MANAGING TRANSFERS OF INFORMATION IN A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

• US 20090037991A1
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Soverain IP, LLC
• Original Assignee: David K. Gifford, G. Winfield Treese, John R. Ellis
• Inventors: Ellis, John R., Treese, G. Winfield, Gifford, David K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,935,706 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1471 splitting of costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1496 involving discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

The invention features various techniques for managing transfers of information in public packet switched communications networks. In one aspect, the invention provides a system for identifying updated items of network-based information, such as pages, to users in a network. A master server receives the data from each of a plurality of network servers and merges them into one or more master logs. The logs have entries that pertaining to creation of or changing of pages of information. Another aspect of the invention features a system for implementing security protocols. A proxy server translates links from a protocol incompatible with the network tool to a protocol compatible with the network tool and back-translates the link. Another aspect of the invention features a system for managing authenticating credentials of a user. A proxy server manages a user'"'"'s authenticating credentials automatically on behalf of the user. Another aspect of the invention features a system for inducing advertisers to target advertisements to consumers. An advertising broker receives advertisements and messages indicating that users have read the advertisements, and causes an offer having monetary value to be executed. Another aspect of the invention features a system for extracting data from sources of network-based information in a communications network. An object embedding-program locates a script program and causes the script program to extract data from a page of information.

Claims

1. A system for identifying updated items of network-based information to users in a public packet switched communications network comprising a plurality of network servers:

a master log server; and

a plurality of user computers;

said master log server being programmed to periodically receive data from at least some of said plurality of network servers, said master log server further being programmed to cause said data to be assembled into one or more master logs having a plurality of entries, each entry pertaining to creation of or changing of an item of network-based information that has occurred within a predetermined time span, and to cause at least some of said entries in said one or more master logs to be transmitted to one of said plurality of user computers;

said plurality of user computers being programmed to receive a user query comprising a request to provide to a user at least a subset of said entries in said one or more master logs wherein each of said entries in said subset matches a search pattern contained in said user query, said search pattern comprising an identification of a time period, and to cause said user query to be executed by providing to said user, from each of said one or more master logs into which data has been assembled within said time period, said subset of said entries.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said data received by said master log server from said network servers comprises logs having entries pertaining to creation of or changing of items of network-based information.

3. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said master log server is programmed to cause a first one of said master logs to be merged into a second one of said master logs on a periodic basis, and to cause said first one of said master logs to be cleared on said periodic basis.

4. A system in accordance with claim 3, wherein said master log server is programmed to cause said second one of said master logs to be merged into a third one of said master logs on a periodic basis and to cause said second one of said master logs to be cleared on said periodic basis.

5. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said items of network-based information comprise pages of information.

7. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said master log server is programmed to transmit entries in said master logs that occurred during said time period to said one of said user computers; and

each of said user computers is programmed to execute said user query internally.

8. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein entries pertaining to creation of or changing of items of network-based information comprise identifications of said items of network-based information.

9. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said entries pertaining to creation of or changing of items of network-based information comprise identifications of servers that maintain said items of network-based information.

10. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said master log server is programmed to cause said entries that said master log server causes to be transmitted to said one of said plurality of user computers to be compressed prior to transmission to said one of said plurality of user computers by causing information to be deleted from said entries.

11. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said user query is a standing query that is executed on a periodic basis by providing to said user, from one of said master logs that said master log server causes to be cleared on said periodic basis, all entries that match said search pattern contained in said standing query, immediately before said master log server causes said one of said master logs to be cleared.

12. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

each of said entries comprises at least one field; and

said master log server is programmed to cause at least one of said master logs to be indexed by said field, so as to enable fast searches.

13. A system in accordance with claim 12, wherein:

each of said entries comprises a plurality of fields; and

said master log server is programmed to cause at least one of said master logs to be indexed by each of said fields.

14. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said system further comprises a plurality of slave servers;

said master log server is programmed to periodically transmit t least one of said master logs to each of said slave servers; and

each of said slave servers is programmed to transmit at least some of said entries in said master log to one of said plurality of user computers.

15. A system in accordance with claim 14, wherein:

each of said user computers is programmed to transmit said user query to one of said slave servers; and

each of said slave servers is programmed to receive said user query from one of said user computers and to execute said user query by transmitting said subset of said entries to said one of said user computers.

16. A system in accordance with claim 14, wherein said master log server is programmed to cause a first one of said master logs to be merged into a second one of said master logs on a periodic basis and to cause said first master log to be cleared on said periodic basis by periodically transmitting said first master log to each of said slave servers, each of said slave servers being programmed to merge said first master log into said second master log on said periodic basis, and to clear said first of said master logs on said periodic basis.

17. A system in accordance with claim 14, wherein:

each of said entries comprises at least one field; and

each of said slave servers is programmed to cause said one or more master logs to be indexed by said field, so as to enable fast searches.

6. A system in accordance with clam 1, wherein:

each of said user computers is programmed to transmit said user query to said master log server; and

said master log server is programmed to receive said user query from one of said user computers and to execute said user query by transmitting said subset of said entries to said one of said user computers.

18. A method for identifying updated items of network-based information to users in a public packet switched communications network comprising a plurality of network servers, a master log server, and a plurality of user computers, comprising the steps of:

periodically receiving, at said master log server, data from at least some of said plurality of network servers;

assembling said data into one or more master logs having a plurality of entries, each of said master logs comprising at least one entry, each entry pertaining to creation of or changing of an item of network-based information that has occurred within a predetermined time span;

causing at least some of said entries in said one or more master logs to be transmitted to one of said plurality of user computers;

receiving user queries at each of said user computers, each of said user queries comprising a request to provide to a user at least a subset of said entries in said one or more master logs wherein each of said entries in said subset matches a search pattern contained in said user query, said search pattern comprising an identification of a time period; and

causing said user queries to be executed by providing to said user, from each of said one or more master logs into which data was been assembled within said time period, said subset of said entries.

19. A system for implementing security protocols in a public packet switched communications network comprising a plurality of network servers programmed to receive requests from users for items of network-based information and to transmit said items of network-based information to said users in response to said requests, comprising:

a network tool, implemented on a computer, programmed to receive a first item of network-based information comprising a link in a protocol compatible with said network tool, and, in response to user input selecting said link, to create a request for said second item of network-based information, said request comprising said link; and

a proxy server, implemented on a computer, programmed to receive said first item of network-based information from one of said network servers, wherein said link is in a protocol incompatible with said network tool, to translate said link into said protocol compatible with said network tool, to transmit to said network tool said first item of network-based information from said network tool, to retrieve said link from said request, to back-translate said link into said protocol incompatible with said network tool, and to request said second item of network-based information from one of said network servers.

20. A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein said proxy server is programmed to execute said protocol incompatible with said network tool in a manner that authenticates an identity of said user.

21. A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein:

said proxy server is programmed to encode within said link data identifying said protocol incompatible with said network tool, prior to transmitting to said network tool said first item of network-based information comprising said link; and

said proxy server is programmed to decode said data to determine how to back-translate said link.

22. A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein said proxy server is programmed to incorporate into said link a flag identifying said link as a translated link, prior to transmitting to said network tool said first item of network-based information comprising said link.

23. A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein said computer on which said proxy server is implemented is said computer on which said network tool is implemented.

24. A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein said link comprises a universal resource locator.

25. A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein said network tool comprises a browser programmed to cause items of network-based information to be displayed to a user.

26. A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein said protocol compatible with said network tool is HTTP.

27. A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein said protocol incompatible with said network tool is SSL.

28. A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein said protocol incompatible with said network tool is SHTTP.

29. A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein said items of network-based information comprise pages of information.

30. A method of implementing security protocols in a public packet switched communications network comprising a plurality of network servers programmed to receive requests from users for items of network-based information and to transmit said items of network-based information to said users in response to said requests, a network tool implemented on a computer, and a proxy server implemented on a computer, comprising the steps of:

at said proxy server, receiving a first item of network-based information from one of said network servers comprising a link in a protocol incompatible with said network tool, translating said link into a protocol compatible with said network tool, and transmitting to said network tool said first item of network-based information, with said link being translated into said protocol compatible with said network tool;

at said network tool, receiving said first item of network-based information, and, in response to user input selecting said link, creating a request for said second item of network-based information, said request comprising said link;

at said proxy server, receiving said request for said second item of network-based information from said network tool, retrieving said link from said request, back-translating said link into said protocol incompatible with said network tool, and requesting said second item of network-based information from said one of said network servers.

31. A system for managing authenticating credentials of a user of a public packet switched communications network comprising a plurality of network servers programmed to receive requests from users for items of network-based information and to transmit said items of network-based information to said users in response to said requests, comprising:

a network tool, implemented on a computer, programmed to create a request for an item of network-based information from one of said network servers in response to input from a user, and to receive said item of network-based information in response to said request;

a proxy server, implemented on a computer, programmed to maintain a table of authenticating credentials for each of said plurality of network servers, to receive said request from said network tool, to forward said request to said one of said network servers, to receive a request for authentication from said one of said network servers, to retrieve from said table authenticating credentials for said one of said network servers, to transmit said authenticating credentials to said network server, to receive said item of network-based information from said network server, and to forward said item of network-based information to said network tool.

32. A system in accordance with claim 31, wherein said proxy server is further programmed to request a security message from said user in order to protect said table of authenticating credentials.

33. A system in accordance with claim 31, wherein said computer on which said proxy server is implemented is said computer on which said network tool is implemented.

34. A system in accordance with claim 31, wherein said network tool comprises a browser programmed to cause items of network-based information to be displayed to a user.

35. A system in accordance with claim 31, wherein said items of network-based information comprise pages of information.

36. A method of managing authenticating credentials of a user of public packet switched communications network comprising a plurality of network servers programmed to receive request from users for items of network-based information and to transmit said items of network-based information to said users in response to said requests, a network tool implemented on a computer, and a proxy server implemented on a computer, comprising the steps of:

at said network tool, creating a request for an item of network-based information from one of said network servers in response to input from a user, and receiving said item of network-based information in response to said request; and

at said proxy server, maintaining a table of authenticating credentials for each of said plurality of network servers, receiving said request from said network tool, forwarding said request to said one of said network servers, receiving a request for authentication from said one of said network servers, retrieving from said table authenticating credentials for said one of said network servers, transmitting said authenticating credentials to said network server, receiving said item of network-based information from said network server, and forwarding said item of network-based information to said network tool.

37. A system for extracting data from one or more sources of network-based information in a packet-switched communications network comprising a plurality of network servers programmed to transmit network-based information over said network, comprising:

a script program, implemented on a computer in said communications network, structured to extract a portion of data from network-based information received from one of said network servers; and

an object embedding program, implemented on the computer in said communications network, and responsive to one or more links to said network-based information and said script program, wherein the object embedding program locates and executes said script program to cause said portion of data to be extracted from said network-based information, and to embed said portion of data within a compound document,

wherein said script program is configured to automatically update the compound document in response to changes in said portion of data from network-based information.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein said one or more links to said script program comprises a direct link to said script program.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein said one or more links comprises a universal resource locator.

40. The system of claim 37, wherein said network-based information is a page of information.

41. The system of claim 37, wherein the script program transforms the format of the portion of data prior to embedding it within the compound document.

42. The system of claim 37, further comprising:

a plurality of script programs, implemented on the computer in said communications network, each of the plurality of script programs structured to extract a different portion of data from network-based information received from one of said network servers.

43. The system of claim 37, wherein the script program is digitally signed by a trusted third party.

44. A method of extracting data from network-based information in a packet-switched communications network comprising the steps of:

executing an object embedding program to locate a script program from a link associated with said object embedding program;

applying said script program to network-based information, provided by a network server, to which said object embedding program is linked by a link in said object embedding program, and applying said script program to said network-based information;

executing said script program to extract a portion of data from said network-based information provided the network server; and

continuing to execute said object embedding program to embed said portion of data within a compound document,

wherein said script program is configured to automatically update the compound document in response to changes in said portion of data from network-based information.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein said link comprises a universal resource locator.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein said network-based information is a page of information.