Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Remote data accessing – Using interconnected networks
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-27
2001-11-13
Coulter, Kenneth R. (Department: 2154)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Remote data accessing
Using interconnected networks
C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06317783
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus and process for automated aggregation and delivery of electronic personal information or data (PI). The invention further relates to the automation of transactions involving electronic PI.
2. Description of Related Art
Looking back over the last five years, it is apparent that as the Internet gained momentum, consumers demanded applications or services that make their online experience simpler, easier to use, and more satisfying. The development of successful Internet Sites has corresponded with a number of themes which have developed over the last few years. When carefully analyzed this evolution is a logical development of the emerging digital economy.
Prior to 1994, the Internet was not a mass media, in part, because the existing technologies (FTP, Archie, Usenet, and Gopher) were not user friendly and required the end user to do all of the work (e.g., the end user had to learn of an existing data source, find the address, navigate to the destination, and download the information). As more consumers began accessing the Internet, Search Engines were created to solve this usability issue. With the advent of the commercial Search Engine, additional content could be easily added to the Internet and the end user had a means of finding and accessing this information. Consumers required better tools than Search Engines for organizing and accessing this wealth of generic content. Push technologies were explored, and eventually, the portal strategy was successfully adopted as an efficient way for consumers to easily access a variety of content sources in a single, easy to use format. As the volume of available online content continues to grow exponentially, portals are now confronted with the need to make different types of content available to different consumers based upon their particular preferences and tastes.
The phenomenal success of Internet portals and destination sites has demonstrated the importance of creatively and intelligently aggregating, organizing and presenting the mass of information available on the Web. Search engines, portals and destination sites have Internet strategies based on the frequency, duration and quality of end user visits to their sites. For this reason, destination sites and portals are constantly seeking content and/or technologies which drive quality traffic to their site and keep it there. Recent trends indicate that Internet users are up to 25 times more likely to come back to a site when this information is organized according to personal preferences.
FIG. 1
displays the current process of acquiring online PI
100
. The end user first selects an information provider site in step
110
. The end user proceeds to step
120
by locating and entering the Internet address of the selected information provider. This step may be accomplished in several manners with varying levels of complexity. A simple means for accomplishing this step is the utilization of a bookmark or favorite whereas locating an information provider for the first time might involve significant time and effort performing online searches. In step
130
, the end users logs into the selected information provider's Web site utilizing the site's specific logon protocol. This protocol usually involves verifying the identity of the end user using a user name and password or other means of verification, acquiring the verification data from cookies residing on the end user's system or a combination of requested data and cookie data. The end user continues in step
140
by navigating through Web pages on the information provider's Web site until the desired information is located. During this process, the end user is often required to visit Web pages of little or no use to the end user whose goals is to simply acquire the particular PI residing on the Web site. Ultimately in step
150
, the end user is presented with the desired PI. The entire process
100
is repeated for each individual piece of PI desired by the end user. Under this PI access model, the end user must visit each separate information provider, track potentially different identity verification data for each, utilize a different user interface at each site and possibly wade through a significant number of filler Web pages.
FIG. 4
pictorial illustrates the architecture of this current access process. The end user
210
utilizes the client computer
220
to access each PI Web site
250
across the Internet
230
. This current model suffers from several significant deficiencies. The end user must login to each site separately. Each separate site has its own graphical user interface. Each site wants the end user to stay and return; each visited site wants to retain end user focus for as long as possible. No true aggregation of PI exists; multiple accesses simply allow sequential access to particular pieces of PI.
One partial solution to these problems has recently evolved in the form of portal sites. Generic portal sites aggregate resources into categories and provide links to sites covering topics within those categories. Yahoo and Excite are examples of generic portal sites. These sites facilitate horizontal aggregation of generic content; horizontal aggregation refers to aggregation of PI access within a particular information provider category such as banks or utility companies. Some portal site allows individual end users a limited capability to select and configure disparate generic PI. Generic PI refers to PI of interest to the particular end user that does not require specific identity verification to obtain. For example, an end user might be interested in the weather forecast for his local area. This information could be integrated into a portal page without requiring identity verification of the particular end user receiving this PI. The individualized portal page provides a significant benefit to users seeking to aggregate generic PI. However, current portal pages do not generally provide PI requiring identity verification such as an end user's stock portfolio or bank balance. Further, these pages do not facilitate transactions utilizing PI.
Under current technology, aggregating PI available over the Internet requires a significant burden in terms of time, effort and learning curve. An end user wishing to access his PI needs to individually visit a variety of information provider sites each with its own requirements, graphical user interface and login protocol.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the present invention, a networked computer is used to facilitate end user access of, manipulation of and transactions involving electronic PI associated with the particular end user such as stock portfolio, local weather, sports scores, bank account balances or other pertinent information or data. According to the present invention, the PI relevant to the particular end user is aggregated on the networked computer. This information or data is delivered to the end user in a unified manner by a variety of selectable delivery platforms such as facsimile, client computer, telephone, conventional mail, electronic mail, pager, other wireless device, Web page or channel or other delivery vehicle. The present invention further facilitates a variety of electronic transactions involving PI such as stock trading, retail purchases, bill payment, bank account fund transfers or other transactions.
A system for delivering personal information according to the present invention includes a user store including end user data, a provider store including information provider data, a personal information store including personal information and a processor that communicates with these data stores. The processor supports the aggregation of personal information. The processor selects an end user for personal information aggregation. Once the end user is selected, the processor connects with one or more information providers. The processor then proceeds to retrieve personal information for the selected end user from the connected information pro
Freishtat Gregg
Rajan Palaniswamy
Coulter Kenneth R.
Needle & Rosenberg. P.C.
Verticalone Corporation
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