System and method of channel-based internet network

• US 6,785,716 B1
• Filed: 01/26/2000
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ViaCLIX Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ViaCLIX Incorporated
• Inventors: Nobakht, Lida
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Philip B.
• Application Number:
  US09/491,681
• Time in Patent Office: 1,679 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217-219, 709/203, 709/229, 725/109-112, 725/39-40
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9562 Bookmark management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/301 Name conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A channel-based network for accessing the Internet including a system server, one or more Internet sites and one or more user terminals that are connected via the Internet. The system server stores a master channel table that includes a list of channel numbers, each channel number having an associated Internet address and an associated Internet site name. Each Internet site of the network is addressable by an associated Internet address stored in the master channel table. Each user terminal automatically (i.e., without user participation) downloads and stores a local copy of the master channel table. The channel numbers and associated Internet site names are read from the downloaded local copy of the channel table and displayed, for example, on a television in a menu-like manner. The user selects an Internet site name from the displayed menu, and enters the channel number associated with the selected Internet site name using an input device that is similar to a television remote control. The user terminal then accesses the selected Internet site by reading the Internet address associated with the entered channel number, and transmitting the Internet address onto the Internet.

Claims

1. A channel-based network for accessing the Internet comprising:

a system server connected to the Internet, the system server including a channel table database for storing a master channel table, the master channel table including a plurality of channel numbers, each channel number having an associated Internet address and an associated Internet site name;

a plurality of Internet sites connected to the Internet, each Internet site being addressable by an associated Internet address of the channel table; and

a plurality of user terminals connected in parallel to the Internet, each user terminal including;

a memory circuit;

an input device including a numeric keypad; and

means for downloading at least a portion of the master channel table from the system server via the Internet and storing the downloaded channel table portion in the memory circuit,

means for reading a corresponding Internet address from the downloaded channel table portion that is associated with a selected channel number entered via the input device, and

means for connecting the user terminal to a selected Internet site of the plurality of Internet sites by transmitting the corresponding Internet address onto the Internet.

2. The channel-based network according to claim 1,

wherein each user terminal further comprises means for transmitting user identification information to the system server,

wherein the system server further comprises:

a network database for storing authorized user information,

means for comparing the transmitted user identification information with the authorized user information, and

means for authorizing the transmission of the master channel table portion only if the transmitted user identification information matches the authorized user information.

3. The channel-based network according to claim 2, wherein each user terminal further comprises a socket for receiving a smart card that is programmed to include the user identification information.

4. The channel-based network according to claim 3,

wherein the memory circuit of each user terminal comprises a volatile memory,

wherein each user terminal further comprises:

an interrupt switch connected to the socket, wherein the interrupt switch is adapted to generate an interrupt control signal when the smart card is inserted into the socket, and

means for erasing the volatile memory in response to each interrupt control signal generated by the interrupt switch.

5. The channel-based network according to claim 1,

wherein each user terminal further comprises means for transmitting terminal identification information to the system server,

wherein the system server further comprises:

a network database for storing authorized terminal information,

means for comparing the transmitted terminal identification information with the authorized terminal information, and

means for authorizing the transmission of the master channel table portion only if the transmitted terminal identification information matches the authorized terminal information.

6. The channel-based network according to claim 5,

wherein each user terminal further comprises means for transmitting user identification information to the system server,

wherein the system server further comprises:

means for comparing the transmitted user identification information with the stored user identification information, and

means for authorizing the transmission of the master channel table portion only if the transmitted user identification information identifies an authorized user.

7. The channel-based network according to claim 1,

wherein the memory circuit of each user terminal comprises a non-volatile memory for storing a local channel table that is identified by a channel table version number, and means for transmitting the channel table version number to the system server, and

wherein the system server further comprises:

an update manager database for storing a current channel table version number information associated with the master channel table,

means for comparing the channel table version number received from the user terminal with the current channel table version number, and

means for transmitting an update available code to the user terminal when the version number received from the user terminal is different from the current channel table version number stored in the update manager database.

8. The channel-based network according to claim 7,

wherein each user terminal further comprises means for transmitting user identification information and terminal identification information to the system server,

wherein the system server further comprises:

a network database for storing authorized user information and associated home terminal identification information, and

means for comparing the transmitted user identification information and terminal identification information with the authorized user information and home terminal identification information,

wherein the channel-based network is adapted to transmit the update available code to the user terminal only if both the transmitted user identification information and terminal identification information match with corresponding authorized user information and home terminal identification information.

9. The channel-based network according to claim 7,

wherein each user terminal further comprises a volatile memory, and

wherein the means for storing the downloaded channel table portion further comprises means for storing the downloaded channel table portion in the non-volatile memory, and means for copying the downloaded channel table portion from the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory.

10. The channel-based network according to claim 7,

wherein each user terminal further comprises a volatile memory, and

wherein the means for storing the downloaded channel table portion further comprises means for downloading the channel table portion into the non-volatile memory, and means for copying the downloaded channel table portion from the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory.

11. The channel-based network according to claim 7,

wherein each user terminal further comprises a volatile memory, and

wherein the means for storing the downloaded channel table portion further comprises means for downloading the channel table portion into the volatile memory, and means for copying the downloaded channel table portion from the volatile memory to the non-volatile memory.

12. The channel-based network according to claim 1,

wherein the system server further comprises means for encrypting the master channel table before storing the master channel table in the channel table database, and

wherein each user terminal further comprises means for decrypting the downloaded channel table portion before storing the downloaded channel table portion in the memory circuit.

13. A channel-based network for accessing the Internet comprising:

a plurality of Internet sites connected to the Internet, each Internet site being addressable by an Internet address and having an Internet site name;

a plurality of user terminals connected to the Internet, each user terminal including;

a non-volatile memory circuit storing a channel table including a plurality of channel numbers, each channel number being assigned to an associated Internet address and an associated Internet site name of one of the plurality of Internet sites,

a volatile memory circuit,

means for copying the channel table from the non-volatile memory circuit to the volatile memory circuit, and

means reading a selected Internet address from the volatile memory circuit that is associated with a channel number entered through an input device, and for connecting the user terminal to a selected Internet site that is addressed by the selected Internet address; and

a system server connected to the Internet, the system server including;

means for receiving identification information from the user terminal via the Internet,

means for comparing the received identification information with stored identification information, and

means for transmitting an authorization code to the user terminal via the Internet only if the received identification is the same as the stored identification information,

wherein each user terminal is adapted to disable the means for copying unless the authorization code is transmitted from the system server to the user terminal, thereby preventing unauthorized use of the user terminal.

14. The channel-based network according to claim 13,

wherein each user terminal further comprises means for transmitting user identification information to the system server,

wherein the system server further comprises a network database for storing the identification information that includes authorized user identification information,

wherein the means for comparing compares the transmitted user identification information with the authorized user identification information, and

wherein the means for transmitting transmits the authorization code only if the transmitted user identification information matches with the authorized user identification information.

15. The channel-based network according to claim 14, wherein each user terminal further comprises a socket for receiving a smart card that is programmed to include the user identification information.

16. The channel-based network according to claim 15, wherein each user terminal further comprises:

an interrupt switch connected to the socket, wherein the interrupt switch generates an interrupt control signal when the smart card is inserted into the socket, and

means for erasing the volatile memory in response to each interrupt control signal generated by the interrupt switch.

17. The channel-based network according to claim 13,

wherein each user terminal further comprises means for transmitting terminal identification information to the system server,

wherein the system server further comprises a network database for storing the identification information that includes authorized terminal identification information,

wherein the means for comparing compares the transmitted terminal identification information with the authorized terminal identification information, and

wherein the means for transmitting transmits the authorization code only if the transmitted terminal identification information matches with the authorized terminal identification information.

18. The channel-based network according to claim 17,

wherein each user terminal further comprises means for transmitting user identification information to the system server,

wherein the system server further comprises:

means for comparing the transmitted user identification information with authorized user information stored in the network database, and

means for authorizing the transmission of the master channel table portion only if the transmitted user identification information matches with the authorized user information.

19. A method for establishing a channel-based network for accessing the Internet comprising:

forming a master channel table including a plurality of channel numbers by assigning each channel number to an associated Internet address and an associated Internet site name that corresponds with an associated Internet site;

storing the master channel table in a channel table database that is accessible via a system server connected to the Internet;

distributing a plurality of user terminals to a group of users, wherein each user terminal includes a memory circuit; and

downloading at least a portion of the master channel table via the Internet from the channel table database to the memory circuit of a user terminal requesting service,

wherein each user terminal includes means for reading the associated Internet address from the memory circuit in response to a selected channel number entered by a user, and for connecting the user terminal to a selected Internet site that is addressed by the Internet address associated with the selected channel number.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising:

transmitting user identification information from the user terminal requesting service to the system server;

comparing the transmitted user identification information with authorized user identification information that is stored in a network database connected to the system server;

transmitting an authorization code from the system server to the user terminal requesting service only if the transmitted user identification information matches the authorized user identification information,

wherein the step of downloading further comprises receiving the authorization code from the system server, and transmitting a download request from the user terminal requesting service to the system server.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising reading the user identification information from a smart card inserted in a socket of the user terminal.

22. The method according to claim 19, further comprising:

transmitting terminal identification information from the user terminal requesting service to the system server;

comparing the transmitted terminal identification information with authorized terminal identification information that is stored in a network database that is accessible via the system server;

transmitting an authorization code from the system server to the user terminal requesting service only if the transmitted terminal identification information matches the authorized terminal identification information,

wherein the step of downloading further comprises receiving the authorization code from the system server, and transmitting a download request from the user terminal requesting service to the system server.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising reading the terminal identification information from an asset manager memory of the user terminal.

24. The method according to claim 19, wherein the memory circuit of each user terminal comprises a non-volatile memory for storing a local channel table that is identified by a channel table version number, and wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting the channel table version number from the user terminal requesting service to the system server,

comparing the transmitted channel table version number with a current channel table version number associated with the master channel table that is stored in an update manager database connected to the system server;

transmitting an update available code to the user terminal requesting service when the channel table version number received from the user terminal is different from the current channel table version number stored in the update manager database,

wherein the step of downloading further comprises receiving the update available code from the system server, and transmitting a download request from the user terminal requesting service to the system server.

25. The method according to claim 19, wherein the memory circuit includes a non-volatile memory circuit and a volatile memory circuit, and wherein the step of downloading further comprises:

determining whether the user terminal requesting service is being accessed by a resident user or a guest user;

when the guest user is detected, storing the downloaded master channel table portion directly into the non-volatile memory circuit; and

when the resident user is detected;

storing the downloaded master channel table portion in the non-volatile memory circuit, and

copying the downloaded master channel table portion into the volatile memory circuit.

26. The method according to claim 19, wherein the memory circuit includes a non-volatile memory circuit and a volatile memory circuit, and wherein the step of downloading further comprises:

storing the downloaded master channel table portion in the volatile memory circuit,

determining whether the user terminal requesting service is being accessed by a resident user or a guest user; and

when the resident user is detected, copying the downloaded master channel table information from the volatile memory circuit to the non-volatile memory circuit.

27. The method according to claim 19, further comprising:

encrypting the master channel table before storing the master channel table in the channel table database; and

decrypting the downloaded master channel table portion before storing the downloaded master channel table portion in the memory circuit of the user terminal requesting service.

28. A method for establishing a channel-based network for accessing the Internet comprising:

distributing a plurality of user terminals to a group of users, wherein each user terminal includes;

a non-volatile memory circuit storing a channel table including a plurality of channel numbers, each channel number being assigned to an associated Internet address and an associated Internet site name that corresponds with an associated Internet site, and

a volatile memory circuit,

means for copying the channel table from the non-volatile memory circuit to the volatile memory circuit, and

means for reading a selected Internet address from the volatile memory circuit that is associated with a channel number entered through an input device, and for connecting the user terminal to a selected Internet site that is addressed by the selected Internet address; and

receiving identification information from a first user terminal of the plurality of user terminals via the Internet;

comparing the received identification information with stored identification information; and

transmitting an authorization code to the first user terminal via the Internet when the received identification information matches with the stored identification information,

wherein the means for copying is disabled unless the authorization code is transmitted to the user terminal, thereby preventing unauthorized use of the user terminal.