EP0876034A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method for content retrieval over a network
Assignee: Wistron Corp
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Filing: 1998-02-05
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2018-02-05
Abstract
Abstract A method is provided for retrieving Web content from a plurality of Web servers for delivery to a Web client connectable to the World Wide Web via a communication link 227. The Web client is preferably a data processing system connectable to a television 104 or other conventional monitor to provide low cost Internet access. The method begins by having the user define a set of one or more servers from which content is desired to be retrieved and stored in the cache. These servers are preferably identified by a list of favorite Web sites. A test is then made to determine whether a given download period has terminated 250. Typically, this download period occurs during an "off" period, such as in the middle of the night, to avoid traffic congestion at the Web server sites. If the given download period has not terminated, a determination is then made of an activity level for the communication link as content is being downloaded to the cache from the one or more servers 254. If the activity level for the communication link is less than a given threshold level, additional requests for content are issued to the cache 260 according to a so-called "fairness policy" that ensures that content from as many sites as possible is downloaded during the download period.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph Raymond Thompson
- 👤 Viktors Berstis
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 14:54
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L67/00; H04L67/01; H04L67/10; H04L67/1001; H04L67/1004; H04L67/1008; G; G06; G06F; G06F15/00; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/957; G06F16/9574; H04L47/00; H04L47/10; H04L47/12; H04L47/125; H04L47/19; H04L67/02; H04L67/101; H04L67/1012; H04L67/1014; H04L67/1017; H04L67/1023; H04L67/50; H04L67/56; H04L67/60; H04L67/62; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; H04L67/10015; H04L67/1034; H04L67/568; H04L67/5681; H04L69/00; H04L69/30; H04L69/32; H04L69/322; H04L69/329
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of retrieving content for delivery to a client (100)
connectable to a network via a communication link (227), the client
including a cache, said method comprising the steps of: (a) defining a set of servers from which content is desired to be
retrieved and stored in the cache; (b) determining (254) an activity level for the communication
link as content is being downloaded to the cache from the servers; and (c) if the activity level for the communication link is less than
a threshold level, issuing (260) to the cache additional requests for
content such that each of the servers of the set has an opportunity to
deliver content to the client.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of Claim 1 wherein the additional requests for content
are issued to the set of servers as one request per server in an ordered
sequence.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of Claim 1 wherein the additional requests for content
are issued to the set of servers up to a predetermined number of requests
per server in an ordered sequence.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
23 words
The method of any preceding Claim wherein the additional requests
for content are issued to the set of servers based on predetermined
parameters.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of Claim 4 wherein the predetermined parameters include
a link depth of a document located on a particular server.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of Claim 4 wherein the predetermined parameters include
the number of bytes received in the cache from a particular server.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
22 words
The method of any preceding Claim further including the step of
processing the content received from a server to remove duplicative
links.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
22 words
The method of any preceding Claim further including the step of
processing the content received from a server to remove non-local links.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
23 words
The method of any preceding Claim wherein the threshold level of
the communication link is a given number of outstanding requests for
content.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
28 words
The method of any of Claims 1-8 wherein the threshold level of the
communication link is related to an average link utilization rate for a
given monitored interval.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
19 words
The method of any preceding Claim wherein the content is downloaded
to the cache during a predetermined time period.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
76 words
The method of Claim 11, futher comprising the additional step of
determining (250) whether a given download period has terminated, wherein
said step of determining an activity level for the communication link is
performed if the given download period has not terminated; and wherein
the additional requests for content are issued to the cache such that
each of the servers at least has an opportunity to deliver content to the
client during the given download period.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method as described in Claim 12 wherein the given download
period is selectable.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method as described in Claim 12 wherein the given download
period is approximately one hour.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
27 words
The method of any preceding Claim, wherein said network is the
World Wide Web, and said client and servers are a Web client and Web
servers respectively.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
64 words
A computer program product for retrieving content for delivery to a
client (100) connectable to a network via a communication link (227), the
client including a cache, the computer program product comprising:
a computer-readable storage medium having a substrate; and a
program encoded in the substrate of the computer-readable storage medium,
wherein the program comprises means for performing the method of any
preceding claim.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
120 words
A computer comprising a modem (222) connected to a communication
link (227); a processor (204); a memory (206) including a cache; a
browser program running on the processor for providing World Wide Web
information retrieval and including means for generating a list of Web
sites to be downloaded; a cache control program (225) running on the
processor and including means for initiating download requests to the
communication link based on the list of Web sites; and a policy control
program running on the processor and including means for issuing multiple
HTTP GET requests to the cache control program to ensure that each of the
Web sites on the list has an opportunity to contribute content during a
given download session.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
72 words
The computer of claim 17, wherein the Web browser program includes
menu means for generating the list of Web sites to be downloaded during
an off-peak download session; the cache control program includes means
for receiving downloads that are stored in the cache for off-line
browsing; and the cache control program ensures that each of the Web
sites on the list has an opportunity to contribute content during a given
download session.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
A data processing system (100) comprising a remote control unit
(106) and a base unit (102) connectable to a monitor (104) for providing
Internet access under the control of the remote control unit, the base
unit comprising the computer of claim 17 or 18.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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