Netzero, Inc.

Robert Daniel Buch

Ryan Brice Cunningham

Laimonas Anusauskas

Brian Hartman

Michael Wayne Jones

Michael R Jones, Jr

There is disclosed a method of providing a user computer with access to video advertisement files of a network. The method may comprise launching a browser application for a user computer to connect to a network, detecting if the user computer is not actively sending or receiving data from the network, and if so, commencing downloading a video advertisement file from the network to the user computer, detecting if the user computer is downloading a web page during downloading of the video advertisement file, and if so, waiting to continue downloading of the video advertisement file, automatically displaying the video advertisement file, determining that an ad file should not be viewed after the ad file has been viewed a predetermined number of times per predetermined time period, and providing a link that permits a user to select a web site that corresponds to the video advertisement file.

Automatic video display on a computer

A system provides a user with free Internet network access, in which an access control system sends video advertising files to a user who gains access to the Internet through a network connection that includes a viewer program that operates independently of the user's browser and e-mail programs. The viewer receives ads from the access control system and manages an ad pool that collects multiple video advertising files. Video advertising files are downloaded when the user is not actively using the bandwidth of the Internet connection to download Internet content of the user's choosing. The viewer program periodically opens a viewer window, which opens on top of any other open windows, and in which a video ad from the ad pool is displayed. When one or more video ads are finished, the viewer window is hidden or made an inactive window for a quiet interval. At the conclusion of the quiet interval, the viewer window is activated and the next ad in the ad pool is displayed. The viewer program cycles through existing ads in the ad pool until a new ad is received from the access server. The viewer program manages the ad pool such that the oldest ad is discarded when a new ad is received, and such that each ad is displayed or viewed in order of download for the average time it takes to download an ad in the ad pool. This ensures that ad viewing can continuously cycle through the ad pool with the minimum of repetition, and with no interruption to the user's Internet experience.

Targeted network video download interface

A system provides a user with free Internet network access, in which an access control system sends video advertising files to a user who gains access to the Internet through a network connection that includes a viewer program that operates independently of the user's browser and e-mail programs. The viewer receives ads from the access control system and manages an ad pool that collects multiple video advertising files. Video advertising files are downloaded when the user is not actively using the bandwidth of the Internet connection to download Internet content of the user's choosing. The viewer program periodically opens a viewer window, which opens on top of any other open windows, and in which a video ad from the ad pool is displayed. When one or more video ads are finished, the viewer window is hidden or made an inactive window for a quiet interval. At the conclusion of the quiet interval, the viewer widow is activated and the next ad in the ad pool is displayed. The viewer program cycles through existing ads in the ad pool until a new ad is received from the access server. The viewer program manages the ad pool such that the oldest ad is discarded when a new ad is received, and such that each ad is displayed or viewed in order of download for the average time it takes to download an ad in the ad pool. This ensures that ad viewing can continuously cycle through the ad pool with the minimum of repetition, and with no interruption to the user's Internet experience.

Growing community of inventors

San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Robert Daniel Buch