Proxy internet browsing

• US 7,200,644 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2000
• Issued: 04/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telogy Networks, Inc. (Texas Instruments, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Flanagan, Tom
• Primary Examiner(s): Pwu; Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Avellino; Joseph E.
• Application Number:
  US09/540,558
• Time in Patent Office: 2,559 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709217-219, 709223-226, 463/42
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

The present invention provides proxy browsing on the Internet 16 whereby the user interface of one device, such as a personal computer 10 with a Web browser, causes servers 14 to interact with alternate client devices 20, 24 linked to the Internet 16 that are remotely located from the personal computer. A user may activate a proxy browser on a PC 10, select one or more files or commands from a Web server 14, and download the files or commands directly from the servers to client devices 20, 24.

A user of a Web browser 26 may locate and download by proxy a digital sound file stored on a Web server 40 to play on a series of networked digital speakers 54. The user of a Proxy Browser 26 may select a recipe stored on an Web server 40 and send the recipe that has embedded commands to configure networked home appliances 52 to the correct cooking modes. Digital video players 50 and children'"'"'s toys 48 comprise further examples of client devices capable of receiving files by proxy with embedded commands or controls, or multi-media files. The user of a Proxy Browser may also select files 60 or Web pages 62 from the Internet 38 and download them to a third party'"'"'s client PC or Web browser 58.

Claims

1. A system for proxy browsing the Internet, comprising:

a first computer linked to the Internet;

a Proxy Browser Internet interface program hosted on said Internet linked computer; and

an electronic appliance linked online to the Internet, wherein said electronic appliance comprises a unique Internet Protocol (IP) address, and said electronic appliance can actively receive electronic data transmissions from the Internet,

wherein said Proxy Browser transmits a command with said electronic appliance IP address through the Internet that directs an Internet server to transmit a remote digital file selected by said Proxy Browser program to said electronic appliance IP address without said electronic appliance communicating with said proxy browser, and said digital file executes on said electronic appliance without verification of said digital file execution by said proxy browser program; and

a digital speaker online to the Internet and associated with a unique IP address,

wherein said Proxy Browser program selects a digital music file from said Internet server and sends said command to download said digital music file to said digital speaker IP address, and

said music file is downloaded and played on a said digital speaker.

2. A system for proxy browsing the Internet according to claim 1, wherein said Proxy Browser Internet interface program identifies said remote digital file and identifies an IP address of said electronic appliance, and

said Internet server verifies said IP address and verifies a transmission of said remote digital file without interaction of said proxy browser program.

3. A system for proxy browsing the Internet according to claim 1, further comprising:

an embedded Internet server located in said electronic appliance comprising configuration data and operating status data for said electronic device.

4. A system for proxy browsing the Internet according to claim 1, wherein said configuration data is located within the Internet server.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said Internet server transmits said remote digital file to said electronic appliance IP address without said verification of said IP address or said file transmission by said proxy browser program.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said proxy browser program transmits a command to said Internet server that directs said server to transmit said remote digital file to a uniform resource locator address of said electronic appliance, said remote digital file transmission occurring without interaction or verification by said proxy browser program.

7. A system for proxy browsing the Internet according to claim 1, wherein said Proxy Browser program selects an Internet Web page, and

said Web page is downloaded by said server into an embedded Internet server on said electronic appliance.

8. A system for proxy browsing the Internet, comprising:

a first computer linked to the Internet;

a Proxy Browser Internet interface program hosted on said Internet linked computer; and

an electronic appliance linked online to the Internet, wherein said electronic appliance comprises a unique Internet Protocol (IP) address, and said electronic appliance can actively receive electronic data transmissions from the Internet,

wherein said Proxy Browser transmits a command with said electronic appliance IP address through the Internet that directs an Internet server to transmit a remote digital file selected by said Proxy Browser program to said electronic appliance IP address without said electronic appliance communicating with said proxy browser, and said digital file executes on said electronic appliance without verification of said digital file execution by said proxy browser program,

wherein said Proxy Browser program selects a digital video file from said Internet server, and

said Internet server downloads said digital video file onto a digital video player that is connected to the Internet.

9. A system for proxy browsing the Internet, comprising:

a first computer linked to the Internet;

a Proxy Browser Internet interface program hosted on said Internet linked computer; and

an electronic appliance linked online to the Internet, wherein said electronic appliance comprises a unique Internet Protocol (IP) address, and said electronic appliance can actively receive electronic data transmissions from the Internet,

wherein said Proxy Browser transmits a command with said electronic appliance IP address through the Internet that directs an Internet server to transmit a remote digital file selected by said Proxy Browser program to said electronic appliance IP address without said electronic appliance communicating with said proxy browser, and said digital file executes on said electronic appliance without verification of said digital file execution by said proxy browser program,

wherein said Proxy Browser selects a digital game configuration file from said Internet server,

said digital configuration game file is downloaded to a game or toy that is linked to the Internet, and

said game file reconfigures said game or toy to provide new scenarios and strategies for entertainment.