Data processing: financial – business practice – management – or co – Automated electrical financial or business practice or... – Discount or incentive
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-21
2001-10-16
Stamber, Eric W. (Department: 2162)
Data processing: financial, business practice, management, or co
Automated electrical financial or business practice or...
Discount or incentive
C725S032000, C725S036000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06304852
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer displays and, more specifically, to a method of displaying an indication of computer operation during computer download wait periods.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Computer wait periods a increasingly common. Examples of such periods include the amount of time expended during a data download (such as a site access on the global computer network), storage access time and time expended by a computer during complex operations. During such wait periods, the user is often concerned that the computer is malfunctioning and that it is not actually performing any operations.
To alleviate the user's concern, many computers display an indication that the computer is currently executing an operation that requires a wait period. Such an indication may be something as simple as an iconic representation of an hour glass displayed on the user's computer screen. More complicated systems give the user an idea of the amount of time remaining in the wait period. For example, many computers display a blue bar that changes in length in proportion to the amount of the period that has already passed during a data download.
Other than an indication of the time remaining in the wait period, no useful information is conveyed by such systems. Therefore, during the wait periods represented by such systems, the user often stares blankly at the screen while waiting for the wait period to end. Given that the user is also a consumer, current systems do not make use of the valuable attention of the user that could otherwise be directed to advertising information.
Therefore, there is a need for a system that makes greater use of the user's attention during computer wait periods.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention which, in one aspect, is a method of displaying advertising and communicating computer operation during a wait period. During a wait period, a plurality of images is displayed in a predetermined sequence as part of an animation that indicates that the wait period is proceeding. Advertising information is integrated with the plurality of images.
In another aspect of the invention, a period of time, having a beginning and an end, that is required to complete a wait period is determined. A plurality of images is displayed in a predetermined sequence during the wait period. The plurality of images includes a first image and a last image. The images are displayed as part of an animation that symbolically represents the amount of time remaining in the period of time at any given time during the wait period. The first image is displayed contemporaneously with the beginning of the period of time and the last image is displayed contemporaneously with the end of the period of time.
In yet another aspect of the invention, during the wait period, a plurality of sounds is output in a predetermined sequence during the wait period. The plurality of sounds includes a first sound and a last sound, and they are output as part of an audible message that symbolically represents the amount of time remaining in the period of time at any given time during the wait period. The first sound is output contemporaneously with the beginning of the period of time and the last sound is output contemporaneously with the end of the period of time. The plurality of sounds include advertising information.
These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings.
As would be obvious to one skilled in the art, many variations and modifications of the invention may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure.
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Bockhop Bryan W.
Bockhop & Reich, LLP
Myhre James W.
Stamber Eric W.
Vignette Graphics, LLC
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