WO2003096243A1

WO2003096243A1 - A method for displaying a message on a computer-screensaver

Info

Publication number: WO2003096243A1
Application number: PCT/IS2003/000019
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sindri Bergmann; Hoskuldur Harri Gylfason; Sverrir Bjornsson
Original assignee: Hvita Husid Ehf.
Priority date: 2002-05-14
Filing date: 2003-05-14
Publication date: 2003-11-20
Also published as: AU2003223114A1

Abstract

A method and a system is described for displaying a message on a computer screen after a predetermined period of inactivity when the screensaver is running. A message to be displayed on the computer screen is selected and stored in a database. Based on a command from the computer-screensaver the message is retrieved from the database, and subsequently displayed on the computer screen when the screensaver is running.

Description

A method for displaying a message on a computer-screensaver

This application claims priority from Icelandic application No. 6384 and US provisional application No. 60/379,766.

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a method for displaying message, which can be a graphic message, a text message or a combination of both on a computer screensaver.

Background

It is well known that most computers are provided with a screensaver function, which usually activates after a predetermined time period of inactivity of the computer and has the function of preventing a burn of the computer screen. The screensaver can be in the form of generating an image or a text message on the computer monitor, which is moved about the computer screen when the screensaver is running.

In the past few years, some development has taken place in the forms of integrating different features into the screensavers. One example of such features is described in US 6,288,751, where a screensaver method and apparatus provides a communication system for a computer, which includes a connection to a local network and allows a visitor to leave an electronic message. A screensaver program is installed on the computer, which displays a graphic for a dialogue box, which is displayed on a computer screen after a predetermined period of inactivity for the computer. A connection may be provided between the screensaver program and the data network. E-mail functionality is incorporated into the program, and through use of this e-mail messages with the destination address the message may be transmitted by the screensaver program over the network.

Another method exists where a flash file is converted in a screensaver. As an example, a digital photo may be converted into a screensaver such that the photo is provided with a feature of moving it periodically for preventing the monitor from burning.

In another method the screensaver is updated regularly, such as every day or every five hours and controlled through a computer program, wherein the computer program checks at a predetermined time interval whether the screensaver has been updated or not. If the screensaver has been updated the computer program downloads the niew screensaver and plays is on the computer screensaver. In this method, the computer program must run constantly and check every time intervals weather the screensaver has been updated or not. If as an example, the computer program checks every 5 hours for a new screensaver, and in-between this time interval the screensaver is updated, it will not be updated on the screensaver until after 2.5 hours. This method is therefore not suited for utilizing the computer screensaver as an information agent. A further problem with this method is that the screensaver does not utilize moving features of the screensaver. It is therefore difficult to use a text message.

The main problem with the above mentioned methods is that they do not utilizes database connected screensavers, where the screensavers control the update of the screensaver. Further an administration system, where the message to be displayed on the computer screen does not exist.

Description of the invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus to transmit a message to a plurality of screensaver from a database, where the screensaver controls the update of the screensaver. Accordingly, every time the screensaver pumps up it checks weather the screensaver message has been updated or not. This has the advantage that the screensaver can be used as an information agent. A further advantage is that it can be used for reflecting the brand of the company by updating messages with a logo of the company as well as message. According to the first aspect, the present invention relates to a method for displaying a message on a computer screen after a predetermined period of inactivity when the screensaver is running, said method comprising:

- selecting a message to be displayed on the computer screen,

- storing the message in a database,

- retrieving the message from the database through a communication channel based on a command from the computer-screensaver, and

- displaying the message on the computer screen when the screensaver is running.

The message, which uses preferably an http protocol, can be a text message, a graphic message stored as a graphic file or a combination of both a text and a graphic message. Preferably, the graphic message is a graphic file such as a Shockwave file (SWF). Clearly, the computer-screensaver is a part of a computer system, which in a preferred embodiment is one of a plurality of computers, connected to a local computer network with a connection to a communication channel such as the Internet.

Displaying the message on the computer screen is controlled through a screen- saver computer program that runs a screen-saver file after a predetermined period of inactivity. Also, the screensaver may be provided with a function for updating the messages regularly, while the screensaver is running. This could be after a predetermined time interval, such as after 5 minutes. A number of messages may therefore, be displayed on the screensaver. This screen-saver file comprises a flash file that retrieves said message from said database. The information in the flash file comprises as example information related to where the message is stored and the type of message. The message may be as mentioned earlier a pure text message, a graphic message or a sum of at least one graphic message and at least one text message so that through overlapping said messages a complete message is formed. The message is adapted to move about the display screen at predetermined intervals. This is to prevent the screen from burning.

Example. A plurality of computers with computer monitors are connected locally within the same computer network, which can be the same company. Each of these computers is provided with a screen-saver file with a flash file that includes information related to where the message is stored and the type of message. The message can be "HOLIDAY IN TWO WEEKS". Each time the screensaver runs, it checks through the flash file, that retrieves the message from the database where the message is stored and displays it on the screen where the screensaver is running.

Example. A plurality of computers in a computer stores are often running a screensaver. These screensavers could easily be updated regularly, such as by displaying the special offers that the store is offering by utilizing the screensaver function that updated regularly the screensaver message.

According to the second aspect, the present invention relates to a method for displaying a message on a computer screen after a predetermined period of inactivity, said method comprising:

- selecting a message to be displayed on a computer-screensaver,

- storing the message in a database, - providing a first communication channel between the computer- screensaver and a web page,

- providing a second communication channel between the web page and the database, thereby enabling the web page to access the message,

- requesting the web page for the message based on a command from the computer-screensaver, wherein subsequently the web page retrieves the message from the database through said second communication channel, and transmits the message to the computer through said first communication channel, and

- displaying the message on the computer screen on the computer- screensaver.

The types of messages, the connection between a plurality of the computer- screensavers, the types of communication channels, as well as other features described under the first aspect are similar to the second aspect.

According to the third aspect, the present invention relates to a screen-saver system for displaying a message on a computer screen after a predetermined period of inactivity, said system comprising:

- means for selecting the message to be displayed on the computer screen,

- a first storage means for storing said message,

- a processing means and second storage means, having stored therein a screen-saver computer program adapted to retrieve the message from the first storage means and display the message on the computer screen.

In a preferred embodiment the message after retrieveing it from the first storage means it is stored in the second storage means temporally during displaying the message. The computer program may be adapted to request said web page for the message and to receive the message from the web page and display the . message on the computer-screensaver.

According to the fourth aspect, the present invention relates to a screen-saver system for displaying a message on a computer screen after a predetermined period of inactivity, said system comprising:

- means for selecting the message to be displayed on the computer screen,

- a first storage means for storing said message,

- a first communication channel between the computer-screensaver and a web page,

- a second communication channel between the web page and the database, thereby enabling the web page to access the message,

- a processing means and storage means, having stored therein a screen-saver computer program, the processing means being adapted to, in response to commands from said computer program to request the web page for the message, wherein subsequently the web page retrieves the message from the database through said second communication channel, and transmits the message to the computer through said first communication channel, and display the message on the computer screen.

Detailed description In the following the present invention, and in particular preferred embodiments thereof, will be described in greater details in connection with the accompanying drawings in Which,

Figure 1 shows a flow chart describes in detail the operation of a one embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 2 shows a flow chart describes in detail the operation of another embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 3 shows a flow chart that describes the screensaver operation,

Figure 4 shows a flow chart describes in more detailed way the operation of a one embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 5 shows an example of a dialogue screen showing the text and the image to be displayed on the screensaver,

Figure 6 shows an example of a dialogue screen where the text message is selected,

Figure 7 shows an example of a dialogue screen where the image is selected,

Figure 8 shows a computer screen with the selected image,

Figure 9 shows a dialogue screen where the image and the text message is selected from a database, and Figure 10 shows an example of message displayed on a screensaver.

. Figure 1 shows a flow chart describes in detail the operation of a one embodiment of the present invention, from selecting the message to be displayed, until it is displayed on the screensaver 9. The message can be a text message 2, a graphics message 3 and the effect 4 of the message. The graphics can be the logo of the company or represent the brand of the company, which can be a background colour as an example. The effect may comprise as an example a special motion of the message. Also, the message can be a combination of a text, graphics and effects, or solely a text or graphics. Further, the message may be comprise a plurality of graphics and/or text, combined in a stacked way. One example is a background colour that is added to a logo, therefore defining a brand of a company with the appropriate colours and the logo. This can be added_. with a one or more text message, so that the total message is a message with a multiple graphics combined in a stacked way with a text message.

The selected message is stored in a database 5, which may be an external database, or an internal database such as the local network. On the other site, the screensaver 8 starts to run, which looks for the message in the database. A more detailed description of this procedure is given in Fig. 3. Accordingly, the message is retrieved 7 through a communication channel 6, which can be the Internet or the Intranet. The retrieved message is finally displayed on the computer screensaver 9. The essential part of the present invention is that the screensaver 8 controls retrieving the message from the database. When the screensaver is not running, no message is retrieved.

Figure 2 shows a flow chart describes in detail the operation of another embodiment of the present invention, which is however similar to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. Also here the message 1 is selected by choosing the text to be displayed 2, the graphics 3 and the effects 4, similar as described before, where these three different types can be combined differently. The message is stored in a database 5. This database is connected over a first communication channel 10 to a web page 11 , wherein the web page is connected to the screensaver system over a second communication channel 12. In this embodiment, the web page communicates between the screensaver system (7, 8, 9) and the database. The first and the second communication channels are as an example the Internet. When the screensaver runs, a system file (SCR file) is opened and in continuation from that a flash file (EXE file) that is automatically opened. This flash file downloads a flash file of the web page, which is provided with an address of the message in the database 5. This is described in more detailed way in Fig. 3 that shows a flow chart that describes the screensaver operation. After a predetermined time of inactivity, the screensaver is activated, and therefore automatically a system file (SCR file) 14. This system file is provided with a flash file 17 that is activated. The flash file is provided with the address of the message 15 and the type of the message 16. The address may however be the address to the web page as shown in Fig. 2 or the direct address to the message in the database as shown in Fig. 1. Considering the embodiment in Fig. 1 , the flash file makes an attempt to connect to the database 18. If there is no connection 19, an error message is displayed and the connection retried in some time, such as 5 minutes 21. If on the other hand there connection to the database 22, the message is retrieved from the database 23, and the flash file is displayed including the message on the computer screen 24.

Figure 4 shows a flow chart describes in more detailed way the operation of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. An administration system 1 administrates the screensaver, such as through a IE 4+ browser. Here the message to be selected is defined. In the text message 2, the text may be stored in the administration system in a database, so that a text message may be selected from the database. The text may also be added or changed easily. Similarly the images (graphics) 3 may be stored in a database in the administration system, and can be selected, deleted or added to the image database. Finally, the administration system is provided with effects defining how the message should be displayed. Accordingly, the message consists of one or more messages (one or more text and graphics), which are assembled in a stacked way. After selecting the message to be displayed, it is stored in a database 5, if the connection is directly to the database. This database may be SQL/Oracle. If fewer than 20 computers are using the screensaver it is possible to use Microsoft Access or similar database. For optimal results a high end database is preferred. A web page 11 is connected to the database 5 preferably by using VBScript with Active Server Pages (asp). This web page connects using an ODBC provided by Internet Information service (IIS) connections to the database, and retrieves texts, and information on where graphics and elements for the screensaver are kept. The connection between the screensaver 8 and the web page 11 , may be done using a flash projector inside the screensaver, that connects using http protocol, to the web page. On the web page, it gets three types of variables:

1) How may text and pictures to display.

2) What text and what image to display.

3) Where the picture or effects are located.

Using these variables, the screensaver is able to complete installation. If this connection fails the screensaver informs the user that the connection to the database was not successful and tries again to connect to the database.

A flash file is converted to the screensaver 8, such as through a 3^rd party program, which may be Flash Jester, ScreenTime. It is also possible to convert the flash to a screensaver manually. The message displayed on the screensaver is a sum of on or more messages, as described earlier.

Selecting the message to be displayed as described under the administration system 1 in Fig. 4, are described in Figs. 5-9. Figure 5 shows an example of a dialogue screen showing the text for the screensaver 27, 28, and the image to be displayed on the screensaver 29, wherein the text and the images are stored in a storage means in the administration system 1. One or more messages can be selected simultaneously such that they are displayed in a predefined order, over some time period. As an example, message nr. 1 is played for 10 seconds, the next message (that has not been selected) for 10 seconds etc. Also, only one message may be selected, and the other messages can be inactivated. Further, additional messages may be added to the database in the administration system, they may be deleted or changed 28,- simply by clicking on "change" 28. In the dialogue screen is an image 29 that has been selected. This image can be changed.

Figure 6 shows an example of a dialogue screen 28, where the "Change" function has been selected from the administration database in Fig. 5. This may also be when a new text message is to be selected. This message may be stored in the administration system database, wherein the size of the message may be selected 30 as well as the Fonts.

Figure 7 shows an example of a dialogue screen where the "Change" function for the image in Fig. 5 is selected. By selecting an image through clicking on the selected image 31 and selecting "Add Image" 32 and subsequently "Insert" 33 the image, a new image to be displayed on the computer screensaver has been selected. The "Effect" is how the image is to be displayed on the computer screensaver. In the example shown in Fig. 7, a snow effect has been selected.

Figure 8 shows a computer screen with the selected image. This image can be deleted 36 or changed 35.

Figure 9 shows a preferred embodiment of a dialogue screen, where the image is selected from a database. Accordingly, the image in the "Insert image" is a Shockwave file 37. Here, new images may be added to the image database in the administration system.

Figure 10 shows an example of message displayed on a screensaver, after selecting the text message and the image message.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a message on a computer screen after a predetermined period of inactivity when the screensaver is running, said method comprising:

- selecting a message to be displayed on the computer screen,

- storing the message in a database,

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the message is a text message.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the message is a graphic message stored as a graphic file.

4. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the graphic file is a Shockwave file (SWF).

5. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the message is.a combination of a text and a graphic message.

6. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said computer- screensaver is one of plurality of computer-screensavers connected to a mutual communication channel.

7. A method according to any of the preceding claim, wherein the communication channel is wireless.

8. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the communication channel is the Internet.

9. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein displaying the message on the computer screen is based on that a screen-saver computer program runs a screen-saver file after a predetermined period of inactivity.

10. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the screen-saver file comprises a flash file that retrieves said message from said database.

11. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the flash file comprises information related to where the message is stored and the type of message.

12. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the message is a sum of at least one graphic message and at least one text message so that through overlapping said messages a complete message is formed.

13. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the message is adapted to move about the display screen at predetermined intervals.

14. A method for displaying a message on a computer screen after a predetermined period of inactivity, said method comprising:

- selecting a message to be displayed on a computer-screensaver,

- displaying the message on the computer screen on the computer- screensaver.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the message is a text message.

16. A method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the message is a graphic message stored as a graphic file.

17. A method according to any of the claims 14-16, wherein the graphic file is a Shockwave file (SWF).

18. A method according to any of the claims 14-17, wherein the message is a combination of a text and a graphic message.

19. A method according to any of the claims 14-18, wherein said computer- screensaver is one of plurality of computer-screensavers connected to a communication channel.

20. A method according to any of the claims 14-19, wherein the communication channel is wireless.

21. A method according to any of the claims 14-20, wherein the wireless communication channel is the Internet.

22. A method according to any of the claims 14-21 , wherein displaying the message on the computer screen is based on that a screen-saver computer program runs a screen-saver file after a predetermined period of inactivity.

23. A method according to any of the claims 14-22, wherein the screen-saver file comprises a flash file that retrieves said message from said database.

24. A method according to any of the claims 14-23, wherein the flash file comprises information related to where the message is stored and the type of message.

25. A method according to any of the claims 14-24, wherein the message is a sum of at least one graphic message and at least one text message so that through overlapping said messages a complete message is formed.

26. A method according to any of the claims 14-25, wherein the message is adapted to move about the display screen at predetermined intervals.

27. A screen-saver system for displaying a message on a computer screen after a predetermined period of inactivity, said system comprising:

- means for selecting the message to be displayed on the computer screen,

a first storage means for storing said message, - a processing means and second storage means, having stored therein a screen-saver computer program adapted to retrieve the message from the first storage means and display the message on the computer screen.

28. A screen-saver system according claim 27, wherein after retrieveing said message from the first storage means it is stored in the second storage means temporally during displaying the message.

29. A screen-saver system according to any of the claims 27-28, wherein the computer-screensaver uses a http protocol.

30. A screen-saver system according to any of the claims 27-29, wherein said computer program is a screensaver computer program adapted to request said web page for the message and to receive the message from the web page and display the message on the computer-screensaver.

31. A screen-saver system for displaying a message on a computer screen after a predetermined period of inactivity, said system comprising:

- means for selecting the message to be displayed on the computer screen,

- a first storage means for storing said message,

- a second communication channel between the web page and the database, thereby enabling the web page to access the message, a processing means and storage means, having stored therein a screensaver computer program, the processing means being adapted to, in response to commands from said computer program to request the web page for the message, wherein subsequently the web page retrieves the message from the database through said second communication channel, and transmits the message to the computer through said first communication channel, and display the message on the computer screen.