Internet-based system and method for fairly and securely enabling timed-constrained competition using globally time-sychronized client subsystems and information servers having microsecond client-event resolution

Abstract

An improved system and method of fairly and securely enabling timed-constrained competitions over the Internet among millions of competitors while compensating for the variable network communication latencies experienced by client machines used by the competitors. The system employs globally time-synchronized Internet information servers and client machines in order to synchronize the initial display of each invitation to respond (e.g. stock price to buy or sell, query to answer, or problem to solve) on a client machine so each competitor can respond to the invitation at substantially the same time, regardless of his or her location on the planet, or the type of Internet-connection used by his or her client machine. Also, by using globally time-synchronized client machines, each competitor's response is securely time and space stamped at the client machine to ensure that competitor responses are resolved within microsecond accuracy.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION[0001] 1. Field of Invention[0002] The present invention relates generally to improvements in the operation and performance of client-server type internetworked computer systems of global extent, such as the Internet, and more particularly to a novel Internet-based information system and method which enables a millions of timed-constrained competitions, contests or transactions, among the mass population in a fundamentally fair and secure manner, using globally time-synchronized client subsystems and information servers having client-event resolution with extreme accuracy independent of variable network latency.[0003] 2. Brief Description of The State of The Art[0004] While the role of cooperation has a secure place in the history of mankind, so too does the role of competition. Few will disagree that, over the course of time, human beings have competed in widely diverse ways for both tangible and intangible objects of need and desire. Such objects of need or ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0023] Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved system and method of fairly and securely enabling timed-constrained competitions over the Internet while avoiding the shortcomings and drawbacks of prior art methodologies.

[0024] A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel system and method of serving and receiving information over the Internet in connection with time-constrained competitive processes so that principles of fairness and fair play which have come to characterize the systems of government, justice, securities, commodities and currency market trading, sportsmanship, and educational testing, in the United States of America and countries abroad, are secured in an economically feasible manner for the betterment of human society.

[0025] A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel system and method of serving and receiving information over the Internet in connection with time-constrained competitive processes, which avoids the problems of network latency, ensures microsecond "start-time" accuracy, and can determine winners in the competition within microsecond "finish-time" accuracy.

Problems solved by technology

In each of the above Internet-supported applications or processes, there currently exists an inherent unfairness among the competitors due to at least six important factors, namely: (1) the variable latency of (or delay in) data packet transmission over the Internet, dependent on the type of connection each client subsystem has to the Internet infrastructure; (2) the variable latency of data packet transmission over the Internet, dependent on the volume of congestion encountered by the data packets transmitted from a particular client machine; (3) the vulnerability of these applications to security breaches, tampering, and other forms of manipulation by computer and network hackers; (4) the latency of information display device used in client subsystems connected to the Internet; (5) the latency of information input device used in client subsystems connected to the Internet; and (6) the latency of the central processing unit (CPU) used in the client machine.

However, while this system equalizes the communication latency on average, it is wholly incapable of compensating for the random components of network latency (i.e. variable network latency) of the Internet.

Consequently, even when practicing the methods disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,463, the variable network latency of the Internet nevertheless introduces inherent sources of error into time-constrained competitions, thereby putting certain competitors at an unfair disadvantage, i.e. by virtue of their client computer connection to the Internet in relation to the information server supporting the time-constrained competition.

Regarding the third unfairness factor, it is important to point out that each of the above-described time-constrained forms of Internet-supported competition are highly vulnerable to security breaches, tampering, and other forms of intentional network disruption by computer and network hackers.

Although the use of a local clock insures fairness, it also raises a potential security problem with the system.

Theoretically, an unscrupulous competitor could intercept and modify communications between the client and server, thereby falsifying the timestamps and gaining an unfair advantage over other competitors.

Alternatively, an unscrupulous competitor could modify the local clock, either through software or hardware means, or interfere with the clock synchronization procedure, again gaining an unfair advantage over other competitors.

The ordinary encryption / decryption techniques suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,463 are simply inadequate to prevent cheating or violation of underlying rules of fairness associated with such time-constrained forms of Internet-supported or Internet-enabled competition.

Unless the vertical redraw time is synchronized with the desired competition "start-time" in time-constrained competition at hand, a random error in the start time is created due to the uncertainty of the actual time the query, bid, price or other information element will be displayed on the display screen of a particular client system used to participate in the time-constrained competition at hand.

This "information display latency" error can be as much as ten milliseconds or more depending on the vertical sync rate, and is in addition to any other errors in the start-time caused by network latency, computer processing time, and other factors.

This prior art method has a drawback in that it may be undesirable to modify the refresh rate on a competitor's client machine, since that is in part a personal preference, and typically under the control of the user.

All the client machine video-driver cards may not be physically capable of operating at the same refresh rates, particularly if they are not operating at the same resolution.

Also, the monitors themselves may not be capable of operating at a particular refresh rate, and it may be necessary to operate at an undesirable "lowest common denominator" frequency, or not at all.

This problem is compounded as more users and client machines are involved.

Another problem with this prior art display synchronization method is that interlaced video modes are not possible on all video driver cards.

In addition, switching into interlaced modes may temporarily disrupt the display as the monitor adjusts to handle the new input.

Many display monitors will produce an annoying clicking noise as the video mode is changed.

In short, depending on the type of input device used, a competitor participating in an Internet-supported time-constrained competition can be put at a serious disadvantage in comparison with those using high-speed information input devices and high-speed processors.

When competing against androidal competition (e.g. thinking machines), as currently used in electronic-based securities and commodity trading, an d electronic-based auctions, human competitors are placed at a great disadvantage in rapidly changing markets and fast-paced auctions.

Regarding the sixth unfairness factor, it must be pointed out that a further source of latency exists within each client machine due to the fact that the central processor unit (CPU) employed therein: services interrupts posted by competing peripheral devices connected to the client system bus; executes program instructions at a rate set by its clock speed; and has limited memory resources available at any instant in time.

These factors operate to further add a degree of delay in when the data packets associated with the competitor's response is transmitted to the information server supporting the time-constrained competition.

Consequently, the six "unfairness" factors discussed above compromises the integrity any form of time-constrained competition supported on or otherwise enabled over the Internet.

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