Header-based network API

• US 20020124112A1
• Filed: 02/15/2002
• Published: 09/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tso, Michael M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,870,293 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1435 volume-based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2871 Implementation details of single intermediate entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 : Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 : Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 : Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

A method and apparatus for communicating with entities outside of a secure network by intercepting and modifying messages is provided. Techniques for accomplishing the communication include inserting, retrieving, and deleting information from messages. The entities involved in the communication include, but are not limited to, users, content providers, and access providers. Furthermore, the types of information used in modifying messages include billing, location, demographic information, profile data, multimedia data, and code.

Claims

1. A method for communicating electronic information comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

intercepting a message sent from a first participant to a second participant;

selecting additional information to convey to said second participant based on information contained in said message;

modifying said message to create a modified message that includes said additional information; and

retransmitting said modified message for receipt by said second participant.

2. The method for claim 1 wherein said first participant is one of a service requester and a service provider and the second participant is the other of the service requestor and the service provider.

3. The method for claim 2 wherein:

the second participant is a service provider; and

the step of selecting comprises the steps of;

determining a service requested by said first participant based on information contained in said message;

determining what information is required by said service; and

selecting information required by said service as said additional information to convey to said second participant.

4. The method for claim 3 wherein said information required by said service is information, which is not already present in said message, about said first participant.

5. The method for claim 3 wherein said information required by said service is a current location of said first participant.

6. The method for claim 2 wherein the step of selecting additional information to convey includes the steps of:

locating a profile based on information contained in said message; and

obtaining the additional information based on information contained in said profile.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein:

the profile is associated with the first participant; and

the step of locating the profile includes locating the profile based on information within said message that identifies the first participant.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein:

the profile is associated with the second participant; and

the step of locating the profile includes locating the profile based on information within said message that identifies the second participant.

9. The method for claim 6 wherein the profile contains information concerning where to obtain the additional information.

10. The method for claim 6 wherein the profile contains authentication information.

11. The method for claim 2 wherein the step of modifying said message further includes the step of inserting the additional information into a header of the message.

12. The method for claim 11 wherein the step of inserting the additional information into the header of the message includes the step of inserting the additional information into one or more invisible fields within the header.

13. The method for claim 12 wherein the step of modifying said message further includes the step of inserting the additional information into a data portion of the message.

14. The method for claim 12 wherein the step of inserting the additional information into the data portion of the message includes the step of inserting the additional information into one or more invisible fields in the data portion of the message.

15. The method for claim 2 wherein the additional information is information about the service requestor.

16. The method for claim 2 wherein the additional information is information about the service provider.

17. The method for claim 2 wherein the additional information is a request for a second set of additional information.

18. The method for claim 2 wherein the additional information is a current location of the first participant.

19. The method for claim 2 wherein the information contained in said message that is used for selecting said additional information is the destination of the message.

20. The method for claim 1 further comprising the step of obtaining the additional information from within a private network that is not accessible to said first participant.

21. The method for claim 1 further comprising the step of obtaining the additional information from within a private network that is not accessible to said second participant.

22. The method for claim 2 wherein the additional information is code for execution by said second participant.

23. The method for claim 2 wherein the additional information includes at least one of digital video, images, and sound clips.

24. The method for claim 2 wherein the additional information is multimedia data.

25. The method for claim 2 wherein the additional information is billing data.

26. The method for claim 2 further comprising the computer-implemented step of authenticating the first participant prior to retransmitting said modified message.

27. The method for claim 26 wherein the step of authenticating includes validating a user ID and password combination.

28. The method for claim 2 further comprising the computer-implemented step of authenticating the second participant.

29. The method for claim 28 wherein the step of authenticating further includes the step of determining whether the second participant is an approved partner.

30. The method for claim 2 further comprising the computer-implemented step of:

transmitting as part of a response to a user data that indicates terms of agreement with said service provider.

31. A method for communicating electronic information comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

intercepting, at an intermediary, a message sent by a first participant to a second participant;

at said intermediary, reading piggybacked information from said message, wherein said piggybacked information was inserted into said message for said intermediary by said first participant; and

retransmitting said message for receipt by said second participant.

32. The method for claim 31 further comprising the step of:

authenticating the first participant with an authentication mechanism.

33. The method for claim 32 wherein the authentication mechanism is digital certificates.

34. The method for claim 31 further comprising the steps of:

determining whether the first participant is providing said message to said second participant for a fee;

if the first participant is providing said message to said second participant for a fee, then establishing a secure connection with the first participant; and

authenticating the first participant with an authentication mechanism.

35. The method of claim 31 wherein:

the method further comprises the step of deleting said piggybacked information from said message to create a modified message; and

the step of retransmitting said message is performed by retransmitting said modified message.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein:

the step of reading piggybacked information includes reading piggybacked information from a header portion of said message; and

the step of deleting said piggybacked information includes removing said piggybacked information from said header portion of said message.

37. The method of claim 31 wherein said first participant is a service provider, and the step of reading said piggybacked information includes reading information about a service that said second participant has requested from said first participant.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein:

prior to retransmitting said message, the intermediary sends the second participant a request for authorization of payment for said service; and

wherein the step of retransmitting said message to said second participant is performed in response to receiving authorization from said second participant.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein:

prior to retransmitting said message, the intermediary determines whether the second participant has sufficient funds to pay for said service; and

wherein the step of retransmitting said message to said second participant is performed in response to determining that said second participant has sufficient funds to pay for said service.

40. The method of claim 37 wherein the piggybacked information indicates a fee for said service.

41. The method of claim 37 further comprising the step of the intermediary storing information for use in billing said second participant for said service based on said piggybacked information.

42. The method of claim 31 wherein the step of reading piggybacked information includes reading piggybacked information from a header portion of said message.

43. The method of claim 31 further comprising the step of the intermediary updating a profile associated with said first participant based on said piggybacked information.

44. The method of claim 31 further comprising the step of the intermediary updating a profile associated with said second participant based on said piggybacked information.

45. The method of claim 31 wherein said piggybacked information includes terms of agreement.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein the step of sending said particular information from said intermediary to said first participant is performed without retransmitting said message to said second participant.

48. The method of claim 47 further comprising the step of:

receiving, at said intermediary, a second message from said first participant that was generated by said first participant in response to said particular information; and

retransmitting said second message to said second participant.

49. The method of claim 46 wherein said particular information is about said second participant.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein said particular information includes location information about said second participant.

46. A method for communicating electronic information comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

intercepting, at an intermediary, a message sent by a first participant to a second participant;

at said intermediary, reading piggybacked information from said message, wherein said piggybacked information was inserted into said message for said intermediary by said first participant;

determining that the piggybacked information indicates that said first participant requires particular information available to said intermediary;

sending the particular information from the intermediary to said first participant.

51. A computer-readable medium carrying instructions for communicating electronic information, the instructions including instructions for performing the steps of:

intercepting a message sent from a first participant to a second participant;

selecting additional information to convey to said second participant based on information contained in said message;

modifying said message to create a modified message that includes said additional information; and

retransmitting said modified message for receipt by said second participant.

52. The computer-readable medium for claim 51 wherein said first participant is one of a service requestor and a service provider and the second participant is the other of the service requester and the service provider.

53. The computer-readable medium for claim 52 wherein:

the second participant is a service provider; and

the step of selecting comprises the steps of;

determining a service requested by said first participant based on information contained in said message;

determining what information is required by said service; and

selecting information required by said service as said additional information to convey to said second participant.

54. The computer-readable medium for claim 53 wherein said information required by said service is information, which is not already present in said message, about said first participant.

55. The computer-readable medium for claim 53 wherein said information required by said service is a current location of said first participant.

56. The computer-readable medium for claim 52 wherein the step of selecting additional information to convey includes the steps of:

locating a profile based on information contained in said message; and

obtaining the additional information based on information contained in said profile.

57. The computer-readable medium of claim 56 wherein:

the profile is associated with the first participant; and

the step of locating the profile includes locating the profile based on information within said message that identifies the first participant.

58. The computer-readable medium of claim 56 wherein:

the profile is associated with the second participant; and

the step of locating the profile includes locating the profile based on information within said message that identifies the second participant.

59. The computer-readable medium for claim 56 wherein the profile contains information concerning where to obtain the additional information.

60. The computer-readable medium for claim 56 wherein the profile contains authentication information.

61. The computer-readable medium for claim 52 wherein the step of modifying said message further includes the step of inserting the additional information into a header of the message.

62. The computer-readable medium for claim 61 wherein the step of inserting the additional information into the header of the message includes the step of inserting the additional information into one or more invisible fields within the header.

63. The computer-readable medium for claim 62 wherein the step of modifying the message further includes the step of inserting the additional information into a data portion of the message.

64. The computer-readable medium for claim 62 wherein the step of inserting the additional information into the data portion of the message includes the step of inserting the additional information into one or more invisible fields in the data portion of the message.

65. The computer-readable medium for claim 52 wherein the additional information is information about the service requester.

66. The computer-readable medium for claim 52 wherein the additional information is information about the service provider.

67. The computer-readable medium for claim 52 wherein the additional information is a request for a second set of additional information.

68. The computer-readable medium for claim 52 wherein the additional information is a current location of the first participant.

69. The computer-readable medium for claim 52 wherein the information contained in said message that is used for selecting said additional information is the destination of the message.

70. The computer-readable medium for claim 51 further comprising the step of obtaining the additional information from within a private network that is not accessible to said first participant.

71. The computer-readable medium for claim 51 further comprising the step of obtaining the additional information from within a private network that is not accessible to said second participant.

72. The computer-readable medium for claim 52 wherein the additional information is code for execution by said second participant.

73. The computer-readable medium for claim 52 wherein the additional information includes at least one of digital video, images, and sound clips.

74. The computer-readable medium for claim 52 wherein the additional information is multimedia data.

75. The computer-readable medium for claim 52 wherein the additional information is billing data.

76. The computer-readable medium for claim 52 further comprising the computer-implemented step of authenticating the first participant prior to retransmitting said modified message.

77. The computer-readable medium for claim 76 wherein the step of authenticating includes validating a user ID and password combination.

78. The computer-readable medium for claim 52 further comprising the computer-implemented step of authenticating the second participant.

79. The computer-readable medium for claim 78 wherein the step of authenticating further includes the step of determining whether the second participant is an approved partner.

80. The computer-readable medium for claim 52 further comprising the computer-implemented step of:

transmitting as part of a response to a user data that indicates terms of agreement with said service provider.

81. A computer-readable medium for communicating electronic information comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

intercepting, at an intermediary, a message sent by a first participant to a second participant;

at said intermediary, reading piggybacked information from said message, wherein said piggybacked information was inserted into said message for said intermediary by said first participant; and

retransmitting said message for receipt by said second participant.

82. The computer-readable medium for claim 81 further comprising the steps of:

authenticating the first participant with an authentication mechanism.

83. The computer-readable medium for claim 82 wherein the authentication mechanism is digital certificates.

84. The computer-readable medium for claim 81 further comprising the steps of:

determining whether the first participant is providing said message to said second participant for a fee;

if the first participant is providing said message to said second participant for a fee, then establishing a secure connection with the first participant; and

authenticating the first participant with an authentication mechanism.

85. The computer-readable medium of claim 81 wherein:

the instructions include instructions for performing the step of deleting said piggybacked information from said message to create a modified message; and

the step of retransmitting said message is performed by retransmitting said modified message.

86. The computer-readable medium of claim 85 wherein:

the step of reading piggybacked information includes reading piggybacked information from a header portion of said message; and

the step of deleting said piggybacked information includes removing said piggybacked information from said header portion of said message.

87. The computer-readable medium of claim 81 wherein said first participant is a service provider, and the step of reading said piggybacked information includes reading information about a service that said second participant has requested from said first participant.

88. The computer-readable medium of claim 87 wherein:

prior to retransmitting said message, the intermediary sends the second participant a request for authorization of payment for said service; and

wherein the step of retransmitting said message to said second participant is performed in response to receiving authorization from said second participant.

89. The computer-readable medium of claim 87 wherein:

prior to retransmitting said message, the intermediary determines whether the second participant has sufficient funds to pay for said service; and

wherein the step of retransmitting said message to said second participant is performed in response to determining that said second participant has sufficient funds to pay for said service.

90. The computer-readable medium of claim 87 wherein the piggybacked information indicates a fee for said service.

91. The computer-readable medium of claim 87 further comprising the step of the intermediary storing information for use in billing said second participant for said service based on said piggybacked information.

92. The computer-readable medium of claim 81 wherein the step of reading piggybacked information includes reading piggybacked information from a header portion of said message.

93. The computer-readable medium of claim 81 further comprising the step of the intermediary updating a profile associated with said first participant based on said piggybacked information.

94. The computer-readable medium of claim 81 further comprising the step of the intermediary updating a profile associated with said second participant based on said piggybacked information.

95. The computer-readable medium of claim 81 wherein said piggybacked information includes terms of agreement.

96. A computer-readable medium for communicating electronic information comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

intercepting, at an intermediary, a message sent by a first participant to a second participant;

at said intermediary, reading piggybacked information from said message, wherein said piggybacked information was inserted into said message for said intermediary by said first participant;

determining that the piggybacked information indicates that said first participant requires particular information available to said intermediary;

sending the particular information from the intermediary to said first participant.

97. The computer-readable medium of claim 96 wherein the step of sending said particular information from said intermediary to said first participant is performed without retransmitting said message to said second participant.

98. The computer-readable medium of claim 97 further comprising the step of:

receiving, at said intermediary, a second message from said first participant that was generated by said first participant in response to said particular information; and

retransmitting said second message to said second participant.

99. The computer-readable medium of claim 96 wherein said particular information is about said second participant.

100. The computer-readable medium of claim 99 wherein said particular information includes location information about said second participant.

101. A system comprising:

a first participant;

a second participant;

an intermediary communicatively coupled between said first participant and said second participant through which messages between said first participant and said participant pass;

the intermediary being configured to communicate information to said second participant by piggybacking information for said second participant onto messages sent to said second participant from said first participant; and

the second participant being configured to communicate information to said intermediary by piggybacking information for said intermediary onto messages sent to said first participant from said second participant.

102. The system of claim 101 wherein the intermediary resides in a secure network that contains information to which the second participant does not have access, and wherein at least some of the piggybacked information sent from the intermediary to the second participant includes information from within said secure network.