System for securely communicating amongst client computer systems

• US 6,973,477 B1
• Filed: 06/07/2000
• Issued: 12/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CyberFone Systems LLC (Marathon Patent Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cyberfone Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Martino, Rocco L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit, Bunjob
• Application Number:
  US09/589,814
• Time in Patent Office: 2,008 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/203, 707505-508, 707/102, 379 89- 90, 379/93.13, 379/202, 235/379
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/305 using wired telephone networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A data transaction processing system in which transaction data is entered by the user in response to prompts in a template which is tailored to each user application. The template and entered data are accumulated into data transactions that are immediately transmitted upon completion to an external database server for processing and storage. The data transaction is received via standard protocols at the database server which, depending upon the application, stores the entire data transaction, explodes the data transaction to produce ancillary records which are then stored, and/or forwards the data transaction or some or all of the ancillary records to other database servers for updating other databases associated with those database servers. In response to requests from the transaction entry device, the database server may return data streams for use in completing the fields in the data transaction or in presenting a menu on the display which was read in from the database server or a remote phone mail system. The transaction entry device is integrated with a telephone and is accessed via a touch screen, an optional keyboard, a magnetic card reader, voice entry, a modem, and the like.

A plurality of such database servers under the control of broad operations system server (BOSS) software and a plurality of form-driven client computing devices are provided to create an open platform system for receiving and transmitting transaction data to or from the client devices, other applications and databases. Advantageously, a locator server computer serves to retrieve IP address numbers, PSTN numbers and other network identification information for use in identifying and locating, e.g., an originating user and a destination client device. A robust security and authentication scheme along with robust storage protects the transmission of sensitive or confidential data.

Claims

1. A server computer operating in a form-driven computer system including a plurality of client devices having a form-driven operating system stored thereon wherein said server computer receives data in the format of a form, retrieves data from respective fields of the form and transmits at least portions of the data from the respective fields to at least one of said plurality of client devices, further comprising:

a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, said computer-executable instructions having broad operations system server (BOSS) software objects including;

a locator object for retrieving at least one of an IP address number, a PSTN number and other network identification information for use in identifying and locating at least one user and at least one client device for use with BOSS software objects to which to route the field data;

a pushing object for pushing data to at least one client device;

a linking object for linking client devices, applications, databases, additional server computers and said locator object; and

a conduit object for routing data to at least one of a client device, an application, a database, another server computer and said locator object.

2. A server computer according to claim 1, wherein data communications to a client device include fields for storing parameters for use by the client device in determining the appropriate data response from the client device.

3. A server computer according to claim 2, wherein a field for storing said parameters has a fixed length.

4. A server computer according to claim 2, wherein a field for storing said parameters has a variable length.

5. A server computer according to claim 2, wherein a field for storing said parameters is modified dynamically by at least one of a client computer, another server computer and an application.

6. A server computer according to claim 1, wherein said data represents at least one of text, audio, voice, form, table, menu, video, and graphic information.

7. A server computer according to claim 1, wherein said data being pushed by said pushing object is received from at least one of another server computer, a database, an application and a database.

8. A server computer according to claim 1, wherein said data being pushed by said pushing object is generated by said server computer.

9. A server computer according to claim 1, further comprising an application program that carries out tasks and assists in the generation of at least one of text, audio, voice, table, menu, video, and graphic information.

10. A server computer according to claim 1, further comprising a database that stores at least one of text, audio, voice, table, menu, video, and graphic information for access by at least one of said server computer and an application.

11. A server computer according to claim 1, further comprising encryption and authentication software that encrypts each form and its associated data and applies authentication techniques to at least one of a user and a system component to provide an additional layer of security, said authentication techniques utilizing at least one of a magnetic card, a micro-chip card, techniques for physical authentication including at least one of password, iris scan, retina scan, fingerprint, voice signature, physical appearance, body signals and signs.

12. A server computer according to claim 1, wherein said locator object is utilized in connection with identifying a location of at least one of said user and a client device at which the user has initiated a session, and said pushing object pushes data the client device where said user has initiated the session with the system.

13. A server computer according to claim 12, wherein data pushed to the user'"'"'s client device by said pushing object is generated as a result of a transaction initiated by a user, previously having initiated a session with said client device.

14. A server computer according to claim 1, wherein said data may be modified by at least one of a server computer having BOSS software and a system application.

15. A server computer according to claim 1, wherein data pushed to the user'"'"'s client device by said pushing object is generated as a result of a transaction initiated by a user, previously having initiated a session with another client device of said system.

16. A server computer according to claim 1, wherein a user that has initiated a session with a client device requests a form for delivery to said client device and said locator object assists in locating said form and once located, said server computer aids in the performance of said request.

17. A server computer according to claim 1, wherein a user that has initiated a session with a client device requests a task from a menu displayed on an output device of the client device and said server computer processes said task.

18. A server computer according to claim 1, wherein a user that has initiated a session with a client device requests a report via an input device of said client device from at least one of a menu, list and table displayed on an output device of the client device and said server computer aids in the generation and delivery of said report to the user as visual or audio data.

19. A server computer according to claim 1, wherein a user that has initiated a session with a client device requests a process from an input device of the client device and the server computer aids in the performance of said process, wherein the results of said process are displayed on an output device of said client device in at least one of visual and audio form.

20. A server computer according to claim 1, wherein said locator object provides identification information that is used by said pushing object to determine where to push data.

21. A server computer according to claim 1, wherein said locator object provides identification information that is used by said linking object to determine which system components to link.

22. A server computer according to claim 1, wherein said locator object provides identification information that is used by said conduit object to determine where to route data.

23. A method for communicating in a computer system including form-driven client computing devices, comprising the steps of:

initiating a user session with a form-driven transaction application server (TAS) of a client device;

determining user and device identification information with a locator object stored on a server computer that maintains network, device and user identification and location information;

determining whether transaction data from another user already exists in said system for said user; and

pushing said transaction data to said client device if transaction data for said user from said another user already exists.

24. A method for communicating in a computer system including form-driven client computing devices according to claim 23, further comprising the step of:

securing and authenticating communications with said client device.

25. A method for communicating in a computer system including form-driven client computing devices, comprising the steps of:

initiating a user session with a form-driven transaction application server (TAS) of a client device;

determining user and device identification information with locator software stored on a server computer that maintains network, device and user identification and location information;

inputting a request for a transaction into said client device; and

utilizing said user and device identification information to identify another client device for processing said transaction.

26. A method for communicating in a computer system including form-driven client computing devices according to claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

requesting information for a form from a server computer;

locating said form information with the assistance of said locator software;

delivering said form information to said TAS; and

displaying said form on a display device of said client device.

27. A method for communicating in a computer system including form-driven client computing devices according to claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

displaying menu data to said user via a display device of said client device;

selecting a task to be performed from said menu;

transmitting a description of said selected task to a server computer for performance of said task; and

said server computer forwarding the task request to at least one of databases, system applications, programs, and other server computers with the assistance of said locator software for completion of said task.

28. A method for communicating in a computer system including form-driven client computing devices according to claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

requesting from a server computer a report via at least one of a form, menu, list, audio, video and table output on an output device of said client device;

selecting at least one task to be performed by at least one of other server computers, system applications and databases in order to collect the information for said report; and

transmitting said report information to said TAS for display on said output device of said client device.

29. A method for communicating in a computer system including form-driven client computing devices according to claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

requesting from a server computer a process via one of a form, menu, list, video display, text, voice input, audio input and table output on an output device of said client device; and

selecting at least one task to be performed by at least one of other server computers, system applications and databases in order to complete said process.

30. A method for communicating in a computer system including form-driven client computing devices according to claim 29, wherein said process is finding at least one different user'"'"'s location in said system and said locator object locates said at least one different user.

31. A method for communicating in a computer system including form-driven client computing devices according to claim 30, wherein said process includes pushing a message to said at least one different user after locating said at least one different user.

32. A method for communicating in a computer system including form-driven client computing devices according to claim 29, further comprising the step of:

securing and authenticating communications with said client device including the utilization of an encryption algorithm and authentication techniques.

33. A data communications system, comprising:

a plurality of microprocessor client devices having a form-driven operating system, a presentation manager, an input device and an output device, each said client device creating a data transaction using a form provided by said form-driven operating system;

a plurality of applications for carrying out tasks and for assisting in the generation of at least one of report, menu, form, message, list, voice, audio, video, graphic and other data;

a plurality of databases for the storage of at least one of report, menu, form, message, list, voice, audio, video, graphic and other data; and

a plurality of server computers controlled by broad operations system server (BOSS) software stored in computer-readable media of said plurality of server computers, wherein said server computers receive data from and transmit data to at least one of a plurality of client devices, an application, a database, and another server computer;

wherein said BOSS software includes a locator object for retrieving at least one of an IP address number, a PSTN number, and other network identification information for use in identifying and locating at least one user and at least one client device in said system.

34. A client computer system as recited in claim 33, wherein said locator object is utilized in connection with identifying a location of a user and a client device, and data is pushed to the client device where said user has initiated a session with the system.