System and method for displaying unrequested information within a web browser

Abstract

A system and method for generating popup content in response to user's actions within an enabled web page is disclosed. Generation of the popup occurs in response to a user triggered event which invokes a script referencing a secondary web page to display within the bounds of the enabled web page. The user triggered event results from movement of a mouse pointer or a keyboard event which may indicate a user's intention to exit the web page by closing the web browser window or navigating to a different web site or web page. The resulting popup is contained within the web page content itself, thereby resulting in a less intrusive popup display and avoiding the effects of popup suppression utilities.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A method, comprising:
 detecting, by a computer-based system, an event message from a hidden area in a first field of a web page, wherein the hidden area has a horizontal dimension substantially the same as a horizontal width of the web page, wherein the web page has a vertical position between primary web page content and a browser toolbar, and wherein the event message is indicative of an action taken toward closing the web page or an action taken toward navigating away from the web page; and   causing, by the computer-based system and in response to the detecting, popup content to be displayed in a second field overlaying at least a portion of the web page.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the event message indicates that a mouse pointer is interfacing with the hidden area. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the event message is associated with a keyboard action. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 prior to the detecting, the computer-based system receiving a script from a web server, wherein the script is executable by a browser to cause the computer-based system to perform the detecting and the causing.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the script is further executable to cause the computer-based system to retrieve the popup content from the web server prior to the detecting. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 the computer-based system storing the retrieved popup content within a cache of the browser.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the popup content solicits email information of a user viewing the web page. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having program instructions stored thereon, wherein the program instructions are executable by a server system to cause the server system to perform operations, comprising:
 receiving, from a client device, a request for a web page, wherein the web page includes a hidden area that substantially spans a horizontal width of the web page, wherein the hidden area has a vertical position between web page content and a browser toolbar, and wherein the web page is renderable by a browser of the client device to cause the client device to:
 detect a user interface event indicative of a user interacting with the hidden area; and 
 in response to the user interface event, display popup content that occludes at least a portion of the web page; and 
   providing the web page to the client device.   
     
     
         21 . The computer readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the user interface event is associated with a mouse operated by the user. 
     
     
         22 . The computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the user interface event is a mouse-over event associated with the hidden area. 
     
     
         23 . The computer readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the providing includes providing the popup content in response to the request. 
     
     
         24 . The computer readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the web page is renderable to remove the display of popup content in response to a user input. 
     
     
         25 . The computer readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the user interface event is detectable by an executable script associated with the web page. 
     
     
         26 . The computer readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the popup content includes a form to input user identification information. 
     
     
         27 . A computer-based system, comprising:
 one or more processors; and   memory having program instructions stored therein, wherein the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to cause the computer-based system to perform:
 storing a web page that specifies a hidden area, wherein the hidden area spans a horizontal width of the web page and has a vertical position below a browser toolbar and above web page content, and wherein the web page is renderable to cause displaying popup content over the web page in response to determining that the user has interacted with the hidden area; and 
 serving the web page to a client in response to a client request for the web page. 
   
     
     
         28 . The computer-based system of  claim 27 , wherein the web page is renderable to cause displaying the popup content in response to a mouse pointer passing over the hidden area. 
     
     
         29 . The computer-based system of  claim 27 , wherein serving the web page to the client causes the client to invoke a script that retrieves the popup content from the computer-based system. 
     
     
         30 . The computer-based system of  claim 29 , wherein the script is executable to retrieve the popup content prior to determining that the user has interacted with the hidden area. 
     
     
         31 . The computer-based system of  claim 29 , wherein the script is executable to store the popup content in a browser cache of the client. 
     
     
         32 . The computer-based system of  claim 27 , wherein the popup content solicits contact information from a viewer of the web page.