System and method for regulating web site access

• US 7,099,933 B1
• Filed: 11/16/2000
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Townsend, Bruce L., Wallace, R. Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRUCKART, BENJAMIN R
• Application Number:
  US09/713,292
• Time in Patent Office: 2,112 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709223-235, 709/202, 709/206, 709/238, 709/203, 718/105, 713/153
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1029 using data related to the state of servers by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1031 Controlling of the operation of servers by a load balancer, e.g. adding or removing servers that serve requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

A system and method are provided for regulating incoming traffic to a web site to prevent overload conditions from occurring. The system comprises a capacity determination unit for determining if a web site has additional capacity and a notification unit for notifying customers if no capacity is available. A scheduling processor provides a customer with scheduling options. When the web site has sufficient capacity, a redirect unit redirects the customer to the web site.

Claims

1. An internet customer access system comprising:

a redirect receiving unit for receiving a redirected customer request for access to a web site from a name server and generating a request for a capacity determination for the web site;

a capacity determination unit for determining if the web site has capacity to handle an additional customer;

a notification unit for notifying the customer if the web site currently has insufficient capacity, wherein the notification unit comprises a scheduling processor for scheduling access of the customer to the web site; and

a redirect unit for redirecting the customer to the web site if the web site has sufficient capacity, whereupon the customer then communicates directly with the web site without further intervention by the internet customer access system.

2. The internet customer access system of claim 1, further comprising a customer identification unit for determining whether a customer has scheduled access to a web site.

3. The internet customer access system of claim 2, wherein the scheduling processor comprises means for attaching a tag to a customer system.

4. The internet customer access system of claim 3, wherein the tag comprises an encrypted cookie.

5. The internet customer access system of claim 3, wherein the customer identification unit comprises means for detecting the tag attached to the customer system and means for removing the tag from the customer system.

6. The internet customer access system of claim 2, wherein the notification unit comprises an update processor for informing a customer access system already possessing a tag of current accessibility status.

7. The internet customer access system of claim 2, wherein the scheduling processor comprises means for providing the customer with a position in a queue and means for providing an estimated service time.

8. The internet customer access system of claim 7, wherein the notification unit comprises means for providing a customer with an updated place in the queue.

9. The internet customer access system of claim 1, wherein the scheduling processor comprises means for providing appointment slots.

10. The internet customer access system of claim 1, wherein the notification unit comprises means for notifying a customer that the site is full.

11. The internet customer access system of claim 1, wherein the notification unit comprises means for notifying a customer that replay options are available.

12. An internet customer access system comprising:

a redirect receiving unit for receiving a redirected customer request for access to a web site from a name server and generating a request for a capacity determination for the web site;

a capacity determination unit for determining if the web site has the capacity to handle an additional customer;

a redirect unit for redirecting the customer to the web site if the web site has sufficient capacity, whereupon the customer then communicates directly with the web site without further intervention by the internet customer access system;

a scheduling processor for scheduling access of the customer to the web site if the capacity determination unit indicates that no current capacity exists; and

a customer identification unit for determining whether the customer has scheduled access to the web site, wherein the redirect unit redirects the customer to the web site based on the scheduled access if the web site has sufficient capacity.

13. The internet customer access system of claim 12, wherein the scheduling processor comprises means for attaching a tag to a customer system.

16. The internet customer access system of claim 13, further comprising a notification unit having an update processor for informing a customer access system already possessing a tag of current accessibility status.

17. The internet customer access system of claim 13, wherein the scheduling processor comprises means for providing appointment slots.

18. The internet customer access system of claim 13, wherein the scheduling processor comprises means for providing the customer with a position in a queue and means for providing an estimated service time.

19. The internet customer access system of claim 12, further comprising a notification unit having means for notifying a customer that the site is full.

14. The internet customer access system of 13, wherein the tag is an encrypted cookie.

15. The internet customer access system of claim 14, wherein the customer identification unit comprises means for detecting the encrypted cookie attached to the customer system and means for removing the encrypted cookie from the customer system.

20. A method for regulating access to a web site, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a redirected customer request for access to a web site from a name server, wherein the redirected access request is received at an internet customer access system;

determining whether the web site has sufficient capacity to accommodate an additional customer;

redirecting the customer to the web site if the web site has sufficient capacity, whereupon the customer then communicates directly with the web site without further intervention by the internet customer access system; and

notifying the customer and scheduling customer access¹ if the web site has insufficient capacity.

21. The method of claim 20, comprising notifying the customer that replay options are available.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising determining whether the customer has a tag.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising determining whether the tag is valid.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising redirecting the customer to the web site if the tag is valid.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising determining if the tag is expired.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising performing scheduling operations if the tag is expired and providing the customer with an updated status if the tag is not expired.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein redirecting the customer to the web site comprises the steps of determining if the customer has a tag and removing the tag if present.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein scheduling comprises providing the customer with a position in a queue.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein scheduling comprises providing the customer with an appointment.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein scheduling comprises leaving a tag on a customer system and providing the customer with a finite time for which the tag is valid.

31. The method of claim 20, further comprising determining whether a visitor has previously scheduled access to the web site.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising providing a customer with updated position information.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising offering a cancellation and rescheduling option upon providing updated position information.

34. A method for regulating access to a web site, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a redirected customer request for access to a web site from a name server, wherein the redirected access request is received at an internet customer access system;

determining if the web site has sufficient capacity to handle an additional customer;

redirecting the customer to the web site if the web site has sufficient capacity, whereupon the customer then communicates directly with the web site without further intervention by the internet customer access system;

scheduling access of the customer to the web site if the web site has insufficient capacity; and

determining whether a customer has previously scheduled access to the web site, wherein, if the customer has the previously scheduled access, the customer is redirected to the web site according to the previously scheduled access if the web site has sufficient capacity.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein scheduling access comprises scheduling an appointment for the customer.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein scheduling access comprises assigning the customer a position in a queue.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein scheduling access comprises providing the customer with a tag.

38. The method of claim 34, further comprising redirecting the customer to the web site if sufficient capacity is found.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein determining whether a customer has previously scheduled access to the web site comprises determining whether a customer has a tag.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising redirecting the customer to the web site if the tag is valid.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising performing scheduling operations if the tag is expired.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising performing update processing if the tag is not yet valid and is not yet expired.