Abstract:
Software for use on a client device that is configured for communications via a communications network instantiates a playlist request function that generates a playlist request, and that transmits the playlist request to at least one playlist server, via the communications network, a playlist response handling function that receives and processes a playlist response transmitted to the client device by the at least one playlist server in response to the playlist request, wherein the playlist response includes a playlist(s) that identifies advertisements to be downloaded, an ad download function that downloads the advertisements identified in the playlist(s) from at least one remote source, via the communications network, an advertisement storage function for storing the download advertisements on a storage medium associated with the client device, and an advertisement display function that effects display of the stored advertisements on a display associated with the client device.
Abstract:
Software for use on a client device that is configured for communications with at least one remote source of advertisements via a communications network instantiates an advertisement download function that downloads advertisements from the at least one remote source, during one or more advertisement download sessions, an advertisement storage function that stores the downloaded advertisements on a storage medium associated with the client device, an advertisement display function that effects display of at least selected ones of the stored advertisements on a display associated with the client device, an obscured ad monitor function that determines whether an obscured ad condition has occurred, whereby the obscured ad condition occurs when an advertisement currently being displayed on the display associated with the client device is being obscured by one or more other items currently being displayed on the display, and an obscured ad nag function that generates an obscured ad nag display in response to detection of the obscured ad condition, wherein the obscured ad nag display notifies the user of the obscured ad condition.
Abstract:
Software for use on a client device, which is configured for communications with a multiplicity of other client devices via a communications network, provides an installer function for installing the software on the client device, a communications function that effects a send e-mail communication link between the client device and an e-mail service provider server system via the communications network whenever the user desires to send e-mail messages, a receive e-mail communication link between the client device and the e-mail service provider system whenever the user desires to check for received e-mail messages; and an advertisement download communication link between the client device and an advertisement distribution server system via the communications system, at selected advertisement download times. It should be noted that, in all cases, the e-mail service provider server system and the advertisement distribution server system are separately controlled.
Abstract:
Software for use on a client device that is configured for communications with at least one remote source of advertisements via a communications network instantiates an advertisement download function that downloads advertisements from the at least one remote source, during one or more advertisement download sessions, an advertisement storage function that stores the downloaded advertisements on a storage medium associated with the client device, an advertisement display function that effects display of at least selected ones of the stored advertisements on a display associated with the client device, an obscured ad monitor function that determines whether an obscured ad condition has occurred, whereby the obscured ad condition occurs when an advertisement currently being displayed on the display associated with the client device is being obscured by one or more other items currently being displayed on the display, and an obscured ad nag function that generates an obscured ad nag display in response to detection of the obscured ad condition, wherein the obscured ad nag display notifies the user of the obscured ad condition.
Abstract:
In one aspect, the present invention provides an advertisement distribution system for distributiong advertisements to a multiplicity of client devices via a communications network, which system includes at least one ad server that stores the advertisements to be distributed to the client devices, each advertisement being stored in a storage location designated by a source address, and at least one playlist server that provides at least one playlist for each client device. Preferably, the at least one playlist provided for each client device identifies advertisements to be downloaded by that client device.
Abstract:
In one aspect, the present invention provides a system for distributing advertisements to a multiplicity of client devices each of which is configured for communications via a communications network, which system includes an advertisement distribution facility that communicates with each of the client devices over the communications network, via a respective advertisement download communication link. Preferably, each of the client devices downloads advertisements from the advertisement distribution facility via the respective advertisement download communication link, and each of the client devices communicates with a data communications service provider over the communications network via a respective data communications link that is separate from the respective advertisement download communication link.
Abstract:
Software for use on a client device that is configured for communications via a communications network provides a communications function that effects an advertisement download communication link between the client device and an advertisement distribution server system via the communications network, at selected advertisement download times, an advertisement download function that downloads advertisements from the advertisement distribution server system via the advertisement download communication link, an advertisement storage function for storing downloaded advertisements on a storage medium associated with the client device, and an advertisement display function that effects display of one or more selected ones of the stored advertisements. Moreover, the software advantageously includes at least two operating modes, a first operating mode in which the advertisement download function is activated, and a second operating mode in which the advertisement download function is not activated.
Abstract:
An advertisement distribution system for distributing advertisements to a multiplicity of client devices via a communications network includes at least one ad server that stores the advertisements to be distributed to the client devices, each advertisement being stored in a storage location designated by a source address, and at least one playlist server that receives a playlist request from each of the client devices, and that transmits a playlist response in response to each received playlist request. Moreover, the playlist response transmitted to each client device includes at least one playlist that identifies advertisements to be downloaded by that client device.
Abstract:
A playlist servers system for supplying a playlist response to a client device which exchanges information with an information server system and which receives ads from an ad server over a communications network, includes a playlist response generation device for generating a playlist response identifying a plurality of selected ads to be presented by the client device, and a first communications device that effects a playlist response send communications link with the client device via the communications network over which the playlist response is transmitted to the client device, wherein the information server system and the playlist server are independently controlled.
Abstract:
A playlist server system for supplying a playlist response to a client device which exchanges information with an information server system and which receives ads from an ad server over a communications network, including a playlist response generating device for generating a playlist response identifying a plurality of selected ads to be presented by the client device, and a first communications device for establishing a playlist response send communications link with the client device via the communications network over which the playlist response is transmitted to the client device, wherein the information server system and the playlist server are independently controlled.