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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one computer having cursor data;   receiving on a user computer the cursor data from the at least one computer, the user computer connected to a user display to display at least a user movable cursor, and   in response to an event on the user computer, using the received cursor data from the at least one computer to modify the user movable cursor on the user display 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.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the cursor data further comprise cursor display code. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the cursor data further comprise cursor display instructions. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the cursor display instructions further comprise an HTML page. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , further including transmitting cursor data from the user computer to the at least one computer. 
     
     
         26 . The method 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 code being stored disposed locally in the user computer. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , further including in response to a request from the user computer, transmitting information stored in the at least one computer to the user computer. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein cursor data further comprise an advertisement for goods or services. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , further including executing instructions with a browser application of the user computer using parameters contained at least in part in the cursor data. 
     
     
         30 . A method comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one computer having cursor data;   receiving on a user computer the cursor data from the at least one computer, the user computer connected to a user display to display a user movable cursor, and   in response to a request to the at least one computer initiated by the user computer, using received cursor data from the at least one computer to modify the user movable cursor on the user display 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 method of  claim 30  wherein the cursor data further comprises cursor display code. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the cursor data further comprises cursor display instructions. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the cursor display instructions further comprise an HTML page. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , further including transmitting cursor data from the user computer to the at least one computer. 
     
     
         35 . The method 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 are stored locally in the user computer. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 30  further including in response to a request from the user computer, transmitting information stored in the at least one computer to the user computer. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein cursor data further comprise an advertisement for goods or services. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 30 , further including executing instructions with a browser application of the user computer using parameters contained at least in part in the cursor data.