Method, apparatus and system for directing access to content on a computer network

• US 6,904,453 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2002
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tumbleweed Holdings LLC (Equitable IP Corporation)
• Original Assignee: IdeaFlood, Inc.
• Inventors: Shuster, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THU HA T
• Application Number:
  US10/103,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20020169829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/203, 709/213, 709/217, 705/26, 713/201, 707/10
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Embodiments of the instant invention are directed to a method, apparatus and system for directing an on-line user to predetermined information. Preferred embodiments of the instant invention interface with the user'"'"'s browser to utilize the functions of the browser for directing user “traffic” on a network. In preferred embodiments, when a user accesses a web site page, a traffic control program is executed for the page, wherein the traffic control program controls the transmission (downloading) of data to the user computer and further creates a modified set of rules for at least one of the browser functions. Upon query (or other interaction) by the browser prior to closing page, the traffic control program interacts with the browser software to modify or control one or more of the browser functions, such that the user computer is further directed to a predesignated site or page (and displays a predesignated frame) upon execution of a browser function, instead of accessing the site or page typically associated with the selected browser function.

Claims

1. In a computer network comprising a plurality of recipient computers having browsers capable of displaying content pages, wherein individual ones of the browsers include an unloading function operable without activation of a link in displayed content to unload at least a portion of the displayed content, a method for apparently modifying operation of the unloading function of a browser displaying first content, thereby displaying predetermined second content upon activation of the unloading function, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for first content from a recipient computer over the network;

transferring the first content to the recipient computer after said receiving step, wherein the first content is formatted for display on the recipient computer and wherein the first content includes program code configured to execute on the recipient computer upon activation of the unloading function of the browser without the selection of any link included in the first content, whereby the program code causes the recipient computer to request second content;

receiving a request for the second content from a recipient computer after the first transferring step; and

transferring the second content to the recipient computer after the second receiving step.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the unloading function of the browser is activated by requesting third content not using a link displayed in the first content, and the method further comprises preventing display of the third content on the recipient computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first transferring step further comprises transferring the first content as an HTML page.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first transferring step further comprises transferring the first content with the program code written in a browser script.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first transferring step further comprises transferring the first content with a frameset page.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first transferring step further comprises transferring the first content comprising a page with at least one link to a traffic-controlled page.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first transferring step further comprises transferring the first content comprising a page with at least one link to a non-traffic-controlled page.

8. For a computer network comprising a plurality of recipient computers having browsers capable of displaying content, wherein individual ones of the browsers have an unloading function operable without activation of a link in displayed content to unload the displayed content, a system for apparently modifying operation of the unloading function of a browser displaying first content, thereby displaying predetermined second content upon activation of the unloading function, comprising:

a provider computer adapted to connect to a computer network, said provider computer operable to serve information to a recipient computer;

a memory connected to said provider computer;

first content stored in the memory, the first content formatted for display on a recipient computer and including program instructions configured to execute on the recipient computer upon activation of the unloading function of the browser without, the selection of any link in the first content, whereby the program instructions cause the recipient computer to request predetermined second content.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the unloading function of the browser is activated by requesting third content not using a link in the first content, and the program instructions of the first content include instructions for preventing display of the third content on the recipient computer.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first content is an HTML page.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the program instructions of the first content are written in a browser script.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising a frameset page stored in the memory for transfer to the recipient computer with the first content.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the first content comprises at least one link to a traffic-controlled page.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the first content comprises at least one link to a non-traffic-controlled page.