Abstract: A system for retrieving and disseminating information records from Internet sources includes a client device and an intermediary server system, including software, between the client device and the Internet. The system collects a record specific to a client from an individual one of said Internet sources in a first form in which the record is recorded at the Internet source, transforms the record from the first form to a second form specific to an application other than an Internet browser application, the application executable by the client device, and transmits the transformed record to the client device for display in the application other than an Internet browser application executable by the client device. In some cases the client device connects by a data link that is not Internet-compatible link. Data mining on the Internet specific to clients and client devices is taught, with aggregation services and synchronization for keeping a client up-to-date efficiently for changing data content.

Abstract: A software application for enabling creation and execution of an automated browser navigation sequence is provided. The software application comprises a session recording module for recording parameters associated with a manual navigation sequence, a file creation module for converting data of a manual session into data comprising an executable sequence of instructions for conducting an automated navigation sequence, and an application-program-interface module for integrating a functional capability with the automated navigation sequence. The automated navigation sequence is characterized in that a completely automated browser-navigation sequence performed by the browser application is enabled through execution of the executable instruction sequence created from the recorded parameters of the manual navigation sequence.

Abstract: A system for harvesting information from network-based sources for a user has a network-connected server with software stored on and operable from a data repository accessible to the server, a user profile stored in the repository, comprising identification of network information sites storing information personal to the user, user ID for enabling the server to log in to the sites on behalf of the user, and one or more report algorithms associated with pre-defined user requests. The server, executing the software, upon receiving one of the pre-defined requests from the user, visits and gathers information from one or more sites indicated in the user profile, and presents a report to the user comprising the information gathered, formatted according to the report algorithm associated with the user's request.

Abstract: A network-based software application for enabling remote authentication of a user during a network session has a server portion for serving session validation information and additional user information when queried, a client portion for configuring and submitting parameters constraining what and how data is to be shared with a querying entity or entities, and a distributed portion for distribution and application at various connected network nodes for enabling those nodes to recognize and interact with the server portion.

Abstract: An advertisement selection and delivery system for selecting advertisements based on profile information and rendering the advertisements as accessible to a user operating a network-capable appliance connected to a data-packet-network is provided. The system comprises, a first server node connected to the network, the first server node functioning as a user access point on the network, a mass storage repository accessible to the first server node, the repository for storing and serving user profile data, a second server node connected to the network, the second server node for generating user preference data, at least one advertisement server connected to the network, the advertisement server for serving advertisement data, a software application for generating user preference lists and performing advertisement selection and at least one network-capable appliance connected to the network the network-capable appliance for receiving the advertisement data.

Abstract: A software application for enabling creation and execution of an automated browser navigation sequence is provided. The software application comprises a session recording module for recording parameters associated with a manual navigation sequence, a file creation module for converting data of a manual session into data comprising an executable sequence of instructions for conducting an automated navigation sequence, and an application-program-interface module for integrating a functional capability with the automated navigation sequence. The automated navigation sequence is characterized in that a completely automated browser-navigation sequence performed by the browser application is enabled through execution of the executable instruction sequence created from the recorded parameters of the manual navigation sequence.

Abstract: An Internet-connected portal system has a data repository, a data-gathering system, a request processor, a plurality of report algorithms, and a report processor. The request processor receives a request from a user and matches the request to an individual one of the report algorithms. The data-gathering subsystem accesses plural Internet sites associated with the user and extracts raw data therefrom according to needs of the report algorithm. The report processor processes the raw data according to the report algorithm into metasummarized information defined by the report algorithm, and the portal system transmits the metasummarized information as a report to a destination associated with the report request.

Abstract: An advertisement selection and delivery system for selecting advertisements based on profile information and rendering the advertisements as accessible to a user operating a network-capable appliance connected to a data-packet-network is provided. The system comprises, a first server node connected to the network, the first server node functioning as a user access point on the network, a mass storage repository accessible to the first server node, the repository for storing and serving user profile data, a second server node connected to the network, the second server node for generating user preference data, at least one advertisement server connected to the network, the advertisement server for serving advertisement data, a software application for generating user preference lists and performing advertisement selection and at least one network-capable appliance connected to the network the network-capable appliance for receiving the advertisement data.

Abstract: A network-based URL management and data gathering system is provided. The system utilizes a client-side utility for capturing URLs during normal Web browsing, and a server-side utility for organizing and managing the captured URLs on the network. The server-side utility periodically sends a request to a proxy browsing and data gathering utility for navigating to and retrieving data from Web pages associated with the captured URLs. Data retrieved from the Web pages is returned in summary form for presentation to subscribing users. In preferred embodiments, the system is practiced on the Internet network between users operating an Internet-capable appliance having an Internet connection, and an Internet portal service.

Abstract: A software application for enabling automated notification of applied structural changes to electronic information pages hosted on a data packet network is provided. The software application comprises, a developer-interface module for enabling developers to build and modify navigation templates using functional logic blocks, a navigation system-interface module for integrating the software application to a proxy-navigation system for periodic execution of the templates, a change-notification module for indicating a point in process where a navigation routine has failed and for creating a data file containing parameters associated with the failed navigation routine and a database interface module for interfacing the software application to a data repository for storing the data file. The software application periodically submits test navigation and interaction routines to the navigation system for execution by virtue of the interface with the navigation system.

Abstract: A network-based URL management and data gathering system is provided. The system utilizes a client-side utility for capturing URLs during normal Web browsing, and a server-side utility for organizing and managing the captured URLs on the network. The server-side utility periodically sends a request to a proxy browsing and data gathering utility for navigating to and retrieving data from Web pages associated with the captured URLs. Data retrieved from the Web pages is returned in summary form for presentation to subscribing users. In preferred embodiments, the system is practiced on the Internet network between users operating an Internet-capable appliance having an Internet connection, and an Internet portal service.

Abstract: A system for synchronizing data records between a network data server and a requesting client device has a client software application and a network server software application. The system is characterized in that the client application maintains a first table of unique identifiers for data records stored at the client and sends a copy of the table with a request for data from the server, and the server maintains a second table of unique identifiers for candidate data records to be sent to the client, the identifiers at server and client formed by a common process, and in that the server, on receiving the request and first table from the client, compares the first table and the second table, then sends to the client only those records indicated by the comparison as new to the client and a notification of table updates.

Abstract: A network-based system for providing automatic login to a network-connected data source on behalf of a network-connected user accessing the system through a wireless communication appliance is provided. The system comprises, a wireless communication appliance, the appliance having network capability and an interactive user interface, the appliance operated for the purpose of accessing the network-connected data source, a network service-provider for providing access to the network; a network gateway for managing communication between the appliance and network-connected data source, a network-connected server node for performing proxy navigation and automated login services for the network-connected user, a data repository accessible to the network-connected server node, the data repository for holding data about the network-connected user and, a network-connected data source, the data source accessible to the network-connected server node.

Abstract: A transaction module having a summary interface is provided as part of a software suite for enabling viewing and manipulation of multiple categories of aggregated data compiled from a plurality of data sources and accessible through a single interfacing node operated on a data-packet-network.

Abstract: A software tool for enabling automated tracking of activity related to the status and usage statistics of a plurality of Web sites on a data packet network is provided. The software tool comprises a network communication capability for establishing network communication between the software tool and the tracked Web sites; a plurality of data-reporting modules for obtaining and reporting data about tracked Web sites; a data input function for excepting data from the reporting modules and from external sources; a data recording function for recording and logging the data received from the reporting modules and from the external sources; and a data management function for organizing and storing the received data and rendering the data accessible for use in software development.

Abstract: An Internet-connected portal system has a data repository, a data-gathering system, a request processor, a plurality of report algorithms, and a report processor. The request processor receives a request from a user and matches the request to an individual one of the report algorithms. The data-gathering subsystem accesses plural Internet sites associated with the user and extracts raw data therefrom according to needs of the report algorithm. The report processor processes the raw data according to the report algorithm into metasummarized information defined by the report algorithm, and the portal system transmits the metasummarized information as a report to a destination associated with the report request.

Abstract: A browser-control script for controlling how refreshed data is rendered during a network data-session is provided. The browser control script comprises an instruction for establishing a second data-channel between a client and a data source, a data-communication function for transacting data over the second data-channel, an instruction for enabling selective data-rendering by the browser application, a selection function for selecting data elements to be refreshed and an instruction for predicting a new scroll position in a browser window. Once invoked, the browser-control script provides an automated control-routine for managing a data-refresh operation such that data re-rendering within the browser application only occurs when there are updated data elements ready for display, the re-rendering of the data specific to the updated data elements.

Abstract: An Internet search system is structured for efficient data retrieval from semi-structured data sources. The configurable Internet WEB search system has a browser module for navigating to and displaying a WEB page, a block selection and configuration function having input tools for a user to select at least one block portion of a displayed WEB page for data retrieval, a data-type input function for a user to denote data type to be extracted from a selected block portion, and a search implementation function for implementing a search under the search system. The data type entered by the data input function is associated with a WEB page block selected, and upon search implementation the block selected is searched for the data type requested, and data found is retrieved to be provided to the user. In a preferred embodiment portions of the system are executed on a user station, and other portions on a Portal server to which the user may subscribe.

Abstract: An Internet subscription system for alerting subscribers to changes in data maintained at Internet sites has an input interface for a subscriber to specify a data condition to be monitored and a condition for notification and a gatherer for gathering data changes from one or more Internet sites. A guard compares data changes with the condition for notification, and a notification alert system notifies the subscriber of a change that meets the condition for notification. The system is particularly suited to notification requirements regarding metadata changes over multiple sources. Users can configure the system to many different frequencies and many different data and notification conditions. Alerts may be made to many different devices in different ways as well, and may or may not include specific data.

Abstract: An Internet Portal is enabled by software executing on an Internet-connected server. The Portal, in response to a log-on by a user, presents a secure and personalized page for and to the user, the personalized page having listed plural Internet destinations enabled by hyperlinks, wherein upon invocation of a hyperlink by the subscriber, such as by a point-and-click technique, the portal invokes a URL for the destination, and upon connection with the destination, transparently provides any required log-on information for user access at the destination. In an enhanced embodiment a search function is provided wherein a user may configure searches in any or all of the listed destinations on a personalized page.