US5946646A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Interactive advertising system and device
Assignee: FUTUREVISIONCOM LLC
•
Filing: 1995-03-29
•
Granted: 1999-08-31
•
Expires: 2015-03-29
Abstract
Abstract A device for generating and displaying a message is disclosed. The present invention comprises a computer memory for storing the ad, message and searchable database in a memory, a distribution link for transmitting the ad, message and searchable database to a remote location for storing said message, and means associated with an end user workstation at the remote location for retrieving said ad, message and searchable database and displaying same on a CRT monitor associated with the workstation at a time when the workstation is not in use.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert J. Schena
- 👤 Kelly L. Carr
- 👤 David J. Schena
- 👤 Edward J. Glantz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 22:18
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/80; H04N21/81; H04N21/812; H04L; H04L67/00; H04L67/50; H04L67/53; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; H04N21/40; H04N21/47; H04N21/472; H04N21/4722; H04N21/85; H04N21/858; H04N21/8586; H04N7/00; H04N7/16; H04N7/173; H04N7/17309; H04N7/17318; H04L65/00; H04L65/1066; H04L65/1101; H04L69/00; H04L69/30; H04L69/32; H04L69/322; H04L69/329
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
182 words
A system for distributing interactive multimedia information comprising a user workstation connected to a network, the user workstation containing a display device and a storage device receiving a sequence of multimedia information from the network; an activity monitor for detecting a predetermined idleness criterion wherein the predetermined idleness criteria is met when the user workstation fails to receive user input; and a screen-show for displaying the sequence on the display device, the screen-show being in communication with the activity monitor whereby the screen show is activated when the preselected idleness criterion is met; and an administration workstation in communication with the user workstation via the network, the administration workstation being capable of controlling the sequence; tracking the duration and frequency of the displayed multimedia information in the sequence at the user workstation, wherein the sequence is in part provided by an information provider via the network; billing the information provider a fee for displaying the provided multimedia information as part of the sequence, and tracking a percentage of the fee which will be paid back to an owner of the user workstation.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
182 words
A system for distributing interactive multimedia information comprising a user workstation connected to a network, the user workstation containing a display device and a storage device receiving a sequence of multimedia information from the network; an activity monitor for detecting a predetermined idleness criterion wherein the predetermined idleness criteria is met when the user workstation fails to receive user input; and a screen-show for displaying the sequence on the display device, the screen-show being in communication with the activity monitor whereby the screen show is activated when the preselected idleness criterion is met; and an administration workstation in communication with the user workstation via the network, the administration workstation being capable of controlling the sequence; tracking the duration and frequency of the displayed multimedia information in the sequence at the user workstation, wherein the sequence is in part provided by an information provider via the network; billing the information provider a fee for displaying the provided multimedia information as part of the sequence, and tracking a percentage of the fee which will be paid back to an owner of the user workstation.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
99 words
A system for distributing interactive multimedia information comprising a user workstation connected to a network, the user workstation containing a display device and a storage device receiving a sequence of multimedia information from tie network; an activity monitor for detecting a preselected idleness criterion wherein the preselected idleness criterion is met when the user workstation fails to receive user input for a preselected period of time; and a screen-show for displaying the sequence on the display device, the screen show being in communication with the activity monitor whereby the screen-show is activated when the preselected idleness criterion is met.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
99 words
A system for distributing interactive multimedia information comprising a user workstation connected to a network, the user workstation containing a display device and a storage device receiving a sequence of multimedia information from tie network; an activity monitor for detecting a preselected idleness criterion wherein the preselected idleness criterion is met when the user workstation fails to receive user input for a preselected period of time; and a screen-show for displaying the sequence on the display device, the screen show being in communication with the activity monitor whereby the screen-show is activated when the preselected idleness criterion is met.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system of claim 1, wherein the screen-show displays the sequence in a screen saver.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system of claim 2, further comprising an administration workstation in communication with the user workstation via the network, capable of controlling the sequence.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system of claim 4, wherein the administration workstation is further capable of tracking the duration and frequency of the displayed multimedia information in the sequence at the user workstation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
A system of claim 4, wherein the sequence is in part provided by an information provider via the network, the administration workstation further capable of billing the information provider a fee for displaying the provided multimedia information as part of the sequence.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system of claim 6, wherein the administration workstation is further capable of tracking a percentage of the fee which will be paid back to an owner of the user workstation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
11 words
A system of claim 3, wherein the sequence contains advertising information.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system of claim 6, wherein the sequence contains advertising information associated with catalog information provided by the information provider.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system of claim 1, wherein the administration workstation is further capable of being controlled by an owner of the user workstation for content of the multimedia information in the sequence.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system of claim 10, wherein the administrative workstation is further capable of receiving internal multimedia information to be incorporated into the sequence from the owner.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system of claim 10, wherein the administration workstation is capable of allowing the owner to block owner-selected multimedia information within the sequence.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system of claim 1, wherein the administration workstation is further capable of allowing the information provider to target different user workstation levels of the owner.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system of claim 1, wherein the administration workstation is further capable of accessing an application provided by the information provider to maintain a transaction with the information provider.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system of claim 14, wherein the transaction is either of catalog shopping or a purchase.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined idleness criteria is set to zero.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system of claim 1, wherein the user workstation includes a search feature for selectively accessing the multimedia information by a user at any time.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system of claim 1, wherein the administrative workstation is capable of allowing the information provider to control the frequency and length of multimedia information provided by the information provider in the sequence.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
13 words
A system of claim 18, wherein the control includes targeting a user workstation.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system of claim 18, wherein the administration workstation is capable of allowing the owner to control a number and length of multimedia information provided by the information provider in the sequence.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system of claim 17, wherein the system is activated via the search feature when the user selects new multimedia information.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system of claim 1, wherein the administration workstation is capable of allowing the owner to control when and how the user workstation is accessible.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system of claim 2, wherein the screen-show displays the sequence in a screen saver.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system of claim 4, wherein the administration workstation is further capable of being controlled by an owner of the user workstation for content of the multimedia information in the sequence.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system of claim 2, wherein the screen-show displays the sequence in a screen saver.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system of claim 4, wherein the administration workstation is further capable of being controlled by an owner of the user workstation for content of the multimedia information in the sequence.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system of claim 4, wherein the administration workstation is further capable of allowing the information provider to target different user workstation levels of the owner.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system of claim 4, wherein the administration workstation is further capable of accessing an application provided by the information provider to maintain a transaction with the information provider.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system of claim 4, wherein the predetermined idleness criteria is set to zero.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system of claim 2, wherein the user workstation includes a search feature for selectively accessing the multimedia information by a user at any time.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system of claim 2, wherein the administrative workstation is capable of allowing the information provider to control the frequency and length of multimedia information provided by the information provider in the sequence.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system of claim 4, wherein the administration workstation is capable of allowing the owner to control when and how the user workstation is accessible.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system of claim 2, further comprising an interactivity feature for selectively accessing the multimedia information by a user at any time via an interactivity button displayed in the screen-show.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system of claim 33, wherein the interactivity feature is capable of accessing an application as part of the sequence provided by an information provider to maintain a transaction between a user and the information provider.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system of claim 34, further comprising an administration workstation in communication with the user workstation via the network, capable of controlling the transaction.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system of claim 35, wherein the administration workstation is further capable of controlling a number of transactions between the user and the information provider and a number of interactions between the user and the information provider.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system of claim 36, wherein the administration workstation is further capable of billing the information provider a fee for maintaining either of the controlled number of transactions or the controlled number the interactions.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system of claim 37, wherein the administration workstation is further capable of tracking a percentage of the fee which will be paid back to an owner of the user workstation.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system of claim 38, wherein the transaction is either of catalog shopping or a purchase.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5347632A
Cited
US5027400A
Cited
US5105184B1
Cited
US5105184A
Cited
US5093718A
Cited
US5220420A
Cited
US5327554A
Cited
US5305195A
Cited
US5325423A
Cited
US5555407A
Cited
US5448625A
Cited
US5532923A
Cited
US5457305A
Cited
US5604542A
Cited
US5654886A
Cited
US5600366A
Cited
US5819284A
Cited
US5796945A
Cited
US5748190A
Cited
US5572643A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-08-30 | 2003-03-01 | 2003-08-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-08-30 | 2007-03-01 | 2007-08-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-08-30 | 2011-03-01 | 2011-08-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |