(12)
`
`United States Patent
`Kiraly
`
`(10) Patent N0.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 6,249,810 B1
`Jun. 19, 2001
`
`US006249810B1
`
`(54) METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR
`IMPLEMENTING AN INTERNET RADIO
`DEVICE FOR RECEIVING AND/0R
`TRANSMITTING MEDIA INFORMATION
`
`Inventor: Jozsef Kira] , San Martin, CA US
`75
`y
`(
`)
`(
`)
`(73) Assignee: Chaincast, Inc., San Martin, CA (US)
`
`( * ) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 09/300,294
`.
`_
`(22) Flled'
`
`Apr‘ 27’ 1999
`.
`.
`Related U'S' Apphcatlon Data
`(63) Continuation-in-part of application No. 09/253,117, ?led on
`Feb 19’ 1999
`7
`(51) Int. Cl. .................................................... .. G06F 13/00
`(52) US. Cl. ......................... .. 709/217; 709/219; 709/231
`Fleld of Search ........................... ..
`709/218, 219, 238, 231; 381/77; 453/3-1;
`704/200, 201, 500, 503
`
`(56)
`
`_
`References Clted
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5,790,958 * 8/1998 MCCOY et a1~ --------------------- ~- 455/557
`57937980 * 8/1998 Glaser ct a1~
`709/219
`*
`3957/
`
`,
`
`,
`
`up a .............. ..
`
`709/248
`5,987,525 * 11/1999 Roberts et a1.
`704/260
`6,018,710 * 1/2000 Wynblatt et al.
`6,119,163 * 9/2000 Monteiro et al. .................. .. 709/227
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Press Release, “Progressive Networks Launches the First
`CommercgialAudio—on—Demand System Over the Internet”,
`Apr. 199 .*
`_
`_
`* cited by examiner
`
`Primary Examiner—John W. Miller
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Wagner, Murabito & Hao
`LLP
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A method and system for implementing an Internet radio
`device for receiving and/or transmitting audio information
`over the Internet. The Internet radio device can be imple
`mented as a stand alone electronic radio device Which is
`coupled to the Internet or the Internet radio device can be
`Implemented as a Software package Operable on a hgst
`computer system. The Internet radio device does not require
`a broWser for interfacing With other Internet transmitters
`(“Internet radio Station transmitters”) The Internet radio
`includes a graphical user interface (GUI) With Which a user
`can Interface In Order to receive audio radio programming
`from an Internet radio station transmitter. The radio device
`receives a list of Internet radio station transmitters that are
`registered With a chaincast manager (CCM), also coupled to
`the Internet. The GUI renders this list to the user. The user
`can sort or select from this list based on desired language,
`country, or station names. To hear a radio program, a user
`can select a station from this list. Data received by a radio
`device can be retransmitted in chaincast mode from the radio
`device to other radio devices that Want to listen to the same
`
`-
`
`rad“) program‘
`
`49 Claims, 19 Drawing Sheets
`
`COMPUTER
`
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`
`Ex. 1006
`Apple v. Nonend
`Page 1 of 33
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 19, 2001
`
`Sheet 1 0f 19
`
`US 6,249,810 B1
`
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`
`FIGURE 1
`(PRIOR ART)
`
`Ex. 1006
`Page 2 of 33
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 19, 2001
`
`Sheet 2 0f 19
`
`US 6,249,810 B1
`
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`Ex. 1006
`Page 3 of 33
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 19, 2001
`
`Sheet 3 0f 19
`
`US 6,249,810 B1
`
`200
`TRANSMISSION '’
`SCHEDULER
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`FIGURE 3A
`
`Ex. 1006
`Page 4 of 33
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 19, 2001
`
`Sheet 4 0f 19
`
`US 6,249,810 B1
`
`200
`TRANSMISSION '2
`SCHEDULER
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`FIGURE 38
`
`Ex. 1006
`Page 5 of 33
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 19, 2001
`
`Sheet 5 0f 19
`
`US 6,249,810 B1
`
`200
`TRANSMISSION "’
`SCHEDULER
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`FIGURE 3C
`
`Ex. 1006
`Page 6 of 33
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 19, 2001
`
`Sheet 6 0f 19
`
`US 6,249,810 B1
`
`200
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`
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`
`Ex. 1006
`Page 7 of 33
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 19, 2001
`
`Sheet 7 0f 19
`
`US 6,249,810 B1
`
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`Ex. 1006
`Page 8 of 33
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 19, 2001
`
`Sheet 8 0f 19
`
`US 6,249,810 B1
`
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`Ex. 1006
`Page 9 of 33
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 19, 2001
`
`Sheet 9 0f 19
`
`US 6,249,810 B1
`
`QQQ
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`INFORMATION TRANSMITTER REGISTERS _/
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`
`Ex. 1006
`Page 10 of 33
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 19, 2001
`
`Sheet 10 0f 19
`
`US 6,249,810 B1
`
`700
`
`_/
`
`NUMBER OF DATA PACKETS STORED IN
`TRANSMISSION BUFFER OF IRRT-b DROPS BELOW A
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`THE IRRT-b TO SEND SIGNALS INOICATING ITS
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`SENDS TIME STAMP OF THE LAST DATA PACKET
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`TO RELAY BROADCAST INFORMATION TO IRRT-b.
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`TRANSMITTER I TO TRANSMIT DATA PACKETS TO
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`THE TIME STAMP
`
`FIGURE 7
`
`Ex. 1006
`Page 11 of 33
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 19, 2001
`
`Sheet 11 0f 19
`
`US 6,249,810 B1
`
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`Ex. 1006
`Page 12 of 33
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 19, 2001
`
`Sheet 12 0f 19
`
`US 6,249,810 B1
`
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`Ex. 1006
`Page 13 of 33
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 19, 2001
`
`Sheet 13 0f 19
`
`US 6,249,810 B1
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`Ex. 1006
`Page 14 of 33
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 19, 2001
`
`Sheet 14 0f 19
`
`US 6,249,810 B1
`
`FROM
`INFORMATION
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`OR UPSTREAM
`IRRT
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`
`Ex. 1006
`Page 15 of 33
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 19, 2001
`
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`
`US 6,249,810 B1
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`Page 16 of 33
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Ex. 1006
`Page 17 of 33
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 19, 2001
`
`Sheet 17 0f 19
`
`US 6,249,810 B1
`
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`Ex. 1006
`Page 18 of 33
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 19, 2001
`
`0/1f0001¢I.Ce.hS
`
`US 6,249,810 B1
`
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`Ex. 1006
`Page 19 of 33
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 19, 2001
`
`Sheet 19 0f 19
`
`US 6,249,810 B1
`
`m
`
`BROWSER-1 (WITH CHAINCAST PLUG-IN 1 1s
`ACTIVATED. CHAINCAST PLUG- IN
`REGISTERS BROWSER-1 WITH THE 00m
`
`USER 0F BROWSER-1 INPUTS URL on
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`DISPLAYING THE WEB-PAGE
`
`FIGURE 14
`
`Ex. 1006
`Page 20 of 33
`
`

`

`US 6,249,810 B1
`
`1
`METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR
`IMPLEMENTING AN INTERNET RADIO
`DEVICE FOR RECEIVING AND/OR
`TRANSMITTING MEDIA INFORMATION
`
`RELATED U.S. APPLICATION
`
`The instant application is a continuation—in—part of
`co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/253,117,
`filed on Feb. 19, 1999, and entitled “Chaincast Method and
`System for Broadcasting Information to Multiple Systems
`within the Internet,” by Jozsef Kiraly, and assigned to the
`assignee of the present invention, which is incorporated
`herein by reference.
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`
`The present invention relates to the field of digital infor-
`mation communication. More specifically,
`the present
`invention relates to the field of computer implemented
`digital broadcast cominumcation of information over the
`Internet.
`2. Related Art
`
`'llie Internet is a large network made up of a number of ,
`smaller networks. It
`is made up of more than 100,000
`interconnected networks in over 100 countries, comprised of
`commercial, academic and government networks.
`It has
`become commercialized into a worldwide information higl1-
`way and data base, containing information on virtually every
`subject lmown to humankind.
`'llie proper and efficient use of the great amount of
`information available on various Internet sites has the poten-
`tial of providing Internet users with a variety of information
`desired for businesses and individuals. In particular, those
`users interested in certain segments of the information
`available on the Internet or those users interested in certain
`specific Internet sites could benefit tremendously from hav-
`ing their specific information of interest available to them in
`an automated and interesting manner. Moreover, such users
`would benefit greatly from being constantly and automati-
`cally updated on new information as the new information
`becomes available on their sites of interest.
`
`Due to the prevalence and popularity of the World Wide
`Web (also called the “Web”) servers around the world, a
`great number of Internet users are particularly interested in
`receiving updated information of interest
`to them from
`various World Wide Web servers on the Internet. By way of
`background, the World Wide Web is an Internet facility that
`links documents locally and remotely. The Web document is
`called a Web page, and links in the page let users jump from
`page to page (hypertext) whether the pages are stored on the
`same server or on servers around the world. The pages are
`accessed and read via a Web browser such as Netscape
`Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer.
`The Web has become the center of Internet activity
`because, among other reasons, Web pages, containing both
`text, graphics and multi-media content are easily accessible
`via a Web browser. The Web contains the largest collection
`of online information in the world, and the amount of
`information is increasing. Current schemes for accessing a
`Web document require typing in the URL (Uniform
`Resource Locator) address of the home page in the Web
`browser. From there, the user starts “surfing” through the
`Internet via hypertext links to other documents that can be
`stored on the same server or on a server anywhere in the
`world.
`
`2
`The shear size of the information available on the Internet
`and the Web has made it a necessity for individuals and
`businesses to efficiently and constantly sift
`through the
`available information in order to find and organize the
`information that is of interest. More importantly, it is crucial
`for content providers to efficiently and effectively transmit
`their information to those desiring to receive the informa-
`tion. Stated differently, individuals and businesses realize
`that the availability of information itself does not result in a
`competitive edge unless the information can be efficiently
`sent from the content provider to the receiver and further
`unless the information is of interest and of value to the
`business or the individual.
`FIG. 1 illustrates a system 70 regarding one use of the
`Internet. In system 70, the Internet 40 is used to provide a
`communication channel between a broadcast source 60 (e.g.,
`a Web server) and a number of receiving devices (e.g., Web
`browsers) or “risers” 10, 12, 14. Adigital broadcast signal,
`e.g., representing some audio/video/multi-media content or
`program such as a radio program or television program, can
`be broadcast in encoded digital packets from the source
`server 60 to the receivers 10, 12, 14. Although the digital
`broadcast content is the same for each receiver, a separate
`communication stream, comprising separate digital data
`packets, is required for each receiver that is coupled to the
`Internet. Therefore, three separate communication streams
`20, 21 and 22 are shown as being broadcast directly from
`server 60 onto the Internet 40. Stream 20 is identified and
`communicated for receiver 10, stream 21 is identified and
`communicated for receiver 12 and stream 22 is identified
`and communicated for receiver 14. Further, the users 10, 12,
`14 l1ave to visit the Web site providing the audio/video/’
`multi-media content in order to establish the communication
`streams 20, 21, 22.
`As a result of the above, it is clear that the number of users
`(receivers) that can receive broadcast information on the
`Internet simultaneously from one server 60 is limited mainly
`by the connection speed of the connection between the
`server 60 and the Internet 40 because each stream 20, 21, 22
`consumes available bandwidth. For example, assuming it is
`desired to broadcast a radio program over the Internet to
`users, e.g., that visit the web site of the server 60 (FIG. 1).
`Depending on the compression algorithm used, and on the
`number of users that want
`to listen to the program
`simultaneously, the server 60 needs to be connected to the
`Internet 40 with a speed of at least NXK bytes/s, where K is
`the bandwidth requirement for one user and N is the number
`of users able to listen to the progam simultaneously. Assum-
`ing the server connection to the Internet 40 allows 11p to 1.5
`Mbit/s bandwidth, the number of listeners will be limited to
`roughly 300 per server, assuming roughly 5 Kbits/s band-
`width requirement per user.
`Although this figure appears large, in reality the band-
`width of the connection hardware between the server 60 and
`the Internet 40 actually imparts a substantial limitation to the
`number of receivers that can simultaneously receive content
`from the server. While more sophisticated connections with
`higher bandwidths can be used, this substantially increases
`the costs associated with providing the content from the
`server 60 to the receivers 10, 12 and 14.
`Accordingly, what is needed is a cost effective method of
`providing content
`to many users pseudo—simultaneously
`over the Internet. What is further needed is a method and
`system that
`is able to provide broadcast communication
`content to many users, pseudo simultaneously, without being
`limited to the bandwidth constraints of the server to Internet
`connection. The present invention provides such a solution.
`
`Ex. 1006
`Page 21 of 33
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`

`US 6,249,810 B1
`
`3
`SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
`
`Amethod and system are described herein as an embodi-
`ment of the present invention for implementing an Internet
`radio device for receiving and/or transmitting audio infor-
`mation over the Internet. The Internet radio device can be
`implemented as a stand alone electronic radio device which
`is coupled to the Internet or the Internet radio device can be
`implemented as a software package operable on a host
`computer system which is coupled to the Internet. In either
`case, the Internet radio device does not require a browser for
`interfacing with other Internet transmitters (“Internet radio
`station transmitters”). The Internet radio includes a graphi-
`cal user interface (GUI) with which a user can interface in
`order to receive audio radio programming from an Internet
`radio station transmitter. The radio device receives a list of
`Internet radio station transmitters that are registered with a
`chaincast manager CCM), also coupled to the Internet. The
`GUI renders this list to the user. The user can sort or select
`from this list based on desired language, country, or station
`names. To hear a radio program, a user can select a station
`from this list. Data received by a radio device can be
`retransmitted in chaincast mode from the radio device to
`other radio devices that want to listen to the same radio
`program.
`Using the chaincast broadcasting architecture, described
`below, a primary information transmitter (PIT) within the
`CMM manages the flow of digitally encoded audio infor-
`mation from the Internet radio station transmitters to and
`among the coupled Internet radio devices. Specifically, the
`CMM manages the communication links between the Inter-
`net
`radio station transmitters (e.g., primary broadcast
`servers) and the radio devices and manages the communi-
`cation links between Internet
`radio stations performing
`chaincasting.
`In Ham radio mode, one radio device can select another
`radio device to be the “radio station,” in which case a
`com munication channel is opened between the radio devices
`so that voice and/or other digitally encoded information
`(e.g., video, HTML documents, Web pages, multi-media,
`etc.) can be exchanged between the radio devices. In this
`mode, the GUI contains a “transmit” button or key. Using
`the chaincast broadcasting architecture, described below,
`each radio device acts as a primary broadcast server to
`communicate information to an associated radio device. In
`I-lam radio mode, a listing of radio devices can be shown in
`the radio GUI,
`in an analogous fashion as radio station
`listings are displayed. A user can then select a listed radio
`device with which to communicate.
`
`A method and system is also described herein for a
`chaincast broadcasting architecture which performs chain-
`cast communication to multiple communication systems
`within a system of coupled electronic devices.
`In one
`implementation the electronic devices can be computer
`systems and the system of coupled electronic devices
`includes the Internet. The present
`invention provides a
`system wherein a broadcast source communicates primary
`digital broadcast
`information (e.g., encoded audio radio
`content, encoded audio/video television content, etc.) to a
`first group of electronic devices. The first goup of electronic
`devices can be instructed by a chaincast manager to then
`communicate (e.g., forward or re—transmit) the broadcast
`information to other electronic devices which devices can
`also be instructed to communicate to more devices, etc.,
`thereby reducing the bandwidth requirements of the com-
`munication channel between the broadcast source and the
`first group of electronic devices. The communication is
`
`4
`“chaincast” because the forwarding from one device to
`another, to another, etc., creates a logical communication
`“chain” originating from the broadcast server and traversing
`to and through the receiving devices. The resulting commu-
`nication is pseudo—simultaneous with respect to the receiv-
`ing devices d11e to the slight delay introduced in buffering
`and retransmitting the broadcast content from device to
`device, etc.
`A computer implemented chaincast manager, coupled to
`the Internet, is used to track and manage which devices are
`forwarding broadcast information to which other devices. In
`order to ensure continuous data flow along the communica-
`tion “chains,” the chaincast manager is also used to monitor
`the packet rates between the electronic devices. In response
`to the packet rates falling below a pre—determined threshold
`value,
`the chaincast manager reroutes communications
`between the devices to provide better communication load
`sharing across the system and to provide more efficient
`content communication between the devices.
`According to one embodiment of the present invention,
`the chaincast communication system may include a number
`of primary broadcast servers for broadcasting primary infor-
`mation content (e.g., radio programs, TV programs, multi-
`media content, etc). The chaincast communication system
`may also include a number of secondary broadcast servers
`for broadcasting secondary information content
`(e.g.,
`advertisement, emergency information, community
`information, etc.) to be rendered independently of the pri-
`mary broadcast information content. Users of the electronic
`devices of the present chaincast communication system can
`select from one of these primary broadcast servers from
`which they desire to receive primary broadcast information.
`In one embodiment, the content of the secondary broadcast
`information the users receive is determined by the chaincast
`manager. In another embodiment, users of the present chain-
`cast communication system can select a general subject
`matter that they desire to receive as the secondary broadcast
`information.
`According to the present invention, an electronic device
`for re—trat1sn1ittit1g or forwarding broadcast information may
`be a computer system configured for receiving and
`re-transmitting broadcast
`information to other electronic
`devices. The electronic device may include a
`re—transn1ission bulfer for temporarily holding data packets
`received from an upstream device before rendering and for
`emporarily holding data packets after rendering for subse-
`quent
`re—transmission to another electronic device. The
`electronic device also monitors a number of unrendered data
`Jackets stored therein. When the number of unrendered data
`oackets falls below a threshold level, the electronic device
`signals the near empty condition to the chaincast manager
`such that a dillerent upstream re—transmitter can be assigned
`0 supply information to the electronic device.
`Embodiments of the present invention include the above
`and further include a communication system comprising: a
`olurality of information receiver and retransmittcr devices
`(IRRTs) coupled to the Internet wherein each IRRT is for
`receiving and rendering broadcast information and for selec-
`ively retransmitting the broadcast information to another
`IRRT; a plurality of primary broadcast servers coupled to the
`Internet, each for originating respective primary broadcast
`information that is chaincast among a group of IRRTs of said
`Jlurality of IRRTs; a plurality of secondary broadcast serv-
`ers coupled to the Internet and each for originating respec-
`ive secondary broadcast
`information that
`is chaincast
`among a group of IRRTs of the plurality of IRRTs; and a
`cl1ait1castn1at1ager coupled to the Internet and for registering
`
`Ex. 1006
`Page 22 of 33
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`

`US 6,249,810 B1
`
`5
`the plurality of primary and secondary broadcast servers and
`for scheduling information transfers of the respective pri-
`mary broadcast information to IRRTs based on broadcast
`requests generated by the IRRTs to the chaincast manager.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TIIE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art information broadcast system
`using the Internet.
`FIG. 2 illustrates a general purpose computer system
`which can be used as an electronic device, a user, or a server
`in accordance with the present invention.
`FIG. 3A is an exemplary communication diagram of the
`chaincast communication method of the present invention.
`FIG. 3B is another exemplary communication diagram of
`the chaincast communication method of the present inven-
`tion.
`
`FIG. 3C is another exemplary communication diagram of
`the chaincast communication method of the present inven-
`tion.
`FIG. 4 is an Internet connection diagram of the devices of
`FIG. 3A.
`
`FIG. 5A illustrates a name table managed by the trans-
`mission scheduler for the user devices of the present inven-
`tion.
`
`FIG. 5B illustrates a name table managed by the trans-
`mission scheduler for information transmitters of the present
`invention.
`
`FIG. 6 is a flow chart diagram illustrating steps of the
`chaincast communication method of the present invention.
`FIG. 7 is a flow chart diagram illustrating steps of the
`chaincast communication method of the present invention.
`FIG. 8A is an exemplary communication diagram of the
`chaincast communication method according to one embodi-
`ment of the present invention.
`FIG. 8B is another exemplary communication diagram of
`the chaincast communication method according to one
`embodiment of the present invention.
`FIG. 9 is an exemplary user interface of a software-
`implemented Internet radio software with chaincasting capa-
`bility according to the present invention.
`FIG. 10 is a logical block diagram illustrating a transmis-
`sion buffer according to one embodiment of the present
`invention.
`FIG. 11 is a graphical user interface of a radio device in
`accordance with one embodiment of the present invention
`for Ham radio mode.
`FIG. 12A is a logical block diagram of the chaincasting
`communication architecture for Ham radio mode commu-
`nications between radio devices of one embodiment of the
`present inven ion.
`FIG. 12B i lustrates a chaincast communication configu-
`ration for the secondary broadcast servers which can operate
`in parallel wi h the transmissions of the primary broadcast
`servers of FIG. 12A.
`FIG. 13 is an exemplary configuration a chaincast comu—
`nication system according to yet another embodiment of the
`present inven ion.
`FIG. 14 is a flow chart diagram illustration operations of
`the chaincast communication system illustrated in FIG. 13 in
`furtherance 0 one embodiment of the present invention.
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`INVl:‘N'I‘ION
`
`In the fol owing detailed description of the present
`invention, a chaincast system and method,
`including an
`
`6
`Internet radio device, for con1r11unicatir1g digital broadcast
`content to multiple users, pseudo simultaneously, without
`being constrained to the bandwidth of the server-to-Internet
`connection, numerous specific details are set forth in order
`to provide a thorough understanding of the present ir1ver1-
`tion. However, it will be recognized by one skilled in the art
`that the present invention may be practiced without these
`specific details or with equivalents thereof.
`In other
`instances, well known methods, procedures, components,
`and circuits have not been described in detail as not to
`unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present invention.
`Notation and Nomenclature
`
`Some portions of the detailed descriptions which follow
`are presented in terms of procedures, steps, logic blocks,
`rocessing, and other symbolic representations of operations
`on data bits within a computer memory. These descriptions
`and representations are the means used by those skilled in
`he data processing arts to most effectively convey the
`substance of their work to others skilled ir1 the art. A
`arocedure, computer executed step,
`logic block, process,
`etc., is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-consistent
`sequence of steps or instructions leading to a desired result.
`The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of
`ahysical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these
`quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals
`capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared,
`and otherwise manipulated in a computer system. It has
`aroven convenient at times, principally for reasons of com-
`mon usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements,
`symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like.
`It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and
`similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate
`physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied
`to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as
`apparent from the following discussions, it is appreciated
`that throughout the present invention, discussions utilizing
`terms such as “processing” or “computing” or “translating”
`or “calculating” or “determining” or “displaying” or “rec-
`ognizing” or the like, refer to the action and processes of a
`computer system, or similar electronic computing device,
`that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical
`(electronic) quantities within the computer system’s regis-
`ters and memories into other data similarly represented as
`physical quantities within the computer system memories or
`registers or other such information storage, transmission or
`display devices.
`
`Computer System 112
`Aspects of the present invention, described below, are
`discussed in terms of steps executed on a computer system.
`Aspects of the present invention are also discussed with
`respect to an Internet system including electronic devices
`and servers coupled together within the Internet platform. A
`“server” and an “electronic device” or “user” can be imple-
`mented as a general purpose computer system. Although a
`variety of different computer systems can be used with the
`present invention, an exemplary computer system 112 is
`shown in FIG. 2.
`
`In general, computer systems 112 that can be used by the
`present invention comprise an address/data bus 100 for
`communicating information, a central processor 101
`coupled with the bus for processing information and
`instructions, a volatile memory 102 (e.g., random access
`memory) coupled with the bus 100 for storing information
`and instructions for the central processor 101 and a non-
`
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`Page 23 of 33
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`US 6,249,810 B1
`
`7
`volatile n1en1ory 103 (e.g., read only memory) coupled with
`the bus 100 for storing static information and instructions for
`the processor 101. Computer system 112 also includes a data
`storage device 104 (“disk subsystem”) such as a magnetic or
`optical disk and disk drive coupled with the bus 100 for
`storing information and instructions and a display device
`105 coupled to the bus 100 for displaying information to the
`computer user.
`Also included in computer system 112 is an alphanumeric
`input device 106 including alphanumeric and function keys
`coupled to the bus 100 for communicating information and
`command selections to the central processor 101. Generally,
`alphanumeric input device 106 is called a keyboard or
`keypad. System 112 also includes a cursor control or direct-
`ing device 107 coupled to the bus for communicating user
`input information and command selections to the central
`processor 101. The cursor directing device 107 is typically
`displaced through user movement which causes a cursor
`image displayed on screen 105 to move accordingly. Within
`the context of the present invention, the cursor directing
`device 107 can include a number of implementations includ-
`ing a mouse device, for example, a trackball device, a
`joystick, a finger pad (track pad), an electronic stylus, an
`optical beam directing device with optical receiver pad, an
`optical tracking device able to track the movement of a '
`user’s finger, etc., or any other device having a primary
`purpose of moving a displayed cursor across a display
`screen based on user displacements. Computer system 112
`also includes a microphone 109 for receiving voice inputs.
`Computer system 112 of FIG. 2 can also include an
`optional signal generating device 108 coupled to the bus 100
`for interfacing with other networked computer systems, e.g.,
`over the Internet. The display device 105 of FIG. 2 utilized
`with the computer system 112 of the present invention may
`be a liquid crystal device, other flat p