Abstract:
The present invention provides an option system and an option method of Internet advertisement subscription, comprising a main server including a member DB, an advertisement DB, a service DB, and an advertisement control module; and a settlement system, the main server and the settlement system being capable of controlling advertisements while they are connected to clients via a network, allowing a user to choose whether to view or not view an advertisement.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to an option system and an option method of an Internet advertisement subscription, in which a main server including a member database having a paid member database and an unpaid member database for managing member information, an advertisement database for managing advertisement programs and transmitting advertisements to clients, a service database for managing services to be provided to the clients and transmitting service and an advertisement control module for verifying member information and controlling advertisement, and a settlement system for managing settlement information of members through member information transmitted from the member database of the main server, verifying the settlement information of members and transmitting the settlement information of members to the main server are connected to the clients though a network and control advertisement.  
         DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART  
         [0002]    With development of the Internet, economic activities are actively carried out using the Internet, and the number of Internet service providers has been considerably increased.  
           [0003]    An Internet advertising market, which is the main source of revenue of Internet service providers, has grown rapidly in comparison with the advertising market of conventional media such as television, newspaper, magazine, etc. In Korea, the Internet advertising market totaled about 37 billion Korean won (hereinafter, “KRW”) in 1999, and is expected to amount to about 70 billion KRW in 2000.  
           [0004]    In the Internet advertisement field, along with its growing advertising market, the types of advertisements get diversified. Accordingly, the emergence of diversified Internet advertisements, such as banner advertisements like box advertisements, E-mail advertisements, image advertisements and selection advertisements, causes the clients a problem that the transmission speed is decreased.  
           [0005]    Additionally, there occurs another problem that the clients have difficulty in obtaining information from among a large number of advertisements.  
           [0006]    Additionally, there occurs still another problem that clients are forced to view the advertisements without any choice to reject them.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    Accordingly, the present invention, being conceived in view of the above problems of the prior arts, aims to provide a system for choosing to view Internet advertisements, in which a right to choose between the viewing and not viewing of advertisements is provided to a certain client, thereby securing the convenience of a user and providing service without advertisements.  
           [0008]    Another object of the present invention is to provide an option system and an option method of Internet advertisement subscription, in which a right to choose viewing or not viewing an advertisement is provided to the clients, that is, paid or excellent members, thereby helping service providers to increase profits in advertising revenues.  
           [0009]    Still another object of the present invention is to provide an option system and an option method of Internet advertisement subscription, in which a right to choose viewing or not viewing an advertisement can be obtained by payment of money or cybermoney, thereby providing a right to choose to a user.  
           [0010]    Still another object of the present invention is to provide an option system and an option method of Internet advertisement subscription, which helps service providers to increase profits through money users pay for a right to choose viewing or not viewing an advertisement.  
           [0011]    In order to accomplish the above objectives, the present invention provides an option system of Internet advertisement subscription, comprising: a main server including a member DB comprised of a paid member DB and an unpaid member DB for managing member information, an advertisement DB for managing advertisement programs and transmitting advertisements to clients, a service DB for managing services to be provided to the clients and transmitting service, and an advertisement control module for verifying member information and controlling advertisement; and a settlement system for managing settlement information of members through member information transmitted from the member DB of the main server, verifying the settlement information of members, and transmitting the settlement information of members to the main server; wherein the main server and the settlement system are connected to the clients though a network and control advertisement.  
           [0012]    Preferably, clients access the main server through an access apparatus using the Internet, a Web Television network, a mobile phone network or a similar network.  
           [0013]    In addition, the present invention provides an option method of Internet advertisement subscription in a system for choosing to review Internet advertisements in which advertisement is controlled using a network connecting a main server, clients and a settlement system, comprising: an accessing step of the client accessing the main server; a transmission step of the main server transmitting service and advertisements to the clients; a log-in step of each of the clients inputting his information; a verification step of member information being verified in a member DB and a settlement system; a right granting step of the main server granting a right to choose viewing or not viewing an advertisement through an advertisement control module; an advertisement choosing step of the client choosing viewing or not viewing an advertisement; and an advertisement control and service provision step through the advertisement control module according to the advertisement control request of the client and providing the corresponding service.  
           [0014]    Preferably, the method further comprises a reception step of the settlement system receiving fees for service without advertisements or points corresponding to the fees if a paid or excellent member client requests service without part or all of advertisements, wherein the main server provides service without part or all of advertisements to the client through the advertisement control module.  
           [0015]    Preferably, the method further comprises a service utilization step of the client utilizing service without part or all of advertisements; an advertisement re-viewing request step of the client requesting a re-viewing of advertisements from the main server; a changed information transmission step of transmitting changed information of the client to the settlement system; a changed information processing step of verifying and processing the changed information of the client in the settlement system; and a service-with-advertisement provision step of the main server providing service with advertisements.  
           [0016]    Preferably, the method further comprises a service utilization step of the client choosing to view advertisements and utilizing service with advertisements; an advertisement deletion request step of the client requesting deletion of advertisements from the main server; a changed information transmission step of transmitting changed information of the client to the settlement system; a changed information processing step of verifying and processing the changed information of the client in the settlement system; and a service-without-advertisement provision step of the main server providing service without advertisements.  
           [0017]    Preferably, the member information verification step comprises an information transmission step of a paid member DB of the member DB transmitting information of a paid member to the advertisement control module; and an information exchange step of the advertisement control module verifying the information of the paid member through information exchange with the settlement system and providing processed service information to the settlement system.  
           [0018]    In addition, the present invention provides an option method of Internet advertisement subscription in a system for choosing to view Internet advertisements in which advertisement is controlled using a network connecting a main server, clients and a settlement system, comprising: an accessing step of the client accessing the main server; a transmission step of the main server transmitting service and advertisements to each of the clients; a logging-in step of the client inputting his information; a verification step of member information being verified in a member DB of the main server and the settlement system; and a service-without-advertisement provision step of the main server providing service without part or all of advertisements to paid or excellent members through an advertisement control module.  
           [0019]    The preferred construction and various embodiments of the present invention can be clearly understood from the following detailed description.  
           [0020]    The above-described option system and option method of Internet advertisement subscription provide a right to choose viewing or not viewing an advertisement to clients.  
           [0021]    Additionally, the option system and option method of Internet advertisement subscription in accordance with the present invention can increase transmission speed by deleting advertisements from services.  
           [0022]    Additionally, the option system and option method of Internet advertisement subscription in accordance with the present invention can provide easy-to-view service to clients by deleting advertisements from services.  
           [0023]    Additionally, the option system and option method of Internet advertisement subscription in accordance with the present invention restricts a right to choose viewing or not viewing an advertisement to part of clients, thereby allowing service providers to maintain advertising profits.  
           [0024]    Additionally, in the option system and option method of Internet advertisement subscription in accordance with the present invention, clients can have a right to choose viewing or not viewing an advertisement by paying money or cybermoney.  
           [0025]    Additionally, the option system and option method of Internet advertisement subscription in accordance with the present invention help a service provider to obtain profits from money the users pay for a right to choose viewing or not viewing an advertisement. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0026]    The above and other objectives, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the system of Internet advertisement subscription in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing the main server of FIG. 1;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the outline of an option method of Internet advertisement subscription;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a relationship between the right to choose to review Internet advertisements according to an embodiment of the present invention and the settlement system;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the first service conversion of the option method of Internet advertisement ssubscription according to the embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the second service conversion of the option method of Internet advertisement subscription according to the embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing functioning of the advertisement control module of FIG. 3;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 8 a  is a view showing a log-in screen displayed at the unpaid member service utilization step of the option method of Internet advertisement subscription in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 8 b  is a view showing a service screen with advertisements displayed at the unpaid member service utilization step of the option method of Internet advertisement subscription in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 9 a  is a view showing a log-in screen displayed at the paid member service utilization step of the option method of Internet advertisement subscription in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0037]    [0037]FIGS. 9 b  and  9   c  are views showing service choice screens displayed at the paid member service utilization step of the option method of Internet advertisement subscription in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0038]    [0038]FIGS. 9 d  and  9   e  are views showing service screens displayed at the paid member service utilization step of the option method of Internet advertisement subscription in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an outline of the option method of Internet advertisement subscription in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing functioning of the advertisement control module of FIG. 10. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0041]    1. Option System of Internet Advertisement Subscription  
         [0042]    Below, an option system of Internet advertisement subscription in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is described in detail, making reference to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the option system of Internet advertisement subscription. FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing the main server of FIG. 1.  
         [0044]    Referring to FIG. 1, the option system of Internet advertisement subscription has a construction in which a settlement system  20  and a client  30  are connected to each other through a computer network or the like around a main server  10 .  
         [0045]    Referring to FIG. 2, the main server  10  is connected to the settlement system  20  and the client  30 . The main server  10  comprises a basic system including a Central Processing Unit (CPU)  11 , a Random Access Memory (RAM)  12  and a Read Only Memory (ROM)  12 , a member DataBase (DB)  14 , an advertisement DB  15 , a service DB  16 , and an advertisement control module  17 .  
         [0046]    DBs that should be provided in the main server  10  are as follows:  
         [0047]    1. a member DB  14  for managing member information,  
         [0048]    2. an advertisement DB  15  for managing advertisements to be provided to the client  30 , and  
         [0049]    3. a service DB  16  for managing services to be provided to the client  30 .  
         [0050]    An advertisement control module  17  functions to control advertisements by controlling in conjunction with the advertisement DB  15  through member information of the client  30 .  
         [0051]    Referring again to FIG. 1, the settlement system  20  manages settlement information of members through member information transmitted from the member DB  14  of the main server  10 , verifies settlement information of the members, and transmits settlement information of the members to the main server  10 .  
         [0052]    The option system of Internet advertisement subscription is generally described making reference to FIG. 1. The client  30  accesses the main server  10  ( 1 ), whereupon the main server  10  provides service and advertisements to the client  30  ( 2 ). When the client  30  logs in ( 3 ), the main server  10  transmits member information of the client  30  to the settlement system  20  ( 4 ). The settlement system  20  verifies member information received from the main server  10 , and provides settlement information of the client  30  to the main server  10  ( 5 ). The main server  10 , having verified settlement information of the client  30 , grants a right to choose to view Internet advertisements to the client  30  ( 6 ). If the client  30  requests deletion of advertisements from the main server  10  ( 7 ), the main server  10  provides service without part or all of advertisements.  
         [0053]    2. Option Method of Internet Advertisement Subscription  
         [0054]    Now, the method of choosing to review Internet advertisements in accordance with preferred embodiments of the present inventions is described in detail, making reference to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0055]    Embodiment 1  
         [0056]    [0056]FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the outline of an option method of Internet advertisement subscription.  
         [0057]    Referring to FIG. 3, if the client  30  accesses the main server  10  (S 206 ), the main server  10  transmits service and advertisements (S 204 ). If the client  30  logs in (S 206 ), member information of the client  30  is verified through the main server  10  and the settlement system  20  (S 208 ). If the client  30  is an unpaid member, service with advertisements is provided (S 210 ); while a right to choose viewing or not viewing an advertisement is granted to the client, if the client  30  is a paid or excellent member (S 212 ). If the client  30  wants to delete part or all of advertisements (S 214 ), service without part or all of advertisements is provided to the client  30  (S 216 ); while service with advertisements is provided, if the client  30  does not want deletion of advertisements (S 210 ).  
         [0058]    [0058]FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a relationship between the right to choose to view Internet advertisements and the settlement system according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0059]    The client  30 , who is a paid or excellent member, logs in, and is granted a right to choose viewing or not viewing an Internet advertisement through verification of his member information (S 402 ). If the client  30  does not want service without all or part of advertisements (S 404 ), the main server  10  provides service with advertisements while the settlement status of the client  30  is not varied in the settlement system  20  (S 406 ) (S 408 ). If the client  30  wants deletion of part or all of advertisements (S 404 ), the settlement system  20  receives fees for the service the client  30  requested or points corresponding to the value of the fees (S 410 ), and provides service without part or all of advertisements.  
         [0060]    [0060]FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the first service conversion of the option method of Internet advertisement subscription according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0061]    If client  30  utilizes service without part or all of advertisements (S 602 ) and does not want current service to be converted into service with advertisements (S 604 ), the state of settlement is not changed in the settlement system  20  (S 606 ). If the client  30  wants current service to be converted to service with advertisements (S 604 ), the main server  10  transmits information of the client  30  to convert service to the settlement system  20  (S 608 ). After the settlement system  20  has processed settlement matters regarding conversion of the service (S 610 ), the main server  10  provides service with advertisements to the client  30  (S 612 ).  
         [0062]    [0062]FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the second service conversion of the option method of Internet advertisement subscription according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0063]    If client  30  utilizes service with advertisements (S 802 ) and does not want current service to be converted into service without part or all of advertisements (S 804 ), the state of settlement in the settlement system  20  is not changed (S 806 ). If the client  30  wants current service to be converted to service without part or all of advertisements (S 804 ), the main server  10  transmits information of the client  30  to convert service to the settlement system  20  (S 808 ). After the settlement system  20  has processed settlement matters regarding conversion of the service (S 810 ), the main server  10  provides service without part or all of advertisements to the client  30  (S 812 ).  
         [0064]    [0064]FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing functioning of the advertisement control module of FIG. 3.  
         [0065]    If the client  30  logs in ( 1 ), the member DB  14  transmits member information to the service DB  16  ( 3 ). The service DB  16  provides service to the client  30  regardless of his membership ( 3 ). The member DB  14  includes an unpaid member DB  14 - 1  and a paid member DB  14 - 2 . If the client is an unpaid member, the member DB  14  transmits member information to the advertisement DB  15  ( 5 ) and allows the advertisement DB  15  to transmit advertisements to the client  30  ( 6 ).  
         [0066]    If the client  30  is a paid member, a right to choose viewing or not viewing an advertisement is granted to the client  30  through the advertisement control module  17 . Two types of processes exist according to the position of the advertisement control module  17 .  
         [0067]    In the first type, the paid member DB  14   b  provides paid member information to the advertisement control module  17 X, and advertisements are transmitted only to the client  30  wanting to view advertisements in conjunction with the advertisement DB  15  ( 5 X- 1 ). On the other hand, service without part or all of advertisements is provided to the client  30  not wanting to view part or all of advertisements in conjunction with the advertisement DB  15 . The advertisement module  17 X exchanges the service utilization information and settlement information of the client  30  with the settlement system  20  ( 5 X- 2 ).  
         [0068]    In the second type, the paid membership DB  14   b  provides paid membership information to the advertisement control module  17 Y ( 5 Y). The membership DB  14  provides membership information to the advertisement DB  15  ( 5 Y- 1 ), and the advertisement DB  15  transmits advertisements to the advertisement control module  17 Y ( 6 ). The advertisement control module  17 Y transmits advertisements only to the client  30  wanting to view advertisements, on the basis of paid membership information received from the paid membership DB  14 - 2  ( 7 Y). The advertisement control module  17 Y provides service without part or all of advertisements to the client  30  not wanting to view part or all of advertisements under its own control. The advertisement control module  17 Y exchanges the service utilization information and settlement information of the client  30  with the settlement system  20  ( 5 Y- 2 ).  
         [0069]    [0069]FIG. 8 a  is shows a log-in screen displayed at the unpaid member service utilization step of the option method of Internet advertisement subscription in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 b  shows a service screen with advertisements displayed at the unpaid member service utilization step of the option method of Internet advertisement subscription in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0070]    Referring to FIGS. 8 a  and  8   b , if an unpaid member logs in, service with advertisements is provided without provision of a right to choose viewing or not viewing an advertisement.  
         [0071]    [0071]FIG. 9 a  shows a log-in screen displayed at the paid member service utilization step of the option method of Internet advertisement subscription in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 9 b  and  9   c  show service choice screens displayed at the paid member service utilization step of the option method of Internet advertisement subscription in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 9 d  and  9   e  show service screens displayed at the paid member service utilization step of the option method of Internet advertisement subscription in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0072]    If a paid member logs in as shown in FIG. 9 a , service choice screens are displayed as shown in FIGS. 9 b  and  9   c . If viewing of advertisements is chosen as shown in FIG. 9 b , service with advertisements is provided as shown in FIG. 9 d . On the other hand, if not viewing of advertisements is chosen as shown in FIG. 9 c , service without advertisement is provided.  
         [0073]    Embodiment 2  
         [0074]    In this embodiment 2, if a paid member is verified through the main server and the settlement system, service without advertisement is provided without provision of a right to choose viewing or not viewing an advertisement, in contrast to embodiment 1.  
         [0075]    [0075]FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the outline of an option method of Internet advertisement subscription in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0076]    If the client  30  accesses the main server  10  (S 1002 ), the main server  10  transmits service and advertisements (S  1004 ). If the client  30  logs in (S 1006 ), member information of the client  30  is verified through the main server  10  and the settlement system  20 . If the client  30  is confirmed to be an unpaid member (S 1008 ), service with advertisements is provided (S 1010 ); while service without part or all of advertisements is provided to the client  30  through the advertisement control module  17  of the main server  10  (S 1012 ), if the client  30  is confirmed to be a paid or excellent member (S 1008 ).  
         [0077]    [0077]FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing functioning of the advertisement control module of FIG. 10.  
         [0078]    If the client  30  logs in ( 1 ), the member DB  14  transmits member information to the service DB  16  ( 3 ). The service DB  16  provides service to the client  30  regardless of his membership ( 3 ). The member DB  14  includes an unpaid member DB  14 - 1  and a paid member DB  14 - 2 . If the client is an unpaid member, the member DB  14  transmits member information to the advertisement DB  15  ( 5 ) and allows the advertisement DB  15  to transmit advertisements to the client  30  ( 6 ).  
         [0079]    If the client  30  is a paid member, service without part or all of advertisements is provided from the advertisement control module  17 . Two types of processes exist according to the position of the advertisement control module  17 .  
         [0080]    In the first type, the member DB  14  provides member information to the advertisement control module  17 X, the paid member DB  14 - 2  provides paid member information to the advertisement control module  17 X ( 5 X- 1 ), and advertisements are transmitted only to the client  30 , who is an unpaid member, in conjunction with the advertisement DB  15  ( 5 X- 3 ). On the other hand, service without part or all of advertisements is provided to the client  30 , who is a paid member, in conjunction with the advertisement DB  15 . The advertisement module  17 X exchanges the service utilization information and settlement information of the client  30  with the settlement system  20  ( 5 X- 2 ).  
         [0081]    In the second type, the member DB  14  provides member information to the advertisement DB  17 Y ( 5 Y) and the paid membership DB  14   b  provides paid membership information to the advertisement control module  17 Y ( 5 Y- 1 ). The advertisement DB  15  transmits advertisements to the advertisement control module  17 Y ( 6 ). The advertisement control module  17 Y provides service without part or all of advertisements only to the client  30  who is a paid member, on the basis of paid membership information received from the paid membership DB  14 - 2  ( 7 Y). The advertisement control module  17 Y provides service without part or all of advertisements to the client  30  who is a paid member, under its own control. The advertisement control module  17 Y transmits advertisements only to an unpaid member  30  ( 7 Y). The advertisement control module  17 Y exchanges the service utilization information and settlement information of the client  30  with the settlement system  20  ( 5 Y- 2 ).  
         [0082]    Although an option system and an option method of Internet advertisement subscription in accordance with the present invention have been described above with reference to the preferred embodiments, the scope of rights of the present invention is not limited thereto, but rather, shall be determined by the claims attached below and their equivalents, allowing various alterations, modifications, and adjustments, as those skilled in the art will understand.