Method for distributing information

• US 6,697,792 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2000
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony International Europe Gmbh (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony International Europe Gmbh (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Bunney, William, Kozo, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): KINDRED, ALFORD W
• Application Number:
  US09/557,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20030163482A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,404 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/3-5, 707/9, 707/513, 707/500, 707/526, 707/201, 707/100, 707/104.1, 725/9-11, 725/32, 725/46, 725/56, 725/98, 715/513, 715/526
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

A system for distributing information comprises at least one content source (2, 3), at least one client (4, 5), a communication network (6), a distribution server (1), a profile data base (10) associated with the distribution server (1) in which client profile information is stored, and a target count unit (9) in the distribution server (10) for effecting a target count by comparing the client profile information of the profile data base (10) with target client information of a target count request sent from one of the content sources (2, 3). Information from one of the content sources (2, 3) is distributed to at least one client (4, 5) by means of the distribution server (1) corresponding to the result of the target count effected by the target count unit (9).

Claims

1. Method for distributing information from at least one content source to at least one client by means of a network and a distribution server,

the method comprising the following steps:

creating a profile database associated with the distribution server, wherein in the profile database client information is stored,

sending a target count request from one of the content sources to the distribution server, the target count request containing target client information,

effecting a target count in the distribution server by comparing the client profile information of the profile database with the target client information of the target count request, and

distributing information from one of the content sources to at least one client by means of the distribution server, wherein the information is distributed in correspondence to the result of the target count step;

wherein in case the result of the target count step exceeds a predetermined threshold, the information is distributed from the distribution server to the clients by means of a broadcast transmission using a first transmission means, and

in case the result of the target count step is smaller than a predetermined threshold, the information is distributed from the distribution server to the clients by means of a targeted transmission using a second transmission means.

2. Method for distributing information according to claim 1, characterized in that parameters of the logical and/or physical distribution channel from the distribution server to the at least one client are changed depending on the result of the target count step.

3. Method for distributing information according to claim 1, characterized in that

a feedback channel respectively from a client, which received information distributed by the distribution server, to the distribution server and/or the content sources is established for transmitting an action feedback information representing an action of an user of the corresponding client in response to the information distributed by the distribution server.

4. Method for distributing information according to claim 3, characterized in that

the action feedback information is used to update the profile database.

5. Method for distributing information according to claim 3, characterized in that

an action report information based on the action feedback information is generated in the distribution server and transmitted to the corresponding content source.

6. Method for distributing information according to claim 1, characterized in that

the information distributed by the distribution server contains a link information representing an address of the network where further information related to the information distributed by the distribution server is stored.

7. Method for distributing information according to claim 1, characterized by the following steps

sending a registration request from a client to the distribution server,

sending a predefined registration form from the distribution server to the corresponding client,

sending user details in response to the predefined registration form from the corresponding client to the distribution server, and

updating the profile database on the basis of the user details.

8. Method for distributing information according to claim 1, characterized in that

the first transmission means includes an antenna, and

the second transmission means includes a network connection.

9. System for distributing information, comprising:

at least one content source,

at least one client,

a communication network,

a distribution server,

a profile database associated with the distribution server and in which client information is stored,

a target count unit in the distribution server for effecting a target count by comparing the client profile information of the profile database with target client information of a target count request sent from one of the content sources, wherein information from one of the content sources is distributed to at least one client by means of the distribution server,

wherein the information is distributed in correspondence to the result of the target count, and

a decision unit in the distribution server for comparing the result of the target count with a predetermined threshold, wherein

in case the result of the target count step exceeds the predetermined threshold, the information is distributed from the distribution server to the clients by means of a broadcast transmission using a first transmission means, and

in case the result of the target count step is smaller than the predetermined threshold, the information is distributed from the distribution server to the clients by means of a targeted transmission using a second transmission means.

10. System for distributing information according to claim 9, characterized by

a unit for changing the parameters of the logical and/or physical distribution channel from the distribution server to the at least one client depending on the result of the target count.

11. System for distributing information according to claim 9, characterized by

a feedback channel respectively from a client, which received information distributed by the distribution server, to the distribution server and/or the content sources for transmitting an action feedback information representing an action of an user of the corresponding client in response to the information distributed by the distribution server.

12. System according to claim 11,

wherein the action feedback information is used to update the profile database.

13. System according to claim 11,

wherein the distribution server generates an action report information based on the action feedback information and transmits the action report information to the corresponding content source.

14. System according to claim 10, characterized in that

the information distributed by the distribution server contains a link information representing an address of the network where further information related to the information distributed by the distribution server is stored.

15. System according to claim 10, characterized in that

the profile database is updated every time a user of a client is signing up with the distribution server.

16. System for distributing information according to claim 9, characterized in that

the first transmission means includes an antenna, and

the second transmission means includes a network connection.

17. Server for the distribution of information,

a profile database in which client information is stored,

a target count unit for effecting a target count by comparing the client profile information of the profile database with target client information of a target count request sent from a content source connected to the distribution server, wherein the distribution server is designed to distribute information to at least one client in correspondence to the result of the target count by means of a network, and

a decision unit for comparing the result of the target count with a predetermined threshold, wherein

in case the result of the target count step exceeds the predetermined threshold, the information is distributed from the distribution server to the clients by means of a broadcast transmission using a first transmission means, and

in case the result of the target count step is smaller than the predetermined threshold, the information is distributed from the distribution server to the clients by means of a targeted transmission using a second transmission means.

18. Server for the distribution of information according to claim 17, characterized by

a unit for changing the parameters of the logical and/or physical distribution channel from the distribution server to the at least one client depending on the result of the target count.

19. Server for the distribution of information according to claim 17, characterized in that

it comprises a feedback evaluation unit for analysing a feedback channel signal from one of the clients.

20. Server for the distribution of information according to claim 17, characterized in that

the profile database is updated every time a user of a client is signing up with the distribution server.

21. Server for the distribution of information according to claim 17, characterized in that

the first transmission means includes an antenna, and

the second transmission means includes a network connection.