Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F15/00—Digital computers in general; Data processing equipment in general
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L63/00—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security
  • H04L63/04—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
  • H04L63/0428—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F16/00—Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
  • G06F16/90—Details of database functions independent of the retrieved data types
  • G06F16/95—Retrieval from the web
  • G06F16/957—Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L63/00—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security
  • H04L63/10—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security for controlling access to devices or network resources
  • H04L63/102—Entity profiles
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
  • H04L67/2866—Architectures; Arrangements
  • H04L67/30—Profiles
  • H04L67/306—User profiles
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L69/00—Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass
  • H04L69/30—Definitions, standards or architectural aspects of layered protocol stacks
  • H04L69/32—Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
  • H04L69/322—Intralayer communication protocols among peer entities or protocol data unit [PDU] definitions
  • H04L69/329—Intralayer communication protocols among peer entities or protocol data unit [PDU] definitions in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Definitions

• the invention relates to a method and equipment for combining services of especially different types in an Internet-type network.
• 'Internet' must be interpreted broadly to refer to a network covering a large geographical area and/or a plurality of users. Particularly, the purpose is not to exclude restricted subnetworks of the actual Internet, called Intranet, Extranet etc.
• 'Client' (C) refers to a user of the services or to a user computer.
• a client may be an actual person or a process operating in a computer, such as a search robot.
• 'Page' is an abbreviation of a World Wide Web page.
• the primary field of use of the invention is the combination of different types of services such that the first services are more technical than the second services, which are in turn more entertainment- oriented than the first services.
• a producer of a technical service is called a 'service provider' (SP)
• a producer of a more entertainment-oriented service is called a 'content provider' (CP).
• CP 'content provider'
• the corresponding servers are referred to by these terms. It should be remembered, however, that the division between technical and entertainment-oriented services is only a concrete example intended to illustrate the invention, and that entertainment- oriented services may typically include facts and news.
• the Internet has become a new tool for companies for providing services. Marketing and distribution of services through the Internet are increasing very rapidly. On the other hand, companies must make significant investments to maintain the technical quality, content and style of their services at least on the same level as their competitors. It is a problem in many companies that after the initial enthusiasm wears off, there are not enough resources for developing the Web site.
• the Web site of Microsoft is an example of a well-designed service package. On the same home page it is possible to find both technical services, such as help in problem situations and downloading of new software updates, and entertaining services, such as news. A problem is, however, that no other company has similar resources for providing different types of services.
• a problem with this method is that the service provider cannot control what a client sees on the pages of the content provider. For example, the service provider cannot prevent the client from seeing advertisements of competing companies. The content provider may even sell the identification data of the client to the companies whose advertisements the client has seen.
• the problem for the client is that a jump via a permanent link to the web site of the content provider produces the same page for all the clients instead of customization of the page according to the client's personal preferences. Locating a relevant service or data takes up a great deal of the client's time and consumes the resources of the telecommunication system.
• 'Profile' refers to the part of the client data that is transmitted to the other server and used by this server to customize the service.
• the profile may comprise, for example, the following data (from general to detailed): the client has shares, the client has shares of a car company, the client has shares of a certain company, or the client has a stock portfolio with a specific content.
• the purpose of the invention is to develop a method and equipment implementing the method so that the aforementioned problems can be solved, in other words a service can be customized according to the needs and/or interests of a client.
• the objects of the invention are achieved with a method and a system which are characterized by what is disclosed in the independent claims.
• the preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.
• the invention is based on combining at least two different servers or server processes.
• a server of a service provider SP is called a first server and a server of a content provider CP is called a second server.
• a client contacts the first server via an Internet-type telecommunication network and gives the server his identification data, such as client identity and/or password.
• the client is directed to another server, which produces services for the client.
• the first server transmits the client's profile data to the second server, which adapts its services according to the client's profile data and/or the identity of the first server.
• the client identification data is preferably concealed from the second server.
• the client may be prevented from accessing some of the services of the second server, for example based on the identification data of the first server.
• the services that are primarily offered to the client may be selected from the services provided by the second server based on the profile data. In this manner, it is, for example, possible to prevent the administrator of the first server from directing the client to see competing advertisements or services.
• the method and system according to the invention have an advantage that the technical service provider does not have to use his time and resources to provide content, and vice versa.
• the content provider is able to distribute its services via several technical servers. With one contact the client receives customized service, for example data or news that is of current interest to the client. Since the client does not have to specifically look for the data that interests him, the invention saves the resources of the telecommunication system.
• the invention can be implemented with known devices by means of rather simple changes in software.
• Figure 1 is a block and signalling diagram illustrating the invention
• Figure 2 shows the operation of a service provider SP
• Figure 3 shows the operation of a content provider CP.
• FIG. 1 shows equipment according to a preferred embodiment of the invention and the operation thereof.
• a client C activates with his computer a browser.
• the computer sets up a connection to the server of a service provider SP via the Internet under the control of the browser. From the point of view of the invention it does not matter whether the client's connection to the Internet is fixed or set up via a switched telephone network.
• the server of the service provider SP usually identifies the client such that the client has a client identity CID and a password PW. Other means of identification include the use of a smart card or callback.
• the relationship between the SP and the client is usually confidential.
• the 'client profile' PR (CID) refers below to the part of the client data that is transmitted to the server of a content provider CP.
• a good example of a content provider CP is a media company, such as a newspaper publisher.
• the service provider for example a bank
• the bank knows the client's identity and the contents of the portfolio. Outsiders are not allowed to know at least the specific content of a certain client's stock portfolio.
• the client profile may be, for example, information that the client has shares of certain companies.
• a user interface provided by the SP may be, for example, such that the content of the stock portfolio is shown as a listing where the name of each share is also a link to the server of the CP.
• the client thus activates the link to Car Factory Ltd (for example by clicking the company name).
• the server of the SP then transmits to the server of the CP a service request which preferably contains:
• Control data refers to, for example, communication between the SP and the CP related to different manners of customizing the service.
• the clients may be divided into different types and the code of the client type can be transmitted in the form of control data.
• the service request is not transmitted directly from the SP to the CP, but there is between them an encryption function, which is represented in Figure 1 by a separate server called 'profile proxy' PP.
• the encryption function may also be a separate function in the server of the SP, for example.
• the purpose of the encryption function is to convert the identity and/or profile data of the client into such a form that the CP cannot recognize the client's identity if the service in question is anonymous.
• An anonymous service means a service of the CP which does not require user identification.
• the client is identified, for example, by means of user identity, in which case the client does not use the service as an anonymous user.
• An example of such services is real-time data on the stock exchange which can only be accessed by those with valid service subscription.
• the encryption function information about the client's identity is only limited to the company whose server the client has contacted.
• the advantage of the encryption function to the client is, for example, that the client is able to contact the server of a content provider without the CP coming to know the client's identity.
• the identity of the client is only known to the service provider (in this case the bank) whose server the client has contacted first. If the client trusts the bank, he may safely browse through advertisements, for example, without fear of becoming a target of aggressive marketing.
• the content provider may combine the received client profile with its own profile data, if the use of the content requires client identification.
• the client is identified in the service of both the SP and the CP, the latter is also able to use its own client profile data in the service customization and to combine the profile data received from the SP with its own profile data.
• the CP may already know, for example, the fields of activity the client is interested in.
• the SP transmits the names of the companies in the stock portfolio together with the client's profile data.
• the CP is then able to combine the information on the fields of activity and the names of the listed companies for the purpose of customization of content without finding out the client identity used by the service provider.
• a service which normally requires user identification can be provided to the clients of the service provider as a service that is anonymous with respect to the content provider.
• the SP in a way treats its clients to the service.
• a stock exchange service which is normally liable to charge and requires a user identity, may be used by the clients of the SP without any extra charge and user identification when the search comes to the CP via the encryption function PP.
• the CP will not be able to find out the client's identity.
• PR'(CID') refers to a client profile distorted in such a manner.
• the content provider receives a search request where the client data is preferably concealed and/or distorted.
• the CP provides the clients with customized media content.
• the customization may include one or more of the following steps.
• the client may see, for example, news concerning companies that interest him, either companies mentioned in the profile data (in this case Car Factory Ltd) or companies that operate in the same general field.
• news can be selected for the client from the field in question (in this case for example financial news and news of the stock exchange).
• the customization of the media content also includes that the CP filters off the advertisements competing with the SP, in other words it prevents the client from seeing these advertisements. This takes place by means of a database DB, for example.
• each service provider with which the content provider has a co-operation agreement is assigned a list of the companies whose advertisements are filtered off when the client arrives at the CP server from the server of this SP.
• a list of the companies whose advertisements are allowed is obtained from the database when the client arrives at the CP server from the server of the SP in question.
• the CP forms a service that is customized according to the client's needs.
• the invention solves the problems described in the introduction, in other words service customization and limiting the client identity to the company whose server the client has contacted.
• the invention is complemented such that in step 7 the content provider returns to the service provider usage information UI'(CID') and/or profile conversion data ⁇ PR(CID').
• usage information refers to unprocessed data, such as log data. It may include a complete path of the pages of the CP the client has visited and possibly the time spent on each page.
• the profile conversion data is data processed from the usage information.
• the client uses services of the CP, he makes choices which may shape the user profile. Some of the choices are of interest to the SP.
• the SP and the CP may come to an agreement about exchanging such data. For example, in a stock exchange service the client has indicated his interest in certain fields of activity and the SP and the CP have agreed on exchange of this data. However, the client now changes his interests by selecting new fields of activity and deleting some of the earlier choices.
• This profile conversion data is transmitted from the CP to the SP. Assume that the service provider directs the client to the server of the CP and the profile data PR indicates that the client is interested in news related to the stock exchange, car industry or a certain car factory.
• the client finds from the CP server also other interesting things, for example he spends a considerable amount of time in the section of holiday houses, maybe houses in a certain area or of a certain size/price.
• the profile conversion data includes corresponding information about the client's other interests.
• the usage information Ul' and the profile conversion data ⁇ PR' are reconverted or the encryption is decrypted with an inverse conversion function f "1 :
• the usage information Ul and/or the profile conversion data ⁇ PR is transmitted to the SP in a form the SP understands.
• the usage information may contain data of the services the client has used in the SP server.
• the SP may supplement its client register on the basis of this data.
• the CP may return to the SP profile conversion data ⁇ PR that has already been processed.
• the converted identification data of the client is intended for a single use, which means that the client always appears as a new client to the CP, so that the data about the client's areas of interests is only limited to the company whose server the client has contacted himself.
• Figures 2 and 3 illustrate the operation according to a preferred embodiment of the invention from the point of view of the SP and the CP, respectively.
• the service provider identifies the client and determines the client identity CID and the client profile PR(CID).
• this data is transmitted to the CP in an encrypted form, for example by means of transmission via the encryption function PP.
• the SP receives unprocessed usage information Ul or preferably processed profile conversion data ⁇ PR.
• the SP updates the client profile PR(CID).
• the CP receives from the SP the client identity CID' and the client profile PR'(CID').
• the CP forms a service customized according to the client's needs.
• Service customization may include selecting facts, news and/or advertisements on the basis of the profile data and/or the identity of the SP.
• Usage information indicating, for example, how long the client has been on each page is maintained simultaneously.
• the usage information is processed into profile conversion data ⁇ PR. (If the CP does not perform this in a centralized manner, each SP must carry it out separately in step 24).
• the CP transmits the profile conversion data ⁇ PR to the SP.
• the functions SP, PP and CP are provided in different servers which communicate together via the Internet. This is not necessary, but some or all of these functions can be regarded as different processes of one and the same server. This common server is controlled by an external unit which is neither the SP nor the CP. Even though the functions are situated at the different servers SP, PP and CP, they may communicate with each other for example via a local area network.
• the invention and the embodiments thereof are thus not restricted to the examples described above, but they may vary within the scope of the claims.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
• Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Databases & Information Systems (AREA)
• Computing Systems (AREA)
• Data Mining & Analysis (AREA)
• Information Transfer Between Computers (AREA)
• Data Exchanges In Wide-Area Networks (AREA)
• Computer And Data Communications (AREA)
• Telephonic Communication Services (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

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• 1998
  • 1998-05-29 FI FI981214A patent/FI105738B/fi not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1999
  • 1999-05-27 KR KR1020007013470A patent/KR20010071348A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1999-05-27 BR BR9910753-8A patent/BR9910753A/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1999-05-27 JP JP2000552564A patent/JP2002517810A/ja active Pending
  • 1999-05-27 WO PCT/FI1999/000462 patent/WO1999063416A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1999-05-27 IL IL13987799A patent/IL139877A0/xx unknown
  • 1999-05-27 AU AU46180/99A patent/AU4618099A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-05-27 CA CA002332787A patent/CA2332787A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-05-27 CN CN99807507A patent/CN1305614A/zh active Pending
  • 1999-05-27 ID IDW20002620A patent/ID27179A/id unknown
  • 1999-05-27 EP EP99929343A patent/EP1092198A2/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1999-05-27 PL PL99345158A patent/PL345158A1/xx unknown
  • 1999-05-27 TR TR2000/03541T patent/TR200003541T2/xx unknown
  • 1999-05-27 RU RU2000130130/09A patent/RU2000130130A/ru not_active Application Discontinuation
• 2000
  • 2000-11-21 NO NO20005905A patent/NO20005905L/no not_active Application Discontinuation

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