Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer conferencing – Demand based messaging
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-31
2001-08-07
Maung, Zarni (Department: 2152)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer conferencing
Demand based messaging
C709S217000, C340S870030
Reexamination Certificate
active
06272531
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to information retrieval in online computer networks and, in particular, to a method and system for recognizing dynamic data available on a computer network and triggering an action based on the changing state of the retrieved data.
2. Description of the Related Art
The World Wide Web is the Internet's multimedia information retrieval system. In the Web environment, client machines effect transactions to Web servers using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), which is a known application protocol providing users access to files (e.g., text, graphics, images, sound, video, etc.) using a standard page description language known as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). HTML provides basic document formatting and allows the developer to specify “links” to other servers and files. In the Internet paradigm, a network path to a server is identified by a so-called Uniform Resource Locator (URL) having a special syntax for defining a network connection. Use of an HTML-compatible browser (e.g., Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer) at a client machine involves specification of a link via the URL. In response, the client makes a request to the server (sometimes referred to as a “Web site”) identified in the link and, in return, receives in return a text document formatted according to HTML. The Web server can return many data object types (known as Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME) types), such as .gif and .jpeg files (graphics), .mpeg files (movies), .wav files (audio) and the like.
Thus, a user of a client machine typically “pulls” information from the Web using a Web browser. This process, however, assumes that the user can locate the information he or she desires at a particular time. Web content is constantly changing, and this fact has driven the development of so-called “push” technology. In a conventional “push” implementation, a user registers for information from a particular company or site and, from then on, the information is delivered to the user's machine when available or when the page has changed. Thus, information providers have more control over how their content is received and viewed.
Although such data delivery mechanisms have the advantage of enabling a user define what type of data he or she is interested in receiving, they have not found wide acceptance. One of the problems associated with pushing content to users in this manner is that the information is merely displayed to the user. Such known techniques do not afford the user the ability to specify when the information should be presented or how the information may be used. These systems simply display the changed data to the user.
It would be desirable to provide improved techniques for recognizing and acting upon dynamic data in a computer network such as the public Internet. The present invention addresses this problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to recognize dynamic data available on the Internet and trigger actions based on the changing state of such data.
It is a further object of this invention to implement a framework for recognizing and acting upon such dynamic data wherein sensitivity criteria allow for increases or decreases in the severity or nature of the actions triggered.
It is a further more specific object of this invention to cull data of different types from the Internet, apply a given heuristic to the data, and then act upon the data if a specified criteria is met by the data.
It is another more particular object of this invention to monitor dynamic data in a background process running on a machine connectable to the Internet and then effecting a given action defined by a user of the machine.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a simple mechanism for enabling a user of a Web client to specify exactly what type of information he or she desires to be notified about, and to define what type of action is to be taken upon a given occurrence with respect to such information.
Another object of this invention is to provide such a system whereby a user specifies the degree to which given content should change before a given action is taken.
These and other objects of the invention are provided by a method operative in a computer network for recognizing and acting upon dynamic data in a computer network such as the public Internet. The method begins by having the user (at a client machine) define at least one “data source” that he or she is interested in monitoring. The data source includes information identifying a location (i.e. a URL) of the data object to be monitored, together with recognition criteria which determines whether the data source is valid. Thus, for example, if the data source is a text string, the recognition criteria may be a string of words that must be present in the data source. For each data source, the user may then define a set of one or more “action criteria”, wherein each action criteria has a given polling interval and includes information identifying a sensitivity criteria and an action to be taken if the sensitivity criteria for the data source is met.
The following functions then are carried out by a monitoring algorithm, typically running at the user's client machine. The algorithm has access to the data structures specified by the user. At the polling interval for a given action criteria, a determination is made (using the recognition criteria) as to whether the data source is valid. If so, a test is run to determine whether the defined sensitivity criteria is met. If the defined sensitivity criteria is met for a valid data source during the polling interval, the defined action is then taken. The particular action taken is user-defined and may include, without limitation, logging a message, sending an e-mail, transmitting a page (e.g., to the client or other network machine), running a program, updating a database, and the like.
The inventive method has particular utility where the client machine is a computer having a Web browser and the computer network is the public Internet. The process itself is preferably a Java application or applet (or more generally, a “computer program product”) that executes in the background of the workstation that hosts the application, whether or not the particular user is connected online to the computer network. The process recognizes particular data source(s) defined by the user. In particular, the process parses the format of the MIME type returned, distinguishes characteristics of the data type, and determines if the data contents have changed. The application then acts upon dynamic data variations in a manner that is also defined by the user. Sensitivity criteria allow for adjustments in the severity or nature of the actions triggered. Typically, a particular data source may have a plurality of action criteria associated therewith.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects and features of the present invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention as will be described. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment.
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Cardone Jason D.
International Business Machines - Corporation
LaBaw Jeffrey S.
Maung Zarni
Yee Duke W.
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