Communication system capable of providing user with picture meeting characteristics of user and terminal equipment and information providing device used for the same

• US 6,157,946 A
• Filed: 08/26/1998
• Issued: 12/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GMO Internet Incorporated
• Original Assignee: NetZero Incorporated (B. Riley Financial, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tsutsui, Yuichiro, Fujita, Nobuyuki, Itakura, Yuichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): EDELMAN, BRADLEY E
• Application Number:
  US09/125,833
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 709/227, 709/232, 705/14, 345/333, 345/335
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/027 Arrangements and methods specific for the display of internet documents
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

An information provider and a searcher provide messages appropriate to a particular user of a terminal regardless of the sites of the World Wide Web the user accesses. The information provider establishes a physical communication line to the terminal. A first logical link is established on the physical communication line for forwarding a first image from the World Wide Web to the terminal. User identification is received from the terminal, and forwarded to a searcher storing user information and the transmittal conditions of a second message, through a second communication line. An second image appropriate for the particular user is searched for by a searcher from a message database based on the user information and the transmittal conditions, and transmitted to the terminal through a second logical link also established on the first communication line.

Claims

1. A communications system comprising an information provider which provides a connection to the World Wide Web, and a terminal which accesses the World Wide Web through the information provider, wherein,

the terminal has:

a means for establishing a communication line to the information provider;

a means for transmitting user information about a user of the terminal to the information provider;

a means for activating a browser for displaying a browser window and a first image provided on the World Wide Web;

a means for establishing a first TCP/IP link with a first link identification on the communication line;

a means for receiving the first image from the information provider using the first TCP/IP link and displaying the first image within the browser window; and

a means for establishing a second TCP/IP link on the communication line with a second link identification, the second link identification being different from the first link identification;

the information provider has;

a message database storing second images; and

a means for transmitting one of the second images selected from the message database based on the user information, to the terminal through the second TCP/IP link; and

the terminal further has;

a means for activating a viewer for displaying a viewer window and the second image; and

a means for receiving the second image through the second TCP/IP link and displaying the second image within the viewer window.

2. A terminal connected to the World Wide Web through an information provider for receiving a first image provided on the World Wide Web and a second image provided on the information provider, comprising:

a means for establishing a communication line to the information provider;

a means for activating a browser for displaying the first image;

a means for establishing a first TCP/IP link with a first link identification on the communication line;

a means for receiving the first image through the first TCP/IP link and displaying the first image within a browser window opened by the browser;

a means for activating a viewer for displaying the second image;

a means for establishing a second TCP/IP link on the communication line with a second link identification, the second link identification being different from the first link identification;

a means for receiving the second image through the TCP/IP link and displaying the second image within a viewer window opened by the viewer.

3. The terminal according to claim 2, wherein

the second image has correspondence information for designating the first image;

and

the viewer has;

a means for displaying a button within the viewer window;

a means for reading the correspondence information from the second image when the button is selected;

a means for supplying the correspondence information to the browser so as to display the first image designated by the correspondence information within the browser window.

4. A terminal according to claim 3, wherein

the viewer has a means for supplying information which indicates that the first image designated by the linking information has been selected, to the information provider.

5. A terminal according to claim 4, wherein the communication line is established as a PPP connection.

6. An information provider connected to a communications network for transferring a first image provided in the communications network, to a terminal, comprising:

a means for establishing a communication line to the terminal;

a connection manager for establishing a first logical link having a first link identification on the communication line;

a means for transferring the first image from the communications network to the terminal using the first logical link, based on a request sent from a user of the terminal for display of the first image in a browser window on the terminal;

a message distribution system for storing identification information of second images and transmittal conditions for the second images, and for selecting a one of the second images for receipt by the terminal;

a means for establishing a second logical link having a second link identification on the communication line;

a message manager, operating outside of the user'"'"'s control, for causing one of the second images to be transmitted to the terminal using the second logical link for display in a viewer window of the terminal, the second images selected by the message distribution system based on user information stored in association with the user.

7. An information provider according to claim 6, the message database having a plurality of second images, and the information provider further comprising:

a user identification receiving means for receiving, from the terminal, a user identification which identifies the user;

a connection means for connecting a second communication line to a searcher which stores the user information in association with the user identification, and stores transmittal conditions of the second images in association with image identifications of the second images;

a user identification transferring means for transferring the user identification received by the user identification receiving means, to the searcher using the second communication line;

a reading means for reading a second image from the message database based on an image identification searched for by the searcher based on the user information, which is read by the searcher using the user identification; and

a message transmitting means for transmitting the second image read by the reading means to the terminal.

8. An information provider according to claim 7, wherein the connection manager has:

a means for requesting the user identification from the terminal before establishing the first logical link;

the user identification receiving means; and

a means for transmitting the user identification to the message manager; and

the message manager has;

the connection means; and

the user identification transferring means.

9. An information provider according to claim 8, wherein:

the message manager further has a means for receiving an image request requesting a second image, from the terminal through the second logical link; and

the message transmitting means transmits the second image to the terminal in response to the image request.

10. An information provider according to claim 9, wherein the message manager has a means for sending a notification indicating a display status of the terminal, to the connection manager.

11. An information provider according to claim 10, wherein the connection manager has a means to stop charging the terminal when the notification indicates that the second image is displayed on the terminal, and a means to start charging the terminal when the notification indicates that the second image is not displayed on the terminal.

12. An information provider according to claim 10, wherein the connection manager has a means to stop charging the terminal when the notification indicates that the whole second image is displayed on the terminal, and a means to start charging the terminal when the notification indicates that the whole of the second image is not displayed on the terminal.

13. An information provider according to claim 10, wherein the connection manager has a means to stop charging the terminal when the notification indicates that a viewer, which displays the second image on the terminal, is active, and a means to start charging the terminal when the notification indicates that the viewer is not active.

14. An information provider according to claim 10, wherein the connection manager has:

a means to stop charging the terminal upon determining, based on the notification, that the whole second image was displayed on the terminal for a predetermined period of time; and

a means to start charging the terminal upon determining, based on the notification, that the whole of the second image was not displayed on the terminal for the predetermined period of time.

15. An information provider according to claim 14, wherein the communications network is the World Wide Web.

16. A communications system comprising an information provider for providing a connection to the World Wide Web, and a terminal which accesses the World Wide Web through the information provider, wherein,

the terminal has:

means for establishing a communication line to a gateway of the information provider;

means for transmitting user information about a user of the terminal to the information provider;

means for activating a browser for displaying a browser window and a first image stored within the World Wide Web;

means for establishing a first TCP/IP link with a first link identification on the communication line;

means for receiving the first image from the information provider using the first TCP/IP link and displaying the first image within the browser window; and

means for establishing a second TCP/IP link on the communication line with a second link identification, the second link identification being different from the first link identification;

the information provider has;

a message distribution system for storing identification information of second images and transmittal conditions for the second images, and for selecting a one of the second images for transmission to the terminal; and

means for transmitting location information of second images to the terminal; and

the terminal further has;

means for activating a viewer for displaying a viewer window and the second image; and

means for receiving the location information of the second images;

means for receiving a one of the selected second images through the second TCP/IP link and displaying the one second image within the viewer window.

17. A terminal connected to the World Wide Web by an information provider, the terminal for receiving a first image provided on the World Wide Web and a second image selected by the information provider, comprising:

means for establishing a communication line to a gateway of the information provider;

means for transmitting user information about a user of the terminal to the information provider;

means for activating a browser for displaying the first image;

means for establishing a first logical link with a first link identification on the communication line;

means for receiving the first image through the first logical link and displaying the first image within a browser window opened by the browser;

means for establishing a second logical link on the communication line with a second link identification, the second link identification being different from the first link identification;

means for receiving the second image selected by the information provider through the second logical link and displaying the second image within a viewer window opened by the viewer.

18. The terminal connected to the World Wide Web by an information provider of claim 17 wherein the first link identification comprises a first IP address and the second link identification comprises a second IP address.

19. The terminal connected to the World Wide Web by an information provider of claim 17 wherein the first link identification comprises a first port and the second link identification comprises a second port.

20. The terminal connected to the World Wide Web by an information provider of claim 17 wherein the viewer window is distinct from the browser window.

21. The terminal connected to the World Wide Web by an information provider of claim 17 wherein the viewer controls the viewer window to remain fully displayed so long as a condition is met.

22. A method of operating a terminal connected to the World Wide Web by an information provider, the method for displaying on the terminal a first image provided on the World Wide Web and a second image selected by the information provider, the method comprising the steps of:

activating a viewer;

establishing a communication line to a gateway of the information provider;

activating a browser for displaying the first image;

establishing a first logical link with a first link identification on the communication line;

receiving the first image through the first logical link and displaying the first image within a browser window opened by the browser;

establishing a second logical link on the communication line with a second link identification, the second link identification being different from the first link identification;

receiving the second image selected by the information provider through the second logical link; and

displaying the second image within a viewer window opened by the viewer.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the viewer controls the viewer window to remain fully displayed so long as a condition is met.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the viewer window is distinct from the browser window.

25. A method of providing a connection to the World Wide Web to a user of a terminal by an information provider, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing the terminal with a viewer, the viewer comprising a program for operating the terminal to;

establish a communication line to a gateway of the information provider;

transmit user information about the user of the terminal to the information provider;

activate a browser for displaying a browser window and a first image stored within the World Wide Web;

establish a first logical link with a first link identification on the communication line;

receive the first image from the World Wide Web through the first logical link and displaying the first image within the browser window; and

establish a second logical link on the communication line with a second link identification, the second link identification being different from the first link identification;

request the second image;

receive the second image through the second logical link; and

display the second image within the viewer window;

(b) providing a message distribution system for;

storing identification information and location information of second images and transmittal conditions for the second images;

selecting a one of the second images for transmission to the terminal; and

transmitting location information of the selected second image to the terminal.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the viewer controls the viewer window to remain fully displayed so long as a condition is met.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the viewer window is distinct from the browser window.

28. A method of transferring a first image provided in a communications network to a terminal, the method comprising:

the terminal establishing a communication line to a gateway of an information provider;

establishing a first logical link with a first link identification on the communication line;

transferring the first image from the communications network to the terminal using the first logical link, based on a request sent from a user of the terminal for display of the first image in a browser window on the terminal;

the information provider storing identification information of second images and transmittal conditions for the second images,

the information provider selecting a one of the second images for transmission to the terminal;

establishing a second logical link on the communication line with a second link identification, the second link identification being different from the first link identification;

the terminal receiving on the second logical link one of the second images;

the terminal displaying the received second image in a viewer window of the terminal.