System and method for distributing bulletins to external computers accessing wide area computer networks
DC
First Claim
1. A network access system for relaying information between a wide area computer network and an external computer, and for distributing at least one bulletin to said external computer, said network access system comprising:
- a first interface that couples said network access system to said wide area computer network and that receives said information from said wide area computer network;
a second interface that couples said network access system to said external computer and that transmits said information and said at least one bulletin to said external computer;
a local storage device that stores said at least one bulletin; and
a bulletin server that, in response to said first interface receiving said information from said wide area computer network, retrieves said at least one bulletin from said local storage device and transmits said at least one bulletin with said information being received by said first interface and transmitted by said second interface.
5 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A network access system is provided for distributing bulletins, such as advertisements, to external computers accessing a wide area computer network. The network access system of the present invention connects the external computers to the wide area computer network, and sends bulletins with information being transmitted from remote information servers within the wide area computer network to the external computers. A bulletin server within the network access system stores a plurality of bulletins to be transmitted to the external computers, determines whether to send a bulletin with the information being transmitted, determines what bulletins to transmit to the external computers, and sends the bulletins with the information being transmitted from the remote information servers to the external computers. Upon receipt of a bulletin, the external computers may display the bulletins as part of the received information, may display the bulletins before allowing the user to view the received information, or may display the bulletins as part of a separate window.
283 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A network access system for relaying information between a wide area computer network and an external computer, and for distributing at least one bulletin to said external computer, said network access system comprising:
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a first interface that couples said network access system to said wide area computer network and that receives said information from said wide area computer network; a second interface that couples said network access system to said external computer and that transmits said information and said at least one bulletin to said external computer; a local storage device that stores said at least one bulletin; and a bulletin server that, in response to said first interface receiving said information from said wide area computer network, retrieves said at least one bulletin from said local storage device and transmits said at least one bulletin with said information being received by said first interface and transmitted by said second interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A bulletin server for attaching at least one bulletin to information being relayed from a wide area computer network to an external computer, said bulletin server comprising:
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storage that stores said at least one bulletin; and attachment logic that, in response to said bulletin server receiving said information from said wide area computer network, retrieves said at least one bulletin from said storage and attaches said at least one bulletin to said information. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A method for distributing at least one bulletin to an external computer from a network access system, said method comprising:
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receiving information addressed to said external computer from a wide area computer network at said network access system; retrieving, at said network access system, said at least one bulletin from a local storage device within said network access system in response to said information being received from said wide area computer network; attaching said at least one bulletin retrieved from said local storage device to said received information to form an attached bulletin and information at said network access system; and relaying said attached bulletin and information to said external computer from said network access system. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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Specification
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- Resources
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Current AssigneeFalk Braeuner
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Original AssigneeNovaville AG
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InventorsSimmons, C. Thomas
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Primary Examiner(s)Dinh, Dung C.
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Application NumberUS08/866,265Time in Patent Office879 DaysField of Search395/200.36, 395/200.33, 395/200.47, 395/200.48, 395/200.49, 705/26, 705/10, 705/14, 705/27, 707/10, 707/501, 707/513, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/204, 709/208US Class Current709/218CPC Class CodesG06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation...G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisementH04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. I...H04L 12/2896 Distributed processing, e.g...H04L 63/02 for separating internal fro...H04L 63/04 for providing a confidentia...H04L 63/08 for authentication of entit...H04L 67/306 User profilesH04L 67/55 Push-based network servicesH04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy servi...H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at...H04L 69/329 in the application layer [O...H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
