WO2010041949A1

WO2010041949A1 - Communication system

Info

Publication number: WO2010041949A1
Application number: PCT/NO2008/000360
Authority: WO
Inventors: André Fossen MLONYENI
Original assignee: Ground Control Labs As
Priority date: 2008-10-10
Filing date: 2008-10-10
Publication date: 2010-04-15

Abstract

The invention concerns a communication system (10) comprising a network of nodes (30, 40) interconnected via communication links. The nodes (40) are operable to exchange outgoing messages (M1) therebetween, the outgoing messages (M1) including one or more prompts for enabling nodes (30, 40) receiving the outgoing messages (M1) to respond with one or more response messages (M2) defining respects (R) indicative of appreciation of received information content in the outgoing messages (M1). The system (10) further comprises a data gathering function (50) operable to collate information relating to a distribution of one or more respects (R) received within the system (10) for determining significance of nodes (30, 40) within the network (10) for distributing the information content.

Description

COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to communication systems operable to identify patterns of flow of communication therein, for example with regard to providing advertisement services in such communication systems. Moreover, the invention also concerns methods of operating such communication systems. Furthermore, the invention relates to software products recorded in machine-readable form on data carriers and executable on computing hardware for executing aforesaid methods.

Background of the invention

Communication systems are conveniently implemented by communication nodes connected together in various configurations via communication links to form communication networks. The nodes are, for example, a variety of diverse electronic communication devices, and the communication links are, for example, communication pathways operable to communicate data between communication nodes interconnected via the communication links. Certain of the communication nodes give rise to more data traffic than other of the communication nodes.

It is convenient to visualize each of the networks in a manner of a three-dimensional surface in Cartesian x-y-z axes wherein x- and y-axes represent spatial disposition of the nodes, a z axis denotes a volume of data traffic associated with a given node. Thus, a highly active node giving rise to considerable data traffic is to be regarded as being at a greater z-axis height than other nodes to which it communicates. However, such a manner of visualizing the network needs to take into account that data traffic associated with a given node is temporally changing such that the network is in constant dynamic change. In such a scenario, it is desirable to determine critical regions of the network which are especially appropriate for injecting information to be disseminated throughout the network. However, such critical regions do not necessarily correspond to nodes with greatest data traffic associated therewith.

A conventional method of determining a significance of a given communication node involves simply counting a number of communication links associated with the given communication node. Another conventional method of determining a significance of a given communication node involves simply measuring a total flow to and from the node. However, such conventional methods generate inaccurate results if the communication links carry on average a relatively low volume of data which nevertheless bears significant information. In order to be able to control communication networks, there is therefore a need for alternative methods of determining a significance of communication nodes within corresponding communication networks, for example for using the significant nodes for disseminating information such as promotions and advertisements.

Summary of the invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a method of determining a significance of nodes in respect of distributing information content.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a communication system as claimed in appended claim 1: there is provided a communication system comprising a network of nodes interconnected via communication links,

characterized in that

the nodes are operable to exchange outgoing messages (M1) therebetween, the outgoing messages (M1) including one or more prompts for enabling nodes receiving the outgoing messages (M1) to respond with one or more response messages (M2) defining respects (R) indicative of appreciation of received information content in the outgoing messages (M1), the system further comprising a data gathering function operable to collate information relating to a distribution of one or more respects (R) received within the system for determining significance of nodes within the network for distributing the information content.

The present invention is of advantage in that the system is capable of determining a significance of its nodes in spreading information content appreciated by users of the system.

Optionally, in the communication system, the data gathering function is operable to interrogate the nodes to receive information regarding respects (R) received thereat in response to outgoing messages (M1) sent therefrom. The data gathering function is thus able to operate autonomously to exchange of the messages (M1 , M2) between the nodes and thereby not interfere with operation of the network.

Optionally, the communication system further includes an arrangement for enabling users of nodes to selectively attach additional information to their outgoing messages (M1) in compensation for receiving privileges in respect of the system. Such additional information enables advertising and related selective information dissemination processes to be implemented within the network.

Optionally, in the communication system, the network is implemented as clusters of nodes and the data gathering function is implemented to function locally within each cluster. Optionally, in the communication system, the network is implemented as clusters of nodes, each cluster being implemented as a wireless cluster.

Optionally, in the communication system, the system further includes at least one advertisement interface for enabling at least one party to enter one or more documents for defining the information content for distribution within the system.

Optionally, in the communication system, distribution of the information content is conditional upon at least one of:

(a) a popularity measure (P) as computed from collated information relating to the distribution of respects (R) received within the system;

(b) time limits occurring in the system; and

(c) one or more user characteristics of users associated with one or more of the nodes.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method as claimed in appended claim 6: there is provided a method of communicating messages within a communication system comprising a network of nodes interconnected via communication links,

characterized in that

the method includes steps of:

(a) exchanging outgoing messages (M1) between the nodes, the outgoing messages (M1) including one or more prompts for enabling nodes receiving the outgoing messages (M1) to respond with one or more response messages (M2) defining one or more respects (R) indicative of appreciation of received information content in the outgoing messages (M1); and

(b) collating using a data gathering function information relating to a distribution of respects (R) received within the system for determining significance of nodes within the network for distributing the information content.

Optionally, the method includes a step of using the data gathering function to interrogate the nodes to receive information regarding one or more respects (R) received thereat in response outgoing messages (M1) sent therefrom.

Optionally, the method includes a further step of providing an arrangement for enabling users of nodes to selectively attach additional information to their outgoing messages (M1) in compensation for receiving privileges in respect of the system.

Optionally, the method includes a step of implementing the network as clusters of nodes and implementing the data gathering function to function locally within each cluster. Optionally, the method includes a step of implementing the network as clusters of nodes, each cluster being implemented as a wireless cluster.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a software product as defined in appended claim 11 : there is provided a software product recorded in machine-readable form on a data carrier and executable on computing hardware for executing a method pursuant to the second aspect of the invention.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a software product recorded in machine-readable form on a data carrier and executable on computing hardware for implementing an advertisement interface for a system pursuant to the first aspect of the invention, the advertisement interface being operable to receive information content to be distributed within the system.

It will be appreciated that features of the invention are susceptible to being combined in any combination without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Description of the diagrams

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following diagrams wherein:

Figure 1 is an illustration of a communication network comprising an arrangement of nodes interconnected by communication links; and

Figure 2 is an illustration of message exchanges between nodes of the communication network of Figure 1.

Description of embodiments of the invention

In overview, with reference to Figure 1 , the present invention is concerned with a network 10 comprising one or more clusters 20 of nodes 30, 40. The nodes 30, 40 are distinguished in that they include a first type of nodes 30 providing communication between clusters 20, and a second type of nodes 40 which are local to each cluster 20. For example, the clusters 20 correspond to local area wireless networks and the first type of nodes 30 are hub wireless nodes linking the clusters 20 together. The clusters 20 optionally include a considerable number of nodes 40, for example several hundred or even several thousand nodes 40. Moreover, the first type of nodes 30 are not necessarily nodes experiencing greatest data traffic or information flow as considerable data traffic is capable of occurring between the second types of nodes 40 within the clusters 20.

The present invention builds upon a concept that one or more data gathering functions 50 within the network 10, for example one data gathering function 50 per cluster 20, is able to collate data regarding communication traffic occurring between nodes 40, for example within a cluster 20. Referring to Figure 2, when a first node 40a sends a message M1 as denoted by 100a, the message M1 is subsequently received at a second node 40b. The message M1 prompts the second node 40b to optionally respond back with a message M2 denoted by 100b regarding a manner in which the node 40b has received the message M1; the message M2 conveys a number of "respects" denoted by R. Such a prompt is implemented, for example, by a pop-up window which appears on a graphical display at the second node 40b once an e-mail has been read at the second node 40b and is to be closed by an appropriate mouse-cursor click; the user at the second node 40b is then able to allocated a desired number of respects R by applying a mouse-curser click on an appropriate active sub-field of the pop-up window. Such respects R are optionally generated at the second node 40b in response to a user thereat being visually presented with a list of response possibilities indicative of interest level, for example a list of mouse-cursor symbols which can be click activated and correspond to respects R for "very interesting", "moderately interesting", "uninteresting", "communication not desired". Clicking a mouse cursor on a symbol corresponding to "very interesting" optionally generates more respects R than clicking the mouse cursor on a symbol corresponding to "uninteresting".

For example, if a user at the first node 40a sends a message which is greatly appreciated at the second node 40b, a user at the second node 40b is able, for example when suitably motivated, to respond back to the first node 40a with a relatively larger number of respects R. Alternatively, if the user at the first node 40a sends a message M1 which is not appreciated at the user at the second node 40b, for example some form of uninteresting junk mail, the user at the second node 40b either elects not to respond back with any respects R in the message M2 or even responds back with negative respects -R in the message M2. The message M2 beneficially also includes an identity of the second node 40b so that an origin of the message M2 is susceptible to being later identified, as well as a temporal indicator of a time and date when the second message M2 was sent.

The data gathering function 50 communicates with the nodes 40 of the cluster 20 at intervals and collects from each of the nodes 40 a cumulative measure of its second messages M2 received thereat. It is relevant to bear in mind that the cluster 20 is potentially a temporary changing entity with certain nodes 40 shutting down and other nodes 40 connecting up which influences which nodes 40 are most popular in view of the number of respects R received thereat in respect of time t. Thus, generating statistical data in the data gathering function 50 is able to provide a temporally dynamically changing overview of paths of appreciated information flow within the network 10. Optionally, the nodes 40 communicate their respects R directly back to the data gathering function 50, identifying both sender and recipient nodes 40 pertaining to messages to which the respects R relate. The data gathering function 50 then computes, for a given time, a popularity measure P for each node 40 as defined by Equation 1 (Eq. 1):

P(i) = F(R{i,j),t) Eq. 1

wherein

P(i) = popularity measure of a node 40 with identity /; F = a computational function; R(i) = respects received by the node 40 with identity / from the node 40 with identity /; and t = measure of time.

The computational function F is arranged to take into account a non-representative situation that a first node 40a working in collaboration with a second node 40b simply mutually collaborate to return a large number of respects R to increase the popularity of the two nodes 40a, 40b in a deliberately artificial manner, for example to obtain some form for reward or other consideration. For example, the function F will return a greater value of popularity P for a given number of respects R at a given first node 40a if the respects R have been sent from a larger range of second nodes 40b rather than just a small sub-set of second nodes 40b. The popularity measure P is beneficially scaled according to a number of different second nodes 40b with index j that have contributed to computation of the measure P for any given node 40a with index /, for example such scaling can be a linear or polynomial relationship.

The invention relies upon a characteristic that a given node 40 will accumulate a greatest number of respects R from a large larger number of other nodes 40 if the given node 40 is a pathway by which relevant and interesting information is communicated within the cluster 20. In such a situation, the "interest of information" is not the same as "technical data flow", for example as expressed in bits/second. "Technical data flow", for example corresponding to an information flow expressed as a logarithmic function of probability as in conventional information theory, does not have any bearing on the nature of information being conveyed in bits of data of the "data flow" and a manner in which it psychologically influences recipient users at the nodes 40. As elucidated earlier, which node 40 is a most popular node 40 in the cluster 20 will be a temporally varying function, and is not derivable simply from monitoring a magnitude of technical data flows.

The invention further relies on a characteristic that third parties wishing to disseminate information, for example advertisements, within the cluster 20 are desirous to do so in a manner which does not significant load the cluster 20 with spam-like data, and also has a tacit recommendation of the user of a given node 40 found to be most popular within the cluster 20. With information provided from the data gathering function 50 to the third parties, the third parties are able to contact the user of the given node 40 having a highest popularity P and offer the user of the given node 40 inducements for allowing one or more advertisements or other types of information notices A to be attached to messages M1, for example e-mails, sent by the given node 40 having the highest popularity P. The inducements include, for example, free use of special facilities of the network 10 which would otherwise require payment of money or other similar form of good consideration, greater database storage allocation, reduced subscription costs, free cinema tickets, free theatre tickets, free or discounted aircraft tickets, By such an approach, the present invention relates to a method of determining information flow within a cluster 20, a group of clusters 20, or even within the entire network 10. Moreover, the present invention provides a method for disseminating information within a cluster 20, a group of clusters 20 or even within the entire the entire network 10 in an efficient manner which would not be possible using alternative known communication techniques.

The popularity measure P substantially as defined in Equation 1 (Eq. 1) is beneficially computed so as to be at least partially scaled by a factor corresponding to a reciprocal of total instantaneous data traffic in a pertinent cluster 20, or even instantaneous total data traffic within the network 10 for identifying those nodes 40 which are most likely to be effective at selectively disseminating information within the network 10 whilst avoiding sending data at times when the clusters 20 or networks 10 are coping with greatest data traffic flows.

Variations of the present invention are feasible. For example, the aforesaid third parties are beneficially operators of the network 10. Moreover, the aforesaid advertisements or other information notices A are susceptible to being temporally limited and are automatically purged from the network 10 when they surpass their allotted time range in which they are susceptible to being disseminated within the network 10.

The user of the given node 40 which is found to be most popular within the cluster 20, or group of clusters 20, using Equation 1 (Eq. 1) is beneficially provided with a range of advertisements or notices A from which to choose. The advertisements or notices A are susceptible to having mutually different inducements. Moreover, the user of the given node 40 is optionally required to submit his or her user profile to an operator of the network 10, such that the advertisements or notices A offered for dissemination by the user are selected in response to the user profile so that the user is only presented with a subset of advertisement or notices A options which are likely to be of interest to the user, or with which the user is prepared to be associated.

Associated with the network 10 is also an advertising function denoted by 100 for providing a service to third parties 110 desirous to distribute advertisements and similar promotional material within the network 10. The advertising function 100 is beneficially a communication interface implementing using a software product recorded on a data carrier and executable upon computing hardware. Optionally, the advertising function 100 is provided locally to the network 10. Alternatively, the advertising function 100 is provided remotely from the network 10, for example in a manner of software products which can be downloaded to third parties' computers and executed therefrom to provide the third parties 110 with one or more software platforms for placing adverts and similar information within the network 10, or merely a portion of the network 10, for example within one or more specifically defined clusters 20.

The advertising function 100 is reconfigurable so that the third parties 110 are allowed to define one or more documents 120 for dissemination within at least a part of the network 10. The documents 120 beneficially include at least one of: text fields, image fields, active user- invocable fields, animated fields. Beneficially, the documents 120 include active software, for example Javascipt microcode for generating various types of animations. Optionally, the advertising function 100 is reconfigurable to receive input from the third parties 110 defining time limits between which the one or more documents 120 are susceptible to being disseminated within the at least a part of the network 10. Moreover, the advertising function 100 is optionally reconfigurable so that the third parties 110 are allowed to define one or more characteristics for those nodes 40 which are to be used for distributing the documents 120, for example at least one of:

(a) one or more thresholds for their popularity measure P for enabling them to disseminate the one or more documents 120;

(b) user personal properties, for example special user interests such as wind surfing, horse riding, mountaineering, for example as collated by the data gathering function 50 in response to user feedback and/or user Internet browsing habits;

(c ) other events occurring at a specific time and/or specific locality, for example an ocean racing event, a skiing tournament.

The advertising function 100 is also optionally reconfigurable so that the third parties 110 are allowed to define one or more suitable rewards to be provided to users of nodes 40 in the network 10 for their assistance with selectively disseminating one or more of the documents 120; for example one or more financial rewards, or one or more additional services within the network 10 in consideration. The advertising function 100 is thus operable to receive input from the third parties 110 and is then operable to interface to the network 10, for example via the data gathering functions 50 and/or to an operating system function 150 which governs and coordinates operation of the network 10.

The network 10, the clusters 20 and their associated nodes 40 together with their one or more data gathering functions 50 are optionally susceptible to functioning, at least in part, in a peer-to-peer manner with regard to data exchange therebetween. By "peer-to-peer" communication, it is implied that data exchange occurs within the network 10 without specific control from any overall control function coordinating such data exchange within the network 10, but via routes established between individual nodes 40 of the network 10 in a mutually interactive local manner.

The advertising function 100 is thus operable to provide the third parties 110 with an opportunity, for example, to utilize Internet advertising, but without being responsible for generating considerable amounts of Internet spam mail. Overload on communication networks by spam and similar proliferating data traffic is a major contemporary problem which, in certain situations, can cause Internet web-sites and even portions of the Internet to cease technically functioning on account of data overload therein. In certain situations, sending spam and thereby creating unnecessary Internet data traffic is susceptible to attracting fines and punishment. The present invention potentially provides an effective approach to at least partially avoid such communication network overload without synergistically degrading effectiveness of information dissemination within the network 10 in a manner which has not been hitherto possible.

Optionally, issuance of respects R in the network 10 is a temporal function of a time when messages are sent and/or received within the network 10. For example, respects R are not sent within certain time limits when data traffic within the network 10 is at a relatively lower magnitude, namely when there is considerable available data transmission capacity available, and respects R are sent within other time limits when the network 10 is moderately to heavily loaded with data traffic.

Expressions such as "has", "is", "include", "comprise", "consist of, "incorporates" are to be construed to include additional components or items which are not specifically defined; namely, such terms are to be construed in a non-exclusive manner. Moreover, reference to the singular is also to be construed to also include the plural. Furthermore, numerals and other symbols included within parentheses in the accompanying claims are not to be construed to influence interpreted claim scope but merely assist in understanding the present invention when studying the claims.

Modifications to embodiments of the invention described in the foregoing are susceptible to being implemented without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A communication system (10) comprising a network of nodes (30, 40) interconnected via communication links,

characterized in that

said nodes (40) are operable to exchange outgoing messages (M1) therebetween, said outgoing messages (M1) including one or more prompts for enabling nodes (30, 40) receiving said outgoing messages (M1) to respond with one or more response messages (M2) defining one or more respects

(R) indicative of appreciation of received information content in said outgoing messages (M1), said system (10) further comprising a data gathering function (50) operable to collate information relating to a distribution of respects (R) received within the system (10) for determining significance of nodes (30, 40) within the network (10) for distributing said information content.

2. A communication system (10) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said data gathering function (50) is operable to interrogate said nodes (30, 40) to receive information regarding one or more respects (R) received thereat in response to outgoing messages (M1) sent therefrom.

3. A communication system (10) as claimed in claim 1 or 2, further including an arrangement for enabling users of nodes to selectively attach additional information to their outgoing messages (M1) in compensation for receiving privileges in respect of said system (10).

4. A communication system (10) as claimed in claim 1 , 2 or 3, wherein said network is implemented as clusters (20) of nodes (30, 40) and said data gathering function (50) is implemented to function locally within each cluster (20).

5. A communication system (10) as claimed in claim 1 , 2 or 3, wherein said network is implemented as clusters (20) of nodes (40), each cluster (20) being implemented as a wireless cluster.

6. A communication system (10) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, said system (10) further including at least one advertisement interface (100) for enabling at least one party (110) to enter one or more documents (120) for defining said information content for distribution within said system (10).

7. A communication system (10) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein distribution of said information content is conditional upon at least one of:

(a) a popularity measure (P) as computed from collated information relating to the distribution of respects (R) received within the system (10); (b) time limits occurring in said system (10); and

(c) one or more user characteristics of users associated with one or more of said nodes (40).

8. A method of communicating messages within a communication system (10) comprising a network of nodes (30, 40) interconnected via communication links,

characterized in that

said method includes steps of: (a) exchanging outgoing messages (M1) between said nodes, said outgoing messages (M1) including one or more prompts for enabling nodes (30, 40) receiving said outgoing messages

(M1) to respond with one or more response messages (M2) defining one or more respects (R) indicative of appreciation of received information content in said outgoing messages (M1); and

(b) collating using a data gathering function (50) information relating to a distribution of respects (R) received within the system (10) for determining significance of nodes (30, 40) within the network (10) for distributing said information content.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, including a step of using said data gathering function (50) to interrogate said nodes (30, 40) to receive information regarding one or more respects (R) received thereat in response outgoing messages (M1) sent therefrom.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8 or 9, including a further step of providing an arrangement for enabling users of nodes to selectively attach additional information to their outgoing messages (M1) in compensation for receiving privileges in respect of said system (10).

11. A method as claimed in claim 8, 9 or 10, including a step of implementing said network as clusters (20) of nodes (30, 40) and implementing said data gathering function (50) to function locally within each cluster (20).

12. A method as claimed in claim 8, 9 or 10, including a step of implementing said network as clusters of nodes, each cluster being implemented as a wireless cluster.

13. A software product recorded in machine-readable form on a data carrier and executable on computing hardware for executing a method as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 12.

14. A software product recorded in machine-readable form on a data carrier and executable on computing hardware for implementing an advertisement interface for a system (10) as claimed in claim 1 , said advertisement interface (100) being operable to receive information content to be distributed within said system (10).