Architecture for an electronic shopping service integratable with a software application

Abstract

An architecture for an integrated shopping service that enables electronic shopping from within a software application. The software application includes web browsing functionality, with the capability to navigate to a limited set of web sites. The client machine on which the software runs maintains a local list of the limited set of web sites that can be accessed from within the software application. A directory server maintains a list of retail web sites that can be added to the client's local list of accessible web sites. Each client machine that runs the software application connects to the directory server in order to add web sites to the locally-maintained list of sites that can be accessed from within the integrated shopping service.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of facilitating the purchase and viewing of electronic content comprising: 
 storing, on a first computing device located at a network address, a list of web sites which distribute digital content items; and    providing a set of computer-executable instructions to a plurality of second computing devices, said set of computer-executable instructions including instructions to perform acts comprising: 
 rendering said digital content items; and  
 retrieving said list from said first computing device.  
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 providing data indicative of said network address to said plurality of second computing devices.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said digital content items comprise text.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said digital content items comprise audio.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said digital content item comprise video.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said digital content item comprises software.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said storing act comprises: 
 for each of said web sites, storing: 
 a universal record locator;  
 one or more items of text; and  
 a graphical image.  
   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 limiting the set of web sites on said list.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 providing, to a one of said plurality of second computing devices, data indicative of a one of said web sites.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 providing, to said one of said plurality of second computing devices, computer-executable instructions which contact said one of said web sites.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said computer-executable instructions further include instructions to perform the acts of: 
 browsing web pages on a computer network;    providing a user interface which integrates said rendering, retrieving, and browsing acts.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions which perform the act of retrieving said list from said first computing device include instructions which use a stand-alone web browsing program to retrieve said list.  
     
     
         13 . A method of supporting electronic commerce comprising: 
 storing a directory of web sites;    receiving a request from a computing device to add a one of said web sites to a list stored on said computing device; and    uploading data indicative of said one of said web sites to said computing device for storage in a registry on said computing device.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said directory includes at least one web sites that distributes digital content.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said directory of web sites comprises an HTML file which includes said data.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 on said computing device, downloading said HTML file for viewing with a browser, whereupon said browser renders a list of web sites in said directory and one or more clickable buttons; and clicking one of said buttons as an indication that said web site is to be added.    
     
     
         17 . A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions to perform the method of  claim 13 .  
     
     
         18 . A system for supporting electronic commerce comprising: 
 a first computing device which includes: 
 a memory which stores first data indicative of a plurality of web sites;  
 a network interface communicatively coupled to a computer network;  
 first logic which communicates a list of said plurality of web sites to a second computing device through said network interface; and  
 second logic which communicates second data indicative of a one of said plurality of web sites to said second computing device through said network interface.  
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein said second logic communicates said second data based on a user selection of said one of said plurality of web sites, said user selection being received from said second computing device.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein said first data includes, for each of said plurality of web sites: 
 a universal record locator;    one or more items of text; and    a graphical image.    
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein said first data further includes: 
 an identification number; and    a flag.    
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein said first data comprises an HTML web page, said web page including: 
 said second data;    instructions which cause said second data to be transmitted to said second computing device; and    a user-selectable image which invokes said instructions.    
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein said user-selectable item comprises an ADD button.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein said second logic causes said second data to be written to a registry on said second computing device.  
     
     
         25 . A method of facilitating electronic commerce comprising: 
 storing, at a first computing device having a network address, data indicative of commerce sites;    providing to a second computing device: 
 data indicative of said network address; and  
 a set of computer-executable instructions which: 
 contact said first computing device at said network address to obtain at least some of said data indicative of said commerce sites, whereby said at least some data is stored on said second computing device in a predetermined location;  
 engage in communication with a one of the commerce sites whose indicative data is stored in said predetermined location;  
 exclude contact with sites whose indicative data is not stored on said second computing device in said predetermined location.  
 
   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said storing act comprises storing data indicative of web sites that distribute digital content.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said instructions which engage in communication with a one of said commerce sites include instructions which employ a stand-alone web browsing program to perform communication.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said network address comprises a universal record locator.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the data stored on said second computing device in a predetermined location comprises a universal record locator of at least one of said commerce sites.  
     
     
         30 . A method of purchasing digital content comprising: 
 starting a content-rendering program on a first computing device, said first computing device storing an address of a second computing device;    obtaining from said second computing device an address of a third computing device;    using said content-rendering program to connect to said third device; and    placing an order for digital content with said third computing device.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the act of storing the address of said third computing device on said first computing device.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said act of placing an order comprises placing an order for text.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the act of obtaining from said second computing device a description of a web site hosted by said third computing device.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the act of obtaining from said second computing device a logo associated with a web site hosted by said third computing device.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said act of obtaining an address of said third computing device comprising obtaining a universal record locator.