Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer network managing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-07
2001-06-26
Vu, Viet D. (Department: 2154)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer network managing
C709S226000, C709S238000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06253241
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the customization of information. More particularly, the present invention relates to the distribution of customized multimedia content over a network.
2. Related Applications
Pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/818,804, filed Mar. 14, 1997, entitled “Production of a Video Stream with synchronized Annotations over a Computer Network”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,241 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
3. Description of the Related Art
With the proliferation of connections to the internet by a rapidly growing number of consumers, the viability of the internet as a widely accepted marketing channel using multimedia content has increased correspondingly. However, in a substantially dispersed marketplace, sending the same marketing content to all the consumers within the marketplace is not cost effective.
This is because consumers within the substantially dispersed marketplace may have diverse interests since their needs can vary greatly. Using a sporting goods example, a busy executive may only be interested in stationary exercise machines, while a retired engineer may be interested in rifles and camping equipment. Consumer needs also vary greatly depending on geographical location. Swimsuits are probably more popular in San Diego than in Anchorage. Conversely, snow mobiles are probably sell better in Alaska than in Arizona.
As such, efficient distribution of marketing information is needed to avoid wasting network resources. However, traditional methods of marketing generally involve mass marketing information to the consumers within the marketplace. This mass marketing model is unsatisfactory for large marketplaces wherein the consumers are more likely to have diverse interest.
In view of the foregoing, there are desired improved techniques for efficiently distributing marketing information over a computer network to consumers with diverse interest, while efficiently utilizing the network resources thereby providing consumers with information that is of interest to the individual consumer in a cost effective manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides cost effective scalable multimedia content targeted at specific end user(s) via client computers coupled to servers by a diverse computer network which includes local area networks (LANs) and/or wide area networks (WANs) such as the internet. Multimedia content includes video/audio streams and textual and/or graphical information such as applets and HTML pages.
In one embodiment in which the server is billed for network bandwidth consumed, upon receiving an end user request for multimedia content, the server computes the likelihood of patronage. Indicators useful for estimating the likelihood of patronage include regularity of patronage, income history, credit worthiness, age, hobbies, occupation and marital status. A cost effective bandwidth is selected for delivering the requested content. Such an arrangement is advantageous because the content is delivered to end user at a bandwidth corresponding to the probability of consummating a sale. These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed descriptions and studying the various figures of the drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5418713 (1995-05-01), Allen
patent: 5446919 (1995-08-01), Wilkins
patent: 5481542 (1996-01-01), Logston et al.
patent: 5596493 (1997-01-01), Tone et al.
patent: 5633810 (1997-05-01), Mandal et al.
patent: 5671225 (1997-09-01), Hooper et al.
patent: 5740549 (1998-04-01), Reilly et al.
patent: 5774170 (1998-06-01), Hite et al.
Lee & Hayes PLLC
Microsoft Corporation
Vu Viet D.
LandOfFree
Selecting a cost-effective bandwidth for transmitting... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Selecting a cost-effective bandwidth for transmitting..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Selecting a cost-effective bandwidth for transmitting... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2524494