Server including components for accessing and displaying internet content and for providing same to a client

Abstract

A server maintains and provides access to application media packages for accessing and displaying Internet content. These packages include a definition for rendering a graphical user interface within which Internet content may be presented outside of and without utilization of a web browser application. The packages also include a network reference, such as a URL, pointing to the Internet content such that the Internet Content may be downloaded and presented within said user interface. A representation of each package on the server available for downloading is provided. A user may select one or more desired packages for downloading. An application media viewer may also be made available for downloading.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A network addressable server having stored thereon a plurality of application media packages available for delivery from said server to a client node communicatively connected to said server, each said application media package comprising:
 a definition of a graphical user interface in a web browser readable language such that said graphical user interface may be rendered outside of a window of, and without utilization of, a web browser application, said definition including an element for causing content in a web browser readable language to be presented within said graphical user interface; and   a network reference to said content;   
       said network addressable server having further stored thereon:
 a mechanism for causing a display, on the client node, of a representation of each of said plurality of application media packages; 
 a mechanism accessible by said client node for selecting at least one of said representations of said application media packages; and 
 a mechanism, operable upon the selection of said at least one of said representations of said application media packages, for causing an application media package associated with said selected representation to be delivered to the client node. 
 
     
     
         2 . The network addressable server of  claim 1  having further stored thereon a client application comprising:
 an application media viewer operable with said application media package for rendering, outside of the window of and independent from a web browser application, said graphical user interface and displaying therein said data retrieved from said network reference. 
 
     
     
         3 . The network addressable server of  claim 2 , wherein said client application stored thereon further comprises:
 instructions for causing said client node to utilize said network reference to retrieve said data in a web browser readable language; and   instructions executed by said client node to parse the web browser readable language of said definition and said data and, based on said parsing, to present a rendering of said data within said graphical user interface outside of the window of and without utilization of a web browser application.   
     
     
         4 . The network addressable server of  claim 1 , wherein said definition further comprises a definition specifying controls for controlling attributes of said graphical user interface. 
     
     
         5 . The network addressable server of  claim 1 , wherein said network reference is a URL, said URL being the address of a server having stored thereon data for retrieval and display within said user interface. 
     
     
         6 . The network addressable server of  claim 5 , wherein said data includes visual data. 
     
     
         7 . The network addressable server of  claim 5 , wherein said data includes multimedia data. 
     
     
         8 . The network addressable server of  claim 1 , wherein said client node has an IP address, and said network reference is a pointer to a device having an IP address other than the IP address of the client node. 
     
     
         9 . The network addressable server of  claim 2 , further comprising a mechanism for determining whether said client node has installed thereon said client application, and if not, causing said client application to be provided to said client node when said application media package is delivered to said client node. 
     
     
         10 . The network addressable server of  claim 2 , further comprising a mechanism for including said client application when delivering said application media package to the client node, said application media package including a mechanism for determining whether an out-of-date version of the client application is installed on the client node, and if so replacing the out-of-date version of the client application with the client application delivered with said application media package. 
     
     
         11 . The network addressable server of  claim 2 , further comprising a mechanism for receiving an application media package from a third party so as to be made available for delivery to a client node, such that the application media package is uploaded to said network addressable server and made available to said client node by said network addressable server. 
     
     
         12 . The network addressable server of  claim 11 , further comprising a mechanism for authenticating an application media package prior to making same available for delivery to said client node. 
     
     
         13 . The network addressable server of  claim 1 , wherein said application media package further includes a mechanism for invoking a client application providing, when invoked, services utilized together with said application media package for rendering said data on said client node. 
     
     
         14 . The network addressable server of  claim 13 , wherein said application media package may be downloaded to said client node only if said client application is first downloaded and installed on said client node, said client application. 
     
     
         15 . The network addressable server of  claim 13 , wherein said client application is located on a network addressable server different that the network addressable server on which said application media package is located. 
     
     
         16 . The network addressable server of  claim 1 , wherein said network addressable server comprises a first network addressable server, said first network addressable server communicatively connected to at least a second network addressable server, said second network addressable server having at least one application media package stored there having a representation, and further wherein said mechanism for causing a display, on the client node, of a representation of each of said plurality of application media packages, may cause the display of representations of application media packages located on both of said first and second network addressable server such that they appear to be located on a single network addressable server. 
     
     
         17 . A network addressable server having stored thereon a computer program product available for delivery from said server to a client node communicatively connected to said server, comprising:
 an application media package available for delivery to a client node communicatively connected to said server, said application media package comprising:
 a definition of a graphical user interface in a web browser readable language such that said graphical user interface may be rendered outside of a window of, and without utilization of, a web browser application, said definition including an element for causing content in a web browser readable language to be presented within said graphical user interface, said definition specifying:
 the appearance of said user interface; and 
 controls for controlling attributes of said graphical user interface; 
 
 a network reference to said data for display within said user interface; and
 instructions for retrieving said data using said network reference and presenting said retrieved data within said graphical user interface outside of the window of and independent from a web browser application. 
 
   
     
     
         18 . The network addressable server of  claim 17 , wherein said computer program product further comprises a client application providing, when invoked, services utilized together with said application media package for rendering on said client node, outside of and independent from a web browser application. 
     
     
         19 . The network addressable server of  claim 18 , wherein said client application further comprises a mechanism for displaying on the client node a representation of said application media package. 
     
     
         20 . The network addressable server of  claim 19 , wherein said client application further comprises a download mechanism accessible by said client node for selecting said representation of said application media package and for causing, in response to said selecting, the delivery of said application media package to the client node. 
     
     
         21 . The network addressable server of  claim 20 , further comprising a mechanism for determining whether the client node has installed thereon said client application, and if not, including said client application with the application media package for delivery to the client node. 
     
     
         22 . The network addressable server of  claim 20 , further comprising an installation mechanism for including said client application with said application media package for delivery of same to the client node, said installation mechanism capable of determining whether the client application is currently been installed on the client node, and if so, installing only said application media package, and if not, installing both said application media package and said client application on said client node. 
     
     
         23 . The network addressable server of  claim 17 , further comprising an upload mechanism for receiving an application media package to be made available by said network addressable server for delivery to a client node, such that upon receipt, the application media package is stored on said network addressable server, and a representation of the application media package is made available for viewing by said client node, and further such that said representation may be selected in order to cause said application media package associated with that representation to be delivered to said client node. 
     
     
         24 . The network addressable server of  claim 23 , further comprising a mechanism for authenticating said application media package prior to making said application media package available for delivery to said client node. 
     
     
         25 . The network addressable server of  claim 19 , wherein said network addressable server comprises a first network addressable server, said first network addressable server communicatively connected to at least a second network addressable server, said second network addressable server having at least one application media package stored there having a representation, and further wherein said mechanism for causing a display, on the client node, of a representation of each of said plurality of application media packages, may cause the display of representations of application media packages located on both of said first and second network addressable server such that they appear to be located on a single network addressable server.