Controlled transfer of information in computer networks

A method of controlling transfer of information in a computer network comprising a client computer, a server computer, and an information source computer, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting from the server computer to the client computer a document containing a channel object corresponding to a communication service to be provided over an information transfer channel between the information source computer and the client computer;
• activating the channel object received by the client computer from the server computer;
• in response to activation of the channel object, causing an access ticket to be stored that indicates that a user of the client computer permits the information source computer to communicate with the user over the channel;
• transmitting information from the information source computer to the client computer over the channel;
• and
• receiving the information from the information source computer at the client computer over the channel based on the stored access ticket.

A network-based system for smart digital offer pricing, comprising:

• a client computer;
• and
• an offer-providing server computer;
• the client computer and the offer-providing server computer being interconnected by a computer network;
• the offer-providing server computer being programmed to transmit a document to the client computer comprising a smart digital offer object;
• the client computer being programmed to store user-specific information at the client computer, to receive the document comprising the smart digital offer object, to activate the smart digital offer object at the client computer, which, upon activation, provides an offer to the client computer based on the stored user-specific information, and to transmit an acceptance of the offer to the offer-providing server together with an authenticator;
• the offer-providing server being programmed to verify the authenticator and to cause the offer to be fulfilled based on verification of the authenticator.

A method of smart digital offer pricing in a computer network comprising a client computer and an offer-providing server computer, comprising the steps of:

• storing user-specific information at the client computer;
• transmitting a document from the offer-providing server computer to the client computer comprising a smart digital offer object;
• receiving, at the client computer, the document comprising the smart digital offer object;
• activating the smart digital offer object at the client computer, which, upon activation, provides an offer to the client computer based on the stored user-specific information;
• transmitting an acceptance of the offer from the client computer to the offer-providing server together with an authenticator;
• verifying the authenticator at the offer-providing server;
• and
• fulfilling the offer based on verification of the authenticator.

A network-based system for coupon-based smart digital offer pricing, comprising:

• a client computer;
• a coupon-providing server computer;
• and
• an offer-providing server computer;
• the client computer, the coupon-providing server computer, and the offer-providing server computer being interconnected by a computer network;
• the coupon-providing server computer being programmed to transmit coupon information to the client computer together with an authenticator;
• the client computer being programmed to receive the coupon information and the authenticator and to cause the coupon information and the authenticator to be stored;
• the offer-providing server computer being programmed to transmit a document to the client computer corresponding to a smart digital offer object;
• the client computer being programmed to receive the document corresponding to the smart digital offer object, to activate the smart digital offer object, which, upon activation, verifies the authenticator and provides an offer to the client computer based on the stored coupon information, and to transmit an acceptance of the offer to the offer-providing server.

A method of coupon-based smart digital offer pricing in a computer network comprising a client computer, a coupon-providing server computer, and an offer-providing server computer, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting coupon information from the coupon-providing server computer to the client computer together with an authenticator;
• receiving the coupon information and the authenticator at the client computer;
• causing the coupon information and the authenticator to be stored;
• transmitting a document from the coupon-providing server computer to the client computer corresponding to a smart digital offer object;
• receiving, at the client computer the document corresponding to the smart digital offer object
• activating the smart digital offer object, which, upon activation, verifies the authenticator and provides an offer to the client computer based on the stored coupon information;
• and
• transmitting an acceptance of the offer from the client computer to the offer-providing server.

A network-based system for automatic transfer of information pertaining to a person profile of a user, comprising:

• a client computer;
• and
• a server computer;
• the client computer and the server computer being interconnected by a computer network;
• the server computer being programmed to transmit to the client computer a request for personal profile information pertaining to a user of the client computer;
• the client computer being programmed to receive the request for personal profile information, and to activate a client avatar at the client computer that compares the request for personal profile information with a security profile of the user limiting access to personal profile information and that causes a subset of a personal profile of the user to be transmitted to the server computer based on the request for personal profile information and the security profile;
• the server computer being programmed to transmit to the client computer information customized for the user based on the subset of the personal profile of the user.

A method for automatic transfer of information pertaining to a person profile of a user in a computer network comprising a client computer and a server computer, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting from the server computer to the client computer a request for personal profile information pertaining to a user of the client computer;
• receiving at the client computer the request for personal profile information;
• activating a client avatar at the client computer that compares the request for personal profile information with a security profile of the user limiting access to personal profile information and that causes a subset of a personal profile of the user to be transmitted to the server computer based on the request for personal profile information and the security profile;
• and
• transmitting from the server computer to the client computer information customized for the user based on the subset of the personal profile of the user.

A network-based system for metering of a user's access to linked information, comprising:

• a client computer;
• and
• a server computer;
• the client computer and the server computer being interconnected by a computer network;
• the server computer being programmed to transmit to the client computer a document containing an embedded link;
• the client computer being programmed to activate the embedded link when at least a portion of the document is displayed, to-record activation of the embedded link in a metering log, and to cause information stored in the metering log pertaining to activation of the embedded link to be transmitted to the server computer.

A method for metering a user's access to linked information in a computer network comprising a client computer and a server computer, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting from the server computer to the client computer a document containing an embedded link;
• activating the embedded link at the client computer when at least a portion of the document corresponding to the embedded link is displayed;
• recording activation of the embedded link in a metering log;
• and
• causing information stored in the metering log pertaining to activation of the embedded link to be transmitted to the server computer.