Xiaohu Guan

US Patent:

20020004855, Jan 10, 2002

Filed:

May 18, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/860401

Inventors:

Steve Cox - Durham NC, US
David Spitz - Raleigh NC, US
Matthew Squire - Raleigh NC, US
Jay Thrash - Raleigh NC, US
Tom Gordon - New York NY, US
Xiaohu Guan - Chapel Hill NC, US
Dana Borger - Cary NC, US

International Classification:

G06F009/00
G06F009/46

US Classification:

709/328000

Abstract:

An application program interface (API) is operably associated with application programs executing on an electronic device and enables the application programs to retrieve, store, and display content. The API enables application programs to communicate with other application programs and to send/retrieve content to/from other application programs. In addition, the API is configured to perform various event accounting functions. A gateway communicates with an electronic device application program via the API and is configured to retrieve content from a content server in response to receiving requests from the application programs. The gateway is configured to serve content retrieved from the content server to the electronic device, as well as to other servers and/or devices. Methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for dynamically selecting advertisements for use within user-requested content wherein the advertisements are stored locally within a user client device.