US6442598B1 — System and method for delivering web content over…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 118 words

A system for delivering Web content over a broadcast medium, comprising: a webcast center to actively gather Web content from sites on the Internet by visiting the sites and fetching content from the sites, the webcast center storing the gathered Web content, the webcast center having a broadcast transmitter to transmit the gathered Web content over the broadcast medium; and multiple clients equipped with filters to receive a portion of the gathered Web content from one or more selected sites; and wherein the Web content comprises Web pages, and a packager is configured to organize the pages in alphabetical order according to their URLs (Universal Resource Locator) and to form package files that contain pages from same sites.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 118 words

A system for delivering Web content over a broadcast medium, comprising: a webcast center to actively gather Web content from sites on the Internet by visiting the sites and fetching content from the sites, the webcast center storing the gathered Web content, the webcast center having a broadcast transmitter to transmit the gathered Web content over the broadcast medium; and multiple clients equipped with filters to receive a portion of the gathered Web content from one or more selected sites; and wherein the Web content comprises Web pages, and a packager is configured to organize the pages in alphabetical order according to their URLs (Universal Resource Locator) and to form package files that contain pages from same sites.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 20 words

A system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the webcast center is configured to continuously gather the Web content.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 42 words

A system is recited in claim 1 , wherein the webcast center actively gathers the Web content by retrieving a Web page at a root URL (Universal Resource Locator) and any additional Web pages within a Predetermined depth below the root URL.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 25 words

A system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the webcast center gathers Web pages and any in-line image files referenced by the Web pages.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 56 words

A system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the packager packages the Web content in the content cache into broadcast package files, and wherein the webcast center further comprises: a content cache to store the Web content gathered from the sites; and a package store to store the broadcast package files prior to broadcast transmission.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 30 words

A system has recited in claim 1 , wherein the webcast center has a scheduler to schedule the sites and times to actively gather the Web content from the Internet.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 38 words

A system as recited in claim 1 , wherein each client has a subscription database to store a user's Web content preferences, the subscription database being utilized by the client's filter to selectively receive the preferred Web content.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 33 words

A system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a content server configured to receive the broadcast Web content and to serve the Web content to one or more of the clients.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 143 words

A system for delivering Web content over a broadcast medium, comprising: a webcast center to actively gather Web content from sites on the Internet by visiting the sites and fetching content from the sites, the webcast center storing the gathered Web content, the webcast center having a broadcast transmitter to transmit the gathered Web content over the broadcast medium; multiple clients equipped with filters to receive a portion of the gathered Web content from one or more selected sites; and wherein: the broadcast transmitter at the webcast center transmits the Web content in individual packages; and each client has an unpackager to reconstruct the Web content from the packages, the unpackager being configured to determine whether the Web content received from the webcast center is more recent than any Web content from an identical site that may already be stored on the client.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 143 words

A system for delivering Web content over a broadcast medium, comprising: a webcast center to actively gather Web content from sites on the Internet by visiting the sites and fetching content from the sites, the webcast center storing the gathered Web content, the webcast center having a broadcast transmitter to transmit the gathered Web content over the broadcast medium; multiple clients equipped with filters to receive a portion of the gathered Web content from one or more selected sites; and wherein: the broadcast transmitter at the webcast center transmits the Web content in individual packages; and each client has an unpackager to reconstruct the Web content from the packages, the unpackager being configured to determine whether the Web content received from the webcast center is more recent than any Web content from an identical site that may already be stored on the client.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 119 words

A system for delivering Web content over a broadcast medium, comprising: a webcast center to actively gather Web content from sites on the Internet by visiting the sites and fetching content from the sites, the webcast center storing the gathered Web content, the webcast center having a broadcast transmitter to transmit the gathered Web content over the broadcast medium; multiple clients equipped with filters to receive a portion of the gathered Web content from one or more selected sites; and wherein each client has an annotator configured to annotate hyperlinks within the Web content to differentiate among first hyperlinks that access content not stored locally at the client and second hyperlinks that access content stored locally at the client.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 119 words

A system for delivering Web content over a broadcast medium, comprising: a webcast center to actively gather Web content from sites on the Internet by visiting the sites and fetching content from the sites, the webcast center storing the gathered Web content, the webcast center having a broadcast transmitter to transmit the gathered Web content over the broadcast medium; multiple clients equipped with filters to receive a portion of the gathered Web content from one or more selected sites; and wherein each client has an annotator configured to annotate hyperlinks within the Web content to differentiate among first hyperlinks that access content not stored locally at the client and second hyperlinks that access content stored locally at the client.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 141 words

A webcast center comprising: a gatherer to actively gather Web content from sites on the Internet by visiting the sites and fetching content from the sites; a content cache to store the Web content actively gathered from the sites by the gatherer; a packager to package the Web content stored in the content cache into broadcast package files; a package store to store the broadcast package files prior to broadcast transmission; a broadcast transmitter to segment the package files from the package store into individual packages and transmit the packages over a broadcast medium; and wherein: the gatherer retrieves the Web content from the sites and stores the Web content in the content cache at a first data rate; and the broadcast transmitter transmits the packages from the package store at a second data rate different from the first data rate.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 141 words

A webcast center comprising: a gatherer to actively gather Web content from sites on the Internet by visiting the sites and fetching content from the sites; a content cache to store the Web content actively gathered from the sites by the gatherer; a packager to package the Web content stored in the content cache into broadcast package files; a package store to store the broadcast package files prior to broadcast transmission; a broadcast transmitter to segment the package files from the package store into individual packages and transmit the packages over a broadcast medium; and wherein: the gatherer retrieves the Web content from the sites and stores the Web content in the content cache at a first data rate; and the broadcast transmitter transmits the packages from the package store at a second data rate different from the first data rate.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 35 words

A webcast center as recited in claim 11 , wherein the broadcast transmitter continuously transmits the package files in the package store multiple times before the packager updates the package files in the package store.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 126 words

For use in a system for delivering Web content in individual data packages over a broadcast medium to multiple clients, a package handling unit at each of the clients comprising: a receiver to reconstruct package files from the data packages; a package store to temporarily hold the package files containing the Web content; and an unpackager to reconstruct the Web content from the package files, the unpackager being configured to determine whether the Web content received in the package files from the broadcast medium is more recent than any duplicative Web content that may already be stored at the client as a result of the client retrieving the duplicative Web content from a same Web site from which the Web content in the package files came.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 126 words

For use in a system for delivering Web content in individual data packages over a broadcast medium to multiple clients, a package handling unit at each of the clients comprising: a receiver to reconstruct package files from the data packages; a package store to temporarily hold the package files containing the Web content; and an unpackager to reconstruct the Web content from the package files, the unpackager being configured to determine whether the Web content received in the package files from the broadcast medium is more recent than any duplicative Web content that may already be stored at the client as a result of the client retrieving the duplicative Web content from a same Web site from which the Web content in the package files came.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 57 words

For use in a system for delivering Web content over a broadcast medium to multiple clients, an annotator program executing on each of the clients to annotate hyperlinks within the Web content to differentiate among first hyperlinks that access content not stored locally at the client and second hyperlinks that access content stored locally at the client.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 57 words

For use in a system for delivering Web content over a broadcast medium to multiple clients, an annotator program executing on each of the clients to annotate hyperlinks within the Web content to differentiate among first hyperlinks that access content not stored locally at the client and second hyperlinks that access content stored locally at the client.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 33 words

An annotator program as recited in claim 14 , further configured to annotate the hyperlinks to differentiate among third hyperlinks that have been actuated at least one by a user at the client.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 269 words

A system for delivering Web content over a broadcast medium, comprising: (A) a webcast center comprising: (1) a gatherer to actively gather Web content from sites on the Internet by visiting the sites to retrieve the Web content; (2) a scheduler to schedule for the gatherer the sites and times to actively gather the Web content; (3) a content cache to store the Web content gathered from the sites by the gatherer; (4) a packager to package the Web content stored in the content cache into broadcast package files; (5) a package store to store the broadcast package files; and (6) a broadcast transmitter to segment the package files from the package store into individual packages and transmit the packages over a broadcast medium; (B) a client comprising: (1) a receiver to receive the broadcast packages; (2) a subscription database to store a directory of the Web content gathered by the webcast center; (3) a subscriber user interface executing at the client to enable a user to select preferred Web content from the directory of the subscription database; (4) a filter to direct the receiver to accept the packages carrying the preferred Web content selected by the user, while rejecting other packages carrying non-preferred Web content, and to reconstruct the package files from the accepted packages; (5) a client-side package store to temporarily hold the package files received by the receiver; and (6) an unpackager to determine whether the Web content in the package files received from the broadcast medium is more recent than any other version of the Web content that may already be stored at the client.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 269 words

A system for delivering Web content over a broadcast medium, comprising: (A) a webcast center comprising: (1) a gatherer to actively gather Web content from sites on the Internet by visiting the sites to retrieve the Web content; (2) a scheduler to schedule for the gatherer the sites and times to actively gather the Web content; (3) a content cache to store the Web content gathered from the sites by the gatherer; (4) a packager to package the Web content stored in the content cache into broadcast package files; (5) a package store to store the broadcast package files; and (6) a broadcast transmitter to segment the package files from the package store into individual packages and transmit the packages over a broadcast medium; (B) a client comprising: (1) a receiver to receive the broadcast packages; (2) a subscription database to store a directory of the Web content gathered by the webcast center; (3) a subscriber user interface executing at the client to enable a user to select preferred Web content from the directory of the subscription database; (4) a filter to direct the receiver to accept the packages carrying the preferred Web content selected by the user, while rejecting other packages carrying non-preferred Web content, and to reconstruct the package files from the accepted packages; (5) a client-side package store to temporarily hold the package files received by the receiver; and (6) an unpackager to determine whether the Web content in the package files received from the broadcast medium is more recent than any other version of the Web content that may already be stored at the client.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 44 words

A system as recited in claim 16 , wherein the gatherer is configurable, for each of the sites, to gather a home Web page at a root URL (Universal Resource Locator) and any additional Web pages within a predefined depth below the root URL.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 28 words

A system as recited in claim 16 , wherein the gatherer is configured to retrieve Web pages and any in-line image files referenced by the home Web pages.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 54 words

A system as recited in claim 16 , wherein: the gatherer retrieves the Web content from the sites and stores the Web content in the content cache at a first data rate; and the broadcast transmitter transmits the packages from the package store at a second data rate different from the first data rate.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 34 words

A system as recited in claim 16 , wherein the broadcast transmitter continuously transmits the package files in the package store multiple times before the packager updates the package files in the package store.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 34 words

A system as recited in claim 16 , wherein the webcast center further comprises an announcement generator to send announcements informing the client of the Web content to be transmitted in future broadcast transmissions.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 50 words

A system as recited in claim 16 , wherein the client further comprises an annotator to annotate hyperlinks within the preferred Web content, the annotated hyperlinks differentiating between first hyperlinks that access content not stored locally at the client and second hyperlinks that access content stored locally at the client.

Claim 30

Independent Claim 132 words

A method for delivering Web content to clients, comprising: actively gathering the Web content from sites on the Internet by visiting the site to retrieve the Web content; storing the Web content in a first cache; packaging the Web content from the first cache into package files; storing the package files in a second cache; broadcasting the package files from the second cache over the broadcast medium; and receiving the package files at a client; filtering the package files to retain files containing the Web content preferred by a user; reconstructing the preferred Web content from the retained package files; and annotating hyperlinks within the Web content to differentiate among first hyperlinks that access content not stored locally at the client and second hyperlinks that access content stored locally at the client.

Claim 31

Independent Claim 132 words

A method for delivering Web content to clients, comprising: actively gathering the Web content from sites on the Internet by visiting the site to retrieve the Web content; storing the Web content in a first cache; packaging the Web content from the first cache into package files; storing the package files in a second cache; broadcasting the package files from the second cache over the broadcast medium; and receiving the package files at a client; filtering the package files to retain files containing the Web content preferred by a user; reconstructing the preferred Web content from the retained package files; and annotating hyperlinks within the Web content to differentiate among first hyperlinks that access content not stored locally at the client and second hyperlinks that access content stored locally at the client.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 39 words

A method as recited in claim 23 , further comprising retrieving, at each of the sites, a Web page at a root URL (Universal Resource Locator) and any additional Web pages within a predetermined depth below the root URL.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 23 words

A method as recited in claim 23 , further comprising retrieving Web pages and any in-line image files referenced by the Web pages.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 23 words

A method as recited in claim 23 , further comprising scheduling the sites and times to gather the Web content from the Internet.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 37 words

A method as recited in claim 23 , further comprising gathering the Web content at a first data rate and broadcasting the package files at a second data rate that is different from the first data rate.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 42 words

A method as recited in claim 23 , further comprising examining the preferred Web content after reconstructing to determine whether the Web content is more recent than any other version of the Web content that may already be stored at the client.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 123 words

In a system for delivering Web content over a broadcast medium from a webcast center to multiple clients, a computer-implemented method for cumulating Web content at the webcast center comprising instructions for: gathering the Web content from sites on the Internet by visiting the site to retrieve the Web content; storing the Web content in a first cache; packaging the Web content from the first cache into package files; storing the package files at a second cache; gathering the Web content from the sites; and storing the Web content in the content cache at a first data rate that is different from and independent of a second data rate at which the packages from the package store are transmitted over the broadcast medium.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 123 words

In a system for delivering Web content over a broadcast medium from a webcast center to multiple clients, a computer-implemented method for cumulating Web content at the webcast center comprising instructions for: gathering the Web content from sites on the Internet by visiting the site to retrieve the Web content; storing the Web content in a first cache; packaging the Web content from the first cache into package files; storing the package files at a second cache; gathering the Web content from the sites; and storing the Web content in the content cache at a first data rate that is different from and independent of a second data rate at which the packages from the package store are transmitted over the broadcast medium.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 30 words

A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 29 , further comprising: segmenting the package files from the package store into individual packages; and transmitting the packages over a broadcast medium.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 25 words

A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 29 , further comprising transmitting the packages multiple times between updating the Web content in the package files.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 56 words

In a system for delivering Web content over a broadcast medium from a webcast center to multiple clients, a computer-implemented method comprising annotating, at a client, hyperlinks within the Web content to differentiate among first hyperlinks that access content not stored locally at the client and second hyperlinks that access content stored locally at the client.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 56 words

In a system for delivering Web content over a broadcast medium from a webcast center to multiple clients, a computer-implemented method comprising annotating, at a client, hyperlinks within the Web content to differentiate among first hyperlinks that access content not stored locally at the client and second hyperlinks that access content stored locally at the client.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 31 words

A method as recited in claim 32 , further comprising annotating the hyperlinks to differentiate among third hyperlinks that have been actuated at least one by a user at the client.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 15 words

A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions for performing the method recited in claim 32 .

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2005-08-26	2006-02-25	2006-08-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2009-08-26	2010-02-25	2010-08-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2013-08-26	2014-02-25	2014-08-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

System and method for delivering web content over a broadcast medium

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