Computer network system and method for efficient information transfer

• US 5,768,508 A
• Filed: 04/11/1997
• Issued: 06/16/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Orostream LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Digilog AB
• Inventors: Eikeland, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, Tod R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KING, CONLEY BURRELL
• Application Number:
  US08/832,687
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.47, 395/200.48, 395/200.49, 395/200.53, 395/200.54, 395/200.55, 395/200.61, 395/200.62, 395/200.63, 395/200.64 , 395/200.65, 395/200.32, 370/230, 370/232, 370/233, 370/234, 370/235, 707/10
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0864 Round trip delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/127 by using congestion prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/25 with rate being modified by the source upon detecting a change of network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/283 in response to processing delays, e.g. caused by jitter or round trip time [RTT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/32 by discarding or delaying data units, e.g. packets or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A computer network connects information providers and end-users of network services, facilitates direct information to users, and gathers user responses. The computer network is designed to use otherwise idle bandwidth of the network transmission medium to transfer targeted commercial and non-commercial information to users while minimizing the delay of normal network traffic. User reports containing demographics and user responses are generated ensuring user privacy. Information providers can access user reports without violating user anonymity.

Claims

1. A computer network for connecting information providers and users, comprising:

a user node including

means for sending a node ID corresponding to the user node,

means for receiving a target information reference,

means for fetching target information using the target information reference, and

means for controlling the transfer of the target information in a background state while receiving non-target information to the user node without additional communication delay;

a master database containing profile information and corresponding target information reference;

a master node, coupled to the user node, and including

means for transferring the target information to the user node; and

a master program, coupled to the master node and the master database, and including

means for receiving the node ID from the user node,

means for accessing from the master database profile information corresponding to the node ID, and

means for transmitting the target information reference corresponding to the accessed profile information to the user node.

2. The computer network of claim 1, wherein the controlling means includes

means for measuring round-trip delay time for delivering the target information.

3. The computer network of claim 2, wherein the controlling means further includes

means for computing a ratio between the round-trip delay time and a predetermined minimum round-trip delay time for delivering the target information, and

means for adjusting a transmission rate of the target information based on the computed ratio.

4. The computer network of claim 1, wherein the controlling means further includes

means for requesting the target information corresponding to the target information reference.

5. The computer network of claim 1, wherein the controlling means includes

means for fetching the target information during times when non-target information is not being sent.

6. The computer network of claim 1, further including

means for notifying the user when the target information is ready for display once the transfer of the target information is complete.

7. A network traffic controller for controlling the transfer of target information without causing additional communication delay to non-target information traffic between a user node and a master node, comprising:

means for measuring round-trip delay time for delivering the target information;

means for computing a ratio between the round-trip delay time and a predetermined minimum round-trip delay time; and

means for adjusting a transmission rate of the target information based on the computed ratio.

8. The network traffic controller of claim 7, wherein the adjusting means includes

means for transferring no packets of target information, and

means for adjusting the transmission rate after transferring each packet of the target information.

9. The network traffic controller of claim 7, further including

means for receiving a target information reference, and

means for requesting the target information corresponding to the target information reference.

10. The network traffic controller of claim 7, further including

means for fetching the target information during times when non-target information is not being sent.

11. A master program, coupled to a master node and a master database, for connecting an information provider and a user node of a computer network, comprising:

means for registering the user node at the master node;

means for receiving, through the master node, a node ID from the user node;

means for accessing a master database for profile information corresponding to the node ID; and

means for transmitting to the user node, through the master node, a target information reference corresponding to the accessed profile information, wherein the target information reference is a pointer to target information to be delivered to the user node while transferring non-target information without additional communication delay.

12. A user node for connecting information providers and users of a computer network having a master node, a master database, and a master program, the user node comprising:

means for sending to the master node a node ID corresponding to the user node;

means for receiving a target information reference from the master program;

means for controlling the transfer of target information in the background while transferring non-target information without additional communication delay between the master node and the user node; and

means for receiving from the master node the target information corresponding to the target information reference.

13. The user node of claim 12, wherein the controlling means includes

means for measuring round-trip delay time for delivering the target information.

14. The user node of claim 13, wherein the controlling means further includes

means for computing a ratio between the round-trip delay time and a predetermined minimum round-trip delay time for delivering the target information, and

means for adjusting a transmission rate of the target information based on the computed ratio.

15. The user node of claim 12, further including

means for notifying the user when the target information is ready for display once the transfer of the target information is complete.

16. A method of connecting information providers and users, comprising the steps of:

sending from a user node to a master program a node ID corresponding to the user node;

accessing, by the master program, profile information corresponding to the node ID;

transmitting, by the master program, a target information reference corresponding to the accessed profile information to the user node;

fetching, by the user node, target information using the target information reference;

controlling, by the user node, the transfer of the target information in a background state while receiving non-target information to the user node without additional communication delay; and

receiving, by the user node, the target information.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the controlling step includes the step of

measuring round-trip delay time for delivering the target information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the controlling step further includes the steps of

computing a ratio between the round-trip delay time and a predetermined minimum round-trip delay time for delivering the target information, and

adjusting a transmission rate of the target information based on the computed ratio.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the controlling step includes the step of

requesting the target information corresponding to the target information reference.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the controlling step includes the step of

fetching the target information during times when non-target information is not being sent.

21. The method of claim 16, further including the step of

notifying the user when the target information is ready for display once the transfer of the target information is complete.

22. A method of controlling the transfer of target information without causing additional communication delay to non-target information traffic between a user node and a master node, comprising the steps of:

measuring round-trip delay time for delivering the target information;

computing a ratio between the round-trip delay time and a predetermined minimum round-trip delay time; and

adjusting a transmission rate of the target information based on the computed ratio.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the adjusting step includes the substeps of

transferring packets of target information, and

adjusting the transmission rate after transferring each packet of the target information.

24. The method of claim 22, further including the steps of

receiving, by the user node, a target information reference, and

requesting the target information corresponding to the target information reference.

25. The method of claim 22, further including the step of

fetching the target information during times when non-target information is not being sent.

26. A method of connecting an information provider and a user node of a computer network, the method, performed by a master program, comprising the steps of:

registering the user node at a master node;

receiving, through the master node, a node ID from the user node;

accessing a master database for profile information corresponding to the node ID; and

transmitting to the user node, through the master node, a target information reference corresponding to the accessed profile information, wherein the target information reference is a pointer to target information to be delivered to the user node while transferring non-target information without additional communication delay.

27. A method of connecting information providers and users of a computer network having a master node, a master database, and a master program, the method, performed by a user node, comprising the steps of:

sending to the master node a node ID corresponding to the master node;

receiving a target information reference from the master program;

controlling the transfer of target information in the background while transferring non-target information without additional communication delay between the master node and the user node; and

receiving the target information corresponding to the target information reference.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the controlling step includes the step of

measuring round-trip delay time for delivering the target information.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the controlling step further includes the steps of

computing a ratio between the round-trip delay time and a predetermined minimum round-trip delay time for delivering the target information, and

adjusting a transmission rate of the target information based on the computed ratio.

30. The method of claim 27, further including the step of

notifying the user when the target information is ready for display once the transfer of the target information is complete.