US5999526A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for delivering data from an information provider using the public switched network
Assignee: Nokia of America Corp
•
Filing: 1996-11-26
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Granted: 1999-12-07
•
Expires: 2016-11-26
Abstract
Abstract The customer performs a search or otherwise defines selected data maintained by the information provider. Once the selected data is identified, the information provider maintains the requested data, typically by maintaining pointers identiying the data, but delays delivery of the requested data until the scheduled delivery time, such as a particular day and time requested by the customer or a non-peak period as determined by the information provider. When the information provider determines that delivery is appropriate, it makes a request for a suppressed ringing connection to a switching system. The switching system responds to the request for connection by creating a suppressed ringing connection where a silent alert tone or digital alert signal is transmitted to the customer premise equipment. The customer premise equipment includes a receiving system that receives one or more tones from the switching system over the suppressed ringing connection and becomes active. Upon being activated, the receiving system causes the customer's computer or portions of the computer such as a particular memory to power-up such that the computer can receive the data from the information provider.
Inventors
- 👤 Stuart Mandel Garland
- 👤 James Allen Kowal
- 👤 Hilton Manuel Nicholson
- 👤 David B. Smith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 23:48
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L67/00; H04L67/14; H04L67/01; H04L67/2866; H04L67/30; H04L67/306; H04L67/50; H04L67/60; H04L67/62; H04M; H04M11/00; H04M11/06; H04L69/00; H04L69/30; H04L69/32; H04L69/322; H04L69/329
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
65 words
A method for downloading data comprising the steps of: a) establishing a first connection between a customer computer and an information provider; b) identifying data to be downloaded from said service provider to said computer; c) terminating said first connection; d) establishing a suppressed ringing connection between said service provider and said computer; and e) downloading said data from said service provider to said computer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
65 words
A method for downloading data comprising the steps of: a) establishing a first connection between a customer computer and an information provider; b) identifying data to be downloaded from said service provider to said computer; c) terminating said first connection; d) establishing a suppressed ringing connection between said service provider and said computer; and e) downloading said data from said service provider to said computer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of identifying a download of data includes the step of specifying a specific time at which the step of downloading said data is to occur.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of downloading said data includes the step of determining an off-peak time at which said step of downloading said data is to occur.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of establishing a first connection includes the step of establishing said first connection through a switching system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 1, further including the step of limiting access to selected areas of the computer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method according to claim 1, further including the step of transmitting a security identifier over said first connection from said requesting computer to said service provider.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method according to claim 6, further including the steps of transmitting said security identifier over said suppressed ringing connection from said service provider to said requesting computer and said computer receiving said download of data only after verifying said security identifier.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to claim 4, further including the step of transmitting a silent alert over the suppressed ringing connection to said computer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method according to claim 6, further including the step of using said security identifier to allow the transmission of data only from the service provider to the computer via the suppressed ringing connection.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 1, further including the step of activating a message indicator.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said suppressed ringing connection consists of a first connection between the information provider and a switching system and a second connection between the switching system and a plurality of requesting computers, further including the steps of transmitting said data from said information provider to said switching system and broadcasting the data from said switching system to the plurality of requesting computers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said customer equipment includes a modem and a computer, delivering an alert tone over said suppressed ringing connection to activate the modem and establish a communications link.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said customer equipment includes a digital interface and a computer, delivering a digital short signal over said suppressed ringing connection to activate the digital interface and establish a communications link.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said data is identified by a request from said customer computer to said service provider.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of downloading the data includes the step of determining a time for delivery.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to claim 15, wherein the step of determining a time for delivery includes the step of accessing a customer profile.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 15, wherein the step of determining a time for delivery includes the step of determining the availability of network resources.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method according to claim 15, wherein the step of determining a time for delivery is based on the occurrence of a specified event.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 1, further including the step of powering the computer based on receipt of an alert over the suppressed ringing connection.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method according to claim 1, further including the step of powering selected portions of the computer based on receipt of an alert tone over the suppressed ringing connection.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method according to claim 1, further including the step of powering selected portions of the computer wherein the selected portions are determined based on a subaddress.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the information provider is allowed access to a specific area of the computer based on subaddressing.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the information provider is allowed access to different areas of the computer based on receipt of different tones.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method according to claim 1, further including the step of limiting access of the information provider to particular software routines in the computer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to claim 1, further including the step of limitng access of the information provider to particular hardware in the computer.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 10, wherein the message indicator identifies a specific message type.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 10, wherein the message indicator indicates that a data message has been delivered to the customer computer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 10, wherein the message indicator indicates that a telemetry call is in progress.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-12-06 | 2003-06-07 | 2003-12-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-12-06 | 2007-06-07 | 2007-12-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-12-06 | 2011-06-07 | 2011-12-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |