Multi-tier web publishing software and system

• US 20040073605A1
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Published: 04/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Semandex Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Semandex Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Conley,, Ralph F. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US10/271,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20040073605A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Multi-tier publishing software includes URL'"'"'s and publisher'"'"'s content of tiered publishers that is at least partially controlled according to a set of hierarchal rules, updatable, and at least partially installable on the end user computer. The publisher content may include applications and multi-media files stored on the end user computer. The software includes a means for detecting a network connection by the end user computer and automatically updating the publisher'"'"'s content URLs publisher'"'"'s if called for by publishing software on a web server on the network. Private e-mail software enables bilaterally authorized communications by way of private e-mail messages between two parties and includes depositing of private e-mail messages in private e-mail boxes containing only private e-mail messages from previously authorized senders who were previously authorized to send private e-mail messages to the private e-mail box or boxes.

Claims

1. Multi-tiered publishers distributed software stored in machine readable format comprising:

a menu display means for displaying a menu of tiered navigation options associated with tiered publishers,

the tiered navigation options below a first tier are subject to rules set by an upper tiered one of the publishers, and

at least a portion of the navigation options are URLs on a network to which end user computer is connectable.

2. Distributed software as claimed in claim 1 wherein the menu of tiered navigation options includes at least one tiered set of navigation options associated with one of the tiered publishers.

3. Distributed software as claimed in claim 2 wherein the navigation options further include one or more URLs to files stored on fixed storage means for fixedly storing files on an end user computer.

4. Distributed software as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a navigation option updating means for allowing at least one of the tiered publishers to change one or more of the navigation options stored on the end user computer.

5. Distributed software as claimed in claim 4 wherein the menu of tiered navigation options provided by tiered publishers includes at least one tiered set of navigation options associated with the tiered publishers.

6. Distributed software as claimed in claim 5 wherein the navigation options further include one or more URLs to files stored on fixed storage means for fixedly storing files on an end user computer.

7. Distributed software as claimed in claim 6 wherein the navigation options further include one or more applications.

8. Distributed software as claimed in claim 7 wherein at least one of the applications is stored on the fixed storage means.

9. Distributed software as claimed in claim 8 wherein at least one of the applications is identified as specific to one of the publishers.

10. Distributed software as claimed in claim 6 further comprising a publisher updating means for allowing a relatively higher tiered publisher to change one or more of relatively lower tiered ones of the publishers stored on the end user computer.

11. Distributed software as claimed in claim 10 wherein the publisher updating means and the navigation option updating means includes means for automatically detecting a network connection and executing a transaction with a network server to determine if any of the publishers and any of the navigation options should be updated and a means for updating one or more of the publishers and one or more of the navigation options.

12. Distributed software as claimed in claim 11 wherein the navigation options further include one or more applications stored on the fixed storage means.

13. Distributed software as claimed in claim 12 further comprising an application updating means for allowing one of the publishers to change an associated one of the applications and a means for automatically detecting a network connection and executing a transaction with a network server to determine if any of the applications should be updated and a means for updating one or more of applications stored on the fixed storage means.

14. Distributed software as claimed in claim 13 further comprising an application icon and means to change the application icon'"'"'s appearance to one associated with a particular brandholder whose identification is entered into the application.

15. Distributed software as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a private e-mail means for sending and receiving bilaterally authorized private e-mail through a network to private e-mail boxes containing only private e-mail messages from previously authorized senders who were previously authorized to send private e-mail messages to the private e-mail box.

16. Distributed software as claimed in claim 15 further comprising a private e-mail menu means for displaying a private e-mail list of recipients that can be communicated with using the private e-mail means.

17. Distributed software as claimed in claim 16 further comprising a means of alerting the recipient that private e-mail has been received.

18. Distributed software as claimed in claim 17 wherein the alerting means is a means to alter an appearance of a private e-mail button on a recipient'"'"'s computer screen.

19. Distributed software as claimed in claim 18 wherein the means to alter an appearance of the private e-mail button includes flashing the private e-mail button.

20. Distributed software as claimed in claim 17 further comprising a private e-mail listing means for displaying a list of private e-mail messages in the private e-mail box.

21. Distributed software as claimed in claim 20 wherein the private e-mail listing means includes a means for displaying the list of private e-mail messages in the private e-mail box by clicking on the private e-mail button.

22. Distributed software as claimed in claim 17 wherein the alerting means is a tray icon on a recipient'"'"'s computer screen.

23. Distributed software as claimed in claim 22 wherein the alerting means is a tray icon on a recipient'"'"'s computer screen.

24. Distributed software as claimed in claim 23 wherein the means to alter an appearance of the tray icon includes flashing the tray icon.

25. Distributed software as claimed in claim 23 wherein the means to alter an appearance of the tray icon includes changing a color of the tray icon.

26. Distributed software as claimed in claim 23 wherein the alerting means is invoked upon receipt of new information by the application and the tray icon appears on a recipient'"'"'s computer screen when the alerting means is invoked.

27. Distributed software as claimed in claim 26 wherein the tray icon is removed from the recipient'"'"'s computer screen when the new information is viewed.

28. Distributed software as claimed in claim 27 wherein the means to alter an appearance of the tray icon includes flashing the tray icon.

29. Distributed software as claimed in claim 27 wherein the means to alter an appearance of the tray icon includes changing a color of the tray icon.

30. Distributed software as claimed in claim 29 further comprising a means for displaying a private e-mail icon on the recipient'"'"'s computer screen and a means for displays a private e-mail sender'"'"'s name in an area on the recipient'"'"'s computer screen associated with the private e-mail icon.

31. Distributed software as claimed in claim 30 further comprising a means for displaying a private e-mail sender'"'"'s name and number of the sender'"'"'s unread messages in an area on the screen associated with the private e-mail icon.

32. Distributed software as claimed in claim 31 wherein the alerting means is a means to alter an appearance of the private e-mail button on a recipient'"'"'s computer screen.

33. Distributed software as claimed in claim 32 further comprising a means for changing appearance of altered private e-mail icon back to unaltered appearance private e-mail icon when all private e-mail messages have been displayed.

34. Distributed software as claimed in claim 17 further comprising a means for displaying a private e-mail icon on the recipient'"'"'s computer screen and a means for displays a private e-mail sender'"'"'s name in an area on the recipient'"'"'s computer screen associated with the private e-mail icon.

35. Distributed software as claimed in claim 34 further comprising a means for displaying a private e-mail sender'"'"'s name and number of the sender'"'"'s unread messages in an area on the screen associated with the private e-mail icon.

93. The method as claimed in claim 27 wherein the means to alter an appearance of the tray icon includes flashing the tray icon.

36. Private e-mail software stored in machine readable format comprising a private e-mail means for sending and receiving bilaterally authorized private e-mail through a network to private e-mail boxes containing only private e-mail messages from previously authorized senders who were previously authorized to send private e-mail messages to the private e-mail box.

a private e-mail menu means for displaying a private e-mail list of recipients that can be communicated with using the private e-mail means.

37. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 36 further comprising a private e-mail menu means for displaying a private e-mail list of recipients.

38. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 36 further comprising a means of alerting the recipient that private e-mail has been received.

39. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 38 wherein the alerting means is a means to alter an appearance of a private e-mail button on a recipient'"'"'s computer screen.

40. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 39 wherein the means to alter an appearance of the private e-mail button includes flashing the private e-mail button.

41. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 40 further comprising a private e-mail listing means for displaying a list of private e-mail messages in the private e-mail box.

42. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 41 wherein the private e-mail listing means includes a means for displaying the list of private e-mail messages in the private e-mail box by clicking on the private e-mail button.

43. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 38 wherein the alerting means is a tray icon on a recipient'"'"'s computer screen.

44. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 43 wherein the alerting means is a tray icon on a recipient'"'"'s computer screen.

45. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 44 wherein the means to alter an appearance of the tray icon includes flashing the tray icon.

46. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 44 wherein the means to alter an appearance of the tray icon includes changing a color of the tray icon.

47. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 44 wherein the alerting means is invoked upon receipt of new information by the application and the tray icon appears on a recipient'"'"'s computer screen when the alerting means is invoked.

48. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 47 wherein the tray icon is removed from the recipient'"'"'s computer screen when the new information is viewed.

49. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 48 wherein the means to alter an appearance of the tray icon includes flashing the tray icon.

50. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 49 wherein the means to alter an appearance of the tray icon includes changing a color of the tray icon.

51. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 50 further comprising a means for displaying a private e-mail icon on the recipient'"'"'s computer screen and a means for displays a private e-mail sender'"'"'s name in an area on the recipient'"'"'s computer screen associated with the private e-mail icon.

52. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 51 further comprising a means for displaying a private e-mail sender'"'"'s name and number of the sender'"'"'s unread messages in an area on the screen associated with the private e-mail icon.

53. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 52 wherein the alerting means is a means to alter an appearance of the private e-mail icon on the screen.

54. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 53 further comprising a means for changing appearance altered private e-mail icon back to unaltered appearance private e-mail icon when all private e-mail messages have been displayed.

55. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 38 further comprising a means for displaying a private e-mail icon on the recipient'"'"'s computer screen and a means for displays a private e-mail sender'"'"'s name in an area on the recipient'"'"'s computer screen associated with the private e-mail icon.

56. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 38 further comprising a means for displaying a private e-mail sender'"'"'s name and number of the sender'"'"'s unread messages in an area on the screen associated with the private e-mail icon.

57. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 56 wherein the alerting means is a means to alter an appearance of the private e-mail icon on the recipient'"'"'s computer screen.

58. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 57 wherein the means to alter an appearance of the private e-mail icon is flashing the private e-mail icon.

59. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 57 wherein the means to alter an appearance of the private e-mail icon is changing color of the private e-mail icon.

60. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 57 further comprising a private e-mail listing means for displaying a list of private e-mail messages in the private e-mail box.

61. Private e-mail software as claimed in claim 60 wherein the private e-mail listing means includes a means for displaying the list of private e-mail messages in the private e-mail box by clicking on the private e-mail icon.

62. A multi-tiered network publishing method comprising:

creating multi-tiered publishers distributed software which displays a menu of tiered navigation options associated with tiered publishers,

setting rules for the tiered navigation options below a first tier, and

distributing the multi-tiered publishers distributed software to an end user for installation on an end user computer.

63. The method as claimed in claim 62 further comprising allowing the rules of lower tiered navigation options to be set by an upper tiered one of the publishers.

64. The method as claimed in claim 63 wherein at least a portion of the navigation options are URLs on a network to which the end user computer is connectable.

65. The method as claimed in claim 64 wherein the navigation options further include one or more URLs to files stored on a fixed storage means for fixedly storing files on an end user'"'"'s computer.

66. The method as claimed in claim 64 further comprising allowing at least one of the tiered publishers to change one or more of the navigation options stored on the end user computer.

67. The method as claimed in claim 64 wherein the navigation options further include one or more applications.

68. The method as claimed in claim 67 wherein at least one of the applications is stored on a fixed storage means for fixedly storing files on the end user computer.

69. The method as claimed in claim 68 wherein at least one of the applications is identified as specific to one of the publishers.

70. The method as claimed in claim 69 further comprising allowing a relatively higher tiered publisher to change one or more of relatively lower tiered ones of the publishers stored on the end user computer.

71. The method as claimed in claim 70 further comprising:

automatically detecting a network connection,

executing a transaction with a network server to determine if any of the publishers and any of the navigation options should be updated, and

updating one or more of the publishers and one or more of the navigation options if so determined from the transaction.

72. The method as claimed in claim 68 further comprising allowing at least one of the publishers to change an associated one of the applications including having the end user computer automatically detecting a network connection and executing a transaction with a network server to determine if any of the applications should be updated and updating one or more of applications stored on the fixed storage means.

73. The method as claimed in claim 72 further comprising the publisher making the change to the associated one of the applications by entering the change though web publishing softwware on the network server.

74. The method as claimed in claim 68 further comprising changing the application icon'"'"'s appearance to one associated with a particular brandholder whose identification is entered into the application.

75. The method as claimed in claim 62 further comprising sending and receiving bilaterally authorized private e-mail through a network to private e-mail boxes containing only private e-mail messages from previously authorized senders who were previously authorized to send private e-mail messages to the private e-mail box.

76. The method as claimed in claim 75 further comprising displaying a private e-mail list of authorized recipients on a computer screen of the end user computer.

77. The method as claimed in claim 76 further comprising alerting the recipient that the private e-mail has been received.

78. The method as claimed in claim 77 wherein the alerting includes altering an appearance of a private e-mail button on the computer screen.

79. The method as claimed in claim 77 wherein the altering of the appearance of the private e-mail button includes flashing the private e-mail button.

80. The method as claimed in claim 76 further comprising displaying a private e-mail icon and a private e-mail sender'"'"'s name and number of the sender'"'"'s unread messages in an area on the screen associated with the private e-mail icon.

81. The method as claimed in claim 80 wherein the alerting includes altering an appearance of the private e-mail icon on a recipient'"'"'s computer screen.

82. The method as claimed in claim 81 further comprising changing the appearance of altered private e-mail icon back to unaltered appearance private e-mail icon when all private e-mail messages have been displayed.

88. The method as claimed in claim 80 wherein the alerting includes altering an appearance of a tray icon on the computer screen.

89. The method as claimed in claim 88 wherein the altering of the appearance of the tray icon includes flashing the tray icon.

90. The method as claimed in claim 88 wherein the altering of the appearance of the tray icon includes changing a color of the tray icon.

91. The method as claimed in claim 88 wherein the alerting means is invoked upon receipt of new information by the application and the tray icon appears on a recipient'"'"'s computer screen when the alerting means is invoked.

92. The method as claimed in claim 91 wherein the tray icon is removed from the recipient'"'"'s computer screen wheny the new information is viewed.

83. A metod for sending private e-mail method through a network, said method comprising sending and receiving bilaterally authorized private e-mail through a web server on network to private e-mail boxes on at least one end user computer containing only private e-mail messages from previously authorized senders who were previously authorized to send private e-mail messages to the private e-mail box.

84. The method as claimed in claim 83 further comprising displaying a private e-mail list of authorized recipients on a computer screen of the end user computer.

85. The method as claimed in claim 83 further comprising alerting the recipient that the private e-mail has been received.

86. The method as claimed in claim 85 wherein the alerting includes altering an appearance of a private e-mail button on the computer screen.

87. The method as claimed in claim 85 wherein the altering of the appearance of the private e-mail button includes flashing the private e-mail button.

94. The method as claimed in claim 83 further comprising displaying a private e-mail icon and a private e-mail sender'"'"'s name and number of the sender'"'"'s unread messages in an area on the screen associated with the private e-mail icon.

95. The method as claimed in claim 94 wherein the alerting includes altering an appearance of the private e-mail icon on a recipient'"'"'s computer screen.

96. The method as claimed in claim 95 further comprising changing the appearance of altered private e-mail icon back to unaltered appearance private e-mail icon when all private e-mail messages have been displayed.