Automated on-line information service and directory, particularly for the world wide web

• US 6,324,538 B1
• Filed: 07/07/1998
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GraphOn Corporation
• Original Assignee: Christopher D. Coley, Ralph E. Wesinger Jr
• Inventors: Wesinger, Jr., Ralph E., Coley, Christopher D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Application Number:
  US09/110,708
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/200.48, 707/200.47, 707/200.34, 707/200.33, 395/200.48, 395/200.47, 395/200.34, 395/200.33
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/913 Multimedia
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A computer network and a database are used to provide a hardware-independent, dynamic information system in which the information content is entirely user-controlled. Requests are received from individual users of the computer network to electronically publish information, and input is accepted from the individual users. Entries from the users containing the information to be electronically published are automatically collected, classified and stored in the database in searchable and retrievable form. Entries are made freely accessible on the computer network. In response to user requests, the database is searched and entries are retrieved. Entries are served to users in a hardware-independent page description language. The entries are password protected, allowing users to retrieve and update entries by supplying a correct password. Preferably, the process is entirely automated with any necessary billing being performed by secure, on-line credit card processing. The user making a database entry has complete control of that entry both at the time the entry is made and in the future after the entry has been made. The entry, when served to a client, is transformed on-the-fly to the page description language. Where the page description language is HTML and the computer network is the World Wide Web, the entry may function as a “mini” homepage for the user that made the entry. Provision is made for graphics and other kinds of content besides text, taking advantage of the content-rich nature of the Web.

Claims

1. A method of publishing information on a computer network comprising the steps of:

creating a database entry containing information recieved from a user of the computer network, wherein the information includes data representing text, a universal resource locator, an image, and a user-selected category;

generating a transaction ID corresponding to the database entry;

password protecting the entries;

displaying the entries in accordance with the user-selected category;

presenting the information to a user in hyper text markup language in response to a user'"'"'s request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is charged for the creation of the database entry.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the charge is applied to a user'"'"'s credit card.

4. The method of publishing information on a computer network comprising the steps of:

presenting a data entry form to a user with a plurality of categories, wherein the categories have subcategories;

creating a database entry containing the information submitted via the entry form, wherein the information includes data representing text, a universal resource locator, an image, and a user-selected category;

generating a transaction ID corresponding to the database entry;

password protecting the entry; and

making the entry accessible over the network to other users of the network.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

searching the entries in response to a user search criterion;

displaying search results in hyper text markup language as a sequence of universal resource locators directed to the database entries; and

presenting the information to be published from a database entry to the user in hyper text markup language in response to a user selecting one of the entries'"'"' universal resource locator.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the entries'"'"' universal resource locator is a universal resource locator containing the transaction ID of the entry.

7. The method publishing information on a computer network comprising the steps of:

creating a database entry containing information accepted from a user of the computer network, wherein the accepted information includes data representing text, a universal resource locator, an image, and a user-selected category;

generating a unique transaction ID corresponding to the database entry;

password protecting the entry;

searching the entries in response to a user search criterion;

displaying search results in hyper text markup language as a sequence of universal resource locators directed to the database entries; and

,

presenting a datbase entry to the user in hyper text markup language in response to a user selecting one of the entries'"'"' universal resource locator.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the entries'"'"' universal resource locator is a universal resource locator containing the transaction ID of the entry.