EP0616455A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Computer network using data compression
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1993-09-09
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-09-09
Abstract
Abstract Computers are linked together to form a network. Messages are sent over the links between the computers in compressed, segmented form, the size of the segments being appropriate to the transmission characteristics of the link. A message previously received or transmitted by a computer is stored in compressed and segmented form. If it is desired to forward or retransmit this message, the segment size of the stored form is compared against the optimum segment size for the link over which the message is to be sent. If there is a close match, then the stored segmented, compressed message is retrieved for direct transmittal, without having to resegment or recompress the message. <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Michael Ian Roper
- 👤 Lawrence Steven Evans
- 👤 Graham Derek Wallis
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 18:52
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q11/00; H04Q11/04; H04Q11/0428; H04Q11/0435; H04L; H04L69/00; H04L69/04; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; H04L69/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of operating a computer in a network, including the steps of: transmitting messages to and from the computer over links with other computers in the network; processing messages before sending from an original form into a form suitable for transmission; and processing messages on receipt back into the original form; said method being characterised by the steps of: storing a message transmitted to or from the computer in either the transmitted form, or a form intermediate the original form and the transmitted form; retrieving the stored message and processing it if necessary into a form suitable for transmission; and sending the retrieved message to another computer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the step of processing the message from the original form into a form suitable for transmission includes compressing the message, and said step of storing comprises storing the message in compressed form.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the step of processing the message from the original form into a form suitable for transmission includes segmenting the message, and said step of storing comprises storing the message in segmented form.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of determining whether a stored message has a segment size appropriate for the link over which the message is to be transmitted.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 4, wherein it is determined whether a stored message has a segment size appropriate for the link based on the time required to re-segment the message relative to the delay that would be incurred by using a non-optimum segment size.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 5, further including the step of monitoring the current performance of the network in order to determine the optimum segment size for each link.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
27 words
The method of any preceding claim, further comprising the step of deleting a stored message if it is decided not to forward the message to another computer.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
41 words
The method of any preceding claim, further comprising the step of also storing the message in original form, and wherein each processed form of the message is stored in a linked chain appended to the stored original form of the message.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
107 words
A computer adapted for inclusion in a network, wherein messages are transmitted to and from the computer over links with other computers in the network, messages being processed before sending from an original form into a form suitable for transmission, and being processed on receipt back into the original form; and characterised by: means for storing a message transmitted to or from the computer in either the transmitted form, or a form intermediate the original form and the transmitted form; means for retrieving the stored message and processing it if necessary into a form suitable for transmission; and means for sending the retrieved message to another computer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The computer of claim 9, including means for compressing the message in order to process the message from the original form into a form suitable for transmission, the message being stored in compressed form.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The computer of claim 9 or claim 10, including means for segmenting the message in order to process the message from the original form into a form suitable for transmission, the message being stored in segmented form.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The computer of claim 11, further including means for determining whether a stored message has a segment size appropriate for the link over which the message is to be transmitted.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer of claim 12, further including means for monitoring the current performance of the network in order to determine the optimum segment size for each link.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computer of any of claims 9 to 13, further comprising means for deleting a stored message if it is decided not to forward the message to another computer.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of transmitting data to a subset of a network of computers as claimed in any of claims 9 to 14, said method comprising the steps of: transmitting a first message specifying the subset of the network to which the data is to be transmitted; and transmitting a second message containing the data, whereby receiving workstations can use the information in the first message to forward the second message to another computer in the network without having to first process the second message back into its original form.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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