Monitoring and regulatory system for the internet

• US 6,085,324 A
• Filed: 05/14/1997
• Issued: 07/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Mark E. Ogram
• Inventors: Ogram, Mark E.
• Primary Examiner(s): De Cady, Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chase, Shelly A
• Application Number:
  US08/856,324
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200, 395/200.59, 358/405, 700/9, 380/21, 380/25, 713/200-202, 709/229
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures

Abstract

A regulatory system for a distributed system of computers in which authorized data files are marked with an indicia. The granting of the indicia is made by a variety of authorizing entities such as Internet Service Providers and governmental entities. The indicia acts as a "stamp" which is used to grant/deny passage of the data files to selected users. In practice, using the Internet as an example, data providers obtain the "stamp" from a regulating entity (i.e. the state government). The "stamp" is affixed to the data file. When the data is being transferred over the Internet, the access providing computer (which acts as an interface between a user'"'"'s computer and the Internet) checks for the "stamp" and sends an inquiry via the Internet to the regulating entity'"'"'s computer where the "stamp" is check for authenticity. Based upon the authenticity of the "stamp", the access providing computer passes the data to the user computer. In this manner, the regulatory entity is able to monitor and control subject matter over the distributed network of computers.

Claims

1. A regulatory system comprising:

a) a regulatory computer having memory means for storing a series of data sets, each of said data sets containing a unique indicia, fee expiration data, and authorized locale, wherein said regulatory computer includes means for,

1) receiving an identifier and a locale indicia from a remote computer, and,

2) communicating an acceptance flag to the remote computer based upon a comparison of said identifier and the locale indicia with said data sets;

b) a supply computer having content data, said supply computer remote from said regulatory computer;

c) a user computer remote from said regulatory computer;

d) an access computer remote from said regulatory computer;

e) a communications network linking said regulatory computer, said supply computer, and said access computer for communication therebetween; and

,

f) a linkage means, connecting said user computer and said access computer, for communicating data between said user computer and said communications network via said access computer; and

,

wherein said access computer includes means for;

1) receiving said content data from said supply computer via said communications network,

2) obtaining from said content data, an identifier,

3) communicating said identifier and a locale indicia indicative of a physical location of said access computer to said regulatory computer,

4) receiving an acceptance flag from said regulatory computer, and,

5) selectively passing said content data to said user computer based upon said acceptance flag.

2. The regulatory system according to claim 1, wherein said regulatory computer includes means for:

a) uniquely identifying said access computer; and

,

b) establishing a location of said access computer.

3. The regulatory system according to claim 1, wherein said access computer includes memory means for storing said series of data sets.

4. The regulatory system according to claim 1, wherein said data sets within the memory means of said regulatory computer include an address, and wherein said regulatory computer includes means for:

a) creating a message for a targeted computer associated with the unique indicia based upon said address and said fee expiration data; and

,

b) communicating said message to the targeted computer via said communication network.

5. The regulatory system according to claim 1, wherein said regulatory computer includes means for generating said acceptance flag for said access computer.

6. A networked computer adapted to permit user computers access to a network, said networked computer comprising:

a) means for receiving content data from a remote supply computer;

b) means for obtaining from said content data, an identifier;

c) means for,

1) communicating said identifier and a locale indicia to a remote regulatory computer, and,

2) receiving an acceptance flag in response thereto; and

,

d) means for selectively passing said content data to a remote user computer based upon said acceptance flag.

7. The networked computer according to claim 6, further including means for communicating a locale indicia to said regulatory computer, indicative of a physical location of said access computer.

8. A regulatory computer comprising:

a) memory means for storing a series of data sets, each of said data sets containing a unique indicia and location data; and

,

b) means for,

1) receiving an identifier from one of a network of remote computers,

2) creating a locale indicia for said one of a network of remote computers,

2) generating an acceptance flag based upon a comparison of said identifier and said locale indicia with the series of data sets in said means for storing, and,

3) communicating said acceptance flag to said one of a network of remote computers.

9. The regulatory computer according to claim 8, wherein said means for creating a locale indicia includes means for receiving said locale indicia from said one of a network of remote computers.

10. The regulatory computer according to claim 8, wherein said data sets within the means for storing include an address, and further including means for:

a) creating a message for a targeted computer associated with the address and based upon the expiration data; and

,

b) communicating said message to the targeted computer.

11. A regulated system of computers comprising:

a) a network of computers, each of said computers being remote from each other and having,

1) a regulatory computer having memory means for storage of a series of data sets, each of said data sets containing a selected indicia,

2) a supply computer,

3) an access computer proving access for at least two remote computers to data within said network of computers, said access computer having means for,

A) receiving content data and identifier data from said supply computer,

B) receiving an acceptance flag based upon a comparison of said identifier data and a physical location of said access computer with data sets in said regulatory computer, and,

C) selectively passing said content data to a selected user computer based upon said acceptance flag; and

,

b) at least two user computers in communication with said access computer.

12. The regulated system according to claim 11, wherein said regulatory computer includes means for identifying a locale of said access computer.

13. The regulated system according to claim 12, wherein said regulatory computer communicates data to said access computer based upon said locale.

14. The regulated system according to claim 12, wherein said data sets within the memory means of said regulatory computer include an address and an expiration date, and wherein said regulatory computer includes means for:

a) based upon the address and expiration date, creating a message for a targeted computer associated with the unique indicia; and

,

b) communicating said message to the targeted computer via said communication network.

15. The regulated system according to claim 11, wherein said regulatory computer includes means for generating said acceptance flag for said access computer.

16. The regulated system according to claim 15, wherein said access computer includes means for communicating a locale indicia indicative of a physical location of said access computer to said regulatory computer.

17. The regulated system according to claim 16, wherein the means for generating said acceptance flag of said regulatory computer utilizes said locale indicia.