Data communication system, data communication method, data receiver and data receiving method

A data communication method, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting program data and transmitting program information, which contains information on said program data, from a sender system to a receiver system over a communications channel;
• receiving said program data and said program information a receiver system;
• selectively downloading said program data in accordance with said program information and a predetermined virtual environment;
• acquiring install instructions for said program data from said program information;
• producing a checking result indicative of whether a needed resource is available for executing said program data;
• determining whether said program data is usable based on said checking result, and automatically installing said program data in accordance with said install instructions when said program data is usable;
• and
• requesting a needed resource from said sender system over said communications channel when said checking result indicates that said needed resource is not available.

A data receiver apparatus configured to receive program data and program information, which contains information on said program data, over a communications channel, the data receiver apparatus comprising:

• a data capture circuit operable to selectively accept said program data in accordance with said program information and a predetermined virtual environment;
• an install instruction receiver operable to acquire install instructions of said program data from said program information;
• a resource checking unit operable to produce a checking result indicative of whether resources are available for executing said program data;
• and
• an installation unit responsive to said checking result and operable to:
• (i) determine whether said program data is usable, (ii) automatically install said program data in accordance with said install instructions when said program data is usable, and (iii) request said needed resource from an external system over said communications channel when said checking result indicates that said needed resource is not available.

A data receiving method for receiving program data and program information, which contains information on said program data, over a communications channel, the method comprising the steps of:

• selectively downloading said received program data in accordance with said received program information and a predetermined virtual environment;
• acquiring install instructions for said program data from said program information;
• producing a checking result indicative of whether resources are available for executing said program data;
• determining whether said program data is usable based on said checking result, and automatically installing said program data in accordance with said install instructions when said program data is usable;
• and (iii) requesting a needed resource from an external system over said communications channel when said checking result indicates that said needed resource is not available.

A receiver for receiving program data and program information over any of a plurality of communications channels, at least one being a bi-directional communications channel and at least one being a uni-directional communications channel, said receiver comprising:

• a receiver status list containing information regarding desired program data;
• a communications port operable to:
• (i) receive said program data and program information from any of said communications channels, and (ii) transmit requests over any of said bi-directional communications channels;
• a data capture unit operable to accept said program data from said communications port as a function of summary information regarding said program data contained in said program information;
• a resource checking unit operable to produce a checking result based on said summary information and said receiver status list indicative of whether said receiver has necessary software resources required to utilize said program data;
• and
• a request generating unit operable to produce said requests, said requests being for any necessary software resource that said checking result indicates is unavailable.