Patent ID: 7117251

Claim:
A communications system for communicating between an information provider and users at client computers on a computer network, the system comprising: a satellite receiver operating to receive download data from the information provider; a plurality of client computers on a computer network, each of said client computers including first network hardware and first network software for communication with the computer network, each of said client computers also including application software for communications with the information provider; a server computer, including second network hardware and second network software for communications with the computer network, in electronic communication with said satellite receiver and in electronic communication with the computer network, said server computer operating to receive the download data from said satellite receiver and operating to route the download data to said plurality of client computers for use by the application software on each of said client computers, irrespective of said client computers' operating systems such that said server computer does not require the same operating system for each of said client computers, via the computer network; and said computer network connected to said plurality of client computers and connected to said server computer whereby said server computer provides routing for the download data to said plurality of client computers.