Controlled transfer of information in computer networks

Details Controlled transfer of information in computer networks Controlled transfer of information in computer networks

1996-10-29

2001-08-21

Beausoliel, Jr., Robert W. (Department: 2785)

Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support

Multiple computer communication using cryptography

Protection at a particular protocol layer

C705S014270

Reexamination Certificate

active

06279112

ABSTRACT:

REFERENCE TO APPENDIX
Microfiche Appendix A is being submitted with the present application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to techniques for controlling transfers of information in computer networks, such as establishing communication channels between computers, transmitting smart digital offers based on information such as coupons and purchasing histories stored at the computer receiving the offer, automatically receiving data from a user's computer based on a personal profile and security profile of the user, and metering a user's access to linked information.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/168,519, filed Dec. 16, 1993 by David K. Gifford and entitled “Digital Active Advertising,” the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, describes a network sales or payment system that includes at least a client computer and a payment computer. The client computer transmits a payment order and an authenticator to the payment computer. The payment computer verifies the authenticator, transmits a payment authorization message and an authenticator back to the client computer, and performs a payment settlement transaction.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/328,133, filed Oct. 24, 1994 by Andrew C. Payne et al. and entitled “Network Sales System,” the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, describes a network sales system in which a buyer computer transmits a payment order including a product identifier to a payment computer, which transmits an access message and an authenticator to a merchant computer, which verifies the authenticator and causes the product to be sent to a user of the buyer computer. The payment computer stores the product identifier and the payment amount in a settlement database. A user at the buyer computer can transmit to the payment computer a request for an account statement, with an authenticator, and the payment computer verifies the authenticator and transmits a statement constructed from the settlement database to the buyer computer.
One known technique for transferring information in computer networks includes programming a computer to obtain packages of Web pages. The computer obtains the packages of Web pages automatically, on a periodic basis, without direct input from the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the invention features a network-based system for controlled transfer of information that includes a client computer, a server computer, and an information source computer interconnected by a computer network. The server computer transmits to the client computer a document containing a channel object corresponding to a communication service to be provided over an information transfer channel between the information source computer and the client computer. The client computer activates the channel object received from the server computer, and, in response to activation of the channel object, stores an access ticket that indicates that a user of the client computer permits the information source computer to communicate with the user over the channel. The information source computer transmits information to the client computer over the channel, and the client computer receives the information from the information source computer over the channel, based on the stored access ticket.
A user at the client computer can determine whether to activate a specific channel object received from the server computer and can specifically request that it be activated. Alternatively, the client computer can activate the channel object automatically if identifying data in the channel object specific to the information to be provided by the information source computers falls within parameters preset by the user such as a particular keyword phrase or a particular rating. The information transfer channel can be a broadcast or multicast channel, or it can simply be the computer network linking the client computer and the information source computer.
Another aspect of the invention features a network-based system for smart digital offer pricing that includes a client computer and an offer-providing server computer interconnected by a computer network. The offer-providing server computer transmits a document to the client computer that includes a smart digital offer object. The client computer stores user-specific information at the client computer, receives the document that includes the smart digital offer object, and activates the smart digital offer object at the client computer. Upon activation, the smart digital offer object provides an offer to the client computer based on the stored user-specific information. The client computer transmits an acceptance of the offer to the offer-providing server together with an authenticator. The offer-providing server verifies the authenticator and causes the offer to be fulfilled based on verification of the authenticator.
Because the smart digital offer object is executed at the client computer, it can efficiently use client-specific information that is stored at the client computer, even if the client computer is off-line and the smart digital offer object has been received by e-mail, and it can minimize the load at the offer-providing server. In addition, the user-specific information examined by the smart digital offer object need not be revealed to the offer-providing server if the user does not accept the offer, because the client computer can contact the offer-providing server after activation of the smart digital offer object only if the user accepts the offer.
The user-specific information may be a coupon transmitted by a coupon-providing server computer to the client computer together with an authenticator. The client computer causes the coupon information and the authenticator to be stored, and the smart digital offer object, when it is activated, verifies the authenticator.
Another aspect of the invention features a network-based system for automatic transfer of information pertaining to a personal profile of a user that includes a client computer and a server computer interconnected by a computer network. The server computer transmits to the client computer a document that includes a request for personal profile information pertaining to a user of the client computer. The client computer receives the document that includes the request for personal profile information, and activates a client avatar at the client computer. The client avatar compares the request for personal profile information with a security profile of the user limiting access to personal profile information and causes a subset of a personal profile of the user to be transmitted to the server computer based on the request for personal profile information and the security profile. The server computer transmits to the client computer information customized for the user based on the subset of the personal profile of the user.
The client avatar acts as an agent for the user by controlling the release of information from the client personal profile to the server computer. The client avatar makes it possible to store a single client personal profile at the client computer or an agency computer, rather than multiple personal profiles at multiple server computers, while at the same time limiting the release of certain information from the personal profile only to trusted servers or only upon specific authorization from the user.
Another aspect of the invention features a network-based system for metering of a user's access to linked information that includes a client computer and a server computer interconnected by a computer network. The server computer transmits to the client computer a document containing an embedded link. The client computer activates the embedded link when at least a portion of the document corresponding to the embedded link is displayed, records activation of the embedded link in a metering log, and causes information stored in the metering log pertaining to activation of the embedded link to be transmitted to t

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