US6055570A — Subscribed update monitors

Claim 1

Independent Claim 66 words

Apparatus for monitoring changes in content on a network, comprising: a. a computer connected to said network; b. a database of network addresses of information stored on said network to be monitored for changes, said addresses including at least one address of information not stored on said computer; and c. a process running on said computer for determining when information at a network address has changed.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 66 words

Apparatus for monitoring changes in content on a network, comprising: a. a computer connected to said network; b. a database of network addresses of information stored on said network to be monitored for changes, said addresses including at least one address of information not stored on said computer; and c. a process running on said computer for determining when information at a network address has changed.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 26 words

Apparatus of claim 1 in which said database further includes a table relating subscribers to the network addresses that are to be monitored for a subscriber.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 15 words

Apparatus of claim 1 in which said database further includes a table of subscriber information.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 23 words

Apparatus of claim 1 in which said database includes information summarizing any change that has occurred in said information at a network address.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 31 words

Apparatus of claim 1 in which said process receives a message from a network site servicing a specific network address summarizing a change that has occurred in information at that address.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 16 words

Apparatus of claim 5 in which said process stores information from said message in said database.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 26 words

Apparatus of claim 1 in which said process manages information about subscribers who are authorized to receive information about changes to information at a network address.

Claim 9

Independent Claim 65 words

A system comprising: a. a network; b. one or more content servers connected to said network; c. one or more user computers connected to said network; d. an update monitor service server connected to said network, said update monitor service server being configured to provide information to one or more user computers about changes in content of information stored on one or more content servers.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 65 words

A system comprising: a. a network; b. one or more content servers connected to said network; c. one or more user computers connected to said network; d. an update monitor service server connected to said network, said update monitor service server being configured to provide information to one or more user computers about changes in content of information stored on one or more content servers.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 36 words

The system of claim 8 in which at least one of said one or more content servers provides information to said update monitor service that a change had been made to information on said content server.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 22 words

The system of claim 9 in which the information that a change had been made includes a textual summary of the change.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 21 words

The system of claim 8 in which said update monitor service server permits access to user computers on a subscription basis.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 41 words

The system of claim 8 in which said update monitor service server is configured to maintain a list of one or more users of user computers and respective network addresses of information stored on said network to be monitored for changes.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 23 words

The system of claim 8 in which said update monitor service server is run as a process on an internet service provider computer.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 19 words

The system of claim 8 in which said update monitor service server is run on a dedicated network server.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 94 words

A method of providing information to one or more users about changes in content of information stored on one or more network servers, comprising the steps of: a. providing an element for performing the step of registering a user together with a list of network addresses of information the user desires to monitor for change in a database; and b. providing an element for performing the steps of, for each unique network address, subscribing to a change notification service provided by a server on which a network address is located, if one is provided.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 94 words

A method of providing information to one or more users about changes in content of information stored on one or more network servers, comprising the steps of: a. providing an element for performing the step of registering a user together with a list of network addresses of information the user desires to monitor for change in a database; and b. providing an element for performing the steps of, for each unique network address, subscribing to a change notification service provided by a server on which a network address is located, if one is provided.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 57 words

The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of providing an element for performing the step of calculating a degree of change based on current and previous versions of information content stored on one or more network servers, if a change notification service is not provided by said server on which a network address is located.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of providing an element for performing the step of permitting users to create, modify and delete said list of network addresses of information the user desires to monitor for change.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 63 words

A computer program product, comprising: a. a memory medium; b. a computer program, stored on said memory medium, said computer program comprising instructions for registering a user together with a list of network addresses of information the user desires to monitor for change in a database on a computer, said addresses including at least one address of information not stored on said computer.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 63 words

A computer program product, comprising: a. a memory medium; b. a computer program, stored on said memory medium, said computer program comprising instructions for registering a user together with a list of network addresses of information the user desires to monitor for change in a database on a computer, said addresses including at least one address of information not stored on said computer.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 42 words

The computer program product of claim 18 in which said computer program further comprises instructions for subscribing to a change notification service provided by a server on which a network address is located, if one is provided, for each unique network address.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 37 words

The computer program product of claim 18 in which said computer program further comprises instructions for permitting users to create, modify and delete said list of network addresses of information the user desires to monitor for change.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2003-04-25	2003-10-25	2004-04-25	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2007-04-25	2007-10-25	2008-04-25	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2011-04-25	2011-10-25	2012-04-25	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Subscribed update monitors

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