Event-triggered notification over a network

• US 6,763,384 B1
• Filed: 07/10/2000
• Issued: 07/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gupta, Manish, Modani, Natwar, Mittal, Parul A
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne, Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): Halim, Sahera
• Application Number:
  US09/613,524
• Time in Patent Office: 1,464 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/205, 709/223, 709/203, 709/235, 709/226, 709/318, 705/14, 705/1
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Internet services that rely on the transfer of real-time information have proliferated in recent years. Given the amount of information generated on the Internet, a user may request to be notified whenever particular information becomes available, such as the current highest bid in an on-line auction. The user enrols to receive one or more messages and sends a list of desired messages through a client process running on the user'"'"'s computer system. When the user is ready to receive messages, the client process connects to a notification server and provides its receiving address identifier. It then disconnects from the notification server and waits for messages. A message monitor detects the occurrence of events that trigger notifications, and informs the notification server of the event. The notification server determines the appropriate recipient for the notification, and sends it using a server-initiated end-to-end message transfer mechanism to the clients'"'"' receiving address identifiers. The notification can also be used as a control signal to control one or more applications, or to control an appliance remotely over a network. The notification server may make use of load-sharing devices or proxy servers to distribute the notification to the client processes.

Claims

1. A method for notifying the occurrence of an event to one or more client processes over a communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

said one or more client processes registering a set of said events of interest and, when said client processes are curtly active, registering their respective address identifiers with a server;

said server detecting the occurrence of an event;

said server identifying which of said client processes are interested in notification of said event and are currently active;

said server causing a real-time connection over said network to transmit said notification to each identified client process;

said server transmitting updated data to said identified client process relating to said occurrence of an event, wherein said updated data comprises changed data of said occurrence of an event; and

terminating a connection between said server and said identified client process when a period of inactivity of detecting said occurrence of an event exist.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said the event of interest registration exists as a record that is available to a plurality of servers and wherein said event can be detected by any one of said plurality of servers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmission step includes the further step of passing said notification via a notification server.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said transmission step further includes said notification server passing said notification to said identified client processes via one or more load-sharing devices or proxy servers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said registering step includes the steps of:

forming a first record of all client processes and their respective events of interest; and

forming a second record containing current active ones of all said client processes and their active address identifiers.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising the further step of client processes rescinding active status, and their respective address identifiers being removed from said second record.

7. A method for notifying the occurrence of an event by one or more servers to one or more client processes over a communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

said one or more client processes registering a set of said events of interest and, when said clients are currently active, registering their respective address identifiers;

forming a first record of said client processes and their respective events of interest;

forming a second record containing current active ones of all said client processes and their respective address identifiers, said first and second records being available to said servers;

detecting the occurrence of an event;

identifying from said first record which of said client processes are interested in notification of said event;

causing a real-time connection over said network to transmit said notification to each interested client process using the address identifiers stored in said second record;

said servers transmitting updated data to said identified client process relating to said occurrence of an event, wherein said updated data comprises changed data of said occurrence of an event; and

terminating a connection between said servers and said identified client process when a period of inactivity of detecting said occurrence of an event exists.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said transmission step includes the further step of passing said notification via a notification server.

9. The method of claim 7, comprising the further step of client processes rescinding active status, and their respective address identifiers being removed from said second record.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said transmission step further includes said notification server passing said notification to said interested client processes via one or more load-sharing devices or proxy servers.

11. A communications system providing notification of the occurrence of an event, comprising:

a communication network;

one or more client processes coupled to said network; and

one or more server processes coupled to said network;

and wherein said one or more client processes register a set of said events of interest and, when currently active, their respective address identifiers with one or more of said server processes, and one or more of said server processes detect the occurrence of an event, identify which of said client processes are interested in notification of said event and are currently active, cause a real-time connection over said network to transmit said notification to each identified client process, transmit updated data to said identified client process relating to said occurrence of an event, wherein said updated data comprises changed data of said occurrence of an event, and terminate a connection between said server processes and said identified client process when a period of inactivity of detecting said occurrence of an event exists.

12. The communications system of claim 11, wherein the event of interest registration exists as a record that is available to said one or more server processes and wherein said event can be detected by any one of said server processes.

13. The communications system of claim 11, wherein said notification is transmitted via a notification server.

14. The communications system of claim 13, wherein said notification server passes said notification to said identified client processes via one or more load-sharing devices or a proxy server.

15. The communications system of claim 11, wherein one or more of said server processes stores registration information comprising:

a first record of all client processes and their respective events of interest; and

a second record containing current active ones of all said client processes and their respective address identifiers.

16. The communications system of claim 15, wherein said client processes rescind their active status, their respective address identifiers then being removed from said second record.

17. A communications system providing notification of the occurrence of an event, comprising:

a communication network;

one or more client processes coupled to said network; and

one or more server processes coupled to said network;

and wherein said one or more client processes register a set of said events of interest and, when currently active, register their respective address identifiers with one or more of said server processes, and said server processes form a first record of said client processes and their respective events of interest, form a second record containing current active ones of all said client processes and their respective address identifiers, said first and second records being available to a plurality of said server processes, detect the occurrence of an event, identify, from said first record, which of said client processes are interested in notification of said event and are currently active, cause a real-time connection over said network to transmit said notification to each identified client using the address identifiers stored in said second record, transmit updated data to said identified client process relating to said occurrence of an event, wherein said updated data comprises changed data of said occurrence of an event, and terminate a connection between said server processes and said identified client process when a period of inactivity of detecting said occurrence of an event exists.

18. The communications system of claim 17, wherein said notification is transmitted via a notification server.

19. The communications system of claim 17, wherein said client processes rescind their active status, their respective address identifiers then being removed from said second record.

20. The communications system of claim 17, wherein said notification server passes said notification to said interested client processes via one or more load-sharing devices or a proxy server.

21. A notification server for notifying the occurrence of an event to one or more client processes over a communications network, the notification server comprising:

a data store storing registration data from said client processes regarding events of interest to said client processes and, when said clients are currently active, their respective address identifiers;

a processor linked to said data store, receiving notification of an event having occurred, and searching said data store for those of the currently active client processes interested in said event; and

network connection means, linked to said processor, whereby a notification of said event is output to be sent to said interested client processes;

said notification server operable for transmitting undated data to said active client process relating to said event, wherein said updated data comprises changed data of said event; and

terminating a connection between said notification server and said active client process when a period of inactivity of detecting said event exists.

22. The notification server of claim 21, wherein said data store includes:

a first record of all said client processes and their respective events of interest; and

a second record containing current active ones of all said client processes and their respective address identifiers.

23. The notification server of claim 21, wherein said notification server initiates a message transfer mechanism that is chosen from the set comprising:

an end-to-end TCP connection; and

a datagram service with no intermediate storage.

24. A computer program product having a computer usable medium having a computer program embodied therein, for providing notification of the occurrence of an event over a network, said computer program product including:

computer program code means for registering a set of events of interest to one or more clients and, when said one or more clients are ready to receive notification, registering their respective address identifiers with a server;

computer program code means for detecting the occurrence of an event;

computer program code means for identifying which of said clients are interested in notification of said event and are currently active; and

computer program code means for causing a real-time connection over said network to transmit said notification to each identified client;

computer program a code means for transmitting updated data to said identified client process relating to said occurrence of an event, wherein said updated data comprises changed data of said occurrence of an event; and

computer program code means for terminating a connection between said server and said identified client process when a period of inactivity of detecting said occurrence of an event exist.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the event of interest registration exists as a record that is available to a plurality of servers and wherein said event can be detected by any one of said plurality of servers.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, further including:

computer program code means for passing said notification via a notification server.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, further including:

computer program code means for passing said notification to said identified clients via one or more load-sharing devices or proxy servers.

28. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the computer program code means for registration includes computer program code means for:

forming a first record of all clients and their respective events of interest; and

forming a second record containing cent active ones of all said clients and their respective address identifiers.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, further including:

computer program code means for rescinding active status of said clients, and removing their respective address identifiers from said second record.