A method for providing a search result list. The method includes receiving a search request from a searcher (12). In a database of search listings (24) in which each search listing is associated with an advertiser (30) and includes at least one search term and a bid amount by the advertiser, search listings generating a match with the search request are identified. A predetermined number of identified search listings (38) are selected according to bid amount for display to the searcher (16). The identified search listings are arranged for display in a random order as the search result list. The search result list is then communicated to the searcher.

Improved system and method for influencing a position on a search result list generated by a computer network search engine

A method is provided for playing back media from a network. The method includes receiving a search criteria from a network enabled device. The method further includes accessing a database comprising a plurality of network addresses, where the database associates each address with one or more classes of information. The addresses in the database each access a media network resource. The method further includes selecting at least one address in the database using the search criteria, and signaling the selected address to the network enabled device. The method also includes controlling the network enabled device so as to automatically access and play back the media resource of the selected address.

Streaming media search and playback system

An Internet-based consumer service marketing, merchandising and education/information system which enables service-providers, retailers and their respective agents, and consumers to carry out service-related functions along the demand side of the retail chain. A central USN/SM/SN/URL RDBMS stores a central database of USN/SM/SN/URL links, wherein the USN represents a Universal Service Number assigned to a particular service offered by a service-provider, the SM represents a Service Mark used in connection with the particular service, the SD is representative of one or more Universal Resource Locators pointing to information resources on the WWW relating to the particular service. A first subsystem enables a service-provider's marketing, brand and/or service managers to create and manage a local database of USN/SM/SN/URL links related to the consumer services of the service-provider being offered for sale in both physical and/or electronic marketplaces, and periodically transport the local database of USN/SM/SN/URL links to the central USN/SM/SN URL RDBMS by electronic data transport techniques. The local database of USN/SM/SN/URL links is managed with a local USN/SM/SN/URL RDBMS, and selected by the service-provider's marketing, brand and/or service managers so as to create a desired brand image for each consumer service of the service-provider. A second subsystem enables consumers to access one or more USN/SM/SN/URL links in the central USN/SM/SN/URL RDBMS, to request and obtain information about a service-provider's consumer service so as to make informed/educated purchases along the demand side of the retail chain. A third subsystem enables service-providers and their advertising and marketing agents to access one or more USN/SM/SN/URL links in the central USN/SM/SN/URL RDBMS, to display consumer service advertisements to consumers, at or near the point of purchase or sale within both physical and/or electronic retail shopping environments so as to project the desired brand image to consumers. A fourth subsystem enables retailers and their marketing and promotional agents to access one or more USN/SM/SN/URL links in the central USN/SM/SN/URL RDBMS, to promote consumer services to consumers, at or near the point of purchase or sale within both physical and/or electronic retail shopping environments so as to promote the sale of such services.

Internet-based consumer service brand marketing communication system which enables service-providers, retailers, and their respective agents and consumers to carry out service-related functions along the demand side of the retail chain in an integrated manner

A system and method applied to a communications network which transmits document portions in which an original document portion having an identifier portion and an information portion is replaced or swapped with a substitute null document portion. The reads the identifier portion of the original document portion, determines the information portion of the original document portion, and issue a swap order when an undesired original document portion is found. A modified document is created by inserting the substitute null document portion in place of the undesired portion and the modified document is passed on to the user set and displayed. Also, the system performs detection and replacement of undesired content in emails, such as junk mail, viruses and confidential material.

System and method for modifying documents sent over a communications network

A method and system are disclosed for acquiring and transforming existing content (e.g., Hyper Text Markup Language HTML content) for display and execution on multiple platforms and architectures. In one embodiment, capture templates are created to harvest content from disparate content sources on multiple platforms. Data is extracted from the content from the disparate content sources using the created capture templates that drives extracting process. A standardized data stream is generated from the extracted data. The standardized data stream is provided for display on one or more different type of platforms.

Method and system for transforming content for execution on multiple platforms

A web browser control allows application program developers to incorporate web browser functionality into application programs. The web browser control exposes web browsing functionality to application programs through an application program interface. This interface comprises member functions, events and properties. The member functions provide high level services such as Navigate to a URL, go forward or backward in a navigation stack, or refresh the display of an HTML page. The events are notification messages that the control sends to a host application to notify the application about actions that have taken place or are about to take place. The properties provide status information about an instance of a control. A host application can create several instances of the web browser control and communicate with them through the interface on each instance.

Web browser control for incorporating web browser functionality into application programs

A user is provided with an easy-to-use approach to directly manipulating text in a word processing environment or the like. Text may be dragged from one location and dropped in another location to move the text to a new location. More generally, the user is provided with the option of performing a conventional drag and drop operation or an enhanced or non-default drag and drop operation. Separate buttons on a mouse are utilized to differentiate between the two types of drag and drop operations. In the conventional drag and drop operation, default behavior is exhibited when an object is dropped on another object. In the enhanced drag and drop operation, a user is presented a list of options of operations that may be performed when the object is dropped on the other object.

Method and system for the direct manipulation of information, including non-default drag and drop operation

A method and system for automatically running a program stored on a medium upon detection of insertion of the medium into a drive are provided. The operating system periodically polls the drive regarding the status of the drive. After receiving a response from the drive regarding the drive's status, the operating system determines whether the drive's status has changed. If the drive's status has changed, the operating system broadcasts a message indicating the change in the drive's status. When the shell receives a message from the operating system indicating a change in the drive's status, the shell determines whether the change in the drive's status indicates that a medium has been inserted into the drive. If the change in the drive's status indicates that a medium has been inserted into the drive, the shell searches for a predefined file on the medium. The shell then runs a program stored on the medium that is specified in the predefined file. Thus, the running of the program on the medium is performed without any action being required on the part of a user.

Kurt J. Eckhardt

Papers

Web browser control for incorporating web browser functionality into application programs

Method and system for the direct manipulation of information, including non-default drag and drop operation

Method and system for automatically running a program