System and method for providing message redirection in networked environments

• US 6,470,027 B1
• Filed: 04/30/1999
• Issued: 10/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Birrell, John Mark Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Dang
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pizarro, Ricardo M.
• Application Number:
  US09/303,267
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: 370/465, 370/404, 370/310, 370/345, 370/346, 370/363, 370/392, 370/395.2, 709/225, 709/220, 709/219, 709/202, 709/238, 709/239, 709/201, 709/203, 709/226
• US Class Current: 370/465
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for providing user notification of access violations, wherein packets are intercepted and a message returned to the user is redirected to a web page explaining why the user cannot access the host. This is currently implemented in TCP to redirect access violations from web browsers to hosts in the user'"'"'s access list, which then display a message indicating why the user cannot access the desired host. This same model is also provided for the FTP and Telnet protocols.

Claims

1. A method for providing user notification of the status of a packet having a destination address for transmission over a network from a user location to said destination address comprising the steps of:

receiving said packet at a first application at a dial gateway;

ascertaining packet status;

modifying said packet into a modified packet;

redirecting said modified packet to a second application at said dial gateway by replacing said destination address with an address of said dial gateway and retransmitting said packet from said first application onto said network;

formatting a message to said user by determining a protocol for said packet and formatting said message based upon said protocol; and

delivering said message with said modified packet from said second application to said user at said user location.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said formatting of said message comprises the step of retrieving a default message.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

receiving said modified packet at said user location; and

displaying said message at said user location.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

receiving said modified packet at said user location;

loading an URL in said modified packet at said user location.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said ascertaining said packet status comprises determining whether said user has access to said destination address.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said first application maintains a user access list and wherein said determining comprises comparing said destination address to said access list.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said ascertaining said packet status comprises determining whether said user has network access.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said first application maintains a user account list comprising a counter for increments of prepaid network usage and wherein said determining comprises determining if said user has expended all prepaid increments.

9. A system for providing for user notification of the status of a packet having a destination address for transmission over a network from a user location to said destination address comprising:

a first application at a dial gateway adapted to receive said packet from said user location, to ascertain the status of the packet, and to modify said packet into a modified packet, wherein said first application additionally comprises an addressing component for replacing said destination address with an address of said dial gateway and transmitting means for retransmitting said packet from said first application onto said network; and

a second application at said dial gateway adapted to receive said modified packet from said first application, to format a message to said user; and

to deliver said message with said modified packet to said user at said user location, wherein said second application comprises a component for determining a protocol for said packet and for formatting said message based upon said protocol.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said dial gateway includes at least one storage location.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said dial gateway includes at least one storage location and wherein component for formatting said message is adapted to retrieve at least one default message from said at least one storage location.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said first application comprises at least one component for comparing said destination packet address with a user access list stored at said at least one storage location.

13. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for providing user notification of the status of a packet having a destination address for transmission over a network from a user location to said destination address, said method steps comprising:

receiving said packet at a first application at a dial gateway;

ascertaining packet status;

modifying said packet into a modified packet;

redirecting said modified packet to a second application at said dial gateway by replacing said destination address with the address of said dial gateway and retransmitting said packet from said first application onto said network;

formatting a message to said user by determining the protocol for said packet and formatting said message based upon said protocol; and

delivering said message with said modified packet from said second application at said dial gateway to said user at said user location.

14. A method for providing user notification of the status of a packet having a destination address for transmission over a network from a user location to said destination address comprising the steps of:

receiving said packet at a first application at a dial gateway;

ascertaining packet status;

modifying said packet into a modified packet;

redirecting said modified packet to a second application at said dial gateway by replacing said destination address with an address of said dial gateway and retransmitting said packet from said first application onto said network;

formatting a message to said user by determining a protocol for said packet and formatting said message based upon said protocol;

delivering said message with said modified packet from said second application to said user at said user location;

receiving said modified packet at said user location; and

loading an URL in said modified packet at said user location.