METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTERNET ADVERTISEMENT

Abstract: The present invention discloses a technique to advertise to the netisns by providing an internet game with credits and gifts. The present invention provides an improved advertising technique comprising a home page of a network server, an advertising document file, a web browser, and a game engine. The advertisement displayed in the frames comprising the units of the internet game effectively enhances the power of the advertisement since the netisn keeps eye on those frames.

Description: TITLE OF INVENTION METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTERNET ADVERTISEMENT TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates generally to method and apparatus for internet advertisement, and more particularly to an internet advertisement to maximize its effect by employing the advertisement for the internet games . BACKGROUND ART Internet advertisement is usually performed by a framed animation programmed by a certain language such as JAVA script, which is called a banner advertisement. The clicking on the banner advertisement brings the netisn to the web site of the advertiser . In the banner advertisement of the prior art, the contents and information materials are provided only when a netisn visits the corresponding web site of the advertiser by clicking the frame. In other words, since the advertiser can promote its adver isement and provide information only when a netisn visits its web site, the advertiser can not expect significant advertising effect due to the inherent passive nature of the banner advertisement. More specifically, the banner advertisement is regarded as a trouble to the netisn who is looking for a useful and fresh information. Recently, there has been released a program which eliminates the banner advertisements from the frame of the visiting web si te . Furthermore, the method relying on the banner advertisement of the prior art has its limitation because the number of the banner advertisement displayed on a web frame is definitely constrained. Consequently, a very specialized web site providing only the advertising materials has recently showed up. On this web site, the netisns can join a quiz or play a game offered by the webmaster, and then some money is sent to the player's account according to the result of the game . However, the advertising method of the prior art has drawbacks because of its limit in inviting sponsors and members. Furthermore, there has been raised a question if a netisn will voluntarily visit the web site of a specialized advertiser in order to earn a money by participating the irregular campaign. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a technique to make the netisns to frequently visit the web site of the specialized advertiser by providing them with the entertainment. It is another object of the present invention to provide a technique to present a significant advertising effect to the sponsor of the corresponding advertisement. Yet, it is another object of the present invention to provide an advertising information to the netisns very rapidly. In accordance with a broad aspect of the present invention, provided is an improved advertising technique comprising a step wherein a specific netisn connected to the network is identified, a step wherein a web server transmits a network game and multiples of advertising documents, a step wherein a web browser of a client receives said network game and said multiples of advertising documents, a step wherein said network game is played, a step wherein multiples of advertising materials selected from the group of said advertising materials are displayed on the displaying section of said game. As a result, it becomes possible to enhance the capability and effects of the internet advertisement. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THF, DRAWINGS The object and other advantage of the present invention are best explained in the preferred embodiment with reference to the attached drawings that include: FIG.l is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the advertising apparatus on internet in accordance with the present invent ion . FIG.2 is a schematic diagram showing the workflow in accordance with the present invent ion . FIG.3 is a schematic diagram showing the internet slot machine in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG.4 is a schematic diagram showing the internet slot machine in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG.l is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the advertising apparatus on internet in accordance with the present invent ion . Referring to FIG.l, a server 130 for advertisement provides the contents of the advertisement to the netisns 100 by employing a special home page 160 for advertisement. The advertising apparatus in accordance with the present invention sends an internet game 150 together with advertising documents 140 to the netisn 100 once if the netisn 100 is connected to the home page 160 of the advertiser through the network 120 by the web browser 110. As a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, the effect of the internet advertisement can be enhanced by displaying the contents of the advertising materials in the frame of the internet game provided by the server 130. As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a displaying method such as a temporally changing frame for exhibiting advertising contents can be used on the screen showing the internet game by web browser 110 of the client 100. For instance, since the player usually puts his eye on the displaying window of the slot machine, the advertising document can be loaded on each section comprising the displaying window . In this case, the player can not avoid looking at the advertisement during the internet slot machine because his attention is needed for j ackpot . As another preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention, we can display advertising materials in the moving unit comprising the TETRIS game. In this case, there can also be provided a linking means enabling the player to have an access to the web site of the advertiser. As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the advertising material can also be displayed on the brick comprising the BRIX game. As another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the advertising material can be loaded on the backside of the playing card comprising the poker game. Furthermore, the advertising apparatus in accordance with the present invention can employ a temporally varying frame displaying various kinds of advertisements with time. Additionally, it is more advantageous to display random advertisement on the nine rotating displaying windows of the slot machine. In the case of the internet slot machine, the player 100 can obtain a credit or electronic money according to the results he obtained on the network game . The advertising apparatus in accordance with the present invention can be equipped with a fixed advertising frame exhibiting a specific advertising material all the time. FIG.2 is a schematic diagram showing the workflow in accordance with the present invention. Referring to FIG.2, an internet user starts to access to a web site of an advertiser by network 200. Then the home page of the advertiser is linked to the internet user by a web browser 220 after some connecting processes to the server host of the advertiser 210. As a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention, an internet or a CATV network can be used. Thereafter, the home page of the advertiser 230 requests the validity of the user's membership. In case when the visitor is not a member of the site, the visitor will be given 240 a new user identification. Simultaneously, the membership data will be stored 25 in the database of the server. Now, after the user enters his identification into the input field for user identification, he will click the game he wants to play. Thereafter, the advertisement server will send the requested game engine and advertising documents to the client computer. The user proceeds the internet game 280 by graphical user interface (GUI) . In this case, the player watches the advertisement displayed in the game screen comprising the frame. As a preferred embodiment, the site of the advertiser can be linked to the sponsor's web site if the player clicks the frame of the corresponding frame. The player can get a credit 290 and/or receive a gift, which depends on the result of the game he played 290. Now, the player finishes the internet game for termination 295. FIG.3 is a schematic diagram showing the internet slot machine in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG.3, a manipulating handle 300 is provided for an internet user to play the internet slot machine. When the player clicks the manipulating handle 300, a displaying window for the internet slot machine is formed wherein the advertising material comprises rotating part of the spinning slot machine. As a preferred embodiment, the rotating advertisement of the spinning slot machine, which is substituted for the conventional number plate or the mark, can be configured in a 3 x 3 matrix . Referring to FIG.3, a total number of nine advertising materials, which are randomly selected from the group of the advertising documents sent from the server, can be displayed on the rotating part 310, 330 of the spinner of the internet slot machine. In this case, since the player keeps his eye on the rotating parts 310, 330 of the spinner, he can not avoid looking at the advertisement. Further, the player's click on the rotating frame of the spinner brings him to the web site of the sponsor. Referring FIG.3 again, a t ime - invar iant frame of advertisement 340 can be provided in addition to the time-varying frames 310, 330 in the internet slot machine. As another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the netisn's interest can be solicited by posting an unexpected gift (as a surprise) 360 on the internet game from time to t ime . The score of the player is displayed on the score board 320, and then he is given a gift according to the accumulated scores he obtained. As a preferred embodiment, the internet slot machine in accordance with the present invention can simulate a sonant of a selected sound through the speaker 350 in cases when the spinner axis is rotating or stopping, and/or jack-pot blows up. FIG.4 is a schematic diagram showing the internet slot machine in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG.4, the nine displaying windows contain advertising materials 310, 330 retrieved out of the advertising documents sent from the server, and a fixed advertising frame 340 is also provided together with the player's score board. It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiment of the invention described herein could be employed in practicing the invention. Therefore, it is intended that the following claims define the scope of the invention and that methods and structures within the scope of these claims and their equivalents be covered thereby. Although the invention has been illustrated and described with respect to exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and various other changes, omissions and additions may be made therein and thereto, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention should not be understood as limited to the specific embodiment set forth above but to include all possible embodiments which can be embodies within a scope encompassed and equivalents thereof with respect to the feature set forth in the appended claims.

Claims: what is claimed is; 1. An apparatus of performing advertisement by network comprising: a home page of a network server having an input field for identifying a user connected to said network server; an advertising document file having multiples of advertising material and codes corresponding to said multiples of advertising material ; a web server displaying an internet game and accompanying advertising materials provided by the network and establishing the communication with said network server; and a game engine displaying said internet game and said multiples of advertising material in the frame of said internet game by retrieving said advertising document file. 2. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said network comprises an internet or a cable television network. 3. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said game engine retrieves one from said multiples of advertising materials and displays in said frame comprising said internet game. 4. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said game engine comprises a selecting means which randomly chooses one out of said multiples of advertising materials. 5. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said game engine displays a time - invariant advertisement in said frame constituting said internet game . 6. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said game engine displays a time-varying advertisement in said frame constituting said internet game . 7. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said frame comprises one or the combination from the group of a rotating number board, and a rotating mark board of the spinner. 8. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said frame comprises a unit of TETRIS game. 9. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said frame comprises a backside of a playing card . 10. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said frame comprises a unit of BRIX game. 11. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said frame comprises a time-varying frame for advertisement. 12. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said frame comprises a t ime - invariant frame for advertisement . 13. An apparatus of performing internet slot machine by network comprising: a multiple of displaying window; an input which receives a starting command for initiating said internet slot machine; and a memory which stores a multiple of advertising material, and displays said advertising materials on said displaying windows 14. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 13, wherein said network comprises an internet or a cable .television network. 15. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 13, wherein said internet slot machine further comprises a score board. 16. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 13, wherein said internet slot machine further comprises a frame for a fixed time - invar iant advertisement . 17. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 13, wherein said internet slot machine further comprises a means providing one selected from the group of a score, a credit, money, an electronic money, a commercial product. 18. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 13, wherein said displaying window comprises 3 x 3 matrix and displays said advertising materials selected from said multiples of advertising materials. 19. A method of advertisement by network comprising steps of: identifying a user connected to a network server; transmitting a network game and multiples of advertising documents; performing said network game; and displaying said advertising document by retrieving said multiples of advertising document s . 20. The method as claimed in Claim 19, wherein said method of advertising by network further includes a step of providing a credit or a gift according to the results of said network game.

Inventors: YANG MI-HYE, YOUN JUN-JAE, YANG, MI-HYE, YOUN, JUN-JAE
Applicants: YANG MI HYE, YOUN JUN JAE, YANG, MI-HYE, YOUN, JUN-JAE
Application year: 2000
Main classification: G06F17
IPC codes: G06Q30, H04N7