PATENT DATE
`
`PATENT
`NUMBER
`
`SERIAL NUME.EA
`
`Ft.ING DATE Cl.ASS
`~
`7 0 1
`
`SUBCLASS
`
`NC i.ATfil· *'l'*'·•!::j::):>;.*.i'*.''**~.!:*1*
`
`I· T
`
`YL iH _ _ q_:~.
`
`B~~~ AS
`FILING FEE
`STATE OR SHEETS TOTAL
`INDcP.
`FILED COUNTRY DRWGS. CLAIMS CLAIMS RECEJVEO
`Examiner's lnllinls -+ l\IY
`~ ..
`
`ATIORNEY'S
`DOCKET NO.
`
`!•1l
`
`PARTS OF APPLICATION
`FILED SEPARATELY
`
`NOTICE OF ALLOWANCE MAILED
`
`Assistant Examiner
`
`ISSUE FEE
`
`Date Paid
`
`Total Claims
`
`Print Claim
`
`DRAWING
`
`Sheets Drwg. Figs. Drwg.
`
`Print Fig.
`
`Label
`Area
`
`ISSUE
`BATCH
`Primary Examiner NUMB ER
`PREPARED FOR ISSUE
`
`WARNING: Tho Information disclosed herein may be restricted. Unauthorized dfsclosuro may ~o prohlbil~
`by the Uni1ed States Code Tille 35, Secllons 122. 181 and 368. Possession outside the U.
`Patent & Trademari< OHice fs restricted to authorized employees and contractors only.
`
`(FACE)
`
`Page 1 of 47
`
`

`

`Dale
`Entered
`or
`Counted
`
`/ CONTENTS
`
`APPROVED FOR LICENSE D
`
`NO~afe 1 9;1 2 5
`Received
`or
`Mailed
`
`3--Ba~CfS
`3-.~ZJ -o/7
`
`,1 0 10-cs-0
`10-10-crO
`ltO - l'D -- oO
`
`I - .2 'i?- - o :'.l.
`
`_ _ _ _ 29.
`_ _ _ _ 3o.
`_ _ _ _ 31.
`
`1-3/- <17
`;J-Z-l/
`(;-/J-f-t;;;l_
`_ _ _ _ 32. ,.....:::;__c.::.::=.....___,{4<~----- -1 - ~-/I .
`
`7
`
`(FRONl)
`_ ...... ~·
`
`Page 2 of 47
`
`

`

`'· ,J
`
`I
`
`Staple Issue Slip Her~
`
`POSITION
`
`CLASSIFIER
`
`EXAMINER
`TYPIST
`VERIFIER
`CORPS CORR.
`SPEC.HAND
`FILEMAINT.
`DRAFTING
`
`IDNO.
`
`DATE
`
`Al-
`
`I
`
`-Z DC?
`
`\I)/ 7 /q7
`t I P')l«t:t:>
`-
`
`I
`
`(oq'i!((J I
`
`1
`
`1
`~1?11'1$
`
`I
`
`INDEX OF CLAIMS
`
`..
`
`Claim
`
`Date
`
`.. ~ ~ ~ ,'-~
`
`-~ 8
`;;i
`rt; ~
`c
`u: 8 ~
`Vo/
`t: v ..! ./ ..;
`J ..;,
`v . .; ,
`" ,;
`v v
`v. ,/
`./ v
`v "
`..;,
`J
`,/ .,/
`./ J
`..; v
`./ .!
`" ,/,
`,;, J
`v ' 'if
`.J
`v, ./
`,/ J
`v ,ft
`
`1
`l,i~
`1
`1
`1
`1
`1
`1
`1
`.1
`I <D
`-:
`
`I'\
`
`~
`:
`
`)
`26
`27
`28
`29
`30
`31
`32
`33
`34
`~ 35
`36
`37
`38
`39
`40
`41
`42
`''43~
`44
`45
`46
`47
`48
`49
`50
`
`<I'
`
`.J
`,/I
`v I
`v
`
`./
`./
`/
`I
`./
`./
`/
`/
`/
`.I
`./
`./
`,/
`j
`./
`J
`./
`./
`./
`/
`/
`
`SYMSOlS
`......... - ........ - ... ··- -· Rejecred
`J
`• .. ,_ ..................... _Allowed
`• (Tluough nurnber1J) C.ncelod
`+ -·-·· .... ·· - -Resultwl
`ti ·-·-·-·-""""letlld
`I ... ----·-·-
`•ntutttenct
`A - .. -···-··--Appeol
`0 - -.. - - Obitcled
`
`(LEFT INSIDE)
`
`Dale .
`
`ftj
`c
`u:
`
`Claim
`"'
`c
`:g.
`0
`51
`52
`53
`54
`55
`56
`57
`58
`59
`60
`61
`62
`63
`64
`65
`66
`67
`68
`69
`70
`71
`72
`73
`74
`75
`76
`77
`78
`79
`80
`81
`82
`83
`84
`85
`86
`87
`88
`89
`90
`91
`92
`93
`' 94
`95
`96
`97
`98
`99
`100
`
`Page 3 of 47
`
`

`

`'
`
`Class
`
`7.,;
`
`SEARCHED
`
`·~
`'
`
`Sub.
`
`Date
`
`Exmr.
`
`)1::1
`jc;;,'1
`;o3
`
`~hir- ~.ct .
`
`~
`L-'"'" ' f'7
`3')5
`z....:o . w
`
`7o7
`
`\
`'~1105.
`
`J q~ S~{"i ft,
`ft.
`~1~ ZAl-91
`z,DQ-%
`7rt~ ~
`
`t;/1f)C£j
`
`,_
`
`,,v
`
`\JPDA m)
`
`'f\1
`Uf D ~ l}Jl'f
`
`
`Jft'~ ~ ... ~ J)-J5f.J.,.J. k?).!-?V ,,,
`
`-
`
`, '
`INTERFERENCE SEARCHED
`Sub.
`Class
`Date
`Exmr.
`
`SEARCH NOTES
`
`Date
`
`Exmr.
`
`'7 /'9 o
`
`cz...._ I
`fif"C{.ihklks >N11 tfz
`
`c.--
`
`(RIGHT OUTSIDE)
`
`~-
`
`I
`
`Page 4 of 47
`
`

`

`PATENT APPLICATION SERIAL NO .
`
`b7814 U.S, PTO
`
`08/922063
`111rn11m ~m1rn1~1J1~~1111m1
`09/02/97
`
`U. S • DEP ARlMENT ..OF COMMEltCE
`PATENT AND TBADEHl.ll l>P'F!CE
`FEE RECORD SBEEI
`
`11/10/1997 JllASHIHG 00000067 08922063
`01 FC:201
`Ja5.00 OP
`
`PT0-1556
`(5/87)
`
`Page 5 of 47
`
`

`

`FORM 1082
`
`File Number: !WY-080
`
`FORM PT0-1082
`TilE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`Washington, D.C. 2023 1
`Sir:
`Transmitted herewith for filing is the patent application of
`lnvcmor: Damon C. Torres
`For: AO I OMA I ED IN I ERNET CONTENT SCHEDULER AND DISPLAYER
`Enclosed arc:
`[gj ~. sheets of drawing.
`0 An nssigrunent of the invention to ............ ·
`0 A Declaration and Power of Attorney.
`[gj A verified statement to establish small entity status under 37 CFR 1.9 and 37 CFR 1.2
`0 Claim to Right of Priority w/ccrtificd copy of _ _ application no(s) . ......... .
`[gj This application claims the benefit ofU.S. Provisional Application No. fillLQ£Q,~60 filed 2LQ1i2,~.
`The filing fee has been calculated as shown below:
`
`Basic Fee .. :', ·:,·.~
`
`F OR:
`
`(Col. l)
`No. Filed
`
`1-20=
`
`(Col. 2)
`No. Extra
`,,,.
`·\!!"' r.-£:~,
`O*
`
`SMALL
`Rate
`:ffJi-~<%i$
`x $11
`
`ENTITY
`Fee
`$385
`$
`
`OTIIER THAN A
`SMALL ENTITY
`OR Rate
`Fee
`OR ~\;~=~~~¥.1 $
`770
`OR x $22
`$
`
`x $40
`
`$
`
`OR x $80
`
`$
`
`+$130
`TOTAL
`
`$
`$385
`
`OR +$260
`OR TOTAL
`
`$
`$
`
`Total
`Claims
`fndcp
`Claims
`0Multiole Deoendent Claim Presented
`*If the difference in Col. I is less than zero,
`enter "O" in Col. 2.
`
`1-3=
`
`O*
`
`. A duplicate copy of this sheet is enclosed.
`
`0 Please charge my Deposit Account No.18-0350 the amount of$
`~ A check in the amount of $385 to cover the filing fee is enclosed.
`t8J
`'The Assistant Conunissioncr for Patents is hereby authorized to charge payment of the following fees associated with
`this communication or credit any overpayment to Deposit Account No. 18-0350 . A duplicate copy of this sheet is
`enclosed.
`~ Any additional filing fees required under 37 CFR 1.16.
`~ Any patent application processing fees under 37 CFR 1.17.
`~ The Assistant Commissioner for Patents is hereby authorized to charge payment of the following fees during the
`pcndcncy of this application or credit any ovcrpnymcnt to Deposit Account No. 18-0350 . A duplicate copy of this
`sheet is enclosed.
`~ Any patent application processing fees under 37 CFR 1.17.
`0 The issue fee set in 37 CFR l.18 al or before mailing of the Notice of Allowance, pursuant to 37 CFR 1.31 l (b}.
`~ Any fili
`fees under 37 CFR 1.16 for presentation of extra claims.
`RATNER AND PRESTIA
`Rcspcctrully submitted,
`Suite 301.
`One Westlakes. Be"".{n
`P. 0. Box 980
`Valley Forge. PA 19482-0980
`(610) 407 -0700
`
`~~
`
`mm
`EXPRESS MAIL Mailing Label Number:El284293791US
`Date of Deposit: 9/2197
`I hereby certify that this paper and fee are being deposited, under 37 C.F.R. § 1.1 and with sufficient
`postage, using the "Express Mail Post Office to Addressee" service of the United St es Postal Service on the
`date indicated above and that the deposit is addressed t
`e Assistant Commis on
`or Pa_te_.~rr-.
`Washington, D.C. 20231 .
`
`KNN l:llWY\OSDll082lXJC
`
`Page 6 of 47
`
`

`

`IWY-080
`
`- 24 -
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A method of sequencing and scheduling web pages, via a client-side
`software application that collects uRLs and feeds them to a Web browser, so that the
`amount of clicks and decisions are reduced when browsing the Internet. The method
`begins after a computer user with Net-access encounters a URL that leads to a
`collection of other URLs that the software application bas arranged to be presented in
`a continuous, sequenced.manner. This collection of pages then plays automatically,
`going from one page to the next without the user being required to make a decision or ·
`click. The decision-making process is not inhibited, it is made optional. A method of
`inserting full-screen advertising, public service announcements, news, etc. has been
`developed. The server software application module described herein allows a
`publisher to stream URLs to a user who does not have the client-side software. The
`publishing module allows a user to format pages to a particularly desirable size and
`characteristic that promotes readability during a sequenced viewing session. This same
`module can publish collections of links for others to view as a whole sequence,
`accessible via e-mail, screen saver or by web page.
`
`s
`
`10
`
`15
`
`0
`00
`Yl m
`
`It.~
`~
`!$'!!
`I.~
`
`0
`tJdt
`(di·
`.,,;
`i'J
`...,.
`Lfl
`\l
`
`Page 7 of 47
`
`

`

`IWY-080
`
`- 1 -
`
`AUTOMATED INTERNET CONTENT SCHED
`
`SPLAYER
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`Technical Field
`
`This invention relates generally to computer networks, and specifically
`to a method of sequencing and scheduling web pages, via a client-side software
`application.
`
`s
`
`The worldwide network of computers commonly known as the
`"Internet" has grown tremendously since the creation of a subset known as the
`"World Wide Web" (WWW or Web), popularized in 1993. The emergence of the
`Web, and its accompanying standards enabled users to move beyond traditional on-
`line data exposure, which required knowledge of protocols and other low-level
`computer constructs, to a much more filtered and full-featured interface in the form of
`a "Web Browser." The Web Browser filters out the computer constructs, displaying
`only pertinent content, such as text, images, 3nimations and sounds, while hiding
`from the user the computer codes that are used to negotiate access, generate and
`display this content.
`
`Some of the standards popularized by the web are Hypertext Transfer
`Protocol (HTTP), Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and the Uniform Resource
`Locator (URL). HTTP allows HTML docwnents, which carry many forms of
`information, from text and images, to audio and video, to be easily found via a URL
`from a collection of networks known as the Internet. These networks have public and
`private files which are accessed via routing tables. The routing tables reside on
`Domain Name Servers (DNS) and are regularly updated.
`
`10
`
`is
`
`20
`
`Page 8 of 47
`
`

`

`IWY-080
`
`-2 -
`
`Two innovations provided by the Browser environment, HTTP and the
`Internet are: specialized display of data (certain text and graphics) and "Hyperlinks"
`which appear as "clickable-buttons" ~r "links" made of text or graphics in the
`Graphical User Interface (GUI) presented by the Browser. These links contain an
`address for another location on the Internet. Instead of seeing computer language full
`of telecommunications protocols and an occasional listing of a graphic file's name, the
`user sees only human pertinent text and an automatically displayed image within this
`text. The user is shown graphical or textual links to facilitate navigation instead of
`having to properly enter complex path names.
`
`This combination of features, coupled with the ease of use that HTML
`provides as a page publishing format, have proved to be very popular, leading to a
`mass adoption of this new medium by many constituencies. These include education,
`most areas of business (publishing, finance, commerce, entertainment, etc.) and
`government. Given the increasing adoption of the Web, many non-technically
`oriented users use this new medium to go from page to page, shifting from one
`computer network to the next simply by making decisions on which links to click.
`Search engines which index the Web allow these users to quickly locate URLs and
`their associated links. In addition, content aggregators collect and publish collections
`of Web pages. In just a few years, the Web has evolved from static pages to pages
`containing animation, personalized data, commerce-level security and streaming audio
`and video. A more recent innovation is the "Push Technology" model which is found
`in the more recently released browsers.
`
`Push technology, pioneered by Pointcast™, has been adopted by
`Netscape™ and Microsoft™, the two browser giants, as the next way to connect
`viewers with content. As implemented by Pointcast, push technology began in 1996 as
`a personalized data gathering service. Users select content sources from a list and the
`Pointcast service automatically provides updated information which is displayed by the
`user's screen saver in a uniform format. Information providers who send information
`to users using the Pointcast system must first format their information according to
`requirements set by Pointcast. Thus, the "pages" of information displayed by the
`Pointcast screen saver are specially p~epared screens. A user of the Pointcast system
`can access information only from those sources which have prepared information in
`the Pointcast format.
`
`5
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`JO
`
`Page 9 of 47
`
`

`

`IWY-080
`
`-3-
`
`By collecting user interest profiles, the current "4.x" level browsers can
`constantly update a specific set of topics, from news, sports and weather, to financial
`and entertainment content. Thus, push technology enables infonnation to come to the
`user instead of requiring the user to seek out the information. This not only facilitates
`a new distribution method for publishers and advertisers, it fosters new community
`models and demographics to go with them. As web browsing has evolved it has
`changed from a mere novelty, to a relied upon conduit of information flow.
`
`Recently, problems with access to a major on-line service provider
`produced lawsuits stemming from lack of access to mission-critical information, in
`both receipt and transmission. As this technology has moved from budding curiosity
`browsing to true reliance, the blossoming of the technology has yet to show what
`mature fruit it will provide. Commerce is a large part of the development of the
`medium as companies like Cisco and Boeing conduct exclusive web-based sales in
`excess of one billion dollars. In addition, consumer and small business oriented
`vendors such as Dell have sales in excess of $1 million per day via their website. But
`what other services, beyond a catalog of information and products, will the Internet
`and its Web offer? The subject invention proposes a next-level of functionality that
`may provide an insight.
`
`Summary of the Invention
`
`The subject invention is embodied in an adjunct to a web browser which
`causes the click of a single "link" to trigger the presentation of a series of extant
`pages instead of one page at a time. This series of pages (or "Chain" of links) may
`contain one or several topics of information from several sources. The information
`conveyed by the Chain may be interspersed .with advertising and public service
`announcements (PSAs). The advertisements and .PSAs may occur no more frequently
`than typically occurs in ielevision programming and may be adjusted for different
`pacing attributes of individual users. While the invention may automate a number of
`the decisions that a user makes in viewing a program of web content, it in no way
`inhibits the interactivity currently present on the Web. The decision-making process
`is not inhibited it is optional, allowing for preprogramming, navigating the chains on(cid:173)
`the-fly or simply watching a series of pre-edited pages. The present invention serves
`
`s
`
`10
`
`ls
`
`20
`
`2s
`
`30
`
`0
`00
`;.Jj
`i"\!
`ru
`
`n
`
`iU "°
`
`Page 10 of 47
`
`

`

`IWY-080
`
`-4-
`
`as an enhancement which refocuses· the state of content delivery via the Internet,
`TV/PC hardware and software offerings.
`
`The present invention is embodied in a method of accessing and
`providing information content from a pre-stored list of content sources (Chain of
`links). Each link in the Chain includes both an address from which the information
`may be accessed and an indication of the duration for which the content will be
`presented. For each link, the method locates the content source, accesses the content
`and presents it for the indicated duration.
`
`According to one aspect of the invention, while the requested
`information is being presented, the method queues and caches the next page, then
`loads the next page for viewing.
`
`According to another aspect of the invention, a method is provided by
`which Chains of content sources may be generated. A user may select and sequence
`content from a variety of sources by several methods including a boolanark list, a list
`of search results and through the creation of a Chain of links by a "drag-and-drop"
`technique.
`
`According to yet another aspect of the invention, a method is provided
`for generating and publishing these Chains. This method includes a filter which
`customizes a preexisting Chain by automatically conforming variable items in the
`Chain to a p~edefined user profile.
`
`s
`
`10
`
`is
`
`20
`
`Brief Description of the Drawings
`
`Figure 1 is a block diagram which illustrates the Internet and the World
`Wide Web environment in which the invention operates.
`
`Figure 2 is a block diagram of a hardware system for utilizing the
`present software invention.
`
`2s
`
`Figure 3 is a flow-chart diagram which is useful for describing a
`software application which runs on a server and sequences and displays URLs and
`predefined Chains automatically in accordance with timer settings while monitoring
`the navigation decisions of the user, if any.
`
`Page 11 of 47
`
`

`

`IWY-080
`
`-5 -
`
`....
`F.
`OJ
`'.Jj
`ru
`ru
`0
`01
`j*~
`n
`0
`;.!)
`0
`ru
`~
`'~
`
`Figure 4 is a flow-chart diagram of a client-side software application or
`Applet, which processes URLs and predefined Chains automatically while monitoring
`the timer settings and navigation decisions of the user.
`
`Figure 5 is a flow-chart diagram which illustrates the process by which
`initial Chains of content are personalized and delivered to the user.
`
`s
`
`Figure 6 is a flow-chart diagram which illustrates a method of formatting
`individual pages and collections of pages for use with the page scheduling and
`sequencing software shown in Figures 3 through 5.
`
`Figure 6A is a graphical depiction of a process for editing a Chain of
`
`10
`
`links.
`
`Figure 7 is a computer screen diagram of an exemplary user interface
`for the invention that is useful for describing features of the invention.
`
`Detailed Description
`
`15
`
`20
`
`is
`
`Figure 1 is a simplified block diagram which is useful for describing the
`connectivity of users and content providers on the Internet. Briefly, the Internet
`includes a large collection of content providers 10 which may be accessed by the users
`12. Typically, a user accesses content on a "server" by establishing a data
`communications connection to the server through the network of computers 14, 16
`defined by the Internet. Each server 10 operates a "web site" which includes data
`files that contain text, images, audio or video content. The web site typically includes
`a group of linked HTML documents or pages that contain links to the data files. A
`user 12 may access the content in a file by simply selecting one of these links. The
`file may be transferred to a cache in the user's computer and presented using the
`browser or the content may be provided directly by the server 10 to the user 12 as an
`encoded data stream (e.g. an audio program) which is decoded and played out by the
`user's computer 12.
`
`Content accessed by the browser may not be in a file on a remote
`computer but may be generated by the remote computer and transmitted to the user
`directly. Much of the data that may be accessed by a browser on a remote computer
`
`Page 12 of 47
`
`

`

`IWY-080
`
`- 6 -
`
`is classified by Multipurpos~ Internet Mail Extension (MIME) type. One MIME type
`is an HTML file, another is a JPEG file, a still picture that is encoded according to
`the standard developed by the Joint Picture Experts Group. Mime types can also be
`proprietary data. In this instance, the browser may need to be configured with a
`"plug-in" program in order to decode and present the proprietary data. An example
`of such a plug-in is the Macromedia™ flash technology which allows streaming
`animation to be displayed with accompanying audio.
`
`For more information on MIME types, see Netscape's User Handbook
`at http: //home. netscape. com/eng/mozilla/1.1 /handbook/docs/ answers. html,
`
`HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) servers use HTML formatting.
`Netscape software has the built-in capability to read HTML-formatted
`pages (as well as the GIF, JPEG, and XBM graphic file formats).
`Netscape can interpret many other file formats with the help of external
`helper applications. To accommodate the file formats requiring helper
`applications, Netscape keeps a mapping of file formats to helper
`applications.
`
`MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) is a standardized method
`for organi,zing divergent file formats. The method organizes file formats
`according to the file's MIME type. When Netscape software retrieves a
`file from a server, the server provides the MIME type of the fi~e.
`Netscape uses the ~ type to establish whether the file format can be
`read by the software's built-in capabilities or, if not, whether a suitable
`helper application is available to read the file.
`
`For servers that do not provide a MIME type with a file, Netscape
`interprets the file's extension (a suffix appended to a file name). For
`example, the .HTML extension in the file name index.html suggests a
`file in the HTML format. Likewise, a .zip extension suggests a
`compressed file, an .rtf extension suggests a file in the Rich Text
`Format, and so on.
`
`s
`
`10
`
`0
`
`IS
`
`0
`j"IJ
`;.Jj
`'.!
`
`20
`
`2s
`
`3<1
`
`The Internet content referred to as a "Chain" in this application may be implemented
`as a new MIME type.
`
`Page 13 of 47
`
`

`

`IWY-080
`
`-7-
`
`Today it is taken for granted that, to access services, infonnation and
`entertainment on the Web, a user must mak:e certain choices, position the mouse
`pointer and click the mouse buttons appropriately to indicate the decisions. The.
`inventors have detennined that, in a typical Web access, these sel~tions are made at a
`rate of approximately once per minute. The result of each click is another page and
`another set of decisions. Typically, a user is expected to click one of the several
`dozen links provided on any given page, (see, for example, cnn.com). Alternatively,
`a user may type in a URL or access a bookmark to visit a favorite search engine. In
`addition, a user may access a collection of "channels" of "push content" via Netscape
`Conununicator's Netcaster or Microsoft Internet Explorer's Active Desktop and sit
`back for a few seconds to view an animated presentation of a specific publisher's
`offerings. The user may even choose a headline of a story presented in Pointcast's
`screen saver to receive more ~ormation about that topic grouping within the
`application, or to transfer to a relevant website. All of these methods typically require
`a significant amount of user effort and decision-making to drive the web surfing
`experience.
`
`Although the users and servers are shown as separate machines in Figure
`1, it is well known that a computer being used as a server may host users and may
`also serve as a conduit for conneqting a user t9 a remote server.
`
`Figure 2 is a block diagram which illustrates the basic layout of a typical
`user's computer, be it a personal computer (PC) or a network computer (NC), as
`typified by webtv™ or a Java Station™. The computer may also be a dedicated
`workstation coupled to a local area network or a terminal connected to a mainframe
`computer which is, in tum, coupled to the Internet. The user requires no special
`hardware to use this invention. No additional cards with TV tuners are required, but
`they can be used as an enhancement. This diagram illustrates one possible
`environment for the invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the invention.
`It is contemplated that the invention may be implemented using future technologies
`which may have radically different hardware, including but not limited to handheld
`devices, public kiosks, and even "credit card-sized" configurations.
`
`The exemplary system includes a microprocessor 32 a random access
`memory (RAM) 34, a memory management circuit, a disk drive 36, a floppy disk
`
`5
`
`io
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`Page 14 of 47
`
`

`

`IWY-080
`
`- 8 -
`
`drive 37, a read only memory (ROM) 33 which includes the basic 1/0 system (BIOS)
`for the computer system, a CD ROM drive 42, a modem.50, a digital signal processor
`43, a keyboard controller 38, a mouse controller 39, a video controller 40, and an
`audio controller 41 which are all conneC:ted by a system bus 31. A keyboard 22, a
`s mouse 23 and a graphic display monitor 24 are connected to the keyboard controller
`38, mouse controller 39, and video controller 40. Stereo speakers 2SA and 25B are
`connected to the audio controller 41. In the exemplary system, the connection to the
`on-line-service provider 16 (shown in Figure 1) is made through the modem 50 via a
`telephone line 56.
`
`io
`
`is
`
`As shown in Figure 2, the memory 34 includes an operating system 60,
`for example, Windows 95™; a browser 62 for example, Netscape Navigator™ 4.0;
`and a cache memory 63. The hard disk 36 is the main data storage device for the
`system shown in Figure 1. It includes the software needed to run the browser and
`libraries of software used by the operating system to control the operation of all of the
`components that are connected to the system bus 31. The hard disk 36 also includes a
`disk cache (not shown) for the browser. When data on a remote computer is accessed
`by the browser, it may be transferred by Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or File
`Transfer Protocol (FTP) and stored in this disk cache temporarily.
`
`The component of the invention which is used on the user computer 12
`20 may be, for example, a browser plug in. While, in this example, the user component
`is a browser plug~in. it is contemplated that it may be an Applet which runs on a
`virtual computer defined by the browser, it may also be a stand-alone program, which
`includes the functionality that is typically provided by a browser, or it may be a
`distributed application suitable for use with a network computer (NC). The user
`component is described below with reference to Figure 4 as the program RoboSurf™.
`
`2s
`
`A comple!Jlentary program exists on the server. This component is
`described below with reference to Figure 3 as the program RoboSend™. RoboSend
`may perfonn the actual transfer operations to obtain the pages from the web sites.
`This may be advantageous if, for example, the server has a relatively high-bandwidth
`connection to the Internet, such as a Tl connection. The server may obtain the
`content more quickly than the user could and then stream the content to the user over
`the user's lower bandwidth connection.
`
`JO
`
`Page 15 of 47
`
`

`

`IWY-080
`
`- 9 -
`
`In addition to RoboSurf and RoboSend, the exemplary system includes
`RoboGuide ™, described below with reference to Figure 5, a program that allows
`several users to access a prepared Chain of links and have it customized to their
`respective preferences, and RoboSites™,· described below with reference to Figure 6,
`publishing software which helps a publisher to prepare Chains. The entire suite of
`programs is referred to below as RoboCast.
`
`Figure 3 is a flow-chart diagram which illustrates the operation of the
`server-side application, RoboSend. The first two steps in Figure 3 represent activities
`occurring at the user's computer 12. At step 70, the user starts to access the Internet
`or other network via a Personal Computer (PC) a Network Computer (NC), Web(cid:173)
`Enabled TV Set, or other similar device. At step 72, the user encounters a URL, for
`example, within a screen saver, an e-mail message, or a website. ·At step 72, the user
`requests the URL which is designated as a first link in a Chain of pages. The URL
`may be so designated by its associaµon: wi~ a list generated by a publisher, by
`results that are automatically generated by a search engine or because it is the first
`URL in a Chain of URL's ~twas manually.,collected by the user.
`
`The selection of the URL initiates a sequence of events in the application
`RoboSend which is running pn the server 10, shown in Figure 1. At step 74, the
`Server parses the request into task sets, initiating the look-up of the sources indicated
`by the URL. This step gathers the relevant data and custom packages it for ithe
`browser 62, shown in Figure 2. At step 76, if the requested URL includes dynamic
`content, RoboSend determines if this user is enabled to receive dynamic content (i.e.
`generated by a database as a HTML page with up-to-the-minute information on that
`page), or pre-defined content (i.e. a pre-existing HTML page that was created prior to
`the request). This determination may be made, for example, from user profile
`information, transferred to the server with the "cookies" when the user first connected
`to the server's web page. If dynamic content is allowed then, at step 78, RoboSend
`checks the user profile for information that may be used to determine what d!ynamic
`content the user should receive. For example, is there a particular sports team
`preference; a demographic; or a pre-set profile as specified in the software? This
`information is used as selection criteria which is sent to the database and, at .step 78, a
`page, conforming to the user's preferences, is retrieved from the server.
`
`s
`
`10
`
`rs
`
`20
`
`2s
`
`JO
`
`Page 16 of 47
`
`

`

`IWY-080
`
`- 10-
`
`At step 80, if the page addressed by the URL does not include dynamic
`content or if the user is unable to receive dynamic content, a page having pre-defined
`content is retrieved.
`
`At step 82, either the dynamic or pre-defined URL is accessed and the
`content associated with the URL is retrieved, encoded and delivered to the browser at
`step 84. The content provided from the location addressed by the URL may be simple
`HTML documents, advanced DHTML, or even future versions of XML. The
`delivered information may contain references. for many other MIME types, including
`animation, streaming and non-streaming audio and video, Virtual Reality Modeling
`Language (VRML) Quicktime VR, and front-ends for several flavors of database
`applications, to name a few.
`
`As described below with reference to Figure 4, the content delivered by
`RoboSend to the browser at step 84 is presented to the user. This step is inherent in
`the operation of the browser 62 (shown in Figure 2), accordingly, it is not described
`in detail. At step 86, a timer is started in response to a message produced by the
`browser 62 indicating that the retrieved content bas been delivered and is ready to be
`presented. This timer is set from a value provided in the Chain which indicates an
`amount of time that content accessed from the associated URL is to be displayed.
`
`At s,tep 88, RoboSend determines if the user has selected another URL
`before the timer expires. If so, the program will do one of two things: 1) forward that
`user away from the predetermined course of the Chain that was entered at the
`beginning of this process ind take them on another course; or 2) skip them forward on
`the predetermined course that .they are having played for them pursuant to the selected
`Chain. This latter scenario is advantageous for a quick reader, or someone who bas
`seen the presented content before, or in the case of content that the viewer chooses to
`skip (even an advertiseme~t or PSA).
`
`If the user has selected a new URL during the display time allowed by
`the timer, then, at step 90 RoboSend determines whether the next URL is a Chain or
`not. This may be determined simply by the lack of new URL requests. It may also
`be determined by checking the header information of the new URL, as described
`below with reference to Table 1. As shown in step 93, the user's decisions are
`
`5
`
`io
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`H
`
`Page 17 of 47
`
`

`

`IWY-080
`
`- 11 -
`
`recorded to a database at this point, providing a list of feedback for advertisers and
`content providers in some cases. If, for example, an advertisement for cat food is
`displayed, a user may skip over the advertisement or otherwise indicate that cat food
`advertisements are not interesting. This information is recorded at step 93 and used to
`direct only advertisements that are of interest to the user.
`
`The Next Page Request at step 94 is identical to the previous page
`request except that it has changed the course of events to be played to the viewer, i.e.
`from sports news to weather forecast based on a URL located in a rained out game
`notice. This tangent may also able to be diverted back to the prior course by using the
`application's "surf" feature (described below with reference to Figure 7) which, when
`clicked for the first time, remembers where the user left the initial Chain and returns
`the user to that point in the C'.hain upon the second click of that surf button.
`Alternatively, the history feature, inh~rent in most browsers, may be used to return
`the user to pages that:were presented moments before or days before.
`
`If, at step 88, the .user does not interact with the system within the
`allotted tim~ (which is set by the user or publisher), the timer expires at step 92 and
`that signals the request for another page, thus enabling the play sequence of automatic
`surfing.
`
`At step 96, this next page request asks the server for the next link in the
`Chain, thus effecting the play sequence that is germane to this invention. While this
`sequence has been described ·as a simple sequential display of preprogrammed URLs,
`it is contemplated that, in more complex forms, this process may stream URLs to the
`viewer, while mon