Method and apparatus for network content distribution using a personal server approach
First Claim
1. A method of displaying one or more periodically updated channels of electronic information received over a network from a content server, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
- initiating execution, in an end-user computer that is coupled over a public network to one or more content servers, of a personal server software that is hosted within the end-user computer;
receiving and storing at the end-user computer, content channel information defining a plurality of content channels available from a plurality of sources associated with the one or more content servers;
selecting a subset of channels from among the plurality of available content channels;
periodically retrieving updated channel content for the subset of channels from the content servers across the public network, without communicating the channel selection information across the network;
synthesizing one or more original, personalized electronic documents from the updated channel content from various sources;
displaying the one or more documents;
wherein the receiving, storing, selecting, retrieving and synthesizing are carried out by the personal server software that executes at the end-user computer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus providing network content distribution using a personal server approach is disclosed. A receiving client is provided with a personal server that can select, aggregate, and organize one or more channels of content in a virtual display space of the client. Selection, aggregation, and organization information is stored only locally. Raw data representing content is stored at a logically separate server across a network. Periodically the personal server requests updated content from the server and stores the content in a local channel database. The personal server synthesizes or generates one or more electronic documents containing the content, based on user-defined virtual space specifications and page organization information. The personal server then presents the electronic documents to a browser or other client element. Unlike past approaches that involve distributing fully formatted content to clients, the personal server can receive raw data, replace tokens in the raw data with other content, obtain embedded channel data, and render pages locally, using a conventional browser, without requiring use of a proprietary viewer, and without sending channel selections and other personal information across the network to an untrusted server.
188 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method of displaying one or more periodically updated channels of electronic information received over a network from a content server, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
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initiating execution, in an end-user computer that is coupled over a public network to one or more content servers, of a personal server software that is hosted within the end-user computer; receiving and storing at the end-user computer, content channel information defining a plurality of content channels available from a plurality of sources associated with the one or more content servers; selecting a subset of channels from among the plurality of available content channels; periodically retrieving updated channel content for the subset of channels from the content servers across the public network, without communicating the channel selection information across the network; synthesizing one or more original, personalized electronic documents from the updated channel content from various sources; displaying the one or more documents; wherein the receiving, storing, selecting, retrieving and synthesizing are carried out by the personal server software that executes at the end-user computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for displaying one or more periodically updated channels of electronic information received over a network from a content server, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:
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initiating execution, in an end-user computer that is coupled over a public network to one or more content servers, of a personal server software that is hosted within the end-user computer; receiving and storing at the end-user computer, content channel information defining a plurality of content channels available from a plurality of various sources associated with the one or more content servers; selecting a subset of channels from among a plurality of available content channels; periodically retrieving updated channel content for the subset of channels from the content servers across the public network, without communicating the channel selection information across the network; synthesizing one or more original, personalized electronic documents from the updated channel content from various sources; displaying the one or more documents; wherein the receiving, storing, selecting, retrieving and synthesizing are carried out by the personal server software that executes at the end-user computer.
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25. An apparatus for displaying one or more periodically updated channels of electronic information received over a network from a content server, comprising:
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means for initiating execution, in an end-user computer that is coupled over a public network to one or more content servers, of a personal server software that is hosted within the end-user computer; means for receiving and storing at the end-user computer, content channel information defining a plurality of content channels available from a plurality of sources associated with the one or more content servers; means for selecting a subset of channels from among a plurality of available content channels; means for periodically retrieving updated channel content for the subset of channels from the content servers across the public network, without communicating the channel selection information across the network; means for synthesizing one or more original, personalized electronic documents from the updated channel content from various sources; means for displaying the one or more documents; wherein the personal server software that executes at the end-user computer comprises the receiving, storing, selecting, retrieving and synthesizing means. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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26. An apparatus for displaying one or more periodically updated channels of electronic information received over a network from a content server, comprising:
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a network interface that is coupled to the data network for receiving one or more packet flows therefrom; one or more processors; one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processors, cause the processors to carry out the steps of; initiating execution, in an end-user computer that is coupled over a public network to one or more content servers, of a personal server software that is hosted within the end-user computer; receiving and storing at the end-user computer, content channel information defining a plurality of content channels available from a plurality of various sources associated with the one or more content servers; selecting a subset of channels from among a plurality of available content channels; periodically retrieving updated channel content for the subset of channels from the content servers across the public network, without communicating the channel selection information across the network; synthesizing one or more original, personalized electronic documents from the updated channel content from various sources; displaying the one or more documents; wherein the receiving, storing, selecting, retrieving and synthesizing are carried out by the personal server software that executes at the end-user computer. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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27. A personal server software that executes at and is hosted within a end-user computer and is capable of displaying one or more periodically updated channels of electronic information received over a network from one or more content servers that are coupled through the network to the end-user computer, comprising:
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a channel manager configured to receive and store, in a channel database of the personal server software, channel selection information defining a subset of channels that are selected from among a plurality of available content channels associated with the one or more content servers, and to periodically retrieve updated channel content for the subset of channels from the content servers across the public network, without communicating the channel selection information across a network; a page synthesizer configured to synthesize one or more original, personalized electronic documents that contain the updated channel content from various sources and to provide the one or more electronic documents to a browser for display. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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Specification