ELECTRONIC STAMP PROVIDING SYSTEM FOR ONLINE ADVERTISEMENT AND METHOD OF OPERATING THEREOF

Abstract: The electronic stamp providing system provides a customized online advertisement to an electronic mail receiver by using a data transmission network such as an internet. The electronic stamp providing system gives an electronic stamp based on a new type gotten by combining a stamp image and identification information. A transmitter appends the electronic stamp to an electronic mail by using the electronic stamp program, and transmits it, and a receiver connects to the electronic stamp providing system through the electronic stamp contained into the electronic mail, and the electronic stamp providing system delivers the customized online advertisement on the basis of personal information provided by the receiver only in case that there is a requirement of the receiver. The electronic stamp providing system provides the customized advertisement without a direct advertising exposure to the user, only in case that the receiver wants to receive the online advertisement, thereby there is a different nature from a partially compulsory advertising mail such as a conventional spam mail, or a banner type advertisement, and is additionally an increased advertising effect.

Description: TITLE ELECTRONIC STAMP PROVIDING SYSTEM FOR ONLINE ADVERTISEMENT AND METHOD OF OPERATING THEREOF TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an online advertisement system using a data transmission network; and more particularly, to an electronic stamp providing system and a method of operating thereof, in which a customized online advertisement can be delivered to electronic mail receivers according that an electronic stamp of a new type gotten by a combination of a stamp image and identification information is contained into an electronic mail. BACKGROUND OF INVENTION A development of a computer-based communication technique brings about various kinds of online services, e.g., personal or enterprise homepage, contents provider and an online shopping mall etc.. through an internet. The above-mentioned web sites on the internet are being formed in a new online advertisement area according to an increase of internet users. In the online advertisement through the internet, there is a banner type advertisement provided in a web site, or an electronic catalogue provided by an electronic mail, etc., besides, various online advertisement techniques are provided. In an initial online advertisement, it was mainly provided a banner type online advertisement in which simple advertisement image and text were carried in a web page, and a link of inducing an online connection was given onto a corresponding advertisement image or text so that internet users might be induced to be moved to a web page of an advertising owner. It is recently, being provided a banner advertisement using images having a motion on the basis of more advanced type. However, such banner advertisement system is provided by a simply disclosed type in the web page, thus there is a problem that an advertisement effect is ceased in case the internet user moves to other web page. Further, since numerous banner advertisements are given in one web page, not only a concentration onto a specific advertisement falls, but also the internet user may be under a mental stress owing to the excessive banner advertisement. In order to overcome demerits of the banner advertisement having such web site visitors as the main objects thereof and to provide the online advertisement on the internet more effectively, it is being utilized an advertising technique using an electronic mail. In the technique applied to the online advertisement using the electronic mail, there are systems of directly transmitting advertisement to a personal electronic address from an advertisement service provider, as a direct e-mail system; adding the advertisement onto the advertisement service provider own transmission electronic mail by using a specific program provided by the advertisement service provider, and sending it; and optionally imbedding the advertisement in the electronic mail by the advertisement service provider through a use of an electronic mail function of free charge, etc. Such online advertisement using the electronic mail has a prominent effect in comparison with the advertisement using the web site, but the following problems are caused therein. The system of directly transmitting the advertisement to the personal electronic mail has a characteristic of a spam mail from a receiver standpoint, thus a negative influence may be given to an imagination of an advertising owner enterprise. Further, in a transmission of many advertisements, an advertising effect may fall since it is not customized on the basis of a characteristic of the receiver. Also, in a case of the system using the electronic mail based on free charge, a customized online advertisement is not provided since it is the system that the service provider optionally imbeds the advertisement in the electronic mail. In the system that an individual adds the advertisement to the electronic mail and sends it, a mail transmitter should subscribe as a member in a web site of a decided advertising service enterprise and should receive a download of a specific program for appending the advertisement thereto, and a user should directly embed the advertisement in the electronic mail by using this downloaded program. Like this, it is very inconvenience the procedure of transmitting the advertisement by containing the advertisement into the electronic mail. As above-described, the advertisement using the electronic mail overcomes the shortcoming of the banner type advertisement, but the above-mentioned demerits are caused. Technical endeavor is continuously be required to overcome the demerits of such online advertisement and more effectively carry the online advertisement on the internet. As its example, there is the "System and method for delivering customized advertisements within interactive communication systems" of the U.S. Patent No. 5,933,81 1 granted to Paul D. Angel, in which an advertisement provider provides a customized advertisement to a computer of a client on the basis of a client profiles in an interactive system environment. However, even though such customized advertisement is provided, the online advertisement is given without an intention of the online user contacting with the advertisements. Thus a negative reaction of the user may be caused. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide an online advertisement system capable of providing a customized online advertisement with a consideration for a selection of a user who contacts the online advertisement. In accordance with the present invention for achieving the above objects, in one characteristic, an electronic stamp providing system includes an electronic stamp program for providing an electronic stamp containing a stamp image, identification information, and a link to be connected to the electronic stamp providing system, and appending the electronic stamp to an electronic mail generated by an electronic mail program; a database server for storing the identification information of the electronic stamp, information of a transmitter and a receiver using the electronic stamp, and transmission information of online advertisement; and an electronic stamp server for performing an overall control of the electronic stamp providing system, and providing a customized online advertisement to the receiver on the basis of the receiver information of the database server when the receiver of the electronic mail containing the electronic stamp replies to a reception of the online advertisement. In this embodiment, the electronic stamp program provides the transmitter information containing the delivery number of the electronic stamp and electronic mail address of the transmitter to the electronic stamp server after a transmission of the electronic mail with the electronic stamp, and the electronic stamp server stores the received transmitter information at the database server. Herewith, the identification information contains an ID field of a user, an electronic mail ID field of the user, an ID field of a stamp graphic copyright holder, a server ID field having a download of the electronic stamp program, a provider ID field of an electronic mail service, and an address ID field of a server to be connected after the reception. This identification information is constructed by one peculiar representative ID specific in the electronic stamp. Information, which contains the ID field of user, the electronic mail ID field of the user, the ID field of the stamp graphic copyright holder, the server ID field having the download of the electronic stamp program, the provider ID field of the electronic mail service, and the address ID field of the server to be connected after the reception, which correspond to the representative ID, is stored at the database server. Herewith, the delivery information for the online advertisement selectively given to the receiver of the electronic mail containing the electronic stamp is stored as online advertisement delivery information at the database server. In another characteristic of the present invention, a method of operating an electronic stamp providing system includes the steps of: appending an electronic stamp given from an electronic stamp program to an electronic mail generated by an electronic mail program; transmitting the electronic mail with the electronic stamp; receiving the electronic mail with the electronic stamp; providing an online advertisement to a receiver according to a selection of the receiver of the electronic mail having the electronic stamp; and storing advertisement delivery information for the online advertisement given to the receiver at a database server, wherein the electronic stamp providing system contains an electronic stamp program for providing the electronic stamp containing a stamp image, identification information, and a link to be connected to the electronic stamp providing system; the database server for storing the identification information of the electronic stamp, information of a transmitter and a receiver using the electronic stamp, and transmission information of the online advertisement; and an electronic stamp server for performing an overall control of the electronic stamp providing system. In this embodiment, it is contained a step that, the electronic stamp program in the midst of execution under an inactivation state is changed to an activation state when the electronic mail program is executed in a transmitter system. Herewith, there are also steps that transmitter information containing the delivery number of electronic mail having the electronic stamp and also containing the electronic mail address of transmitter is provided to the electronic stamp server, and the transmitter information provided to the electronic stamp server is stored at the database server. In addition, there are steps of deciding whether or not the receiver selects the electronic stamp appended to the electronic mail, and providing the online advertisement by the electronic stamp server to the receiver in case that the receiver selects the electronic stamp. Herewith, it is contained a step of checking a reception intention of the receiver for the online advertisement before a delivery of the online advertisement, so that the online advertisement can be provided in case that the receiver selects the reception of the online advertisement. Before providing the online advertisement, it is also provided the steps of receiving receiver information from the receiver and providing the customized online advertisement from the electronic stamp server to the receiver on the basis of the receiver information. It is further contained a step of requesting an advertising owner to pay advertising charge on the basis of the advertisement delivery information stored at the database server. BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other objects and features of the instant invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 depicts a block diagram showing an overall construction of an electronic stamp providing system in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the construction of an electronic mail containing an electronic stamp provided by an electronic stamp program of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 is a flowchart for a general operating order of an electronic stamp providing system in the present invention; Fig. 4 represents a flowchart for a detailed procedure of sending an electronic mail containing an electronic stamp; Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an electronic mail program and an activated electronic stamp program; Fig. 6 indicates a diagram illustrating a procedure of providing an electronic stamp from an electronic stamp providing system to a user system; Fig. 7 sets forth a flowchart showing in detail a procedure of receiving an electronic mail and its selective advertisement; and Fig. 8 is a diagram for one example of a selective advertisement reception generated through an electronic stamp contained into an electronic mail. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In accordance with the present invention, an electronic stamp providing system for a new online advertisement selectively provides a customized online advertisement to electronic mail receivers by containing a new type electronic stamp having a stamp image and identification information into an electronic mail. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall construction of the inventive electronic stamp providing system, and Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the construction of the electronic mail containing the electronic stamp provided by an electronic stamp program of Fig. 1. With reference to the drawings, an inventive electronic stamp providing system 10 is constructed by an electronic stamp server 12 and a database server 14. which are connected to an internet 20. The electronic stamp server 12 provides an electronic stamp program 32 and various and customized online advertisements using the electronic stamp. The database server 14 stores information of a transmitter and a receiver using the electronic stamp, several kinds of information concerned with the electronic stamp as identification information peculiar to the electronic stamp to be later mentioned, and information for the online advertisements given. A user system 30 may be constructed, for instances, by a personal computer having an installment of MODEM, and the electronic stamp program 32 provided from the electronic stamp server 12 through the internet 20 is installed in the user system 30. The electronic stamp program 32 is provided from the electronic stamp providing system 10, and may be also supplied through other cooperated web site. An electronic stamp program 34 is installed in the user system to append an electronic stamp 52 to an electronic mail generated by the electronic mail program 34. The electronic stamp 52 appended to the electronic mail contains a stamp image 54, identification information 56 and a link to be connected to the electronic stamp providing system 10. In the identification information 56 contained into the electronic stamp 52, there are, for example, an ID(identification) field of a user, an electronic mail ID field of the user, an ID field of a stamp graphic copyright holder, an ID field of a server having a download of the electronic stamp program, a provider ID field of an electronic mail service, and an address ID field of a server to be connected after the reception. Besides, added ID fields can be contained thereinto if necessary. A representative ID field for binding such serial ID fields in one bundle may be given, thereby one electronic stamp has one representative ID so as to provide a peculiarity to individuals of the electronic stamps circulated in the internet. The identification information 56 contains only the representative ID and the other ID field information may be stored at the database server 14 of the electronic stamp providing system 10. Like this, since the electronic stamp 52 does not contain directly-concerned advertisement contents, a transmission capacity of the electronic mail can be minimized. In a case of the stamp image 54, the transmission capacity of the electronic mail may become more minimized by loading the stamp image 54 from the electronic stamp providing system 10. The stamp image 54 can be variously used according to a selection of the user by combining and constructing a stop screen, animation, a mobile image video and sound etc. by one or more. Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing an order of overall operations in the inventive electronic stamp providing system. Though this embodiment will be described as follows, with one example for a POP3 electronic mail, it will be understood by those skilled in this art that the inventive application to a WEB electronic mail, a radio electronic mail, a card electronic mail and a motional image electronic mail etc. is valid as an example of electronic mail provided in various types of data transmission networks. Referring to the drawing, in a step S 10. a user makes out the electronic mail 50 by using the electronic mail program 34. This electronic mail program may be. for example, the Outlook Express of Microsoft Company, or other electronic mail programs. In a step SI 2, the user appends the electronic stamp 52 provided from the electronic stamp program 32 to the electronic mail 50. In a step SI 4, the electronic mail 50 made out by using the electronic mail program 34 is transmitted. In a step SI 6, a corresponding receiver receives the electronic mail 50 containing the electronic stamp 52. and according to a selection of the receiver, a customized advertisement is selectively received in a step SI 8. Though it will be mentioned later, the receiver can receive the advertisement by only clicking the stamp image 54 of the electronic stamp 52 contained into the received electronic mail 50 through a use of a mouse. Herewith, the provided advertisement is the advertisement customized on the basis of user information stored at the database server 14 of the electronic stamp providing system 10. If it is a case that there is no user information at the database server 14, a procedure of receiving the user information of the receiver may be performed before a delivery of the advertisement, which will be described later. Then, in a step S20, an advertisement reception result is sent to the electronic stamp providing system 10. Through the above procedures, the user can transmit the electronic stamp appended to the electronic mail, and the receiver can selectively receive the customized advertisement through the appended electronic stamp. The inventive electronic stamp providing system will be described more in detail with reference to Figs. 4 through 8. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure of transmitting the electronic mail with the electronic stamp more in detail. Referring to the drawing, when the user system having the installment of the electronic stamp program operates, the electronic stamp program 32 is executed in a step S30 and it is changed to an inactivation state. The electronic stamp program 32 changed to the inactivation state decides in a step S32 whether or not the electronic mail program 34 is executed. When the electronic mail program 34 is executed, the electronic stamp program 32 is changed from the inactivation state to an activation state. Fig. 5 represents the electronic mail program 34 and the activated electronic stamp program 32. The user makes out the electronic mail by using the electronic mail program 34 in a step S36. and appends the electronic stamp 52 provided by the electronic stamp program 32 to the electronic mail in a step S38. The user selects one out of numerous stamp images 54 provided by the electronic stamp program 32, and can drag and append it to an electronic mail making area of the electronic mail program 34 by using an automatic appending function or by using a drag and drop function of the mouse manually. In such procedure of imbedding the electronic stamp image 54 in the electronic mail, a representative ID of the electronic stamp 52 is imbedded in a text header of the electronic mail 50. Since the electronic stamp 52 contains a link to be connected to the electronic stamp providing system 10, the receiver can selectively receive the advertisement by clicking the stamp image contained into the received electronic mail through a use of the mouse, which will be described layer. In a step S40, the electronic mail with the electronic stamp is transmitted by using the electronic mail program 32. When the electronic mail is transmitted, the electronic stamp program 32 informs the electronic stamp providing system 10 of the transmitter information, e.g.. an electronic mail address of the transmitter and the number of electronic mail deliveries using the electronic stamp, in a step S42. The transmitted transmitter information is stored at the database server 14 of the electronic stamp providing system 10. The electronic stamp 52 is decided by the representative ID every its use, thus a use of multi electronic mail address is also valid. Fig. 6 is a drawing for a procedure of providing the electronic stamp from the electronic stamp providing system to the user system. With reference to Fig. 6, the electronic stamp program 32 may additionally receive various electronic stamp images 72 from the electronic stamp providing system 10. If the electronic stamp program 32 requires the electronic stamp providing system 10 to additionally send the electronic stamp, an electronic stamp providing window 70 for the additional electronic stamp is opened, and through that, a stamp image 72 can be added. Further, the stamp image 54 can be designed by the user, and a stamp image designed by an individual can be registered in the electronic stamp providing system 10 and can be distributed. Like this, since the electronic stamp is directly selected or made by the user oneself, the user own peculiar image can be expressed and a personality of the user can be expressed, and there is also an additional effect of promoting a relation between the transmitter and the receiver. In addition, there is an effect of utilizing the stamp as a medium of a cultural and economic value transfer by circulating the electronic stamp on the online. Through such procedures, the user can simply append the electronic stamp provided by the electronic stamp program to the electronic mail by using the drag and drop function, and can transmit it. Subsequently, procedures of receiving the electronic mail with the electronic stamp and selectively receiving the customized advertisement using the electronic stamp will be described more in detail. Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing a detailed procedure of receiving the electronic mail and selectively receiving the advertisement through the electronic mail. With reference to Fig. 7, in a step S50. the receiver receives the electronic mail containing the electronic stamp. When the user clicks the electronic stamp contained into the electronic mail by using the mouse in a step S52, a guide message for checking whether or not the online advertisement will be received is displayed on a monitor screen of the receiver in a step S54. In case that the electronic stamp is not clicked, a general mail receiving procedure is progressed in a step S56. In case that the advertisement reception is selected in the step S54, a receiver information inputting step is performed in a step S58. In a step S60, the inputted receiver information is advised to the electronic stamp server. The input of the receiver information is to provide the customized advertisement. In case that the receiver information was already stored at the database server 14 of the electronic stamp providing system 10, its input can be omitted, and only in case additional information is needed, the input of the receiver information can be required. In a step S62, the electronic stamp providing system 10 stores the received receiver information at the database server 14. In a step S64, the electronic stamp providing system 10 sends the advertisement customized on the basis of the receiver information to the receiver who selected a reception of the advertisement. One example of such selective advertisement reception generated through the electronic stamp contained into the electronic mail is shown in Fig. 8. If the receiver selects the advertisement reception, as shown in the drawing an advertisement providing window 60 for providing the advertisement is opened and the customized advertisement provided from the electronic stamp providing system 10 is displayed on the advertisement providing window 60. The receiver may contain in the advertisements displayed on the advertisement providing window 60, various online marketing promotion contents such as a products direct sale, a banner type advertisement, a motional image advertisement, a premium, a lottery ticket, an electronic catalogue, quiz, a game, and a survey of public opinion, etc. Successively, in a step S66, a reception quantity per advertisement item received to the receiver is calculated, and this calculation quantity is stored at the database server 14 of the electronic stamp providing system 10. In a step S68, the electronic stamp providing system 10 computes the quantity transmitted per the advertisement item, and requests a corresponding advertising owner to pay advertising rates. At this time, the advertising owner can confirm an exposure quantity of his/her own online advertisements by a remote control of a real time. The receiver, who received the electronic mail with the electronic stamp, receives the online advertisement through the advertisement providing window 60. The receiver is thus induced so as to be more actively participated in the online advertisement according that the electronic stamp providing system 10 presents the amount to be paid in case that the online advertisement is received. If the agreement for the participation of the online advertisement together with the reception of the electronic mail is selected, the least receiver basic information is inputted, receiving contents of the electronic mail, therefore it is sensed by the electronic stamp providing system 10 and stored at the database server 14 information that, how many times somebody has connected to some advertisement items, etc. Such electronic stamp circulated through the electronic mail is increased by user individuals in a geometrical progression, to thus actively promote the online advertisement marketing activity of enterprises. A currently needed customized advertisement is provided as the object of only a consumer who represents an active participation intention by the advertisement based on the receiver selection system through a medium of the electronic stamp, therefore an effect of the advertisement can be heightened. Further, in an expenditure of the advertising charges, the online advertisement is provided to a consumer group having the participation intention for the marketing activity, accordingly more effective concentrated advertisement having a high reaction rate is provided and the advertising owner party can operate the expenditure of the advertising charges more reasonably. As afore-mentioned, in accordance with the present invention, in the electronic stamp providing system, a stamp image similar to a visuality of a stamp realistically used without a direct advertising exposure to a receiver can be appended to an electronic stamp. Thereby, an imagination similar to a general letter dispatch is given so as to provide a familiarity to a transmitter or a receiver of an electronic mail. In addition, the advertisement is provided to only a receiver who wants to receive the advertisement through the electronic stamp, whereby this invention has an increased advertising effect and a different nature in comparison with a partially compulsory advertising mail such as a conventional spam mail, or a banner type advertisement. Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. An electronic stamp providing system comprising: an electronic stamp program for providing an electronic stamp containing a stamp image, identification information, and a link to be connected to the electronic stamp providing system, and appending the electronic stamp to an electronic mail generated by an electronic mail program; a database server for storing the identification information of the electronic stamp, information of a transmitter and a receiver using the electronic stamp, and transmission information of online advertisement; and an electronic stamp server for performing an overall control of the electronic stamp providing system, and providing a customized online advertisement to the receiver on the basis of the receiver information of the database server when the receiver of the electronic mail containing the electronic stamp replies to a reception of the online advertisement. 2. The system of claim 1. wherein said electronic stamp program provides the transmitter information containing the delivery number of the electronic stamp and electronic mail address of the transmitter to the electronic stamp server after a transmission of the electronic mail with the electronic stamp, and said electronic stamp server stores the received transmitter information at the database server. 3. The system of claim 1. wherein said identification information contains an ID(identification) field of a user, an electronic mail ID field of the user, an ID field of a stamp graphic copyright holder, a server ID field having a download of the electronic stamp program, a provider ID field of an electronic mail service, and an address ID field of a server to be connected after the reception. 4. The system of claim 1. wherein said identification information is constructed by one peculiar representative ID specific in the electronic stamp, and information corresponding to said representative ID is stored at the database server, said information containing the ID field of user, the electronic mail ID field of the user, the ID field of the stamp graphic copyright holder, the server ID field having the download of the electronic stamp program, the provider ID field of the electronic mail service, and the address ID field of the server to be connected after the reception. 5. The system of claim 1 , wherein delivery information for the online advertisement selectively given to the receiver of the electronic mail containing the electronic stamp is stored as online advertisement delivery information at the database server. 6. A method of operating an electronic stamp providing system, said electronic stamp providing system including an electronic stamp program for providing an electronic stamp containing a stamp image, identification information, and a link to be connected to the electronic stamp providing system; a database server for storing the identification information of the electronic stamp, information of a transmitter and a receiver using the electronic stamp, and transmission information of an online advertisement; and an electronic stamp server for performing an overall control of the electronic stamp providing system, said method comprising the steps of: appending the electronic stamp given from the electronic stamp program to an electronic mail generated by an electronic mail program; transmitting the electronic mail with the electronic stamp; receiving the electronic mail with the electronic stamp; providing the online advertisement to the receiver according to a selection of the receiver of the electronic mail having the electronic stamp; and storing advertisement delivery information for the online advertisement given to the receiver at the database server. 7. The method of claim 6, comprising the step of changing said electronic stamp program in the midst of execution under an inactivation state to an activation state when the electronic mail program is executed in a transmitter system. 8. The method of claim 6. comprising the steps of delivering the transmitter information containing the delivery number of electronic mail having the electronic stamp and also containing the electronic mail address of transmitter to the electronic stamp server, and storing the transmitter information provided to the electronic stamp server at the database server. 9. The method of claim 6, comprising the steps of deciding whether or not the receiver selects the electronic stamp appended to the electronic mail, and providing the receiver with the online advertisement from the electronic stamp server in case that the receiver selects the electronic stamp. 10. The method of claim 9, comprising the steps of checking a reception intention of the receiver for the online advertisement before a delivery of the online advertisement, and providing the online advertisement in case that the receiver selects the reception of the online advertisement. 1 1. The method of claim 9, comprising the steps of receiving the receiver information from the receiver before the delivery of the online advertisement, and providing a customized online advertisement from the electronic stamp server to the receiver on the basis of the receiver information. 12. The method of claim 6, comprising the step of requesting an advertising owner to pay advertising charge on the basis of the advertisement delivery information stored at the database server.

Inventors: PARK CHOON-WOO, PARK, CHOON-WOO
Applicants: ETAMP COM INC, ETAMP.COM INCORPORATION
Application year: 2001
Main classification: G06F17
IPC codes: G06F17, G06Q10, G06Q30, H04L12