WO2001095201A1

WO2001095201A1 - Internet advertisement system and method in connection with voice humor services

Info

Publication number: WO2001095201A1
Application number: PCT/KR2001/000852
Authority: WO
Inventors: Chai Mok Ryoo
Original assignee: Chai Mok Ryoo
Priority date: 2000-06-07
Filing date: 2001-05-23
Publication date: 2001-12-13
Also published as: JP2003536142A; US20030182126A1; CA2449257A1; KR20010080781A; AU2001258911A1; CN1439140A

Abstract

Disclosed are an Internet advertising system and a method connected to voice humor services. According to the invention, Internet advertisement is executed in the form of connecting voice humor with image advertisement or a web page. The invention achieves improved advertising effects by displaying advertiser's image advertisement or by inducing Internet user to visit an advertiser's site while an Internet user listens to voice humor lasting about 10 seconds to 4 minutes. The invention has advantages of providing image advertisement on a full screen for a relatively longer period of time than the conventional advertisement using banners or E-mails. Voice humor has characteristics of targeting a wide range of consumers, being easily and quickly changed according to its fashion, and disappearing instantly its effect after being listen to. Therefore, voice humor can induce a great number of clicking and attract still more Internet users to the advertiser's site.

Description

INTERNET ADVERTISEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD IN CONNECTION WITH VOICE HUMOR SERVICES

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a system and a method for Internet advertisements in connection with voice humor services, and in particular, to a method for displaying an image advertisement of an advertiser while an Internet user listens to voice humor, or for attracting visitors into the advertiser's site by displaying a web page of an advertiser's site while an Internet user listens to voice humor.

Background Art

Conventional Internet advertisement methods mainly use banners or E-mails. For a banner advertisement, a banner containing attractive contents such as animation is inserted into a home page of a Web site. If the banner is clicked on by a user, more detailed advertisement contents are displayed or the user is linked to the advertiser's site. Meanwhile, in order to attract Internet users, premiums or a certain amount of cyber money is offered whenever the banner is clicked on. An E-mail advertisement mainly attempts to induce members to view it while providing a variety of incentives or useful contents to increase its advertising effect. However, the conventional banner advertising method or E-mail advertising method has a drawback of being restricted to a narrow space that is dedicated for image advertisements inserted in the contents of an Web page or E-mail. Further, overlapping with other kinds of advertisements makes it difficult for an^~~advertisement to draw users' attention. In addition, lack of motive to click on an advertisement makes it difficult to sustain continuous advertising effect. Such problems are proved by very low rates of clicking on banner advertisements and the poor results in inducing Internet users to visit the respective advertisers' sites. Methods used to solve these problems and to provide a motive for clicking on a banner advertisement include offering premiums or a certain

- amount of cyber money. However, such methods also failed to obtain continuous advertising effects.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention was invented to solve problems as mentioned above.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an advertising system and a method on the Internet connected to voice humor services which can connect voice humor, which serves to attract frequent clicking by numerous Internet users on a steady basis due to its effect of instantly fading away after being listened to, to an image advertisement or a Web page of an advertiser's site, so as to lengthen a period of time an advertisement is viewed and expand a viewing space of the advertisement to the entire screen, unlike conventional advertisements using banners or E-mails, as well as to induce many more Internet users to visit the advertiser's site on a steady basis than the conventional advertisements using banners.

Brief Description of Drawings

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a construction of an Internet advertising system according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a construction of the Internet advertising system according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a construction of the Internet advertising system according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a construction of the Internet advertising system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an Internet advertising method according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an Internet advertising method according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an Internet advertising method according to the third embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an Internet advertising method according to the fourth emlx)diment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is an exemplary view of illustrating an arbitrary part, on which link information is set according to Internet advertising a system and a method of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is an exemplary view of illustrating a web page of an advertisers site according to Internet advertising a system and a method of the present invention; FIG. 11 is an exemplary view of illustrating an advertising web page according to Internet advertising a system and a method of the present invention; and

Fig. 12 is an exemplary view of illustrating a reproduction of a file having a combination of voice humor and an image advertisement according to Internet advertising a system and a method of the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail.

In the first place, I mentioned the "sites desired by an advertiser" in the original patent application (KR 2000-30942 filed June 7, 2000) of the present invention. The "sites desired by an advertiser" include an advertiser's site(Purpose of the advertiser's site is to attract visitors.). On the other hand, I mentioned the "sites executing advertisements on the Internet" in an application claiming priority (KR 2000-65343 filed November 4, 2000) from the original patent application. The "sites executing advertisements on the Internet" include an advertiser's site(Purpose of the advertiser's site is to attract visitors.) and a site providing advertisements by using an advertising Web page including an image advertisement. Meanwhile, when inducing Internet users to visit a web-page of an advertiser's site (or to an advertising web-page), a separate sub- Web page may be used as an intermediary link and may be included in a Web page of the "sites executing advertisements on the Internet". This is apparent from the description made in the aforementioned application claiming priority.

The contents used in^' the present ^"invention may be voice humor, an image advertisement, or a file having a combination of the two.

The voice humor here means that voice humors of a length in the range of about lOseconds to four minutes (e.g., a series of jokes about stupid sparrows, absurd verses composed of three lines, mimicking of particular voices, talk show excerpts, etc.) are collected and made into a voice humor file . The voice humors are collected from comedians, those gifted with a sense of humor, or TV or radio, etc. The image advertisement here means contents of an advertisement comprising visual materials such as characters, images, animation, motion pictures, etc. of an advertiser.

The file having a combination of voice humor and an image advertisement can be classified into two types. The first type is a file

(e.g., an *.asf file) made in the form of a single file by editing and combining a voice humor file with an image advertisement file (comprising characters, images, --u-ώnation, motion pictures, etc.) through a variety of editing tools (e.g., Windows Media Author, Flash, or Premiere). The file is then stored in a server so that voice humor is outputted at the same time while the image advertisement is displayed when reproducing the file having the voice humor/image advertisement combination stored in the server. The second type is a file (e.g., an *.smil file) integrally controlling a voice humor file (e.g., real audio, etc.) and an image advertisement file ,(e.g., real picks) that are respectively stored in a server. The file is then stored in the server so that the image advertisement is displayed while the voice humor is outputted when reproducing the file. In other words, the file having the voice humor/image advertisement combination can be classified into the type of combining a voice humor file with an image advertisement file, and the type of integrally controlling the respective voice humor file and the image advertisement file (e.g., an *.smil file). Hereinafter, the file having the voice humor/image advertisement combination refers to any one type of the file described above. The voice humor, the image advertisement , and the file having the voice humor/image advertisement combination as used in the present invention are stored and managed in a file format. The file format can be classified into a file that can be streamed upon being downloaded, and a file that can be reproduced after being downloaded.

Here, the voice humor file does not require so high sound quality as music. Further, a size thereof can be drastically reduced by narrowing the sound range and by making the file to be mono instead of stereo owing to the relatively short length thereof. Therefore, the voice humor file per se rather than a compressed file such as in streaming format may be used in a veiy high speed network that has become popular in recent days. However, an ordinary voice humor file (or a file having a combination of voice humor and an image advertisement) is preferably transmitted and reproduced in real time by means of streaming due to the great size thereof. Also, most of the streamable files may be reproduced after being downloaded rather than by means of streaming due to its highly compressed nature.

A player for reproducing voice humor, an image advertisement, or a file having a voice humor/image advertisement combination may be an applicable program that is separately plugged in. In case of a file format supported by a Web browser (e.g., wav or jpg, etc.), however, the Web browser can perform the function of a player as well. In particular, it would be more preferable to use a file made in a format of motion picture advertisements or an ultra-slim wav file that has been produced by means of a rich media technology of Miralnet (http://www.miralnet.com) to take advantages of a drastically reduced size as well as of dispensing with a separate plug-in in terms of a user interface.

The www service, which is based on HTTP (hyper text transmission protocol) and provided by exchanging documents described in HTML (hyper text markup language^ the streaming technology, which is related to real time transmission and mainly used in Internet broadcasting, and the technology combining voice humor with an advertisement image by means of diverse tool programs are technologies widely used. Therefore, no detailed description thereof will be provided herein.

In the present invention, interconnecting a Web page of an advertiser's site (or an advertising Web page) and voice humor means constructing so as to reproduce voice humor while the Web page of the advertiser's site (or the advertising Web page) is displayed through link information set in an arbitrary part.

For example, there are a method of inserting the voice humor into the web page of the advertiser's site (or advertising web-page) and a method of reproducing voice humor on a new window different from a window, on which the web-page of the advertiser's site (or advertisement web-page) is displayed, on the basis of a computer's multitasking. Inserting voice humor into a web-page means that link infoπnation comprising a file name and an Internet address of a voice humor server, in which the voice humor is stored, is included in the web page by using tags (e.g., an embed tag, an object tag, or a bgsound tag). Here, a request for transmission of the voice humor inserted (or connected) in the Web page may be automatically made through the browser while the Web page is displayed or generated by pointing or clicking a reproduction means transmitted together with the Web page.

In case of the voice humor format, which is not supported by the browser, the related plug-in program is not displayed on the screen when the voice humor inserted in the Web page is reproduced because the voice humor is connected in such a manner that it is directly inserted in the Web page and reproduced by using the plug-in or an ActiveX control. At this time, computer of the Internet user must have a plug-in for reproducing a file of ^~a related^* format. On the other hand, to reproduce the voice humor on another window different from the window on which the web page of the advertiser's site (or advertising web page) is displayed, there are generally two methods, The first method is that languages, such as tags or Java scripts, for requesting the web page of the advertiser's site (or advertising web page) are included in a separate sub-web page in which voice humor is inserted. By doing so, the Web page of the advertiser's site (or advertising web page) can be opened in a different window in accordance with the request generated by opening of the sub-Web page through the link information set in an arbitrary part.

The second method is that requests for transmission of both voice humor (or a sub-web page in which the voice humor is inserted) and a web page of the advertiser's site (or advertising web page) is generated at an arbitrary part by using language, such as a tag and Java scripts. Here, if the arbitrary part is provided by a web page, the web page provided with the arbitrary part may serve as the sub-web page in which the voice humor is inserted. That is, the voice humor is reproduced in the web page provided with the arbitrary part and the web page of the advertiser's site (or advertising web page) is displayed on a new window.

The technology described above so that two requests for transmission are generated from an arbitrary part by using a tag or a language such as Java script is a technology well known at the time of filing the original patent application or the patent application claiming priority, and is an obvious matter that can be easily assumed by a person skilled in the pertinent art in view of the description made in the patent application claiming priority.

Meanwhile, a Web page of an advertiser's site connected to voice humor preferably includes navigation means that is movable within the advertiser's site, and needs to be distinguished from a link or connection to the advertiser's site for simply^" providing the voice humor. Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a construction of an Internet advertising system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, the Internet advertising system according to the first embodiment of the present invention comprises: a voice humor server 11 including voice humor and a program related thereto; an advertiser's site (a Web server) 12 including a Web page connected to the voice humor; an arbitrary server 13 including an arbitrary part for providing link information to request the voice humor and the Web page of the advertiser's site; and an Internet user's computer 14 connected to an Internet network 10 and including a related reproduction program. The voice humor server 11 may preferably include a database or file system for storing the voice humor in the form of a file and providing the stored voice humor to the user's computer 14, and a streaming-related program in aeeordance with a format of the voice humor file for transπύtting the voice humor in real time by means of the stteaming technology. The advertiser's site (a Web server) 12 means an advertiser's site opened for the purpose of attracting visitors. The arbitrary server 13 represents an arbitrary part on the Internet that provides link information to request voice humor and a Web page of the advertiser"s site. The voice humor, the Web page of the advertiser's site and the arbitrary part are connected.

The Internet user's computer 14, which generally refers to a computer connectable to the Internet, includes an Internet TV and wireless Internet terminal, which have substantially the same function as the Internet connectable computer, and a program for reproducing a file made in a format as transmitted from the server.

Fig. 1 illustrates the voice humor server 11 and the advertiser's site (Web server) 12 on a separate basis. However, the voice humor may be stored and provided in a file system or database of the advertiser's site (Web server)^" 12J ^"In ^"that case, the voice humor server 11 and the advertiser's site (Web server) 12 may exist in a single computer. It would be obvious to those skilled in the art that separation of the voice humor server 11 from the advertiser's site (a Web server) 12 is not based on a physical concept but on a functional perspective.

The first embodiment of the present invention is operated in such a manner that, if the arbitrary part providing the link information is clicked on or pointed to by an Internet user who is connected to the arbitrary server 13 via the Internet, the advertiser's site 12 transmits a Web page of the advertiser's site, and the voice humor server 11 transmits voice humor. As a consequence, the Internet user listens to voice humor outputted through speakers that are attached to his her own computer 14 while the Web page of the advertiser's site 12 is displayed. Therefore, the advertiser's site 12 can attract the visitors while the Internet user listens to the voice humor outputted from the speakers.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a construction of the Internet advertising system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 2, the Internet advertising system according to the second embodiment of the present invention comprises: a voice humor server 21 including voice humor and a program related thereto; an Internet site (a Web server) 22 including an advertising Web page connected to the voice humor; an arbitrary server 23 hcluding an arbitrary part for providing link information to request the voice humor and the advertising Web page; and an Internet user's computer 24 connected to an Internet network 20 and including a related reproduction program. Here, the voice humor server 21, the arbitrary server 23 and the

Internet user's computer 24 are of the same nature as described with reference to Fig. 1. The Internet site (a Web server) 22 provides an advertising Web page including an image advertisement.

Meanwhile, it is possible^~to have a ^"separate access path analysis program and to count the number of transmissions for each particular site, in which a request for receiving the advertising Web page has been generated. To be specific, it is possible to analyze information such as Refferer log to learn who has visited which site. Based on the analyzed information, it is also possible to compensate a particular site in accordance with the number of visitors. The voice humor, the advertising Web page, and the arbitrary part are connected. Also, as described above, the voice humor server 21 and the Internet site (a Web server) 22 may exist in a single computer.

The sepond emboo-iment of the present invention is operated in such a manner that, if the arbitrary part providing the link information is clicked on or pointed to by an Internet user who is connected to the arbitrary server 23 via the Internet, the Internet site (a Web server) 22 transmits an advertising Web page, and the voice humor server 21 transmits voice humor. As a consequence, the Internet user listens to voice humor putputted through speakers that are attached to his/her own computer 24 while the advertising Web page is displayed.

Therefore, an advertising effect is achieved by the image advertisement displayed on the advertising Web page while the Internet user listens to the voice humor outputted from the speakers.

Fig. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a construction of the Internet advertising system accp-fiding to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Refe-rring to Fig. 3, the Internet advertising system according to the third embodiment of the present invention comprises: a voice humor server 31 including a file having a combination of voice humor and an image advertisement, and a program related thereto; an arbitrary server 32 including an arbitrary part for providing link information to request the file with the voice humor/image advertisement combination; and an Internet user's computer 33 connected to an Internet network 30 and having a related reproduction ^"program. Here, the voice humor server 31, the arbitrary server 32, and the

Internet user's computer 33 are of the same nature as described with reference to Fig. 1. The file with the voice humor/image advertisement combination, and the arbitrary part are connected. As described above, it is possible to have a separate access path analysis program and count the number of transmissions for each particular site, in which a request for receiving the file with the voice humor/image advertisement combination has been generated. Based on the analyzed information, it is also possible to compensate a particular site in accordance with the number of visitors.

The third embodiment of the present invention is operated in such a manner that, if the arbitrary part providing the link information is clicked on or pointed to by an Internet user who is connected to the arbitrary server 32 on the Internet, the voice humor server 31 transmits a file having a combination of voice humor and an image advertisement. The Internet user's computer 33 loads the transmitted file into a related player and then reproduces it through the player. As a consequence, the image advertisement is displayed by the player while the voice humor is outputted through speakers. Therefore, an advertising effect is achieved by the image advertisement displayed on the player while the Internet user listens to the voice humor outputted from the speakers. Fig. 4 is a hlock diagram illustrating a construction of the

Internet advertising system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 4, the Internet advertising system according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention comprises: a voice humor server 41 including voice humor and a program related thereto; an advertising server 42 including an advertising Web page, to which the voice humor has been inserted; and an Internet user's computer 43 connected to an Internet network 40 and having a related reproduction program. Here, the voice humor server 41 and the Internet user's computer 43 are of the same nature as described with reference to Fig. 1. The advertising server 42 means a server including a particular recipient database or transmitting an advertising Web page via a mail server. Voice humor is inserted into the advertising Web page. It is possible to have a separate access path analysis program and to count the number of transmitted advertising Web page E-mails by business entities which provide E-mail recipients with E-mail accounts. Based on the counted number of E-mails, it is also possible to compensate business entities providing E-mail accounts free of charge so as to induce them not to reject advertising E-mails.

The fourth embodiment of the present invention is operated in such a manner that, the advertising server 42 on the Internet transmits the advertising Web page, to which voice humor has been inserted, to particular E-mail recipients via E-mail. While the advertising Web page is displayed on an E-mail recipient's computer 43. The voice humor transmitted from the voice humor server 41 is reproduced and outputted from the speakers. As a consequence, while the E-mail recipient views the image advertisement displayed on the advertising Web page, the E-mail recipient listens to the voice humor outputted from the speakers attached to his her own computer 43.

Thus, an advertising effect is achieved by the image advertisement displayed on the advertising Web page while the E-mail recipient listens to the voice humor outputted from the speakers.

Here, the advertising Web page is generally transmitted to the recipient's computer 43 via a recipient account mail server.

Fig. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an Internet advertising method according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 5, voice humor is stored in a database or a file system of the voice humor server 11 connected to the Internet. Subsequently, a Web page of the advertiser's site 12 on the Internet is connected to the voice humor ^' stored in the voice humor server 11. Then, link information for requesting the Web page and the voice humor is set at an arbitrary part on the Internet (Sll). Indicating the output of the voice humor on the arbitrary part at this stage will serve to attract more clicking. Since the database or the file system is one widely used, no further description will be given here in relation thereto.

Meanwhile, each Internet user connects his/her own computer 14 to the arbitrary server 13 on the Intemet including the arbitrary part (S12). Then, the arbitrary server 13 transmits the arbitrary part to the Internet user's computer 14 connected thereto (S13). Each Internet user then requests transmission of the Web page of the advertiser's site and the voice humor by clicking on or pointing to the arbitrary part appearing on his/her own monitor (S14). The request is subsequently transmitted to the advertiser's site 12 and voice humor server 11 on the Intemet (S15).

The advertiser's site 12 and voice humor server 11 on the Internet respectively transmit the requested Web page and voice humor to the Intemet user's computer 14 (S16).

While each Internet user's computer 14 displays the Web page of the advertiser's site, the voice humor is reproduced and outputted through speakers (S17). As a consequence, the Intemet user attracted to the voice humor is connected to the Web page of the advertiser's site 12 on the Intemet, and Ustens to -the voice humor while visiting the advertiser's site.

At this stage, the Web page of the advertiser"s site is preferably a home page (initial page) of the advertiser's site. Another step may be added to request the voice humor by using separate means included in the Web page of the advertiser's site and transmitted along therewith.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an Internet advertising method according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 6, voice humor is stored in a database or a file system of the voice humor^" server^"" 21 connected to the Internet. An advertising Web page is stored in the Internet site (Web server) 22 on the Internet. The advertising Web page and the voice humor stored in the voice humor server 21 are connected to each other. Link information to request the advertising Web page and the voice humor is set at an arbitrary part on the Internet (S21).

Meanwhile, each Internet user connects his/her own computer 24 to the arbitrary server 23 on the Intemet including the arbitrary part (S22). The arbitrary server 23 transmits the arbitrary part to the Intemet user's computer 24 connected thereto (S23). Each Internet user requests transmission of the advertising Web page and voice humor by clicking on or pointing to the arbitrary part appearing on hisAer own monitor (S24). The request is subsequently transmitted to the Intemet site (Web server) 22 and voice humor server 21 on the Internet (S25).

The Intemet site (Web server) 22 and voice humor server 21 on the Internet respectively transmit the requested advertising Web page and voice humor to the Internet user's computer (S26). While each Intemet user's computer 24 displays the advertising

Web page, the voice humor is reproduced and outputted through speakers (S27). As a consequence, the Internet user attracted to the voice humor is connected to the advertising Web page of the Intemet site (Web server) 22 on the Internet, and listens to the voice humor while viewing the displayed image advertisement

At this stage, another step may. be added to request the voice humor by using Separate means included in the advertising Web page and transmitted along therewith.

Another step may also be added to provide a separate access path analysis program, to analyze a log file generated by the Intemet site (Web server) 22, to count the total clicks by the Internet user, and to compensate a specific site for the counted number of clicks.

Fig. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an Internet advertising method according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Fig. 7, a file having a combination of voice humor and an image advertisement is stored in a database or a file system of the voice humor server 31 on the Internet. Link information is set in an arbitrary part on the Internet to request the file with the voice humor/image advertisement combination (S31).

Meanwhile, each Internet user connects his/her own computer 33 to the arbitrary server 32 on the Internet including the arbitrary part(S32). The arbitrary server 32 transmits the arbitrary part to the Internet use-r's computer 33 connected thereto (S33). Each Internet user requests transmission of the file with the voice humor/image advertisement combination by clicking on or pointing to the arbitrary part appearing on his/her own monitor (S34). The request is subsequently transmitted to the voice humor server 31 on the Internet (S35).

The voice humor server 31 on the Internet transmits the file with the voice humor/image advertisement combination to the Internet user's computer 33 (Sβ6). Each Internet user's computer 33 loads the transmitted file with the voice humor/image advertisement combination into a related player and then reproduces it through the player so that the voice humor can be outputted through speakers while the image advertisement is displayed on a screen (S37). As a consequence, the Internet user attracted to the voice humor views the displayed image advertisement while listening to the voice humor.

Another step may be added to provide a separate access path analysis program, to analyze a log file generated by the voice humor server 31, to count the total clicks by the Intemet users, and to compensate a specific site for the counted number of clicks.

Fig. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an Internet advertising method according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 8, voice humor is stored in a database or a file system of the voice humor server 41 on the Internet. The voice humor stored in the voice humor server 41 is inserted to an advertising Web page of the advertising server 42 on the Internet (S41). Meanwhile, the advertising server 42 transmits the advertising Web page, to which the voice humor has been inserted, to particular recipients via E-mail (S42). Here, it is possible to possess a particular recipient database or to pass the advertising Web page through a separate mail server. Each E-mail recipient connects his her own computer 43 to the mail server 44, which has received the advertising Web page (S43). The mail server 44 transmits the advertising Web page, to which the voice humor has been inserted, to the E-mail recipient's computer 43 (S44).

The computer 43 of each E-mail recipient displays the transmitted advertising Web page (S45), and requests transmission of a file including the voice humor (a voice humor or a file having a combination of the voice humor and an image advertisement) to the voice humor server 41 by using the inserted link information <S46). The voice humor server 41 searches the database or file system for the requested file including the voice humor, and transmits the searched file to the E-mail recipient's computer 43 (S47). While the computer 43 of the E-mail recipient displays the advertising Web page, the file including the voice humor is reproduced, and the voice humor is outputted through speakers (S48).

Therefore, an advertising effect is achieved by the image advertisement displayed on the advertising Web page while the E-mail recipient listens to the voice humor.

Here, another step may be added to request the voice humor by using separate means included in the advertising Web page and transmitted along therewith. Still another- step may be added to provide a separate E-mail analysis program, to count the total number of E-mails of the advertising Web page transmitted to the E-mail users according to business entities, and to compensate business entities which provide the E-mail recipients with E-mail accounts^", ^"in^{" "}accordance with the counted number ^"o transmitted E-mails.

Fig. 9 is an exemplary diagram illustrating an arbitrary part for requesting a Web page 61 of an advertiser's site, an advertising Web page 71, and a file having a combination of voice humor and an image advertisement.

Referring to Fig. 9, a "Shinsegae" banner 52 containing an indication 53 of "voice humor", an indication 54 of "today's voice humor", an indication of "humor" in a connection tool box 56, and a banner containing an indication of "voice humor" pushed on an advertising window 55, which is referred to as an "ad bar", are examples of an arbitrary part to request the Web page 61 of the advertiser's site, the advertising Web page 71, the file with the voice humor/image advertisement combination, the voice humor, etc. To be specific, if Internet users attracted to the indication 53 of "voice humor" click on or point to the banne 52, the Intemet users are connected to a Shinsegae site. As a consequence, the Internet users listen to the voice humor while the Web page 61 of the Shinsegae site is displayed as shown in Fig. 10. The voice humor has advantages of inducing a wide range of Internet users to clicking continually. Therefore, in case that the arbitrary part is the banner, the present invention can effectively increase the lo clicking rate of conventional advertisements using banners. Fig. 10 is an exemplary diagram illustrating the Web page (initial page) 61 of the Shinsegae department store site to explain a Web page of an advertiser's site connected to voice humor.

The Web page (initial page) 61 of the Shinsegae site is connected to the voice humor stored in the voice humor server so that the voice humor transmitted by the voice humor server can be outputted through speakers while the Web page 61 is displayed. At this time, a visitor is supposed to stay in the site until he/she has listened to the entire voice humor. Therefore, the advertiser's site can effectively advertise the site.

A small window^" 62 is a separate sub- web page, in which the voice humor is inserted, and is an example of an intermediate link for attracting the Internet users to the web-page (initial page) 61 of the advertiser's site. That is, the small window 62 is opened by clicking on the link information set in the arbitrary part and the web-page (initial page) 61 of the Shinsegae department store site is opened on a new window by a tags or a language such as Java scripts. At this time, the image advertisement may be inserted into the sub-web page 62. The web-page of the advertiser's site (or advertising web page) and the voice humor (or the sub web page in which the voice humor is inserted) may be requested at the same time by the link information set in an arbitrary part. That is, means such as an event handler of Java script may be used or Script for requesting the transmission may be called from the outside and executed.

Fig. 11 is an exemplary diagram illustrating an advertising Web page connected to voice humor according to the present invention.

The advertising Web page 71 contains an announcement of bargain sales by the department store, and is connected to the voice humor stored in the voice humor server 21 so that the voice humor transmitted by the voice humor server can be outputted through speakers while the image advertisement 72 of the advertising Web page 71 is displayed. The image advertisement 72 displayed on the advertising Web page 71 may be transmitted in combination with the voice humor.

A separate user interface 74 is transmitted to the Intemet user's computer along with the advertising Web page (or the Web page of the advertiser's site) 71.

In Fig. 11, the voice humor is not automatically received upon opening of the advertising Web page (or the Web page of the advertiser's site) 71 but is requested upon clicking on or pointing to the reproduction means 74 by the Internet user.

Meanwhile, the advertising Web page 71 can be transmitted to a particular recipienfvia E-mail. In that case, the E-mail recipient can listen to the voice humor outputted from speakers hile viewing a displayed image advertisement. The E-mail recipient can also give a command to reproduce or terminate the voice humor by using the reproduction means 74 transmitted along with the advertising Web page.

A small window 75 is a separate sub- Web page, to which the voice humor has been inserted, and no further description will be made here because it is of a similar nature to the small window 62 described with reference to Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is an exemplary diagram illustrating reproduction of a file having a combination of voice humor and an image advertisement

Referring to Fig. 12, a file having a combination of voice humor and an image advertisement is reproduced by a player 81 rather than by being inserted to a Web page. In other words, the file with the voice humor/image advertisement combination, which has been transmitted by the voice humor server, is reproduced so that the voice humor can be outputted through speakers while the image advertisement 82 is displayed to achieve its advertising effect.

Combining the voice humor and the image advertisement that are absolutely different elements exerts a strong synergistic effect, resulting in a new effect of advertisement.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

For example, advertisements may be effectively represented by concentrating link information set in a plurality of arbitrary parts on the Internet on a specific Internet site, constructing a database with an image advertisement of an advertiser, and displaying the image advertisement while enabling Intemet users to listen to voice humor. In that case, the specific Internet^" site ^"will be a site of an advertisement agency. Therefore, the present invention will not be confined to the embodiments described above. Industrial Applicability

As described above, the present invention can utilize the whole screen for advertisements by using the voice humor, which is aural element for attracting the Internet users. Furthermore, the range of advertisement is wide since the voice humor is applied to all the people.

Furthermore, the present invention can lead the users' continuous click by continuously renewing the voice humors stored in the voice humor server and attracting the users' attention since the voice humor is susceptible to changes in fashion and its effect disappear instantly after being provide. Moreover, the present invention can reduce the users' rejection to the connection to the advertiser's site or the display of the image advertisement since providing interesting voice humors.

Additionally, the present invention can advertise for a longer time since the users stay in the advertiser's site until the whole voice humor is reproduced, compared with the conventional advertisements. Furthermore, the present invention can provide changed contents to all users only by changing the voice humors stored in the voice humor server. The voice humor has advantages of inducing continuously clicking by a great number of Intemet users without causing any negative reaction from the Intemet users.

Thus, clicking by many more Intemet users can be induced than the conventional banner advertisement commonly used for attracting Internet users to an advertiser's site. Further, an image advertisement can be displayed on an entire screen until the voice humor is completely ended. Such advantages are expected to carry higher advertising effects than the conventional advertisement using banners or E-mails.

Claims

What Is Claimed Is:

1. An Internet advertising method using voice humor connected to voice humor services, the method comprising the steps of- connecting voice humor stored in a voice humor server on the

Internet to a Web page of an advertiser's site; if an Internet user requests the Web page connected to the voice humor through link information set in an arbitrary part on the Intemet, receiving the request in the advertiser's site; tt-msmitting the requested Web page to the Internet user's computer from the advertiser's site; and reproducing and outputting the voice humor transmitted from the voice humor server through speakers while the Internet user visits the advertiser's site by displaying the Web page on a screen of the Internet user's computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the Web page of the advertiser's site is an initial Web page of the advertiser's site.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the voice humor is connected to the Web page of the advertiser's site so as to be reproduced in a Web page, which is different from the Web page of the advertiser's site.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the arbitrary part is a banner.

5. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the Web page of the^~advertiser's site is transmitted to the Internet user's computer together with means for commanding reproduction of the voice humor connected to the Web page, and a request for receiving the connected voice humor is generated by clicking on or pointing to the means for commanding reproduction.

6. An Internet advertising method using voice humor connected to voice humor services, the method comprising the steps of connecting voice humor stored in a voice humor server on the Internet to an advertising Web page stored in an Internet site; if an Intemet user requests the advertising Web page connected to the voice humor through link information set in an arbitrary part on the Intemet, receiving the request in the Internet site,^* and transmitting the requested advertising Web page to the Internet user's computer from the Internet site; whereby the voice humor transmitted from the voice humor server is reproduced and outputted through speakers while the advertising Web page is displayed on a screen of the Internet user's computer.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of compensating a specific site, in which the request for receiving the advertising Web page has been generated.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the voice humor is connected to the advertising Web page so as to be reproduced in a Web page different from the advertising Web page.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the arbitrary part is a banner.

10. The method of any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the advertising Web^"~page is transmitted to the Internet ^" user's computer together with means for commanding reproduction of the voice humor connected to the advertising Web page, and a request for receiving the connected voice humor is generated by clicking on or pointing to the means for commanding reproduction.

11. An Internet advertising method using voice humor connected to voice humor services, the method comprising the steps of- storing a file having a^" combination of voice humor and an image advertisement in a voice humor server on the Internet; if an Internet user requests the file with the voice humor/image advertisement combination through link information set at an arbitrary part on the Internet, receiving the request in the voice humor server; and transmitting the requested file with the voice humor/image advertisement combination to the Intemet user's computer from the voice humor server; whereby if the file with the voice humor/image advertisement combination is received by the Intemet user's computer, the voice humor included in the file is outputted through speakers while the image advertisement included in the file is displayed on a window of a player having a function of reproducing the file.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of compensating a specific site, in which the request for receiving the file with the voice humor/image advertisement combination has been generated.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the arbitrary part is a banner.

14. An Internet advertising method using voice humor connected to Noic-ThUmor services, the method comprising ^"the steps of-^" inserting voice humor stored in a voice humor server on the

Internet to an advertising Web page of an advertising server; and transmitting the advertising Web page, in which the voice humor is inserted, to specific recipients from the advertising server via E-mail; whereby the voice humor transmitted from the voice humor server is reproduced and outputted through speakers while the advertising Web page is displayed on a screen of each of the specific recipients' computers.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of compensating a specific business entity providing the specific recipients with accounts.

16. The method of claim 14 or 15, wherein the advertising Web page is transmitted to the specific recipients' computers together with means for commanding reproduction of the voice humor inserted in the advertising Web page, and a request for receiving the inserted voice humor is generated by clicking on or pointing to the means for comm-mding reproduction.

17. An Internet advertising system connected to voice humor services, the system comprising-' a voice humor server for providing voice humor; an advertiser's site including a Web page connected to specific voice humor stored in the voice humor server; an arbitrary server for providing link information for access to the Web page; and an Intemet user's computer connected to the voice humor server, the advertiser's site and the arbitrary server via the Intemet; whereby, if the Intemet user's computer is connected to the arbittary^~seτver and requests the Web page through the link information, the advertiser's site transmits the Web page to the Internet user's computer, and if the Internet user's computer requests the voice humor server to transmit the specific voice humor connected to the Web page, while it displays the Web page on its Web browser screen, the voice humor server transmits the specific voice humor to the Internet user's computer, thereby allowing the voice humor to be outputted through speakers while the Web page is displayed on the Web browser screen of the Internet user's computer.

18. An Internet advertising system connected to voice humor services, the system comprising-^' a voice humor server for providing voice humor; an Intemet site including an advertising Web page connected to specific voice humor stored in the voice humor server; an arbitrary server for providing link infoπnation for access to the advertising Web page; and an Intemet user's computer connected to the voice humor server, the Internet site and the arbitrary server via the Internet; whereby, if the Intemet user's computer is connected to the arbitrary server and requests the advertising Web page through the link infomiation, the Internet site transmits the advertising Web page to the Internet user"s computer, and if the Intemet user's computer requests the voice humor server to transmit the specific voice humor connected to the advertising Web page, while it displays the advertising Web page on its Web browser screen, the voice humor server transmits the specific voice humor to the Internet user's computer, thereby allowing the voice humor to be outputted through speakers while the advertising Web page is displayed on the Web browser screen of the Internet user's computer.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising an access path analysis^{" "}progr m for providing data for compensating^" a pecific site, ^"in which the request for receiving the advertising Web page has been generated.

20. An Internet advertising system connected to voice humor services, the system comprising: a voice humor server for providing a file having a combination of voice humor and an image advertisement; an arbitrary server for providing link information for access to the file; and an Internet user's computer connected to the voice humor server and the arbitrary server via the Internet; whereby, if the Internet user's computer is connected to the arbitrary server and requests the file through the link information, the voice humor server transmits the file to the Intemet user's computer, and if the file is received by the Internet user's computer, the voice humor included in the file is outputted through speakers while the image advertisement included in the file is displayed on a window of a player having a function of reproducing the file.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising an access path analysis program for providing data for compensating a specific site, in which the request for receiving the file having the voice humor/image advertisement combination has been generated.

22. An Internet advertising system connected to voice humor services, the system comprising'- a voice humor server for providing voice humor; an advertising server for transmitting via E-mail an advertising Web page to which link information for access to specific voice humor stored in the voice humor server has been inserted; and a recipient's computer connected to the voice ^""humor server and the advertising server via the Internet; whereby, if the recipient's computer requests the voice humor server to transmit the specific voice humor inserted to the advertising

Web page, while receiving the advertising Web page mail and displaying an image advertisement included in the received mail, the voice humor server transmits the specific voice humor to the recipient's computer, thereby allowing the specific voice humor to be outputted through speakers while the image advertisement of the advertising Web page is displayed in the recipient's computer.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising a mail analysis program for providing data for compensating a business entity which provides the recipient with accounts.