METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDER-MANAGED CONTENT DELIVERY

• US 20080275966A1
• Filed: 03/13/2008
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Allan S. Mackinnon
• Original Assignee: Allan S. Mackinnon
• Inventors: MacKinnon, Allan S.
• Application Number:
  US12/047,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20080275966A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for the simple, managed delivery of content to communication devices over a wireless network. The interoperation of a client component and a server, either a gateway server or a hosted server, allows for the delivery of content to wireless communication devices in a “push” fashion, i.e., independent of the actions of the end user, in contrast to traditional “pull” media, where an end user is required to request desired content, such as a webpage. Delivery criteria allow for the conditional delivery of content to end users, and access criteria control which content providers communicate with which groups of end users.

Claims

1. A method for provider-controlled content delivery, the method comprising:

providing a gateway server;

receiving from a first content provider, delivery criteria at the gateway server to control the delivery of content to an end user;

receiving from the first content provider, content at the gateway server for conditional delivery to an end user based on the received delivery criteria; and

receiving access criteria specifying which of a plurality of content providers is able to communicate with a subset of a plurality of end users associated with the first content provider.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the access criteria are received from the first content provider.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the subset of the plurality of end users consists of a single end user.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the access criteria are received from the single end user.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving access criteria specifying which of a plurality of content providers is able to communicate with a metagroup consisting of a plurality of end users associated with a plurality of content providers.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the access criteria are received from the gateway server operator.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the access criteria are received from a content provider.

8. A gateway server for provider-controlled content delivery, the server comprising:

a first receiver for receiving delivery criteria at the gateway server to control the delivery of content to an end user;

a database for storing content at the gateway server for conditional delivery to an end user based on the received delivery criteria; and

a second receiver for receiving access criteria specifying which of a plurality of content providers is able to communicate with the end user.

9. The gateway server of claim 8 wherein the first receiver and the second receiver are the same receiver.

11. The memory of claim 9 further comprising computer-executable instructions for receiving access criteria specifying which of a plurality of content providers is able to communicate with a metagroup consisting of a plurality of end users associated with a plurality of content providers.

10. A computer-readable memory having embodied thereon computer-executable instructions for provider-controlled content delivery, the memory comprising:

computer-executable instructions for providing a gateway server;

computer-executable instructions for receiving delivery criteria at the gateway server to control the delivery of content to an end user;

computer-executable instructions for receiving content at the gateway server for conditional delivery to an end user based on the received delivery criteria; and

computer-executable instructions for receiving access criteria specifying which of a plurality of content providers is able to communicate with a subset of a plurality of end users.