Patents by Inventor Colin Giffen

Colin Giffen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Sponsorship/advertising for an internet client
    Patent number: 7844491
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a client application for enabling access to an online service and displaying advertisements while the user is accessing the online service. The client application receives play lists from the online service provider. The play lists include information about advertisements to be played and the order of play. The client application also receives match lists from the online service provider. The match lists include information about advertisements to be played when the user performs certain actions. The client application also displays a wide variety of sponsorship information in connection with the online service. The sponsorship information is displayed in hypertext format. The client application provides the user with information related to a sponsor when the user clicks on hypertext associated with the sponsor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: NetZero, Inc.
    Inventors: Stacy Haitsuka, Ronald Burr, Harold MacKenzie, Marwan Zebian, Terry Warren, Shane Blaser, Colin Giffen, Mark Goldston
  • Internet service error tracking
    Patent number: 7240110
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a client application for enabling access to an online service and displaying advertisements while the user is accessing the online service. The client application receives play lists from the online service provider. The play lists include information about advertisements to be played and the order of play. In conjunction with the client application displaying advertisements, the client application and an online service provider server also track and record the occurrence of hardware and software errors and malfunctions that occur in relation to the provision of the online service. The types of errors may include errors in a communication channel from a local device to an online service provider server, data access errors, and any other errors that may occur in the operation of software and hardware, such as software crashes and the incorrect display of advertisements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: NetZero, Inc.
    Inventors: Stacy Haitsuka, Ronald Burr, Harold MacKenzie, Marwan Zebian, Terry Warren, W. Shane Blaser, Colin Giffen
  • Internet service error tracking
    Publication number: 20050021744
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a client application for enabling access to an online service and displaying advertisements while the user is accessing the online service. The client application receives play lists from the online service provider. The play lists include information about advertisements to be played and the order of play. In conjunction with the client application displaying advertisements, the client application and an online service provider server also track and record the occurrence of hardware and software errors and malfunctions that occur in relation to the provision of the online service. The types of errors may include errors in a communication channel from a local device to an online service provider server, data access errors, and any other errors that may occur in the operation of software and hardware, such as software crashes and the incorrect display of advertisements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Publication date: January 27, 2005
    Inventors: Stacy Haitsuka, Ronald Burr, Harold MacKenzie, Marwan Zebian, Terry Warren, W. Blaser, Colin Giffen
  • Data pass-through to sponsors
    Patent number: 6847992
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a client application for enabling access to an online service and displaying advertisements while the user is accessing the online service. The client application receives play lists from the online service provider. The play lists include information about advertisements to be played and the order of play. The client application displays advertisements continuously within a dedicated client window while the user is connected to and/or using the online service. The client application preferably records informational data related to the user. When the user clicks-on an advertisement, the client application and an online server forward the user's informational data to the advertisement's sponsor. The sponsor uses the information to provide the user with customized information related to the advertisement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: NetZero, Inc.
    Inventors: Stacy Haitsuka, Ronald Burr, Harold MacKenzie, Marwan Zebian, Terry Warren, Shane Blaser, Colin Giffen
  • Internet service error tracking
    Patent number: 6766369
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a client application for enabling access to an online service and displaying advertisements while the user is accessing the online service. The client application receives play lists from the online service provider. The play lists include information about advertisements to be played and the order of play. In conjunction with the client application displaying advertisements, the client application and an online service provider server also track and record the occurrence of hardware and software errors and malfunctions that occur in relation to the provision of the online service. The types of errors may include errors in a communication channel from a local device to an online service provider server, data access errors, and any other errors that may occur in the operation of software and hardware, such as software crashes and the incorrect display of advertisements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Net Zero, Inc.
    Inventors: Stacy Haitsuka, Ronald Burr, Harold MacKenzie, Marwan Zebian, Terry Warren, W. Shane Blaser, Colin Giffen