Interaction prompt for interactive advertising

Abstract

Systems and methods for dynamically sizing, structuring and operating advertisements that include a variety of content, including interaction prompts and other elements, which enable an engagement-based revenue generation model. According to one embodiment, a computer implemented method comprises storing advertising content, serving an XML file from an advertising server to an advertisement manager in order to control a player on a user computer, dynamically generating the advertisement through the player based on directions from the advertisement manager and the stored content, and tracking and reporting a user's engagement with the advertisement in order to determine compensation for the publisher.

1 . An interaction prompt for use by a user of a computer, comprising: a graphic element for display in association with an advertisement on a display of the computer, the computer having an input device for enabling the user to interact with the graphic element; and an engagement warning associated with the graphic element that indicates to the user when the user engages with the graphic element that continued engagement with the graphic element will cause an action by the advertisement. 
     
     
         2 . The interaction prompt of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement warning is a change symbol displayed over the graphic element that changes from a first symbol to one or more other symbols in response to the user's engagement. 
     
     
         3 . The interaction prompt of  claim 2 , wherein the change symbol indicates a period of time until the action will occur. 
     
     
         4 . The interaction prompt of  claim 3 , wherein the change symbol changes to a series of numbers over a period of time. 
     
     
         5 . The interaction prompt of  claim 4 , wherein the series of numbers starts with a high number and counts down to a lower number. 
     
     
         6 . The interaction prompt of  claim 2 , wherein the graphic element is positioned within a corner of the advertisement and appears to be a corner of a page of paper turned inward toward the page. 
     
     
         7 . The interaction prompt of  claim 2 , wherein the action is an expansion of the advertisement, and wherein the change symbol changes to represent that the user's interaction with the graphic element after the expansion will cause the advertisement to contract. 
     
     
         8 . The interaction prompt of  claim 1 , wherein the action is an expansion of the advertisement, and wherein after the expansion the engagement warning changes to indicate that engagement with the graphic element will cause the advertisement to contract. 
     
     
         9 . The interaction prompt of  claim 8 , wherein the graphic element is positioned within a corner of the advertisement and appears to be a corner of a page of paper turned inward toward the page. 
     
     
         10 . The interaction prompt of  claim 1 , wherein the graphic element and the engagement warning are determined based on psychographic data about the user. 
     
     
         11 . The interaction prompt of  claim 1 , wherein the graphic element and the engagement warning are determined based on demographic data about the user. 
     
     
         12 . The interaction prompt of  claim 1 , wherein the graphic element and the engagement warning are determined based on prior interaction by the user with the interaction prompt. 
     
     
         13 . The interaction prompt of  claim 1 , wherein the input device is a cursor controller that enables the user to move a cursor over the graphic element, and wherein the engagement warning only provides an indication to the user after the user has allowed the cursor to stay positioned over the graphic element for a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         14 . The interaction prompt of  claim 1 , wherein the computer is a portable device and the input device is a motion sensor that enables the user to move the portable device in a particular way to interact with the graphic element. 
     
     
         15 . The interaction prompt of  claim 1 , wherein the input device is a recognition device that enables the user to gesture in a particular way to interact with the graphic element. 
     
     
         16 . The interaction prompt of  claim 1 , further including a compensation system for measuring the user's interaction with the graphic element and compensating an advertiser based on the user's interaction. 
     
     
         17 . The interaction prompt of  claim 16 , wherein the compensation system generates a different level of compensation for the advertiser based on whether the action occurs. 
     
     
         18 . The interaction prompt of  claim 17 , wherein the compensation system generates a different level of compensation for the advertiser based on an amount of time spent by the user interacting with the graphic element. 
     
     
         19 . The interaction prompt of  claim 16 , wherein the compensation system generates a different level of compensation for the advertiser based on an amount of time spent by the user interacting with the graphic element.