Extensible, replaceable network component system

Abstract

An extensible and replaceable network-oriented component system provides a platform for developing networking navigation components that operate on a variety of hardware and software computer systems. These navigation components include key integrating components along with components configured to deliver conventional services directed to computer networks, such as Gopher-specific and Web-specific components. Communication among these components is achieved through novel application programming interfaces (APIs) to facilitate integration with an underlying software component architecture. Such a high-modular cooperating layered-arrangement between the network component system and the component architecture allows any existing component to be replaced, and allows new components to be added, without affecting operation of the network component system.

1. An extensible and replaceable layered component computing arrangement residing on a computer coupled to a computer network, the layered arrangement comprising:
 a software component architecture layer interfacing with an operating system to control the operations of the computer, the software component architecture layer defining a plurality of computing components; and  
 a network component layer for developing network navigation components that provide services directed to the computer network, the network component layer includes application programming interfaces; and  
 a first class included in the application programming interfaces to construct a first network navigation object that represents different network resources available on the computer network, wherein the network component layer coupled to the software component architecture layer in integrating relation to facilitate communication among the computing and network navigation components.  
 
     
     
       2. The computing arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the network navigation components are objects. 
     
     
       3. The computing arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the application programming interfaces further comprise a second class for constructing a second network navigation object representing a data stream for transferring information among objects of the arrangement. 
     
     
       4. The computing arrangement of  claim 3  wherein the first network navigation object is an Item object and the second network navigation object is a Stream object, and wherein the Item object spawns the Stream object to obtain information from the network resource that the Item object represents. 
     
     
       5. The computing arrangement of  claim 3  wherein the application programming interfaces further comprise a third class for constructing a third network navigation object representing additional behaviors provided to computing components of the software component architecture layer to thereby enable communication between the computing components and the network navigation components. 
     
     
       6. An extensible and replaceable layered component computing arrangement for providing services directed to information available on computer networks, the computing arrangement comprising:
 a processor;  
 an operating system;  
 a software component architecture layer coupled to the operating system to control the operations of the processor, the software component architecture layer defining a plurality of computing components; and  
 a network component layer for creating network navigation components configured to search and obtain information available on the computer networks, the network component layer includes application programming interfaces; and  
 means for constructing a network navigation component that represents different resources available on the computer network, wherein the network component layer is integrally coupled to the software component architecture layer to ensure communication among the computing and network navigation components.  
 
     
     
       7. The computing arrangement of  claim 6  wherein the network component layer and software component architecture layer comprise means for embedding components within one another to form a compound document having mixed data types and formats. 
     
     
       8. The computing arrangement of  claim 6  wherein the application programming interfaces comprise means for constructing a network navigation component that implements a protocol. 
     
     
       9. The computing arrangement of  claim 6  wherein the application programming interfaces comprise means for constructing a network navigation component that provides additional functionality to existing computing components to enable communication among the components. 
     
     
       10. The computing arrangement of  claim 9  wherein the computing component comprises a computing part having a viewing editor and data content. 
     
     
       11. The computing arrangement of  claim 10  wherein the computing component functions to one of transfer files over the networks, remotely log onto another computer coupled to the networks and view images on a screen of the computing arrangement. 
     
     
       12. The computing arrangement of  claim 10  wherein the network navigation component comprises a browsing component. 
     
     
       13. The computing arrangement of  claim 10  wherein the network navigation component comprises a component for one of displaying text and displaying movies on a screen of the computing arrangement. 
     
     
       14. An extensible and replaceable layered component computing arrangement residing on a computer adapted to be coupled on a computer network, the layered arrangement comprising:
   a software component architecture layer interfacing with an operating system to control the operations of the computer, the software component architecture layer defining a plurality of computing components;        a network component layer adapted to be coupled to at least one network navigation component that provides a service directed to the computer network, the network component layer including an application programming interface; and        a number of interconnected abstract classes included in the application programming interface, at least on abstract class for defining a network navigation object that represents a resource available on the computer network, the network component layer coupled to the software component architecture layer to facilitate communication among the network navigation component and at least one computing component.      
     
     
       15. The layered arrangement of  claim 14 , wherein the abstract class defines a network navigation object that represents a method of downloading information from a remote location on the computer network.  
     
     
       16. The layered arrangement of  claim 14 , wherein the abstract class defines a network navigation object that represents additional behaviors provided to the computing components of the software component architecture layer for integrating with the network component layer.  
     
     
       17. The layered arrangement of  claim 14 , wherein the network navigation object is adapted to browse the computer network.  
     
     
       18. The layered arrangement of  claim 14 , wherein the network navigation object is adapted to display text on a computer display.  
     
     
       19. The layered arrangement of  claim 14 , wherein the network navigation object is adapted to display images on a computer display.  
     
     
       20. The layered arrangement of  claim 14 , wherein the network navigation object includes software commands for creating a datastream for transferring information between objects in the layered component computing arrangement.