Abstract: In the communication network for distributing messages such as advertisements to terminal users, an information providing system provides the suitable information to each user. The system includes a terminal connected to a communications network, a user database for storing the characteristics of each user, a message database for storing messages, and a transmittal condition database for storing the user characteristics of the class of suitable recipients for each message. A message searcher searches for messages from the transmittal condition database based on the characteristics read out from the user database. A reader reads the retrieved messages from the message database and a transmitter transmits the messages to the terminal. An adder increases the value of a parameter associated with each user when the transmitted message is displayed on the terminal. A detector detects whether the user is active, and a stop means prevents the value of the parameter from being increased when the user is inactive.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for monitoring the on-line activities of an on-line user are disclosed. Information regarding the user's activities are used as a basis for targeting advertisements to the user. Monitoring is performed by a client monitoring application, which performs monitoring without intruding on the user's activities. In monitoring, URLs in the address bar of the browser application are obtained by the client monitoring application, or the stream of URLs transmitted by the browser application are obtained by the client monitoring application, or information in displayed web pages is obtained by the client monitoring application.

Abstract: In the communication network for distributing messages such as advertisements to terminal users, an information providing system provides the suitable information to each user. The system includes a terminal connected to a communications network, a user database for storing the characteristics of each user, a message database for storing messages, and a transmittal condition database for storing the user characteristics of the class of suitable recipients for each message. A message searcher searches for messages from the transmittal condition database based on the characteristics read out from the user database. A reader reads the retrieved messages from the message database and a transmitter transmits the messages to the terminal. An adder increases the value of a parameter associated with each user when the transmitted message is displayed on the terminal. A detector detects whether the user is active, and a stop means prevents the value of the parameter from being increased when the user is inactive.

Abstract: An information provider and a searcher provide messages appropriate to a particular user of a terminal regardless of the sites of the World Wide Web the user accesses. The information provider establishes a physical communication line to the terminal. A first logical link is established on the physical communication line for forwarding a first image from the World Wide Web to the terminal. User identification is received from the terminal, and forwarded to a searcher storing user information and the transmittal conditions of a second message, through a second communication line. An second image appropriate for the particular user is searched for by a searcher from a message database based on the user information and the transmittal conditions, and transmitted to the terminal through a second logical link also established on the first communication line.