Method and system for presenting an animated advertisement on a web page

A web server for presenting an animated advertisement on a web page, the web server comprising:

• a processor,
• a memory coupled to the processor and storing therein a web page layer adapted to contain an animated advertisement content containing at least one object adapted to run across the web page without obscuring or disabling portions of the web page lying outside a boundary of said objects at any given instant of time, and
• a communication mechanism coupled to the processor for successively uploading the web page and the web page layer to a client computer connected to the web server and being adapted to upload to the client computer an agent for maintaining the animated advertisement content in view regardless of any scrolling of the web page.

A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for presenting an animated advertisement on a web page, comprising the following steps:

• (a) obtaining a web page layer adapted to contain an animated advertisement content having at least one object adapted to run across a web page downloaded to a client computer connected to the web server without obscuring or disabling portions of the web page lying outside a boundary of said objects at any given instant of time,
• (b) uploading said web page layer to the client computer for displaying the animated advertisement content in association with the web page, and
• (c) uploading to the client computer an agent for maintaining the animated advertisement content in view regardless of any scrolling of the web page.

A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for presenting an animated advertisement on a web page, the computer program product comprising:

• computer readable program code for causing the computer to obtain a web page layer adapted to contain an animated advertisement content having at least one object adapted to run across a web page downloaded to a client computer connected to the web server without obscuring or disabling portions of the web page lying outside a boundary of said objects at any given instant of time,
• computer readable program code for causing the computer to upload said web page layer to the client computer for displaying the animated advertisement content in association with the web page, and
• computer readable program code for causing the computer to upload to the client computer an agent for maintaining the animated advertisement content in view regardless of any scrolling of the web page.

A method for presenting an animated advertisement on a web page, comprising the following steps all carried out by a client computer connected to a web server:

• (a) downloading a web page from the web server,
• (b) superimposing over said web page a web page layer containing the animated advertisement having at least one object adapted to run across the web page without obscuring or disabling portions of the web page lying outside a boundary of said objects at any given instant of time and to remain in view regardless of any scrolling of the web page, and
• (c) applying a trigger signal for starting the animated advertisement.

A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for presenting an animated advertisement on a web page, comprising the following steps all carried out by a client computer connected to a web server:

• (a) downloading a web page from the web server,
• (b) superimposing over said web page a web page layer containing the animated advertisement having at least one object adapted to run across the web page without obscuring or disabling portions of the web page lying outside a boundary of said objects at any given instant of time and to remain in view regardless of any scrolling of the web page, and
• (c) applying a trigger signal for starting the animated advertisement.

A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for presenting an animated advertisement on a web page, the computer program product comprising:

• computer readable program code for causing the computer to download a web page from the web server,
• computer readable program code for causing the computer to superimpose over said web page a web page layer containing the animated advertisement having at least one object adapted to run across the web page without obscuring or disabling portions of the web page lying outside a boundary of said objects at any given instant of time and to remain in view regardless of any scrolling of the web page, and
• computer readable program code for causing the computer to apply a trigger signal for starting the animated advertisement.

A method for presenting an advertisement on a web page, comprising the following steps all carried out by a client computer connected to a web server:

• (a) displaying a brief animated clip relating to a product or service to grab an observer's attention, and
• (b) displaying a link to an advertisement stored in association with an advertisement web server associated with said product or service so as to allow the observer to get further information relating to the product or service.

A method for charging for display of an advertisement displayed at a client machine by an ad server on behalf of an advertiser, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) downloading the advertisement to the client machine,
• (b) receiving from the client machine an indication of an actual display time during which the advertisement is displayed at the client machine, and
• (c) charging the advertiser in accordance with the actual display time.

A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for presenting an advertisement on a web page, comprising the following steps all carried out by a client computer connected to a web server:

• (a) displaying a brief animated clip relating to a product or service to grab an observer's attention, and
• (b) displaying a link to an advertisement stored in association with an advertisement web server associated with said product or service so as to allow the observer to get further information relating to the product or service.

A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for presenting an advertisement on a web page, the computer program product comprising:

• computer readable program code for causing the computer to display a brief animated clip relating to a product or service to grab an observer's attention, and
• computer readable program code for causing the computer to display a link to an advertisement stored in association with an advertisement web server associated with said product or service so as to allow the observer to get further information relating to the product or service.

A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for charging for display of an advertisement displayed at a client machine by an ad server on behalf of an advertiser, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) downloading the advertisement to the client machine,
• (b) receiving from the client machine an indication of an actual display time during which the advertisement is displayed at the client machine, and
• (c) charging the advertiser in accordance with the actual display time.

A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for charging for display of an advertisement displayed at a client machine by an ad server on behalf of an advertiser, said computer program product comprising:

• computer readable program code for causing the computer to download the advertisement to the client machine,
• computer readable program code for causing the computer to receive from the client machine an indication of an actual display time during which the advertisement is displayed at the client machine, and
• computer readable program code for causing the computer to charge the advertiser in accordance with the actual display time.