Internet provider subscriber communications system

Abstract

A method for communicating real-time to subscribers of an Internet service provider, without requiring any installation or set-up by the subscriber, that utilizes the unique identification information automatically provided by the subscriber during communications for identifying the subscriber to provide a fixed identifier which is then communicated to a redirecting device. Messages may then be selectively transmitted to the subscriber. The system is normally transparent to the user, with no modification of its content along the path. Content then may be modified or replaced along the path to the subscriber. For the purposes of establishing a reliable delivery of bulletin messages from providers to their subscribers, the system forces the delivery of specially-composed World Wide Web browser pages to the subscriber, although it is not limited to that type of data. These may be displayed permanently, temporarily, or in separate pop-up browser windows, according to policies set by the provider irrespective of the subscriber's intended browsing destination.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.