Method for distributing information

• US 20030163482A1
• Filed: 04/21/2000
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Bunney, William, Kozo, Tetsuya
• Granted Patent: US 6,697,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/104.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

A system for distributing information comprises at least one content source (2, 3), at least one client (4, 5), a communication network (6), a distribution server (1), a profile data base (10) associated with the distribution server (1) in which client profile information is stored, and a target count unit (9) in the distribution server (10) for effecting a target count by comparing the client profile information of the profile data base (10) with target client information of a target count request sent from one of the content sources (2, 3). Information from one of the content sources (2, 3) is distributed to at least one client (4, 5) by means of the distribution server (1) corresponding to the result of the target count effected by the target count unit (9).

Claims

1. Method for distributing information from at least one content source to at least one client by means of a network and a distribution server, the method comprising the following steps:

creating a profile database (10) associated with the distribution server (1), wherein in the profile database (10) client profile information is stored,

sending a target count request from one of the content sources to the distribution server (1), the target count request containing target client information,

effecting (9) a target count in the distribution server (1) by comparing the client profile information of the profile database (10) with the target client information of the target count request, and

distributing information from one of the content sources (2, 3) to at least one client (4, 5) by means of the distribution server (1), wherein the information is distributed in correspondence to the result of the target count step (9).

2. Method for distributing information according to claim 1,

characterized in that

parameters of the logical and/or physical distribution channel from the distribution server (1) to the at least one client (4, 5) are changed depending on the result of target count step.

3. Method for distributing information according to claim 1 or 2,

characterized in that

in case the result of the target count step exceeds a predetermined threshold, the information is distributed from the distribution server (1) to the clients (4, 5) by means of a broadcast transmission, and

in case the result of the target count step is smaller than a predetermined threshold, the information is distributed from the distribution server (1) to the clients (4, 5) by means of a targeted transmission.

4. Method for distributing information according to claim 1, 2 or 3,

characterized in that

a feedback channel (7) respectively from a client (4, 5), which received information distributed by the distribution server (1), to the distribution server (1) and/or the content sources (2, 3) is established for transmitting an action feedback information representing an action of an user of the corresponding client (4, 5) in response to the information distributed by the distribution server (1).

5. Method for distributing information according to claim 4,

characterized in that

the action feedback information is used to update the profile database (10).

6. Method for distributing information according to claim 4 or 5,

characterized in that

an action report information based on the action feedback information is generated in the distribution server (1) and transmitted to the corresponding content source (2, 3).

7. Method for distributing information according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that

the information distributed by the distribution server (1) contains a link information representing an address of the network (6) where further information related to the information distributed by the distribution server (1) is stored.

8. Method for distributing information according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized by the following steps

sending a registration request from a client (4, 5) to the distribution server (1),

sending a predefined registration form from the distribution server (1) to the corresponding client (4, 5),

sending user details in response to the predefined registration form from the corresponding client (4, 5) to the distribution server (1), and

updating the profile database (10) on the basis of the user details.

9. System for distributing information, comprising

at least one content source (2, 3),

at least one client (4, 5),

a communication network (6),

a distribution server (1),

a profile database (10) associated with the distribution server (1) and in which client profile information is stored, and

a target count unit (9) in the distribution server (10) for effecting a target count by comparing the client profile information of the profile database (10) with target client information of a target count request sent from one of the content sources (2, 3),

wherein information from one of the content sources (2, 3) is distributed to at least one client (4, 5) by means of the distribution server (1) in correspondence to the result of the target count.

10. System for distributing information according to claim 9,

characterized by

a unit for changing the parameters of the logical and/or physical distribution channel from the distribution server (1) to the at least one client (4, 5) depending on the result of the target count.

11. System for distributing information according to claim 10,

characterized in that

a decision unit (8) is provided in the distribution server (10) comparing the result of the target count with a predetermined threshold, wherein

in case the result of the target count exceeds a predetermined threshold, the information is distributed from the distribution server (1) to the clients (4, 5) by means of a broadcast transmission, and

in case the result of the target count step is smaller than a predetermined threshold, the information is distributed from the distribution server (1) to the clients (4, 5) by means of a targeted transmission.

12. System for distributing information according to anyone of claims 9 to 11, characterized by

a feedback channel (7) respectively from a client (4, 5), which received information distributed by the distribution server (1), to the distribution server (1) and/or the content sources (2, 3) for transmitting an action feedback information representing an action of an user of the corresponding client (4, 5) in response to the information distributed by the distribution server (1).

13. System according to claim 12,

wherein the action feedback information is used to update the profile database (10).

14. System according to claim 12 or 13,

wherein the distribution server (10) generates an action report information based on the action feedback information and transmits the action report information to the corresponding content source (2, 3).

15. System according to anyone of claims 10 to 14,

characterized in that

the information distributed by the distribution server (10) contains a link information representing an address of the network (6) where further information related to the information distributed by the distribution server (10) is stored.

16. System according to anyone of claims 10 to 15,

characterized in that

the profile database (10) is updated every time a user of a client (4, 5) is signing up with the distribution server (10).

17. Server for the distribution of information,

the distribution server (1) comprising

a profile database (10) in which client profile information is stored, and

a target count unit (9) for effecting a target count by comparing the client profile information of the profile database (10) with target client information of a target count request sent from a content source (2, 3) connected to the distribution server (1),

wherein the distribution server (1) is designed to distribute information to at least one client (4, 5) in correspondence to the result of the target count by means of a network(6).

18. Server for the distribution of information according to claim 17,

characterized by

a unit (8) for changing the parameters of the logical and/or physical distribution channel from the distribution server (1) to the at least one client (4, 5) depending on the result of the target count.

19. Server for the distribution of information according to claim 17 or 18,

characterized by

a decision unit (8) comparing the result of the target count with a predetermined threshold, wherein

in case the result of the target count exceeds a predetermined threshold, the information is distributed from the distribution server (1) to the clients (4, 5) by means of a broadcast transmission, and

in case the result of the target count step is smaller than a predetermined threshold, the information is distributed from the distribution server (1) to the clients (4, 5) by means of a targeted transmission.

20. Server for the distribution of information according to anyone of claims 17 to 19, characterized in that

it comprises a feedback evaluation unit (20) for analysing a feedback channel signal from one of the clients (4, 5).

21. Server for the distribution of information according to anyone of claims 17 to 20, characterized in that

the profile database (10) is updated every time a user of a client (4, 5) is signing up with the distribution server (10).