Abstract:
A method, system and apparatus for inter-parties network computing. A policy management method can include establishing a set of policy terms for receiving content from a content provider based upon preferences selected by a content recipient externally to the content recipient and content provider. The method further can include enforcing the policy terms externally to the content recipient and content provider for content provided by the content provider for receipt by the content recipient. Notably, the establishing step can include mapping the selected preferences to the set of policy terms. The establishing step also can include exposing an interface to the content recipient, and accepting the selected preferences through the interface.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Statement of the Technical Field  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to the field of inter-parties network computing and more particularly to site policy management for interactions between parties in a network computing environment.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Inter-parties network computing relates to the interactions between different computing entities in a network computing environment. Generally, individuals can access content posted for distribution about the network computing environment. Content providers, in turn, can upload content for distribution to the individuals. Furthermore, content providers can generate and transmit content to individuals irrespective of whether or not the individuals had requested the transmitted content. In many instances, the unsolicited transmission of content to an individual can result from prior interactions between the individual and a content provider.  
         [0005]     In this regard, in its infancy, inter-parties network computing involved little if any limitations upon the use of information disseminated about the global Internet. In particular, initially information provided by an individual in the course of interacting with a Web site could be used at will by the operator of the Web site. As privacy concerns have become paramount over time, however, Web site operators and other content providers have developed policies defining the permissible use of provided information. Web site operators further have published their respective policies such that individuals visiting the Web site can review prior to providing information when interacting with the Web site.  
         [0006]     Policies generally include an indication of the nature of information which can be collected by the content provider, the parties with whom the provider can collected information, whether or not the provider can transmit additional content to agreeing parties, even if unsolicited, and the type of content which can be provided to agreeing parties, even if unsolicited. Typically characterized as “terms of use”, much of the terms of use of network distributable content can be driven by contemporary legal requirements and industry standards. Yet, in that the legal and industrial environment is ever-changing, so too must the terms of use change often.  
         [0007]     Managing the changing terms of use of a Web site can be challenging for content providers; however, the task can be even more daunting for individuals who frequent many Web sites at any one time. For these individuals, tracking the individual terms of use for each visited site can be nearly impossible absent sophisticated record keeping. In fact, merely understanding the terms of use of a Web site can be challenging enough for the typical end user. Moreover, the implication of any one of the terms of use for a Web site can be unclear even for the skilled legal expert.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention addresses the deficiencies of the art in respect to policy management for inter-parties network computing and provides a novel and non-obvious method, system and apparatus for a site policy administrative agent configured to perform policy management for inter-parties network computing. In accordance with the present invention, an inter-parties network can include one or more content providers communicatively coupled to one or more content recipients. The network further can include a site policy administrative agent disposed in a communications path between the content providers and content recipients. Importantly, the site policy administrative agent can include programming logic to administer site policies on behalf of the content providers and to enforce the site policies on behalf of the content recipients.  
         [0009]     In a preferred aspect of the invention, an interface to the site policy administrative agent can be provided, the interface providing access to modify the site policy. A mapping of recipient preferences selected by the recipients to terms of the site policies further can be provided. In this regard, the recipient preferences can include specified content deemed one of permissible and impermissible to be received. The recipient preferences also can include a specified classification of content deemed one of permissible and impermissible to be received. The recipient preferences yet further can include specified providers from whom content is deemed one of permissible and impermissible to be received. Finally, the recipient preferences can include a specified classification of content providers from whom content is deemed one of permissible and impermissible to be received.  
         [0010]     A policy management method for inter-parties network computing can include establishing a set of policy terms for receiving content from a content provider based upon preferences selected by a content recipient externally to the content recipient and content provider. The method further can include enforcing the policy terms externally to the content recipient and content provider for content provided by the content provider for receipt by the content recipient. Notably, the establishing step can include mapping the selected preferences to the set of policy terms. The establishing step also can include exposing an interface to the content recipient, and accepting the selected preferences through the interface.  
         [0011]     Additional aspects of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The aspects of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. The embodiments illustrated herein are presently preferred, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown, wherein:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of an inter-parties computing network configured with a site policy management agent in accordance with the present invention; and,  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart illustrating a process for site policy management in the system of  FIG. 1 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0015]     The present invention is a method, system and apparatus for a site policy administrative agent configured to perform policy management for inter-parties network computing. In accordance with the present invention, a site policy administrative agent can be configured to administer the site policies for one or more registered content providers in respect to one or more registered content recipients. The site policy administrative agent can provide an interface to the recipients to define policy preferences for interacting with the content providers. The interface further can permit the recipients to change established policy preferences. In both cases, the recipients can specify particular preferences regarding content providers or specific content. Alternatively, the recipients can specify general preferences regarding content provider classifications or content classifications.  
         [0016]     The site policy administrative agent can process content provided by the content providers on behalf of the recipients. Based upon the nature of the content and the identity or characteristics of the provider, the terms of the policies for the recipients can be applied to produce a recipient list for the content. Specifically, the policy terms matching the policy preferences defined for the recipients can be compared to the content provided by the content provider and the identity of the provider or the characteristics of the provider. Where the policy terms permit the transmission of the content to one or more recipients in the recipient list, those recipients can be permitted to receive the content. The other recipients can be excluded from the transmission of the content.  
         [0017]     In further illustration of a particular aspect of the present invention,  FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of an inter-parties computing network configured with a site policy management agent. The inter-parties computing network can include one or more content providers  120  communicatively coupled to one or more content recipients  110  over a data communications network  130 , for example the global Internet. Importantly, a policy administration agent  140  can be disposed in between the content recipients  110  and the content providers  120 . Specifically, the policy administration agent  140  can be arranged to process content provided by the content providers  120  for consumption by the content recipients  110 .  
         [0018]     The policy administration agent  140  can include a data store of recipient preferences  160  and a set of policies  170 , both managed by the policy administration process  200 . To that end, the policy administration process  200  can include an exposed interface  150  permitting both the content recipients  110  and the content providers  120  to register with the policy administration and to access the policies  170 . Moreover, the interface  150  can permit the content recipients  110  to establish and modify preferences stored in the data store of recipient preferences  160 .  
         [0019]     More particularly, the content recipients  110  can specify one or more general rules regarding specific content, or a content classification. The content recipients  110  further can specify one or more general rules regarding specific ones of the content providers  120 , or a classification of content providers  120 . In either case, the general rules can be recorded in the data store of recipient preferences  160  and the general rules can be mapped to one or more policy terms in the one or more of the policies  170 . In operation, content provided by the providers  120  and directed to the recipients  110  can be screened by the policy administration process  200  to determine if the policies  170  permit the receipt of the content by the recipients  110 . Only that content permitted by the policies  170  to be received by the recipients  110  can be allowed to pass to the recipients  110 .  
         [0020]     In further illustration,  FIG. 2  is a flow chart illustrating a process for site policy management in the system of  FIG. 1 . Beginning in block  210 , a recipient can be registered in the site policy agent. In block  220 , preferences for the recipient can be selected, which preferences can include the permission or exclusion of specific content, or the permission or exclusion of a content class. The preferences further can include the permission or exclusion of content from a specific provider, or the permission or exclusion of a class of provider or a provider having a certain characteristic. In any event, in block  230  the preferences can be mapped to policy terms to form an acceptable site policy for the recipient. Finally, in block  240  the acceptable site policy can be written to persistent storage.  
         [0021]     In block  250 , a content provider can be registered in the site policy agent. Once registered, in block  260  the content provider can provide content to be delivered to one or more of the recipients. In block  270 , both the content itself and the content provider can be compared to the acceptable site policies written to persistent storage. In block  280 , based upon the comparison, a list of recipients having policies which permit the acceptance of the content can be compiled. Finally, in block  290  the content can be permitted to be received by the recipients in the list.  
         [0022]     Several advantages will be realized through the operation of the agent of the present invention. First, because the mediation of the policy application is handled by the agent, the agent acts as a clearinghouse for the set of policies such that there is one consistent set of policies regarding the transmission of content from provider to recipient. Second, the agent can interact with the content providers relieving the content recipients of this burden. Third, the interface expressing the policies can enjoy lifecycle improvements because the agent remains dedicated to the problem of managing the policies and therefore has an incentive to improve the interface rather than merely treating the interface as a necessary side-effect of a relationship.  
         [0023]     Fourth, content providers no longer must create the policy terms and the infrastructure able to support the policy terms. Instead, the content providers can interact with the agent to provide information to express the goals for transmitting content to recipients. The agent in turn can translate those goals to concrete policy terms. Fifth, a much greater degree of security for recipients and providers can be possible because the policies can be managed through one dedicated system rather than many diverse systems. Recipients do not need to know the names of the providers, and the providers need not to know names of recipients.  
         [0024]     Sixth, a much more flexible policy system can be constructed in that, rather than the recipient making a decision about content based upon the type of provider and by guessing about the nature of the provider&#39;s affiliates, the recipient can make choices based upon categorical policies. For instance, a recipient can choose to receive content regarding products, but not services. In another example, a recipient can permit content regarding a class of products, but the recipient can decline content regarding other classes of the same product. As yet another example, a recipient can include or exclude content originating from a particular type of provider defined by any characteristic of the provider including the location of the provider.  
         [0025]     Seventh, recipients could return to the agent interface to modify preferences at any time. Additionally, a consistent feedback mechanism can be provided permit recipients to tune their preferences by responding to received content rather than by returning to the agent interface. In this regard, recipients can specify when to decline or accept future content similar to contemporaneously received content. Finally, recipients can refer received content to the agent when the recipient believes that the content violates previously established preferences. The agent in turn can mediate with the offending provide on behalf of the recipient. Consequently, providers can be provided an incentive to behave well, and recipients can be provided an incentive to accept more content because the recipients enjoy clearer and better control over the content which the recipients receive.  
         [0026]     The present invention can be realized in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. An implementation of the method and system of the present invention can be realized in a centralized fashion in one computer system, or in a distributed fashion where different elements are spread across several interconnected computer systems. Any kind of computer system, or other apparatus adapted for carrying out the methods described herein, is suited to perform the functions described herein.  
         [0027]     A typical combination of hardware and software could be a general purpose computer system with a computer program that, when being loaded and executed, controls the computer system such that it carries out the methods described herein. The present invention can also be embedded in a computer program product, which comprises all the features enabling the implementation of the methods described herein, and which, when loaded in a computer system is able to carry out these methods.  
         [0028]     Computer program or application in the present context means any expression, in any language, code or notation, of a set of instructions intended to cause a system having an information processing capability to perform a particular function either directly or after either or both of the following a) conversion to another language, code or notation; b) reproduction in a different material form. Significantly, this invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and accordingly, reference should be had to the following claims, rather than to the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention.