the remote system; displaying the second advertisement at the local computer while the local computer is communicatively disconnected from the remote system; and concurrently with the previous step, displaying the second electronic mail message at the local computer while the local computer is off-line with respect to the remote system.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 33 further comprising to step of utilizing the information in the statistics file to generate a bill for an advertiser.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
129 words
A method to operate a network having a server system and a plurality of user computers, comprising the steps of: enabling the output of digital content to users at user computers while the user computers are off-line with respect to the server system; transferring digital content from the server system to the user computers while the user computers are on-line with respect to the server system; transferring advertisements from the server system to the user computers while the user computers are on-line with respect to the server system; storing the transferred advertisements locally at the user computers; and outputting the stored advertisements at the user computers when the digital content is output to users at user computers while the user computers are off-line with respect to the server system.
Claim 43
Independent Claim
129 words
A method to operate a network having a server system and a plurality of user computers, comprising the steps of: enabling the output of digital content to users at user computers while the user computers are off-line with respect to the server system; transferring digital content from the server system to the user computers while the user computers are on-line with respect to the server system; transferring advertisements from the server system to the user computers while the user computers are on-line with respect to the server system; storing the transferred advertisements locally at the user computers; and outputting the stored advertisements at the user computers when the digital content is output to users at user computers while the user computers are off-line with respect to the server system.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 35 wherein the digital content includes e-mail messages.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 35 wherein the advertisements are output at the user computers in turn, according to a predetermined scheme, independent of content of the digital content.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 35 wherein the digital content and the advertisements are transferred to the user computers substantially simultaneously.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 35 wherein the user controls the output of the digital content and wherein the user computers control the output of the advertisements.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 35 wherein each advertisement transferred to a user computer is output a plurality of times at the user computer.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
95 words
An electronic mail system for displaying advertisements to a user, comprising: a remote system comprising a plurality of mail servers storing advertisements and electronic mail messages; and a local computer having a storage device and a processor program for creating an electronic mail message, establishing a communications link with the remote system, receiving an advertisement from the remote system, storing the advertisement on the storage device, transferring the electronic mail message to the remote system, terminating the communications link with the remote system, and outputting the advertisement while off-line with respect to the remote system.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
95 words
An electronic mail system for displaying advertisements to a user, comprising: a remote system comprising a plurality of mail servers storing advertisements and electronic mail messages; and a local computer having a storage device and a processor program for creating an electronic mail message, establishing a communications link with the remote system, receiving an advertisement from the remote system, storing the advertisement on the storage device, transferring the electronic mail message to the remote system, terminating the communications link with the remote system, and outputting the advertisement while off-line with respect to the remote system.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 41 wherein the local computer further comprises: means for recording in a statistics file an indication that the advertisement was output; and means for storing the statistics file on the storage device.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 42 wherein the local computer further comprises means for transferring the statistics file to the remote system.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 43 wherein the remote system further comprises means for utilizing the statistics file to create a billing account related to the advertisement.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 42 wherein the local computer further comprises means for creating a member profile comprising demographic information about the user; and means for transmitting the member profile to the remote system.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 45 wherein the remote system further comprises means for utilizing the member profile to determine which advertisement is to be communicated to the user.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
126 words
An e-mail terminal for use in conjunction with a server system having one or more mail servers, comprising: means for creating an electronic communications link with the server system; means for transferring advertisements from the server system while in electronic communications with the server system; a storage device for storing advertisements received from the server system; means for terminating the electronic communications link with the server system; means for enabling the creation and reading of e-mail messages while not in electronic communications with the server system; means for transferring e-mail messages from one of the mail servers of the server system while in electronic communications with the server system; and an output device for outputting the stored advertisements when e-mail messages are being created or read.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
126 words
An e-mail terminal for use in conjunction with a server system having one or more mail servers, comprising: means for creating an electronic communications link with the server system; means for transferring advertisements from the server system while in electronic communications with the server system; a storage device for storing advertisements received from the server system; means for terminating the electronic communications link with the server system; means for enabling the creation and reading of e-mail messages while not in electronic communications with the server system; means for transferring e-mail messages from one of the mail servers of the server system while in electronic communications with the server system; and an output device for outputting the stored advertisements when e-mail messages are being created or read.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
131 words
An e-mail system for use by a plurality of users, comprising: a server system, including means for determining advertisements that are relevant for each user; means enabling the creation and reading of e-mail messages at remote computers while said remote computers are off-line with respect to the server system; means for transferring e-mail messages between said remote computers and the server system while said remote computers are on-line with respect to the server system; means for transferring relevant advertisements from the server system to remote computers while said remote computers are on-line with respect to the server system; means for storing the transferred advertisements locally at the remote computers; means for outputting the stored advertisements at the remote computers when e-mail messages are being created or read at the remote computers.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
131 words
An e-mail system for use by a plurality of users, comprising: a server system, including means for determining advertisements that are relevant for each user; means enabling the creation and reading of e-mail messages at remote computers while said remote computers are off-line with respect to the server system; means for transferring e-mail messages between said remote computers and the server system while said remote computers are on-line with respect to the server system; means for transferring relevant advertisements from the server system to remote computers while said remote computers are on-line with respect to the server system; means for storing the transferred advertisements locally at the remote computers; means for outputting the stored advertisements at the remote computers when e-mail messages are being created or read at the remote computers.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 48 wherein each remote computer further comprises: means for recording in a statistics file information pertaining to which advertisements are output; and means for electronically providing the statistics file to the server system.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
49 words
The system of claim 49 wherein each remote computer further comprises: means for outputting each advertisement a plurality of times; means for recording in a statistics file a count indicating how many times each advertisement is output; and means for electronically providing the statistics file to the server system.
Claim 62
Independent Claim
132 words
A method to operate an e-mail system having a server system and a plurality of user computers, comprising the steps of: enabling the creation and reading of e-mail messages by users at user computers while the user computers are off-line with respect to the server system; transferring e-mail messages between the user computers and the server system while the user computers are on-line with respect to the server system; transferring advertisements from the server system to the user computers while the user computers are on-line with respect to the server system; storing the transferred advertisements locally at the user computers; and outputting, under the control of the user computers and without user intervention, the stored advertisements at the user computers when the user computers are off-line with respect to the server system.
Claim 63
Independent Claim
132 words
A method to operate an e-mail system having a server system and a plurality of user computers, comprising the steps of: enabling the creation and reading of e-mail messages by users at user computers while the user computers are off-line with respect to the server system; transferring e-mail messages between the user computers and the server system while the user computers are on-line with respect to the server system; transferring advertisements from the server system to the user computers while the user computers are on-line with respect to the server system; storing the transferred advertisements locally at the user computers; and outputting, under the control of the user computers and without user intervention, the stored advertisements at the user computers when the user computers are off-line with respect to the server system.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 53 further comprising the step of allowing the user to select an advertisement while the advertisement is being output, and thereafter outputting additional information to the user, the additional information stored locally at the user computer along with the advertisement that was selected.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-09-14 | 2002-03-16 | 2002-09-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-09-14 | 2006-03-16 | 2006-09-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-09-14 | 2010-03-16 | 2010-09-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |