Method and system for geographically-based and time-based online advertising
A method for generating a presentation of an advertisement image for display on a display screen, comprising: subdividing a map image into a plurality of geographic regions; associating the advertisement image with a region-of-interest, the region-of-interest being one of the plurality of geographic regions; receiving a signal selecting the region-of-interest; and, applying a lens to the map image to produce the presentation, the lens having a focal region with a magnification for the region-of-interest at least partially surrounded by a shoulder region where the magnification diminishes to that of the map image, the presentation including a view of the advertisement image.
1 . A method for generating a presentation of an advertisement image for display on a display screen, comprising:
subdividing a map image into a plurality of geographic regions;
associating the advertisement image with a region-of-interest, the region-of-interest being one of the plurality of geographic regions;
receiving a signal selecting the region-of-interest; and,
applying a lens to the map image to produce the presentation, the lens having a focal region with a magnification for the region-of-interest at least partially surrounded by a shoulder region where the magnification diminishes to that of the map image, the presentation including a view of the advertisement image.
2 . The method of claim 1 and further comprising displaying the presentation on the display screen.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the lens is an inset magnifier having a focal region but no shoulder region.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the view of the advertisement image is a window for the advertisement image.
5 . The method of claim 4 wherein the window for the advertisement image is presented adjacent to a window for the map image.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the view of the advertisement image is presented over a portion of the map image.
7 . The method of claim 6 wherein the portion of the map image is adjacent to the lens.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the view of the advertisement image is presented within the lens.
9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the applying includes displacing the map image onto the lens to produce a displaced image and projecting the displaced image onto a plane in a direction aligned with a viewpoint for the region-of-interest.
10 . The method of claim 1 and further comprising receiving one or more signals to adjust the focal region through a graphical user interface (“GUI”) having means for adjusting at least one of a size of the focal region, a shape of the focal region, and the magnification.
11 . The method of claim 1 wherein a scale of the map image is adjustable and wherein content of the advertisement image changes when the scale is adjusted.
12 . A method for generating a presentation of an advertisement image for display on a display screen, comprising:
subdividing a map image into a plurality of geographic regions;
associating the advertisement image with a region-of-interest, the region-of-interest being one of the plurality of geographic regions;
receiving a signal selecting the region-of-interest; and,
combining a first view of the map image and a second view of the advertisement to produce the presentation.
13 . The method of claim 12 and further comprising displaying the presentation on the display screen.
14 . The method of claim 12 wherein the first view is a first window for the map image and the second view is a second window for the advertisement image.
15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the second window for the advertisement image is presented adjacent to the first window for the map image.
16 . The method of claim 12 wherein the second view of the advertisement image is presented over a portion of the map image in the first view.
17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the portion of the map image is adjacent to the region-of-interest.
18 . The method of claim 12 wherein the second view of the advertisement image is presented within the region-of-interest.
19 . The method of claim 12 and further comprising applying a lens to the map image to produce the second view, the lens having a focal region with a magnification for the region-of-interest at least partially surrounded by a shoulder region where the magnification diminishes to that of the map image.
20 . The method of claim 19 wherein the lens is an inset magnifier having a focal region but no shoulder region.
21 . The method of claim 19 wherein the applying includes displacing the map image onto the lens to produce a displaced image and projecting the displaced image onto a plane in a direction aligned with a viewpoint for the region-of-interest.
22 . The method of claim 19 and further comprising receiving one or more signals to adjust the focal region through a graphical user interface (“GUI”) having means for adjusting at least one of a size of the focal region, a shape of the focal region, and the magnification.
23 . The method of claim 12 wherein a scale of the map image is adjustable and wherein content of the advertisement image changes when the scale is adjusted.
24 . A method for distributing rights to include an advertisement image with a map image for display on a display screen, comprising:
subdividing the map image into a plurality of geographic regions;
receiving an offer to purchase rights to associate the advertisement image with a region-of-interest, the region-of-interest being one of the plurality of geographic regions; and,
if the offer is acceptable, associating the advertisement image with the region-of-interest; wherein when the map image is presented on the display screen and when the region-of-interest is selected, the advertisement image is combined with the map image to produce a presentation for display on the display screen.
25 . The method of claim 24 and further comprising establishing a price for the rights to associate the advertisement image with the region-of-interest.
26 . The method of claim 25 and further comprising determining the price based on popularity of the region-of-interest.
27 . The method of claim 26 and further comprising determining the popularity of the region-of-interest from a distance from a predetermined location in the map image.
28 . The method of claim 27 where the predetermined location includes one or more of a city, a state, a country, and a continent.
29 . The method of claim 25 and further comprising determining the price based on a time period when the presentation is to be displayed.
30 . The method of claim 25 and further comprising determining the price based on a scale at which the presentation is to be displayed.
31 . The method of claim 24 wherein the offer is received through an auction.
32 . The method of claim 31 wherein the auction is an online auction.
33 . The method of claim 24 wherein the presentation is displayed on the display screen.
34 . The method of claim 24 wherein the presentation is produced by combining a first view of the map image and a second view of the advertisement.
35 . The method of claim 34 wherein the first view is a first window for the map image and the second view is a second window for the advertisement image.
36 . The method of claim 35 wherein the second window for the advertisement image is presented adjacent to the first window for the map image.
37 . The method of claim 34 wherein the second view of the advertisement image is presented over a portion of the map image in the first view.
38 . The method of claim 37 wherein the portion of the map image is adjacent to the region-of-interest.
39 . The method of claim 34 wherein the second view of the advertisement image is presented within the region-of-interest.
40 . The method of claim 34 wherein the second view is produced by applying a lens to the map image, the lens having a focal region with a magnification for the region-of-interest at least partially surrounded by a shoulder region where the magnification diminishes to that of the map image.
41 . The method of claim 40 wherein the lens is an inset magnifier having a focal region but no shoulder region.
42 . The method of claim 40 wherein the applying includes displacing the map image onto the lens to produce a displaced image and projecting the displaced image onto a plane in a direction aligned with a viewpoint for the region-of-interest.
43 . The method of claim 40 wherein the focal region is adjusted by receiving one or more signals to adjust the focal region through a graphical user interface (“GUI”) having means for adjusting at least one of a size of the focal region, a shape of the focal region, and the magnification.
44 . The method of claim 24 wherein a scale of the map image is adjustable and wherein content of the advertisement image changes when the scale is adjusted.