TRANSMITTAL FORM FOR FILING PATENT APPLICATION
`ssssss
`
`Sheet 1 of 4
`
`Attorney
`Docket No.: COMT-001CX
`
`WEINGARTEN, SCHURGIN, GAGNEBIN & HAYES LLP
`Ten Post Office Square
`Boston, Massachusetts 02109
`Telephone:
`(617) 542-2290
`Telecopier:
`(617) 451-0313
`‘
`Express Mail No: EL231115410US
`
`Date: September 21, 1999
`
`
`
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`12/96-FORM 1
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`a
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`BOX PATENT APPLICATION
`Assistant Commissioner for Patents
`20231
`Washington, D.C.
`
`Sir:
`
`First Named Inventor or
`Application Identifier:
`
`James S. Rosen
`
`Transmitted herewith under 37 CFR § 1.53 for filing is the patent application of:
`
`Inventors: James S. Rosen, Thomas A. Schmitter, and Mark S. Hall
`
`
`titled: SERVER SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MODIFYING A CURSOR IMAGE
`
`This is a request for filing a [xX] continuation [
`
`] divisional
`
`[|
`
`] continuation
`
`
`
`Enéiosed are:
`[Xi_67 pages of written description, claims and Abstract,
`
`inclusive
`
`[X]
`
`informal
`
`[
`
`]
`
`formal drawings of Figs. 1-9 (one set)
`
` sheets of
`
`Oath or Declaration
`[
`] Newly executed (original or copy)
`(for continuation/divisional).
`[X] Copy from prior application (37 CFR 1.63(d))
`The entire disclosure of the prior application,
`from which a copy of the oath
`or declaration is supplied,
`is considered as being part of the disclosure of
`the accompanying application and is hereby incorporated by reference therein.
`] To be filed later
`
`[
`
`[ ]
`
`Cover sheet and Assignment of the invention to:
`
`{
`
`application (if foreign priority is
`] Certified copy of a
`claimed) with letter claiming priority under Rule 55.
`
`Information Disclosure Statement with 16 citations (copies in parent case)
`[X]
`Preliminary amendment is enclosed.
`[xX]
`Return receipt postcard
`[X]
`[x] Revocation of Power of Attorney and Appointment of A New Power of Attorney
`[X] Verified statement of Small Entity was filed in prior application. Status still
`proper and desired.
`Change of Correspondence Address Application
`
`[x]
`
`WEINGARTEN, SCHURGIN,
`GAGNEBIN & HAYES LLP
`TEL (617) 542-2290
`FAX (617) 451-0313
`
`

`

`12/96 FORM 1
`
`TRANSMITTAL FORM FOR FILING PATENT APPLICATION (CONTINUED)
`
`Sheet 2 of 4
`
`Attorney
`Docket No.: COMET-001CX
`
`[X]
`
`Priority is claimed under 35 USC § 120 as indicated on the attached sheet 4.
`
`{
`
`[
`
`]
`
`]
`
`[x]
`
`[
`
`]
`
`Priority is claimed under 35 USC §119(a)-(d) as indicated on the attached sheet
`A.
`Priority is claimed under 35 USC §119 (e) as indicated on the attached sheet 4.
`
`David A. Dagg is hereby appointed Associate Attorney by:
`Registration No.: 37,809
`-
`
`-
`
`Attorney of Record: Victor B. Lebovici
`Registration No.: 30,864
`
`Power of Attorney in the originally-filed application has been granted to one or
`more of
`the registered attorneys listed below.
`The attorneys listed below not
`‘previously granted power
`in the originally-filed application,
`as well
`as
`
`, are hereby given associate power:
`Registration No.:
`
`Stanley M. Schurgin, Reg. No. 20,979
`Charles L. Gagnebin III, Reg. No. 25,467
`Paul J. Hayes, Reg. No. 28,307
`Victor B. Lebovici, Reg. No. 30,864
`
`Eugene A. Feher, Reg. No. 33,171
`Beverly E. Hjorth, Reg. No. 32,033
`Holliday C. Heine, Reg. No. 34,346
`Gordon R. Moriarty, Reg. No. 38,973
`
`claims
`application original
`in this
`[#8 Cancel
`filing fee.
`application before
`calculating the
`independent claim must be retained for filing purposes.)
`
`(At
`
`least
`
`the prior
`of
`one original
`
`Add in this application claims
`
`per amendment before calculating fee.
`
`:
`
`4
`
`$760.00
`
`
`
`[
`
`] Multiple Dependent Claims (ist presentation)
`
`$260.00 p00
`
`:
`
`“
`,
`:
`:
`Small Entity filing, divide by 2.
`(Note: verified statement must be attached per §1.9, §1.27, §1.28.)
`
`$3,010.00
`$1,505.00
`
`OTD
`Se
`$1,505.00
`
`[X] The filing fee has been calculated above; a check in the amount of $1,505.00 is
`enclosed.
`[
`] The filing fee will be submitted at a later date.
`
`WEINGARTEN, SCHURGIN,
`GAGNEBIN & HAYES LLP
`TEL (617) 542-2290
`PAX (617) 451-0313
`
`

`

`12/96 FORM 1
`
`Sheet 3 of 4
`
`Attorney Docket No.: COMET-001CX
`
`TRANSMITTAL FOR FILING PATENT APPLICATION (CONTINUED)
`
`.
`
`[xX]
`
`In the event a Petition for Extension of Time under 37 CFR §1.17 is required by
`this paper
`and not otherwise provided,
`such Petition is hereby made
`and
`authorization is provided herewith to charge Deposit Account No. 23-0804 for the
`cost of such extension.
`
`[xX]
`
`The Commissioner is hereby authorized to charge payment of any additional filing
`fees under
`37 CFR §1.16 associated with this communication or credit
`any
`overpayment
`to Deposit Account No. 23-0804.
`
`Address all future communications to:
`
`WEINGARTEN, SCHURGIN, GAGNEBIN & HAYES LLP
`‘Ten Post Office Square
`Boston, Massachusetts 02109
`Telephone:
`(617) 542-2290
`Telecopier:
`(617) 451-0313
`
` walt.
`
`
`Attorney of Record: David/A. Dagg
`Registration No. 37,809
`
`
`ae
`wes
`na
`
`
`
`
`
`WEINGARTEN, SCHURGIN,
`GAGNEBIN & HAYES LLP
`TEL (617) 542-2290
`FAX (617) 451-0313
`
`

`

`3/98 FORM 1
`
`Sheet 4 of 4
`
`Attorney Docket No.: COMET-001CX
`
`TRANSMITTAL FOR FILING PATENT APPLICATION (CONTINUED)
`
`[X}] Priority is claimed under 35 USC § 120 of prior Application(s)
`No. 08/882,580,
`filed June 25,
`1997, entitled:
`SERVER SYSTEM AND METHOD
`FOR MODIFYING A CURSOR IMAGE
`
`[X] The above-identified application(s) is/are assigned of record to:
`COMET SYSTEMS,
`INC.
`
`[
`
`] Priority is claimed under 35 USC § 119 (a)-(d) of the following application(s).
`
`(Application Number)
`
`(Country)
`
`(Filing Date)
`
`(Application Number)
`
`(Country)
`
`(Filing Date)
`
`(Application Number)
`
`(Country)
`
`(Filing Date)
`
`[
`
`]
`
`The above-identified application(s) is/are assigned of record to:
`
`
`
`
`Priority is
`[
`ad
`application(s).
`
`claimed under
`
`35 USC
`
`§
`
`119
`
`(e)
`
`of
`
`the following provisional
`
`
` =* (Application Number)
`
`(Filing Date)
`
`-* (Application Number)
`
`(Filing Date)
`
`(Application Number)
`
`(Filing Date)
`
`The above-identified provisional application(s) is/are assigned
`]
`{
`of record to:
`
`The claim of small entity status in the above-identified provisional
`]
`[
`application(s)
`is made in this application and a copy of
`the small entity
`form(s)
`from the provisional application(s) is/are enclosed.
`
`DAD/jde/enc.
`SUBMIT IN TRIPLICATE
`
`211417
`WEINGARTEN, SCHURGIN,
`GAGNEBIN & HAYES LLP
`TEL (617) 542-2290
`FAX (617) 451-0313
`
`

`

`-
`
`=
`
`|
`
`APPLICATION FOR
`
`UNITED STATES LETTERS PATENT
`
`oO
`Be
`
`SERVER SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR
`MODIFYING A CURSOR IMAGE
`
`Inventors:
`
`James Rosen
`Thomas Schmitter
`MarkHall
`
`Express Mail Number
`
`EL231115410US
`
`
`
`

`

`‘S'Ne@9sor
`
`6gUt
`Te2/Vi
`wait
`
`Old
`
`Field Of The Invention
`
`This invention relates to computer networks and software, and moreparticularly,
`
`to a server system capable of modifying 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 otherinteractive online computer networks accessible to millions of people all over
`
`the world. Concomitant with the emergence of this new communicafion medium, digital content
`
`providers haveproliferated, providing online news, entertainment, games and all sorts of other
`
`content. As with other mass mediums, such astelevision, radio, and print publications, the
`entities that create such content seek to offset their expensesbyselling advertising. With
`
`reference to the WWW,online advertising has become a multimillion dollar business, to the
`
`amount of approximately $300 million dollars in 1996.
`
`The most commontype of online advertisementexists in the form of “banner
`
`advertisements”. Users of online services routinely encounter banner ads on the top,sides, and/or
`
`bottom oftheir video monitor screens when viewing a web page. Banneradsare 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 amongonline users and to convey some advertising message and/or logo.
`
`Banneradsare usually provided on a web page in the form of a “hyperlink”, in which users who
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`yield to the advertisement's solicitation to “Click Here” are transported to the website of the
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`manufacturer of the productor service being advertised, or to some other screen which provides
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`additional information about the productorservice.
`
`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 publishers
`
`have attempted to optimize the visibility ofbanner advertisements by placing them on a popular
`
`web page wherethey will have a greater chance of being seen, Internet users, nevertheless, can
`
`easily ignore or find ways to removeandeliminate from their view the banner ads whichexist on
`
`the web pages they are viewing. As such, the banner ads are rendered ineffective in their aim to
`
`provide information about a productor service. Additionally, money spent to advertise a product
`
`may be wasted if users are able to ignore or remove the advertisements from the webpages they
`
`are viewing.
`
`Another method of online advertising involves the use of “frames” on a web page.
`
`Framesare a feature supported bythe recentversionsofleading web navigating programs known
`
`as browsers, such as Netscape Navigator® and Microsoft's Internet Explorer®. Frames generally
`
`_ divide up a user's screen so that the user can, for example, independently scroll down each of
`
`numerousframes which appear on the web page being viewed onthe user's screen. Like banner
`
`advertisements, frames can beaesthetically unappealing as well as confusing to the user.
`
`
`
`Additionally, placementof advertising frames on a web page generally results in cramping or
`
`20
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`decreasing the size of the main content frame which oftentimes renders the content in the main
`
`frame difficult to read. As a result, users have developed ways to reduce the size or even
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`

`

`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 useris using the Internet or browsing on the WWW. Such
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`advertisements are relatively easy for a user to avoid as a user may simply re-size the window to
`
`makeit smaller drag another window or object in front of it to obscureit from view, close the
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`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 userclicks on the appropriate place(s) on the dialég 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 oftime 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 boxadvertising has resulted in a more intrusive method ofadvertising which
`
`has resulted in resentment among users who are accustomed to morepassive online advertising
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`methods such as the frames and banner advertisements which are more easily avoided and/or
`
`
`
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`ignored.
`
`Accordingly, there is a need for a simple meansto deliver advertising elements,i.e.
`
`logos, animations, sound, impressions, text, etc., without the annoyanceoftotally interrupting and
`
`intrusive content delivery, and without the passiveness of ordinary banner and frame
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`20
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`advertisements which can beeasily ignored.
`
`

`

`Objects And Summary Of The Invention
`
`It is thus a general object of the present invention to provide a means for delivering
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`online advertisements which are unintrusive and whichare noteasily ignored by a user.
`
`A morespecific object of the present invention is to provide a server system for
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`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
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`_ modifying a cursor image to a specific image displayed on a video monitor of a remote user's
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`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-
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`screen advertising transmitted online which does not interrupt the delivery of content and whichis
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`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 terminalto 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
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`causing a remote user terminal to display a cursor image as specified by a server terminal, wherein
`
`the cursor image correspondsto the content retrieved by the user terminal.
`
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system and method for
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`causing a remoteuserterminal to display a cursor image such as a corporate nameorlogo, a
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`brand logo, an advertising or marketing icon or slogan, an animated advertising image, and a
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`related audioclip, that relate to an advertisement, such as a banner advertisement,
`
`that is included
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`

`

`in the information content being retrieved by the user terminal.
`
`It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a meansfor changing a
`
`cursor's appearance by sending data and control signals from a remote computerso that the
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`cursor or pointer's appearanceis associated with a portion of, or the entire content being
`
`displayed on the user's screen.
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`
`
`It is still an additional object of the present invention to provide a means for
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`changing the appearance of a computer's cursor or pointer by sending data and controlsignals
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`from a remote computerso that the cursor or pointer's appearance is associated with advertising
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`messages.
`
`.
`
`These and other objects of the invention are realized in various embodiments ofthe
`
`present invention by providing a system for delivering advertising elements online without the
`
`annoyanceresulting from the interruption of content delivery and without the passiveness of
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`ordinary banner and frame advertisements which can betoo easily ignored or bypassed or
`
`removed. An exemplary embodimentofthe present invention is directed to a system that
`
`provides online advertising content using the on-screen cursor which is generally controlled by an
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`input of positioning device knownas a “mouse”or “mouse pointer”. Nearly all online computer
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`interfaces utilize a wired or remote control positioning device such as a mouseorroller or track
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`ball which controls the cursor's movement on the screen.
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`It is the cursor controlled by the mouse
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`or positioning device whicha user uses to “navigate” or move the cursor over objects, buttons,
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`20
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`menus, scroll bars, etc., which appear on-screen and then clicking or in some cases double-
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`clicking in order to activate a screen or task, or to commencean application or somefunction.
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`

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`As a result of the prevalence of the use of the mouse, by many millions of users of
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`online systems, a great deal of time is spent focused on the icons which represent the cursor or
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`pointer as it may appearin somecases. Presently, pointer icons change from application to
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`application and can also change within an application depending upon where onthe screen the
`
`pointer is located, what state the computer exists in at a given moment, and what tools are being
`
`used, among otherfactors. Generally, pointers change shapeto reflect an internal state of the
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`computer orthe present function within an application. While it is not new for pointers and
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`cursors to change shape, pointers are not presently used to convey advertising.
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`In conventional
`
`systems, the appearanceofthe cursor or pointer does not change to correspond with on-line
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`content being displayed on the screen.
`
`The present invention provides a meansfor enabling cursors and pointers to
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`change color, shape, appearance, make sounds, display animation, etc., when the user's terminal
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`or computer, known as the “client” or “user” terminal, which has a network connection, receives
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`certain instructions from a remote or “server” computerattached to the network.
`
`In an exemplary
`
`embodimentofthe present invention, the generic cursor or pointer icons usedin many networking
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`applications, such as black arrows, hands with a pointing finger, spinning wheels, hourglasses,
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`wristwatches, and others, will change appearance, and in somecases may incorporate sound or
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`animation, in a way thatis linked and related to the content, such as a web page, whichis being
`
`transmitted to and displayed on the client computer. The cursor or pointer may appear as a
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`
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`20
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`corporate or a brand logo whichrelates to advertising content within the web page being
`
`transmitted and displayed. The cursoror pointer image may also appearin a specified shape or
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`

`

`color that is intended to convey a messagethat relates to the advertising content within the web
`
`page being transmitted and displayed.
`
`An exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention comprises a combination of
`
`hardware andenabling softwareresiding on the transmitting (server) computer or network server
`
`and/or onthe receiving (client or user) computer or terminal which brings aboutthe stated effect
`
`of enabling a computer's cursoror pointer to change appearanceandin certain cases provide
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`sound and animation whichis linked and related to the content being transmitted to and displayed
`
`on the client computeror terminal. The transmitting computer and receiving computeror
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`terminal advantageously include a processor, an operating system (OS) loaded thereon, a video
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`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, althoughthe inventionis not limited in scopein that respect. For
`
`example, the receiving terminal may be any devicethat 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 WebTV® terminal and other devices.
`
`Preferably, coded information for bringing about thechange in appearance ofthe
`
`cursor are embedded within the web page being loaded and viewed.
`
`In one embodiment of the
`
`presentinvention, the web page is written in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)whichis one
`
`ofthe most commonstandard pagedescription languages used to develop web pages. Typically a
`
`web browserretrieves a web page to be loaded on:user’s terminal. The retrieved web page in
`
`accordance with one embodimentof the invention contains a set of predetermined instructions
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`referred to herein as cursor display instructions. The browser or browserextension interprets the
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`information contained in cursordisplay instructions and instructs the operating system ofthe
`
`user’s terminalvia an application programming interface (API) to check its memory to determine
`ifthe user terminal is capable ofloading the coded image, animation, and/or soundbite.
`If the
`
`image, etc. has been previously cachedin the client computer memory, the cursor display
`
`instructions instruct one or more ofthe 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,
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`animation and play desired sounds. Ifthe image, etc. has not been previously cached in the client
`
`computer's memory, the browser or browser extensionretrieves the information corresponding to
`
`the desired image from a remoteserver.
`
`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 theuser's attention to the banner advertisement. The present invention can
`
`also serve as a stand-alone branding vehicle as part of a “ubiquity campaign” to generate massive
`
`impressions among an audienceofonline users or can be simply used to make web sites more
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`entertaining by providing animated, colorful cursors which may incorporate sound and/or
`
`animation, and which are configured so as to connotea relationship with the topic or subject of
`
`the website.
`
`
`
`The foregoing sets forth certain objects, features and advantages provided by
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`20
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`exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Other objects and features of the present
`
`invention will become apparent from the following detailed description consideredin conjunction
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`

`

`with the accompanying drawings.
`
`It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed
`
`_ solely for the purposesofillustration 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
`
`throughoutthe several views:
`
`Figure | illustrates a diagrammatic representation of a computer network
`
`illustrating the interconnection ofa plurality of computers in which the present inventionis
`
`implemented;
`
`Figure 2 illustrates a client-server computer network supporting the hardware and
`
`software ofthe present invention;
`
`Figure 3 illustrates a flowchart diagram of an exemplary method of the present
`
`invention for obtaining information from a remotesite for modifying a cursor image and
`
`implementing such information at numeroususersites;
`
`Figure 4 illustrates a portion of the Cursor Display Instructions which is referenced
`
`as a resource within an HTML document according to one embodimentofthe present invention;
`
`Figure 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 embodimentof the present
`
`20
`
`invention;
`
`.
`
`.
`
`Figure6illustrates a plurality of user interface attributes that may be remotely
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`

`

`modified in accordance with one embodimentof the present invention; and
`
`Figures 7-9 illustrate the appearance of a cursorprior to, during and afterlinking
`
`to a web pagethat contains cursor display instructions.
`
`Detailed Description Of The Presently Preferred Embodiment
`
`Figure 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 “userterminals” 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® or the IBM Global Network®,
`or via an online service provider 18, such as America Online®, Compuserve®, the Microsoft
`
`Network® or Prodigy® (to name the most popular online service providers) One of the most
`
`commonapplications of the Internet is to support the World Wide Web (“WWW”or “the web”),
`
`whichis a collection of servers on the Internetthat utilize the Hypertext Transfer Protocol
`
`(HTTP), a known application protocolthat facilitates data exchange betweenclient and server
`
`and providesusers 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).
`
`20
`
`Each client computer 14 as indicated in Figure 1, includes a “web browser”or
`
`browserloaded on the client computer's hard drive 21. A browser is a commonsoftware tool
`
`10
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`

`

`which allows graphical user interface (GUI)-based access to Internet network servers 12 through
`
`Internet Service Providers,
`
`ISPs, 16 or online service providers 18. A server 12 functions as a
`
`so-called “web site” which supports and maintainsa plurality of files in the form of documents and
`pages. A Uniform Resource Locator or URL identifies a specific network path to a server 12 or
`
`someresource located on that server which has a knownsyntax for defining the network
`
`connection. The fundamental intrinsic capabilities of the browserare: (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
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`“plug-ins”. While the intrinsic capabilities of the browser are linked at compile-time ("statically"),
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`the code which implements the capabilities of the control or plug-in componentis linked with the
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`browser's code at run-time ("dynamically"). By supporting these components through standard
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`interface definitions, the browser's capabilities can be extended in ways never anticipated by its
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`original manufacturer.
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`Anothertype offlexibility is offered when the browser implements somesort of
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`commandinterpreter which is capable ofinterpreting and executing a code stream at run-time. In
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`this case, the browser acts as a sort of “virtual machine" whose run-time behavior is completely
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`20
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`governed by the code stream whichit processes. The total scope of capabilities which can be
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`realized with this approachis defined by the set of operations supported by the command
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`interpreter
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`Individually and collectively, these mechanisms provide a powerful andflexible
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`platform which supports a wide range of Internet-based applications. Currently, some ofthe
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`emerging standards govern the operation of these mechanisms, althoughthe invention is not
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`limited in scope in that respect. For example, Microsoft has created an interface definition for
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`Windows “dynamiclink libraries“ and for ActiveX software components. Sun Microsystems has
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`defined a software component model called JavaBeans. Sun has also created a virtual machine
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`architecture and language called Java, which is supported via a variety of commercially available
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`compilers. While a Java compiler translates source code into pseudo-code outputcalled an
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`“applet”, which is in turn processed by the Java virtual machine, Microsoft, Sun, and others have
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`also defined a set of HTML scripting languages whose source code is embedded directly in an
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`HTML page. Microsoft’s VBScript, JScript and Sun’s JavaScript are examples of these
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`embedded scripting languages.
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`The standard web page description language, HTML, provides basic document
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`formatting and permits the web site developer to create and specify “links”or “hyperlinks” to
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`other serversand files. Obtaining a web page or connecting to a website requires the
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`specification of a URL using an HTML-compliantclient browser. After specifying the URL,
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`client computer 14 initiates a request to server 12 identified in the link and connects to the web
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`site and receives a web page. The request by client computer 14 to server 12 via the link is
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`20
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`advantageously communicated via a TCP/IP (Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)
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`communication,although the invention is notlimited in this respect and other network
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`

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`connections or Internet protocols may be used.
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`Although an exemplary embodimentof the present inventionis described based on
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`the arrangementillustrated in Fig. 1, it is noted that the invention is not limited in scope in that
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`arrangement and other types of system connections may be employed. For example,a plurality of
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`user terminals may be connected to an online provider via dedicated communication channels,
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`such as telephone lines.
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`In accordance with this embodiment, the server system providescertain
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`information that causes the cursor image on the video monitor of the user terminal to display an
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`image as specified by the server system. Asaresult, the server system remotely defines and
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`
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`manages the shape and appearance of the cursor image in accordancé with a pre-specified
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`condition. The shape and appearance of the cursor image may correspondto the actual contentof
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`the data being provided to the user. Furthermore, regardless of the actual content of the data
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`being providedto the user, the shape and appearanceofthe cursor image maybe specified by the
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`server system suchthat a plurality of user terminals at a desired point in time receive appropriate
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`instructions to display the specified cursor image.
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`Figure 2 provides a block diagram of hardware and software whichts
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`representative of a client-server network system connected via the Internet according to one
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`embodimentofthe present invention. The user or client computer or user terminal 14 typically
`includes a numberofhardware components and software subsystems which cooperate to deliver
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`the wide range ofcapabilities demanded by a modern computerapplication or program. These
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`20
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`include not only the basic computational processor 23 and memory 20, but also a variety of input
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`and output devices such as the keyboard (not shown), mouse 22, video display monitor 24, audio
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`

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`speakers 26, non-volatile storage such as a hard drive 21 and network communications systems
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`46 such as a modem among other devices. User terminal 14 is controlled via an operating system
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`(“OS”) 28 which serves to organize all the disparate elements within the computer 14 and expose
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`them in a consistent and organized way to a program which may need someorall of these
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`capabilities. The interface between a program, which is generally loaded within the computer’s
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`memory 20, and the systems underthe control of the operating system 28 is commonly referred to
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`as the Application ProgrammingInterface (“API”) 30, whichis essentially a library of functions
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`which the program (“application”) can invoke whenit needs to interact with any ofthese
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`hardware subsystems.
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`Asillustrated, user terminal 14 contains a browser 32 loaded within the computer’s
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`memory 20, and is adapted to communicate with a browser extension or browser plug-in 34, both
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`which are adapted to communicate with the operating system 28 via the application programming
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`interface API 30. As illustrated, operating system 28 is supplemented by a set of“drivers” which
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`control and provide the operating system 28 with access to peripheral devices which area part of
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`user terminal 14. The drivers include display driver 36 which controls and provides the operating
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`system 28 with accessto the cursor image or pointer 44 projected on video display monitor 24, a
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`mousedriver 38 which controls and provides the operating system 28 with access to mouse 22, an
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`audio driver 40 which controls and provides the operating system 28 with access to speakers 26.
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`Operating system 28 is configured to provide animated images to the video monitor.
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`20
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`Furthermore, in accordance with another embodiment ofthe invention, the display driver may be
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`configured to provide animated images to the video monitor. Operating system 28 also provides
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`

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`access to a communication port 46 such as a modemwhichserves as a communicationinterface
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`to the Internet 10.
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`With continued reference to Figure 2, user terminal 14 is connected to Internet 10
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`via a modem or some other communication interface such that information may be transmitted
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`between user terminal 14 and Internet 10 via communicationlines such as telephone cables or
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`fiber optic networks, among other types of transmission systems.
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`Internet 10 is also connected to
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`numerous networkservers, such as a simplified representation of a WWW server whichis
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`indicated as 48. Server 48 is provided with memory 50 into which the contents of certain data
`files are loaded. Such datafiles, among others, include Cursor Display Code 52, Cursor
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`Information 54, and an HTML pagecontaining Cursor Display Instructions 56, all of which are
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`discussed in greater detail herein below.
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`Asillustrated in Figure 2, these datafiles 52, 54, 56 are
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`shown residing on the same server computer. However, the interconnected nature of the WWW
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`allowsthese datafiles 52, 54, 56 to exist anywhere on Internet 10 For example,files 52
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`containing cursor display codes may be stored in various server systems, while files 54 containing
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`cursor information may be stored in the same or other server systems, and files 56 containing
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`HTML pagescontaining cursordisplay instructions may be stored in the sameor yet other server
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`
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`systems.
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`In operation, WWW server 48 includes software which recognizesfile requests
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`received from W