Software and method that enables selection of one of a plurality of online service providers
First Claim
1. A method for automatically building a web package at a server, the method comprising:
- receiving, from a user station, at the server an indication that at least two hyperlinks from a set of hyperlinks have each been explicitly selected by one or more selection methods on the user station;
retrieving, at the server, a set of hyperlinked content elements that are associated with the at least two explicitly selected hyperlinks from a plurality of network-based content providers, wherein each content element in the set of hyperlinked content elements is stored at one of the network-based content providers; and
assembling the set of hyperlinked content elements retrieved from the plurality of network-based content providers into a web package at the server,wherein each of the hyperlinks from the set of hyperlinks refers to a respective web server, wherein respective web servers are operated independently of each other.
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Abstract
A novel electronic information transport component can be incorporated in a wide range of electronic information products, for example magazine collections, to automate the mass distribution of updates, such as current issues, from a remote server to a wide user base having a diversity of computer stations. Advantages of economy, immediacy and ease of use are provided. Extensions of the invention permit automated electronic catalog shopping with order placement and, optionally, order confirmation. A server-based update distribution service is also provided. In addition, an offline web browser system, with hyperlink redirection capabilities, a novel recorded music product with automated update capabilities and an Internet charging mechanism are provided.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A method for automatically building a web package at a server, the method comprising:
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receiving, from a user station, at the server an indication that at least two hyperlinks from a set of hyperlinks have each been explicitly selected by one or more selection methods on the user station; retrieving, at the server, a set of hyperlinked content elements that are associated with the at least two explicitly selected hyperlinks from a plurality of network-based content providers, wherein each content element in the set of hyperlinked content elements is stored at one of the network-based content providers; and assembling the set of hyperlinked content elements retrieved from the plurality of network-based content providers into a web package at the server, wherein each of the hyperlinks from the set of hyperlinks refers to a respective web server, wherein respective web servers are operated independently of each other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 35, 37, 39, 40, 41)
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14. A method comprising:
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tracking, at a server, a plurality of Universal Resource Locators (URLs) associated with a content retrieval, each of the URLs being explicitly selected by a particular user using one or more selection methods; assembling the plurality of explicitly selected URLs and a set of hyperlinked content elements associated with the plurality of URLs at the server, wherein the set of hyperlinked content elements is retrieved from a plurality of network-based content providers; and organizing the plurality of URLs and the set of hyperlinked content elements associated with the plurality of URLs into a directed database tree at the server, wherein each of the URLs refers to a respective web server, wherein respective web servers are operated independently of each other. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 45, 46, 47)
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18. A non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium for automatically building a web package at a server, having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
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receiving, from a user station, at the server an indication that at least two hyperlinks from a set of hyperlinks have each been explicitly selected by one or more selection methods on the user station; retrieving, at the server, a set of hyperlinked content elements that are associated with the at least two explicitly selected hyperlinks from a plurality of network-based content providers, wherein each content element in the set of hyperlinked content elements is stored at one of the network-based content providers; and assembling the set of hyperlinked content elements retrieved from the plurality of network-based content providers into a web package at the server, wherein each of the hyperlinks from the set of hyperlinks refers to a respective web server, wherein respective web servers are operated independently of each other. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 36, 38, 42, 43, 44)
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31. A tangible computer-readable storage medium, having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
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tracking, at a server, a plurality of Universal Resource Locators (URLs) associated with a content retrieval, each of the URLs being explicitly selected by a particular user using one or more selection methods; assembling the plurality of explicitly requested URLs and a set of hyperlinked content elements associated with the plurality of URLs at a server, wherein the set of hyperlinked content elements is retrieved from a plurality of network-based content providers; and
organizing the plurality of URLs and the set of hyperlinked content elements associated with the plurality of URLs into a directed database tree at the server,wherein each of the URLs refers to a respective web server, wherein respective web servers are operated independently of each other. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification