Providing an internet third party data channel

• US 6,453,335 B1
• Filed: 07/07/1999
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Blackbird Tech LLC
• Original Assignee: Oliver Kaufmann
• Inventors: Kaufmann, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): Barot, Bharat
• Application Number:
  US09/348,851
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200-205, 709/217-219, 709/223-224, 709/227-229, 707/10, 707/102-104, 705/14, 705/26-27, 705/35-37
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561

Abstract

In a method, apparatus and program product for providing an internet third party data channel, an existing data channel is monitored for a data communication having a predetermined property. Upon detection of such data communication, a data source is accessed to obtain third party data, the data communication is modified or replacing in response to the third party data, and the modified or replaced data communication is sent to the originally intended recipient. The present invention allows the incorporation of third party data into existing internet client/server connections in a convenient and flexible way.

Claims

1. A method for providing an internet third party data channel, said third party data channel being established within an existing data channel between an internet server and an internet client, said third party data channel connecting a data source distinct from said internet server to said internet client, said method including the steps of:

a) using a processing device distinct from said internet server for monitoring said existing data channel for a data communication having a predetermined property, said data communication having an intended recipient of one of said internet server and said internet client,

b) upon detection of said data communication, performing;

b1) the step of accessing said data source to obtain third party data,

b2) a step selected from the group consisting of the step of modifying said data communication in response to said third party data and the step of replacing said data communication in response to said third party data to obtain a resultant data communication, and

b3) the step of sending said resultant data communication to said intended recipient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined property of said data communication is the property that said data communication contains a predetermined data code.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said predetermined data code is a code selected from the group consisting of an application level protocol code, an application level protocol status code, an HTML tag and a HTTP code.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein further predetermined data codes are used to control at least one of the creation, the usage and a predetermined property of said third party data channel.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said intended recipient of said data communication is said internet client.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing device is distinct from said internet client.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said data source is independent from at least one of said internet server and said internet client.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein data is only transmitted on said third party data channel when the data transmission rate of said server to said client is below a predetermined threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step b2) is selected from the group consisting of the step of including said third party data into said data communication, the step of modifying data contained in said data communication in response to said third party data, the step of removing data contained in said data communication in response to said third party data, the step of enriching data contained in said data communication in response to said third party data, and the step of replacing data contained in said data communication in response to said third party data.

10. A method for providing an internet third party data channel, said third party data channel being established within an existing data channel between an internet server and a display module of an internet browser, said third party data channel connecting a data source distinct from said internet browser to said display module, said method including the steps of:

a) using a control module of said internet browser for monitoring said existing data channel for an incoming data communication having a predetermined property,

b) upon detection of said data communication, performing;

b1) the step of accessing said data source to obtain third party data,

b2) a step selected from the group consisting of the step of modifying said data communication in response to said third party data and the step of replacing said data communication in response to said third party data to obtain a resultant data communication, and

b3) the step of communicating said resultant data communication to said display module.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said predetermined property of said data communication is the property that said data communication contains a predetermined data code.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said predetermined data code is a code selected from the group consisting of an application level protocol code, an application level protocol status code, an HTML tag and a HTTP code.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein further predetermined data codes are used to control at least one of the creation, the usage and a predetermined property of said third party data channel.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said data source is distinct from at least one of said internet server and said internet browser.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said data source is independent from at least one of said internet server and said internet browser.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said third party data obtained in step b1) is influenced at least by said predetermined data code.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein said step b2) is selected from the group consisting of the step of including said third party data into said data communication, the step of modifying data contained in said data communication in response to said third party data, the step of removing data contained in said data communication in response to said third party data, the step of enriching data contained in said data communication in response to said third party data, and the step of replacing data contained in said data communication in response to said third party data.

18. An apparatus for providing an internet third party data channel, said third party data channel being established within an existing data channel between an internet server and an internet client, said third party data channel connecting a data source distinct from said internet server to said internet client, said apparatus comprising:

a processing device distinct from said internet server for monitoring said existing data channel for a data communication having a predetermined property, said data communication having an intended recipient of one of said internet server and said internet client,

said processing device being adapted, upon detection of said data communication, to access said data source to obtain third party data, to execute a step selected from the group consisting of the step of modifying said data communication in response to said third party data and the step of replacing said data communication in response to said third party data to obtain a resultant data communication, and to send said resultant data communication to said intended recipient.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said apparatus is an apparatus selected from the group consisting of an internet router and an internet proxy and an internet filter.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said predetermined property of said data communication is the property that said data communication contains a predetermined data code.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said predetermined data code is a code selected from the group consisting of an application level protocol code, an application level protocol status code, an HTML tag and a HTTP code.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said intended recipient of said data communication is said internet client.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said processing device is distinct from said internet client.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein data is only transmitted on said third party data channel when the data transmission rate of said server to said client is below a predetermined threshold.

25. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said step for obtaining said resultant data communication is selected from the group consisting of the step of including said third party data into said data communication, the step of modifying data contained in said data communication in response to said third party data, the step of removing data contained in said data communication in response to said third party data, the step of enriching data contained in said data communication in response to said third party data, and the step of replacing data contained in said data communication in response to said third party data.

26. A computer program product for execution by a general purpose computer for providing an internet third party data channel, said third party data channel being established within an existing data channel between an internet server and a display module of an internet browser running on said general purpose computer, said third party data channel connecting a data source distinct from said internet browser to said display module, said computer program product including instructions for making said general purpose computer perform the steps of:

a) monitoring said existing data channel for an incoming data communication having a predetermined property,

b) upon detection of said data communication, performing;

b1) the step of accessing said data source to obtain third party data,

b2) a step selected from the group consisting of the step of modifying said data communication in response to said third party data and the step of replacing said data communication in response to said third party data to obtain a resultant data communication, and

b3) the step of communicating said resultant data communication to said display module.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein said computer program product is one of said internet browser, a module of said internet browser, a plugin for said internet browser and an auxiliary program for said internet browser.

28. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein said predetermined property of said data communication is the property that said data communication contains a predetermined data code.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein said predetermined data code is a code selected from the group consisting of an application level protocol code, an application level protocol status code, an HTML tag and a HTTP code.

30. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein said step b2) is selected from the group consisting of the step of including said third party data into said data communication, the step of modifying data contained in said data communication in response to said third party data, the step of removing data contained in said data communication in response to said third party data, the step of enriching data contained in said data communication in response to said third party data, and the step of replacing data contained in said data communication in response to said third party data.

31. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein said computer program product is stored on a computer readable data carrier.