Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-10
2002-03-12
Homere, Jean R. (Department: 2177)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000, C705S014270, C709S217000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06356893
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a message searching system and a terminal, which displays information obtained from a computer communications network, such as the Internet. For those designated countries, which permit the incorporation by reference, the following patent applications are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Appln. No. H8-9521 filed on Jan. 23, 1996
2. Appln. No. H8-67278 filed on Feb. 28, 1996
3. Appln. No. H8-139689 filed on May 10, 1996
4. Appln. No. H8-139690 filed on May 10, 1996
5. Appln. No. H8-163679 filed on Jun. 5, 1996
Application Ser. No. 09/125,833 filed Feb. 26, 1997, entitled “Communication System Capable of Providing User with Picture Meeting Characteristics of User and Terminal Equipment and Information Providing Device Used for the Same,” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,157,9466, issued Dec. 5, 2000.
Application Ser. No. 09/633,407 filed Aug. 7, 2000, entitled “Advertising Supported Internet Access Service.”
Application Ser. No. 09/125,894 filed Aug. 27, 1998, entitled “Communication System for Distributing Such Message as Advertisement to User of Terminal Equipment.”
Application Ser. No. 09/206,385 filed Dec. 7, 1998, entitled “Information Provider, Terminal And System And Recording Medium For The Terminal.”
application Ser. No. 09/117,331 filed Nov. 6, 1998, entitled “System For Displaying Two Independent Images From Network.”
Application Ser. No. 09/276,708 filed Mar. 26, 1999, entitled “Terminal Which Stores Information on Communication Network in Local Memory Automatically.”
2. Description of Related Art
Various kinds of information are available to users through communications networks such as the Internet and other personal computer networks such as Bulletin Board Services (BBS), etc. Typically, a terminal, such as a personal computer, is connected via a modem and a telephone line, local area network, or wide area network, etc., to a computer, such as a ‘server’, operated by an information provider. A user, using his own terminal, can access whatever data the information provider makes available. A user can also access other information providers through the communications network to which the first information provider is connected. Thus, a user can receive information from various information providers.
An information provider or some enterprise connected to the information provider identifies a user based on a unique user ID and a password to determine whether to provide access to the information to the user and may charge a fee for providing information.
Information supplied to the user is typically displayed in a single window on the user's computer or terminal display. The user can scroll displayed information or switch to a submenu screen. An information provider may provide designated information selected by the user together with additional information such as an advertisement. The additional information is displayed in the same window as the designated information sought by the user.
In a typical arrangement, when a user scrolls his display the additional information, being in the same window, disappears. This prevents the additional information (such as an advertisement) from being efficiently provided to the user. This is a problem for the advertiser. To overcome this problem, Japanese Patent Application H8-67279, which is commonly owned with this application, proposes an arrangement for displaying two separate and distinct windows on a user's display. One of the two windows displays the designated information requested by the user. The other of the two windows is for the additional information, such as an advertisement. Advertisements displayed in the second window can be selected, based on a user characteristic profile, so as to be appropriate for a particular user. Such a profile might include characteristics such as, but not limited to, age, gender, marital status, a previously expressed interest, etc.
As a user's characteristics change over time, the advertisements presented in the second window can be changed based on the users changed profile. For example, some advertisements may target a particular age range.
Information available via communications networks, such as the Internet, change significantly over time. Therefore it is desirable to be able to supply selected information related to newly available content and for a computer or terminal to be able to keep track of a user's characteristic profile. It is also desirable to be able to keep track of a plurality of user characteristic profiles even when a plurality of users have copied and use the same program to access information. This invention was conceived to provide a message searching system and a terminal, which can meet such objectives.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a message searching system. It includes a message user database for storing user characteristics profiles. A computer or terminal is connected to the message searching system through a communication line. A transmittal condition database stores a list of messages that can be transmitted to the computer. Each message listing includes a message ID and searching conditions that should be satisfied before a particular message should be sent for display. Means are provided for determining when it is necessary to revise a characteristics profile when communicating with a user. Means are provided for revising the characteristics profile when necessary. Means are provided for reading the characteristics profile of a terminal user in response to a request from the terminal. Means are provided for searching the transmittal condition database based on the characteristics profile read from the message user database and locating IDs of messages to be sent to the user.
As one example, the characteristics profile might include each user's birth date and the last communication date associated with that user. The detector determines that the characteristics profile needs to be revised when the date obtained by adding a predetermined value to the user's birth date has already passed at the time of user's connection to the message searching system and is after the last revision.
Means are provided for adding a new item (data field) to the message user database, and means for storing an indicator, such as an ‘item revision time’ when the new item was added to the message user database. The detector determines that the user's characteristics profile needs to be revised when the last communication date is before the item revision time. As an alternative, the detector might determine that the characteristics profile needs to be revised when the date obtained by adding a predetermined value to the user's birth date has already passed at the time of the user's connection to the message searching system and that connection has occurred after the latest item revision time of the transmittal condition database. As another alternative, the detector might simply determines that the characteristics profile needs to be revised when the last revision time is before the item revision time.
Means are provided for comparing the characteristics profile revision time of a particular user who is using the terminal, the revision time being stored in the terminal, with the characteristics revision time stored in the message user database when the terminal is connected to the message searching system. This is particularly helpful when a plurality of users use the same terminal. Means are provided for transmitting the characteristics profile in the message user database to the terminal when the characteristics revision time in the message user database is after the characteristics revision time in the terminal.
Means are provided for comparing the characteristics revision time of the user who is using the terminal, which is stored in the terminal, with the characteristics revision time in the message user database. When the data in the message user database is lagging that which is stored in the
Fujita Nobuyuki
Itakura Yuichiro
Tsutsui Yuichiro
Homere Jean R.
Sereboff Steven C.
Wassum Luke S
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