Broadcast content over cellular telephones

• US 20040043770A1
• Filed: 08/14/2003
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Viven, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Viven, Ltd.
• Inventors: Amit, Assaf, De-Beer, Shilo, Admon, Yarden
• Application Number:
  US10/332,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20040043770A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5681 Pre-fetching or pre-delivering data based on network characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast

Abstract

A method for broadcasting information, comprising providing at a host site (20) computer-readable code representing a sequence of frames of content of a broadcast channel, receiving signals at the host site from a plurality of mobile telephone devices (75) via a wireless network, invoking the broadcast channel, and transmitting the code via the wireless network to the plurality of mobile telephone devices concurrently, causing the devices to display the sequence of frames to respective users of the devices substantially simultaneously.

Claims

1. A method for broadcasting information, comprising:

providing at a host site computer-readable code representing a sequence of frames of content of a broadcast channel;

receiving signals at the host site from a plurality of mobile telephone devices via a wireless network, invoking the broadcast channel; and

transmitting the code via the wireless network to the plurality of mobile telephone devices concurrently, causing the devices to display the sequence of frames to respective users of the devices substantially simultaneously.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the network comprises a cellular telephone network.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein transmitting the code comprises transmitting packet data over the cellular telephone network.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein transmitting the packet data comprises transmitting the data in accordance with a Wireless Access Protocol (WAP).

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein providing the code comprises generating the code in a mark-up language, which is read by respective browser programs running on the mobile telephone devices.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the mark-up language comprises a language selected from a group of languages consisting of Extensible Markup Language (XML), Wireless Markup Language (WML), Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Handheld Device Markup Language (HDML).

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein generating the code comprises generating multiple pages of the mark-up language code, and wherein transmitting the code comprises transmitting the mark-up language code together with scripts, which cause the browser programs to display the content of the multiple pages in succession.

8. A method according to any of claims 1-7, wherein receiving the signals comprises receiving indications of respective display capabilities of the mobile telephone devices, and wherein transmitting the code comprises transmitting different code versions to different ones of the mobile telephone devices responsive to the display capabilities thereof.

9. A method according to any of claims 1-7, wherein receiving the signals comprises estimating respective bandwidths available on the network between the mobile telephone devices and the host site based on the received signals, and wherein transmitting the code comprises transmitting different code versions to different ones of the mobile telephone devices responsive to the respective estimated bandwidths.

10. A method according to any of claims 1-7, wherein transmitting the code comprises synchronizing the code among the mobile telephones so that the frames are displayed to the users on a common timeline.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein each of the frames comprises one or more slides, each of the one or more slides comprising at least one of text and an image for display by the mobile telephone devices.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the frames comprises a link to an application, and the method also comprises receiving an input from one or more of the users invoking the link, and conveying the application to the mobile telephone devices responsive to the input.

13. A method according to any of claims 1-7, wherein providing the code comprises providing multiple codes representing the content of multiple broadcast channels, and wherein invoking the broadcast channel comprises selecting one of the multiple broadcast channels to be displayed on each of the mobile telephone devices.

14. A method for broadcasting information, comprising:

providing at a host site multiple pages of computer-readable markup-language code representing content of a broadcast channel;

receiving signals at the host site from a plurality of mobile telephone devices via a wireless network, invoking the broadcast channel; and

transmitting the code via the wireless network to the plurality of mobile telephone devices together with scripts, which cause respective browser programs mining on the devices to display the content of the multiple pages in succession to respective users of the devices substantially simultaneously.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the mark-up language comprises a language selected from a group of languages consisting of Extensible Markup Language (XML), Wireless Markup Language (WML), Hypertext Markup Language (HEML) and Handheld Device Markup Language (HDML).

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the browser programs comprise microbrowser programs installed as firmware in the mobile telephone devices, and wherein the scripts are written in a scripting language that is executable by the microbrowser programs substantially as installed.

17. A method according to claim 14, wherein transmitting the code comprises transmitting the code to the mobile telephone devices in accordance with a wireless communication protocol, and wherein the scripts cause the mobile telephone devices, upon displaying the content of one of the pages, to request a successive one of the pages from the host site using the protocol.

18. A method according to any of claims 14-17, wherein at least one of the pages comprises a link to alternative content, such that invocation of the link by one of the users causes the mobile telephone of the one of the users to send a link signal to the host site responsive to one of the scripts associated with the link, and wherein transmitting the code comprises receiving the link signal and, responsive thereto, transmitting the alternative content to the one of the users while the mobile telephone devices of the other users continue to display the multiple pages in succession.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein transmitting the alternative content comprises conveying an interactive application to the mobile telephone of the one of the users.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein providing the code comprises providing the multiple pages representing the content of a multiplicity of broadcast channels, and wherein transmitting the alternative content comprises transmitting to the one of the users the code of a second one of the broadcast channels in place of the code of a first one of the broadcast channels.

21. A method according to claim 18, and comprising receiving an indication that the one of the users has finished viewing the alternative content, and wherein transmitting the code comprises continuing to transmit the multiple pages to the one of the users, responsive to the indication, in synchronization with the other users.

22. A method according to claim 18, wherein receiving the link signal comprises receiving the signal invoked by the script associated with the link responsive to the user pressing a button on the telephone device.

23. A method for broadcasting information, comprising:

providing at a host site computer-readable code representing a sequence of frames of content of a broadcast channel;

receiving signals at the host site from a plurality of mobile telephone devices via a wireless network, invoking the broadcast channel;

estimating available network bandwidth between the host site and each of the plurality of mobile telephone devices, based on the received signals;

selecting different versions of the code to transmit to the mobile telephone devices responsive to the available network bandwidth for each of the devices; and

transmitting the different code versions via the wireless network to the plurality of mobile telephone devices concurrently, causing the devices to display the sequence of frames to respective users of the devices substantially simultaneously.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein the different versions of the code comprise different volumes of code data in at least some of the frames in the sequence.

25. A method according to claim 23, wherein estimating the available network bandwidth comprises sending a test signal from the host site to each of the mobile telephone devices, and measuring an elapsed time until the signals are received at the host site from the mobile telephone devices in response to the test signal.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein the available network bandwidth is estimated to be inversely proportional to the elapsed time.

27. A method according to claim 23, and comprising periodically repeating the estimating and selecting steps while transmitting the code versions.

28. A method according to any of claims 23-27, wherein receiving the signals further comprises receiving indications of respective display capabilities of the mobile telephone devices, and wherein transmitting the different code versions comprises transmitting the different versions to different ones of the mobile telephone devices responsive to the display capabilities thereof.

29. A method according to any of claims 23-27, wherein transmitting the different code versions comprises synchronizing the code versions among the mobile telephones so that the frames are displayed to the users on a common timeline.

30. A method according to any of claims 23-27, wherein providing the code comprises generating a basic code, and wherein transmitting the different code versions comprises processing the basic code so as to generate the different code versions in a mark-up language, which is read by respective browser programs running on the mobile telephone devices.

31. A method for broadcasting information, comprising:

providing at a host site basic markup language code representing a sequence of frames of content of a broadcast channel;

receiving signals at the host site from a plurality of mobile telephone devices via a wireless network, indicative of respective capabilities of the devices to receive and display the content;

generating different versions of the basic markup language code to transmit to the mobile telephone devices responsive to the respective capabilities of the devices; and

transmitting the different code versions via the wireless network to the plurality of mobile telephone devices concurrently, causing respective browser programs running on the devices to read the markup language code and, responsive thereto, to display the sequence of frames to respective users of the devices substantially simultaneously.

32. A method according to claim 31, wherein generating the different versions comprises generating the versions in one or more languages selected from a group of languages consisting of Extensible Markup Language (XML), Wireless Markup Language (WML), Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Handheld Device Markup Language (HDML).

33. A method according to claim 31, wherein providing the basic code comprises providing multiple pages of the code, and wherein transmitting the different code versions comprises transmitting the different code versions together with scripts, which cause the browser programs to display the content of the multiple pages in succession.

34. A method according to claim 31, wherein providing the basic code comprises collecting the content from a plurality of content sources, and converting the content to the basic markup language code.

35. A method according to claim 34, wherein converting the content comprises assembling the content into clips corresponding to the frames, each clip comprising one or more pages of the basic markup language, and providing a schedule indicative of the sequence of the frames, wherein transmitting the different code versions comprises transmitting the versions in accordance with the schedule.

36. A method according to claim 35, wherein assembling the content into the clips comprises defining clip objects in the basic markup language.

37. A method according to claim 34, wherein collecting the content comprises identifying fields on a selected Web page containing the content, and periodically polling the fields on the selected Web page to determine whether the content in the fields has changed, and converting the changed content to the basic markup language.

38. A method according to any of claims 31-37, wherein generating the different versions comprises converting the basic markup language code for one of the frames in the sequence to the different versions while transmitting the different versions of a preceding one of the frames in the sequence to the mobile telephone devices.

39. A method according to any of claims 31-37, wherein generating the different versions comprises producing the versions responsive to different estimates of bandwidth available on the network between the host site and the mobile telephone devices.

40. A method according to any of claims 31-37, wherein generating the different versions comprises producing two or more of the different versions in different markup languages.

41. A wireless broadcast server, comprising a processor, coupled to receive signals via a wireless network from a plurality of mobile telephone devices, invoking a broadcast channel, and to transmit computer-readable code representing content of the broadcast channel via the wireless network to the plurality of mobile telephone devices concurrently, causing the devices to display the content to respective users of the devices substantially simultaneously.

42. A server according to claim 41, wherein the wireless network comprises a cellular telephone network.

43. A server according to claim 42, wherein the code is transmitted as packet data over the cellular telephone network.

44. A server according to claim 43, wherein the packet data is transmitted in accordance with a Wireless Access Protocol (WAP).

45. A server according to claim 41, wherein the computer-readable code comprises code in a mark-up language, which can read by respective browser programs running on the mobile telephone devices.

46. A server according to claim 45, wherein the mark-up language comprises a language selected from a group of languages consisting of Extensible Markup Language (XML), Wireless Markup Language (WML), Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Handheld Device Markup Language (HDML).

47. A server according to claim 45, wherein the computer-readable code comprises multiple pages of the mark-up language code, which is transmitted together with scripts which cause the browser programs to display the content of the multiple pages in succession.

48. A server according to any of claims 41-47, wherein the signals comprise indications of respective display capabilities of the mobile telephone devices, and wherein different code versions are transmitted to different ones of the mobile telephone devices responsive to the display capabilities thereof.

50. A server according to any of claims 41-47, wherein the code is synchronized among the mobile telephones so that the frames are displayed to the users on a common timeline.

51. A server according to claim 50, wherein each of the frames comprises one or more slides, each of the one or more slides comprising at least one of text and an image for display by the mobile telephone devices.

52. A server according to claim 50, wherein at least one of the frames comprises a link to an application, and wherein the server is also coupled to receive an input from one or more of the users invoking the link, and, responsive thereto, to convey the application to the mobile telephone devices.

53. A server according to any of claims 41-47, wherein the code comprises multiple codes representing the content of multiple broadcast channels, and the signals invoking the broadcast channel comprise a selection of one of the multiple broadcast channels to be displayed on each of the mobile telephone devices.

49. A server according to any of claims 4147, wherein the signals comprise estimates of respective bandwidths available on the network between the mobile telephone devices and the server, and wherein different code versions are transmitted to different ones of the mobile telephone devices responsive to the respective estimated bandwidths.

54. A wireless broadcast server, comprising a processor, coupled to receive signals via a wireless network from a plurality of mobile telephone devices, invoicing a broadcast channel, and to transmit multiple pages of computer-readable markup-language code representing content of a broadcast channel via the wireless network to the plurality of mobile telephone devices together with scripts, which cause respective browser programs running on the devices to display the content of the multiple pages in succession to respective users of the devices substantially simultaneously.

55. A server according to claim 54, wherein the mark-up language comprises a language selected from a group of languages consisting of Extensible Markup Language (XML), Wireless Markup Language (WML), Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Handheld Device Markup Language (HDML).

56. A server according to claim 54, wherein the browser programs comprise microbrowser programs installed as firmware in the mobile telephone devices, and wherein the scripts are written in a scripting language that is executable by the microbrowser programs substantially as installed.

57. A server according to claim 54, wherein the code is transmitted to the mobile telephone devices in accordance with a wireless communication protocol, and wherein the scripts cause the mobile telephone devices, upon displaying the content of one of the pages, to request a successive one of the pages from the host site using the protocol.

58. A server according to any of claims 54-57, wherein at least one of the pages comprises a link to alternative content, such that invocation of the link by one of the users causes the mobile telephone of the one of the users to send a link signal to the host site responsive to one of the scripts associated with the link, and wherein the server is coupled to receive the link signal and, responsive thereto, to transmit the alternative content to the one of the users while the mobile telephone devices of the other users continue to display the multiple pages in succession.

59. A server according to claim 58, wherein the alternative content comprises an interactive application.

60. A server according to claim 58, wherein the code comprises multiple pages representing the content of a multiplicity of broadcast channels, and wherein the alternative content comprises the code of a second one of the broadcast channels.

61. A server according to claim 58, wherein the server is also coupled to receive an indication that the one of the users has finished viewing the alternative content, and to transmit the multiple pages to the one of the users, responsive to the indication, in synchronization with the other users.

62. A server according to claim 58, wherein the link signal is invoked by the script associated with the link responsive to the user pressing a button on the telephone device.

63. A wireless broadcast server, comprising a processor, coupled to receive signals via a wireless network from a plurality of mobile telephone devices, invoking a broadcast channel;

estimate available network bandwidth between the server and each of the plurality of mobile telephone devices, based on the received signals;

select, responsive to the available network bandwidth for each of the devices, different versions of a computer-readable code representing a sequence of frames of content of the broadcast channel, for transmission to the mobile telephone devices; and

transmit the different code versions via the wireless network to the plurality of mobile telephone devices concurrently, causing the devices to display the sequence of frames to respective users of the devices substantially simultaneously.

64. A server according to claim 63, wherein the different versions of the code comprise different volumes of code data in at least some of the frames in the sequence.

65. A server according to claim 63, wherein estimating the available network bandwidth comprises sending a test signal from the host site to each of the mobile telephone devices, and measuring an elapsed time until the signals are received at the host site from the mobile telephone devices in response to the test signal.

66. A server according to claim 65, wherein the available network bandwidth is estimated to be inversely proportional to the elapsed time.

67. A server according to any of claims 63-66, wherein the server periodically repeats the estimation and selection while transmitting the code versions.

68. A server according to any of claims 63-66, wherein the signals further comprise indications of respective display capabilities of the mobile telephone devices, and wherein the different code versions are transmitted to different ones of the mobile telephone devices responsive to the display capabilities thereof.

69. A server according to any of claims 63-66, wherein the transmission of the different code versions is synchronized among the mobile telephones so that the frames are displayed to the users on a common timeline.

70. A server according to any of claims 63-66, wherein the code comprises a basic code, and wherein the different code versions are generated from the basic code in a mark-up language, which is read by respective browser programs running on the mobile telephone devices.

71. A wireless broadcast server, comprising a processor, coupled to:

generate different versions of a basic markup language code representing a sequence of frames of content of a broadcast channel;

receive signals via a wireless network from a plurality of mobile telephone devices, indicative of respective capabilities of the devices to receive and display the content,

transmit, responsive to the respective capabilities of the devices, the different code versions via the wireless network to the plurality of mobile telephone devices concurrently, causing respective browser programs running on the devices to read the markup language code and, responsive thereto, to display the sequence of frames to respective users of the devices substantially simultaneously.

72. A server according to claim 71, wherein the different versions are generated in one or more languages selected from a group of languages consisting of Extensible Markup Language (XML), Wireless Markup Language (WML), Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Handheld Device Markup Language (HDML).

73. A server according to claim 71, wherein the basic code comprises multiple pages of the code, and wherein the different code versions are transmitted together with scripts, which cause the browser programs to display the content of the multiple pages in succession.

74. A server according to claim 71, wherein the basic code comprises content collected from a plurality of content sources, converted to the basic markup language code.

75. A server according to claim 74, wherein the content comprises clips corresponding to the frames, each clip comprising one or more pages of the basic markup language, and providing a schedule indicative of the sequence of the frames, wherein the different code versions are transmitted in accordance with a schedule.

76. A server according to claim 75, wherein the clips comprise clip objects defined in the basic markup language.

77. A server according to claim 74, wherein the content comprises fields identified on a selected Web page containing the content, and wherein the server is coupled to periodically poll the fields on the selected Web page to determine whether the content in the fields has changed, and to convert the changed content to the basic markup language.

78. A server according to any of claims 71-77, wherein the basic markup language code for one of the frames in the sequence is converted to the different versions while the different versions of a preceding one of the frames in the sequence is transmitted to the mobile telephone devices.

79. A server according to any of claims 71-77, wherein the different versions are generated responsive to different estimates of bandwidth available on the network between the host site and the mobile telephone devices.

80. A server according to any of claims 71-77, wherein the different versions comprise two or more versions in different markup languages.

81. A computer software product, comprising a computer-readable medium in which program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to receive signals via a wireless network from a plurality of mobile telephone devices, invoking a broadcast channel, and to transmit computer-readable code representing content of the broadcast channel via the wireless network to the plurality of mobile telephone devices concurrently, causing the devices to display the content to respective users of the devices substantially simultaneously.

82. A computer software product according to claim 81, wherein the network comprises a cellular telephone network.

83. A computer software product according to claim 82, wherein the code is transmitted as packet data over the cellular telephone network.

84. A computer software product according to claim 83, wherein the packet data is transmitted in accordance with a Wireless Access Protocol (WAP).

85. A computer software product according to claim 81, wherein the code is generated in a mark-up language, which is read by respective browser programs running on the mobile telephone devices.

86. A computer software product according to claim 85, wherein the mark-up language comprises a language selected from a group of languages consisting of Extensible Markup Language (XML), Wireless Markup Language (WML), Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Handheld Device Markup Language (HDML).

87. A computer software product according to claim 85, wherein the code comprises multiple pages of the mark-up language code, and wherein the code is transmitted together with scripts, which cause the browser programs to display the content of the multiple pages in succession.

88. A computer software product according to any of claims 81-87, wherein the signals comprise indications of respective display capabilities of the mobile telephone devices, and wherein different code versions are transmitted to different ones of the mobile telephone devices responsive to the display capabilities thereof.

89. A computer software product according to any of claims 81-87, wherein the signals comprise an estimate of respective bandwidths available on the network between the mobile telephone devices and the computer based on the received signals, and wherein different code versions are transmitted to different ones of the mobile telephone devices responsive to the respective estimated bandwidths.

90. A computer software product according to any of claims 81-87, wherein transmission of the code is synchronized among the mobile telephones so that the frames are displayed to the users on a common timeline.

91. A computer software product according to claim 90, wherein each of the frames comprises one or more slides, each of the one or more slides comprising at least one of text and an image for display by the mobile telephone devices.

92. A computer software product according to claim 90, wherein at least one of the frames comprises a link to an application, and wherein the instructions cause the computer to receive an input from one or more of the users invoking the link, and to convey the application to the mobile telephone devices responsive to the input.

93. A computer software product according to claim 91, wherein the code comprises multiple codes representing the content of multiple broadcast channels, and wherein invoking the broadcast channel comprises selecting one of the multiple broadcast channels to be displayed on each of the mobile telephone devices.

94. A computer software product, comprising a computer-readable medium in which program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to receive signals via a wireless network from a plurality of mobile telephone devices, invoking a broadcast channel, and to transmit multiple pages of computer-readable markup-language code representing content of the broadcast channel via the wireless network to the plurality of mobile telephone devices together with scripts, which cause respective browser programs running on the devices to display the content of the multiple pages in succession to respective users of the devices substantially simultaneously.

95. A computer software product according to claim 94, wherein the mark-up language comprises a language selected from a group of languages consisting of Extensible Markup Language (XML), Wireless Markup Language (WML), Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Handheld Device Markup Language (HDML).

96. A computer software product according to claim 94, wherein the browser programs comprise microbrowser programs installed as firmware in the mobile telephone devices, and wherein the scripts are written in a scripting language that is executable by the microbrowser programs substantially as installed.

97. A computer software product according to claim 94, wherein the code is transmitted to the mobile telephone devices in accordance with a wireless communication protocol, and wherein the scripts cause the mobile telephone devices, upon displaying the content of one of the pages, to request a successive one of the pages from the host site using the protocol.

98. A computer software product according to any of claims 94-97, wherein at least one of the pages comprises a link to alternative content, such that invocation of the link by one of the users causes the mobile telephone of the one of the users to send a link signal to the host site responsive to one of the scripts associated with the link, and wherein transmitting the code comprises receiving the link signal and, responsive thereto, transmitting the alternative content to the one of the users while the mobile telephone devices of the other users continue to display the multiple pages in succession.

99. A computer software product according to claim 98, wherein the alternative content comprises an interactive application.

100. A computer software product according to claim 98, wherein the code comprises multiple pages representing the content of a multiplicity of broadcast channels, and wherein the alternative content is the code of a second one of the broadcast channels.

101. A computer software product according to claim 98, wherein the instructions cause the computer to receive an indication that the one of the users has finished viewing the alternative content, and to transmit the multiple pages to the one of the users, responsive to the indication, in synchronization with the other users.

102. A computer software product according to claim 98, wherein the link signal is invoked by the script associated with the link responsive to the user pressing a button on the telephone device.

103. A computer software product, comprising a computer-readable medium in which program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive signals via a wireless network from a plurality of mobile telephone devices, invoking a broadcast channel;

estimate available network bandwidth between the server and each of the plurality of mobile telephone devices, based on the received signals;

select, responsive to the available network bandwidth for each of the devices, different versions of a computer-readable code representing a sequence of frames of content of the broadcast channel, for transmission to the mobile telephone devices; and

transmit the different code versions via the wireless network to the plurality of mobile telephone devices concurrently, causing the devices to display the sequence of frames to respective users of the devices substantially simultaneously.

104. A computer software product according to claim 103, wherein the different versions of the code comprise different volumes of code data in at least some of the frames in the sequence.

105. A computer software product according to claim 103, wherein estimating the available network bandwidth comprises sending a test signal from the host site to each of the mobile telephone devices, and measuring an elapsed time until the signals are received at the host site from the mobile telephone devices in response to the test signal.

106. A computer software product according to claim 105, wherein the available network bandwidth is estimated to be inversely proportional to the elapsed time.

107. A computer software product according to any of claims 103-106, wherein the instructions cause the computer to periodically repeat the estimation and selection while transmitting the code versions.

108. A computer software product according to any of claims 103-106, wherein the signals further comprise indications of respective display capabilities of the mobile telephone devices, and wherein the different code versions are transmitted to different ones of the mobile telephone devices responsive to the display capabilities thereof.

109. A computer software product according to any of claims 103-106, wherein the transmission of the different code versions is synchronized among the mobile telephones so that the frames are displayed to the users on a common timeline.

110. A computer software product according to any of claims 103-106, wherein the code comprises a basic code, and wherein the different code versions are generated from the basic code in a mark-up language, which is read by-respective browser programs running on the mobile telephone devices.

111. A computer software product, comprising a computer-readable medium in which program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to:

generate different versions of a basic markup language code representing a sequence of frames of content of a broadcast channel;

receive signals via a wireless network from a plurality of mobile telephone devices, indicative of respective capabilities of the devices to receive and display the content;

transmit, responsive to the respective capabilities of the devices, the different code versions via the wireless network to the plurality of mobile telephone devices concurrently, causing respective browser programs running on the devices to read the markup language code and, responsive thereto, to display the sequence of frames to respective users of the devices substantially simultaneously.

112. A computer software product according to claim 111, wherein the different versions are generated in one or more languages selected from a group of languages consisting of Extensible Markup Language (XML), Wireless Markup Language (WML), Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Handheld Device Markup Language (HDML).

113. A computer software product according to claim 111, wherein the basic code comprises multiple pages of the code, and wherein the different code versions are transmitted together with scripts, which cause the browser programs to display the content of the multiple pages in succession.

114. A computer software product according to claim 111, wherein the basic code comprises content collected from a plurality of content sources, converted to the basic markup language code.

115. A computer software product according to claim 114, wherein the content comprises clips corresponding to the frames, each clip comprising one or more pages of the basic markup language, and providing a schedule indicative of the sequence of the frames, wherein the different code versions are transmitted in accordance with-a schedule.

116. A computer software product according to claim 115, wherein the clips comprise clip objects defined in the basic markup language.

117. A computer software product according to claim 114, wherein the content comprises fields identified on a selected Web page containing the content, and wherein the instructions cause the computer to periodically poll the fields on the selected Web page to determine whether the content in the fields has changed, and to convert the changed content to the basic markup language.

118. A computer software product according to any of claims 111-117, wherein the basic markup language code for one of the frames in the sequence is converted to the different versions while the different versions of a preceding one of the frames in the sequence is transmitted to the mobile telephone devices.

119. A computer software product according to any of claims 111-117, wherein the different versions are generated responsive to different estimates of bandwidth available on the network between the host site and the mobile telephone devices.

120. A computer software product according to any of claims 111-117, wherein the different versions comprise two or more versions in different markup languages.