United States Patent (19)
`ROSen et al.
`
`54 SERVER SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR
`MODIFYING A CURSOR IMAGE
`
`75 Inventors: James Samuel Rosen, New York, N.Y.;
`
`The States
`aSS.,
`, Soulin Urange,
`N.J.
`73 Assignee: Comet Systems, Inc., New York, N.Y.
`*
`Notice:
`This patent issued on a continued pros
`ecution application filed under 37 CFR
`1.53(d), and is subject to the twenty year
`patent term provisions of 35 U.S.C.
`154(a)(2).
`
`21 Appl. No.: 08/882,580
`22 Filed
`Jun. 25, 1997
`(51) Int. Cl. .................................................. G06F 3/14
`52 U.S. Cl. .......................... 345/339; 345/334; 345/145;
`707/513
`58 Field of Search ..................................... 345/302,328,
`345/329, 331, 348, 145,339, 334, 335,
`345; 395/200.33, 200.47, 200.48, 200.49
`
`56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`4.672,575 6/1987 Stephens ................................. 364/900
`4,841,291
`6/1989 Swix et al. .
`... 340/725
`4,984,152
`1/1991 Muller ...........
`... 364/200
`5,157,768 10/1992 Hoeber et al.
`... 395/157
`5,179,656
`1/1993 Lisle ..............
`... 395/159
`5,347,628 9/1994 Brewer et al. .......................... 395/159
`
`USOO5995102A
`Patent Number:
`11
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`5,995,102
`*Nov.30, 1999
`
`5,544.295 8/1996 Capps ...................................... 395/152
`5,559,943 9/1996 Cyr et al. .
`395/155
`5,572,643 11/1996 Judson .....
`... 395/793
`
`55: E. SRid- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SAS
`2 --- Y-2
`Cillelder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
`
`... 395/761
`5,737,619 4/1998 Judson ........
`... 705/14
`5,740,549 4/1998 Reilly et al. .
`5,801,698 9/1998 Lection et al. .......................... 345/347
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`M. Brown , “WWW Plug-In Companions”, 1996, pp.
`14-18.
`The Java Language Environment -AWhite Paper Goshing
`et al., May 1995, pp. 6-64.
`Primary Examiner Raymond J. Bayerl
`ASSistant Examiner-Chadwick A. Jackson
`Attorney, Agent, Or Firm Weingarten, Schurgin, Gagnebin
`& Hayes LLP
`ABSTRACT
`57
`A System for modifying a cursor image, as displayed on a
`Video monitor of a remote terminal, to a specific image
`having a desired shape and appearance. The System Stores
`cursor image data corresponding to the Specific image, and
`a cursor display code. The cursor display code contains
`information in response to which the cursor image is modi
`fied to the Specific image. A Server computer transmits
`Specified information to the remote terminal. The informa
`tion includes at least one cursor display instruction. The
`cursor display instruction is operable to modify, in conjunc
`tion with the cursor information and the cursor image data,
`a cursor image displayed by a display of the remote terminal
`in the shape and appearance of the Specific image.
`
`75 Claims, 9 Drawing Sheets
`
`X
`
`E2 ur 60a
`
`inter
`A
`
`- a 62
`
`44a
`
`ty
`
`Welcome to SportsNews
`File Edit view Go Favorites Help
`Ks C) Sl A. Go
`R.
`Search Favorites
`Back Forward
`Address
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`print
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`|A
`7try Pizzy Cola
`Gef susy MVfth Aizzy
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`SEARCHIT
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`Stock Quotes Book Flights NeWSgroups ShareWare
`Channel By Search it
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`Travel & Regional
`
`Done
`
`AMAZON.COM, INC.
`EXHIBIT 1001
`US 5,995,102
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 30, 1999
`
`Sheet 1 of 9
`
`5,995,102
`
`sayndwo)
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`(J9AJ2S)
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`
`Page 2 of 23
`
`Page 2 of 23
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov.30, 1999
`
`Sheet 2 of 9
`
`5,995,102
`
`:
`
`Disk Drive
`
`21
`
`Memory
`
`
`
`20
`
`28
`
`Operating
`System
`
`23
`
`
`
`Display Driver
`
`
`
`
`
`Audio Driver
`
`BrOWSer Extension
`or Plug-in
`
`Communication
`
`Mouse Adapter
`
`Display Adapter
`
`Audio Adapter
`
`Communication
`
`44
`
`22
`
`24
`
`r
`Video Monitor
`
`26
`
`Internet
`
`10
`
`- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
`
`Serve? Computer
`
`58
`
`48
`
`48
`
`Communication Port
`
`|
`
`
`
`|
`
`50
`
`Memory
`
`HTML Page
`Containing CurSO?
`Display instructions
`
`CurSO?
`information
`
`Page 3 of 23
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov.30, 1999
`
`Sheet 3 of 9
`
`5,995,102
`
`102
`Load file Containing the CurSOrDisplay
`instructions from remote WWW Server
`
`NO
`
`
`
`106
`Retrieve Cursor Display Code
`Referenced in the Cursor Display
`Instructions from WWW Server
`
`Store Cursor Display Code
`in local memory
`
`108
`
`116
`Retrieve CurSOr
`information from
`WWW Server to
`local memory
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`120
`Store info object
`Cache CurSofyes on local non
`Information?
`Volatile Storage
`medium
`
`104-N ls CurSOr Display
`Code resident in local
`memory?
`
`
`
`110
`
`Yes
`Store Current CurSOr display
`Configuration in local memory
`
`111
`
`NO
`
`
`
`ls Server authorized
`to change CurSOr?
`
`Yes
`
`
`
`112
`
`NO
`
`
`
`|SCUrSOr information
`already stored On
`local Computer?
`Yes
`114
`Retrieve Cursor information
`from local memory
`
`
`
`122
`
`Change Cursor in manner
`Consistant with retrieved
`Cursor Display Instructions
`
`124
`
`Send usage data to
`statistic-gathering Server
`
`126
`NO
`
`
`
`
`
`Automatically revert to
`initial CUISOr state?
`
`Yes
`
`
`
`
`
`128
`Set timer for period specified
`in Cursor Display instructions
`
`
`
`- Has specified
`time elapsed?
`
`---Revert to initial cursor state
`Revert to initial CurSOr state
`
`1
`
`FIG. 3
`
`Page 4 of 23
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov.30, 1999
`
`Sheet 4 of 9
`
`5,995,102
`
`KOBJECT
`202. ID=CC1
`2O3. TYPE="application/X-OleObject"
`2O4. CLASSID="ClSid: CBOO566O-D0C7-11Cf-B7 F6-OOAA00A3F278"
`205. CODEBASE="http://cometSystems. COIn/ControlS/CC. Cabiiver-4, 70,
`0, 1122"
`206. (PARAM NAME="CursorType" VALUE="1"
`2O7.<PARAM NAME="Cursor Inage"
`VALUE="http://cometSystems. COIn/library/images/acIne. Cur">
`2O8.<PARAM NAME="Counter" VALUE="http://
`Cometsystems. Com/aCCOunting">
`209.<PARAM NAME="DisplayDuration" VALUE="5">
`21 O. KPARAM NAME="Cachecur SOr' VALUE="1">
`211.<PARAM NAME="ServerSignature" VALUE="54F5254A23BD988AB54">
`212. (PARAM NAME="DormantDelay" VALUE="600">
`213.<PARAM NAME="CursorTrajectoryMap" VALUE="http://
`COmetSystems. COm/maps/trajectory">
`214. KPARAM NAME="Cursor PositionMap" VALUE="http://
`COILetSystems.com/maps/position">
`215. KPARAM NAME="CursorVelocityMap"
`VALUE="http://cometsystems. Com/maps/velocity">
`216. KPARAM NAME="Cursor PositionMap" VALUE="http://
`Cometsystems. Com/maps/veloCity">
`217.<PARAM NAME="CursorButtonMap" VALUE="http://
`Cometsystems. COIL/maps/buttonstate">
`218. (PARAM NAME="ContentType" VALUE="5">
`219.<PARAM NAME="Priority Level" VALUE="1">
`22 O. (PARAM NAME="StreamBuffer Si Ze' VALUE="0">
`221.<PARAM NAME="Satellite Image"
`VALUE="http://cometSystems. COI/library/images/acInesat. bmp">
`222.<PARAM NAME="SatelliteXDisplacement" VALUE="-50">
`223.<PARAM NAME="SatelliteXDisplacement" VALUE="50">
`224.<PARAM NAME="ExtraDisplayParameters"
`VALUE="http://Cometsystems. COm/library/params/acme..prim">
`
`</OBJECT)
`
`FIG. 4
`
`Page 5 of 23
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov.30, 1999
`
`Sheet 5 of 9
`
`5,995,102
`
`KScript language="VBScript">
`K. --V1 ;
`302. Sub window OnLoad ()
`3O3.
`CCl. RememberCurrentCurSOr ( )
`3O4.
`cCl. SetNormalCursor ("http://cometSystems. COIn/library/
`images/acme. Cur")
`305. end Sub
`
`306. Sub window on Unload ()
`3.07.
`CCl. Reset ( )
`3O8. end sub
`-->
`</script)
`
`FIG. 5
`
`Page 6 of 23
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov.30, 1999
`Nov. 30, 1999
`
`Sheet 6 of 9
`Sheet 6 of 9
`
`5,995,102
`5,995,102
`
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`Page 7 of 23
`
`Page 7 of 23
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov.30, 1999
`
`Sheet 7 of 9
`
`5,995,102
`
`
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`Page 8 of 23
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`5,995,102
`
`
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`
`Page 9 of 23
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 30, 1999
`
`Sheet 9 of 9
`
`5,995,102
`
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`Page 10 of 23
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`Page 10 of 23
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`
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`
`
`
`

`

`1
`SERVER SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR
`MODIFYING A CURSOR IMAGE
`
`5,995,102
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`This invention relates to computer networks and Software,
`and more particularly, to a Server System capable of modi
`fying a cursor image displayed on a remote client computer.
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`The World Wide Web (“WWW” or “web”) and online
`Services Such as America Online, in conjunction with faster
`and more powerful personal computers, have rendered the
`Internet and other interactive online computer networks
`accessible to millions of people all over the world. Con
`comitant with the emergence of this new communication
`medium, digital content providers have proliferated, provid
`ing online news, entertainment, games and all Sorts of other
`content. AS with other mass mediums, Such as television,
`radio, and print publications, the entities that create Such
`content Seek to offset their expenses by Selling advertising.
`With reference to the WWW, online advertising has become
`a multimillion dollar business, to the amount of approxi
`mately $300 million dollars in 1996.
`The most common type of online advertisement exists in
`the form of "banner advertisements”. Users of online Ser
`vices routinely encounter banner ads on the top, Sides,
`and/or bottom of their Video monitor Screens when viewing
`a web page. Banner ads are generally Square or rectangular
`boxes provided with Some combination of graphics, color
`and text directed to the product or Service being advertised.
`AS Such, the intention of these banner advertisements is to
`create impressions among online users and to convey Some
`advertising message and/or logo. Banner ads are usually
`provided on a web page in the form of a "hyperlink', in
`which users who yield to the advertisements solicitation to
`“Click Here' are transported to the web site of the manu
`facturer of the product or Service being advertised, or to
`Some other Screen which provides additional information
`about the product or Service.
`Unfortunately, banner ads occupy only a Small portion of
`a web page. AS the user Scrolls down a page the banner ad
`disappears. Although online advertisers and content publish
`ers have attempted to optimize the visibility of banner
`advertisements by placing them on a popular web page
`where they will have a greater chance of being Seen, Internet
`users, nevertheless, can easily ignore or find ways to remove
`and eliminate from their view the banner ads which exist on
`the web pages they are viewing. AS Such, the banner ads are
`rendered ineffective in their aim to provide information
`about a product or Service. Additionally, money spent to
`advertise a product may be wasted if users are able to ignore
`or remove the advertisements from the web pages they are
`Viewing.
`Another method of online advertising involves the use of
`"frames' on a web page. Frames are a feature Supported by
`the recent versions of leading web navigating programs
`known as browsers, Such as Netscape Navigator(R) and
`Microsoft's Internet Explorer(R). Frames generally divide up
`a user's Screen So that the user can, for example, indepen
`dently Scroll down each of numerous frames which appear
`on the web page being viewed on the user's Screen. Like
`banner advertisements, frames can be aesthetically unap
`pealing as well as confusing to the user. Additionally,
`placement of advertising frames on a web page generally
`results in cramping or decreasing the Size of the main
`content frame which oftentimes renders the content in the
`
`15
`
`25
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`2
`main frame difficult to read. As a result, users have devel
`oped ways to reduce the size or even eliminate frames from
`the web page being viewed.
`Another type of online advertising involves the Self
`appearing window which generally appears on its own as a
`user is using the Internet or browsing on the WWW. Such
`advertisements are relatively easy for a user to avoid as a
`user may simply re-size the window to make it Smaller, drag
`another window or object in front of it to obscure it from
`View, close the advertising window, or simply ignore it and
`continue with the task being undertaken online. Recently,
`online advertisers have begun using Self-appearing Screens
`which are delivered via dialog boxes which dominate the
`main part of the Screen. Although these dialog boxes can be
`removed when the user clicks on the appropriate place(s) on
`the dialog box, the Self-appearing dialog boxes have a much
`higher rate of being Seen by users. This follows because the
`dialog boxes take control of the user's Screen for a preset
`amount of time and/or until the user clicks on the appropriate
`place(s) to make the dialog box disappear. The recent
`prevalence in the use of Self-appearing dialog box advertis
`ing has resulted in a more intrusive method of advertising
`which has resulted in resentment among users who are
`accustomed to more passive online advertising methods
`Such as the frames and banner advertisements which are
`more easily avoided and/or ignored.
`Accordingly, there is a need for a simple means to deliver
`advertising elements, i.e. logos, animations, Sound,
`impressions, text, etc., without the annoyance of totally
`interrupting and intrusive content delivery, and without the
`passiveness of ordinary banner and frame advertisements
`which can be easily ignored.
`
`OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE
`INVENTION
`It is thus a general object of the present invention to
`provide a means for delivering online advertisements which
`are unintrusive and which are not easily ignored by a user.
`A more Specific object of the present invention is to
`provide a Server System for modifying a cursor image to a
`Specific image displayed on a Video monitor of a remote
`user's terminal.
`It is another object of the present invention to provide a
`Server System for modifying a cursor image to a specific
`image displayed on a Video monitor of a remote user's
`terminal for the purposes of providing on-screen advertising.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`means for providing on-screen advertising transmitted
`online which does not interrupt the delivery of content and
`which is aesthetically appealing and which affords the
`advertiser a great degree of unintrusive exposure.
`It is still a further object of the present invention to
`provide a System and a method for causing a remote user
`terminal to display a cursor image as Specified by a Server
`terminal.
`It is also an object of the present invention to provide a
`System and method for causing a remote user terminal to
`display a cursor image as Specified by a Server terminal,
`wherein the cursor image corresponds to the content
`retrieved by the user terminal.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`System and method for causing a remote user terminal to
`display a cursor image Such as a corporate name or logo, a
`brand logo, an advertising or marketing icon or slogan, an
`animated advertising image, and a related audio clip, that
`
`Page 11 of 23
`
`

`

`3
`relate to an advertisement, Such as a banner advertisement,
`that is included in the information content being retrieved by
`the user terminal.
`It is an additional object of the present invention to
`provide a means for changing a cursor's appearance by
`Sending data and control Signals from a remote computer So
`that the cursor or pointer's appearance is associated with a
`portion of, or the entire content being displayed on the user's
`SCCC.
`It is still an additional object of the present invention to
`provide a means for changing the appearance of a comput
`er's cursor or pointer by Sending data and control signals
`from a remote computer So that the cursor or pointer's
`appearance is associated with advertising messages.
`These and other objects of the invention are realized in
`various embodiments of the present invention by providing
`a System for delivering advertising elements online without
`the annoyance resulting from the interruption of content
`delivery and without the passiveness of ordinary banner and
`frame advertisements which can be too easily ignored or
`bypassed or removed. An exemplary embodiment of the
`present invention is directed to a System that provides online
`advertising content using the on-Screen cursor which is
`generally controlled by an input of positioning device
`known as a “mouse” or “mouse pointer'. Nearly all online
`computer interfaces utilize a wired or remote control posi
`tioning device Such as a mouse or roller or track ball which
`controls the cursor's movement on the Screen. It is the cursor
`controlled by the mouse or positioning device which a user
`uses to “navigate' or move the cursor over objects, buttons,
`menus, Scroll bars, etc., which appear on-Screen and then
`clicking or in Some cases double-clicking in order to activate
`a Screen or task, or to commence an application or Some
`function.
`AS a result of the prevalence of the use of the mouse, by
`many millions of users of online Systems, a great deal of
`time is spent focused on the icons which represent the cursor
`or pointer as it may appear in Some cases. Presently, pointer
`icons change from application to application and can also
`change within an application depending upon where on the
`Screen the pointer is located, what State the computer exists
`in at a given moment, and what tools are being used, among
`other factors. Generally, pointers change shape to reflect an
`internal State of the computer or the present function within
`an application. While it is not new for pointers and cursors
`to change shape, pointers are not presently used to convey
`advertising. In conventional Systems, the appearance of the
`cursor or pointer does not change to correspond with on-line
`content being displayed on the Screen.
`The present invention provides a means for enabling
`cursors and pointers to change color, shape, appearance,
`make Sounds, display animation, etc., when the user's ter
`minal or computer, known as the "client' or “user terminal,
`which has a network connection, receives certain instruc
`tions from a remote or “server” computer attached to the
`network. In an exemplary embodiment of the present
`invention, the generic cursor or pointer icons used in many
`networking applications, Such as black arrows, hands with a
`pointing finger, Spinning wheels, hourglasses, wristwatches,
`and others, will change appearance, and in Some cases may
`incorporate Sound or animation, in a way that is linked and
`related to the content, Such as a web page, which is being
`transmitted to and displayed on the client computer. The
`cursor or pointer may appear as a corporate or a brand logo
`which relates to advertising content within the web page
`being transmitted and displayed. The cursor or pointer image
`
`1O
`
`15
`
`25
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`5,995,102
`
`4
`may also appear in a specified shape or color that is intended
`to convey a message that relates to the advertising content
`within the web page being transmitted and displayed.
`An exemplary embodiment of the present invention com
`prises a combination of hardware and enabling Software
`residing on the transmitting (server) computer or network
`Server and/or on the receiving (client or user) computer or
`terminal which brings about the Stated effect of enabling a
`computer's cursor or pointer to change appearance and in
`certain cases provide Sound and animation which is linked
`and related to the content being transmitted to and displayed
`on the client computer or terminal. The transmitting com
`puter and receiving computer or terminal advantageously
`include a processor, an operating System (OS) loaded
`thereon, a Video monitor used to display a graphical user
`interface (GUI) and a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
`compliant web browser capable of loading and displaying
`hypertext documents transmitted over the Internet, although
`the invention is not limited in Scope in that respect. For
`example, the receiving terminal may be any device that is
`able to communicate with a remote Server, Such as a user
`computer terminal, a user dumb terminal, or a television
`based system, such as a Web TV(R) terminal and other
`devices.
`Preferably, coded information for bringing about the
`change in appearance of the cursor are embedded within the
`web page being loaded and viewed. In one embodiment of
`the present invention, the web page is written in Hypertext
`Markup Language (HTML) which is one of the most com
`mon Standard page description languages used to develop
`web pages. Typically a web browser retrieves a web page to
`be loaded on a user's terminal. The retrieved web page in
`accordance with one embodiment of the invention contains
`a Set of predetermined instructions referred to herein as
`cursor display instructions. The browser or browser exten
`Sion interprets the information contained in cursor display
`instructions and instructs the operating System of the user's
`terminal via an application programming interface (API) to
`check its memory to determine if the user terminal is capable
`of loading the coded image, animation, and/or Soundbite. If
`the image, etc. has been previously cached in the client
`computer memory, the cursor display instructions instruct
`one or more of the many devices controlled by the operating
`System in the user's terminal, Such as the Video monitor and
`audio speakers to display the desired images, animation and
`play desired Sounds. If the image, etc. has not been previ
`ously cached in the client computer's memory, the browser
`or browser extension retrieves the information correspond
`ing to the desired image from a remote Server.
`The present invention may serve to enhance banner
`advertisements which appear on a web page So as to remind
`users which company is sponsoring the particular page being
`viewed and to draw the user's attention to the banner
`advertisement. The present invention can also serve as a
`Stand-alone branding vehicle as part of a "ubiquity cam
`paign' to generate massive impressions among an audience
`of online users or can be simply used to make web sites more
`entertaining by providing animated, colorful cursors which
`may incorporate Sound and/or animation, and which are
`configured So as to connote a relationship with the topic or
`subject of the web site.
`The foregoing Sets forth certain objects, features and
`advantages provided by exemplary embodiments of the
`present invention. Other objects and features of the present
`invention will become apparent from the following detailed
`description considered in conjunction with the accompany
`ing drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the
`
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`drawings are designed Solely for the purposes of illustration
`and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for
`which reference should be made to the appended claims.
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`In the drawings in which like reference characterS denote
`Similar elements throughout the Several views:
`FIG. 1 illustrates a diagrammatic representation of a
`computer network illustrating the interconnection of a plu
`rality of computers in which the present invention is imple
`mented;
`FIG. 2 illustrates a client-Server computer network Sup
`porting the hardware and Software of the present invention;
`FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart diagram of an exemplary
`method of the present invention for obtaining information
`from a remote site for modifying a cursor image and
`implementing Such information at numerous user Sites,
`FIG. 4 illustrates a portion of the Cursor Display Instruc
`tions which is referenced as a resource within an HTML
`document according to one embodiment of the present
`invention;
`FIG. 5 illustrates a set of exemplary codes that cause the
`user terminal's cursor to be modified, then revert to its
`original shape in accordance with one embodiment of the
`present invention;
`FIG. 6 illustrates a plurality of user interface attributes
`that may be remotely modified in accordance with one
`embodiment of the present invention; and
`FIGS. 7-9 illustrate the appearance of a cursor prior to,
`during and after linking to a web page that contains cursor
`display instructions.
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
`FIG. 1 illustrates a computer network, such as Internet 10,
`based on the client-server model. Internet 10 comprises a
`worldwide network of computers known as “servers' 12
`which are accessible by “client computers” or “user termi
`nals' 14, which are typically used by individual users or
`comprise a collection of personal computers interconnected
`via a Local Area Network or LAN, which are capable of
`accessing the Internet via a private Internet Service or acceSS
`provider (ISP) 16, such as the AT&T Worldnet Service(R) or
`the IBM Global NetworkOR, or via an online service provider
`18, such as America Online(R), CompuServece, the Microsoft
`Network(R or Prodigy(R) (to name the most popular online
`Service providers). One of the most common applications of
`the Internet is to support the World Wide Web (“WWW” or
`“the web”), which is a collection of servers on the Internet
`that utilize the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), a
`known application protocol that facilitates data eXchange
`between client and Server and provides users or clients 14
`access to files which can include text, graphics, Sound,
`Video, etc., using a standard page description language
`referred to as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML).
`Each client computer 14 as indicated in FIG. 1, includes
`a “web browser' or browser loaded on the client computer's
`hard drive 21. A browser is a common Software tool which
`allows graphical user interface (GUI)-based access to Inter
`net network servers 12 through Internet Service Providers,
`ISPs, 16 or online service providers 18. A server 12 func
`tions as a So-called “web site' which Supports and maintains
`a plurality of files in the form of documents and pages. A
`65
`Uniform Resource Locator or URL identifies a specific
`network path to a Server 12 or Some resource located on that
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`Server which has a known Syntax for defining the network
`connection. The fundamental intrinsic capabilities of the
`browser are: (1) the ability to communicate with other
`computers using HTTP, and (2) the ability to process and
`present HTML documents to the user via a graphical user
`interface, GUI.
`Recent versions of most browsers provide a plethora of
`other features beyond these two capabilities. For example, to
`increase its flexibility, the browser's intrinsic capabilities
`may be further extended through the use of Software
`components, often called “controls” or “plug-ins”. While the
`intrinsic capabilities of the browser are linked at compile
`time (“statically”), the code which implements the capabili
`ties of the control or plug-in component is linked with the
`browser's code at run-time (“dynamically”). By Supporting
`these components through Standard interface definitions, the
`browser's capabilities can be extended in ways never antici
`pated by its original manufacturer.
`Another type of flexibility is offered when the browser
`implements. Some Sort of command interpreter which is
`capable of interpreting and executing a code Stream at
`run-time. In this case, the browser acts as a Sort of “virtual
`machine' whose run-time behavior is completely governed
`by the code Stream which it processes. The total Scope of
`capabilities which can be realized with this approach is
`defined by the Set of operations Supported by the command
`interpreter.
`Individually and collectively, these mechanisms provide a
`powerful and flexible platform which Supports a wide range
`of Internet-based applications. Currently, Some of the
`emerging Standards govern the operation of these
`mechanisms, although the invention is not limited in Scope
`in that respect. For example, MicroSoft has created an
`interface definition for Windows “dynamic link libraries”
`and for ActiveX Software components. Sun Microsystems
`has defined a Software component model called JavaBeans.
`Sun has also created a virtual machine architecture and
`language called Java, which is Supported via a variety of
`commercially available compilers. While a Java compiler
`translates Source code into pseudo-code output called an
`“applet’, which is in turn processed by the Java virtual
`machine, MicroSoft, Sun, and others have also defined a Set
`of HTML Scripting languages whose Source code is embed
`ded directly in an HTML page. Microsoft's VBScript,
`JScript and Sun's JavaScript are examples of these embed
`ded Scripting languages.
`The Standard web page description language, HTML,
`provides basic document formatting and permits the web site
`developer to create and specify “links” or “hyperlinks” to
`other Servers and files. Obtaining a web page or connecting
`to a web site requires the Specification of a URL using an
`HTML-compliant client browser. After specifying the URL,
`client computer 14 initiates a request to Server 12 identified
`in the link and connects to the web site and receives a web
`page. The request by client computer 14 to Server 12 via the
`link is advantageously communicated via a TCP/IP
`(Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)
`communication, although the invention is not limited in this
`respect and other network connections or Internet protocols
`may be used.
`Although an exemplary embodiment of the present inven
`tion is described based on the arrangement illustrated in FIG.
`1, it is noted that the invention is not limited in Scope in that
`arrangement and other types of System connections may be
`employed. For example, a plurality of user terminals may be
`connected to an online provider Via dedicated communica
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`tion channels, Such as telephone lines. In accordance with
`this embodiment, the Server System provides certain infor
`mation that causes the cursor image on the Video monitor of
`the user terminal to display an image as Specified by the
`Server System. As a result, the Server System remotely
`defines and manages the shape and appearance of the cursor
`image in accordance with a pre-Specified condition. The
`shape and appearance of the cursor image may correspond
`to the actual content of the data being provided to the user.
`Furthermore, regardless of the actual content of the data
`being provided to the user, the shape and appearance of the
`cursor image may be specified by the Server System Such that
`a plurality of user terminals at a desired point in time receive
`appropriate instructions to display the Specified cursor
`image.
`FIG.2 provides a block diagram of hardware and software
`which is representative of a client-server network System
`connected via the Internet according to one embodiment of
`the present invention. The user or client computer or user
`terminal 14 typically includes a number of hardware com
`ponents and Software Subsystems which cooperate to deliver
`the wide range of capabilities demanded by a modern
`computer application or program. These include not only the
`basic computational processor 23 and memory 20, but also
`a variety of input and output devices Such as the keyboard
`(not shown), mouse 22, Video display monitor 24, audio
`Speakers 26, non-volatile Storage Such as a ha