User station software that controls transport, storage, and presentation of content from a remote source
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A software product for use at a user station, the user station including a processor and a storage device, the software product comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor:
- enable a user at the user station to select content from each of a plurality of independent publishers;
effect transport of the selected content from each of the plurality of publishers to the user station over a communications network and, without user intervention, effect storage of the transported content to the storage device such that the content is retained on the storage device upon shutting down of the user station and/or deactivation of the software product; and
effect presentation of the stored content to the user at the user station with a user interface that is customized to the respective publishers.
8 Assignments
Litigations
2 Petitions
Reexaminations
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for operating a user station configured for communications with a multiplicity of independently-operated data sources via a non-proprietary network includes steps of receiving a first data object from one of the data sources, and automatically pre-fetching a plurality of additional data objects of arbitrary type referenced by the first data object from respective other ones of the independently-operated data sources identified by information embedded in the first data object. Corresponding software is also described.
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Citations
78 Claims
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1. A software product for use at a user station, the user station including a processor and a storage device, the software product comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor:
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enable a user at the user station to select content from each of a plurality of independent publishers;
effect transport of the selected content from each of the plurality of publishers to the user station over a communications network and, without user intervention, effect storage of the transported content to the storage device such that the content is retained on the storage device upon shutting down of the user station and/or deactivation of the software product; and
effect presentation of the stored content to the user at the user station with a user interface that is customized to the respective publishers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
effect a network connection between the user station and the communications network, via a network provider, wherein the plurality of independent publishers available for selection are not determined by the network provider.
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3. The software product as set forth in claim 2, wherein the communications network is the Internet.
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4. The software product as set forth in claim 2, wherein the user interface is provided by the respective publishers.
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5. The software product as set forth in claim 1, wherein the user interface is provided by the respective publishers.
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6. The software product as set forth in claim 1, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor:
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effect a network connection between the user station and the communications network, via a network provider, wherein the user interface is provided by the respective publisher independently of the network provider.
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7. The software product as set forth in claim 1, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor:
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effect a network connection between the user station and the communications network, via a network provider, wherein the user interface is provided without cooperation of the network provider.
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8. The software product as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected without user intervention.
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9. The software product as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected according to a schedule.
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10. The software product as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected according to a user-modifiable schedule.
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11. The software product as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected automatically and repeatedly.
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12. The software product as set forth in claim 1, wherein the selected content is transported directly from each of the independent publishers to the user station.
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13. The software product as set forth in claim 1, wherein the selected content is transported from each of the independent publishers to the user station, without first passing through a gateway.
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14. The software product as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected in accordance with an object manifest, the object manifest including an identification of a plurality of objects from different ones of the respective publishers, and a source address for each of the respective publishers.
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15. The software product as set forth in claim 1, wherein the selected content is transported from each of the independent publishers to the user station, without first passing through an online service provider that serves multiple ones of the independent publishers.
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16. The software product as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected using a non-proprietary data transfer protocol.
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17. The software product as set forth in claim 1, wherein the communications network is the Internet.
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18. The software product as set forth in claim 1, wherein the selected content is transported from each of the independent publishers to the user station, without first passing through an information distribution service that serves multiple ones of the independent publishers.
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19. The software product as set forth in claim 1, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor:
enable the user to effect a network connection between the user station and the communications network, via any selected one of a plurality of different available network providers.
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20. A software product for use at a user station, the user station including a processor and a storage device, the software product comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor:
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enable a user at the user station to select content from each of a plurality of independent services;
effect transport of the selected content from each of the plurality of services to the user station over a communications network and, without user intervention, effect storage of the transported content to the storage device such that the content is retained on the storage device upon shutting down of the user station and/or deactivation of the software product; and
effect presentation of the stored content to the user at the user station with a user interface that is customized to the respective services. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 37, 38)
effect a network connection between the user station and the communications network, via a network provider, wherein the plurality of independent services available for selection are not determined by the network provider.
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22. The software product as set forth in claim 21, wherein the communications network is the Internet.
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23. The software product as set forth in claim 21, wherein the user interface is provided by the respective services.
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24. The software product as set forth in claim 20, wherein the user interface is provided by the respective services.
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25. The software product as set forth in claim 20, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor:
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effect a network connection between the user station and the communications network, via a network provider, wherein the user interface is provided by the respective service independently of the network provider.
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26. The software product as set forth in claim 20, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor:
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effect a network connection between the user station and the communications network, via a network provider, wherein the user interface is provided without cooperation of the network provider.
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27. The software product as set forth in claim 20, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected without user intervention.
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28. The software product as set forth in claim 20, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected according to a schedule.
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29. The software product as set forth in claim 20, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected according to a user-modifiable schedule.
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30. The software product as set forth in claim 20, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected automatically and repeatedly.
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31. The software product as set forth in claim 20, wherein the selected content is transported directly from each of the independent services to the user station.
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32. The software product as set forth in claim 20, wherein the selected content is transported from each of the independent services to the user station, without first passing through a gateway.
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33. The software product as set forth in claim 20, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected in accordance with an object manifest, the object manifest including an identification of a plurality of objects from different respective ones of the services, and a source address for each of the respective services.
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34. The software product as set forth in claim 20, wherein the selected content is transported from each of the independent services to the user station, without first passing through an online service provider that serves multiple independent publishers.
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35. The software product as set forth in claim 20, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected using a non-proprietary data transfer protocol.
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37. The software product as set forth in claim 20, wherein the selected content is transported from each of the independent services to the user station, without first passing through an information distribution service that serves multiple independent publishers.
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38. The software product as set forth in claim 20, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor:
enable the user to effect a network connection between the user station and the communications network, via any selected one of a plurality of different available network providers.
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36. The software product as set forth in claim wherein the communications network is the Internet.
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39. A software product for use at a user station, the user station including a processor and a storage device, the software product comprising a viewer capable of handling a markup language and comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor:
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enable a user at the user station to select one or more remote information object sources from a plurality of available remote information object sources operated by independent publishers;
effect transport of one or more information objects, at least one of the information objects being represented using the markup language, from any selected one of the remote information object sources to the user station over a communications network and, without user intervention, effects storage of the transported information object(s) to the storage device such that the information object(s) are retained on the storage device upon shutting down of the user station and/or deactivation of the software product; and
enable, for each stored information object, presentation of that object using the viewer to the user at the user station with a look and feel that is specific to the respective publisher.- View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 77)
effect a network connection between the user station and the communications network, via a network provider, wherein the plurality of remote information object sources available for selection are not determined by the network provider.
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41. The software product as set forth in claim 40, wherein the communications network is the Internet.
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42. The software product as set forth in claim 40, wherein the look and feel is provided by the respective publisher.
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43. The software product as set forth in claim 39, wherein the look and feel is provided by the respective publisher.
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44. The software product as set forth in claim 39, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor:
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effect a network connection between the user station and the communications network, via a network provider, wherein the look and feel is provided by the respective publisher independently of the network provider.
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45. The software product as set forth in claim 39, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor:
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effect a network connection between the user station and the communications network, via a network provider, wherein the look and feel is provided without cooperation of the network provider.
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46. The software product as set forth in claim 39, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected without user intervention.
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47. The software product as set forth in claim 39, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected according to a schedule.
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48. The software product as set forth in claim 39, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected according to a user-modifiable schedule.
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49. The software product as set forth in claim 39, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected automatically and repeatedly.
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50. The software product as set forth in claim 39, wherein the selected content is transported directly from each of the remote information object sources to the user station.
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51. The software product as set forth in claim 39, wherein the selected content is transported from each of the remote information object sources to the user station, without first passing through a gateway.
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52. The software product as set forth in claim 39, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected in accordance with an object manifest, the object manifest including an identification of a plurality of objects from different remote information object sources, and a source address for each of the respective remote information object sources.
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53. The software product as set forth in claim 39, wherein the selected content is transported from each of the remote information object sources to the user station, without first passing through an online service provider that serves multiple independent publishers.
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54. The software product as set forth in claim 39, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected using a non-proprietary data transfer protocol.
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55. The software product as set forth in claim 39, wherein the communications network is the Internet.
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56. The software product as set forth in claim 39, wherein the selected content is transported from each of the remote information object sources to the user station, without first passing through an information distribution service that serves multiple independent publishers.
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57. The software product as set forth in claim 39, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor:
enable the user to effect a network connection between the user station and the communications network, via any selected one of a plurality of different available network providers.
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77. The software product as set forth in claim 39, wherein the at least one of the information objects is a Web page.
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58. A software product for use at a user station, the user station including a processor and a storage device, the software product comprising a viewer capable of handling a markup language and comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor:
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enable a user at the user station to select one or more remote information object sources from a plurality of available independently operated remote information object sources;
effect transport of one or more information objects, at least one of the information objects being represented using the markup language, from any selected one of the remote information object sources to the user station over a communications network and, without user intervention, effects storage of the transported information object(s) to the storage device such that the information object(s) are retained on the storage device upon shutting down of the user station and/or termination of the software product; and
enable, for each stored information object, presentation of that object using the viewer to the user at the user station with a look and feel that is specific to the respective information object source. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 78)
effect a network connection between the user station and the communications network, via a network provider, wherein the plurality of remote information object sources available for selection are not determined by the network provider.
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60. The software product as set forth in claim 59, wherein the communications network is the Internet.
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61. The software product as set forth in claim 59, wherein the look and feel is provided by the respective remote information object source.
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62. The software product as set forth in claim 58, wherein the look and feel is provided by the respective remote information object source.
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63. The software product as set forth in claim 58, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor:
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effect a network connection between the user station and the communications network, via a network provider, wherein the look and feel is provided by the respective remote information object source independently of the network provider.
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64. The software product as set forth in claim 58, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor:
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effect a network connection between the user station and the communications network, via a network provider, wherein the look and feel is provided without cooperation of the network provider.
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65. The software product as set forth in claim 58, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected without user intervention.
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66. The software product as set forth in claim 58, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected according to a schedule.
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67. The software product as set forth in claim 58, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected according to a user-modifiable schedule.
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68. The software product as set forth in claim 58, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected automatically and repeatedly.
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69. The software product as set forth in claim 58, wherein the selected content is transported directly from each of the remote information object sources to the user station.
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70. The software product as set forth in claim 58, wherein the selected content is transported from each of the remote information object sources to the user station, without first passing through a gateway.
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71. The software product as set forth in claim 58, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected in accordance with an object manifest, the object manifest including an identification of a plurality of objects from different remote information object sources, and a source address for each of the respective remote information object sources.
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72. The software product as set forth in claim 58, wherein the selected content is transported from each of the remote information object sources to the user station, without first passing through an online service provider that serves multiple independent publishers.
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73. The software product as set forth in claim 58, wherein the transport of the selected content to the user station is effected using a non-proprietary data transfer protocol.
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74. The software product as set forth in claim 58, wherein the communications network is the Internet.
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75. The software product as set forth in claim 58, wherein the selected content is transported from each of the remote information object sources to the user station, without first passing through an information distribution service that serves multiple independent publishers.
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76. The software product as set forth in claim 58, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor:
enable the user to effect a network connection between the user station and the communications network, via any selected one of a plurality of different available network providers.
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78. The software product as set forth in claim 58, wherein the at least one of the information objects is a Web page.
Specification