US6606657B1 — System and method for processing and presenting i…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 229 words

A method for monitoring Internet usage by a user at a terminal, comprising the steps of: detecting an access by the user to a new web site having a URL; determining a first time interval between the detected access to the new web site and a detected access to a previous web site; sending said first time interval and said URL to a predefined Internet address; determining a second time interval which indicates a period of time during which the user actively accessed said previous web site; said step of sending further including the step of transmitting said second time interval to said predefined Internet address; receiving user registration information; storing said user registration information at said terminal; said step of sending further including the step of transmitting at least some of said user registration information to said predefined Internet address; compiling the user registration information in a central server; storing the user registration information in real time memory in said central server; processing the user registration information to determine current “hot” Internet sites; processing the user registration information to determine historically popular sites; and presenting the processed user registration information to said user; said step of presenting further including the step of displaying a histogram on a user display screen, and integrating said processed user registration information with one of link maps, directory information and other navigation tools.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 229 words

A method for monitoring Internet usage by a user at a terminal, comprising the steps of: detecting an access by the user to a new web site having a URL; determining a first time interval between the detected access to the new web site and a detected access to a previous web site; sending said first time interval and said URL to a predefined Internet address; determining a second time interval which indicates a period of time during which the user actively accessed said previous web site; said step of sending further including the step of transmitting said second time interval to said predefined Internet address; receiving user registration information; storing said user registration information at said terminal; said step of sending further including the step of transmitting at least some of said user registration information to said predefined Internet address; compiling the user registration information in a central server; storing the user registration information in real time memory in said central server; processing the user registration information to determine current “hot” Internet sites; processing the user registration information to determine historically popular sites; and presenting the processed user registration information to said user; said step of presenting further including the step of displaying a histogram on a user display screen, and integrating said processed user registration information with one of link maps, directory information and other navigation tools.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the steps of detecting said access, determining said first time interval, and sending said first time interval occur at a user computer.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein: said real-time memory is one of dynamic memory-based hash tables and disk-based log files.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 51 words

The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of: upon said user entering at least one of the new web page and web site, automatically providing to said user information regarding other users which access at least one of a same web page and web site as the user.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 4 , further comprising the step of: said user communicating with at least one other user accessing at least one of the same web page and web site.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 4 , further comprising the step of: said user initiating a real-time chat with other site visitors.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of: leaving at least one note in a web page.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method of claim 7 , further comprising the steps of: providing a notification to the user that at least one note exists on the web page when another user visits the web page; and communicating with a note owner.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of: compiling popular “surf” patterns which originate from a particular web page.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 9 , further comprising the step of: utilizing the popular “surf” patterns to identify next web page destinations which are most popular.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 10 , wherein the next web page destinations which are most popular are focused according to demographic information.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 214 words

A method for monitoring Internet usage by a user at a terminal, comprising the steps of: detecting an access by the user to a new web site having a URL; determining a first time interval between the detected access to the new web site and a detected access to a previous web site; sending said first time interval and said URL to a predefined Internet address; determining a second time interval which indicates a period of time during which the user actively accessed said previous web site; said step of sending further including the step of transmitting said second time interval to said predefined Internet address; receiving user registration information; storing said user registration information at said terminal; said step of sending further including the step of transmitting at least some of said user registration information to said predefined Internet address; compiling the user registration information in a central server; storing the user registration information in real time memory in said central server; querying the central server to determine whether other users are currently viewing at least one of a same web page and web site; and providing a number and profile of the other users, if the other users are currently viewing at least one of the same web page and web site.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 214 words

A method for monitoring Internet usage by a user at a terminal, comprising the steps of: detecting an access by the user to a new web site having a URL; determining a first time interval between the detected access to the new web site and a detected access to a previous web site; sending said first time interval and said URL to a predefined Internet address; determining a second time interval which indicates a period of time during which the user actively accessed said previous web site; said step of sending further including the step of transmitting said second time interval to said predefined Internet address; receiving user registration information; storing said user registration information at said terminal; said step of sending further including the step of transmitting at least some of said user registration information to said predefined Internet address; compiling the user registration information in a central server; storing the user registration information in real time memory in said central server; querying the central server to determine whether other users are currently viewing at least one of a same web page and web site; and providing a number and profile of the other users, if the other users are currently viewing at least one of the same web page and web site.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 12 , further comprising the step of: querying the central server to identify prospective chat targets.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 12 , further comprising the steps of: requiring the user to enter additional information; and querying the central server to identify prospective chat targets.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 46 words

The method of claim 14 , further comprising the steps of: utilizing the additional information to build user profiles and identify one of compatible and selected chat targets; and during chat initiation, presenting the additional information to contacted users to provide information regarding an initiating user.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 15 , wherein the additional information is at least one of areas of interest and profession.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 12 , further comprising the step of: generating a list of web pages which are related to the web page which the user is presently viewing; and presenting the list of related web pages to the user.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 200 words

A method for monitoring Internet usage by a user at a terminal, comprising the steps of: detecting an access by the user to a new web site having a URL; determining a first time interval between the detected access to the new web site and a detected access to a previous web site; sending said first time interval and said URL to a predefined Internet address; determining a second time interval which indicates a period of time during which the user actively accessed said previous web site; said step of sending further including the step of transmitting said second time interval to said predefined Internet address; receiving user registration information; storing said user registration information at said terminal; said step of sending further including the step of transmitting at least some of said user registration information to said predefined Internet address; compiling the user registration information in a central server; storing the user registration information in real time memory in said central server; initiating a search for others users by executing a dynamic search based on demographic search parameters; identifying only users which match the demographic search parameters; and communicating with the other users which match the demographic search parameters.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 200 words

A method for monitoring Internet usage by a user at a terminal, comprising the steps of: detecting an access by the user to a new web site having a URL; determining a first time interval between the detected access to the new web site and a detected access to a previous web site; sending said first time interval and said URL to a predefined Internet address; determining a second time interval which indicates a period of time during which the user actively accessed said previous web site; said step of sending further including the step of transmitting said second time interval to said predefined Internet address; receiving user registration information; storing said user registration information at said terminal; said step of sending further including the step of transmitting at least some of said user registration information to said predefined Internet address; compiling the user registration information in a central server; storing the user registration information in real time memory in said central server; initiating a search for others users by executing a dynamic search based on demographic search parameters; identifying only users which match the demographic search parameters; and communicating with the other users which match the demographic search parameters.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method of claim 18 , further comprising the step of: processing demographic search parameters of matching users to generate usage profiles of the web site and web page based on biographical information of the matching users.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 19 , further comprising the step of: providing the usage profiles to third parties.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 20 , wherein the third parties are one of advertisers, users and site owners and operators.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 20 , wherein the usage profiles include a number, a time, an active duration and profiles of users who have visited at least one of the web site and web page.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 199 words

A method for determining Internet usage information from a plurality of Internet users, comprising the steps of: receiving Internet usage messages from said plurality of users containing usage data indicating a new URL and timing information indicating a duration of access to a prior URL, receipt of each of said messages indicating that a particular user has accessed said new URL; logging said usage data in a database; analyzing said logged usage data to generate said Internet usage information; providing a user software program to augment each said user's Internet, browser, said software configured to continuously: detect an access by the user to a new web site; determine a first time interval between the detected access to the new web site and a detected access to a previous web site, said previous web site having a URL; sending usage messages including said first time interval and said URL to said central server; each of said users having a user profile and a unique ID; said usage data further including the ID associated with each of said users; and said analyzing step comprises the step of identifying web pages which are popular with users having a profile matching particular characteristics.

Claim 27

Independent Claim 199 words

A method for determining Internet usage information from a plurality of Internet users, comprising the steps of: receiving Internet usage messages from said plurality of users containing usage data indicating a new URL and timing information indicating a duration of access to a prior URL, receipt of each of said messages indicating that a particular user has accessed said new URL; logging said usage data in a database; analyzing said logged usage data to generate said Internet usage information; providing a user software program to augment each said user's Internet, browser, said software configured to continuously: detect an access by the user to a new web site; determine a first time interval between the detected access to the new web site and a detected access to a previous web site, said previous web site having a URL; sending usage messages including said first time interval and said URL to said central server; each of said users having a user profile and a unique ID; said usage data further including the ID associated with each of said users; and said analyzing step comprises the step of identifying web pages which are popular with users having a profile matching particular characteristics.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 23 , wherein said analyzing step is performed in response to a user request including said particular characteristics.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 64 words

The method of claim 23 , comprising the steps of: querying the database to determine whether the plurality of users are currently viewing at least one of a same web page and web site; and providing a number and profile of the plurality of users, if the plurality of users are currently viewing at least one of the same web page and web site.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 51 words

The method of claim 23 , further comprising the step of: upon each user entering at least one of the new web page and web site, automatically providing to said user information regarding other users which access at least one of a same web page and web site as the user.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method of claim 26 , further comprising the step of: each user communicating with at least one other user which is accessing at least one of the same web page and web site.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 26 , further comprising the step of: initiating a real-time chat with at least one other site visitor.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2006-08-11	2007-02-10	2007-08-12	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2010-08-11	2011-02-10	2011-08-12	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2014-08-11	2015-02-10	2015-08-12	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

System and method for processing and presenting internet usage information

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