Displaying time-varying internet based data in network information monitor

Abstract

A software component for accessing and displaying time-varying Internet content includes a definition for rendering a graphical user interface and a URL pointing to the time-varying Internet content to be downloaded and presented within said user interface. A component provider may create displays of Internet content which vary as a function of the varying of the time-varying Internet content. In one example, the graphical user interface includes an image, and the image varies in order to illustrate the varying of the time-varying data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A client computing device configured to access content over a network, the client computing device comprising:
 electronic storage configured to store networked information monitor template associated with a networked information monitor, the networked information monitor template having therein a definition of a viewer graphical user interface having a frame within which time-varying content in a web browser-readable language may be presented on a display associated with the client computing device, wherein the frame of the viewer graphical user interface lacks controls for enabling a user to specify one or more network locations at which one or more content elements for the networked information monitor are available; and   one or more processors configured to execute one or more computer program modules, the one or more computer program modules being configured to access the networked information monitor defined by the networked information monitor template, wherein accessing the networked information monitor defined by the networked information monitor template results in:
 transmission, over a network to a server at a first network location, of a first content request for a first content element for the networked information monitor to be displayed within the frame of the viewer graphical user interface defined by the networked information monitor template, the first content element being time-varying; 
 reception, over the network from the server at the first network location, of the first content element transmitted from the server in response to the first content request; 
 presentation, on the display, of the viewer graphical user interface defined by the networked information monitor template outside of and separate from any graphical user interface of any other application; and 
 presentation, on the display within the frame of the viewer graphical user interface defined by the networked information monitor, of the first content element received from the server at the first network location. 
   
     
     
         2 . The client computing device of  claim 1 , further comprising, responsive to reception of the first content element from the server at the first network location, modifying a feature of said viewer graphical user interface defined by the networked information monitor template in accordance with a modification corresponding to the first content element. 
     
     
         3 . The client computing device of  claim 2 , wherein said modification corresponding to the first content element comprises a modification to an image defined by the networked information monitor template as forming a part of said viewer graphical user interface. 
     
     
         4 . The client computing device of  claim 2 , wherein the correspondence between the modification and the first content element is defined by the networked information monitor template. 
     
     
         5 . The client computing device of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more computer program modules and the networked information monitor template are configured such that modifying the feature of the viewer graphical user interface comprises adjusting a size of the frame of the viewer graphical user interface. 
     
     
         6 . The client computing device of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more computer program modules and the networked information monitor template are configured such that modifying the feature of the viewer graphical user interface comprises changing a color of a frame border or background of the viewer graphical user interface. 
     
     
         7 . The client computing device of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more computer program modules and the networked information monitor template are configured such that modifying the feature of the viewer graphical user interface comprises modifying text of the viewer graphical user interface in a manner defined by the networked information monitor template. 
     
     
         8 . The client computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the networked information monitor template includes a markup language file. 
     
     
         9 . The client computing device of  claim 1 , wherein one or more computer program modules are configured such that the first content element is received from the server over the network according to a TCP/IP protocol. 
     
     
         10 . The client computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the first network location corresponds to a definition of the first content element referenced in the networked information monitor template. 
     
     
         11 . The client computing device of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more computer program modules are further configured such that accessing the networked information monitor defined by the networked information monitor template results in transmission of the first content request to the first network location in accordance with the definition of the first content element referenced in the networked information monitor template. 
     
     
         12 . The client computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer program modules are further configured:
 to transmit, over the network to a networked information monitor server, a request for the networked information monitor template;   to receive, from the networked information monitor server over the network, the networked information monitor template; and   to store the networked information monitor template to the electronic storage.   
     
     
         13 . The client client computing device of  claim 1 , wherein accessing the networked information monitor defined by the networked information monitor template by the one or more processors further results in:
 transmission, over a network to a server at a second network location, of a second content request for a second content element for the networked information monitor to be displayed within the frame of the viewer graphical user interface defined by the networked information monitor template, the second content element being time-varying;   reception, over the network from the server at the second network location, of the second content element transmitted from the server in response to the second content request; and   presentation, on the display within the frame of the viewer graphical user interface defined by the networked information monitor, of the second content element received from the server at the second network location.   
     
     
         14 . A computer-implemented method of accessing content over a network on a client computing device, the client computing device having electronic storage and one or more processors configured to execute one or more computer program modules, the client method comprising:
 storing, to the electronic storage, a networked information monitor template associated with a networked information monitor, the networked information monitor template having therein a definition of a viewer graphical user interface having a frame within which time-varying content in a web browser-readable language may be presented on a display associated with the client computing device, wherein the frame of the viewer graphical user interface lacks controls for enabling a user to specify one or more network locations at which one or more content elements for the networked information monitor are available;   accessing the networked information monitor defined by the networked information monitor template, wherein accessing the networked information monitor defined by the networked information monitor template results in:
 transmission, over a network to a server at a first network location, of a first content request for a first content element for the networked information monitor to be displayed within the frame of the viewer graphical user interface defined by the networked information monitor template, the first content element being time-varying; 
 reception, over the network from the server at the first network location, of the first content element transmitted from the server in response to the first content request; 
 presentation, on the display, of the viewer graphical user interface defined by the networked information monitor template outside of and separate from any graphical user interface of any other application; and 
 presentation, on the display within the frame of the viewer graphical user interface defined by the networked information monitor, of the first content element received from the server at the first network location. 
   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , responsive to reception of the first content element being received, modifying a feature of said viewer graphical user interface defined by the networked information monitor template in accordance with a modification corresponding to the first content element. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said modification corresponding to the first conent element comprises a modification to an image defined by the networked information monitor template as forming a part of said viewer graphical user interface. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the correspondence between the modification and the first content element is defined by the networked information monitor template. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein modifying the feature of the viewer graphical user interface comprises adjusting a size of the frame of the viewer graphical user interface. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein modifying the feature of the viewer graphical user interface comprises changing a color of a frame border or background of the viewer graphical user interface. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein modifying the feature of the viewer graphical user interface comprises modifying text of the viewer graphical user interface in a manner defined by the networked information monitor template. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the networked information monitor template includes a markup language file, and wherein storing the networked information monitor template comprises storing the markup language file. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first content element is received from the server over the network according to a TCP/IP protocol. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first network location corresponds to a definition of the first content element referenced in the networked information monitor template. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein accessing the networked information monitor defined by the networked information monitor template results in transmission of the first content request to the first network location in accordance with the definition of the first content element referenced in the networked information monitor template. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 prior to storing the networked information monitor template to the electronic storage, transmitting, over the network to a networked information monitor server, a request for the networked information monitor template; and   receiving, from the networked information monitor server over the network, the networked information monitor template.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein accessing the networked information monitor defined by the networked information monitor template further results in:
 transmission, over a network to a server at a second network location, of a second content request for a second content element for the networked information monitor to be displayed within the frame of the viewer graphical user interface defined by the networked information monitor template, the second content element being time-varying;   reception, over the network from the server at the second network location, of the second content element transmitted from the server in response to the second content request; and   presentation, on the display within the frame of the viewer graphical user interface defined by the networked information monitor, of the second content element received from the server at the second network location.