Patent Publication Number: US-2012036439-A1

Title: Method and system for message transmission and display in computing device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a method and a system for retaining, timing delivery, and displaying communications; in particular, to a method and a system for retaining, timing, and displaying communication messages in a system including a computing device and a display device. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     To successfully promote various products, many companies and enterprises use communication messages to provide information concerning uses, applications, availability, effects, and the like of goods, services, articles of trade, and commodities in a manner to attract people&#39;s attention and boost sales. Typically, there exist multiple channels allowable for communicating means of encouraging understanding, generally communicating, and providing information including advertising or advertising publications, such as bulletin boards, direct mail (DM), television commercials, or add-on information occurring on web pages for computer browsers, with each advertisement channel or venue characterizing its own respective advantages and weaknesses. 
     Additionally, as computers are now becoming more and more widely applied, almost each person has his/her own personal computing systems and display device, such as a computer, and people are little by little getting used to long-time use of the computing device for all manners of working or recreational purposes, thus considering the computing device as one of the indispensible tools for the daily lives of most individuals. Among the currently available approaches for advertising communication through computing systems and their display devices, the computing device is essentially to show related or extra information to allow a user to view or select from that information when the user is browsing a webpage. Aside from this, other potential applications directed to advertising communications through or over computer systems and their display devices are rare and insufficient, thus the communication resources is imperceptibly wasted. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An important object of the present invention is to provide a method and a system for receiving, retaining, timing, delivering, and displaying communications in a computing device or system and display device therein. When such a system or computing device executes a specific procedure, it is possible to show the predetermined communication or other message by the display device for watching by a user, thereby enabling more comprehensive and effective communication or communicating applications in the computing device. 
     According to a scheme of the present invention, a method for message display and transmission in a computing device is disclosed. In which the computing device is connected to a server through a network connection, and includes a storage unit and a display device. The method comprises steps of providing at least a set of communication data to the storage unit of the computing device, and displaying the communication data which should be currently displayed by the display device according to a schedule data and a specific procedure executed by the computing device. 
     The specific procedure may be a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) execution procedure, an Operating System (OS) preparation procedure, or an OS execution procedure. For example, when the computing device runs the BIOS execution procedure, the communication data which should be currently displayed is simultaneously displayed by the display device in place of the original execution screen of the BIOS execution procedure. When the computing device runs the OS preparation procedure, the communication data which should be currently displayed is simultaneously displayed on the display device in place of the original preparation screen of the OS preparation procedure. Moreover, when the computing device performs the OS execution procedure, the communication data which should be currently displayed is simultaneously displayed in a display area shown by the display device. 
     In addition, the disclosed method further comprises a step of determining whether or not the storage unit of the computing device stores the communication data which should be currently displayed based on a schedule data. If the storage unit does not store the communication data which should be currently displayed, the communication data to be currently displayed is downloaded from a communication database of the server to the computing device and is stored in the storage unit. 
     Additionally, the method further comprises a step of determining whether or not to pre-download the communication data which is scheduled to be displayed but the corresponding display date is not yet arrived according to the schedule data. If it is not necessary to pre-download the communication data scheduled to be displayed, the determination step ends. On the other hand, if it is required to pre-download the communication data scheduled to be displayed, the method then goes to determine whether or not the storage unit already stores the communication data scheduled to be displayed. If the storage unit does not store the communication data scheduled to be displayed, then the communication data scheduled to be displayed will be downloaded from the communication database of the server to the computing device and be stored in the storage unit. 
     Moreover, the method may also comprises a step of determining whether or not the display date of the communication data scheduled to be displayed is arrived according to the schedule data. If the display date corresponding to the communication data scheduled to be displayed is arrived, the communication data scheduled to be displayed is then displayed at the display device. 
     According to another scheme of the present invention, a method for message display and transmission in a computing device is disclosed. Wherein the computing device is connected to a server through, and comprises a storage unit and a display device. The disclosed method comprises steps of providing at least a set of communication data to the storage unit of the computing device, and displaying the communication data on the display device according to a specific procedure executed by the computing device. 
     The method may also comprise a step of determining whether or not the storage unit of the computing device stores at least a set of communication data. If the storage unit does not store the communication data, the communication data is then downloaded from a communication database of the server to the computing device and is stored in the storage unit. 
     According to another scheme of the present invention, a system for message display and transmission is disclosed. The system comprises a server and a computing device. In which the server having a communication database which stores at least a set of communication data. The computing device is connected to the server through a network connection and has a display device, a storage unit and a display control unit. In which the communication data stored at the server is downloaded and stored in the storage unit through the network connection, and the display control unit determines whether or not the communication data is displayed by the display device according to a specific procedure executed by the computing device. 
     By downloading the communication data from the server and having it displayed for watching by users when the computing device runs a specific procedure, it is possible to fully exploit the display and communication resources of the computing device. Thus the communications for promoting and entertaining are improved. 
     The aforementioned summary and subsequent detailed descriptions are all intended to further illustrate the technical means and achieved effects of the present invention. However, the embodiments and drawings disclosed herein are simply as references, and are not for limiting the scope of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of a system for message display and transmission according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a schematic diagram when the communication data is displayed according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  shows a flowchart of a method for displaying and transmission in a computing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  shows a flowchart of a method for displaying and transmission in a computing device according to another embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5  shows a flowchart of a method for displaying and transmission in a computer device according to still another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , which is a block diagram of a system for display and transmission according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system comprises a server  10  and a computing device  20 . The computing device  20 , such as a computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or other electronic device, is connected to the server  10  through a network connection  30 . 
     The server  10  may be a host server for providing communications and includes a communication database  13  storing at least a set of communication data  11 , such as messages, information, or advertisement. The computing device  20  is connected to the server  10  through the network connection  30 . If the storage unit  21  of the computing device  20  does not have the communication data  11  in it, the communication data  11  will then be downloaded to the computing device  20  and stored in the storage unit  21 . At the time when the computing device  20  runs a specific procedure, the communication data  11  will simultaneously be displayed on the display device  23  of the computing device  20 , such as a screen installed with the computing device  20 . 
     The storage unit  21  may be a Flash memory or a hard disk drive and the like. The computing device  20  may further include a display control unit  24  coupled to the storage unit  21  and the display device  23 . Of course, it is also possible that the communication data  11  is displayed on the display device  23  of the computing device  20  directly through transmissions over the network connection  30  when it is required to be displayed without storing in the storage unit  21 . Therefore, the above mentioned implementations do not tend to limit the scope of the present invention. 
     In the present embodiment, the system for message display and transmission may have a program stored in the server  10  or the computing device  20 , for enabling the computing device  20  to communicate with the server  10  during the processes when the computing device is starting-up or shutting-down, and for determining whether the storage unit  21  stores the communication data  11  or not. If the determination result is negative, the program then controls the computing device  20  to download the communication data  11  from the server  10 . 
     Particularly, the communication data  11  each may be correspondingly configured with a display date and time recorded in a schedule data. Thus, it is possible to determine whether or not a communication data  11  should start to be displayed on the display device  23 , or to determine whether the communication data  11  is overdue or not according to the recorded schedule data. In which the schedule data may be stored at the server  10  or the computing device  20  and so on, but not limited thereto, and used to determine whether it is allowed to display the communication data  11  or else the display duration of the communication data  11  ends. Specifically, the determination associated with time may be performed based on a server time referred by the server  10 , to prevent intentional modification of time/date of the computing device  20  by the user which may lead to erroneous determination of the display dates and durations. 
     In the present embodiment, some of the communication data  11  in the communication database  13  may be pre-stored into the storage unit  21 , such as storing the communication data  11  scheduled to be displayed but the corresponding display dates are not arrived. In which the display date and time, such as starting date and end date, are recorded in the schedule data. Hence, according to the schedule data, the computing device  20  may download in advance the communication data  11  scheduled to be displayed before the display date is arrived, for avoiding network congestions among the network connection  30  caused by overly heavy transmission loads between the server  10  and multiple computing devices  20  within a short period of time. However, the computing device  20  may download the communication data  11  right on the display date as well, and is not for limiting the scope of the present invention. 
     The display control unit  24  of the computing device  20  is used to display the communication data  11  when the computing device  20  executes the specific procedure. For example, such a specific procedure may be a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) execution procedure. That is, when the computing device  20  is powered on and boots up the BIOS, the communication data  11  is displayed by the display device  23  for watching by the user, and the original BIOS execution screen is replaced by the display of the communication data  11 . Alternatively, the specific procedure may be an Operating System (OS) preparation procedure, e.g., a preparatory login screen for Windows® or Linux OS initializations, and the communication data  11  is displayed in place of the original preparation screen of such OS. Moreover, the specific procedure may be an OS execution procedure. In this case, after the user entering into the OS, the communication data  11  is displayed in a certain area on the screen, as shown in  FIG. 2 . In this embodiment, the communication data  11  is shown in a display area  25  located at the lower right corner of the display screen. 
     It should be noted that the communication data  11 , such as an advertisement data, displayed in the aforementioned examples may include “marquee” display, which means a plurality of communication data  11  can be cyclically displayed. Besides, displaying the communication data  11  may be set as compulsorily required, which may not be closed nor cancelled by the user. 
     Referring next to  FIG. 3 , which is a flowchart of the method for message display and transmission according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method comprises the steps of determining whether or not the storage unit  21  of the computing device  20  stores at least a set of communication data  11 , such as messages, information, or advertisement data (S 301 ). In which the time when such a determination being executed may be at the startup or shutdown stage of the computing device  20 . If the determination result is NO, then downloading the communication data  11  to the computing device  20  and storing it in the storage unit  21  (S 303 ). The communication data downloaded may be texts, graphs, images, or audio/video data, etc., and the storage unit  21  may be a Flash memory or a hard disc drive, etc. 
     After that, according to the specific procedure executed by the computing device  20 , the communication data  11  is displayed by the display device  23  (S 305 ). The specific procedure may be a BIOS execution procedure, in the present embodiment, the display of the communication data  11  replaces the original execution screen when the BIOS is running. It is noted that while displaying the communication data  11 , the execution of the BIOS procedure is still implemented. Alternatively, the specific procedure may be an OS preparation procedure, which changes the preparation screen shown at the OS initialization stage into the communication data  11 . Moreover, the specific procedure may be an OS execution procedure. After the computing device  20  has completed login into the OS, the communication data  11  will be displayed in a certain area of the display device  23 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , in which the communication data  11  is displayed in a display area  25  at the lower right corner of the screen. 
     It is noted that, in the present embodiment, the display of the communication data  11  may be configured as a compulsorily executed procedure, which can not be closed nor cancelled by the user of the computing device  20 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 4 , which is a flowchart of a method for message transmission and display in a computing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method comprises steps of determining whether or not the storage unit  21  of the computing device  20 , such as a computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or other electronic device, stores at least a set of communication data  11  (such as messages, information, or advertisement) which should be currently displayed according to a schedule data (S 401 ), in which the manner for determining the status of the communication data  11  may include comparing a display starting time recorded in the schedule data with a server time referred by the server  10 , for deciding whether or not the communication data  11  is a set of communication data  11  which should be currently displayed. 
     If the determination result indicates that the storage unit  21  does not store the communication data  11  which should be currently displayed, then the step does to download the communication data  11  which should be currently displayed to the computing device  20  and store the communication data  11  in the storage unit  21  (S 403 ). According to the schedule data and the specific procedure executed by the computing device  20 , the communication data  11  which should be currently displayed is shown by the display device  23  (S 405 ). The specific procedure may be a BIOS execution procedure, an OS preparation procedure, or an OS execution procedure. It is noted that a plurality of communication data  11  can be displayed at the same period of time, e.g., through a circulated display mechanism, to cyclically display a plurality of communication data  11 . Additionally, in the present embodiment, the display of the communication data  11  may be set compulsory, which may not be cancelled by the user of the computing device  20 . 
     As well as, the method may further comprise the steps of determining whether or not the communication data  11  is overdue according to the schedule data (S 407 ). If it is overdue, then the display of the communication data  11  stops (S 409 ). The determination step in S 407  may be done by comparing the server time referred by the server  10  with the time recorded in the schedule data, to prevent intentional modification of time/date on the computing device  20  by the user which may lead to erroneous determination of the display schedule of the communication data  11 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , which is a flowchart of a method for message display and transmission in a computing device, such as a computer, a PDA, or other electronic device, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method comprises the steps of determining whether or not the storage unit  21  of the computing device  20  stores the communication data  11 , such as an advertisement data, to be currently displayed according to a schedule data (S 501 ). If the determination result is NO, downloading the communication data  11  which should be currently displayed to the computing device  20  and storing in the storage unit  21  (S 503 ). After that, the method goes to display the communication data  11  at the display device  23  according to the schedule data and the specific procedure executed by the computing device  20  (S 505 ). 
     In this embodiment, the method further comprises the steps of determining whether or not to pre-download the communication data  11  which is scheduled to be displayed but the corresponding display date is not yet arrived according to the schedule data (S 507 ). If the communication data  11  scheduled to be displayed does not need to be pre-downloaded, the determination ends. On the other hand, if the determination result is YES, then a pre-download procedure is executed. In which the communication data  11  scheduled to be displayed may be downloaded to the computing device  20  after the schedule is arrived, or otherwise, as in the present embodiment, may be pre-downloaded to the computing device  20  and will not be displayed until the schedule is actually arrived. 
     The aforementioned pre-download procedure further includes the step of determining whether or not the storage unit  21  of the computing device  20  stores the communication data  11  scheduled to be displayed (S 509 ). If the determination result is NO, then downloading the communication data  11  scheduled to be displayed from the communication database  13  of the server  10  to the computing device  20  and storing it in the storage unit  21  (S 511 ). 
     Additionally, the present embodiment further comprises the steps of determining whether or not the communication data  11  scheduled to be displayed is allowed to be displayed (S 513 ). If the determination result is YES, then displaying the communication data  11  scheduled to be displayed by the display device  23  according to the specific procedure executed by the computing device  20  (S 515 ). As mentioned above, the determination in step S 513  may be performed by comparing the display time recorded in the schedule data with the time referred by the server  10 , to decide whether the communication data  11  is allowed to be displayed or vice versa. 
     In summary, the present invention downloads the communication data, such as advertisement data or other messages, provided by a server to a computing device, and displays the communication data when the computing device runs a specific procedure. Thus, it is possible to fully exploit the display resources of the computing device and further improves the value of communication and promotion using the computing device. 
     The aforementioned illustrations set forth the descriptions and drawings of the present invention. The scope of the present invention should be defined by the following claims. All changes or alternations conveniently considered by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention are deemed as being covered by the scope of the present invention.