Abstract: An electronic parcel delivery system for delivering digital information between computer systems over a network is described. The parcel delivery system includes a server system interposed between a sending system and a receiving system. The server system stores digital information received over the network. The digital information can represent a parcel, document, image, executable software, audio file, etc. The sending system transmits a notification to the receiving system. The notification signifies that the sending system is transmitting the digital information to the server system over the network and that the digital information may be accessible by the receiving system. The receiving system can receive the notification directly from the sending system or through a second server system connected to the network. The server system can receive the digital information directly from the sending system or through a second server system connected to the network.

Abstract: A smart delivery system is provided for transmitting video, audio, hyper-text and web documents to end users via the internet over telephone lines, fiber optics, satellite links, or other direct communications on a non-realtime discontinuous basis in which the server providing the information periodically ascertains whether the end user terminal is busy. If so, the transmission to the end user is terminated and the information is stored until such time as the “busy” indication is terminated. In one embodiment, the indication for the end user of incoming information is in the form of an icon generated on-screen on which the user can click to obtain the sought-after information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing protection from unauthorized use of messages received by a system is described. The receiving system can receive a message from a sending system, for example, over a network or from local media. The message can be an e-mail message, the contents of a Web page, music, or software, etc. The receiving system stores the digital information in a storage device in a manner designed to conceal the message from unauthorized access. When a user of the receiving system wants to view the message, the digital information is accessed, the message is generated from the digital information and displayed at the receiving system. Use of this generated message is restricted. In another embodiment, this use is limited to outputting (i.e., displaying and producing sound) the generated message at the receiving system. The receiving system cannot copy, modify, save, forward, or capture any portion of the generated message.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing protection from unauthorized use of messages received by a system is described. The receiving system can receive a message from a sending system, for example, over a network or from local media. The message can be an e-mail message, the contents of a Web page, music, or software, etc. The receiving system stores the digital information in a storage device in a manner designed to conceal the message from unauthorized access. When a user of the receiving system wants to view the message, the digital information is accessed, the message is generated from the digital information and displayed at the receiving system. Use of this generated message is restricted. In another embodiment, this use is limited to outputting (i.e., displaying and producing sound) the generated message at the receiving system. The receiving system cannot copy, modify, save, forward, or capture any portion of the generated message.

Abstract: In an Internet-based client/server application, a system is provided which detects demographics of a client including CPU power, hard disk space, applications installed, network connectivity and log-in history so as to provide this infrastructure related information detailing client usage of the Internet to the service provider. In one embodiment, each user is provided with software having a unique serial number. Having the serial number, infrastructure data is checked at the client side and reported to the server periodically, with the server updating a database with the infrastructure data from each PC. In one embodiment, the database is filtered by factors such as location of the client and an indication of which providers delivered software to a client. After filtering, the service provider can obtain various demographics such as the demography of hard disk space, CPU power and viewers.

Abstract: An electronic mail system is modified to produce a secure delivery system by modifying a user interface of the electronic mail system to present a secure delivery icon and causing the electronic mail system to initiate a secure delivery in response to actuation of the secure delivery icon. The secure delivery uses a delivery protocol different from a protocol provided by the electronic mail system, and the secure delivery icon is presented in addition to a normal delivery icon of the electronic mail system.

Abstract: A system is provided for the remote control of one computer from another in which selectable compression speeds are utilized to minimize overall screen refresh time. In one embodiment, an algorithm selection module at one computer chooses the highest compression available corresponding to a worst case scenario, followed by measurement of the compression time and the transmission time, with the ratio of compression time to transmission time being used to select a decreased compression, thereby to lower compression time and consequently lower the overall screen refresh time. By adjusting both the send time and the compression time on the transmit side, the above ratio can be made to equal one, which corresponds to the most efficient utilization of the available bandwidth and CPU power, which in turn translates into the quickest screen refresh time for the remote control operation.