Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer conferencing – Demand based messaging
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-25
2004-04-20
Sheikh, Ayaz (Department: 2131)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer conferencing
Demand based messaging
C709S227000, C709S224000, C709S235000, C709S241000, C345S215000, C345S215000, C379S093240
Reexamination Certificate
active
06725255
ABSTRACT:
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system and method for tracking data transmissions, and for reporting on the receipt of such transmissions by the intended recipient, including the quality of interaction with the data transmission by the recipient. In particular, the system and method of the present invention provide a mechanism for notifying the sender of the quality of such an interaction.
Networks which connect two or more computers, such as the Internet or intranets, enable client computers to obtain data transmissions, such as documents, images, messages, data packages or other types of data, from remote storage media which are not installed on the client computer itself. Instead, these remote storage media are managed and operated through a remote computer, known as a server computer or simply as a “server” (in the same vein, the client computer is also often termed only a “client”). The data transmission may then be sent to a recipient user at a particular user address and/or user computer by a sending user, such that the data transmission is “pushed”, or transmitted by request of a user other than the recipient user. One example of a “push” technology is e-mail (electronic mail), in which the ending user controls when the e-mail message is sent, while the recipient user passively receives the e-mail message at a particular e-mail address. Typically, the messages at such an e-mail address may be accessed from a plurality of different computers. Thus, the recipient user may optionally choose to receive, or “download”, the e-mail messages at a convenient computer.
One difficulty with e-mail, as well as with other “push” technologies, is that the quality of the interaction of the recipient user with the e-mail message is difficult to ascertain. Indeed, unless the sending user and the recipient user share a common e-mail software within a common network, the sending user may not even be able to determine whether the e-mail message has been received at all. Furthermore, the existing solutions within the context of sharing a common e-mail software within a common network do not provide a mechanism for notifying the sending user if the message has not been received by the recipient user, or if the recipient user has not interacted with the message sufficiently. In addition, these existing solutions do not provide any mechanism for attempting to contact the recipient user through another communication medium, such as voice mail for example, in order to notify the recipient user of the existence of the message. Also, the existing solutions are restricted to e-mail alone, and are not useful for tracking and reporting on other types of data transmissions within the context of “push” technologies. Thus, existing solutions have many disadvantages.
Therefore, there is an unmet need for, and it would be highly useful to have, a system and method for tracking and reporting various types of data transmissions within the context of “push” technologies, such as e-mail, for determining the type of interaction between the recipient user and a particular data transmission, and for notifying the sending user and/or the recipient user through the same or an alternative communication medium if the initial data transmission has not been satisfactorily received.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is of a system and method for tracking a data transmission, and for reporting the receipt of the data transmission and the level and/or type of interaction between the intended recipient user and the data transmission. If the intended recipient user does not receive the data transmission within a predetermined period of time, and/or if the intended recipient user does not interact with the data transmission according to the predetermined level and/or type of interaction, then preferably the intended recipient user receives a data transmission through a different communication medium, such as voice mail if the original medium was e-mail, for example. More preferably, the sender user and/or another designated user is notified if such a period of time has elapsed.
According to the present invention, there is provided a method for reporting an interaction of a recipient user with a data transmission, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a recipient client for receiving the data transmission, and a server for sending the data transmission; (b) sending the data transmission from the server to the recipient client; (c) if the data transmission is successfully received by the recipient client, reporting a successful receipt of the data transmission to the server; (d) determining the interaction of the recipient user with the data transmission by the recipient client; and (e) reporting the interaction to the server.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a system for reporting an interaction of a recipient user with a data transmission, the system comprising: (a) a server for sending the data transmission; (b) a recipient client for receiving the data transmission and for the interaction with the recipient user; (c) a client agent for reporting a report of the interaction, the client agent being operated by the recipient client; (d) a server agent for receiving the report of the interaction and for sending a notification if the interaction is not performed; and (e) a sender agent for receiving the notification. As an example, lack of performance of an interaction could be determined according to an elapsed period of time, such that if the interaction does not occur, the interaction is designated as not performed. Lack of performance may be absolute, if no interaction occurred for example, or relative, if the desired level or degree of interaction is not performed for example.
Hereinafter, the term “protocol based on TCP/IP” includes any such protocol, including but not limited to the HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol) and FTP (file transfer protocol) protocols.
Hereinafter, the term “data transmission” refers to any discrete, identifiable unit of data, including but not limited to documents, images, e-mail messages, voice mail messages, paging messages, data packages or any other type of data.
Hereinafter, the term “Web browser” refers to any software program which can display text, graphics, or both, from Web pages on World Wide Web sites. Hereinafter, the term “Web page” refers to any document written in a mark-up language including, but not limited to, HTML (hypertext mark-up language) or VRML (virtual reality modeling language), dynamic HTML, XML (extended mark-up language) or related computer languages thereof, as well as to any collection of such documents reachable through one specific Internet address or at one specific World Wide Web site, or any document obtainable through a particular URL (Uniform Resource Locator). Hereinafter, the term “Web site” refers to at least one Web page, and preferably a plurality of Web pages, virtually connected to form a coherent group. Hereinafter, the term “Web server” refers to a computer or other electronic device which is capable of serving at least one Web page to a Web browser.
Hereinafter, the term “applet” refers to a self-contained software module written in an applet language such as Java or constructed as an ActiveX™ control.
Hereinafter, the term “network” refers to a connection between any two computers which permits the transmission of data.
Hereinafter, the phrase “display a Web page” includes all actions necessary to render at least a portion of the information on the Web page available to the computer user. As such, the phrase includes, but is not limited to, the static visual display of static graphical information, the audible production of audio information, the animated visual display of animation and the visual display of video stream data.
Hereinafter, the terms “computer user” and “user” both refer to the person who operates the Web browser or other GUI interface and navigates through the system of the present invention by operating a computer.
Her
Hass Lior
Or Roni
BackWeb Technologies Ltd.
Fliesler & Meyer LLP
Sheikh Ayaz
Zia Syed A.
LandOfFree
System and method for tracking and reporting data... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with System and method for tracking and reporting data..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and System and method for tracking and reporting data... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3269107