GB2321376A

GB2321376A - Screen saver transparent terminal information system

Info

Publication number: GB2321376A
Application number: GB9700906A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Marcus John Milton; Mark Flett
Original assignee: GROUND ZERO SYSTEMS Ltd
Current assignee: GROUND ZERO SYSTEMS Ltd
Priority date: 1997-01-17
Filing date: 1997-01-17
Publication date: 1998-07-22
Also published as: GB9700906D0

Abstract

A system for the provision of information to the vdu of a computer when the computer is powered up but not in use. The information is displayed on the vdu at a predetermined time and overrides any screensaver display that may be on the vdu. The information may be in the form of images or text or a combination thereof. The system enables information to be sent to a number of computers in a network at the same time.

Description

INFORMATION SYSTEM This invention relates to the provision of information to a computer or computer network.

At present a method of sending information to a computer is by way of the internet and in particular by e-mail. In order to receive such information the user must usually take positive steps to collect the e-mail messages. There can be circumstances where it is desirable that a user or group of users receives certain information without having to execute any positive action. For example an employer may wish to prompt employees to follow a certain procedure before a particular date, such as submitting an expenses claim, or filing a report.

The present invention has been made with these objects in mind.

It is common practice for the vdu (visual display unit) of a stand alone PC or vdu's in a network when powered up, but not in use, to revert to a blank screen or a "screensaver" mode displaying a still or moving image.

Programs have been devised to use screensaver to display information such as product or marketing information. However, these programs are not time reactive.

According to the invention there is provided a system for the provision of information to the vdu of a computer when the computer is powered up, but not in use wherein the information is supplied at a predetermined time and overrides any screensaver display on the vdu.

The invention also provides an information supply method comprising selecting the information that is to be supplied, programming a computer to display the information on a vdu at a predetermined time when the computer is powered up, but not in use so as to override any screensaver displayed on the vdu.

With the invention, therefore, it is possible to send information to a PC user or to the users in a network at any pre-selected time. The information can be in any form desired; it can be in the form of images or text or a combination thereof in a single frame or sequence of frames. The duration for which a frame is displayed can be selected as can the time between the display of frames when a sequence of frames is to appear.

The information that is to appear may be chosen by the user himself, but normally it will be prepared and the time for its appearance chosen by someone other than the user, for example an employer so that the information reaches the employee when he is not expecting it and thus has the maximum impact.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention a time reactive network screensaver is provided which can have a graphical user interface with systems such as MS Windows, Openwin for UNIX and MAC OS images or text can be programmed by the message originator to be displayed at any time of day, providing that the screensaver is active. The screensaver program is designed so that message originators can display images in rotation on the recipients' machines with new images appearing at a preset time and disappearing when this time is no longer valid. This system may if required communicate a message or information to recipients by way of their computer on which the screensaver program resides in a full colour image format.

To accomplish the above, message originators must instruct the program how to display their images by generating a unique initialisation file (the ini file) using a second executable program described below. This ini file is placed in a directory along with the images on the recipient's machine. The screensaver program will poll this file for information on what images to display and at what time.

The security feature of the software is dependent on the ini file. The screensaver program will automatically generate a checksum based on the contents of the ini file. Should the ini file not be valid for any reason of change by the recipient, then it will be rejected by the screensaver program as the checksum will be invalid.

The second part of the suite, the second program, has a graphical user interface which enables message originators to generate their own ini files for the screensaver program. The message originators will be shown all the images on the local machine in a directory of their choice in thumbnail size. These images will be displayed in a scrolling window. Message originators will have the option to drag and drop the images into a lower scrolling window and set the timing and transition parameters for each image. When they are satisfied with the results they will be able to automatically generate an ini file based on their selections and send the package to the selected recipients for use with screensaver program. This ini file will have the above checksum security features embedded in it.

This suite of programs has been designed principally, but not exclusively, for use in corporate networks where the company may want to communicate a message to the whole enterprise, a specific group of people or to single individuals. A copy of the screensaver program will reside on the client machine and the second program will be used to generate messages from the server or host machine.

This suite of programs together can be described as a tool for generating, distributing and installing screensavers remotely, in order to communicate ideas and information to a corporate or public audience on the enterprise network. It can be used in other development environments.

The screensaver program may contain a self-install feature which, automatically installs the necessary images and drivers on to the recipient's hard drive, overriding the recipient's current screensaver (if any).

The invention can incorporate the following features: The ability to display full motion video and sound.

The ability to run routines from other proprietary graphic display applications such as "Macromedia Director" and "Powerpoint".

A Hot-corner feature which will allow the recipient to force the screensaver to display at any time the machine is in use.

Urgent Messaging facility which will force an automatic screensaver display of information, even if the machine is in use. This may be cancelled by the recipient using a specific combination of keys (i.e. Ctrl - Alt - Esc).

The invention is not restricted to the above described embodiment and many variations are possible.

Claims

1. A system for the provision of information to the vdu of a computer when the computer is powered up, but not in use wherein the information is supplied at a predetermined time and overrides any screensaver display on the vdu.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer is connected to a network.

3. A system as claimed in either claim 1 or 2, wherein the information comprises text and/or images.

4. A system as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising a time reactive network screens aver arranged to poll an initialisation file containing information on what information to display and at what time.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the screensaver is adapted only to display information contained in an initialisation file if that information is valid for a given recipient.

6. A system as claimed in either claim 4 or 5 further including a second program arranged to generate initialisation files for the screensaver.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second program allows an operator to select predetermined information and to set a time for display of the information.

8. A system as claimed in either claim 6 or 7, wherein the second program enables an initialisation file to be transmitted over a network to a chosen computer.

9. A system for the provision of information to the vdu of a computer substantially as herein described.

10. An information supply method comprising selecting the information that is to be supplied, programming a computer to display the information on a vdu at a predetermined time when the computer is powered up, but not in use so as to override any screensaver displayed on the vdu.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the information comprises text and/or images.

12. A method as claimed in either claim 10 or 11 further comprising the step of generating an initialisation file containing information on what information to display and at what time.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 further comprising the step of placing the initialisation file along with the information to be displayed on to the intended receipient machine.

14. An information supply method substantially as herein described.