Showing papers on "Upload published in 1998"

Method and apparatus for tracking client interaction with a network resource and creating client profiles and resource database

Abstract: A method for monitoring client (12) interaction with a resource downloaded from a server (10) in a computer network includes the steps of using a client (12) to specify an address of a resource located on a first server (10), downloading a file corresponding to the resource from the first server (10) in response to specification of the address, using the client (12) to specify an address of a first executable program located on a second server (10), the address of the first executable program being embedded in the file downloaded from the first server (10), the first executable program including a software timer for monitoring the amount of time the client (12) spends interacting with and displaying the file downloaded from the first server (10), downloading the first executable program from the second server to run on the client (12) so as to determine the amount of time the client (12) interacts with the file downloaded from the first server (10). A server (10) for use in analysis and automatically serving out files assembled according to user interests and preferences.

Client-server system for maintaining a user desktop consistent with server application user access permissions

Abstract: A system with a network interconnecting a server and a plurality of user stations. The server stores a plurality of user applications for downloading to user stations and further stores access permissions for the applications for each user. When a user attempts to log onto the system, the server uses the user's log-on identifier to build a list of applications for which the user has access permission. The server downloads to the station a list of applications to which the user has access permission. The user station uses the list to build a folder containing only the applications from the list to which the user has access permission. The system further verifies from the list that the user has access to applications that are represented by objects that the user may have added to his or her desktop at an earlier time. For each user desktop preference specified by the user at an earlier time that corresponds to a user application, the access permission for the user to the user application is checked from the list, and, if the application is not included on the list, the desktop object representing the application is removed from the desktop.

System for communicating user-selected criteria filter prepared at wireless client to communication server for filtering data transferred from host to said wireless client

Abstract: In a main embodiment, prestage filtering is applied via user-definable filter parameters (e.g., reject, pass, or granularity filters) on data being transferred between a communication unit (201) and communication server (220). For downloading, e.g., email from a host post office (240), a communication server controller (229) preferably either forwards the filter parameters in a query object or message to the post office to apply and return qualified mail (406-414), or the communication server receives all unprocessed mail and applies the filters locally (418-420), only acknowledging as processed that mail which passes the filters. For uploading, e.g., email from a client, a client controller applies an upload prestage filter (432) so as to retain all filter-rejected email, while transmitting email passing the filters (434). Thus, only desired data transfers (i.e., those meeting user defined filters) are communicated over the expense-bearing networks between the remote unit and communication server.

System for prepayment of electronic content using removable media and for prevention of unauthorized copying of same

Abstract: A system and method for distribution of electronic content over a network infrastructure and compensation of vendors of such data using prepaid media that includes a client device for operation by a user desiring to receive the electronic content and server that contains the electronic content and offering the electronic content for downloading to the client device via the network infrastructure. The client device communicates a unique identifier associated with a particular piece of media to which the electronic content is to be stored to the server. The server contacts a media tracking sever to determine if the media is valid and a remaining balance of the prepaid media. The cost of the electronic content to be downloaded is deducted from the remaining balance and credited to the vendor's account. The server then encrypts the electronic content using the unique identifier as a key and downloads the encrypted electronic content to the client computer, where the client computer writes the encrypted electronic content to the particular piece of media such that the encrypted electronic content may only be accessed from the particular piece of media. The electronic content is only accessible from only the one piece of media having the unique identifier and is not accessible from any other media having a different or no identifier.

Method and computer program product for an online monitoring search engine

Abstract: An online monitoring search engine. The invention is a system, method and computer program product that allows an organization, company, or the like to monitor the Internet (or any computer network) for violations of their intellectual property (e.g., patent, trademark or copyright infringement), or monitor how persons on the Internet view their business, products and/or services. The system includes a Web server for receiving search requests and criteria from users on a Web client and a server for searching the Internet for URL's that contain contents matching the search criteria, thereby compiling a list of offending URL's. The system also includes a file system for storing contents from each of the offending URL's and a relational database for allowing the server to perform queries of the content in order to produce a report. The method involves receiving search criteria from a user, searching the Internet, downloading offending contents, and then archiving and scoring the contents. The method also obtains contact information for each registrant of the offending URL's and produces a report for the user.

Methods and apparatus for downloading data between an information processing device and an external device via a wireless communications technique

Abstract: To provide an improved information processing apparatus and a method for controlling the same, which enables to smoothly transfer data, such as processed results obtained from execution of an application program, an HTML file acquired from a Web server in accordance with the TCP/IP protocol or the like, to an external device (PDA) by using an infrared communication function. The disclosed information processing apparatus periodically accesses a predetermined server machine (e.g., a Web server) to acquire a desired file (e.g., an HTML file). This file acquisition operation is carried out without the involvement of operations of an infrared transceiver. In other words, the information processing apparatus attempts to continually perform caching of the most recent download data. As a result, when the PDA as an external device is set into an infrared communication mode and a user simply holds the PDA to a station discoverable region of the information processing apparatus, a connection between them is established, thereby enabling the PDA to receive the most recent data.

Systems and methods for modifying broadcast programming

Abstract: A system for selecting, erasing or reproducing program recordings using marking and descriptive data which is transmitted to a client location from a remote processing location. A database of identification signals specifying the characteristics of a known programming is maintained at a remote processing location. In a first embodiment, selected identification signals are downloaded from the database to the client location and are used by a processor at the client location to identify desired programming within a locally stored collection of previously received broadcast programming signals. In a second arrangement, locally stored programming signals are processed to extract identification data which is uploaded from the client location to the remote processing location for comparison to the database, and information describing the content of the matching programs is returned to the client location for use as a program guide, facilitating the selection, permanent storage, or playback of desired program records and/or the erasure of undesired programming. To conserve local storage space, identified program records may be uploaded and stored at the remote processing location, or shared program records in a central library may be made available for remote playback after an the identity of equivalent locally stored programming is confirmed.

A method and system for providing on-line interactivity over a server-client network

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for communicating media over a network including encoding the media into a server database at a server, downloading from the server database to a client database generally only those portions of the media which are necessary to satisfy user requests and in response to a user request for a given item of media, determining whether the media is present in the client database, and if not, automatically downloading those portions of the media which are necessary to supply the user with the given item of media from the server database. An image server is provided including at least one processor operative to supply portions of image data to clients in response to multiple requests therefrom, and thread management software operating the at least one processor by causing it to process the requests using at least one of a plurality of threads, the thread management software being characterized in that it initiates a new thread when an existing thread has exceeded a predetermined metric of busyness.

Process and apparatus for downloading data from a server computer to a client computer

Abstract: A download of a data file from a server computer (10) to a client computer (12) is monitored by the client computer. The download is restarted automatically if a failure occurs. A failure may be a timeout, a loss of a connection, data errors, or other errors that terminate the download. The download may be restarted by instructing the server computer to start reading from a specified offset corresponding to an amount of data that was received reliably by the client, so that data is not unnecessarily retransmitted. This process increases the likelihood that a download will complete successfully. The client program (20), if specialized for performing downloads, may be stored at the server. In response to a request to download a file, the client program is downloaded first, with the location of the requested file stored within the program. The client program is then executed on the client computer to transfer the requested file.

Method for downloading a web page to a client for efficient display on a television screen

Abstract: A server system provides a client system with access to a number of services. For each service, if a given service provider is overloaded or if the client is unable to contact that provider, the client can contact another service provider capable of providing the requested service. The server system provides information to the client system identifying a list of services that the server system provides. For each service in the list of services, the information may include a service name identifying the service, and a unique port identifying each service provider for that service, so that one service name can be used in accessing multiple service providers of a desired service. A request from the client may include a service name identifying the desired service, and a port selected from ports provided by the server system that corresponds to a service provider for the desired service.

Improved system for downloading and reporting medical information

Abstract: A system for transferring binary medical files from remote devices (10) to a central database over the internet includes an adapter (30) for converting the binary medical information file to a compatible file of keystroke codes. The keystroke codes are transferred to a computer (30) which converts the codes to ASCII characters which are input by an applet, and transferred to the central database. Software at the central database recovers the original binary medical information file. Additionally, a system for accessing medical reports in real time utilizes a report requesting data. The codes and data are transferred over the internet to a host computer which generates a report file, and transfers the file via internet to the requestor to be displayed on a computer.

Data processing system and method for recovering from system crashes

Abstract: A system and method for recovering from corruption of an executable application and/or operating system stored on a client computer without downloading another copy of the application and/or operating system. This recovery is accomplished by storing, preferably at the initial program loading, two copies of the application (and the operating system, if desired) in different segments of a partitioned storage, one copy as a working copy and a second copy as an archive or backup copy. When the working copy of the application or operating system becomes corrupted and crashes, the backup copy is thereafter used as the new working copy and, if desired, a new backup copy is stored to be used when the working copy crashes. This allows the system to continue functioning after a crash without the necessity to find a new copy of the application and operating system from outside the computer.

Systems and methods for remote viewing of patient images

Abstract: A digital camera containing patient images is connected to an uploader computer and the patient's name or history is entered into the uploader computer. The uploader computer then connects to the Internet, connects to the secure host server, uploads the images to the host server and shuts down the Internet connection. After the physician selects a medical facility and the system verifies the physician's user I.D. and password, the host server constructs an HTML web page which includes a list of patients whose images were previously uploaded by the medical facility and are available for viewing The physician simply selects the name of a patient and the host server displays the patient information and images on the physician's computer. The system is password-protected at all levels and the operator for each medical facility determines who may have access to the medical facility images.

Wireless information processing terminal and controlling method thereof

Abstract: An improved wireless information processing apparatus that is connectable to an appropriate one of the access points prepared by an internet provider even under a mobile environment. A terminal and method of operation whereby a user of the terminal requests connection to the Internet, the terminal extracts a CS-ID from notification information transmitted from a wireless base station and, then, retrieves its own association table to acquire a telephone number of an access point nearest to the current location. Then, the terminal dials-up to the acquired access point to establish an internet connection. As a result, the terminal is allowed to download an electronic mail destined therefor, a Web page (HTML file or the like) stored in a disk of a given Web server and the like. Alternatively, the terminal is allowed to transmit data contained therein (or a file and/or an electronic mail edited on this terminal) to another computer system connected to the Internet, or to upload such data to a disk of a given Web server.

Distributed computation utilizing idle networked computers

Abstract: The present invention utilizes the otherwise unproductive minutes and hours when a networked client computer is not in use by a local human operator. The method and system described herein allow multiple partitioned computations to be queued for distribution to any number of client computers when the clients indicate their availability. Availability may be determined by the same criteria used to activate screen-saver programs, i.e., a predetermined time without any keyboard or mouse input. Application programs are designed to accept a common calling sequence. An application-independent master control program coordinates the distribution of computation segments, the combination of partial results, and the formatting of the final result. An application-independent client control program reports availability of client computers, downloads application program files, invokes the application to compute partial results for a range of computation segments, and uploads the partial results to the master computer. One class of distributed computation supported is finding the minimum or maximum value of a calculated target cell in a spreadsheet, based on a number of input cells taking values within a specified range.

An autoconfigurable method and system having automated downloading

Abstract: A method of upgrading a system, such as a computer, that supports a variety of devices includes locating and identifying a first supported device and determining location information related to a remote site at which device-level software is stored. The determination of location information is an automated response to identifying the first device and the device-level software at the remote site is specific to the identified device. The remote site is automatically accessed via transmission lines. The device-level software is then downloaded from the remote site to the system. In the preferred embodiment, the automated process that frees the user from intervention is carried to the installation of the downloaded software and the autoconfiguration of system resources. For personal computers, the downloaded software is typically driver software.

Internet photo booth

Abstract: A computer program product for an interactive public kiosk including a processor for automatically forming a web page including an image of a user, includes a computer readable media. The computer readable media includes code that directs the processor to capture an image of the user, and code that directs the processor to modify the image according to a user selected theme to form a modified image. Code that directs the processor to determine a URL address for the web page is disclosed. The computer readable media also includes code that directs the processor to create a file in response to the user selected theme and the modified image, and code that directs the processor to upload the file to be located at the URL address to a server.

Secure data downloading, recovery and upgrading

Abstract: The invention provides an improved method and system for secure down-loading, recovery, and upgrading of data. A client device receives information from a server device using a reliable software modules stored in permanent memory in the client device. The reliable software modules perform software and data integrity tests, and locate and retrieve data for recovery or upgrade of the client device. The client device confirms the trustworthiness of the received information device by comparing digital signatures or digests for the information it receives with known digital certificates in the reliable software module.

Interactive customer support for computer programs using network connection of user machine

Abstract: The present invention, generally speaking, provides for broad-based, systematic, individualized, interactive customer software support through a two-way, voluntary automated exchange of information between a software agent installed on a customer's machine and a server machine via a wide area computer network, e.g., the Internet. Communication between the agent and the server is optimized to be unobtrusive or transparent, using spare bandwidth of intermittent Internet connections, for example. The agent is software non-specific and may be instructed to operate with respect to any arbitrary software program, and may further be instructed at various different times to operate with respect to various different software programs, including multiple different software programs on a single machine. The agent, with the user's informed consent, gathers activity information about the operations of the software program(s) and uploads this information to a particular server machine within a distributed server machine architecture, where it is stored in a database on a per-software-copy basis. A rules engine may cause instructions carrying a message targeted specifically toward the customer (based on the activity information) to be downloaded to the agent. Based on these instructions, the agent may take any of various actions, such as present a survey, present an advertisement, send an upgrade notice, present a limited-time offer, deliver individualized marketing messages, offer goods for sale and fulfill the commercial transaction, install an upgrade or bug fix for either an application or the agent itself, etc. Message presentation to the customer may be timed (e.g., delayed from the time of download) to achieve maximum impact. Timing may be relative to individual program menu selections. For example, a message relating to a particular product feature may be presented just after that feature has been used. The agent may be instructed to operate with additional applications, including applications shipped prior to the existence of the agent. Exemplary uses include marketing, sales, customer registration, technical support, market research, customer surveys, usage monitoring, software testing, in-product advertising, etc.

One-to-many disk imaging transfer over a network

Abstract: Methods, systems, articles of manufacture, and signal formats are provided for transferring disk images from a transmitting computer to one or more downloading computers. The transfer is done in a manner that allows a technician to start the download to one computer while preparing a second computer for downloading or shutting down a third computer after it has finished downloading the disk image. The computers need not wait for the beginning of a data stream but can instead join the download at specified points within the data stream. This reduces the time spent waiting to begin the download, particularly when the disk image being transferred is large. Compression and connection selection may be performed in response to changes in network performance. Image file packing and error management techniques may also be used, as well as on-the-fly file system instance manipulations.

System and method for securely accessing a database from a remote location

Abstract: A secure client/server system allows remote access to a database system without allowing unauthorized users to access data stored within the database system. A server receives a request for data from a client located at a remote location. The server translates the request for data into an appropriate query or queries. The queries are used by the server to retrieve data from databases associated with the server. If the requested data resides in a plurality of databases that utilize different protocols, the server submits a plurality of queries which are respectively compatible with the databases. Furthermore, if some of the information requested by the request for data is located in a remote database, the server creates a second request for data and transmits the second request for data to a remote server associated with the appropriate database. The remote server translates the second request for data into a second query and retrieves the requested data from the remote server with the second query. The remote server then transmits the data retrieved from the remote database to the server that originally received the request for data from the client. The original server assimilates all of the retrieved data and submits the data in encrypted form to the client.

Pay per record system and method

Abstract: An apparatus and method provides for the downloading and recording of data files over a data network such as the world wide web. A server connected to the world wide web includes a data base which includes a number of different data files such as music, video, and software that it wishes to sell to its customers. A web page is provided on the server for customers to access and view the products that are for sale. A system for billing the customers is also incorporated into the server such that when a system user logs in there is either a confirmation that the user has an account with the service provider or credit card information is provided in which charges may be made against. Through use of the web browser, the system user makes selections and begins the download of information into a memory in the user interface. Connected to the user interface is a recorder for recording the information upon a portable media such as an optical disk. Once the information is downloaded over the data network into the memory, the plugin in the web browser decompresses an unencrypts the file and begins the transfer process to the media recorder. Upon completion of the recording, (a) confirmation message is sent to the server (b) system user is billed for the download. After the billing process is complete, the plugin will delete the file from the computer memory and unlock the portable media so that the system user may play this information on another device.

Dynamic JAVA™ class selection and download based on changeable attributes

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable code with which a program component can be dynamically selected for downloading, based on current values of one or more changeable attributes. Multiple versions of a program component are available, and a specific version is dynamically selected for downloading based on current attribute values. Attribute values may represent a user's authorization privileges, current working environment, preferences, network connection type, status, etc. In this manner, software can be optimized for particular users or groups of users, or particular environments of hardware and/or software, while still providing applications that are usable by a wide range of users in a wide range of operating environments. In another aspect, this dynamic selection based on attributes can be used to select a version of a component for remote execution, instead of for downloading. The dynamic selection process may occur on a server in the network, or on the client's local machine. In the latter case, selected component versions may be loaded from local storage instead of downloading them from a server. Administrative policy information based on the user's identity and/or group membership may be used to generate the current attribute values, reflecting one or more of: a user's current working environment, authorization privileges, preferences, network connection type, and status.

Method and system for downloading graphic images on the internet

Abstract: In a method and system for downloading graphic images on the Network, at least one high-resolution graphic image file of a reference image is stored at a network server. At least part of the reference image is compressed and downloaded at reduced resolution from the network server to a client connected to the network server. Upon suitable decompression, a corresponding low-resolution image is displayed and size data uniquely specifying a portion of the displayed image is uploaded from the client to the network server. The specified portion of the high-resolution graphic image file is extracted from the network server and downloaded to the client where it is displayed. Such an approach obviates the need to transfer high-resolution data intensive graphic files to the client and further allows the heavy image processing to be performed on the server much faster than is achieved in prior approaches where processing is performed locally at the client.

Telecommunications adapter providing non-repudiable communications log and supplemental power for a portable programmable device

Abstract: A portable adapter that provides non-repudiable telecommunications services to bar-code reading hand-held computers and palm-top or tablet-type mobile computers is disclosed. The adapter provides supplemental power supply and processing capacity that supports API communications functions, such as interactive voice recognition, conference calling, data encryption, VoIP packetization and other signal-format conversions that are not implemented on mobile computers. In particular, the device automatically logs IP packet identifiers and DOV dialing and status signals, without the user having access to edit this information, thereby providing a "non-repudiation" record of all communications. The adapter also supports intensive use of the host computer's serial port by supplementing the power available from the host computer's battery, or replacing that battery with a connector. For plant inspection and inventory auditing, ground-based cellular communications are implemented for supporting on-site work, including conference calling to discuss apparent pilferage or imminent safety hazards, and removable WORM recording media for documenting these discussions. For repair shop use, a standard phone jack or 10-base-T connector allows the device to upload engine test-data, with reports or estimates dictated by the mechanic to the repair shop's LAN server. For hospital use, the device includes removable WORM media for logging patient test results and examination reports. The hospital device also uses a dedicated local-area RF or IR transmitter, with location-specific encryption, to protect the privacy of lab reports received by the device, and to limit use of these devices to hospital's own premises.

Method and apparatus for remote ROM flashing and security management for a computer system

Abstract: A remote flash ROM and security package is formed and delivered to a system ROM of a target computer system for remote flashing of the ROM and remote configuration of security settings for the computer system. The remote flash ROM and security package includes flash ROM and security control code for calling a remote flash and security driver to execute a remote flash or to remotely configure a security setting, a file containing a “signed” ROM image to be flashed to the ROM, a security settings file which preferably is encrypted, and a remote flash and security control container for containing the flash ROM and security code, the ROM image, and the security settings file. The remote flash and security driver may be included in the remote flash ROM and security package or may be resident to the target computer system. In the preferred embodiment, the computer system includes a secure memory device containing an administrator password for locking and unlocking the ROM. The remote flash ROM and security package preferably includes an administrator password matching the administrator password stored in the secure memory device to place the computer system in an administrator mode. A system ROM thereby may be flashed or a security setting changed remotely without the need for a user to enter an administrator password. Further, flashing the ROM or changing a security setting occurs as an “inband” process. Flashing a ROM or changing a security setting by remotely providing an administrator password to a secure memory device eliminates the need to reboot a computer system after downloading the ROM and security package.

Method and system related to an audio/video network

Abstract: A method and system for downloading applications for controlling devices within a home audio/video network. Several consumer electronics products, e.g., television, VCR, tuner, set-top box (e.g., intelligent receiver/decoder, IRD), DVTRs, PCs, DVD players (digital video disk), etc., can be coupled within the network to communicate together via a standard bus (e.g, IEEE 1394 serial communication bus). In one embodiment, the HAVI network offers unique advantages consumer electronic vendors because the architecture offers for the home network many of the advantages of existing computer system networks. Namely, interconnected devices can share resources and provide open, well defined APIs that allow ease of development for third party developers. Devices are controlled using software abstractions of the devices or services called DCMs. The present invention provides a mechanism whereby applications can be downloaded, e.g., via a programmable intelligent device (e.g., set-top-box), and provide features and services within the network. These applications originate from a service provider, are transferred over a logical channel (e.g., the internet/TV cable, satellite broadcast) to the consumer premises and are instantiated on the intelligent device within the network. The application can query a registry of DCMs to determine its complement of functions and can ultimately control the devices of the network using the available DCMs.

Multi-user system for creating and maintaining a medical-decision-making knowledge base

Abstract: A multi-user system for creating and maintaining a knowledge base is implemented on a variety of computer systems, including single-user personal computers, networked personal computers, and data communications networks, including the Internet. The system has a graphic user interface which can be easily learned by non-programmers. The knowledge base is displayed as a hierarchical multiplicity of nodes, in which each node is related to one or more superior nodes. Title of text, rules, references, and attributes associated with each node are displayed, and may be modified. Simulation is used to verify the knowledge base once generated. Data may be extracted from the bases in the form of hard-copy books, databases for downloading into Web browsers, and databases for downloading into hand-held computers including a multiplicity of grids, and a multiplicity of branches in the form of a logic tree. The user may choose one of the alternative display formats, and the hierarchy can be displayed in either collapsed view or expanded view. Interference between two or more users accessing the system concurrently is prevented by a locking and authorization subsystem, which also prevents unauthorized access to the environment. The system provides an organization of workflow into a multiplicity of development stages. Each such stage has associated with it an authorization level, developers working on the system concurrently are limited by these levels to access only particular stages and levels of development.

Server system communicating with personal digital assistant and communication method thereof

Abstract: A server system communicating with a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a communication method thereof. In a system including a server system for generating and storing files to be distributed to a plurality of users, a data transceiver connected to the server system, and the PDA connected to the data transceiver, for transmitting and receiving the data of the server system, the server system includes: a data portion for storing all files; a selector for selecting files to be downloaded to the PDA from among the files provided by the data portion, according to the command of a user; a file storage portion for storing the files selected by the selector; and a controller for classifying the files selected by the selector according to users, storing the files by user in different directories of the file storage portion, and when a user wishes, downloading only files stored in the user directory of the file storage portion to the user's PDA. Therefore, when the PDA user wants to generate a new file or change an existing file, files are selectively downloaded from the server system, and files which are unnecessary for the user are deleted from the PDA, thereby efficiently using the limited PDA memory.

Data transmitting and receiving system

Abstract: A transmitting and receiving system wherein a data file produced by a user can be uploaded into a server and the updated data file can be downloaded to another user. The transmitting and receiving system provides a place where general users can lay their works open and can sell the works.