MANAGING TRANSFERS OF INFORMATION IN A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK
First Claim
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.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
59 Citations
46 Claims
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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6. A system in accordance with clam 1, wherein:
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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.
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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:
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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.
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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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:
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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.
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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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:
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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.
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method of extracting data from network-based information in a packet-switched communications network comprising the steps of:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46)
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Specification