DEVICE FOR CONNECTING USERS TO COMPUTER NETWORKS AND DATA TRANSMISSION METHOD

Abstract: A device (6) which is activated by a user (1) and connects the user's unit (8) to a computer network (4) by means of a server (5) of a service provider which can also be a network access provider. The connection by means of the device (6) allows one to connect to the network (4) while nondeletable messages, such as advertising, are sent, by means of the software of the server (5) of the service provider, to a preset region (10) of the screen of the user's monitor (9).

Description: DEVICE FOR CONNECTING USERS TO COMPUTER NETWORKS AND DATA TRANSMISSION METHOD Technical Field The invention relates to a device for connecting users to computer networks and to a data transmission method. Disclosure of the Invention In computer networks, the user normally connects to his network access provider over a dial-up link; in turn, the network access provider connects the user to a computer network (for example the Internet), which the user can explore, looking for the sites that contain the information he is interested in. The service of course entails a cost; its cost for the user is due both to the connect time, in relation to the number and cost of the units of the user's country telephone company, and to the cost of the subscription to be taken out with an access provider. Currently there is a growing interest in sending information and advertising to individual users. The aim of the present invention is to provide a device which allows the user to choose a less costly method for his connection to a computer network. Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a device which allows the user to connect to the network with particularly reduced costs for a given period of time. This aim, this object and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a device for connecting users to computer networks, characterized in that it comprises a signal mixing unit which allows the passage of signals arriving from a computer network and combines them with signals taken from at least one archive managed by a server of a service provider, said signals taken from the archive assembling in a dedicated region of the screen of a user's monitor and being unaffected by, and not affecting, the signals that arrive from the network. The server of the service provider can belong to the access provider. Brief description of the drawings Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, given by way of nonlimitative example and illustrated in the accompanying figures, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic view of a first embodiment of a method for user-network connection by means of a device located in the server of the service provider according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic view of a second embodiment of the method for user-network connection by means of a device located in the server of the service provider, which is in turn located in the network access provider. Ways of carrying out the Invention With reference to Figure 1, a user station 1 is connected by means of a telephone terminal 2 to a network access provider 3, which is connected to the network 4 and to the server 5 of a service provider, which is in turn connected to the network 4. The server of the service provider 5 contains a mixing and timing device 6 which is connected to at least one archive 7 managed by the server of the service provider 5. The user station 1 is constituted by a computer 8 provided with a monitor 9; during the connection, one or more windows 10, managed by client software conveniently supplied by the service provider, form for example in a lower region of the monitor 9 (or in any other dedicated area) . The operation of the system is as follows. The user, over the telephone terminal 2, connects to the network access provider 3, who allows access to the server of the service provider, which contains the device according to the invention. The user, once connected, receives data from the server 5 of the service provider, taken from his archives 7, in addition to being able to explore the network. The archives 7 contain data which, in one convenient manner of use, are constituted by advertising information. The advertising information is displayed in the windows 10 of the monitor 9 without the user being able to act in any way to eliminate them. The device, by means of the client software loaded in the user's computer 8, allows the user to access the sites of the network and at the same time receives the information chosen by the service provider. Essentially, this information is advertising, which the service provider manages on behalf of his own clients. The device times the durations for which the information of the archives 7 is sent to the user. Simultaneously, these times are processed by the server 5 so that the service provider, not the user, pays for the cost of the network connection. These costs are then charged to the clients of the service provider, who have been able to send over the user's connection the advertising displayed in the windows 10. The device allows to determine the maximum time, either as a single event or as a sum of a plurality of events, that the user can spend on the network with a connection paid by means of the advertising of the clients of the service provider. The device, once set to a maximum time per day, does not allow further connections during the same day at the same conditions. The device further contains a timer which resets the situation of the client every day, so that the client can use every day a period with free or discounted connection rates. It is evident from the above description that it is convenient for the user to have a connection at a very low cost for a certain time and that it is convenient for the clients of the service provider to broadcast their advertising, which reaches the user without the user being able to eliminate it in any way from his monitor 9. In a different embodiment, shown in Figure 2, the user 101 is connected over a telephone terminal 102 to a network access provider 103 which is connected to the network 104. The network access provider 103 contains the server which acts as service provider 105 and contains the mixing and timing device 106 and the archives 107. The operating methods are the same. From the above description and from the drawings it is evident that the intended aim and object have both been achieved. The connection device can of course be provided in various manners, so long as they are adapted to achieve the same operation. The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. PD97A000270 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A device for connecting users to computer networks, characterized in that it comprises a signal mixing unit which allows the passage of signals arriving from a computer network and combines them with signals taken from at least one archive managed by a server of a service provider, said signals taken from the archive assembling in a dedicated region of the screen of a user's monitor and being unaffected by, and not affecting, the signals that arrive from the network. 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is provided with a timer having two functions: a first time count function and a second daily function. 3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that the time count function of the timer breaks the connection and/or the stream of signals from the archive when the connect time, or the total time of a plurality of connections, of a same user during a same day exceeds a preset duration. 4. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that said timer is provided with a daily function which resets the time count function every day. 5. The device according to claim 1 , characterized in that as long as the time count function is activated, the device accumulates the cost of the connection, charging it to the service provider. 6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it connects one or more archives, managed by the service provider, to the user so that one or more items of information are displayed in windows of the monitor without the user being able to eliminate them. 7. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the server of the service provider belongs to the network access provider to which the user is connected. 8. A computer network connection method, characterized in that a user's request signal is recognized by a device that connects the user to a computer network and simultaneously activates the input of data, taking said data from at least one archive managed by a service provider, on a user's connection line, and placing said data alongside the data that arrive from the network.

Inventors: VAZZOLER ALBERTO, VAZZOLER, ALBERTO
Applicants: MONTECARLO MEDIA, VAZZOLER ALBERTO, VAZZOLER, ALBERTO
Application year: 1998
Main classification: G06F13
IPC codes: G06F13, G06Q30, H04L12, H04L29