Method and apparatus for automatically disseminating information over a network
First Claim
1. A computer readable medium encoded with a set of executable instructions to perform a method for distributing information via common communication channels connecting a plurality of devices, the set of executable instructions comprising:
- (a) a family construction module for constructing a family of related devices that is a subset of the plurality of devices connected via the common communication channels, each device storing information and being capable of communicating to at least one other device in the family via the common communication channels;
(b) a publication module for publishing information via the common communication channels to those devices in the family who have subscribed to the information; and
(c) a subscription module for subscribing to information stored by the related devices of the family.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An information distribution program (36) is provided for automatically distributing information over a network (24) connecting a plurality of computers (15). Each computer (15) is installed with the information distribution program (36), which comprises a family construction module (44), a publication module (40), a subscription module (42), and an information tree (46). The information tree (46) stores the most recent information available to the computer (15). The family construction module (44) organizes the various computers (15) connected to the network (24) into immediate and extended families of related computers (15). The publication module (40) automatically distributes, “publishes” or “pushes” the information to the immediate and extended family members of a computer (15) which have shown an interest in the information. The subscription module (42) provides a computer (15) with the ability to show interest in or “subscribe” to information located on the computers (15) connected to the network (24).
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer readable medium encoded with a set of executable instructions to perform a method for distributing information via common communication channels connecting a plurality of devices, the set of executable instructions comprising:
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(a) a family construction module for constructing a family of related devices that is a subset of the plurality of devices connected via the common communication channels, each device storing information and being capable of communicating to at least one other device in the family via the common communication channels;
(b) a publication module for publishing information via the common communication channels to those devices in the family who have subscribed to the information; and
(c) a subscription module for subscribing to information stored by the related devices of the family. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification