Relevance clause for computed relevance messaging

• US 6,356,936 B1
• Filed: 05/20/1999
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: BigFix, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Lippincott, Lisa Ellen, Donoho, David Leigh, Hindawi, David Salim
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cardone, Jason D.
• Application Number:
  US09/315,732
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/206, 709/207, 709/225, 709/227, 709/205, 707/3, 707/10, 370/260, 370/270, 345/329, 345/330, 345/331
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The invention disclosed herein enables a collection of computers and associated communications infrastructure to offer a new communications process which allows information providers to broadcast information to a population of information consumers. The information may be targeted to those consumers who have a precisely formulated need for the information. This targeting may be based on information which is inaccessible to other communications protocols. The targeting also includes a time element. Information can be brought to the attention of the consumer precisely when it has become applicable, which may occur immediately upon receipt of the message, but may also occur long after the message arrives. The communications process may operate without intruding on consumers who do not exhibit the precisely-specified need for the information, and it may operate without compromising the security or privacy of the consumers who participate.

Claims

1. A mechanism for encoding one or more digital documents conveying advice for transport across computer networks and other digital transport media, comprising:

a wrapper for packaging said one or more digital documents for transport and subsequent decoding;

a from line component for identifying an advice author;

a subject line component for summarily identifying said advice subject matter;

a relevance clause component for specifying conditions under which said advice is relevant;

a message body component for providing explanatory material explaining to a user what condition is relevant, why said user is concerned, and what action is recommended; and

an action button component for providing said user the ability to invoke an automatic execution of said recommended action;

wherein said one or more digital documents comprises broadcast messages that do not have an intended recipient or list of recipients.

2. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said message body further comprises:

digital authentication features append ed to said message to insure its integrity and authenticity.

3. The mechanism of claim 2, wherein said digital authentication features further comprise:

a digital digest, wherein a specialized function of said message body is computed and appended to said message; and

wherein a recipient of said message can verify the integrity of said message by computing the same function and verifying that it produces the same result as that appended to said message.

4. The mechanism of claim 2, wherein said digital authentication features further comprise:

a digital signature, wherein a digital digest of said message is calculated, said digest is then encrypted using a selected encryption scheme, and said encrypted digest is appended as a signature to said message; and

wherein a recipient of said message can decrypt said signature a corresponding decryption algorithm, whereby a successful decryption produces a digital digest which agrees with a value that said recipient calculates directly from said message.

5. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said one or more digital documents are packaged as text files which are a valid instance of a MIME file.

6. The mechanism of claim 5, wherein said MIME file further comprises any of:

header lines for specifying that a message body may be preceded by an extensive message header consisting of a variety of header lines, where individual lines begin with a well known phrase and contain addressing, dating, and related commentary;

means for creating new message lines in messages, including any of means for embedding said new message lines in messages and means for registering said new lines with MIME authorities;

means for offering different versions of a same message, with a destination picking an appropriate display method; and

a digesting mechanism for packing several complete MIME messages into a single file for Internet transport.

7. The mechanism of claim 1, said one or more digital documents further comprising:

an expires-when clause for causing a document to expire if said clause evaluates to true.

8. The mechanism of claim 1, said one or more digital documents further comprising:

an evaluate-when clause for causing a document to be evaluated for relevance if it evaluates to true.

9. The mechanism of claim 1, said one or more digital documents further comprising:

a requires-inspector-library clause for giving the name of a specific inspector library and a URL where it can be found, wherein said specific inspector library must be installed for relevance to be evaluated correctly.

10. The mechanism of claim 1, said one or more digital documents further comprising:

a refers-to clause for giving keyword labeling of systems referenced by a condition associated with a document.

11. The mechanism of claim 1, said one or more digital documents further comprising:

a solution-affects clause for giving keyword labeling of effects of a recommended response.

12. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said message body further comprises:

any of text, HTML, or text and HTML, said message body optionally including any of audio and video content.

13. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said one or more digital documents are packaged as text files which are a valid instance of an XML file.

14. The mechanism of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more ratings blocks for containing information which rates said one or more digital documents according to criteria including any of privacy, security, and usefulness.

15. A method for encoding one or more digital documents conveying advice for transport across computer networks and other digital transport media, said process comprising the steps of:

packaging said one or more digital documents for transport and subsequent decoding;

identifying an advice author;

summarily identifying said advice subject matter;

specifying conditions under which said advice is relevant;

providing explanatory material explaining to a user what condition is relevant, why said user is concerned, and what action is recommended; and

providing said user the ability to invoke an automatic execution of said recommended action;

wherein said one or more digital documents comprises broadcast messages that do not have an intended recipient or list of recipients.

16. The method of claim 15, said one or more digital documents further comprising:

an expires-when clause for causing a document to expire if said clause evaluates to true.

17. The method of claim 15, said one or more digital documents further comprising:

an evaluate-when clause for causing a document to be evaluated for relevance if it evaluates to true.

18. The method of claim 15, said one or more digital documents further comprising:

a requires-inspector-library clause for giving the name of a specific inspector library and a URL where it can be found, wherein said specific inspector library must be installed for relevance to be evaluated correctly.

19. The method of claim 15, said one or more digital documents further comprising:

a refers-to clause for giving keyword labeling of systems referenced by a condition associated with a document.

20. The method of claim 15, said one or more digital documents further comprising:

a solution-affects clause for giving keyword labeling of effects of a recommended response.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein said message body further comprises:

any of text, HTML, or text and HTML, said message body optionally including any of audio and video content.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein said message body further comprises:

digital authentication features appended to said message to insure its integrity and authenticity.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said digital authentication features further comprise:

a digital digest, wherein a specialized function of said message body is computed and appended to said message; and

wherein a recipient of said message can verify the integrity of said message by computing the same function and verifying that it produces the same result as that appended to said message.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said digital authentication features further comprise:

a digital signature, wherein a digital digest of said message is calculated, said digest is then encrypted using a selected encryption scheme, and said encrypted digest is appended as a signature to said message; and

wherein a recipient of said message can decrypt said signature a corresponding decryption algorithm, whereby a successful decryption produces a digital digest which agrees with a value that said recipient calculates directly from said message.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein said one or more digital documents are packaged as text files which are a valid instance of a MIME file.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said MIME file further comprises any of:

header lines for specifying that a message body may be preceded by an extensive message header consisting of a variety of header lines, where individual lines begin with a well known phrase and contain addressing, dating, and related commentary;

means for creating new message lines in messages, including any of means for embedding said new message lines in messages and means for registering said new lines with MIME authorities;

means for offering different versions of a same message, with a destination picking an appropriate display method; and

a digesting mechanism for packing several complete MIME messages into a single file for Internet transport.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein said one or more digital documents are packaged as text files which are a valid instance of an XML file.

28. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

one or more ratings blocks for containing information which rates said one or more digital documents according to criteria including any of privacy, security, and usefulness.