SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MAINTAINING PRESENCE AND COMMUNICATING OVER A COMPUTER NETWORK USING THE HTTP PROTOCOL
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for detecting and maintaining an entity'"'"'s current online presence on a computer network, the network including a host computer, the method comprising:
- (a) sending an HTTP request from the entity to the host computer to initiate an HTTP connection between the entity and the host computer;
(b) receiving the request at the host computer and opening and maintaining a socket for the HTTP connection with the entity in a non-blocking manner without creating a new thread for the HTTP connection; and
(c) sending at least one byte of data from the host computer to the socket at a specified interval to keep open the HTTP connection with the entity.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer-implemented process facilitates communication with an entity over a network. A static HTTP URL is associated with the entity. Communications information reflecting the entity'"'"'s current online presence including the entity'"'"'s dynamic session information as determined using the HTTP protocol is linked with the URL. Communication with the entity is facilitated using the URL and the communications information. The forms of communication facilitated include type chat/instant messaging, voice communication over a computer network, video communication over a computer network, voice communication from a computer network to a telephone network and two-way text messaging to Internet enabled wireless devices.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for detecting and maintaining an entity'"'"'s current online presence on a computer network, the network including a host computer, the method comprising:
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(a) sending an HTTP request from the entity to the host computer to initiate an HTTP connection between the entity and the host computer;
(b) receiving the request at the host computer and opening and maintaining a socket for the HTTP connection with the entity in a non-blocking manner without creating a new thread for the HTTP connection; and
(c) sending at least one byte of data from the host computer to the socket at a specified interval to keep open the HTTP connection with the entity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A computer-implemented method for detecting and maintaining the current online presence on a computer network of a plurality of entities, the network including a host computer, the method comprising:
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(a) receiving a request at the host computer from one of the plurality of entities to establish an HTTP connection;
(b) opening and maintaining a socket for the HTTP connection in a non-blocking manner, the socket having a socket file descriptor, with the one of the plurality of entities without creating a new thread for the HTTP connection;
(c) adding the socket file descriptor to a socket database, the socket database maintaining a list of open sockets with those of the plurality of entities that are currently online; and
(d) sending at least one byte of data from the host computer to the open sockets in the socket database at a specified interval to keep open the HTTP connections with the plurality of entities. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An article of manufacture for detecting and maintaining an entity'"'"'s current online presence on a computer network, the network including a host computer, the article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable medium holding computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:
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(a) sending an HTTP request from the entity to the host computer to initiate an HTTP connection between the entity and the host computer;
(b) receiving the request at the host computer and opening and maintaining a socket for the HTTP connection with the entity in a non-blocking manner without creating a new thread for the HTTP connection; and
(c) sending at least one byte of data from the host computer to the socket at a specified interval to keep open the HTTP connection with the entity. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An article of manufacture for detecting and maintaining the current online presence on a computer network of a plurality of entities, the network including a host computer, the article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable medium holding computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:
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(a) receiving a request at the host computer from one of the plurality of entities to establish an HTTP connection;
(b) opening and maintaining a socket for the HTTP connection in a non-blocking manner, the socket having a socket file descriptor, with the one of the plurality of entities without creating a new thread for the HTTP connection;
(c) adding the socket file descriptor to a socket database, the socket database maintaining a list of open sockets with those of the plurality of entities that are currently online; and
(d) sending at least one byte of data from the host computer to the open sockets in the socket database at a specified interval to keep open the HTTP connections with the plurality of entities. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A computer-implemented apparatus for detecting and maintaining an entity'"'"'s current online presence on a computer network, the network including a host computer, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) means for sending an HTTP request from the entity to the host computer to initiate an HTTP connection between the entity and the host computer;
(b) means for receiving the request at the host computer and opening and maintaining a socket for the HTTP connection with the entity in a non-blocking manner without creating a new thread for the HTTP connection; and
(c) means for sending at least one byte of data from the host computer to the socket at a specified interval to keep open the HTTP connection with the entity. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A computer-implemented apparatus for detecting and maintaining the current online presence on a computer network of a plurality of entities, the network including a host computer, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) means for receiving a request at the host computer from one of the plurality of entities to establish an HTTP connection;
(b) means for opening and maintaining a socket for the HTTP connection in a non-blocking manner, the socket having a socket file descriptor, with the one of the plurality of entities without creating a new thread for the HTTP connection;
(c) means for adding the socket file descriptor to a socket database, the socket database maintaining a list of open sockets with those of the plurality of entities that are currently online; and
(d) means for sending at least one byte of data from the host computer to the open sockets in the socket database at a specified interval to keep open the HTTP connections with the plurality of entities. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification