Content Distribution Over A Network

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for using a transport function to provide and receive identifications of content available over a network and to provide and receive user-selected content over the network.

1 - 272 . (canceled) 
     
     
         273 . A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon that enables a computer server system to aggregate content from a plurality of content providers over a communications network, for distribution to a plurality of computers over the communications network, the computer program logic comprising:
 first computer program code for enabling the computer server system to receive selections regarding identified available content groups from identified content providers;   second computer program code for enabling the computer server system to retrieve lists of currently available content items from within the identified available content groups from the identified content providers;   third computer program code for enabling the computer server system to provide identifications of the identified available content groups and the currently available content items; and   fourth computer program code for enabling the computer server system to provide the lists of currently available content items from within the identified available content groups;   wherein the third computer program code enables the computer server system to repeatedly obtain updated lists of the available content items, in order to provide the effect of a subscription to the content groups.   
     
     
         274 . The computer program product according to  claim 273 , wherein said third computer program code enables the computer server system to retrieve the lists of currently available content items from within the identified content groups from the identified content providers, either independently of or responsive to the received selections. 
     
     
         275 . The computer program product according to  claim 273 , wherein the first computer program code enables the computer server system to receive requests for access to arbitrary web objects. 
     
     
         276 . The computer program product according to  claim 273 , wherein the third computer program code enables the computer server system to dynamically retrieve content from the identified content groups in response to requests. 
     
     
         277 . The computer program product according to  claim 273 , wherein the first computer program code enables the server system to trigger the third computer program code to enable the computer server system to retrieve updated lists of currently available content items from the identified content groups, in response to update requests received by the computer interface function. 
     
     
         278 . The computer program product according to  claim 273 , wherein the computer program logic further comprises:
 fifth computer program code for enabling the computer server system to provide the retrieved updated lists of currently available content items to corresponding requesting computers.   
     
     
         279 . The computer program product according to  claim 273 , wherein the first computer program code enables the computer server system to receive an object manifest of the selections, including one or more manifest list entries of selected content and corresponding source addresses for the selected content. 
     
     
         280 . The computer program product according to  claim 273 , wherein the fourth computer program code enables the computer server system to repeatedly and automatically provide the lists of currently available content items to the corresponding computers. 
     
     
         281 . The computer program product according to  claim 273 , wherein the fourth computer program code enables the computer server system to repeatedly and automatically provide at least one of information relevant to setting the schedule and the lists of currently available content items to the corresponding computers according to a schedule. 
     
     
         282 . A computer-implemented method for aggregating content from a plurality of content providers over a communications network, for distribution to a plurality of computers over the communications network, comprising:
 receiving selections regarding identified available content groups from identified content providers;   retrieving lists of currently available content items from within the identified available content groups from the identified content providers;   providing identifications of the identified available content groups and the currently available content items; and   providing the lists of currently available content items from within the identified available content groups to the corresponding computers;   wherein said retrieving step is repeatedly performed to obtain updated lists of the available content items, in order to provide the effect of a subscription to the content groups.   
     
     
         283 . The method according to  claim 282 , wherein said retrieving step comprises retrieving the lists of currently available content items from within the identified content groups from the identified content providers, either independently of or responsive to the received selections. 
     
     
         284 . The method according to  claim 282 , wherein said retrieving step comprises dynamically retrieving content from the identified content groups in response to requests. 
     
     
         285 . The method according to  claim 282 , wherein said receiving step triggers retrieving updated lists of currently available content items from the identified content groups, in response to update requests received by the computer interface function. 
     
     
         286 . The method according to  claim 285 , further comprising:
 providing the retrieved updated lists of currently available content items to corresponding requesting computers.   
     
     
         287 . The method according to  claim 282 , wherein said receiving step comprises receiving an object manifest of the selections, including one or more manifest list entries of selected content and corresponding source addresses for the selected content. 
     
     
         288 . The method according to  claim 282 , wherein said step of providing the lists is performed repeatedly and automatically to provide at least one of schedule updates from the identified content providers and the lists of currently available content items to the corresponding computers according to a schedule. 
     
     
         289 . The method according to  claim 288 , further comprising:
 providing information relevant to setting the schedule to the corresponding computers.   
     
     
         290 . The method according to  claim 288 , wherein said step of providing the lists further comprises providing schedule updates from the identified content providers to the corresponding computers. 
     
     
         291 . An apparatus for aggregating content from a plurality of content providers over a communications network, for distribution to a plurality of computers over the communications network, comprising:
 a computer interface configured to receive selections regarding identified available content groups from identified content providers;   a first transport module configured to retrieve lists of currently available content items from within the identified available content groups from the identified content providers;   a processor configured to provide identifications of the identified available content groups and the currently available content items; and   a second transport module configured to provide the lists of currently available content items from within the identified available content groups to the corresponding computers;   wherein the first transport module repeatedly retrieves updated lists of the available content items, in order to provide to the computers the effect of a subscription to the content groups.   
     
     
         292 . The apparatus according to  claim 291 , wherein said first transport module retrieves the lists of currently available content items from within the identified content groups from the identified content providers, either independently of or responsive to the received selections. 
     
     
         293 . The apparatus according to  claim 291 , wherein the computer interface triggers the first transport module to retrieve updated lists of currently available content items from the identified content groups, in response to update requests received by the computer interface. 
     
     
         294 . The apparatus according to  claim 293 , further comprising:
 a third transport module configured to provide the retrieved updated lists of currently available content items to corresponding requesting computers.   
     
     
         295 . The apparatus according to  claim 291 , wherein the computer interface receives an object manifest of the selections, including one or more manifest list entries of selected content and corresponding source addresses for the selected content. 
     
     
         296 . The apparatus according to  claim 291 , wherein the second transport module repeatedly and automatically provides the lists of currently available content items to the corresponding computers. 
     
     
         297 . The apparatus according to  claim 291 , wherein the second transport module repeatedly and automatically provides the lists of currently available content items to the corresponding computers according to a schedule. 
     
     
         298 . A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a content provider computer system to provide selected content to a plurality of computer systems over a communications network, said computer program logic comprising:
 first computer program code for enabling the content provider computer system to generate an indication of at least one available content group that includes a set of one or more content items, the composition of said set of content items changing over time;   second computer program code for enabling the content provider computer system to provide the indication of the available content group to the computer systems over the communications network;   third computer program code for enabling the content provider computer system to receive requests for a current list of available content items within the indicated available content group from the computer systems; and   fourth computer program code for enabling the content provider computer system to provide the current list of available content items to the corresponding computer systems;   wherein the third computer program code enables each of the computer systems to repeatedly and automatically retrieve updated lists of available content items, in order to provide the effect of a subscription to the indicated content group.   
     
     
         299 . The computer program product according to  claim 298 , wherein the first computer program code enables the content provider computer system to generate a manifest list of the available content group and corresponding source addresses for at least one of the available content group and available content items. 
     
     
         300 . The computer program product according to  claim 298 , wherein the computer program logic further comprises:
 fifth computer program code for enabling the content provider computer system to receive requests for selected content items of the available content items; and   sixth computer program code for enabling the content provider computer system to provide the selected content items to the corresponding computer systems.   
     
     
         301 . The computer program product according to  claim 298 , wherein the computer program logic further comprises:
 fifth computer program code for enabling the content provider computer system to provide information relevant to setting said schedule by the computers of the computer systems.   
     
     
         302 . A computer-implemented method for providing selected content to a plurality of computer systems over a communications network, comprising:
 generating an indication of at least one available content group that includes a set of one or more content items, the composition of said set of content items changing over time;   providing the indication of the available content group computer system over the communications network;   receiving requests for a current list of available content items within the indicated available content group from the computer systems; and   providing the current list of available content items to the corresponding computer systems;   wherein said step of receiving requests is repeatedly and automatically performed to retrieve updated lists of available content items, in order to provide the effect of a subscription to the indicated content group.   
     
     
         303 . The method according to  claim 302 , wherein said generating step comprises generating a manifest list of the available content group and corresponding source addresses for at least one of the available content group and available content items. 
     
     
         304 . The method according to  claim 302 , further comprising:
 receiving requests for selected content items of the available content items; and   providing the selected content items to the corresponding computer systems.   
     
     
         305 . The method according to  claim 304 , wherein said steps of providing the indication of the available content group, receiving requests for a current list of available content items, providing the current list of available content items, receiving requests for selected content items, and providing the selected content items using communications protocols that are compatible with those used by at least one of the computer systems to perform similar transport and interfacing steps with other content provider computer systems, operated by content providers independent of said content provider. 
     
     
         306 . The method according to  claim 302 , further comprising:
 providing information relevant to setting said schedule by the computers of the computer systems.   
     
     
         307 . The method according to  claim 302 , wherein said content items comprise multimedia content. 
     
     
         308 . An apparatus for providing selected content to a plurality of computer systems over a communications network, comprising:
 an object manifest module configured to generate an indication of at least one available content group that includes a set of one or more content items, the composition of said set of content items changing over time;   a first transport module configured to provide the indication of the available content group to the computer systems over the communications network;   a first computer system interface configured to receive requests for a current list of available content items within the indicated available content group from the computer systems; and   a second transport module configured to provide the current list of available content items to the corresponding computer systems;   wherein the first computer system interface repeatedly and automatically receives requests from the computer systems to retrieve updated lists of available content items, in order to provide the effect of a subscription to the indicated content group.   
     
     
         309 . The apparatus according to  claim 308 , wherein the object manifest module is configured to generate a manifest list of the available content group and corresponding source addresses for the available content group. 
     
     
         310 . The apparatus according to  claim 308 , wherein the object manifest module is configured to generate a manifest list of the available content items and corresponding source addresses for the available content items. 
     
     
         311 . The apparatus according to  claim 308 , further comprising:
 a second computer system interface configured to receive requests for selected content items of the available content items; and   a third transport module configured to provide the selected content items to the corresponding computer systems.   
     
     
         312 . The apparatus according to  claim 308 , wherein the second transport module provides the available content items together with the current list of available items to the corresponding computers. 
     
     
         313 . The apparatus according to  claim 308 , wherein the first transport module, the first computer system interface, and the second transport module use communications protocols that are compatible with those used by at least one of the computer systems to perform similar transport and interfacing with other content provider computer systems, operated by content providers independent of said content provider. 
     
     
         314 . The apparatus according to  claim 308 , wherein the first computer system interface repeatedly and automatically receives requests from the computer systems according to a schedule. 
     
     
         315 . The apparatus according to  claim 308 , wherein further comprising:
 a third transport module configured to provide information relevant to setting said schedule by the computers of the computer systems.