COMPUTER NETWORK ADDRESSING SYSTEM

Abstract: By using an existing, formatted, address combined with a constant computer host name, a structured, consistent addressing system capable of standardisation is established. The system comprises a host computer (12), which hosts a world wide web site for instance, which way have an address of eg. http://www/host.co.uk. When a person wishes to access the world wide web site (16) of a particular company, eg. Frank Smith Shopfitters but does not know the correct address for the world wide web site (16), then the system disclosed herein may be used to acceess the web site (16).

Description: Computer Network Addressing System This invention relates to a method of enabling a user to address an intended target on a computer network and to apparatus for enabling a user to address an intended target on a computer network. An existing method of accessing a world wide web (www) site for which the correct address is not known includes conducting a search of web sites by using key words, which it is hoped are included in the web site of interest. A number of problems arise with this method because it is almost always the case that a large number of web sites are found in the search and it is necessary to review the results of the search, which may take some time, to find the intended web site. The problem exists because a domain name (the address of a www site) which might be expected to be the correct name for the intended web site may well have already been registered to another company with a very similar name. If, for instance, it is desired to obtain the web site of a firm of shop fitters called Frank Smith Shopfitters Limited it may be possible to guess their domain name as being frank.smith.co.uk. However, it may be the case that an unrelated company, eg. Frank Smith Skip Hire Limited, already has frank.smith.co.uk registered. This would lead to a situation in which Frank Smith Shopfitters Limited would have to choose a different domain name, which might not be readily found. In addition, there is no agreed standard by which a company or individual may convert its name to a domain name . Similar problems also exist in relation to company and individual email addresses. Again, there is no agreed standard as to how a particular email address should be represented. It is an object of the present invention to address the above mentioned disadvantages. According to one aspect of the present invention a method of enabling a user to address an intended target on a computer network for which a network address is unknown to the user comprising; providing access to a host computer, with which a user may address the intended target; providing the host computer with a unique identifier for each intended target, and cross-referencing each unique identifier with the associated network address such that the user can obtain the network address of the intended target by entering the relevant unique identifier which is then cross-referenced by the computer to the associated network address. The unique identifier may be publicly available, preferably from verbal enquiry systems by supplying a name of the intended target, for instance a company name or an individual's name. The unique identifier may be available from directories, preferably public domain directories. The unique identifier may be a telephone number. The host computer may facilitate a link to the incended target once the cross-referencing has been completed. The network address may be an email address. The network address may be a world wide web address. The known host may be a world wide web site. The known host may be an email domain name host. The intended target may be addressed by entering the address of the known host and the unique identifier substantially concurrently or simultaneously. The intended target may be a world wide web site. The intended target may be an email address . According to another aspect of the present invention apparatus for enabling a user to address an intended target on a computer network for which a network address is unknown to the user comprises: a host computer having a known address and being provided with a unique identifier for each intended target, each unique identifier being cross referenced with the associated network address such that the user can obtain the network address of the intended target by entering the relevant unique identifier, which is then cross-referenced by the computer to the associated network address . The unique identifier may be a telephone number. The host computer may host a world wide web site. The host computer may host an internet domain name. The host computer may be accessed by entering the address of the host computer and the unique identifier simultaneously. All of the above aspects may be combined with any of the features disclosed herein, in any combination. Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a flow chart showing a method of addressing a web site or email destination using the telephone number of an intended target. By using an existing, formatted, address combined with a constant computer host name a structured, consistent addressing system capable of standardisation is established. The system comprises a host computer 12, which hosts a world wide web site for instance, which may have an address of eg. http: //www/host .co.uk. When a person wishes to access the world wide web site 16 of a particular company, eg. Frank Smith Shopfitters but .does not know the correct address for the world wide web site 16, then the system disclosed herein may be used to access the web site 16. If Frank Smith Shopfitters have had their details entered onto the host 12, then a person wishing to access the company's web site 16 may simply enter into a computer 9 (see box 10 in figure 1) the web address of the host 12 combined with the telephone number of Frank Smith Shopfitters, which is 01253 010101, in the following way: http: //www/host/01253/010101. This information is transmitted via the user's internet service provider (ISP) 11 to the host 12, which has been pre-programmed to link the telephone number of Frank Smith Shopfitters (01253 010101) with the actual web address of the company, which in this case is http: //www/FSmithshopfitt .co.uk. On being given the telephone number of Frank Smith Shopfitters, the host 12 determines the correct web address from an index of cross-referenced telephone numbers and web addresses. The web site 16 (http: //www/FSmithshopfitt .co.uk) is transmitted back to the computer 9 of the person making the enquiry via the ISP 11. Given that the telephone number of Frank Smith Shopfitters is widely available from existing directories and from the company itself, it is considerably easier to access the web site 16 of the company because the actual web site address may be very difficult to determine given the wide number of possibilities and the possibility that a different company with a similar name may have the expected web address. Consequently, a person wishing to access the world wide web site 16 of a particular company does not need to obtain details of the web site address from the company, because a telephone directory or similar can be accessed much more readily instead. In the above example the STD code element of the telephone number has been subdivided into a separate directory by means of a / . This is not a requirement of the system, but may assist clarity. The system is also capable of providing standardised email addressing by using the same host 12 as follows. To send an email to Frank Smith Shopfitters a user simply has to enter into the computer 9 the telephone number of Frank Smith Shopfitters combined with the address of the host 12 (see step 20 in Figure 1) . The information entered would be for example, 01253/010101@host .co.uk. The system is pre-programmed to forward an email (see step 22 in Figure 1) sent to the above address 24 (via the ISP 11) to the stored email address of Frank Smith Shopfitters, which could for instance be FrankSmith@aol.com. A standardised method of sending an email to a firm which has had its details entered on the host computer 12 is provided whereby a person can easily send an email by referring only to the firm's telephone number, rather than having to find out the correct email address. Many companies and individuals can have their world wide web site 16 and email addresses entered onto the host computer 12 and cross-referred to their telephone numbers to allow very easy access by third parties. The ISP 11 and the host 12 could be the same computer/computer system. In effect, the internet and email address is formed by the combination of two separate constants: the host constant (host.co.uk) and the address constant (eg. 01253/010101). The host constant remains constant at all times, across the whole group of addressees which have had their details entered onto the system, whilst the address constant is a constant in its format, the specific figures being changed depending on the telephone number. It would be possible to use another unique identifier, rather than a telephone number, if desired. In general a world wide web address or email address according to the method described above has the following form: world wide web address = host constant + address constant email address = address constant + ©host constant. It may be the case that a number of different hosts 12 are used for particular categories of intended target . For example, a different host 12 may be accessed to address different countries, different types of business or to address individuals or companies. The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) , and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) , may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment (s) . The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) , or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A method of enabling a user to address an intended target on a computer network for which a network address is unknown to the user comprising; providing access to a host computer, with which a user may address the intended target; providing the host computer with a unique identifier for each intended target, and cross-referencing each unique identifier with the associated network address such that the user can obtain the network address of the intended target by entering the relevant unique identifier which is then cross-referenced by the computer to the associated network address. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the unique identifier is publicly available, from verbal enquiry systems by supplying a name of the intended target. 3. A method as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, in which the unique identifier is available from directories . 4. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the unique identifier is a telephone number. 5. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the host computer facilitates a link to the intended target once the cross-referencing has been completed. 6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the network address is an email address. 7. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 , in which the network address is world wide web address. 8. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, in which the known host is an email domain name host. 9. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 , in which the known host is a world wide web site. 10. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the intended target is addressed by entering the address of the known host and the unique identifier substantially concurrently. 11. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the intended target is a world wide web site. 12. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, in which the intended target is an email address. 13. Apparatus for enabling a user to address an intended target on a computer network for which a network address is unknown to the user comprises: a host computer having a known address and being provided with a unique identifier for each intended target, each unique identifier being cross referenced with the associated network address such that the user can obtain the network address of the intended target by entering the relevant unique identifier, which is then cross-referenced by the computer to the associated network address. 14. Apparatus claimed in claim 13, in which the unique identifier is a telephone number.

Inventors: BEDDOWS DEREK KERR, FITTON STUART JAMES, BEDDOWS, DEREK, KERR, FITTON, STUART, JAMES
Applicants: BEDDOWS DEREK KERR, FITTON STUART JAMES, BEDDOWS, DEREK, KERR, FITTON, STUART, JAMES
Application year: 1999
Main classification: H04L29
IPC codes: H04L29