Controlled transfer of information in computer networks
DCFirst Claim
1. A network-based system for controlled transfer of information, comprising:
- a client computer;
a server computer; and
an information source computer;
the client computer, the server computer, and the information source computer being interconnected by a computer network;
the server computer being programmed to transmit to the client computer a document containing a channel object corresponding to a communication service to be provided over an information transfer channel between the information source computer and the client computer;
the client computer being programmed to activate the channel object received from the server computer, and, in response to activation of the channel object, to cause an access ticket to be stored at the client computer that indicates that a user of the client computer permits the information source computer to communicate with the user over the channel;
the information source computer being programmed to transmit information to the client computer over the channel;
the client computer being programmed to receive the information from the information source computer over the channel, based on the access ticket stored at the client computer, the client computer filtering information received by the client computer over the channel according to specifications derived from the access ticket stored at the client computer.
11 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to techniques for controlling transfers of information in computer networks. One technique involves transmitting from a server computer to a client computer a document containing a channel object corresponding to a communication service, and storing an access ticket that indicates that a user of the client computer permits the information source computer to communicate with the user over a specified channel. Another technique involves transmitting smart digital offers based on information such as coupons and purchasing histories stored at the computer receiving the offer. Another technique involves transmitting from a server computer to a client computer a request for a user'"'"'s personal profile information, and activating a client avatar that compares the request for personal profile information with a security profile of the user limiting access to personal profile information. Another technique involves transmitting from a server computer to a client computer a document containing an embedded link, activating the embedded link at the client computer and recording activation of the embedded link in a metering log.
438 Citations
62 Claims
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1. A network-based system for controlled transfer of information, comprising:
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a client computer;
a server computer; and
an information source computer;
the client computer, the server computer, and the information source computer being interconnected by a computer network;
the server computer being programmed to transmit to the client computer a document containing a channel object corresponding to a communication service to be provided over an information transfer channel between the information source computer and the client computer;
the client computer being programmed to activate the channel object received from the server computer, and, in response to activation of the channel object, to cause an access ticket to be stored at the client computer that indicates that a user of the client computer permits the information source computer to communicate with the user over the channel;
the information source computer being programmed to transmit information to the client computer over the channel;
the client computer being programmed to receive the information from the information source computer over the channel, based on the access ticket stored at the client computer, the client computer filtering information received by the client computer over the channel according to specifications derived from the access ticket stored at the client computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A network-based system for controlled transfer of information, comprising:
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a client computer;
a server computer;
an information source computer;
the client computer, the server computer, and the information source computer being interconnected by a computer network;
the server computer being programmed to transmit to the client computer a document containing a channel object corresponding to a communication service to be provided over an information transfer channel between the information source computer and the client computer;
the client computer being programmed to activate the channel object received from the server computer, and, in response to activation of the channel object, to cause an access ticket to be stored that indicates that a user of the client computer permits the information source computer to communicate with the user over the channel;
the information source computer being programmed to transmit information to the client computer over the channel;
the client computer being programmed to receive the information from the information source computer over the channel, based on the stored access ticket; and
a notification server, the client computer being programmed to store the access ticket at the notification server, the notification server being programmed to receive the information from the information source computer over the channel based on the stored access ticket and to transmit the information to the client computer. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method of controlling transfer of information in a computer network comprising a client computer, a server computer, and an information source computer, comprising the steps of:
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transmitting from the server computer to the client computer a document containing a channel object corresponding to a communication service to be provided over an information transfer channel between the information source computer and the client computer;
activating the channel object received by the client computer from the server computer;
in response to activation of the channel object, causing an access ticket to be stored at the client computer that indicates that a user of the client computer permits the information source computer to communicate with the user over the channel;
transmitting information from the information source computer to the client computer over the channel; and
receiving the information from the information source computer at the client computer over the channel based on the access ticket stored at the client computer, the client computer filtering information received by the client computer over the channel according to specifications derived from the access ticket stored at the client computer.
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18. A network-based system for smart digital offer pricing, comprising:
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a client computer; and
an offer-providing server computer;
the client computer and the offer-providing server computer being interconnected by a computer network;
the offer-providing server computer being programmed to transmit a document to the client computer comprising a smart digital offer object;
the client computer being programmed to store coupon information at the client computer, to receive the document comprising the smart digital offer object, to activate the smart digital offer object at the client computer, which, upon activation, calculates an offer at the client computer and provides the offer to the client computer based on the stored coupon information, and to transmit an acceptance of the offer to the offer-providing server together with an authenticator;
the offer-providing server being programmed to verify the authenticator and to cause the offer to be fulfilled based on verification of the authenticator. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A method of smart digital offer pricing in a computer network comprising a client computer and an offer-providing server computer, comprising the steps of:
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storing coupon information at the client computer;
transmitting a document from the offer-providing server computer to the client computer comprising a smart digital offer object;
receiving, at the client computer, the document comprising the smart digital offer object;
activating the smart digital offer object at the client computer, which, upon activation, calculates an offer at the client computer and provides the offer to the client computer based on the stored coupon information;
transmitting an acceptance of the offer from the client computer to the offer-providing server together with an authenticator;
verifying the authenticator at the offer-providing server; and
fulfilling the offer based on verification of the authenticator.
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22. A network-based system for coupon-based smart digital offer pricing, comprising:
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a client computer;
a coupon-providing server computer; and
an offer-providing server computer;
the client computer, the coupon-providing server computer, and the offer-providing server computer being interconnected by a computer network;
the coupon-providing server computer being programmed to transmit coupon information to the client computer together with an authenticator;
the client computer being programmed to receive the coupon information and the authenticator and to cause the coupon information and the authenticator to be stored;
the offer-providing server computer being programmed to transmit a document to the client computer corresponding to a smart digital offer object;
the client computer being programmed to receive the document corresponding to the smart digital offer object, to activate the smart digital offer object, which, upon activation, verifies the authenticator and provides an offer to the client computer based on the stored coupon information, and to transmit an acceptance of the offer to the offer-providing server. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of coupon-based smart digital offer pricing in a computer network comprising a client computer, a coupon-providing server computer, and an offer-providing server computer, comprising the steps of:
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transmitting coupon information from the coupon-providing server computer to the client computer together with an authenticator;
receiving the coupon information and the authenticator at the client computer;
causing the coupon information and the authenticator to be stored;
transmitting a document from the coupon-providing server computer to the client computer corresponding to a smart digital offer object;
receiving, at the client computer the document corresponding to the smart digital offer object;
activating the smart digital offer object, which, upon activation, verifies the authenticator and provides an offer to the client computer based on the stored coupon information; and
transmitting an acceptance of the offer from the client computer to the offer-providing server.
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32. A network-based system for automatic transfer of information pertaining to a personal profile of a user, comprising:
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a client computer; and
a server computer;
the client computer and the server computer being interconnected by a computer network;
the server computer being programmed to transmit to the client computer a request for personal profile information pertaining to a user of the client computer;
the client computer being programmed to receive the request for personal profile information, and to activate a client avatar at the client computer that compares the request for personal profile information with a security profile of the user limiting access to personal profile information and that causes a subset of a personal profile of the user to be transmitted to the server computer based on the request for personal profile information and the security profile, the client avatar allowing differing subsets of the personal profile to be transmitted to differing sources of requests for personal profile information based on differing trust of the user in the differing sources;
the server computer being programmed to transmit to the client computer information customized for the user based on the subset of the personal profile of the user. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A network-based system for automatic transfer of information pertaining to a personal profile of a user, comprising:
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a client computer;
a server computer;
the client computer and the server computer being interconnected by a computer network;
the server computer being programmed to transmit to the client computer a request for personal profile information pertaining to a user of the client computer;
the client computer being programmed to receive the request for personal profile information, and to activate a client avatar at the client computer that compares the request for personal profile information with a security profile of the user limiting access to personal profile information and that causes a subset of a personal profile of the user to be transmitted to the server computer based on the request for personal profile information and the security profile;
the server computer being programmed to transmit to the client computer information customized for the user based on the subset of the personal profile of the user; and
an agency computer programmed to store the personal profile, wherein the client avatar causes an authorization message to be transmitted to the agency computer authorizing the agency computer to release the subset of the personal profile, and the agency computer is programmed to transmit the subset of the personal profile to the server computer. - View Dependent Claims (41)
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42. A method for automatic transfer of information pertaining to a personal profile of a user in a computer network comprising a client computer and a server computer, comprising the steps of:
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transmitting from the server computer to the client computer a request for personal profile information pertaining to a user of the client computer;
receiving at the client computer the request for personal profile information;
activating a client avatar at the client computer that compares the request for personal profile information with a security profile of the user limiting access to personal profile information and that causes a subset of a personal profile of the user to be transmitted to the server computer based on the request for personal profile information and the security profile, the client avatar allowing differing subsets of the personal profile to be transmitted to differing sources of requests for personal profile information based on differing trust of the user in the differing sources; and
transmitting from the server computer to the client computer information customized for the user based on the subset of the personal profile of the user.
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43. A network-based system for metering of a user'"'"'s access to linked information, comprising:
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a client computer; and
a server computer;
the client computer and the server computer being interconnected by a computer network;
the server computer being programmed to transmit to the client computer a document containing an embedded active link;
the client computer being programmed to automatically activate the embedded active link when at least a portion of the document is displayed, to record activation of the embedded active link in a metering log, and to cause information stored in the metering log pertaining to automatic activation of the embedded active link to be transmitted to the server computer. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46)
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47. A network-based system for metering of a user'"'"'s access to linked information, comprising:
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a client computer; and
a server computer;
the client computer and the server computer being interconnected by a computer network;
the server computer being programmed to transmit to the client computer a document containing an embedded link;
the client computer being programmed to automatically activate the embedded link when at least a portion of the document is displayed, to record activation of the embedded link in a metering log, and to cause information stored in the metering log pertaining to automatic activation of the embedded link to be transmitted to the server computer;
wherein the embedded link is structured to participate in display refresh of the document but is not structured to affect visual appearance of the document. - View Dependent Claims (48)
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49. A network-based system for metering of a user'"'"'s access to linked information, comprising:
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a client computer; and
a server computer;
the client computer and the server computer being interconnected by a computer network;
the server computer being programmed to transmit to the client computer a document containing an embedded link;
the client computer being programmed to automatically activate the embedded link when at least a portion of the document is displayed, to record activation of the embedded link in a metering log, and to cause information stored in the metering log pertaining to automatic activation of the embedded link to be transmitted to the server computer;
wherein the embedded link is a link to a document other than the document containing the embedded link.
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50. A network-based system for metering of a user'"'"'s access to linked information, comprising:
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a client computer; and
a server computer;
the client computer and the server computer being interconnected by a computer network;
the server computer being programmed to transmit to the client computer a document containing an embedded link;
the client computer being programmed to automatically activate the embedded link when at least a portion of the document is displayed, to record activation of the embedded link in a metering log, and to cause information stored in the metering log pertaining to automatic activation of the embedded link to be transmitted to the server computer;
wherein the embedded link is structured to participate in display refresh of the document and affects visual appearance of the document.
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51. A network-based system for metering of a user'"'"'s access to linked information, comprising:
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a client computer; and
a server computer;
the client computer and the server computer being interconnected by a computer network;
the server computer being programmed to transmit to the client computer a document containing an embedded link;
the client computer being programmed to activate the embedded link when at least a portion of the document is displayed, to record activation of the embedded link in a metering log, and to cause information stored in the metering log pertaining to activation of the embedded link to be transmitted to the server computer;
wherein the embedded link is structured to participate in display refresh of the document and affects visual appearance of the document; and
wherein the embedded link is structured to require the client computer to verify the presence of the metering log on the client computer before allowing the client computer to activate the embedded link.
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52. A network-based system for metering of a user'"'"'s access to linked information, comprising:
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a client computer; and
a server computer;
the client computer and the server computer being interconnected by a computer network;
the server computer being programmed to transmit to the client computer a document containing an embedded link;
the client computer being programmed to activate the embedded link when at least a portion of the document is displayed, to record activation of the embedded link in a metering log, and to cause information stored in the metering log pertaining to activation of the embedded link to be transmitted to the server computer;
wherein the embedded link is structured to participate in display refresh of the document and affects visual appearance of the document; and
wherein the embedded link is structured to require the client computer to search for information stored on the client computer pertaining to authorization of the user activating the embedded link.
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53. A method for metering a user'"'"'s access to linked information in a computer network comprising a client computer and a server computer, comprising the steps of:
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transmitting from the server computer to the client computer a document containing an embedded active link;
automatically activating the embedded active link at the client computer when at least a portion of the document corresponding to the embedded active link is displayed;
recording automatic activation of the embedded active link in a metering log; and
causing information stored in the metering log pertaining to activation of the embedded active link to be transmitted to the server computer.
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54. A network-based system for metering of a user'"'"'s access to linked information, comprising:
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a client computer; and
a server computer;
the client computer and the server computer being interconnected by a computer network;
the server computer being programmed to transmit to the client computer a document containing an embedded active link;
the client computer being programmed to activate the embedded active link when at least a portion of the document is displayed, to record activation of the embedded active link in a metering log, and to cause information stored in the metering log pertaining to activation of the embedded active link to be transmitted to the server computer, the embedded active link performing an active function so as to discourage disabling of metering by disabling the embedded active link. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57)
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58. A network-based system for metering of a user'"'"'s access to linked information, comprising:
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a client computer; and
a server computer;
the client computer and the server computer being interconnected by a computer network;
the server computer being programmed to transmit to the client computer a document containing an embedded link;
the client computer being programmed to activate the embedded link when at least a portion of the document is displayed, to record activation of the embedded link in a metering log, and to cause information stored in the metering log pertaining to activation of the embedded link to be transmitted to the server computer, the embedded link performing an active function so as to discourage disabling of metering by disabling the embedded link;
wherein the embedded link is structured to participate in display refresh of the document but is not structured to affect visual appearance of the document. - View Dependent Claims (59)
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60. A network-based system for metering of a user'"'"'s access to linked information, comprising:
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a client computer; and
a server computer;
the client computer and the server computer being interconnected by a computer network;
the server computer being programmed to transmit to the client computer a document containing an embedded link;
the client computer being programmed to activate the embedded link when at least a portion of the document is displayed, to record activation of the embedded link in a metering log, and to cause information stored in the metering log pertaining to activation of the embedded link to be transmitted to the server computer, the embedded link performing an active function so as to discourage disabling of metering by disabling the embedded link;
wherein the embedded link is a link to a document other than the document containing the embedded link.
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61. A network-based system for metering of a user'"'"'s access to linked information, comprising:
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a client computer; and
a server computer;
the client computer and the server computer being interconnected by a computer network;
the server computer being programmed to transmit to the client computer a document containing an embedded link;
the client computer being programmed to activate the embedded link when at least a portion of the document is displayed, to record activation of the embedded link in a metering log, and to cause information stored in the metering log pertaining to activation of the embedded link to be transmitted to the server computer, the embedded link performing an active function so as to discourage disabling of metering by disabling the embedded link;
wherein the embedded link is structured to participate in display refresh of the document and affects visual appearance of the document.
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62. A method for metering a user'"'"'s access to linked information in a computer network comprising a client computer and a server computer, comprising the steps of:
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transmitting from the server computer to the client computer a document containing an embedded active link;
activating the embedded active link at the client computer when at least a portion of the document corresponding to the embedded active link is displayed;
recording activation of the embedded active link in a metering log; and
causing information stored in the metering log pertaining to activation of the embedded active link to be transmitted to the server computer;
the embedded active link performing an active function so as to discourage disabling of metering by disabling the embedded active link.
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Specification