THE METHOD OF ADVERTISEMENT USING AN ONLINE
CHATTING
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an advertising method using an on-line chatting system, and more particularly, to an advertising method using an on-line chatting system, wherein a conversation window having a chatting-text input box and an advertising window having an advertising-text input box are simultaneously displayed on a web browser window and a cursor can be automatically shifted between the chatting-text input box and the advertising-text input box in accordance with input of the enter key by a user, so that the user can easily input the chatting text and the advertising text, whereby an advertisement suitable to the characteristics of the user can be displayed on the web browser window.
Background of the Invention
Recently, owing to the rapid spread of the internet, a great deal of users can easily use chatting services via the internet. They can have a conversation with other persons living at a remote place by means of characters and images in a virtual space. Due to a rapid increase of internet users, an advertising market using the internet has expanded. Therefore, a web site that provides a conventional chatting service usually carries the advertisement in a manner such as a banner advertisement and so forth is inserted inside or outside the chatting window and is exposed unconsciously and conventionally to the users. However, according to statistics, the banner advertisement is not good in view of its effects of advertisement, contrary to its expectation. Further, since the users should click the banner advertisement and then connect with a relevant site in order to obtain detailed information on the advertised subject, chatting suffers a disconnection and the effects of advertisement are also hindered.
Summary of the Invention
The present invention is contemplated to solve the above problems. The object of the present invention is to provide an advertising method using an on-line chatting system, wherein a user can consciously perceive an advertisement through a process of inputting an advertising text by providing a chatting window simultaneously including a conversation window and an advertising window that have a chatting-text input box and an advertising-text input box, respectively; wherein the user can take an interest in the advertisement by searching its contents corresponding to the characteristics of the user and providing the advertisement's contents suitable to the user; and wherein it can be convenient of the user to input the text by automatically shifting the cursor between the chatting-text input box and the advertising-text input box in accordance with the input of the enter key for inputting the text into the two boxes.
In order to accomplish the above object of the present invention, there . is provided an advertising method using an on-line chatting system including a main server 100 for processing data required for control of respective apparatuses for a web site and operation of the web site and for providing a user with a service thereof, a chatting server 110 for providing the user with the chatting environment and for processing data of characters, images, voice, etc. used for the chatting, a program portion 120 for providing the chatting server with data processing algorithm and for controlling a shift of a cursor and a processing of the chatting server for adapting the data of characters, images, voice, etc. to the user's chatting environment, an advertising database for storing advertising data therein, and a database 130 for storing system information, network environment information, user information, operating information and chatting information required for the operation of the web site, wherein a chatting and an advertisement are simultaneously provided. Further, the advertising method using an on-line chatting system according to the present invention comprises the steps of: performing by a user a login to the web site and connecting with the chatting server
for providing the character/image chatting service; providing by the chatting server the user with a conversation window having a chatting-text input box and an advertising window having an advertising-text input box, searching an advertisement matched with the user information, and then providing the advertising window with the advertisement; when the user inputs a chatting text and presses the enter key, providing conversation windows of all other users participating in the chatting room with a chatting text inputted by the user and shifting the cursor to the advertising-text input box; when the user inputs an advertising text and presses the enter key, searching by the chatting server the advertising texts stored in the advertising database, comparing the searched advertising texts with the advertising text inputted by the user to determine "as to whether they are identical, and providing the user with the next advertisement; when the user inputs an arbitrary advertising text, searching by the chatting server the advertising texts stored in the advertising database and providing the user with a pertinent advertisement; and automatically shifting the cursor again to the chatting-text input box.
In addition, the step of inputting the advertising text by the user may further comprise a step of inputting the advertising text by means of vocal recitation thereof, or comprise a step of selecting one of pop-up advertising texts included in the advertising window or inputting a number of one of the advertising texts in the form of a multiple- choice question. The step of searching the advertisement and providing it to the user by the chatting server may comprise a step of searching an advertisement suitable to the user based on the user information including age, sex, hobby, occupation and field of interest.
The conversation window may be replaced by a game window provided with a game, such as cards, paduk, Korean chess, Korean playing cards, etc., which has a rest (or standby) period of time while playing the game.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is a block diagram of a system according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of use of the chatting and
advertising service according to the present invention.
Figure 3 shows an example of a web browser window according to the present invention.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings.
Figure 1 is a block diagram of a system according to the present invention. A user connects via the internet with a main server 100 which processes data required for control of respective apparatuses for a web site and operation of the web site and provides the user with a homepage of the web site. The main server 100 connects with a chatting server 110 which provides the user with the chatting environment and processes data of characters, images, voice, etc. used for the chatting. It also connects with a program portion 120 for providing the chatting server with data processing algorithm and for controlling a shift of the cursor and the processing for adapting the data of characters, images, voice, etc. to the user's chatting environment (screen, speakers, camera, microphone, etc.). It further connects with an advertising database for storing advertising data provided, along with the chatting, to the user. It finally connects with a database 130 for storing system information, network environment information, user information, operating information and chatting information required for the operation of the web site.
Therefore, when the user inputs an advertising text matched with an advertisement to be provided, the chatting server searches an advertising text stored in the advertising database, while comparing it with the inputted advertising text for determining as to whether their texts are identical. It then provides the next advertisement. Otherwise, when the user inputs an advertising text in order to obtain information on an advertisement as a text, the chatting server compares the advertising text stored in the advertising database with the inputted advertising text. If an advertisement identical with the inputted advertising text is found, the chatting server provides the user with a pertinent advertisement. Further, as for the same
advertisement text stored in the database, an advertiser can change the contents of the advertisement. In such a case, the contents of the advertisement may be differently classified based on information on the user including age, sex, hobby, occupation, field of interest, etc., and accordingly, the chatting server checks the information on the user and provides the advertisement corresponding to the information when providing the advertisement.
In addition, when the user inputs an advertising text with the voice of the user, the main server converts the voice data into a digital character data that, in turn, goes through the same procedures as the search of the advertising text as described above. Figure 2 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of use of the chatting and advertisement service according to the present invention.
When the user performs a login to a web site via the internet and connects with the main server (step 200), the main server transmits the homepage of the web site to the user to be displayed on a screen (step 201). Then, when the user selects a chatting menu in the homepage (step 202), the main server connects the user with the chatting server that, in turn, provides the user with information on a currently opened chatting room, a chatting room which the user can enter, and identification numbers (IDs) and current state of other users connected with the chatting server (step 203).
When the user selects a chatting room which the user wants to enter (step 204), the chatting server provides the user with a pertinent chatting window (see Figure 3) which includes a conversation window for showing chatting texts inputted by users and an advertising window for displaying an advertisement (step 205).
At this time, the advertising window is provided with a pertinent advertisement matched with the information of the user. When the user participates in the chatting, inputs a chatting text into the chatting-text input box, and presses the enter key on a keyboard (step 206), the chatting server transmits the text inputted by the user to conversation windows in all other users, who occupy the chatting room, and automatically shifts the cursor to an advertising-text input box (step 207). Then, when the user inputs an advertising text into the advertising-text input box and presses the enter key on the keyboard (step 208), the chatting server compares
the advertising data stored in the advertising database with the inputted advertising text via the program portion. This determines whether they are identical, causes the next advertisement to be displayed on the advertising window (step 209), and shifts the cursor to the chatting-text input box (step 210). At this time, as for the advertisement displayed at step 209, the advertisement corresponding to the inputted advertising text does not always have the same contents. Based on information on the user, i.e., age, sex, hobby, occupation, field of interest, etc., inputted by the user upon subscribing to the web site as a member (not shown), the contents of the advertisement matched with the information are searched, extracted and displayed. Therefore, even though users input an identical advertising text, the displayed contents of an advertisement vary with the characteristics of the users.
On the other hand, if the user presses the enter key on the keyboard without inputting any text into the advertising-text input box in step 208, the cursor is shifted to the chatting-text input box without any change in the advertising window. Thus, by repeating steps 206 to 210, the user can simultaneously chat and view the advertisement and shift the position of the cursor by pressing the enter key on the keyboard. Further, if the user inputs any advertising text in step 208, the chatting server may search the advertising database and cause an advertisement and information suitable to the user to be displayed, through the program portion. Figure 3 shows an example of a web browser window according to the present invention.
The chatting window (3; 3') on the web browser as illustrated in Figure 2 can be constructed as follows: the chatting window on the web browser comprises a conventional menu bar at an upper end thereof; a conversation window on the center thereof; a chatting information box for displaying information on a chatting room name, chatting participants and their IDs, etc.; and an advertisement window. A chatting-text input box 30, and an advertising-text input box 31 and an advertising-text selecting box 33 are provided below the conversation and advertising windows, respectively.
Here, the chatting window 3 is shown under the condition that the cursor 32 is positioned in the chatting-text input box 30 so that the user can input a chatting text therein. The chatting window 3' is shown under the condition that the cursor 32 is
positioned in the advertising-text input box 31 , so that the user can input an advertising text therein. The cursor can be shifted by pressing the enter key on the keyboard, as described above, or by clicking a mouse in accordance with the selection by the user.
The present invention is not limited to the above. In the conversation window, a chatting text as well as a user's image in case of video chatting may be inserted. Through the advertising window, the chatting server may provide the user with a pop-up advertisement selecting box 33 or a multiple-choice question for previously registered advertising texts, and thus, the user can easily select an advertising text by utilizing a mouse or inputting a number. Furthermore, when any one of chatting participants inputs a chatting text, the chatting server causes the inputted text to be displayed on the chatting screens of all other chatting participants. Likewise, the method of the invention may further include the step in which, when any one of the chatting participants inputs an advertising text, the chatting server causes an advertisement searched through the program portion to be displayed simultaneously on advertising windows of the participant, who inputs the advertising text, as well as all other participants. In the case where a voice recognition program or apparatus is added to the chatting server, when the user selects an advertisement by using his or her voice during the chatting, the chatting server converts the user's voice into a digital character data or analyzes various components of the voice and compares them with voice components stored in the advertising database, through the voice recognition program or apparatus. Thus, this causes an advertisement corresponding thereto to be searched and displayed.
In addition, in a further embodiment of the present invention, the conversation window may be replaced by a game window provided with a game, such as cards, paduk, Korean chess, Korean playing cards, conventional games, etc., which has a rest (or standby) period of time while playing the game. Thus, the user can see information on an advertisement while playing the game.
Industrial Applicability
According to the present invention as described above, by providing the
chatting window simultaneously including the conversation and advertising windows, and by constructing the chatting-text input box and the advertising-text input box similar thereto, the user can consciously perceive an advertisement. In particular, by automatically shifting the cursor between the input boxes, the inconveniences of shifting the cursor using a mouse can be eliminated. The user can be provided with an advertisement which has contents suitable to the characteristics of the user, so that the user can take an interest in the advertisement, resulting in high advertising effects.
Further, by adding the voice recognition program or apparatus to the chatting server, the user can input an advertising text with his or her voice so that the user may easily access the advertisement.