Video script interpreter platform with cooperating client and server

• US 9,521,174 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2010
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Paul Matthew Davidge
• Original Assignee: Paul Matthew Davidge
• Inventors: Davidge, Paul Matthew, Lepinski, Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): CONAWAY, JAMES E
• Application Number:
  US12/907,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20120096092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,247 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066

Abstract

A first device, such as a PC, is enabled to receive messages from a second device, such as an application server, that does not know the address of the first device, by interaction with an intermediate man-in-the-middle (MITM) server. The first device obtains an ID, provides the ID to a human using the first device, and then the human provides the ID to the second device. The second device sends a message to the MITM server addressed to the ID. Meanwhile, the first device long polls the MITM server, and in response to one of the long polls, the MITM server sends the message from the second device to the first device. The first device is operating according to a script that was received from an external device, in response to a request for the script from the first device. The request for the script is embedded in a web page that the first device received; the script request may be launched automatically by the web page or in response to an action by the human. The human perceives an interaction experience co-ordinated across devices.

Claims

1. A system for coordinating communications between a first device and a second device, the first and second devices being independent of each other and used by the same person, comprising:

a first server for sending an address of a first script to the first device, the first device being associated with a network address;

an intermediate server for;

(a) receiving, from the first device executing the first script, the network address for the first device and a request for an ID,

(b) sending the ID to the first device, the ID being other than a network address, and

(c) placing the ID on a waiting list, the ID being associated with the network address of the first device;

wherein the first script controls presentation of the ID to the person by the first device, and the person provides the ID to the second device without interaction between the first and second devices;

a second server for executing a second script that controls communication with the second device to receive the ID from the second device, the second device being devoid of client software, the second script for sending a message, addressed to the ID provided from the second device, to the intermediate server; and

wherein the intermediate server is also for;

(d) receiving the message addressed to the ID from the second server, and

(e) sending the message to the network address associated with the ID;

whereby the second server is able to send a message to the first device without knowledge of the network address of the first device so that an author of the second script can define an interaction with a user spanning the first and second devices without knowledge of the network address of the first device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the address of the first script is the address of the first server.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the intermediate server is also for generating the ID.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the intermediate server sends a confirmation code with the ID at step (b), and the intermediate server performs step (e) only if the first device provided the confirmation code to the intermediate server.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first device includes a display screen and the first script includes an instruction to present the ID on the display screen.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the address of the first script is embedded in a web page sent from the first server to the first device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the intermediate server is also for receiving a poll from the first device, and for sending information to the first device in response to the poll.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the intermediate server is also for setting a timer to define the duration of the response period to the poll, and for leaving the timer undisturbed when the information is sent.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the intermediate server is also for receiving a next message addressed to the ID, and for sending the next message to the network address associated with the ID.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the next message is received from a third device different than each of the first device, the second device, the first server and the second server.

11. A method of coordinating communications between a first device and a second device, the first and second devices being independent of each other and used by the same person, comprising:

sending an address of a first script from a first server to the first device;

receiving, at an intermediate server from the first device executing the first script, a network address for the first device and a request for an ID;

sending the ID, from the intermediate server to the first device, the ID being other than a network address, the first script controlling presentation of the ID to the person via the first device;

placing the ID on a waiting list at the intermediate server, the ID being associated with the network address of the first device;

receiving, at the intermediate server, a message addressed to the ID from a second server executing a second script, the second server having received the ID from the second device, the second device being devoid of client software, the ID having been provided to the second device by the person without interaction between the first and second devices, and sending the message, received from the second server, from the intermediate server to the network address associated with the ID;

whereby the second server is able to send a message to the first device without knowledge of the network address of the first device so that an author of the second script can define an interaction with a user spanning the first and second devices without knowledge of the network address of the first device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the address of the first script is the address of the first server.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the intermediate server is also for generating the ID.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the intermediate server sends a confirmation code with the ID at step (b), and the intermediate server performs step (e) only if the first device provided the confirmation code to the intermediate server.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first device includes a display screen and the first script includes an instruction to present the ID on the display screen.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the address of the first script is embedded in a web page sent from the first server to the first device.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the intermediate server is also for receiving a poll from the first device, and for sending information to the first device in response to the poll.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the intermediate server is also for setting a timer to define the duration of the response period to the poll, and for leaving the timer undisturbed when the information is sent.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the intermediate server is also for receiving a next message addressed to the ID, and for sending the next message to the network address associated with the ID.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the next message is received from a third device different than each of the first device, the second device, the first server and the second server.