US6061659A — System and method for integrating a message into …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 127 words

A method for conveying to a user at least one predetermined message within a specified content displayed in an interactive graphical environment, said predetermined message having message parameters defining an image and being stored in a message memory, said method comprising the steps of: retrieving said content from a content memory; obtaining predetermined specifications programmed into said content including coordinate information defining a location within said content and a predetermined scale factor associated with the location; obtaining said message from said message memory; scaling said message according to said predetermined scale factor of the location in said content to create a scaled message; automatically integrating said scaled message into said content at the location to define a modified environment; and communicating said modified environment to said user.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 127 words

A method for conveying to a user at least one predetermined message within a specified content displayed in an interactive graphical environment, said predetermined message having message parameters defining an image and being stored in a message memory, said method comprising the steps of: retrieving said content from a content memory; obtaining predetermined specifications programmed into said content including coordinate information defining a location within said content and a predetermined scale factor associated with the location; obtaining said message from said message memory; scaling said message according to said predetermined scale factor of the location in said content to create a scaled message; automatically integrating said scaled message into said content at the location to define a modified environment; and communicating said modified environment to said user.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 45 words

A method according to claim 1 wherein said message comprises an icon having a baseline size, said scaling step comprising scaling said icon from the baseline size to one of a plurality of sizes for integration into any one of a plurality of specified contents.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 29 words

A method according to claim 1 wherein: said scale factor relates to the perspective orientation of the location within the content at which said message is to be integrated.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 36 words

A method according to claim 1 wherein said message parameters further include scheduled display periods for conveying said message, said communicating step including the step of displaying said modified environment pursuant to said scheduled display periods.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 36 words

A method according to claim 4 wherein said displaying step includes the steps of: receiving data representing said modified environment using a web browser; and formatting said data to form an image comprising said modified environment.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 35 words

A method according to claim 5 wherein: said message parameters and predetermined specifications comprise Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) instructions; and said web browser comprises an HTML compliant processor for responding to said parameters and instructions.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 18 words

A method according to claim 1 wherein said at least one predetermined message comprises a sequence of messages.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 25 words

A method according to claim 1 and further including, after the step of communicating, the step of: enabling said user to respond to said message.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method as in claim 8, wherein the enabling step comprises a dynamic link between the interactive graphical environment at the client side and a server at the server side.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 22 words

A method according to claim 1 wherein: said content relates to a particular genre, and said information relates to said particular genre.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 98 words

A method for transforming a message icon for assimilation into a graphical image portion of content that is to be displayed on a display screen of a computer system having a memory, said method comprising the steps of: retrieving coordinate information programmed into said content, said coordinate information defining a location within said image; retrieving scale information associated with said location within said image; scaling said message icon in accordance with said scale information; automatically assimilating said scaled message icon into said image at said location; and displaying said scaled message icon at said location within said image.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 98 words

A method for transforming a message icon for assimilation into a graphical image portion of content that is to be displayed on a display screen of a computer system having a memory, said method comprising the steps of: retrieving coordinate information programmed into said content, said coordinate information defining a location within said image; retrieving scale information associated with said location within said image; scaling said message icon in accordance with said scale information; automatically assimilating said scaled message icon into said image at said location; and displaying said scaled message icon at said location within said image.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 34 words

A method according to claim 11, wherein said message icon has a base-line size and is scalable to one of a plurality of sizes for assimilation into any one of a plurality of images.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 11, wherein said image includes representations of physical features with relative sizes, said scale information comprising a scale factor which correlates with the relative sizes of said physical features proximate said location in the image.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 30 words

A method according to claim 13 wherein: said scale factor relates to the perspective orientation of the physical location within the content at which said message is to be included.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 156 words

An interactive system for assimilating a message into user specified content and for displaying said content and at least one message in a graphical environment through a computer network to a user, said message being stored in a message memory connected to said network, said content including coordinate information defining a location within said content and a predetermined scale factor associated with the location programmed therein, said system including: means for retrieving said content from a content memory; means for obtaining said coordinate information and said predetermined scale factor associated with the location defined by the coordinate information; means for obtaining at least one said message from said message memory; means for transforming said obtained message into a corresponding scaled message in accordance with said predetermined scale factor; means for automatically including said scaled message into said content at the location to define a modified environment; and means for communicating said modified environment to said user.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 156 words

An interactive system for assimilating a message into user specified content and for displaying said content and at least one message in a graphical environment through a computer network to a user, said message being stored in a message memory connected to said network, said content including coordinate information defining a location within said content and a predetermined scale factor associated with the location programmed therein, said system including: means for retrieving said content from a content memory; means for obtaining said coordinate information and said predetermined scale factor associated with the location defined by the coordinate information; means for obtaining at least one said message from said message memory; means for transforming said obtained message into a corresponding scaled message in accordance with said predetermined scale factor; means for automatically including said scaled message into said content at the location to define a modified environment; and means for communicating said modified environment to said user.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 16 words

An interactive system according to claim 15 wherein: said means for retrieving comprises an object manager.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 15 words

An interactive system according to claim 16 wherein: said object manager comprises a stand-alone server.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 24 words

An interactive system according to claim 16 wherein said object manager resides on a server having both said content memory and said message memory.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 49 words

An interactive system according to claim 16 wherein: said means for communicating includes an object placer connected in networked communication with said object manager and cooperating with a network navigator to receive data from said object manager and format said data to form an image comprising said modified environment.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 58 words

An interactive system according to claim 19 wherein: said object manager includes an object transport; and said object placer includes an object link for receiving transmissions from said object transport, an object runner for displaying said message according to said coordinate information and said predetermined scale factor, and an object reporter for dynamically communicating with said object manager.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 166 words

An interactive system for attracting attention to an advertisement, said system including: a web browser for transmitting content requests from a user to a computer network over a communication path, said web browser including an object placer; at least one content server which stores content together with predetermined specifications for assimilating said advertisement into said content, said specifications including a scaling factor representative of the relative size of graphical features in said content and location coordinates for designating the position of said advertisement in said content; at least one message server which stores said advertisement, said advertisement including an image defined by predetermined message parameters; an object manager communicatively connected to said respective content and message servers and operative to retrieve said content and advertisement from said respective content and message servers and to transform said advertisement into a scaled message according to said scaling factor for automatically integrating said scaled message into said content at said location coordinates for subsequent transmission to said web browser.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 166 words

An interactive system for attracting attention to an advertisement, said system including: a web browser for transmitting content requests from a user to a computer network over a communication path, said web browser including an object placer; at least one content server which stores content together with predetermined specifications for assimilating said advertisement into said content, said specifications including a scaling factor representative of the relative size of graphical features in said content and location coordinates for designating the position of said advertisement in said content; at least one message server which stores said advertisement, said advertisement including an image defined by predetermined message parameters; an object manager communicatively connected to said respective content and message servers and operative to retrieve said content and advertisement from said respective content and message servers and to transform said advertisement into a scaled message according to said scaling factor for automatically integrating said scaled message into said content at said location coordinates for subsequent transmission to said web browser.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 33 words

The system as in claim 21, wherein said object placer includes an object reporter in communication with said object manager, said object reporter managing interaction with between the user and said computer network.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 88 words

An object manager for use in an interactive system which automatically transforms user selected content into modified content which conveys at least one message for attracting the attention of the user, said object manager including: means for retrieving a scale factor associated with a coordinate location defining a location within said content, said scale factor being programmed into said content; means for scaling at least one said message according to said scaling factor; and means for automatically integrating said scaled message into said content at the defined location.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 88 words

An object manager for use in an interactive system which automatically transforms user selected content into modified content which conveys at least one message for attracting the attention of the user, said object manager including: means for retrieving a scale factor associated with a coordinate location defining a location within said content, said scale factor being programmed into said content; means for scaling at least one said message according to said scaling factor; and means for automatically integrating said scaled message into said content at the defined location.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2003-05-09	2003-11-08	2004-05-09	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2007-05-09	2007-11-08	2008-05-09	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2011-05-09	2011-11-08	2012-05-09	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

System and method for integrating a message into a graphical environment

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