Apparatus and method for providing a provider-selected message in response to a user request for user-selected information

• US 20040111463A1
• Filed: 10/31/2001
• Published: 06/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.), EdgeCast Software, Inc.
• Original Assignee: EdgeCast Software, Inc.
• Inventors: Amon, Thomas C., Baer, Dan M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,110,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method of delivering information across a computer network includes receiving a request from a client program for user-selected information, and transmitting provider-selected information in response to the request if no qualifying provider-selected message has been previously transmitted to the client program.

Claims

1. A method of delivering information across a computer network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from a client program for user-selected information;

transmitting provider-selected information in response to the request if no qualifying provider-selected message has been previously transmitted to the client program.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said request from a client program is by means of the Hypertext Transport Protocol.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the user-selected information if a qualifying provider-selected message has been previously transmitted to the client program.

2. An apparatus for delivering information across a computer network, comprising:

a computer network;

an information server for receiving a request for user-selected information from a client program;

the server being configured to transmit provider-selected information in response to the request if no qualifying provider-selected message has been previously transmitted to the client program.

3. A method of delivering information across a computer network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from a client program for user-selected information;

transmitting provider-selected information in response to the request if no qualifying provider-selected message has been transmitted to the client program within at least one provider-selected interval.

4. An apparatus for delivering information across a computer network, comprising:

at computer network;

an information server for receiving a request for user-selected information from a client program;

the server being configured to transmit provider-selected information in response to the request if no qualifying provider-selected message has been previously transmitted to the client program within at least one provider-selected interval.

7. A method of delivering information across a computer network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from a client program for user-selected information;

transmitting provider-selected information in response to the request if no qualifying provider-selected message has been previously transmitted to the client program;

the provider-selected information causing the client program to transmit a second request for user-selected information.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

transmitting the requested user-selected information in response to the second request for user-selected information.

8. An apparatus for delivering information across a computer network, comprising:

a computer network;

an information server for receiving a request for user-selected information from a client program;

the server being configured to transmit provider-selected information in response to the request if no qualifying provider-selected message has been previously transmitted to the client program;

the provider-selected information causing the client program to transmit a second request for user-selected information.

10. A method of delivering information across a computer network, comprising the steps of:

receiving an HTTP GET request from a client program for user-selected information;

transmitting from a server a provider-selected information in response to the HTTP GET request;

the provider-selected message causing the client program to transmit an HTTP POST request;

transmitting the user-selected information in response to the HTTP POST request.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

wherein said HTTP POST request includes a referrer header containing a URL for the server.