Serving signals

Abstract

Output signals are served from a serving device to a plurality of browsing devices connected to a network. The output signals represent commands executable by each browsable device so as to display viewable data in accordance with specified page formatting. Requests from browsing clients are identified which contain information relating to the data itself and the display format for the data. The data is read and processed so as to combine a representation of the viewable data with executable instructions. The signals are then supplied to requesting browsing devices, after effectively being assembled as a real time o-line process.

1 . A method of serving data over a network from a server to a plurality of browsing devices, comprising the steps of: 
 maintaining a plurality of user accounts;    receiving a request for data from a browsing device via said network, wherein a user account is required to give the browsing device access to said data, said request comprising a check sum;    identifying a first invalidity condition wherein the check sum is invalid; and    returning an error message to said browsing device.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said user accounts are stored in a database.  
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said request further includes a format identifier.  
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said request is an HTTP request.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein said request is in the form of a URL.  
     
     
         6 . A method of serving data over a network from a server to a plurality of users, comprising the steps of: 
 maintaining a plurality of user accounts;    receiving an HTTP request for data via said network, wherein a user account is required to give the browsing device access to said data, said request comprising a check sum;    identifying a first invalidity condition wherein the check sum is invalid; and    returning an error message to said browsing device.    
     
     
         7 . Apparatus for serving data over a network to a plurality of users, comprising a processor, storage and a network connection wherein said processor is configured to: 
 maintain a plurality of user accounts in said storage;    receive a request for data via said network connection, wherein a user account is required to give the browsing device access to said data, said request comprising a check sum;    identify a first invalidity condition wherein the check sum is invalid; and    return an error message to said browsing device via said network connection.    
     
     
         8 . Apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said user accounts are stored in a database.  
     
     
         9 . Apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said request further includes a format identifier.  
     
     
         10 . Apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said request is an HTTP request.  
     
     
         11 . Apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said request is in the form of a URL.