Abstract: An external module mountable to a user device such as a computer monitor displays the status of received messages from a number of message receiving systems without requiring integration of the message receiving systems. Three or more indicators are provided in a substantially continuous strip and a state of the indicators indicates a status of incoming messages received corresponding to each of the message receiving systems. An interface software module may be used to check the creation of new files in directories for incoming messages used by each of the message receiving means to obtain the data concerning receipt of incoming messages. A dongle may be used to connect the display to a computer without taking up an output port.

Abstract: An electronic system that provides multimedia product presentations in real-time, by combining locally-stored data and data received from a remote server. Large volumes of data, representing product information such as motion images and sound, are stored locally on the system's data storing unit for fast data access. Small volumes of product time-variable data are received over a network from a remote server, which also has a transaction management function. The purchasing system combines the local and received data in order to provide both real-time and up-to-date product information to customers. Two versions of the purchasing system are provided. The first one is a multimedia public purchasing kiosk for use in malls and shopping centers. The second one is a PC-based purchasing system, equipped with multimedia capabilities.