초록 ▼

A plug-in is one of 1) installed or 2) caused to be installed in the browser of a web surfer. The plug-in is configured to allow information to be dynamically 1) added to, 2) modified in, and 3) any combination of the two, the area of the browser containing a user-selectable button by the action of

A plug-in is one of 1) installed or 2) caused to be installed in the browser of a web surfer. The plug-in is configured to allow information to be dynamically 1) added to, 2) modified in, and 3) any combination of the two, the area of the browser containing a user-selectable button by the action of the plug-in. The user-selectable button is displayed in the area of the webpage. The button can include graphic information and a text label. The button is configured to 1) direct the browser to at least one web site corresponding to the text label, 2) direct the browser to content related links to the content that is on the website being browsed, and 3) any combination of both. A third party server site may dynamically control what graphic information, text label, or both is being displayed for that user-selectable button.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method in a client-server environment for presenting graphic and other information on an area of a webpage accessible by a browser application resident on a client device, comprising: providing a plug-in for installation in the browser application, where the plug-in is one of 1) installed or 2)

1. A method in a client-server environment for presenting graphic and other information on an area of a webpage accessible by a browser application resident on a client device, comprising: providing a plug-in for installation in the browser application, where the plug-in is one of 1) installed or 2) caused to be installed in the browser of a web surfer, and the plug-in is configured to allow information to be dynamically 1) added to, 2) modified in, and 3) any combination of the two, the area of the browser containing a user-selectable button by the action of the plug-in;displaying the user-selectable button in the area of the webpage;wherein the user-selectable button includes at least one of graphic information and a text label, where the user-selectable button is configured to any of 1) direct the web browser to at least one web site corresponding to the text label, 2) direct the web browser to content related links to a content that is on the website being browsed, and 3) any combination of both, where a third party server site is configured dynamically controls what graphic information, text label, or both is being displayed for that user-selectable button, where the third party server site is configured to dynamically control where the user selectable button directs the web browser when the graphic information or text is modified and is directed to at a first period of time to a first website, and at a second period of time the user selectable button directs the web browser to a second website, where the content in a first set of graphic information, text label, or both that is being displayed within the area of that user-selectable button at the first time is different than the content in a second set of graphic information, text label, or both that is being displayed within the area of that user-selectable button at the second time. 2. The method of claim 1, where the user-selectable button is related to a specific product displayed within the web page being browsed, and is configured when the user-selectable button is clicked, then a display occurs of comparative shopping information related to such specific product. 3. The method of claim 1, where the graphic information or the text label is dynamically changed based on information associated with 1) the user, 2) when the browser navigates from one website to another website, and 3) any combination of the two, where a first graphic information, text label and any combination of both, is displayed for the user-selectable button when a first web site is being accessed and a second graphic information, text label and any combination of both, is displayed for the user-selectable button when a second web site is being accessed and the first graphic information, text label and any combination of both is different than the second graphic information, text label and any combination of both. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic controls of the graphic information and the text label occurs by updating an appearance of the button based on the web site being accessed by the web browser. 5. The method of claim 1, further including: executing programming instructions from the plug-in to generate a virtual toolbar for the web browser, independent of a native toolbar of the web browser program, for display within the web browser program on a display screen of the client computing device, where the virtual toolbar includes at least one virtual button, including the user-selectable button, for selecting additional content or services available by a service website, and at least a portion of the content or services being downloadable from a remote server responsive to a selection of the at least one virtual button, and the at least one virtual button being associated with a category of available content, where a plurality of selectable categories can be selected from. 6. A computer-implemented method for presenting graphic and other information in a toolbar area of a browser, the method comprising: displaying at least one user-selectable button in the toolbar area of the browser,wherein the user-selectable button includes graphic information, a text label, or both;receiving user input selecting the user-selectable button;directing the browser to at least one web site related to the graphic information or the text label of the user-selectable button; andchanging the graphic information or the text label dynamically based on information associated with 1) related links to a content on the website that is being browsed by a user of a client device running the browser, 2) user's browsing activity of navigating from one website to another website, and 3) any combination of the two, and where the changed graphic information or changed text label are provided to the browser of the web surfer by a service web site, where the service web site is configured to dynamically control what graphic information, text label, or both is being displayed for that user-selectable button, where the service web site is configured to dynamically control where the user selectable button directs the web browser when the graphic information or text is modified and is directed to at a first period of time to a first website, and at a second period of time the user selectable button directs the web browser to a second website, where the content in a first set of graphic information, text label, or both that is being displayed within the area of that user-selectable button at the first time is different than the content in a second set of graphic information, text label, or both that is being displayed within the area of that user-selectable button at the second time. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the graphic information includes an image, and where the browser has its standard toolbar and is modified in appearance and function through an addition of the user-selectable button and where the service web site is a system that includes one or more web sites other than a service site where the plug-in is downloaded from, and the other web sites are equipped and configured to provide the changing graphic information, text label, or both dynamically to the browser of the web surfer. 8. The method of claim 6, wherein the graphic information includes an icon, and the changing of the graphic information or the text label is dynamically changed based on the information associated with the content on the website that is being browsed by the user. 9. The method of claim 6, wherein the changing of the graphic information or the text label is dynamically changed based on the information associated with the user's browsing activity, and wherein the user-selectable button is configured to when clicked on or depressed to cause a pop-up menu of selected website links to appear. 10. The method of claim 6, wherein the changing of the graphic information or the text label is dynamically changed based on the information associated with the content on the website that is being browsed by the user, and where the browser is a program running on the computing device that permits the computing device to connect to the Internet through 1) a modem or 2) a Wi-Fi network. 11. The method of claim 6, further comprising: changing at least one web site to which the user-selectable button directs the user when the graphic information or text label is updated. 12. The method of claim 6, further comprising: displaying, upon selection of the user-selectable button by the user, a list that includes links to each of the related web sites to which the user-selectable button directs the browser. 13. A system that includes a service website and an executable program component installed or plugged in on a client device, comprising: the service website has a processor configured to perform the step of executing machine-readable programming code, commands, and processing instructions, where the service website further includes one or more input/output devices used for communicating instructions and commands over a network to the client device through a network routing device, and one or more modules to cooperate with the executable program component installed or plugged in on the client device;where the service website is configured to perform the step of employing the processor, the input/output devices, and the network routing device to cooperate with the client device having a resident browser,where the service website is configured to perform the step of employing the processor, the input/output devices, and the network routing device to cooperate with the client device to provide graphic information, a text label, or both in the browser, where the service website is connected to the network;where the service website is configured to perform the step of employing the processor, the input/output devices, and the network routing device to cooperate with the client device to modify the graphic information or text label based on information associated with 1) related links to a content on the website that is being browsed by a user of the client device running the browser, 2) a user's browsing activity of navigating from one website to another website, and any combination of the two;where the service website is configured to perform the step of employing the input/output devices and the network routing device to cooperate with the client device to engage in a two way communication through the network routing device with the executable program component installed or plugged in on the client device, where a user selectable button is provided by the executable program component and the client device is configured to display the user-selectable button in association with the graphic information or text label, wherein the user-selectable button is configured for directing the browser to at least one website related to the graphic information or text label, and wherein the user-selectable button is provided via the executable program component installed or plugged in to cooperate with the browser; andwhere the service web site is configured to perform the step of employing the processor, the input/output devices, and the network routing device to cooperate with the client device to dynamically control what graphic information, text label, or both is being displayed for that user-selectable button, where the service web site dynamically controls where the user selectable button directs the web browser when the graphic information or text is modified and is directed to at a first period of time to a first website, and at a second period of time the user selectable button directs the web browser to a second website, where the content in a first set of graphic information, text label, or both that is being displayed within the area of that user-selectable button at the first time is different than the content in a second set of graphic information, text label, or both that is being displayed within the area of that user-selectable button at the second time, where the service website contains hardware including the processor and the one or more input/output devices, where the client device and the service website may each contain one or more non-transitory storage mediums, and where when one or more portions of the service website are implemented in software, then that software is tangibly stored in an executable format on the one or more non-transitory storage mediums and the software is coded to be executed by the processor, and where the executable program component is tangibly stored in an executable format on the one or more non-transitory storage mediums and is coded to be executed by another processor located on the client device. 14. The service website of claim 13, wherein the graphic information includes an image, and where a mechanism is provided in the service web site that is configured to supply the plug-in to the browser of a web surfer as requested by the browser, and where the mechanism dynamically permits the user of the browser to dynamically download the changed graphic information and text label to be added to the toolbar area of the browser by the action of the plug-in. 15. The service website of claim 13, wherein the graphic information includes an icon, where the client computer is configured to send information which information may include its current location URL to the service website, and then receiving from the service website a list of the appropriate user-selectable buttons to be displayed on the toolbar. 16. The service website of claim 13 wherein the changing of the graphic information or the text label is dynamically changed based on the information associated with the related links to the content on the website that is being browsed by the user of a client device running the browser. 17. The service website of claim 13 wherein the changing of the graphic information or the text label is dynamically changed based on the information associated with the user. 18. The service website of claim 13, further comprises: changing at least one web site to which the user-selectable button directs the user when the graphic information or text label is modified; anddisplaying, upon selection of the user-selectable button by the user, a list that includes links to each of the related web sites to which the user-selectable button directs the browser. 19. A method in a client computing device and server environment to provide graphic and other information to a browser's toolbar area of a web surfer, comprising: providing a plug-in;transmitting the plug-in, which is configured to install in the browser of the web surfer, the graphic and other information displayed as a skin in the toolbar area of the browser by the operation of a module of the plug in, where the graphic and other information is configured to be displayed on a display screen of the client computing device;where the plug-in is configured to cooperate with the server to allow the graphic and other information to be dynamically modified according to selections made by the web surfer through the use of a service website; andupdating the graphic and other information displayed as a skin in the toolbar area of the browser on the display of the computing device based on the selections made by the web surfer, where the service website is configured to dynamically control what graphic information or other information is being displayed for that user-selectable button, where the service website is configured to dynamically control where the user selectable button directs the web browser when the graphic information or other information is modified and is directed to at a first period of time to a first website, and at a second period of time the user selectable button directs the web browser to a second website, where the content in a first set of graphic information or other information that is being displayed within the area of that user-selectable button at the first time is different than the content in a second set of graphic information or other information that is being displayed within the area of that area of that user-selectable button at the second time. 20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the graphic and other information displayed as a skin in the toolbar area comprises a button, a link, or either of these two that is configured to launch an application, game or other service that can be executed directly from the browser toolbar area, when the button or link is activated. 21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the graphic and other information that is dynamically modified comprises an addition to the toolbar area of a button, a link, or either of these two that is configured to launch an application, game or other service that can be executed directly from the browser toolbar area, when the button or link is activated.