Method and systems for accessing information on a network using message aliasing functions having shadow callback functions

• US 7,058,726 B1
• Filed: 05/08/2000
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Internet Number Corporation
• Original Assignee: Internet Number Corporation
• Inventors: Osaku, Teizo, Yoshinaga, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiley, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thanh T
• Application Number:
  US09/566,443
• Time in Patent Office: 2,220 Days
• Field of Search: 709/245, 709/219, 707/10, 395/200.59, 235/375
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/301 Name conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and systems for accessing a network URL through a pre-assigned simplified network address, correlating to the URL, and for displaying the home page having the URL as its address. These methods and systems provide easier URL and home page access because persons wanting to access the home page need only input the simplified network address, thereby avoiding the need to know and input the URL character string. The simplified network addresses of the present invention include numbers. Methods are provided for selecting numbers for assignment to URLs. The URL and home page access and display methods of the present invention include: assigning a simplified network address such as a number to a URL, storing the URL and number conversion in a network accessible storage system, inputting the assigned number in a network accessible computer, communicating the inputted number to the storage system, converting the number to the URL, retrieving the home page corresponding to the URL and displaying the home page on the computer. Additionally, the invention provides methods for use in message passing operating systems wherein system level messages to specific objects are intercepted, creating an alias message. The invention further defines networked systems and methods for operating the networked systems that rely on the interception and rule-based modification of messages passing between system applications.

Claims

1. A server-based, network-searchable database system, comprising:

a) a platform providing a communications connection to the network;

b) means for receiving a search request via the communications connections, the received search request including a simplified network address;

c) a correspondence relation table defining correspondence relations between network Uniform Resource locators and simplified network addresses, a correspondence relation having a simplified network address portion and a corresponding Uniform Resource Locator portion;

d) a search engine responsive to the search request for searching the table for a correspondence relation having a simplified network address portion matching the search request simplified network address, and for returning the Uniform Resource Locator portion of that correspondence relation as a result of the search;

e) means for returning the result of the search to the originator of the search request, via the communications connections;

f) the system also including means for receiving an assign-string request via the communications connection, the received assign-string request including an update Uniform Resource Locator;

g) means responsive to the assign-string request for creating an update simplified network address, for forming a correspondence relation between the created update simplified network address and the update Uniform Resource Locator, for inserting the formed correspondence relation into the correspondence relation table, and for returning a copy of the created update simplified network address to the requester via the communications connection;

h) the created update simplified network address defining a number having at least one digit, the number defining a URL numeric code;

i) the means for creating an update simplified network address also including means for receiving and for displaying a string of letters;

j) a ten-key pad wherein each key is marked with an operator-viewable digit ranging from zero through nine and marked with one or more operator-viewable letters selected from an alphabet such that each key defines a letter-digit correspondence;

k) the viewable key markings permitting an operator to view the displayed string of letters, and to operate a key corresponding to each displayed letter in sequence;

l) means for receiving digits from the key pad;

m) means for forming the received digits into a received number;

n) means for determining whether the received number has previously been assigned as the URL numeric code;

o) means for assigning the received number as the URL numeric code when it is determined that the received number has not previously been so assigned; and

p) means for modifying the received string of letters to form a new string, for displaying the new string, and for awaiting a key pad input of digits corresponding to the displayed new string when it is determined that the received number has previously been assigned.

2. A server-based, network-searchable database system, comprising:

a) a platform providing a communications connection to the network;

b) means for receiving a search request via the communications connection, the received search request including a simplified network address;

c) a correspondence relation table defining correspondence relations between network Uniform Resource Locators and simplified network addresses, a correspondence relation having a simplified network address portion and a corresponding Uniform Resource Locator portion;

d) a search engine response to the search request for searching the table for a correspondence relation having a simplified network address portion matching the search request simplified network address, and for returning the Uniform Resource Locator portion of that correspondence relation as a result of the search;

e) means for returning the result of the search to the originator of the search request, via the communications connections;

f) the system also including means for receiving an assign-string request via the communications connection, the received assign-string request including an update Uniform Resource Locator;

g) means responsive to the assign-string request for creating an update simplified network address, for forming a correspondence relation between the created updated simplified network address and the update Uniform Resource Locator, for inserting the formed correspondence relation into the correspondence relation table, and for returning a copy of the created update simplified network address to the requester via the communications connection;

h) the created update simplified network address defining a number having at least one digit, the number defining a URL numeric code;

i) the means for creating an update simplified network address also including means for generating a string of letters;

j) means for generating a first digit;

k) means for using the string of letters to form a four digit first derivative number;

l) means for using the first derivative number to form a four digit second derivative number;

m) means for concatenating the first digit and the four digit second derivative number to form a five digit number;

n) means for determining whether the five digit number has previously been assigned as the URL numeric code;

o) means for assigning the five digit number as the URL numeric code when it is determined that the five digit number has not previously been assigned;

p) means for providing first and second random digits and for concatenating the first random digit, the second random digit, and the five digit number to form a seven digit number when it is determined that the five digit number has previously been assigned as the URL numeric code;

q) means for determining whether the seven digit number has previously been assigned as the URL numeric code;

r) means for assigning the seven digit number as the URL numeric code when it is determined that the seven digit number has not been previously assigned;

s) means for providing third, fourth and fifth random digits and for concatenating the third random digit, the fourth random digit, the fifth random digit and the seven digit number to form a ten digit number when it is determined that the seven digit number has been assigned previously;

t) means for determining whether the ten digit number has previously been assigned as the URL numeric code; and

u) means for assigning the ten digit number as the URL numeric code when it is determined that the ten digit number has not been assigned previously.

3. A system for accessing network information using simplified network addressing, comprising:

a) a client platform defining a client, the platform having network access and means for receiving a simplified network address;

b) a plurality of remote number-resolution servers responsive to the client via the network for converting a simplified network address to a corresponding URL;

c) the client platform including means for selecting a specific number-resolution server based on a function of a received simplified network address; and

d) the client platform including means for sending the simplified network address to the selected number-resolution server, for requesting a conversion of the simplified network address to a corresponding URL, for receiving the corresponding URL from the selected number-resolution server, and for using the received corresponding URL to access network information.

4. A system for accessing network information using simplified network addressing, comprising:

a) a client platform defining a client, the platform having network access and means for receiving a simplified network address;

b) plurality of remote number-resolution servers responsive to the client via the network for converting a simplified network address to a corresponding URL;

c) the client platform including means for selecting a specific number-resolution server based on a function of a received simplified network address;

d) the client platform including means for sending the simplified network address to the selected number-resolution server, for requesting a conversion of the simplified network address to a corresponding URL, for receiving the corresponding URL from the selected number-resolution server, and for using the received corresponding URL to access network information; and

e) wherein the simplified network addresses are numbers and the number-resolution selection function is based on a sequence of consecutive digits of the simplified network address numbers.

5. A system for accessing network information using simplified network addressing, comprising:

a) a client platform defining a client, the platform having network access and means for receiving a simplified network address;

b) a plurality of remote number-resolution servers responsive to the client via the network for converting a simplified network address to a corresponding URL;

c) the client platform including means for selecting a specific number-resolution server based on a function of a received simplified network address;

d) the client platform including means for sending the simplified network address to the selected number-resolution server, for requesting a conversion of the simplified network address to a corresponding URL, for receiving the corresponding URL from the selected number-resolution server, and for using the received corresponding URL to access network information;

e) wherein the simplified network addresses are numbers and the number-resolution selection function is based on a sequence of consecutive digits of the simplified network address numbers, and wherein the selection function uses pattern matching on consecutive leading digits of the simplified network address numbers.

6. A method for accessing network information using simplified network addressing, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a client platform defining a client, having network access and means for receiving a simplified network address;

b) providing a plurality of remote number-resolution servers responsive to a client request via the network for converting the simplified network address to a corresponding URL;

c) further providing the client platform with means for selecting a specific number-resolution server based on a function of the received simplified network address;

d) the client receiving the simplified network address;

e) the client determining which of the plurality of number-resolution servers to connect to for conversion of the simplified network address to a corresponding URL;

f) the client sending the simplified network address to the selected number-resolution server for conversion;

g) the client first attempting to make the conversion and if unsuccessful, then sending the simplified network address to a selected number-resolution server for conversion;

h) the selected number-resolution server converting the simplified network address to a corresponding URL and returning the URL to said client; and

i) said client using the returned URL to access the network information.

7. A method for accessing network information using simplified network addressing for use within an existing networked system including, at least, a plurality of number-resolution servers for converting simplified network addresses to corresponding URL'"'"'s, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a client platform defining a client, having network access, means for receiving a simplified network address, and means for selecting a specific number-resolution server based on a function of the received simplified network address;

b) the providing the client platform step further includes the platform also having means permitting the client to convert a subset of simplified network addresses to corresponding URL'"'"'s;

c) the client receiving a simplified network address and selecting a specific number-resolution server based on a function of the received simplified network address;

d) said client attempting first to convert the received simplified network address and if successful, using the resulting URL to access the network information, and if not successful, continuing with the step of selecting a number-resolution server to make the conversion;

e) the client sending the received simplified network address to the selected number-resolution server for conversion;

f) receiving the corresponding URL from the selected number-resolution server; and

g) using the corresponding URL to access the network information.

8. A computer program product for use with a computer system defining a client platform having network access, and means for receiving a simplified network address, the computer program product comprising:

a) a computer readable medium;

b) means provided on the medium for directing the computer system to perform the following steps, defining a method for accessing network information using simplified network addressing for use by the client within an existing networked system including a plurality of number-resolution servers for converting simplified network addresses to corresponding URL'"'"'s;

c) wherein said means provided on the medium directs the client platform to perform the following additional steps;

(1) defining client platform means for converting a subset of simplified network addresses to corresponding URL'"'"'s, (2) defining client platform means for attempting to make the conversion after receipt of the simplified network address and before selecting a specific number-resolution server, (3) defining client platform means for using the result of a successful conversion to access network information, and if unsuccessful, for continuing with the step of selecting a specific number-resolution server based on a function of the simplified network address, (4) attempting to make the conversion and if successful, using the corresponding URL to access network information and (5) when not successful, continuing with the step of selecting a specific number-resolution server;

d) receiving a simplified network address;

e) selecting a specific number-resolution server based on a function of the simplified network address;

f) sending the simplified network address to the selected number-resolution server for conversion to a corresponding URL;

g) receiving the corresponding URL from the number-resolution server; and

h) using the corresponding URL to access the network information.