Providing a network communication status description based on user characteristics

• US 6,353,855 B1
• Filed: 03/01/1999
• Issued: 03/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hendren, C. Hudson III
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, KHANH Q
• Application Number:
  US09/259,696
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/222, 709/228, 709/238, 709/227, 112/470.04, 370/10
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing a network communication status description based on user characteristics. The techniques receive a status indication from a first networked computer in response to a user'"'"'s request for information and determine one or more characteristics of the user who issued the request. The techniques provide a status description based on the status indication and the determined characteristics of the user (e.g., a preferred language).

Claims

1. A method of providing a network communication status description based on user comprehension characteristics, the method comprising:

receiving a status indication from a first networked computer in response to a user'"'"'s request for information;

determining one or more comprehension characteristics of the user who issued the request;

selecting a first status description from a plurality of status descriptions based upon the one or more comprehension characteristics and the status indication wherein the plurality of status descriptions include the first status description that corresponds to a first received status indication and a first set of determined comprehension characteristics and a second status description that corresponds to the first received status description and a second set of determined comprehension characteristics; and

providing the first status description.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the first status description to a second networked computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the status indication comprises an indication of the success or failure of the user'"'"'s request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the status indication comprises a status code.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the status code comprises an HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) status code.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more comprehension characteristics comprise technical proficiency.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the determining the one or more comprehension characteristics comprises inferring a level of technical proficiency.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein inferring a level of technical proficiency comprises inferring a level of technical proficiency based on a user'"'"'s previous request or requests for information.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more comprehension characteristics comprise one or more preferred languages.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the determining the one or more comprehension characteristics of the user comprises inferring the preferred language.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein inferring a preferred language comprises determining a user'"'"'s address.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein inferring a preferred language comprises determining an access number used by the user.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first status description comprises text.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first status description comprises speech.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first status description comprises at least one of the following:

graphics, video, animation, sound and instructions.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the user'"'"'s request comprises an HTTP request for a resource.

17. A method of providing a network communication status description based on user comprehension characteristics, the method comprising:

receiving an HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) status code from a first networked computer in response to a user'"'"'s HTTP request for a URL (Universal Resource Locator) provided by the first networked computer;

determining one or more comprehension characteristics of the user who issued the request;

selecting a first status description from a database storing a plurality of status descriptions based on the received HTTP status code and the determined user comprehension characteristics wherein the plurality of status descriptions include the first status description that corresponds to a first received HTTP status code and a first set of determined comprehension characteristics and a second status description that corresponds to the first received HTTP status code and a second set of determined comprehension characteristics; and

transmitting the first status description to a second networked computer.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more comprehension characteristics comprise user technical proficiency.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more comprehension characteristics comprise one or more preferred languages of the user.

20. A proxy for providing a network communication status description based on user comprehension characteristics, the proxy comprising:

means for receiving a status code from a first networked computer in response to a user'"'"'s request for information;

means for determining one or more comprehension characteristics of the user who issued the request;

means for selecting a first status description from a database storing a plurality of status descriptions based on the received status code and the determined user comprehension characteristics wherein the plurality of status descriptions include the first status description that corresponds to a first received status code and a first set of determined comprehension characteristics and a second status description that corresponds to the first received status code and a second set of determined comprehension characteristics; and

means for transmitting the first status description to a second networked computer.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more comprehension characteristics comprise user technical proficiency.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more comprehension characteristics comprise one or more preferred languages of the user.