Method for establishing channel-based internet access network

• US 6,813,639 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2001
• Issued: 11/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ViaCLIX Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ViaCLIX Incorporated
• Inventors: Nobakht, Lida, Clymer, James R. W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUONG, OANH L
• Application Number:
  US09/828,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20010039584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217-219, 709/226, 709/227, 709/229, 725/109
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9562 Bookmark management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2119 Authenticating web pages, e.g. with suspicious links
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1432 Metric aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• 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 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4332 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. local EPG data repository interfaces, Database management systems or updating for information retrieval G06F16/23; details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4381 Recovering the multiplex stream from a specific network, e.g. recovering MPEG packets from ATM cells transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A channel-based network includes a system server, one or more Internet sites and one or more user terminals. The system server stores a series of computer pages and a master channel table that includes a list of channel numbers. Channel numbers and logo spaces are purchased by Internet sites wishing to be included in the network. The system server operator updates the computer pages to include logos for the Internet sites, and updates the master channel table each time a channel number is purchased. The updated web page and master channel table information is then downloaded to the user terminals of the network.

Claims

1. A method for operating a channel-based internet access network including a plurality of user terminals that are connected to the Internet, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for a channel number assignment from an Internet site having an Internet address;

assigning a selected channel number to the requesting Internet site;

updating a master channel table such that the master channel table stores the Internet address of the requesting Internet site in a field associated with the selected channel number; and

transmitting at least a portion of the updated master channel table to the plurality of user terminals such that each user terminal stores the Internet address in a field associated with the selected channel number.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of offering to sell available channel numbers to one or more Internet sites.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of offering includes offering non-preferred channel numbers at a first price, and offering preferred channel numbers at a second price, the second price being higher than the first price.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of assigning the selected channel number comprises determining whether the requested channel number is a specified channel number or a non-specified channel number.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein, when the requested channel number is a specified channel number, the step of assigning comprises:

verifying the availability of the requested preferred channel number;

calculating a fee for using the specified channel number; and

transmitting to the requesting Internet site the calculated fee and a confirmation message that the requested specific channel number is assigned to the requesting Internet site.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the step of calculating the fee comprises adding a base fee component and a premium fee component, the base fee component being proportional to a number of user terminals connected to the network, and the premium fee component being determined by a pre-defined value assigned to the specific channel number requested by the Internet site.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein, when the requested channel number is a non-specified channel number, the step of assigning comprises:

identifying an Internet site service type from a group of Internet site service types;

selecting an available channel number from a group of channel numbers associated with the identified Internet service type;

calculating a fee for using the non-specified channel number; and

transmitting to the requesting Internet site the calculated fee and a confirmation message identifying the channel number assigned to the requesting Internet site.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of calculating the fee comprises a base fee component that is determined by a number of user terminals connected to the network.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein each service type of the group of predefined service types is associated with a plurality of sequential channel numbers.

10. A method for operating a channel-based internet access network including a plurality of user terminals, each user terminal having a flash memory and being connected to the Internet, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for a logo space assignment from an Internet site having an Internet address;

assigning a selected logo space to the requesting Internet site;

updating a computer page description stored in a server such that predefined logo space of the computer page includes an identification image and a link to the requesting Internet site; and

transmitting the updated computer page to the plurality of user terminals such that each user terminal stores the computer page in its flash memory.