US5854897A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Network communications marketing system
Assignee: MARSHALL COMMUNICATIONS LLC
•
Filing: 1996-12-27
•
Granted: 1998-12-29
•
Expires: 2016-12-27
Abstract
Abstract A communications marketing system allows a client station accessing a computer network through a Network Service Provider (NSP) to receive advertisements whenever the connection path between the client station and the NSP is idle. The NSP monitors traffic to/from the client station to determine when the connection path is idle. An announcement server connected to the NSP transmits advertising messages and other information to the client station when the connection path is idle. The advertisements are displayed in a predetermined location of a browser client window of the client station. The advertisements can be played/displayed for a predetermined time period.
Inventors
- 👤 Clifford J. Radziewicz
- 👤 Mark R. Gregorek
- 👤 Jeffrey C. Dillow
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 11:36
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/02; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/30; G06F11/34; G06F11/3409; G06F11/3419; G06F11/3423
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 74
Claim 1
Independent Claim
200 words
A marketing system for displaying an announcement at a network terminating device connected to a communications network by way of a network service provider (NSP), the system comprising: browser client program including a display window executing on the network terminating device for allowing the network terminating device to communicate with other devices on the communications network, the NSP providing the network terminating device access to the communications network; a network server program operating on the NSP for handling communications with the network terminating device and other devices on the communications network; a connection path for connecting the network terminating device with the NSP and allowing communications therebetween; a traffic monitor for monitoring the connection path to determine when the connection path is idle, the connection path being idle when the network terminating device is not sending or receiving any information over the connection path; and an announcement server connected to the NSP for transmitting at least one announcement to the network terminating device by way of the NSP, wherein the network server program transmits the at least one announcement from the announcement server to the network terminating device when the connection path is idle as determined by the traffic monitor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
200 words
A marketing system for displaying an announcement at a network terminating device connected to a communications network by way of a network service provider (NSP), the system comprising: browser client program including a display window executing on the network terminating device for allowing the network terminating device to communicate with other devices on the communications network, the NSP providing the network terminating device access to the communications network; a network server program operating on the NSP for handling communications with the network terminating device and other devices on the communications network; a connection path for connecting the network terminating device with the NSP and allowing communications therebetween; a traffic monitor for monitoring the connection path to determine when the connection path is idle, the connection path being idle when the network terminating device is not sending or receiving any information over the connection path; and an announcement server connected to the NSP for transmitting at least one announcement to the network terminating device by way of the NSP, wherein the network server program transmits the at least one announcement from the announcement server to the network terminating device when the connection path is idle as determined by the traffic monitor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising means for the network server program notifying the announcement server to begin executing an announcement sequence when the connection path is idle, whereby the at least one announcement is transmitted to the network terminating device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 2 further comprising means for the network server program notifying the announcement server to suspend the announcement sequence, thereby stopping the transmission of announcements to the network terminating device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 3 further comprising means for the network server program notifying the announcement server to reinitiate the announcement sequence, thereby reinitiating the transmission of announcements to the network terminating device.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 2 wherein the network server program signals the announcement server to suspend the transmission of the at least one announcement when the connection path is busy.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the browser client program comprises a fixed announcement window separate from the display window, the fixed announcement window displaying the at least one announcement.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one announcement is displayed in a transient window located within the display window of the browser client program when the connection path is idle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 7 wherein the transient window is removed from the display window when the connection path is busy.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 7 wherein the transient window is made a background window which is movable to the foreground upon entry of a predetermined command at the network terminating device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising a browser client program code module which interacts with the browser client program for providing a fixed announcement window within the display window of the browser client program, wherein the at least one announcement is displayed in the fixed announcement window.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 10 wherein the code module is downloaded to the network terminating device from the NSP.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
56 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the NSF includes an access page for allowing the network terminating device to access the communications network, wherein the access page is displayed in the display window of the browser client program and wherein the access page includes a fixed announcement window for displaying the at least one announcement therein.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising timing means for displaying the at least one announcement for a predetermined time span.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising means for the NSP determining if a user operating the browser client program subscribes to the marketing system.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising means for registering a user with the marketing system, including designating a service type including an announcement service and a real-time information service.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 15 further comprising means for determining the NSP user service type.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising means for recording statistics relating to the announcements transmitted to the network terminating device.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising interaction means for permitting a user at the network terminating device to interact with the announcement server during the playing of the announcement by initiating a predetermined response.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the announcement server determines the announcement to play based upon criteria established by the marketing system.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the announcement comprises text, graphics, audio and video components.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the announcement server includes storage means for digitally storing the at least one announcement.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the announcement includes means for connecting to a remote device related to the announcement.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 22 wherein the means for connecting to the remote device comprises a hyperlink.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
45 words
The system of claim I further comprising means for buffering data destined for the network terminating device from a remote device such that the connection path remains idle, thereby allowing continuation of the transmission of the at least one announcement to the network terminating device.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the announcement server plays a sequence of announcements to the network terminating device and repeatedly generates additional announcements.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
29 words
A marketing system according to claim 1 wherein connection path is idle when the network terminating device is not waiting for receipt of requested information from the communications network.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
31 words
A marketing system according to claim 1 wherein the network server program transmits the at least one announcement from the announcement server to the network terminating device separately from requested information.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
178 words
A marketing system for displaying an announcement at a network terminating device connected to a communications network by way of a network service provider (NSP), the network terminating device connected to the NSP by a connection path and executing a browser client program including a display window, the system comprising: an announcement server connected to the NSP, the announcement server including a storage device for storing at least one announcement; a network server program operating on the NSP for handling communications between the network terminating device and the NSP and between the NSP and the communications network; and a traffic monitor for monitoring the connection path to determine when the connection path is idle, the connection path being idle when the network terminating device is not sending or receiving any information over the connection path, wherein the network server program notifies the announcement server to begin executing an announcement sequence, whereby the announcement server transmits the announcement over the connection path to the network terminating device when the connection path is idle as determined by the traffic monitor.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
178 words
A marketing system for displaying an announcement at a network terminating device connected to a communications network by way of a network service provider (NSP), the network terminating device connected to the NSP by a connection path and executing a browser client program including a display window, the system comprising: an announcement server connected to the NSP, the announcement server including a storage device for storing at least one announcement; a network server program operating on the NSP for handling communications between the network terminating device and the NSP and between the NSP and the communications network; and a traffic monitor for monitoring the connection path to determine when the connection path is idle, the connection path being idle when the network terminating device is not sending or receiving any information over the connection path, wherein the network server program notifies the announcement server to begin executing an announcement sequence, whereby the announcement server transmits the announcement over the connection path to the network terminating device when the connection path is idle as determined by the traffic monitor.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system of claim 28 further comprising means for the network server program notifying the announcement server to begin executing an announcement sequence when the connection path is idle, whereby the at least one announcement is transmitted to the network terminating device.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 29 further comprising means for the network server program notifying the announcement server to suspend the announcement sequence, thereby stopping the transmission of announcements to the network terminating device.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 30 further comprising means for the network server program notifying the announcement server to reinitiate the announcement sequence, thereby reinitiating the transmission of the announcement to the network terminating device.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 30 wherein the network server program signals the announcement server to suspend the transmission of the at least one announcement when the connection path is busy.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 28 wherein the announcement is displayed in a transient window within the display window of the browser client program operating on the network terminating device.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 33 wherein the transient window is removed from the display window when the connection path is busy.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 28 wherein the transient window is made a background window which is movable to the foreground upon entry of a predetermined command at the network terminating device.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
49 words
The system of claim 28 further comprising: a modified browser client program operating on the network terminating device, the modified browser client program including a fixed announcement window and a network communications window, wherein the announcement is displayed in the fixed announcement window by the modified browser client program.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 28 wherein the announcement is displayed for a predetermined time period.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
70 words
The system of claim 28 further comprising a browser client program code module stored in a storage device connected to the NSP, the code module being downloaded to the network terminating device from the NSP, wherein the code module interacts with the browser client program for providing a fixed announcement window within the display window of the browser client program, and the announcement is displayed in the fixed announcement window.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
53 words
The system of claim 28 wherein the NSP includes an access page for allowing the network terminating device to access the communications network, wherein the access page is displayed in the display window of the browser client program and wherein the access page includes a fixed announcement window for displaying the announcement therein.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 28 further comprising means for the NSP determining if a user operating the browser client program subscribes to the marketing system.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 28 further comprising means for registering a user with the marketing system, including designating a service type including an announcement service and a real-time information service.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 41 further comprising means for determining the NSP user service type.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 28 further comprising means for recording statistics relating to the announcement transmitted to the network terminating device.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 28 further comprising interaction means for permitting a user at the network terminating device to interact with the announcement server during the playing of the announcement by initiating a predetermined response.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 28 wherein the announcement server determines the announcement to play based upon criteria established by the marketing system.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 28 wherein the announcement comprises text, graphics, audio and video components.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 28 wherein the announcement server includes storage means for digitally storing the at least one announcement.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 28 wherein the announcement includes means for connecting to a remote network device related to the announcement.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 48 wherein the means for connecting to the remote network device comprises a hyperlink.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system of claim 28 further comprising means for buffering data destined for the network terminating device from a remote device such that the connection path remains idle, thereby allowing continuation of the transmission of the announcement to the network terminating device.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
29 words
A marketing system according to claim 28 wherein connection path is idle when the network terminating device is not waiting for receipt of requested information from the communications network.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
31 words
A marketing system according to claim 28 wherein the network server program transmits the at least one announcement from the announcement server to the network terminating device separately from requested information.
Claim 55
Independent Claim
168 words
A method for displaying an announcement at a network terminating device connected to a communications network by way of a network service provider (NSP), the method comprising the steps of: providing a network server program operating on the NSP, the network server program handling communications between the network terminating device and the NSP and the NSP and the communications network; providing an announcement server connected to the NSP and in communication with the network server program, the announcement server storing at least one announcement in a storage device thereof; monitoring a connection path between the NSP and the network terminating device over which the network terminating device and the network server program communicate; transmitting the announcement to the network terminating device when the connection path is idle as determined by the monitoring step, the connection path being idle when the network terminating device is not sending or receiving any information over the connection path; and displaying the announcement in a fixed announcement window on the network terminating device.
Claim 56
Independent Claim
168 words
A method for displaying an announcement at a network terminating device connected to a communications network by way of a network service provider (NSP), the method comprising the steps of: providing a network server program operating on the NSP, the network server program handling communications between the network terminating device and the NSP and the NSP and the communications network; providing an announcement server connected to the NSP and in communication with the network server program, the announcement server storing at least one announcement in a storage device thereof; monitoring a connection path between the NSP and the network terminating device over which the network terminating device and the network server program communicate; transmitting the announcement to the network terminating device when the connection path is idle as determined by the monitoring step, the connection path being idle when the network terminating device is not sending or receiving any information over the connection path; and displaying the announcement in a fixed announcement window on the network terminating device.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 53 further comprising the step of: the network server program notifying the announcement server to begin executing an announcement sequence when the connection path is idle.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 54 further comprising the step of the network server program notifying the announcement server to suspend the announcement sequence, thereby stopping the transmission of announcements to the network terminating device.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 55 further comprising the step of the network server program notifying the announcement server to reinitiate the announcement sequence after the announcement sequence has been suspended and upon the connection path being idle, thereby reinitiating the display of announcements on the network terminating device.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 54 wherein the network server program signals the announcement server to suspend the transmission of the at least one announcement when the connection path is busy.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 53 further comprising the step of: operating a browser client program on the network terminating device for allowing the network terminating device to communicate with the network server program, wherein the browser client program comprises a fixed announcement window for displaying the announcement and a display window.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 53 wherein the announcement is displayed in a transient window when the connection path is idle, the transient window located within a display window of a browser client program operating on the network terminating device.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 59 further comprising the step of removing the transient window from the display window when the connection path is busy.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 59 further comprising the step of moving the transient window to a background window, whereby the transient window is movable to the foreground upon entry of a predetermined command at the network terminating device.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method of claim 53 further comprising the step of downloading a browser client program code module to the network terminating device, wherein the code module interacts with a browser client program operating on the network terminating device for providing a fixed announcement window within a display window of the browser client program, wherein the announcement is displayed in the fixed announcement window.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 53 further comprising the step of the NSP providing an access page for allowing the network terminating device to access the communications network, wherein the access page is displayed in a display window of a browser client program operating on the network terminating device, wherein the access page includes a fixed announcement window for displaying the announcement therein.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 53 further comprising the step of displaying the announcement for a predetermined time span.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 53 further comprising the step of recording statistics relating to the announcement transmitted to the network terminating device.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 53 wherein the announcement includes interaction means for permitting a user at the network terminating device to interact with the announcement server during the playing of the announcement.
Claim 70
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 53 wherein the announcement server determines the announcement to play based on date and time.
Claim 71
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 53 wherein the announcement comprises text, graphics, audio and video components.
Claim 72
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 53 further comprising the step of buffering data destined for the network terminating device from the communications network such that the connection path remains idle, thereby allowing continuation of the transmission of the announcement to the network terminating device.
Claim 73
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 53 wherein the connection path is idle when the network terminating device is not waiting for receipt of requested information from the communications network.
Claim 74
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 53 wherein the network server program transmits the announcement from the announcement server to the network terminating device separately from requested information.
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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) | 2001-12-28 | 2002-06-29 | 2002-12-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-12-28 | 2006-06-29 | 2006-12-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-12-28 | 2010-06-29 | 2010-12-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |