United States Patent [w]
`Kobata
`
`111 mill inn 1111 ii ii 111 ii
`
`US006058418A
`[ii] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`6,058,418
`*May 2, 2000
`
`[54] MARKETING DATA DELIVERY SYSTEM
`
`5,878,384
`
`3/1999 lohnson et al.
`
`702/187
`
`[75]
`
`Inventor: Hiroshi Kobata, Brookline, Mass.
`
`[73] Assignee: E-Parcel, LLC, Newton, Mass.
`
`[ * ] Notice:
`
`This patent issued on a continued pros(cid:173)
`ecution application filed under 37 CFR
`1.53(d), and is subject to the twenty year
`patent
`term provisions of 35 U.S.C.
`154(a)(2).
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 08/801,458
`
`Feb. 18, 1997
`
`[22] Filed:
`Int. CI.7
`G06F 13/00
`[51]
`709/221; 709/220; 709/221;
`[52] U.S. CI
`709/224; 709/223; 709/247; 709/248; 709/249;
`709/229
`[58] Field of Search
`395/200.32, 200.47,
`395/200.48, 200.53, 200.54, 200.59, 200.5,
`200.51, 200.52; 709/202, 220, 221, 222,
`247, 248, 249, 223, 224, 229
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5/1995 Piatt
`5,421,009
`5,758,072 5/1998 Filepp et al
`5,845,090 12/1998 Collins, III et al
`
`709/221
`395/200.5
`395/200.51
`
`Primary Examiner—-Viet D. Vu
`Assistant Examiner—Hiev C. Le
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Fish & Richardson P.C.
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`In an Internet-based client/server application, a system is
`provided which detects demographics of a client including
`CPU power, hard disk space, applications installed, network
`connectivity and log-in history so as to provide this infra(cid:173)
`structure related information detailing client usage of the
`Internet to the service provider. In one embodiment, each
`user is provided with software having a unique serial num(cid:173)
`ber. Having the serial number, infrastructure data is checked
`at the client side and reported to the server periodically, with
`the server updating a database with the infrastructure data
`from each PC. In one embodiment, the database is filtered by
`factors such as location of the client and an indication of
`which providers delivered software to a client. After
`filtering, the service provider can obtain various demograph(cid:173)
`ics such as the demography of hard disk space, CPU power
`and viewers. In one embodiment, the demographics are used
`at the server to automatically select the contents to be
`transmitted to the particular client. Thus the provider can
`send the most appropriate contents to the most appropriate
`client based on demographic information of the client's
`infrastructure.
`
`22 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets
`
`Provider
`Who Needs Statistics
`Demography
`
`14
`
`14
`
`Software z Client
`
`Client
`
`Internet
`
`Software
`
`.16
`
`14
`
`Client
`Software
`
`DB
`
`DB Filter
`
`18
`
`20
`
`Statistics Data for
`Business
`Decision Making
`e.g. Size of
`MPEG File to
`Send Out or
`Download to
`Contents of
`Messages
`(for Location etc.)
`When to Make TV
`Commercial
`Like Messages
`
`Infrastructure Data
`with Serial No.
`
`Data Includes:
`IP Address
`CPU Info
`HD Space
`Network Connection
`List of Inventors
`(Applications)
`Peripherals (Soundcard...
`
`Serial No. Contains
`Unique ID of the Client
`Software
`Provider's ID
`Date Delivered
`Route of Delivery
`
`22
`
`DB Filter
`by Location
`
`DB Filter
`by Location
`
`24
`
`26
`
`28
`
`HD Space
`
`CPU Power
`
`Demography Based on
`HD Space
`
`Demography Based on
`CPU Power
`Server Site
`
`30
`
`Twitter-Google Exhibit 1005
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 2, 2000
`
`Sheet 1 of 4
`
`6,058,418
`
`Provider
`Who Needs Statistics
`Demography
`
`14
`A.
`Client
`Software
`
`14
`1
`
`Client
`Software
`
`14
`1
`
`Client
`Software
`
`14
`1
`
`Client
`Software
`
`10 r
`
`Statistics Data for
`Business
`Decision Making
`e.g. Size of
`MPEG File to
`Send Out or
`Download to
`Contents of
`Messages
`(for Location etc.)
`When to Make TV
`Commercial
`Like Messages
`
`Internet
`
`DB
`
`T
`
`DB Filter
`
`18
`
`20'
`
`16
`
`Infrastructure Data
`with Serial No.
`
`Data Includes:
`IP Address
`CPU Info
`HD Space
`Network Connection
`List of Inventors
`(Applications)
`Peripherals (Soundcard...)
`
`Serial No. Contains
`Unique ID of the Client
`Software
`Provider's ID
`Date Delivered
`Route of Delivery
`
`22
`
`DB Filter
`by Location
`
`DB Filter
`by Location
`
`24
`
`HD Space
`Demography Based on
`HD Space
`
`CPU Power
`Demography Based on
`CPU Power
`Server Site
`
`30
`
`FIG. 1
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 2,2000
`
`Sheet 2 of 4
`
`6,058,418
`
`80% of Channels = 1 Million PCs
`
`#
`
`#
`
`1 MB
`
`8 MB
`
`??9
`
`FIG. 2
`
`50
`>
`
`7;
`
`V
`
`CPU Power
`
`FIG. 3
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 2, 2000
`
`Sheet 3 of 4
`
`6,058,418
`
`Market Research
`Service Firm
`
`Ananymous
`PC Users with
`Unique Providers
`
`Contents
`Providers
`
`60
`
`72
`v_
`
`Server 1
`
`62
`^
`
`Client
`
`Server 2
`
`66
`
`Install Client S/W
`
`74. 1
`
`Update Data
`to Database
`
`Check the Information
`Data of Client
`
`I
`
`Report the Data
`
`Send Out Client S/W
`T:
`64
`
`68
`
`.70
`
`76
`
`.78
`
`Filter the Data Based on the
`Factors such as Provider ID
`by the Request of Provider
`
`Create Demography for
`a Particular Factor such
`as HD Space
`
`80
`
`t
`Send Out
`Demography
`to Provider
`
`82
`
`f I
`Decision as to
`What to Send Out
`
`FIG. 4
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 2, 2000
`
`Sheet 4 of 4
`
`6,058,418
`
`104
`
`Demography
`of
`Clients
`
`100 7
`
`r 106
`
`Match the
`Requirements
`of Contents
`with
`Demography
`of
`Clients
`
`L no
`
`Select
`Destination
`Most
`Appropriate
`for the
`Particular
`Contents
`Based on
`the Client's
`Infrastructure
`Data
`
`112
`L
`Push the
`Contents
`to the
`Client
`
`L 114
`
`Receive the
`Appropriate
`Contents
`for its
`Infrastructure
`
`116 A.
`
`Version
`
`118 A.
`
`Version
`
`r_ 117
`
`Version
`Requirements
`
`£. 119
`
`Version
`Requirements
`
`Version
`V
`
`120
`
`Version
`Requirements
`XT 121
`
`FIG. 5
`
`

`

`1
`MARKETING DATA DELIVERY SYSTEM
`
`FIELD OF INVENTION
`
`6,058,418
`
`This invention relates to the provision of data over the
`Internet and, more particularly, to a system for ascertaining
`the demography of the users of the Internet.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`2
`is provided by the provider to the user enables sensing CPU
`power, hard disk space, the applications running or installed,
`network connectivity and the log-in history. Since each
`client software has a unique serial number, sensing the serial
`5 number at the server side provides for rapid transfer and
`loading of a database with infrastructure data which is
`reported to the server periodically, for instance, every two
`seconds. At the server side, the database can be updated
`frequently to provide instant demographics of the particular
`With the increased usage of the Internet comes the prob(cid:173)
`10 user. It will be appreciated that the database can be filtered
`lem of deciding how and where to direct the information
`by such factors as location so that the provider can be
`from the provider's point of view. With the advent of
`apprised of what locations would be most interested in the
`so-called "push" systems in which providers have direct
`content that the provider wishes to transmit. This permits the
`access to the PC at the client side in a client/server
`provider to be able to limit the broadcast of the data to
`application, it is increasingly important that the provider be
`15 selected locations.
`provided with information so as to be able to direct the
`It will be noted that the client software is delivered by the
`services to those users who are most likely to be interested.
`provider to the end user. By so doing, each provider is
`In the past, the only type of demographic information that
`apprised of its own members, thus to provide the provider
`was available was to "guess" the usage of the system
`with the demographics of its own members or subscribers.
`through use of sampling research data. In systems in which
`20 This enables the content providers to be able to decide the
`sampling research data is involved, a given research com(cid:173)
`content size to be delivered, as well as the viewer software,
`pany will ask a major provider how many pieces of software
`and makes the decision as to how much and what should be
`were sold to the various users. Based on the data of the sales
`provided to an individual user tailored to the particular
`of the enabling software, the research company, utilizing
`user's requirements.
`mathematical techniques, provides demographic informa- 25
`For instance, in one operative embodiment, if a provider
`tion to the provider based on a series of assumptions about
`wants to make a two minute commercial, this can take as
`the user.
`much eight megabytes to transmit. At this point, the provider
`must select what type of viewer software is required to play
`However, the utilization of statistics alone based on the
`the eight megabytes of information, whether it is MPEG,
`sales of software, for example, is not at all accurate in terms
`of providing the provider with targeted information as to the 30 QUICKTIME: or some other format. By this manner, the
`"real" demography of the user or client. For instance, it is
`provider can ascertain in real time whether or not the hard
`impossible through statistics alone based on a single input
`disk space is available at the user.
`such as sales to derive information relating to the CPU size
`The distribution curve that is generatable through the
`and speed at the user, hard disk space availalle, information
`utilization of the subject system, permits a bell curve to be
`relating to the network connection such as dial-up cable 35 formed in which hard disk space can be presented in terms
`modem connection information and ISDN connections, a list
`of the number of users. Assuming that 8 megabytes is
`of the inventories indicating the applications running on the
`required, it can be determined what percentage of the
`particular computer involved, as well as peripherals such as
`channels are occupied by the information to be transmitted,
`sound cards connected to the computer at the client side.
`and thus the number of PC's that are available to receive the
`Moreover, there is no way to ascertain the log-in history for 40 intended transmission. lf, for instance, 8 megabytes repre-
`each of the Internet users, such that critical information for
`sent 80% of the channels, then the provider may well be
`the providers is not existent.
`advised that there is a sufficient number of PCs that can
`Critical information which is not available from tradi-
`receive the information to commit the resources to providing
`tional research is infrastructure information for a particular
`the content and transmitting it.
`PC, such as CPU power, viewer, sound card and Internet
`As will be appreciated, the subject system permits the
`connection information.
`content provider to make a decision as to whether or not to
`What is meant by the term "viewer" is what type of
`invest in a given project based on real-time demographics of
`protocol is being run on the machine such as MPEG,
`users connected to the Internet. Note that in general, demo-
`QUICKTIME, AVI, and PDF.
`50 graphics are from members of the provider since the pro-
`The sum total of this infrastructure information would be
`vider provides the client software to the end user. As a result,
`useful for the decision maker at the provider as to decide
`not only can content be tailored to the audience which could
`whether or not, for instance, it is worth the money to make
`receive it, but critical decisions can be made as to whether
`3 megabytes of MPEG video available for advertising based
`to provide the content at all based on real-time sensing of the
`on the above infrastructure demography. Thus, it is impos- 55 demography of the users.
`sible for this decision maker to ascertain whether the Inter-
`The result is that by use of the subject system, providers
`net advertisement delivery will be efficient and worth
`can make business decisions such as the size of the video
`enough to justify the cost, much less, for instance, providing
`message, the viewer of the video/audio message, and the
`an Internet video advertisement, the cost of which must be
`timing for hyper-advertisements through pulling or pushing
`justified by assuring a number of targeted viewers for the 60 at appropriate times. The subject system also makes possible
`subject matter of the video advertisement.
`other decisions which are critical to the economic utilization
`of the Internet. Furthermore, the demographic information
`permits marketing decisions as to where to sell the software
`and hardware based on the infrastructure data and the
`65 destination of the PC, namely its IP address.
`In summary, in an Internet-based client/server
`application, a system is provided which detects demograph-
`
`In order to provide such needed data to a content provider
`that wants to use the Internet connection, in one
`embodiment, client software is installed at each PC which
`can detect the infrastructure of the PC. The software which
`
`45
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`

`

`6,058,418
`
`ics of a client including CPU power, hard disk space,
`applications installed, network connectivity and log-in his(cid:173)
`tory so as to provide this infrastructure related information
`detailing client usage of the Internet to the service provider.
`In one embodiment, each user is provided with software 5
`having a unique serial number. Having the serial number,
`infrastructure data is checked at the client side and reported
`to the server periodically, with the server updating a data(cid:173)
`base with the infrastructure data from each PC. In one
`embodiment, the database is filtered by factors such as 10
`location of the client and an indication of which providers
`delivered software to a client. After filtering, the service
`provider can obtain various demographics such as the
`demography of hard disk space, CPU power and viewers. In
`one embodiment, the demographics are used at the server to 15
`automatically select the contents to be transmitted to the
`particular client. Thus the provider can send the most
`appropriate contents to the most appropriate client based on
`demographic information of the client's infrastructure.
`Moreover, having derived the above demographic 20
`information, in one embodiment, an automatic selection
`system uses the demographics to provide specially tailored
`contents to the client. Files can thus be tailored to the client's
`ability to receive the file or even as to what content should
`be delivered. Thus whether full frame video should be sent, 25
`whether audio should be sent, or indeed what format is
`appropriate can be selected.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`These and other features of the subject invention will be 30
`better understood taken in conjunction with the Detailed
`Description in conjunction with the figures of which:
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the subject system illustrating
`the ability to provide a database with real-time demographic
`information from the users, along with a filter system to be
`able to tailor the demographic output to be the most useful
`to the provider;
`FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating the results of the subject
`system in which hard disk space is graphed against the
`number of users;
`FIG. 3 is a bar graph illustrating CPU power as a function
`of the number of users;
`FIG. 4 is a block diagram and flow chart illustrating one
`embodiment of the subject system indicating client-initiated 45
`data reporting based on client-installed software from the
`provider; and,
`FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the use of the demographic
`information for automatic delivery selection by the server.
`
`40
`
`50
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`Referring now to FIG. 1, in the subject system, a provider
`10 provides software to each of clients 14 which causes the
`associated computer connected to the Internet to transmit not
`only a serial number, but also the IP address, CPU 55
`information, hard disk space, network connection, a list of
`inventories, peripherals such as sound cards, and the log-in
`history associated with each individual client. Client and
`server are connected via the Internet, here diagrammatically
`illustrated at 16.
`The information is passed to a database 18 at the provider
`which, optionally, is provided with a database filter 20 so
`that the data may be filtered as to location as illustrated at 22
`or is further filtered by the provider as illustrated at 24. It
`will be appreciated that there are other filter functions that 65
`can be applied to the database for the filtering of the statistics
`garnered by the subject system.
`
`60
`
`If, as illustrated, the statistics come from members of the
`provider because the provider provides the client software,
`then the provider is provided with information relating to his
`members and his members alone.
`The data, when retrieved, may be in the form of a graph
`26 of hard disk space versus number of C P U 's or,
`alternatively, can be provided in terms of CPU power as
`illustrated at 28, with the information being developed at the
`server side, here illustrated at 30, and with the information
`from the server side being delivered to the provider after it
`has been derived.
`Referring now to FIG. 2, a graph is shown of hard disk
`space versus the number of users which, as will be
`appreciated, is developed in a bell shaped curve 40 with one
`end of the curve illustrating the number of users having only
`1 kilobyte of disk space and with the other end reflecting 1
`gigabyte of disk space. As mentioned hereinbefore, it can be
`seen that with 8 megabytes of information to be transmitted
`as illustrated by line 42, shaded area 46 represents approxi(cid:173)
`mately 80% of the channels and thus, in one instance, over
`a million P C 's having the capability of receiving 8 megabyte
`transmissions. From this graph, a decision maker can decide
`that it is worth the time, effort and money to invest in the
`aforementioned two minute advertising sequence, with the
`graph giving the provider an instant view of his audience.
`Referring now to FIG. 3, what is shown is a bar graph 50
`which charts CPU power versus number of CPU's, knowing
`computer power can lead to deductions about peripherals.
`For instance, one can deduce whether or not there is a sound
`card associated with a given PC. Thus in terms of CPU
`power, one can deduce- if there is a 155 megahertz 486
`processor installed, and/or if a sound card is in existence,
`because such computers usually come with a sound card
`installed. This being the case, it can be assumed
`that
`multimedia transmissions can be handled by such a CPU.
`Additionally, not only will the providers be provided with
`information regarding the capability of the particular CPU to
`receive multimedia transmissions, these user's are also a
`very good target for the sales of sound cards. As a result,
`messages advertising sound cards can be sent directly only
`to those users which have sufhcient CPU power.
`In general, the client software is delivered along with
`applications software by the provider and is transparent to
`the user. At the provider's election, data relating user's
`identity can be inhibited so that the system is a pure
`anonymous demographics system. The system can be made
`anonymous simply by sensing only the IP address of the user
`as opposed to the user's identity. Thus, while the user's
`identity remains anonymous, his buying habits and usage
`create a powerful tool to direct advertising and other content
`to the user based on his prior usage, the ability of a CPU to
`receive the intended message and other factors. Note,
`however, that providers may seek to provide targeted adver(cid:173)
`tisement and content to a particular user, assuming that the
`provider has the user's permission to do so.
`Referring now to FIG. 4, a flow chart is presented in
`which server 2, here illustrated at 60, sends out to client 62
`a client software package 64 which is installed as illustrated,
`at 66 at the client's PC. The software checks the infrastruc(cid:173)
`ture data of the client as illustrated at 68 and reports the data
`as illustrated at 70 through the Internet through server 1,
`here illustrated at 72, which updates the data to its database
`as illustrated at 74. The output of the database is filtered at
`76 based on functions such as provider ID or other factors.
`The filtered data is used at 78 to create a demography for the
`particular filtered factor such as hard disk space.
`
`

`

`6,058,418
`
`As illustrated at 80, the result of the demography is
`provided to provider by sending this demography to server
`60 such that a decision maker 82 relying on data from Server
`2 can make the appropriate decisions as to what to send out,
`e.g. 4 MB MPEG, 300 kB PDF etc.
`Referring now to FIG. 5, having derived the infrastructure
`demographies of a client's PC, it is possible to tailor the
`contents and delivery from a server to a given client in a
`so-called "push" system. First, based on log-in history, hard
`disk space and a variety of factors such as available as
`demography 100, a content provider can decide whether the
`proposed content would be suitable to the infrastructure of
`the client. Based on infrastructure information relating to
`actual use of a client's PC, including applications previously
`run, it is possible to ascertain the user's willingness or
`receptiveness to receiving the proposed content. Thus the
`content need only be pushed to users who in all likelihood
`would welcome receipt.
`Additionally, it is possible for the content provider to have
`several different versions of the content. One version might
`require MPEG compatibility and a sound card. Another
`version might be a reduced file size or just a document.
`As can be seen from FIG. 5, an automatic delivery system
`104 is provided which selects the destination of the contents
`based on the ability of a client to receive a given version of
`the contents. This is done by matching the requirements of
`the particular version of the contents with the demography
`of the client as shown at 106. Assuming only one version 116
`of the contents, version requirements 117 for this version are
`matched at module 106 with the infrastructure of the clients.
`For those clients having infrastructure which can handle the
`particular version, destination selection module 110
`switches version 116 to the appropriate clients.
`Thus, upon a match, selection module 110 selects the
`destinations most appropriate for particular version of use
`the contents, at which time the version 116 is transmitted
`directly to the client's PC in a push operation as illustrated
`at 112.
`The result is the receipt of a version appropriate for the
`infrastructure of the particular client as illustrated at 114.
`As mentioned above, for contents available in different
`versions, it is possible to select from different versions of the
`contents, here shown at 118 and 120, in order to match the
`pushed version to the client's infrastructure.
`Each version has a set of corresponding version require(cid:173)
`ments 119 and 121. These version requirements are supplied
`to matching module 106 which determines not which clients
`can receive a given version, but rather which versions can be
`sent to which clients. Selection module 110 then couples the
`appropriate version to the appropriate clients in a push
`operation.
`What is now presented is a series of programs and C++
`with the first of the programs being that which is provided
`to the client to query his particular PC and with the second
`program illustrating the retrieval of the data, the creation of
`the demography, and the transmission of the demography
`over the net to the server associated with the content
`provider:
`Having now described a few embodiments of the
`invention, and some modifications and variations thereto, it
`should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the
`foregoing is merely illustrative and not limiting, having been
`presented by the way of example only. Numerous modifi(cid:173)
`cations and other embodiments are within the scope of one
`of ordinary skill in the art and are contemplated as falling
`within the scope of the invention as limited only by the
`appended claims and equivalents thereto.
`
`What is claimed is:
`1. A system for delivering content to a client system, the
`system for delivering content comprising:
`a service provider in electrical communication with the
`client system; and
`software transmitted to the client system from the service
`provider, the software ascertaining
`infrastructure-
`related information regarding the client system when
`the client system executes the software, the service
`provider selecting content to transmit to the client
`system in response to the configuration of the client
`system as indicated by the infrastructure-related infor(cid:173)
`mation ascertained by the software.
`2. The system of claim 1 wherein the client system
`includes a processor (CPU) and wherein sad infrastructure-
`related information includes the power of the CPU at said
`client system.
`3. The system of claim 1 wherein the client system
`includes a hard disk and wherein said infrastructure-related
`information includes the hard disk space available at said
`client system.
`4. The system of claim 1 wherein said client system
`includes applications installed therein and wherein said
`infrastructure-related information includes the identity of
`the applications installed in said client system.
`5. The system of claim 1 wherein said client system
`includes a modem having a predetermined bandwidth con(cid:173)
`nected thereto and wherein said infrastructure-related infor(cid:173)
`mation includes the speed of said modem.
`6. The system of claim 1 wherein said client system
`maintains a log-in history and wherein said infrastructure-
`related information includes the log-in history of said client
`system.
`7. The system of claim 1 wherein said software has a
`unique serial number associated therewith and wherein said
`infrastructure-related information includes said serial num(cid:173)
`ber.
`8. The system of claim 7 wherein the service provider
`maintains anonymity of said client system.
`9. The system of claim 1 further comprising;
`a second client system in electrical communication with
`the service provider, the service provider transmitting
`software to the second client system, such software
`ascertaining infrastructure-related information regard(cid:173)
`ing the second client system when the second client
`system executes such software; and
`a selection module selecting to which of the client
`systems, if any the content is to be transmitted in
`response to the configuration of each client system as
`indicated by the infrastructure-related
`information
`ascertained for each of the client systems.
`10. The system of claim 9 wherein said service provider
`has multiple versions of the content to be transmitted to each
`selected client system and wherein said selection module
`selects one of the versions for transmission to each selected
`client system based on the configuration on of that client
`system to receive that selected version.
`11. The system of claim 10 wherein that version selected
`is the most complex possible for receipt by that client
`system.
`12. The system of claim 9 wherein said selection module
`determines whether each of the client systems is a member
`of the service provider, the service provider transmitting said
`content only to said members.
`13. The system of claim 1 further including means at said
`service provider for controlling when sad client system
`transmits said infrastructure-related at information to said
`service provider.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`60
`
`65
`
`

`

`6,058,418
`
`14. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
`a database storing the ascertained infrastructure-related
`information; and
`a filter for selecting portions of the infrastructure-related
`information stored in the database according to param(cid:173)
`eters provided by the service provider; and
`a display device for displaying the selected portions of the
`infrastructure-related information.
`15. A system for delivering content to a plurality of client
`systems comprising:
`a server;
`software delivered by the server to each of the client
`systems, the software determining
`infrastructure-
`related information regarding each of the client systems
`when that client system executes the software;
`a data structure storing the infrastructure-related informa(cid:173)
`tion that is determined by each of the client systems;
`and
`a selection module determining from the infrastructure-
`related information stored in the data structure whether
`a configuration of each client system is capable of
`processing content, the server selecting content to
`transmit to each client system based upon the deter(cid:173)
`mined capability of that client system.
`16. In a network including a server in electrical commu(cid:173)
`nication with a client system, a method for providing content
`to the client system, comprising the steps of:
`providing software from the server to the client system,
`the software determining infrastructure-related
`infor(cid:173)
`mation of the client system when executed by the client
`system;
`executing the software at the client system to ascertain
`infrastructure-related information regarding the client
`system;
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`8
`transmitting the ascertained infrastructure-related infor(cid:173)
`mation from the client system to the server; and
`selecting content to transmit to the client system based
`upon the configuration of the client system as indicated
`by the infrastructure-related information.
`17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps
`of:
`building a database with the infrastructure-related infor(cid:173)
`mation transmitted from the client system to the server;
`filtering
`the database
`to select portions of
`the
`infrastructure-related information; and
`displaying the selected portions of the infrastructure-
`related information.
`18. The method of claim 16 wherein the infrastructure-
`related information of the client system is selected from the
`group consisting of processing power, hard disk capacity,
`identities of installed applications, modem speed, log-in
`history, and serial numbers of software delivered to the
`client system.
`19. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of
`maintaining anonymity of the client system.
`20. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of
`selecting one of multiple versions of the content based on
`whether the configuration of the client system is capable of
`processing that version of the content.
`21. The method of claim 16 firer comprising the steps of:
`determining whether the client system is a member of a
`service provided by the server; and
`transmitting the content to the client system if the client
`system is a member.
`22. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of
`controlling by the server when the client system transmits
`the infrastructure-related information to the server.
`
`