System for replacing a cursor image in connection with displaying advertising content

Abstract

A system for displaying advertising content includes a client computer having a display device, a processor, a network interface, and a graphical user interface including a cursor. The client computer is arranged to receive advertising content data from a remote computer via the network interface. The advertising content data includes cursor display data for displaying a promotional image. The processor is coupled to the display device and modifies the cursor in accordance with the promotional image in response to a predetermined event. The promotional image may include elements such as animation, a satellite image, a sprite image, promotional text, and a combination thereof.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system comprising:
 at least one computer to store cursor data; and   a user computer connected to a user display and configured to receive the cursor data from the at least one computer, and to display a user movable cursor on the user display; wherein   the user computer is further configured to use the received cursor data to modify the user movable cursor from a first display configuration to a second display configuration in response to an event on the user computer, with the second display configuration providing information provided by the at least one computer for some duration before restoration of the first display configuration.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21  wherein the cursor data further comprise cursor display code. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21  wherein the cursor data further comprise cursor display instructions. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the cursor display instructions further comprise an HTML page. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the user computer is further configured to transmit cursor data to the at least one computer. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the cursor data further comprise cursor image data and cursor display data, with at least a portion of both the cursor image data and the cursor display data being stored locally in the user computer. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein at least one computer is configured to respond to a request from the user computer to transmit information stored in the at least one computer to the user computer. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein cursor data further comprise an advertisement for goods or services. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the user computer includes a browser application responsive to execute instructions using parameters contained at least in part in the cursor data. 
     
     
         30 . A system comprising:
 at least one computer to store cursor data; and   a user computer connected to a user display and configured to display a user movable cursor on the user display; wherein   the user computer is further configured to initiate a request to the one computer, and to use cursor data received from the one computer to modify the user movable cursor from a first display configuration to a second display configuration, with the second display configuration providing information provided by the at least one computer for some duration before restoration of the first display configuration.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the cursor data further comprises cursor display code. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the cursor data further comprises cursor display instructions. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32  wherein the cursor display instructions further comprise an HTML page. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the user computer can both receive cursor data from and transmit cursor data to the at least one computer. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the cursor data further comprise cursor image data and cursor display data, with at least a portion of both the cursor image data and the cursor display code being stored locally in the user computer. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one computer is configured to respond to a request from the user computer to transmit information stored in the at least one computer to the user computer. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein cursor data further comprise an advertisement for goods or services. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the user computer includes a browser application configured to execute instructions using parameters contained at least in part in the cursor data.