USOO854.941 OB2
`
`(12) United States Patent
`Hoyle
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 8,549,410 B2
`Oct. 1, 2013
`
`(54) METHOD OF REACTIVE TARGETED
`ADVERTISING
`
`(*) Notice:
`
`(75) Inventor: Martin David Hoyle, Eads, TN (US)
`(73) Assignee: B.E. Technology, LLC, Cordova, TN
`(US)
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`(21) Appl. No.: 13/620.256
`(22) Filed:
`Sep. 14, 2012
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`US 2013/OO1341.0 A1
`Jan. 10, 2013
`Related U.S. Application Data
`(63) Continuation of application No. 12/692.290, filed on
`Jan. 22, 2010, which is a continuation of application
`No. 12/110,818, filed on Apr. 28, 2008, now Pat. No.
`7,685.537, which is a continuation of application No.
`10/909,613, filed on Aug. 2, 2004, now Pat. No.
`7.366,996, which is a continuation of application No.
`09/744,033, filed as application No. PCT/US99/16135
`on Jul. 16, 1999, now Pat. No. 6,771,290, which is a
`continuation-in-part of application No. 09/118,351,
`filed on Jul. 17, 1998, now Pat. No. 6,141,010.
`
`(51) Int. Cl.
`G06F 5/00
`G06F I3/00
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`
`(52) U.S. Cl.
`USPC ........................................... 715/745; 715/854
`(58) Field of Classification Search
`USPC ................. 715/700 715, 763 765, 740 749,
`715/853-854, 893; 709/209, 210
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`TO9,202
`5,347,632 A * 9/1994 Filepp et al. .......
`5.948,061 A * 9/1999 Merriman et al. ............ TO9,219
`6,144,944. A * 1 1/2000 Kurtzman et al. ......... TO5, 14.54
`* cited by examiner
`Primary Examiner — Kevin Nguyen
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Novak Druce Connolly
`Bove + Quigg LLP
`
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`In one inventive aspect, a method of reactive targeted adver
`tising provides for display of advertising, via the internet, to
`computers of users. In a particular example, a plurality of
`keywords are stored in a memory. The method comprises
`determining whether one or more of those keywords are used
`in a web page, and for any keywords determined to be used, an
`advertisement is selected using those keywords. The adver
`tisement is for display on the computer of the user who is
`accessing the web page. A request is received for the selected
`advertisement, and the advertisement is provided, from an
`advertising server and over the internet, for display on the
`computer of the user.
`
`19 Claims, 16 Drawing Sheets
`
`40
`
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`
`46
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`
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`
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`
`--
`
`Internet
`
`44
`
`Ad Database
`
`40
`
`Twitter-Google Exhibit 1068
`
`

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`Oct. 1, 2013
`Oct. 1, 2013
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`Sheet 8 of 16
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`US 8,549,410 B2
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 1, 2013
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`Sheet 9 of 16
`
`US 8,549.410 B2
`
`User Download
`Request
`
`132
`
`Send Form
`to User
`
`34
`
`138
`
`Request Correction
`of Form
`
`No
`
`
`
`
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`All
`Required Fields
`Filled Out
`
`
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`YeS
`
`Assign Unique
`ID to User
`
`140
`
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`Store ID Along
`with Demographic
`Data
`
`142
`
`Transmit Client
`Application to User
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`144
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`O son D
`
`FIG. 8
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 1, 2013
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`Sheet 10 of 16
`
`US 8,549.410 B2
`
`No
`
`New
`Login Name
`
`Setup
`New Account
`
`
`
`
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`No
`
`
`
`Password
`Correct
`
`
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`
`
`Access User Setup
`Preferences & Bookmarks
`from User Data Storage
`
`
`
`
`
`Request
`Demographic Data
`
`
`
`
`
`Display
`GUI
`
`Stop
`
`FIG. 9
`
`156
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`All
`Required Data
`Present
`
`Report Demographic
`Data & Store New
`User Data
`
`Access Default
`Preferences & Bookmarks
`
`
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 1, 2013
`
`Sheet 11 of 16
`
`US 8,549.410 B2
`
`Access
`ADM Server
`
`No.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Yes
`
`176
`
`Process
`User Input
`
`
`
`laternet
`Connection
`Available
`
`182
`
`Report computer
`Usage information
`
`
`
`Download
`New Banners
`
`184
`
`Reset
`
`
`
`Update
`Components
`
`Select &
`Display Banner
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 1, 2013
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`Sheet 12 of 16
`
`US 8,549.410 B2
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`
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`FIG 11
`
`Run Default
`Browser and open
`Banner Link
`
`
`
`
`
`196
`
`Shortcut/
`Application
`Selected
`p
`
`198
`Set
`Priority - Medium
`
`200
`Execute Shortcut/
`Application
`
`204
`Set
`Priority = Medium
`
`206
`Open Category
`Links Window
`
`210
`
`Priori Set High
`ority
`g
`
`
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`
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`
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`Run Default
`Browser and open
`Selected Link
`
`
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`214
`
`Yes
`
`r
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`216
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`
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`Priorist High
`2
`
`
`
`Run Default
`Browser and open
`Specified Link
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 1, 2013
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`Sheet 13 of 16
`
`US 8,549.410 B2
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`220
`
`-222
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`
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`Start
`
`
`
`Determine
`Priority Level
`
`Determine
`Banner Category
`
`Select & Display
`Banner
`
`Record Event, Time,
`& Banner Display
`
`Increment
`Banner Count
`
`224
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`
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`226
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`228
`
`FIG. 12
`
`Move to Next
`Set of Banners
`
`Notify Flag
`Alert Component
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 1, 2013
`
`Sheet 14 of 16
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`US 8,549.410 B2
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`Start
`
`FIG. 13
`
`Access Version Numbers for
`each Upgradable Component
`in Client Application
`
`236
`
`Generate
`Current
`Blueprint
`
`238
`
`246
`
`
`
`
`
`Determine New
`Component(s) Needed
`
`240
`
`Access updated
`Blueprint from ADM
`Sever
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`New
`Builder Module
`Needed
`
`Pass Control to
`Auxiliary Module
`
`252
`
`erminate Builder
`Execution
`
`254
`
`Download and Install
`New Component(s)
`
`250
`
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`
`
`Is Updated
`Blueprint Equal
`to Clet
`Blueprint?
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Yes
`
`No Upgrading
`Necessary
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 1, 2013
`
`Sheet 15 of 16
`
`US 8,549.410 B2
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`Start
`
`FIG. 14
`
`Access Updated
`Blueprint ID
`from ADM Server
`
`256
`
`258
`
`Yes
`
`Updated
`ID equal to
`current ID
`
`262
`
`- 260
`
`Send Current
`ID to ADM Server
`
`No upgrading
`Necessary
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Download & Install
`Updated Component(s)
`
`Restart
`GUI
`
`264
`
`266
`
`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 1, 2013
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`Sheet 16 of 16
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`US 8,549.410 B2
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`US 8,549,410 B2
`
`1.
`METHOD OF REACTIVE TARGETED
`ADVERTISING
`
`CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`This application is a continuation of U.S. patent applica
`tion Ser. No. 12/692,290, filed on Jan. 22, 2010, which is a
`continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/110,818,
`filed on Apr. 28, 2008 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,685,537, which is
`a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/909,613,
`filed Aug. 2, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,366,996, which is a
`continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 9/744,033,
`filed Apr. 11, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,771,290, as a 371 of
`PCT/US99/1 6135, filed Jul. 16, 1999, which is a continua
`tion-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 9/118,351,
`filed Jul. 17, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,010; and all
`applications referenced above are incorporated by reference
`in their entirety, for all purposes, herein.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`2
`the requested content. Third, the advertising can not only
`include audio and video elements as well as simple visual
`elements, but can also be interactive. For example, by clicking
`on the advertisement, the user can be provided with additional
`information about the advertised products or services and can
`even be given the opportunity to purchase the products or
`services electronically.
`One of the most common methods of advertising via the
`Internet is through the use of links (e.g., uniform resource
`locators, known as URLs) embedded within web pages. By
`using embedded links, the advertisements need not be located
`on the same server as the web pages themselves. When the
`web page is loaded or reloaded, the advertising server is
`accessed to obtain a new advertisement which is incorporated
`into the webpage displayed on the user's screen. These adver
`tisements are simple graphical images (such as animated gifs)
`that are retrieved from the advertising server along with an
`associated link to additional information about the advertised
`product or service. While this permits new advertising to be
`displayed each time a web page is loaded or refreshed, and
`while this allows geographically unlimited advertising, it at
`most permits targeting of the advertisement based upon the
`type of information contained in the web page. Moreover,
`access to a new advertisement is only available during the
`period of time that the client computer is connected to the
`Internet.
`Currently-available computer programs that incorporate
`advertising into their user interface include the necessary
`programming built into the Software itself. That is, the various
`parameters relating to the presentation of the advertisement is
`pre-determined and programmed into the Software. These
`parameters may include such things as where on the screen
`the advertisement is displayed, the display size, the duration
`of display, the number of times a particular advertisement is
`displayed, the conditions under which a particular advertise
`ment is to be displayed, the type of action taken upon a user
`clicking on the advertisement, and so forth. One problem with
`these currently available programs is that these parameters
`can only be changed by replacement of the entire program
`with an updated, revised version, making it difficult to
`respond to desired changes in advertising approaches.
`To provide demographically-targeted advertising, the
`advertiser or distributor of the advertising must obtain demo
`graphic data on its end users. Perhaps the most common way
`to acquire demographic data regarding users via the Internet
`is to request the information using a form written in html
`(HyperTextMarkup Language) and provided to the user over
`the World-Wide Web (WWW) using http (HyperText Trans
`fer Protocol). This is sometimes done as a prerequisite to
`allowing the user access to information resources or down
`load software from a particular web site. While authentication
`of demographic information obtained this way is difficult and
`rarely done, it has been found that end users typically provide
`accurate demographic data in return for free download access
`to software. Furthermore, studies have shown that while
`people are concerned about privacy issues and, in particular,
`do not wish to provide specific information that identifies
`them (Such as their name, address, or Social Security num
`ber), they generally do not mind providing demographic
`information, nor do they mind monitoring of their computer
`usage as long as their usage is not associated with any specific
`information that could be used to identify them.
`Various other arrangements have been suggested for
`obtaining and reporting information about an end user over a
`computer network such as the Internet. For example, U.S. Pat.
`No. 5,724.521 to Dedrick discloses an electronic advertising
`system in which a user profile is created and transferred to a
`
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`1. Field
`This invention relates in general to user interfaces for
`accessing computer applications and information resources
`and, in particular, to user interfaces that provide advertising
`obtained over a global computer network Such as the Internet.
`This invention also relates to user interfaces for maintaining,
`organizing and communicating information accessible to a
`computer network Such as the Internet and, in particular, to
`user interfaces that provide the user with availability to that
`information in a personalized manner.
`2. Related Art
`The continuing expansion of the Internet and other private
`and semi-private networks has led to the now widespread
`practice of electronic distribution of software to end users,
`whether as freeware, shareware, or fully paid-up licensed
`Software. Traditionally, freeware programs have generally
`been Small, unsupported single-purpose programs that are of
`limited use. Since no income was derived from these pro
`40
`grams, there was little incentive for the creators of this type of
`software to undertake major development efforts. More
`recently, however, a new type of free software has emerged
`which, while free to end users, does provide income to the
`creator of the software via advertising incorporated into the
`software. This is of benefit both to the end user and advertiser,
`as the end user obtains useful software at no cost and the
`advertiser gets advertising exposure for its products or ser
`vices. One well known example of this type of arrangement is
`in push technology products, such as PointcastTM, which per
`mits a user to receive and display broadcasted information
`over the Internet. Using this software, new advertising is
`periodically received along with various requested types of
`news information (e.g., financial, business, sports) and is
`stored locally on the user's computer for later retrieval and
`display by the program.
`The new advertising medium provided by the Internet has
`a number of significant advantages for advertisers. First, the
`users of the software within which the advertising is placed
`have, on average, much more disposable income to spend on
`products and services than the average user of other tradi
`tional advertising media, Such as television or print. Second,
`the advertising can, in some instances, be targeted in various
`ways, such as demographically or reactively. An example of
`the latter of these is in push technology where the user
`requests certain types of information and this request is used
`to select the type of advertisement sent to the user along with
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`US 8,549,410 B2
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`3
`metering server where it is used along with other end user
`profiles to charge advertiser's according to a consumer scale.
`The profile data is also used by the metering server to select
`advertisement titles that are sent to the end user for viewing at
`the request of the end user. When a user requests an adver
`tisement, the metering server sends the advertisement to the
`end user, charges the advertiser, and provides the advertiser
`with profile data on that end user. The system can include
`client-side Software which acquires and compiles informa
`tion concerning the user's interaction with the advertising or
`other content provided by the metering server. U.S. Pat. No.
`5,732.218 to Bland et al. discloses a system for gathering data
`concerning an end-user's access to information resources and
`reporting the data back to the servers that contain the infor
`mation resources. Data gathering at the client is accomplished
`using an applet, plug-in, or other browser extension that
`acquires the data and then reports that data to those servers
`accessed by the client, either periodically or in response to a
`specific request by the servers. In this way, the servers being
`accessed for their information resources get reported back to
`them information concerning the end-users use of that infor
`mation. Limited demographic information (e.g., time Zone,
`locale, client hardware) can be included in this reporting as
`well.
`One of the disadvantages of prior art systems that acquire
`data regarding an end-user's computer usage is that they are
`generally limited to gathering information concerning only
`certain limited uses of the computer. For example, in Bland et
`al., the focus of the gathering and use of end-user data is in the
`users interaction with web pages, whether over the Internet
`or otherwise. Similarly, in Dedrick, the compilation of data is
`directed to interaction between the end-user and the advertis
`ing or other content provided by the metering server itself. By
`limiting the reported data in this manner, it is difficult to
`develop accurate profiles for the individual users that are
`useful in targeting the advertising.
`U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,632 to Filepp et al. discloses a recep
`tion system in which both user demographics and individual
`system usage information can be used to target advertising.
`However, this information is used to select which advertise
`ments are to be placed into an advertisement queue from
`which advertisements are then accessed, apparently in the
`order in which they were placed in the queue. Thus, this
`system permits targeting of advertising generally, but does
`not provide real time targeting of advertising based upon user
`actions.
`Internet users typically employ browser applications and
`related technologies in order to access the WWW; and to
`locate and view files, documents and audio/video clips.
`Exemplary browser applications include Opera by Opera
`Software, Netscape Navigator, Netscape Communicator 4.6
`and Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0. Browser applications are
`loaded onto a user's computer, and then can be used for
`communication over networks using protocols such as that
`utilized by the WWW. Browsers are useful for accessing
`desired files and web sites, and also have the capability of
`storing information regarding visited or favorite web sites on
`the user's computer. However, it has been common practice
`for browsers to be employed by the user for fairly limited
`purposes, such as for accessing information. Certain applica
`tions, such as Windows NT 4.0, allow a user to receive and
`store electronic information on a limited network system.
`However, the usefulness and flexibility of such systems are
`severely limited, because each browser installation tradition
`ally has been independent of other browser installations to
`which a user has access. Thus, information within one
`browser is not easily transportable to the other browser.
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`Except as may be explicitly indicated otherwise, the fol
`lowing definitions shall apply:
`browser—A program that can communicate over a network
`using http or another protocol and that can display html
`information and other digital information.
`client computer—A computer that is connected to a network
`(including computers that are connected only occasionally
`to the network Such as, for example, by a modem and
`telephone line) and that can be used to send requests for
`information to other computers over the network.
`computer—An apparatus having a processing device that is
`capable of executing instructions, including devices such
`as personal computers, laptop computers, and personal
`digital assistants, as well as set top television boxes, tele
`visions, radios, portable telephones, and other such devices
`having a processing capability.
`computer usage information—Data concerning a person’s
`use of a computer, including such things as what programs
`they run, what information resources they access, what
`time of day or days of the week they use the computer, and
`so forth.
`data set—A group of data items; for example, links, key
`words, or entries in an address book.
`display object—Data capable of display by a computer,
`including graphical images as well as multimedia presen
`tations or other display data that includes audio in addition
`to visually-perceived data.
`file Any digital item, including information, documents,
`applications, audio/video components, and the like, that is
`stored in memory and is accessible via a file allocation
`table or other pointing or indexing structure.
`graphical image Visually-perceived data stored in a graphic
`format (e.g., jpeg, gifbmp, tiff, pCX, etc.), including elec
`tronically-reproduced photographs, graphics, animations,
`icons, and textual messages.
`information resource—A source of information stored on a
`server or other computer that is accessible to other com
`puters over a network.
`keyword—A textual data item used in locating related
`Sources of information.
`link—A data item that identifies the location or address of a
`program or information resource. A URL is a link, as is a
`path and filename of an information resource.
`network—A system having at least two computers in com
`municable connection, including intranets, personal net
`works, virtual private networks, and global public net
`works Such as the Internet.
`non-volatile data storage device—A memory device that
`retains computer-readable data or programming code in
`the absence of externally-supplied power, including Such
`things as a hard disk or a floppy disk, a compact disk
`read-only memory (CDROM), digital versatile disk
`(DVD), magneto-optical disk, and so forth.
`profile-User-specific information relating to an individual
`using a computer.
`program component—A set of instructions stored in a file in
`computer-readable format, whether as object code or
`Source code, and whether written in a compiled language,
`in byte code (such as JavaTM), or in a scripting or other
`interpreted language.
`program module—One or more related program compo
`nentS.
`program—One or more related program modules.
`reactively—In response to Some type of user input, such as a
`mouse click on a particular user application or on a link to
`an information resource.
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`US 8,549,410 B2
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`server—A computer on a network that stores information and
`that answers requests for information.
`Software application—A program and associated libraries
`and other files; for example, a word processing application,
`a spreadsheet application, or a personal information man
`agement application.
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`FIG. 13 is a flow chart of the process used by the builder
`module of FIG. 4 to upgrade different program modules or
`components used in the client Software application;
`FIG. 14 is a flow chart of a alternative process that can be
`used by the builder module of FIG. 4 to upgrade program
`modules or components used in the client Software applica
`tion; and
`FIG. 15 is block diagram of an embodiment of the inven
`tion depicting a server that includes several database services
`program modules and that is accessible by a client computer
`via the Internet.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
`
`Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown an overview of a
`client Software application 10 comprising a graphical user
`interface (GUI) program module 12 and an advertising and
`data management (ADM) program module 14. Working
`together, these program modules act as a single Software
`application that provides the computer user with a fully inte
`grated interface to the other software applications loaded on
`the user's computer 18, as well as to information resources
`located on a private or public network, such as the Internet 20.
`Client application 10 may also include other executables,
`Support files, and libraries that are used by program modules
`12 and 14. In general, GUI module 12 contains the basic
`programming necessary to provide a user interface to the
`computer's Software applications and operating system (e.g.,
`Windows98 or WindowsNT), while ADM module 14 pro
`vides the basic management of the display and refreshing of
`advertising as well as the acquisition and reporting of com
`puter usage information to an advertising and data manage
`ment (ADM) server 22 via the Internet 20. As will be dis
`cussed below, client software application 10 provides an
`organized interface into the files and other applications on the
`user's computer. That is, the client software application 10
`Supports an intuitive GUI that can provide access to network
`bookmarks (i.e., stored URLs), and can initiate execution of
`local application software packages. In addition, features are
`provided to deliver advertising (e.g., banner advertising) to
`users based on demographic and computerusage information
`or data captured from users (e.g., data Supplied by users
`during registration, and demographic and usage demographic
`data captured from information obtained based on web site
`visitation, applications employed, and other usage data); and
`that targeted advertising can be displayed to those users dur
`ing the course of use of the computer by those individual
`users, irrespective of whether those users are connected to a
`network (i.e., are online) or whether those users are using the
`computer for a non-network application (i.e., are offline).
`Preferably, the client software application 10 is presented
`in Such a manner that the user need not have any special skill
`or training in order to operate that application. That is, the
`application and the services provided by the advertising mod
`ules associated therewith can be used by persons having no
`computer skills and may have received limited training in the
`operation of Software. Such as that involved in the present
`invention.
`Computer 18 is a conventional personal computer, such as
`one that utilizes an IntelTM PentiumTM microprocessor. As is
`common, computer 18 includes RAM, a hard disk drive, a
`floppy drive, a CD-ROM or DVD drive, a mouse or other
`serial input device, a keyboard (all not shown), as well as a
`monitor 26. Computer 18 also includes a network adapter
`card through which it accesses the Internet. Alternatively, it
`can include a modem for accessing the Internet via a standard
`
`SUMMARY
`
`In accordance with one aspect of the present invention
`there is provided a method for reactive targeted advertising
`via the internet for display on a user's computer accessing a
`web page. The method comprises storing a plurality of key
`words in a memory and determining that one or more of said
`keywords is used in a web page. The method continues with
`selecting an advertisement using the one or more keywords,
`where the advertisement is for display on a user's computer
`that is accessing the web page from a web server. The method
`also comprises receiving a request for said advertisement
`from a user's computer accessing the web page from the web
`server via the internet, and providing the selected advertise
`ment for display on the user's computer from an advertising
`server via the internet.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`A preferred exemplary embodiment of the present inven
`tion will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the
`appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like
`elements, and:
`FIG. 1 is block diagram of a first embodiment of the inven
`tion depicting a client Software application comprising two
`program modules located on a computer connected to a server
`by way of the Internet;
`FIG. 2 is a block diagram of second embodiment that is a
`modified form of that shown in FIG. 1;
`FIG. 3 is a block diagram depicting further details regard
`ing use of the server shown in FIG. 1;
`FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a third embodiment of the
`invention depicting a client Software application broken into
`a number of modules including a builder module responsible
`for upgrading and addition of any of the program modules;
`FIG. 5 is an exemplary view of the graphical user interface
`(GUI) generated by the client software application of FIG. 4;
`FIGS. 5a-5c are exemplary views of a bookmark category
`window generated by the client software application of FIG.
`4.
`FIG. 6 is block diagram that provides additional detail
`regarding the client Software application depicted in FIG. 4;
`FIG. 7 depicts the structure of the banner database used by
`the client software application of FIG. 4;
`FIG. 8 depicts a method for providing access to the client
`Software application and for obtaining and utilizing demo
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`graphic information regarding users of the Software applica
`tion;
`FIG. 9 is a flow chart of the portion of the client software
`application of FIG. 4 that handles user login as well as acqui
`sition of demographic information for new users of the appli
`cation;
`FIG. 10 is a flow chart depicting an overview of the core
`operation of the client software application of FIG. 4;
`FIG. 11 is a flow chart of the processing of user input that
`is carried out by the client software application of FIG. 4;
`FIG. 12 is a flow chart of the processing of key events that
`is carried out by the client software application of FIG. 4;
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`US 8,549,410 B2
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`telephone line, cable, or wireless communication path. As
`will be discussed below, client software application 10 is
`initially stored on a computer-readable memory (such as a
`hard drive) at server 22 and a copy is then downloaded and
`stored on the hard drive of computer 18 in response to a
`download request by the user.
`As will be discussed in greater detail below in connection
`with FIGS. 5 and 6, GUI module 12 generates an application
`window 24that is displayed on the computer monitor 26. This
`window is separated into a number of regions, one of which is
`a banner region 28 for advertisements or other messages
`processed by ADM module 14. The advertisements displayed
`in banner region 28 are display objects such as graphical
`images that are stored on the computers hard drive or in other
`non-volatile memory as a file or multiple files which are
`collectively represented in FIG. 1 as banner storage 30. They
`are accessed as needed by ADM module 14 and displayed in
`banner region 28. Upon ADM module 14 determining that
`new advertising is needed, it accesses the Internet via an
`existing TCP/IP connection 32 and downloads new banners
`from ADM server 22. Periodically, computer usage informa
`tion is sent to ADM server 22 for use in profiling the end user
`and better targeting future advertising to the end user. This
`computer usage information is stored on the end user's com
`puter 18 in user data storage 34, which again can be the
`25
`computers hard drive or other non-volatile storage.
`By separating out the advertising and end-user data man
`agement functions and providing them as a separate program,
`these functions can be changed easily by replacing the ADM
`module 14 without the necessity of downloading and install
`30
`ing an entire new version of the Software. This update capa
`bility can be programmed into GUI module 12 (or, possibly,
`into ADM module 14) so that it periodically checks with
`server 22 for an updated ADM module 14 and, if found,
`downloads the new program and installs it as necessary. This
`can be done automatically without the client software appli
`cation requiring any user input, if desired. In addition, either
`program can be disabled (e.g., as determined and controlled
`by the Supplier of the programs) in order that a particular user
`receives operation of only the management function program
`or the advertising function program.
`ADM module 14 can be downloaded