Network banner advertisement system and method

A network advertising system and method includes a network server, a computer user, an electronic banner advertisement (BA) file, multiple web page files, a BA program, and a monitor. The BA is displayed on the monitor in a window of a browser program from about the point in time that a new web page is requested to about the point in time that the web page file corresponding to the new web page is downloaded onto the user computer and ready for viewing. The BA offers an advertising venue that will serve up a very discernible advertisement, uncluttered by other content that captivates the viewer's interest, at a point of time that a web (Internet or other network) surfer is willing and amenable to review additional data and information. This is typically a down-time during a browser session. However, by displaying the advertisement as described, most web surfers will indeed pay attention to the ad and the message that it is providing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The BA of the invention requires a user's computer and a network server. The user's computer stores one or more BA file of the invention at a time, whereas the network server stores many different BA files of the invention. The banner advertisement of the invention can be an audible advertisement, a viewable advertisement or an audible and viewable advertisement. A BA file according to the invention can comprise one file or a cluster of files or other forms of data streams used in computer network communications. For example, a web page generally comprises a cluster of graphics and text files as well as embedded scripts. As used herein, the term “BA file” refers to a single file or a cluster of files, or other forms of data streams used in computer network communications, that together comprise the content of the BA when viewed on the window of a browser. The cluster of files that comprise the BA file can be referred to as an html file, which file generally comprises a cluster of other file types that are downloaded sequentially or concurrently onto a user's computer. Exemplary file types include html, text file, graphics file, executable script, java script file, active-X file, flash file, multimedia file, video file, music file, audio file, CGI script, macro-media director file, Real file, QuickTime file, mpeg file, tiff file, gif file, pdf file, MIDI file, plug-in file and others known to those of ordinary skill in the art. A BA file is downloaded onto a user computer before, during or after the user has requested and received a (first) web page. The BA file is notdisplayable, i.e., not served up to a user browser window, however, until after the user has requested a second web page. Shortly or immediately after the request for the second, or another, web page has occurred, the BA file is served up to and is displayable in a browser window. If the BA occurs in the same browser window as that of the previously viewed or just requested web page, the BA assumes a dominant position in the browser window until download of the just requested web page is complete. At that point, the BA assumes an inferior position and the requested web page is served up to and viewed in the browser window. If the BA occurs in a window that is different than the window in which the previously viewed web page occurred or in which the just requested web page will occur, the window with the BA assumes a dominant position over the requested page window until download of the requested page is complete. At that point, the window with the BA assumes an inferior position with respect to the window with the just requested web page. By the term “displayable” is meant that the advertisement created with the BA data stream (or file) will be visible and/or audible to an operator of a user computer. When the BA data stream creates an audible advertisement, the BA data stream is “displayed” by rendering it audible to a user through a speaker or other sound-generating component associated with the user computer. When the BA data stream creates a viewable advertisement, the BA data stream is “displayed” by rendering it viewable to a user through a monitor or other visual signal-generating component associated with the user computer. When the BA data stream creates an audible and viewable advertisement, the BA data stream is “displayed” by rendering it audible and viewable to a user as described herein by way of one or more components associated with the user computer. Accordingly, a display component of a user computer is either a monitor, speaker, headphone, projector or other such conventional components typically operably engaged with a user computer. FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary network comprising plural user computers (User 1 - User 6 ) and network servers (S 1 -S 7 ). The server (S 7 ) includes a memory (information storage medium) comprising stored BA files. The network can be an external network, such as the Internet, or an internal network, such as an Intranet. The users access the network through normal channels such as a T1 line, telephone modem, computer modem, cable modem, DSL modem, fiber optic cable, wireless modem, and such other access means that are commonly known in the industry of computer networks' access technologies. For example, User 1 accesses the Internet by using a computer modem connected to a telephone to connect to the Internet server S 1 , which belongs to an Internet Service Provider (ISP). User 2 accesses the Internet by connecting to the server (S 2 ) via a cable (TV) modem. User 3 accesses the Internet by connecting to the server (S 3 ) with a T1 line, and so on. Alternately, a user can access the server (S 7 ) containing the BA files directly, as shown by the dashed arrow, using any of the above-mentioned methods. Where the system is an Intranet, the server (S 7 ) can be the central or a peripheral server. FIG. 2 depicts a general schematic of the steps involved in the system and method of the invention as they can occur during a browser session on the Internet or other computing network system, for example. After a user has connected to the computer network and has a browser window open, he submits a request for a specific web page using any of the conventional procedures, such as by clicking on a link, or entering the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) address of the web on the address bar of the browser window. After receiving the request, the browser program searches the network for the requested web page and establishes a connection with it. As the requested web page is being downloaded onto the user computer from a server, the BA program of the invention opens a banner ad file previously downloaded onto the user computer. The banner ad file is served up to a window of the browser. The program of the invention provides a status bar that can depict the status (such as percent downloaded or number of files downloaded or number of files yet to be downloaded or that the files are in the process of being downloaded) of the downloading of the requested page. While the banner ad window is open, the web user has several options available to him. He may freeze (pause) the banner ad window, request another web page via the banner ad window or close the banner ad window. Other options may also be available. These options are elected by entering keyboard commands, using the graphic user interface, utilizing voice commands, retinal scanning systems, clicking on one or more active links placed within the banner ad window in a manner similar to the placement and activation of hyperlinks in standard network web pages or utilizing such other methods commonly used for communicating between the user and the computer. When the banner ad window is frozen, the user can proceed to the requested web page window, while keeping the banner ad window open. The user can request another web page via the banner ad window by clicking with a mouse on an active link in the banner ad window. By doing so, the browser program begins to search the network for the just requested page. The newly requested page can be downloaded into the same window as the banner ad or into another window. Once a predetermined percentage or amount of the first requested page has been downloaded onto the user computer, or after a predetermined time period has lapsed, the banner ad window closes and the window with the first requested page is served up. While the first requested page is being viewed by the user or being downloaded onto the user's computer, the original banner ad file is replaced on the user's computer with another one. In other words, the BA file replacement occurs in the background preferably without disrupting the user's viewing of the first requested page. FIG. 3 a depicts a more detailed logic flow chart for a program that is used with the system and method of the invention. As with FIG. 2 , this logic flow chart begins once the web user has requested a new web page. The BA program is initiated after the user's request. The BA program then determines whether or not a BA file is already stored on the memory of the user's computer. If it is, the BA file is activated, and the BA is displayed on the user's monitor, either in the same window as his current web page or in a window that is separate from the one of his current web page. If the BA file is not already stored on the user's computer, the BA program waits for completion of the download of the requested web page and, or concurrent with download of the requested web page, then requests a BA file from the server having BA files stored therein. The BA file is downloaded onto the user's computer while the user is viewing the requested web page; therefore, download of the BA file does not interfere significantly with the user's viewing of the requested web page. The downloaded BA file can be stored in the memory of the user's computer for up-loading to the browser at a later time. Alternatively, once downloading of the BA file is complete, the BA program either terminates, or the BA file is uploaded to a browser window shortly after its downloading is complete. If the BA program detects a previously loaded BA file on the user's computer, the file is activated and the BA is served up to the window of the browser. While the BA is viewable in the window, the BA program determines whether or not: 1) downloading of the requested web page has completed; 2) time out has occurred; 3) the user has frozen the window containing the BA; or 4) the user has activated a link on the BA. The four determinations can be made in any order and need not be made in the order set forth above or depicted in the box defined by the dot-dash line of FIG. 3 a . If downloading of the requested web page is complete, if a time out has occurred or if the user has frozen the BA, the BA program pauses the BA session and returns the browser program to the main session that includes the just requested web page. If the user has activated a link in the BA, the BA program requests the web page associated with that link and opens a new browser window for that web page, and the main browser session returns to the just requested web page. Upon opening of the new browser window, the BA session terminates. If the BA window has been paused (frozen), the BA program enters into a background mode of operation as depicted in the box defined by the dashed line of FIG. 3 a . These steps occur while a user is viewing the requested web page in the main (first) browser session. The BA enters a BA server subroutine (or macro), during which the user's computer communicates with the server as described in FIGS. 4 - 6 and the user's computer requests a new BA file from the server containing BA files. The BA program then determines whether or not the new BA file has been completely downloaded. If not, it determines whether or not the download is in progress. If it is no longer in progress, the session has presumably frozen and the previous BA file is deleted. The program repeatedly requests the status of the download of the new BA file until it is complete. Upon completion of the download of the new BA file, the BA program deletes the previous BA file and the BA session is terminated. One or more active links can be included in a BA according to the invention. Suitable active links include all types of links known in the field of Internet programming and web pages. An active link can include an ACTIVE-X™ control, FLASH™ control, flash animation, image, macro-media director file, real, QuickTime, MPEG, MIDI, executable files and such other files that are commonly known in the industry of software programming. An active link is activated, by a viewer of the BA, by employing either a mouse (graphic user interface device), commands and/or the keyboard. Activation of an active link will cause the opening of a different browser session, which will open with the web page requested by such active link. The main browser program will then return to the main session that includes the just requested web page. The BA program includes an optional feature to pause (or freeze) the BA. Pausing the BA program will prevent the BA session from terminating, but will not interfere with the loading process of the requested page session. The ‘freeze’ button will be integrated into the BA page. Upon activating the ‘freeze’ button, the user will be able to return to the main session while keeping the BA in the background (relative to the main browser session), activate a link on the BA page, or terminate the BA session. An alternative embodiment of the logic flow chart is depicted in FIG. 3 b , which differs from FIG. 3 a in the part of the chart that precedes the step of activating the BA file. As with FIG. 3 a , the logic flow chart of FIG. 3 b begins once the web user has requested a new web page. The BA program is initiated after the user's request. The BA program then determines whether or not a file corresponding to the requested web page is already stored in the memory of the user's computer. If it is, the BA program can be terminated, as indicated by the dashed arrow. Alternatively, if the web page file is stored on the user's computer, the BA program then determines whether or not there is a BA file attached to the web page file. If it is, then the attached BA file is activated. If it is not, then the BA program waits for completion of the download of the requested web page and, or concurrent with download of the requested web page, then requests a BA file from the server having BA files stored therein. If a file corresponding to the requested web page is not already stored in the memory of the user's computer, the computer determines whether or not a BA file is stored in the memory of the user's computer. If it is, the BA file is activated, and the BA is displayed on the user's monitor, either in the same window as his current web page or in a window that is separate from the one of his current web page. If the BA file is not already stored on the user's computer, the BA program waits for completion of the download of the requested web page and, or concurrent with download of the requested web page, then requests a BA file from the server having BA files stored therein. The BA file is downloaded onto the user's computer while the user is viewing the requested web page; therefore, download of the BA file does not interfere significantly with the user's viewing of the requested web page. The downloaded BA file can be stored in the memory of the user's computer for up-loading to the browser at a later time. Alternatively, once downloading of the BA file is complete, the BA program either terminates, or the BA file is uploaded to a browser window shortly after its downloading is complete. The BA server subroutine that is part of the BA program is available in a number of different embodiments, some of which are depicted in FIGS. 4 - 6 . Each of the BA server subroutines begins when the session (window) for the BA has frozen, as depicted in FIGS. 3 a - 3 b. Although referred to herein as a subroutine, the BA server subroutine can also be a macro CGI script for the BA program and such other subroutines commonly known in the industry of Internet software programming. In the subroutine depicted in FIG. 4 , the BA program requests a new BA file from the server containing plural stored BA files. The server retrieves a BA file from its memory and queues the file. The server then requests the identity of the BA file stored in the user's computer. Once the user's computer responds with the identity of its BA file, the server determines whether or not the new BA file is the same as the BA file already stored in the memory of the user's computer. If the two BA files are the same, the server retrieves a different new BA file and downloads it onto the user's computer. If the BA file on the user's computer and the queued new BA file are different, the server downloads the queued new BA file onto the user's computer. Upon completion of the BA server subroutine, the BA program returns to its main logic flow chart as depicted in FIGS. 3 a - 3 b . In the embodiment of FIG. 4 , the user's computer initially requests an unidentified BA file, i.e., the identity of the requested BA file is not specified. In other words, the user's computer merely sends a generic request for a BA file. In the subroutine depicted in FIG. 5 , the BA program requests a new BA file from the server containing plural stored BA files. The user's computer then sends the identity of its stored BA file to the server. The server then retrieves a new and different BA file from its memory and downloads it to the user's computer. Upon completion of the BA server subroutine, the BA program returns to its main logic flow chart as depicted in FIG. 3 . As with the embodiment of FIG. 4 , the user's computer in this embodiment initially requests an unidentified BA file, i.e., the identity of the requested BA file is not specified. Since the embodiments of FIGS. 4 - 5 do not request a specific BA file, the content of the new BA file may or may not be related to the requested web page or the web page that the user was just viewing or the BA of a competitor of the host of the web page might unfortunately appear. It is possible, however, for the user's computer to request a specific BA file such that the host of a website or web page can specify a particular BA thereby enhancing the marketing of a good or service. In the subroutine depicted in FIG. 6 , the BA program requests a specific (predetermined identity) new BA file from the server containing plural stored BA files. The server then retrieves the specified BA file from its memory and downloads it to the user's computer. Upon completion of the BA server subroutine, the BA program returns to its main logic flow chart as depicted in FIGS. 3 a - 3 b. Given the potentially diverse content of the BA files, they can be categorized into and/or indexed according to classes, subclasses, genera, groups and/or subgroups. Alternatively, they can be identified according to unique identifiers, such as unique URL's addresses. A BA file can, therefore, be requested according to a class, subclass, genus, group, and/or subgroup to which the BA file belongs. Likewise, the BA file can be requested according to its unique identifier. In other words, the BA program can request a specific BA file, or it can request an unspecified BA file, which is a member of a specific group, subgroup, class, subclass, and/or genus of BA files. The identity of the specified BA file can be determined according to a number of methods. For example, a web page that a user is currently viewing might include embedded command language specifying the identity of the BA file to be requested. Accordingly, while the web page is being viewed, the BA program obtains the identity of the specified BA file from the web page and sends its identity to the network server by way of the BA server subroutine described above. The command language embedded in the web page may be java script, applet or such other command languages commonly known in the industry of Internet web page programming. Alternatively, the identity of the specified BA file can be determined by information stored on the user's computer in the form of a cookie, which information can be called upon to determine the identity of the specified BA file. The identity of the specified BA file can also be determined by the origination and address of the requested web page or by information stored on a server or other centralized computing system in the form of data that can be called upon to determine the identity of the specified BA file. The content of a specified BA file may be related to the content of the web page that a user was viewing or has requested; however, it need not be so. The BA window can include a header identifying it as an “advertisement”, so as to reduce consumer confusion between the ad, and the requested web page. Click-on capabilities (e.g. hyperlinks) may be added to the BA. When a hyperlink is activated, a new browser session will be opened (so as not to disrupt the main surfing session), and the user will be linked as per the click-on request. The BA program may enable the storing of multiple BA files on the user's computer, in which case the BA program will request specific BA files. BA files will be replaced by subsequent specific BA files, or the BA program may cause their deletion after predetermined time periods. If a user computer or a network server fails to execute any of the command language included in the browser program, BA program, BA server subroutine or other such software, the respective program can be terminated by a user. Alternatively, the program is terminated by the computer by including in such programs conventional termination sequences and command language. For example, the BA program can include a termination sequence to occur after a predetermined time period, or the failure to load of the requested web page. The advertising system and method of the invention is generally intended for use in marketing any good or service. In one embodiment, the BA program is provided to licensees or subscribers of an advertisement service provider (AdSP), which network servers include the BA files. The BA program is stored on a network server and run temporarily on a connected user computer. Alternatively, the source code for the BA program is included in a web page. The BA program may be in the form of programming language, such as java script or applets, which are incorporated into the web page, or such other script or software language commonly known in the network communications programming industry. Such script includes programming language that submit requests to the BA server to submit BA files that are attached to the web page. Such script includes additional programming language that enable the BA features otherwise described, including instructions to not be viewable while the first web page is being viewed by the user, to launch the BA file upon submitting the request for the requested second web page and the ability to freeze the BA file. By integrating the BA activation code into the web page, licensees will have ultimate control as to when and how the BA is launched. The BA program would be activated when surfing web pages published by licensees who sign onto the advertising service, and accept the AdSP's licensing terms. Alternatively, the BA program is activated when surfing (going) from a licensee web site to a non-licensee web site because it will have been activated by the code incorporated into the licensee's page. In general, the system and method of the invention may be used to conduct e-commerce under any of a number of scenarios. Under one scenario, an advertisement service provider (AdSP) has one or more servers containing banner ad files. An e-commerce company (EC) having a business website subscribes to the ad-serving business of the AdSP. The website of the EC includes one or more web pages and one or more of those web pages includes a BA program and respective activation code embedded in the page. The BA program on a web page includes a request for a specific BA file from the server of the AdSP. A first-time customer of the EC connects to the web page having the embedded BA program. While a viewer is viewing the EC's we page, the BA program obtains a BA file from the server of the AdSP and downloads it onto the user's computer. When the user requests another web page the BA program is activated and the BA file is served up to a browser window, while the user is waiting for the content of the requested web page to download. After download of the requested page is complete, the BA is superceded by the requested web page, and the BA program continues along its intended logic path. Income may be generated by charging a licensee (subscriber) a royalty each time a BA file is downloaded onto a user computer. For example, the licensee is charged a fee (F) of $X or Y cents each time the BA file Z is downloaded onto a user computer. So the royalty (R) would be determined as follows: R&equals;n×F, wherein n is the total number of times that the BA file Z was downloaded from the server onto a user computer during a given time period. The value n is determined by using a counter (software and/or hardware) associated with the network server to keep track of the number of times a specific BA file is downloaded onto a user computer, which may or may not necessarily be the same user computer. Alternatively, a counter (software and/or hardware) could be associated with the user's computer to keep track of the number of times and the identity of BA files downloaded and viewed by the user. Computers now have embedded within them an electronic processor serial number. If a user computer has the processor serial number activated, the server of the AdSP can be modified to include a program that tracks the number of times a specific user computer downloads specific BA files. By doing so, the AdSP is able to obtain valuable marketing data regarding the on-line habits of specific users. Moreover, the AdSP will be able to determine which users click on which types of BA's and what topics are of interest to specific users. Any network, in particular Internet, browser program can be used. Suitable browser programs include MICROSOFT™ Internet Explorer, NETSCAPE™ browser, AMERICA ONLINE™ browser, PRODIGY™ browser and other such programs. The memory in which the BA file or web page file is independently stored includes both volatile and non-volatile memory. The files can be stored in the random access memory (RAM), a memory cache, floppy disc, magnetic tape, magnetic storage devices, optical storage devices, DVD, CD, hard drive, ZIP™ DISC and such other memory systems that are commonly used in conjunction with network access and communication systems. The BA file in a user computer is preferably stored in a directory typically determined by the specific browser as a file or cluster of files. The BA file is a cluster of data streams that are formatted in a manner that are commonly used in network communication systems. It should be noted that as used herein, a network browser session is taken to be synonymous with the viewing window of a network browser. The session (window) generally includes tool bars and icons typically used in browser programs. The above is a detailed description of particular embodiments of the invention. It is recognized that departures from the disclosed embodiments may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. Those of skill in the art should, in light of the present disclosure, appreciate that many changes can be made in the specific embodiments which are disclosed herein and still obtain a like or similar result without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All of the embodiments disclosed and claimed herein can be made and executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure.