Method, apparatus and system for directing access to content on a computer network

• US 20020169829A1
• Filed: 03/20/2002
• Published: 11/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tumbleweed Holdings LLC (Equitable IP Corporation)
• Original Assignee: IdeaFlood, Inc.
• Inventors: Shuster, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 6,904,453 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• 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 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Embodiments of the instant invention are directed to a method, apparatus and system for directing an on-line user to predetermined information. Preferred embodiments of the instant invention interface with the user'"'"'s browser to utilize the functions of the browser for directing user “traffic” on a network. In preferred embodiments, when a user accesses a web site page, a traffic control program is executed for the page, wherein the traffic control program controls the transmission (downloading) of data to the user computer and further creates a modified set of rules for at least one of the browser functions. Upon query (or other interaction) by the browser prior to closing page, the traffic control program interacts with the browser software to modify or control one or more of the browser functions, such that the user computer is further directed to a predesignated site or page (and displays a predesignated frame) upon execution of a browser function, instead of accessing the site or page typically associated with the selected browser function.

Claims

1. A system for controlling access to information in a computer network, the system comprising:

a provider computer for providing information content coupled in a computer network;

a recipient computer for receiving information content coupled in a computer network;

means, operable on the provider computer, for controlling access by the recipient computer to predetermined information content.

2. A method for controlling a user'"'"'s access to information in a computer network having a recipient computer and a provider computer, the method comprising:

requesting access to first information content from the recipient computer over the network;

transferring the requested first information content to the recipient computer from the provider computer;

transferring additional software to the recipient computer from the provider computer with the requested information and wherein the additional software comprises at least one program routine for interacting with further software that operates with the recipient computer and that identifies second information content which the user may request;

activating a routine in the further software on the recipient computer to request access to the second information content;

operating the recipient computer under at least partial control of the additional software to provide access to third information content in response to the activation of the further software routine that requests access to the second information content.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the step of requesting first information content comprises transmitting a request to access a first Internet site over the Internet and wherein the step of transferring first information content comprises transferring at least one HTML file associated with the first Internet site.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the step of transferring additional software comprises transferring browser script which includes at least one program routine for interacting with a browser program on the recipient computer.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the step of activating a routine comprises activating a routine for requesting access to a second Internet site.

6. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the step of providing access to third information content comprises transferring at least one HTML file associated with a third Internet site to the recipient computer, wherein the third Internet site is different than the second Internet site.

7. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the step of activating a routine comprises activating a browser function selected from the group consisting of back, forward, home, favorite sites and bookmarked sites.

8. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the step of transferring additional software comprises transferring browser script which includes at least one program routine for interacting with a browser program on the recipient computer.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the step of activating a routine comprises activating a routine for requesting access to a second Internet site.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the step of providing access to third information content comprises transferring at least one HTML file associated with a third Internet site to the recipient computer, wherein the third Internet site is different than the second Internet site.

11. A computer readable article containing at least one computer readable program for operating a provider computer on a computer network according to the method comprising:

receiving a request for access to first information content from a recipient computer on the network;

transferring the requested first information content to the recipient computer from the provider computer;

transferring additional software to the recipient computer from the provider computer with the requested information and wherein the additional software comprises at least one program routine for interacting with further software that operates with the recipient computer and that identifies second information content which the user may request, the at least one program routine including a routine for operating the recipient computer to provide access to third information content in response to the activation of the further software routine that requests access to the second information content.

12. An article as recited in claim 11, wherein the step of receiving a request for first information content comprises receiving a request to access a first Internet site and wherein the step of transferring first information content comprises transferring at least one HTML file associated with the first Internet site.

13. An article as recited in claim 12, wherein the step of transferring additional software comprises transferring browser script which includes at least one program routine for interacting with a browser program on the recipient computer.

14. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the step of transferring additional software comprises transferring browser script which includes at least one program routine for interacting with a browser program on the recipient computer.

15. An article as recited in claim 11, wherein the first information content comprises data for a first HTML frame corresponding to a user-perceivable image for displaying on the recipient computer and wherein the additional software comprises data corresponding to a second HTML frame and wherein the at least one program routine comprises a routine associated with the second HTML frame.

16. An article as recited in claim 15, wherein the second HTML frame corresponds to a hidden frame for displaying simultaneously with the first HTML frame on the recipient computer.

18. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein said browser routines comprise at least two of the routines from the group consisting of back, forward, home, favorite sites and bookmarked sites.

17. A system for controlling a user'"'"'s access to information in a computer network, comprising:

a provider computer for providing information content coupled in a computer network;

a recipient computer for receiving information content coupled in the computer network;

a computer readable medium associated with the recipient computer, containing a network browser program, the browser program including routines selectable through the recipient computer for requesting access to a particular information content over the network;

a computer readable medium associated with the provider computer, containing a program for controlling the provider computer to transfer software to the recipient computer for overriding at least one of the selectable routines of the browser program.