Patent · US Expired

Steering of internet access to sponsors

US6425010B1 · kind B1 · utility

13Cited by
7References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 22, 1999
Grant dateJul 23, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 22, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06Q30/02
  • WIPO fieldIT methods for management
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

This invention provides an Internet Access Provider (IAP) a simple mechanism to steer users to given Internet services, such as the Web pages, of sponsors. The mechanism allows a sponsor to grant a dial-in user unlimited access to the Internet after the user has first accessed its Internet services. The invention is thus important for any IAP that wants to receive income from sponsors by steering Internet users to their services. In the ultimate case, an IAP could receive all its income from sponsors and thus be able to offer the Internet access for free. The key characteristics of the present invention is that a user is steered to the Internet services of a sponsor based on a sponsor specific called telephone number or a sponsor specific login name.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.