System and method for facilitating a windows based content manifestation environment within a WWW browser

Abstract

System and method for facilitating a windowed content manifestation environment within a world wide web (WWW) browser client. The system and method include and involve a server system that is configured to serve a software system and associated content via an electronic data network such as the Internet and WWW. Also included and involved is a web browser client (web browser software application) operating within a data processing system that is coupled to said server system via the electronic data network and which instantiates a content manifestation environment (e.g., a dynamic screen display environment within the data processing system). The web browser client is operative to receive the software system and the associated content via the server system, to process the software system and the associated content to produce at least one window object within the content manifestation environment. The generated window object(s) are each associated with a set of controllable attributes and are configured to manifest at least a portion of the associated content. The controllable attributes are configured to affect manifestation of the window object(s) by the web browser client within the content manifestation environment. The window object(s) generated within the content manifestation environment may be updated and loaded with content received via the electronic data network without requiring the content manifestation environment to be refreshed (e.g., without requiring screen refresh operations), and in real-time without requiring user intervention such as via hyper-link traversal.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for facilitating a windowed content manifestation environment within a web browser, comprising: 
 a server system configured to transmit a software system and associated content via an electronic data network; and    a web browser client operating within a data processing system that is coupled to said server system via the electronic data network and having a content manifestation environment, said web browser client operative to receive said software system and said associated content via said server system, to process said software system and said associated content to produce at least one window object within said content manifestation environment, said at least one window object associated with a set of controllable attributes and configured to manifest at least a portion of said associated content therein, said controllable attributes configured to affect manifestation of said at least one window object by said web browser client within said content manifestation environment.    
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one window object executes within said web browser client which operates within said data processing system.  
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one window object is derived based on instructions processed by said web browser client.  
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said associated content includes at least one address of a network content source that is configured to download information to said data processing system via said electronic data network, said information to be manifested within said at least one window within said content manifestation environment.  
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said associated content includes at least one address of a network content source that is configured to download information to said data processing system via said electronic data network, said information to be dynamically and continuously manifested within said at least one window object within said content manifestation environment.  
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said associated content includes at least one address of a network content source that is configured to download information to said data processing system via said electronic data network, said information to be dynamically and continuously manifested within said at least one window object within said content manifestation environment without requiring said content manifestation environment to be refreshed within said web browser client.  
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said controllable attributes associated with said at least one window object permit said at least one window object to be moved within said content manifestation environment.  
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said controllable attributes associated with said at least one window object permit said at least one window object to be resized within said content manifestation environment.  
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said controllable attributes associated with said at least one window object permit said at least one window object to be minimized within said content manifestation environment.  
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said controllable attributes associated with said at least one window object permit said at least one window object to be maximized within said content manifestation environment.  
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronic data network is the Internet.  
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one window object is a tiled window object.  
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one window object is a draggable window object.  
     
     
         14 . A network client configured to operate within a data processing system and to receive content from a remote server system to facilitate a windowed content manifestation environment, comprising: 
 a content retrieval module configured to receive content from a network server system via an electronic data network; and    a processing engine coupled to said content retrieval module configured to operate a content manifestation environment within the data processing system, to process said content to produce at least one window object within said content manifestation environment, said at least one window object configured to manifest at least a portion of said content therein.    
     
     
         15 . The network client according to  claim 14 , wherein said processing engine being further configured to process said content to produce a control section and a content display section within said at least one window object, said content display section configured to at least a portion of said content therein, said control section including a set of controls corresponding to a set of attributes which operate to affect manifestation of said at least one window object and at least a portion of said content within said content display section.  
     
     
         16 . The network client according to  claim 14 , wherein said content retrieval module and said processing engine are implemented as sets of computer software objects.  
     
     
         17 . The network client according to  claim 14 , wherein said content manifestation environment generated by said processing engine is a WWW browser window.  
     
     
         18 . The network client according to  claim 14 , wherein said content retrieval module is configured to receive said content via the Internet.  
     
     
         19 . A method for facilitating a windowed content manifestation environment within a web browser, comprising the steps of: 
 transmitting a software system and associated content via an electronic data network from a server system;    operating a web browser client within a data processing system that is coupled to said server system at least in part via said electronic data network;    initiating a content manifestation environment within said web browser client;    receiving said software system and said associated content via said server system;    processing said software system and said associated content to produce at least one window object within said content manifestation environment, said at least one window object associated with a set of controllable attributes and configured to manifest at least a portion of said associated content therein, said controllable attributes configured to affect manifestation of said at least one window object by said web browser client within said content manifestation environment.    
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein said at least one window object executes within said web browser client which operates within said data processing system.  
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein said at least one window object is derived based on instructions processed by said web browser client.  
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein said associated content includes at least one address of a network content source that is configured to download information to said data processing system via said electronic data network, said information to be manifested within said at least one window object within said content manifestation environment.  
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein said associated content includes at least one address of a network content source that is configured to download information to said data processing system via said electronic data network, said information to be dynamically and continuously manifested within said at least one window object within said content manifestation environment.  
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein said associated content includes at least one address of a network content source that is configured to download information to said data processing system via said electronic data network, said information to be dynamically and continuously manifested within said at least one window object within said content manifestation environment without requiring said content manifestation environment to be refreshed within said web browser client.  
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein said controllable attributes associated with said at least one window object permit said at least one window object to be moved within said content manifestation environment.  
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein said controllable attributes associated with said at least one window object permit said at least one window object to be resized within said content manifestation environment.  
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein said controllable attributes associated with said at least one window object permit said at least one window object to be minimized within said content manifestation environment.  
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein said controllable attributes associated with said at least one window object permitting said at least one window object to be maximized within said content manifestation environment.  
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein said electronic data network is the Internet.  
     
     
         30 . A network client configured to operate within a data processing system and to receive content from a remote server system to facilitate a windowed content manifestation environment therein, comprising: 
 a content retrieval module configured to receive content from a network server system via an electronic data network; and    a processing engine coupled to said content retrieval module configured to instantiate a content manifestation environment within the data processing system, to process said content to produce at least one window object within said content manifestation environment, said at least one window object associated with a set of controllable attributes and configured to manifest at least a portion of said associated content therein, said controllable attributes configured to affect manifestation of said at least one window object by said the network client within said content manifestation environment.    
     
     
         31 . The network client according to  claim 30 , wherein said at least one window object executes within the network client.  
     
     
         32 . The network client according to  claim 30 , wherein said at least one window object is derived based on instructions processed by said processing engine.  
     
     
         33 . The network client according to  claim 30 , wherein said associated content includes at least one address of a network content source that is configured to download information to said data processing system via said electronic data network, said information to be manifested within said at least one window within said content manifestation environment.  
     
     
         34 . The network client according to  claim 30 , wherein said associated content includes at least one address of a network content source that is configured to download information to said data processing system via said electronic data network, said information to be dynamically and continuously manifested within said at least one window object within said content manifestation environment.  
     
     
         35 . The network client according to  claim 30 , wherein said associated content includes at least one address of a network content source that is configured to download information to said data processing system via said electronic data network, said information to be dynamically and continuously manifested within said at least one window object within said content manifestation environment without requiring said content manifestation environment to be refreshed within the network client.  
     
     
         36 . The network client according to  claim 30 , wherein said controllable attributes associated with said at least one window object permit said at least one window object to be moved within said content manifestation environment.  
     
     
         37 . The network client according to  claim 30 , wherein said controllable attributes associated with said at least one window object permit said at least one window object to be resized within said content manifestation environment.  
     
     
         38 . The network client according to  claim 30 , wherein said controllable attributes associated with said at least one window object permit said at least one window object to be minimized within said content manifestation environment.  
     
     
         39 . The network client according to  claim 30 , wherein said controllable attributes associated with said at least one window object permit said at least one window object to be maximized within said content manifestation environment.  
     
     
         40 . A software system configured to be downloaded by a network server system to a client system via an electronic data network and to control the operation of the network clients, comprising: 
 an instruction package including instructions be processed by a web browser client running within the client system and to control said web browser client to generate a windowed content manifestation environment therein and to produce at least one window object within said content manifestation environment, said at least one window object associated with a set of controllable attributes and configured to manifest content therein, said controllable attributes configured to affect manifestation of said at least one window object by said web browser client within said content manifestation environment.    
     
     
         41 . The software system according to  claim 40 , wherein said instruction package controls said web browser client to allow a content stream received by the client system via the electronic data network to be manifested within said at least one window object within said content manifestation environment without causing said content manifestation environment to be refreshed.  
     
     
         42 . The software system according to  claim 40 , wherein said instruction package controls said web browser client to allow a content stream received by said client system via the electronic data network to be manifested within said at least one window object within said content manifestation environment without causing said content manifestation environment to be refreshed.  
     
     
         43 . The software system according to  claim 40 , wherein said content manifestation environment corresponds to a screen environment maintained by said client system.  
     
     
         44 . The software system according to  claim 40 , wherein said instructions are hyper-text mark-up language instructions (HTML).  
     
     
         45 . The software system according to  claim 40 , wherein said instructions are JAVA script instructions.  
     
     
         46 . The software system according to  claim 40 , wherein said instruction package is received by said client system and the web browser client after the web browser client accesses a web site via the electronic data network, said web site serving said instruction package.  
     
     
         47 . The software system according to  claim 40 , wherein said instruction package is intended to be served to said client system via the Internet.