Systems and methods for providing content and services on a network system

• US 8,725,899 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2013
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nomadix, Inc. (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nomadix, Inc. (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Short, Joel E., Pagan, Florence C. I., Goldstein, Joshua J.
• Primary Examiner(s): WON, MICHAEL YOUNG
• Application Number:
  US14/059,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20140047093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 204 Days
• Field of Search: 709/225, 709/299
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/173 using an interconnection network, e.g. matrix, shuffle, pyramid, star, snowflake
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/163 Real estate management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/22 Arrangements for preventing the taking of data from a data transmission channel without authorisation means for verifying the identity or the authority of a user of a secure or secret communication system H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/308 Route determination based on user's profile, e.g. premium users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/25 with rate being modified by the source upon detecting a change of network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/29 using a combination of thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/25 of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2503 Translation of Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4547 for personal communications, i.e. using a personal identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 : Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 : Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 : Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 : based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 : Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 : using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/12 : Reselecting a serving backbone network switching or routing node
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 : Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 : Gateway arrangements

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing and providing content and services on a network system. Aspects of the invention include location-based determination of network content and services that may be provided to client computers. Other aspects of the invention include authorization and authentication components that determine access rights of client computers. Additional aspects include systems and methods for redirecting client computers to different network content. The disclosed systems and methods may be used in numerous network system applications.

Claims

1. A network management system which causes a user device to receive alternate content different from what was requested by the user device, the user device being connected to the network management system, the system comprising:

a communications port configured to receive incoming data from the user device relating to accessing a first network location external to the network management system; and

a processor unit programmed to complete a connection handshake with the user device while appearing to be the first network location, the connection handshake being completed in response to the incoming data and without the need to communicate with the first network location;

the processor unit further programmed to generate response data, the response data including alternate content different from content to be accessed at the first network location, wherein the response data appears to be from the first network location by at least including a source address corresponding to the first network location in a header of the response data;

the processor unit further programmed to send to the user device the generated response data including the alternate content.

2. The network management system of claim 1, wherein the processor unit is further programmed to determine if the user device is entitled to access the first network location.

3. The network management system of claim 1, wherein the processor unit is further programmed to:

receive second incoming data from the user device and determine whether to send a redirection message configured to cause the user device to initiate another request for a second network location, the determination being based at least in part upon a MAC address associated with the user device.

4. The network management system of claim 1, wherein the first network location is a server.

5. The network management system of claim 1, wherein the first network location is a network address.

6. The network management system of claim 1, wherein the alternate content is a personalized homepage.

7. The network management system of claim 6, wherein the personalized homepage is established by the network management system.

8. The network management system of claim 1, wherein the processor unit and communications port are housed in a gateway device.

9. The network management system of claim 1, wherein the processor unit comprises hardware and software components.

10. A method of managing a network which causes a user device to receive alternate content different from what was requested by the user device, the method comprising:

receiving, at a communications port, incoming data from the user device relating to accessing a first network location external to the network management system;

completing a connection handshake, using a processor, with the user device while appearing to be the first network location the connection handshake being completed in response to the incoming data and without the need to communicate with the first network location;

generating response data, using the processor, the response data including alternate content different from content to be accessed at the first network location, wherein the response data appears to be from the first network location by at least including a source address corresponding to the first network location in a header of the response data; and

sending to the user device, using the processor, the generated response data including the alternate content.

11. The network management system of claim 10, further comprising determining if the user device is entitled to access the first network location.

12. The network management system of claim 10, further comprising receiving second incoming data from the user device and determining whether to send a redirection message configured to cause the user device to initiate another request for a second network location, the determination being based at least in part upon a MAC address associated with the user device.

13. The network management system of claim 10, wherein the first network location is a server.

14. The network management system of claim 10, wherein the first network location is a network address.

15. The network management system of claim 10, wherein the alternate content is a personalized homepage.

16. The network management system of claim 15, further comprising establishing the personalized homepage.

17. A network management system, configured to cause a user device to receive alternate content different from what was requested by the user device, the user device being connected to the network management system, the system comprising:

a communications port configured to receive incoming data from the user device relating to accessing a first network location external to the network management system; and

a processor means for completing a connection handshake with the user device while appearing to be the first network location, the connection handshake being completed in response to the incoming data and without the need to communicate with the first network location;

the processor means configured to generate response data, the response data including alternate content different from content to be accessed at the first network location, wherein the response data appears to be from the first network location by at least including a source address corresponding to the first network location in a header of the response data;

the processor means further configured to send to the user device the generated response data including the alternate content.

18. The network management system of claim 17, wherein the processor means is further configured to determine if the user device is entitled to access the first network location.

19. The network management system of claim 17, wherein the processor means is implemented in hardware and software components.

20. The network management system of claim 17, wherein the processor means is a central processing unit (CPU).