Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer-to-computer protocol implementing – Computer-to-computer data transfer regulating
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-26
2004-04-13
Maung, Zarni (Department: 2154)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer-to-computer protocol implementing
Computer-to-computer data transfer regulating
C701S201000, C701S203000, C701S217000, C701S219000, C701S216000, C707S793000, C370S469000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06721795
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
On-line service providers (OSPs), such as America Online, Inc., CompuServe, and various Internet world wide web site operators, provide users at client computers with various resources including electronic mail, chat, news, financial information, travel planning information, local weather information, and other information.
FIG. 1
shows a network
100
that includes OSP servers
111
-
116
as well as client computers
131
-
133
. Each client computer
131
-
133
may execute a browser or other software application that allows a user to select information for retrieval from the servers
111
-
116
and which presents retrieved information to the user. The browser may display hypertext links, menus, dialog boxes, or other graphical user interface (GUI) control objects, may accept keyboard entry, or may have other input mechanisms that allow a user to select the desired information. When the user selects the information that he or she wants to receive, control data is sent from the browser application to an OSP server and, in response, the server sends the selected information to the user.
Data may be exchanged between browsers at client computers
131
-
133
and servers
111
-
116
over data paths that include access connections
134
-
136
, a point of presence (POP)
130
, and network
120
. The POP
130
includes data communications equipment that enables and regulates communication between client computers
131
-
133
and the network
120
. POP
130
may include dial-up modem banks, cable modem banks, wireless communications equipment, or other data transmission equipment. POP
130
also may implement security and authentication mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access to the network
120
or servers
111
-
116
. For example, before granting a client computer
131
-
133
access to the network
120
, the pop
130
may need to receive a valid user name and password from a client computer's user.
In addition to sending user-selected information to a client computer, an OSP may want to independently select information and send it to the user. For example, an OSP may want to send advertisements, information from business partners, service usage instructions, and other helpful information to a user. The OSP may want to present the information selected by the user (“user-selected” information), and the information selected by the OSP (“server-selected” information) using separate GUI windows. Separate presentation of user-selected and server-selected data may help to distinguish information selected by the user from that selected by the OSP.
To separate server-selected and user-selected data, user-selected data may be displayed in a main browser window and server-selected data may be displayed using a popup window (a “popup”). A popup is a GUI window that can be displayed by a browser in response to a host computer request. For example, when a user selects data using an America Online, Inc. (AOL) version 4.0 browser (an “AOL browser”), or using a hypertext transfer protocol-based browser (an “HTTP browser”), the user-selected data may be sent from a host computer to the browser and displayed in a main browser window. The host computer can also send instructions to the browser to display a popup window in which server-selected data can be presented to the user. The user may then be able to independently close, scroll, resize and otherwise interact with the main and popup browser windows.
Multiple logically interrelated data items can be received at a browser and displayed in a window. The display of interrelated data items can be simultaneous or sequential. For example, an OSP server may select a product advertisement that is to be displayed to a user in a popup window. The product advertisement can include a descriptive text file and a product picture that are simultaneously displayed to a user along with a product order GUI button. If the user selects the product order GUI button, the user's browser can send control data to an OSP server indicating that the button was selected. In response, the OSP server may send an order form to the client computer for display in the popup window. The displayed order form may replace or be appended to the previously displayed text, picture, and button information. Thus, the product advertisement selected by the OSP server includes descriptive text, a picture, and a GUI button that are simultaneously displayed to a user and an order form that is displayed sequentially following the selection of the GUI button. In the descriptions that follow, a collection of logically interrelated data items is referred to as a “data flow.” Data flows can include server-selected data flows and user-selected data flows.
An OSP can pre-select server-selected data flow (and their sub-components). Pre-selection can be performed by statically associating particular server-selected data flows with particular user-selectable data flows. For example, an OSP can associate a car polish advertisement data flow with user-selectable information describing particular models of cars. When a user requests information about a particular model of car from an OSP server, the OSP server can send the requested car information for display in a main browser window and may send the associated car polish advertisement for display in a popup window. Server-selected data flows also may be randomly determined or selected using other mechanisms. For example, an OSP server can analyze text in user-selected data and attempt to determine topics of interest to that user. The OSP server may then select data flows based on the determined topics.
While existing mechanisms allow presentation of server-selected data flows, the present inventor recognizes the need for additional flexibility in selecting, arranging, structuring, and presenting such data flows. The present inventor also recognize a need for flexible gathering and application of statistical data related to data flows. For example, the present inventor recognizes that it may be desirable to alter the contents of a data flow depending on previously determined user's statistics, and it may be desirable to alter a selection of data items in the data flow based on a user's identity.
SUMMARY
In general, in one aspect, the invention features a computer-implemented information transfer method. The method includes evaluating a selection rule at a server to select a data flow and to determine contents of the data flow. The method also includes sending the contents of the data flow to another computer for presentation to a user.
Implementations may include one or more of the following features. A selection rule may include statements expressed in a programming language that includes Boolean logic, variable manipulation, and data access functionality. A statistical data set may be determined by the selection rule to identify statistical data that is gathered and stored as the data flow is presented to the user. The contents may be presented using a popup window at a client computer. The selection rule may be evaluated in response to a selection request received from another server. The selection rule may be evaluated in response to one of a number of different triggers that are associated with the state of the user, client computer, server computer, and/or other computers in a network.
In another aspect, the invention features a computer-readable medium. The medium includes instructions for causing a computer, i.e., server or client computer, to evaluate a selection rule to select a data flow and to determine contents of the data flow. The medium also includes instructions to send the contents of the data flow to another computer for presentation to a user. The medium may also include instructions to determine a statistical data set associated with the data flow based on an identity of the user and instructions to receive a selection request that includes the identity of the user from another server. One or more selection rules may be evaluated in response to the receipt of the selection request.
In general, in another
America Online Inc.
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Hu Jinsong
Maung Zarni
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