System and method for distributing data simultaneously to multiple computers on a network, with advanced notice to intended recipients

Claim 3

The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the steps of: (g) transmitting another message to the network requesting all of the intended network computer locations to indicate the status of the receipt of the data distribution; (h) receiving individual responses from the network computer locations indicating the status of the receipt of the data distributions; (i) transmitting data to the network, based on said individual responses, that was not received by the network computer locations; and (j) repeating steps (f) through (i) until the data distribution is complete.

Claim 4

The method as defined in claim 1 wherein step (a) comprises: transmitting an initial message across the network requesting information relating to the status of the current data files of the network computer locations, and receiving individual responses from the network computer locations relating to the status of the current data files.

Claim 5

The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the data distribution comprises at least one file header and at least one data file including at least one file record, wherein the file header comprises the first message.

Claim 6

The method as defined in claim 4 wherein the data distribution further comprises program files.

Claim 7

The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the network comprises a local area network.

Claim 8

The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the network comprises a wide area network.

Claim 9

The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of maintaining a data table including network addresses of all network computer locations associated with the network.

Claim 10

The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of tracking successive data distributions to the network computer locations to maintain current information relating to the data files of the network computer locations.

Claim 11

A computer-readable memory having stored therein computer-executable program code for distributing data to multiple computer locations associated with a network, the computer-readable memory comprising: structure for determining which of the multiple network computer locations are to receive a data distribution; message announcement structure for generating and transmitting to the network a first message, said first message identifying the data that comprises the data distribution and identifying the network computer locations intended to receive the data distribution, wherein the multiple network computer locations examine the first message so that each network computer location can determine whether it is an intended location for receiving the data distribution; and file record structure for transmitting the data distribution to the network after transmission of the first message, such that a plurality of the multiple network computer locations are capable of receiving the data distribution, and wherein one or more intended network computer locations receive the data distribution as specified in the first message.

Claim 12

A computer-readable memory having stored therein computer-executable program code for distributing data to multiple computer locations associated with a network, the computer-readable memory comprising: structure for determining which of the multiple network computer locations are to receive a data distribution; message announcement structure for generating and transmitting to the network a first message, said first message identifying the data that comprises the data distribution and identifying the network computer locations intended to receive the data distribution, wherein the multiple network computer locations examine the first message so that each network computer location can determine whether it is an intended location for receiving the data distribution; and file record structure for transmitting the data distribution to the network after transmission of the first message, such that a plurality of the multiple network computer locations are capable of receiving the data distribution, and wherein one or more intended network computer locations receive the data distribution as specified in the first message.

Claim 13

The computer-readable memory as defined in claim 10 further comprising structure for indicating the status of data files on individual network computer locations.

Claim 14

The computer-readable memory as defined in claim 10 further comprising resend structure for requesting that missing data from the data distribution be resent.

Claim 15

The computer-readable memory as defined in claim 12 wherein the intended network computer locations maintain individual listings of the data received during the data distribution to determine whether certain data was not received.

Claim 16

The computer-readable memory as defined in claim 10 wherein the data distribution comprises a single copy of data including at least one file header and at least one data file having at least one file record, the single copy being accessible by a plurality of the network computer locations.

Claim 17

The computer-readable memory as defined in claim 14 wherein the data distribution further comprises program files.

Claim 18

The computer-readable memory as defined in claim 10 wherein the network comprises a local area network.

Claim 19

The computer-readable memory as defined in claim 10 wherein the network comprises a wide area network.

Claim 20

The computer-readable memory as defined in claim 10 wherein the structure for determining comprises structure for transmitting a message across the network requesting information indicating the status of current data files on individual network computer locations, and structure for receiving individual responses from the network computer locations relating to the status of the current data files.

Claim 21

The computer-readable memory as defined in claim 10 wherein the computer-executable program code maintains a data table which includes network addresses of all network computer locations associated with the network.

Claim 22

The computer-readable memory as defined in claim 10 further comprising structure for tracking successive data distributions to the network computer locations so that said memory maintains current information relating to the data files of the network computer locations.

Claim 23

A data distribution system for distributing data to multiple computer locations associated with a network, the data distribution system comprising: means for determining which of the multiple network computer locations are to receive a data distribution; means for generating a first message, said first message identifying the data that comprises the data distribution and identifying the network computer locations intended to receive the data distribution; means for transmitting the first message across the network, wherein the multiple network locations determine whether they are intended locations for receiving the data distribution based the first message means for transmitting a single copy of the data distribution across the network after transmission of the first message across the network, such that each of the multiple network computer locations is capable of receiving the data distribution and one or more of the intended network computer locations can accept the data distribution.

Claim 24

A data distribution system for distributing data to multiple computer locations associated with a network, the data distribution system comprising: means for determining which of the multiple network computer locations are to receive a data distribution; means for generating a first message, said first message identifying the data that comprises the data distribution and identifying the network computer locations intended to receive the data distribution; means for transmitting the first message across the network, wherein the multiple network locations determine whether they are intended locations for receiving the data distribution based the first message means for transmitting a single copy of the data distribution across the network after transmission of the first message across the network, such that each of the multiple network computer locations is capable of receiving the data distribution and one or more of the intended network computer locations can accept the data distribution.

Claim 25

The data distribution system as defined in claim 21 wherein the data distribution comprises at least one file containing at least one record.

Claim 26

The data distribution system as defined in claim 22 wherein the file of the data distribution comprises a file header and a plurality of file records, and wherein the file header comprises the first message and includes destination, origination, and identification information.

Claim 27

The data distribution system as defined in claim 21 wherein the network comprises a local area network.

Claim 28

The data distribution system as defined in claim 21 wherein the network comprises a wide area network.

Claim 29

A computer network adapted to distribute data, the network comprising: a plurality of client computers connected to the network; and a data server adapted to communicate with the plurality of client computers; the data server including: means for determining which of the plurality of client computers are to receive a data distribution; means for generating a first message, said first message identifying the data that comprises the data distribution and identifying which of the plurality of client computers are intended to receive the data distribution, means for transmitting the first message across the network, wherein the plurality of client computers examine the first message so that the client computers can determine whether they are intended locations for receiving the data distribution; and means for transmitting a single copy of the data distribution across the network after transmission of the first message across the network, such that the plurality of client computers are capable of receiving the data distribution, wherein one or more of the plurality of client computers receive the data distribution as indicated in the first message.

Claim 30

A computer network adapted to distribute data, the network comprising: a plurality of client computers connected to the network; and a data server adapted to communicate with the plurality of client computers; the data server including: means for determining which of the plurality of client computers are to receive a data distribution; means for generating a first message, said first message identifying the data that comprises the data distribution and identifying which of the plurality of client computers are intended to receive the data distribution, means for transmitting the first message across the network, wherein the plurality of client computers examine the first message so that the client computers can determine whether they are intended locations for receiving the data distribution; and means for transmitting a single copy of the data distribution across the network after transmission of the first message across the network, such that the plurality of client computers are capable of receiving the data distribution, wherein one or more of the plurality of client computers receive the data distribution as indicated in the first message.

Claim 31

The computer network as defined in claim 26 wherein the network comprises a local area network.

Claim 32

The computer network as defined in claim 26 wherein the network comprises a wide area network.

Claim 33

The computer network as defined in claim 28 wherein the data server comprises a master server and one or more sub-servers each associated with a local area network of client computers, and wherein the sub-servers receive the data distribution from the master server and communicate said distribution to a corresponding local area network of client computers.

Claim 34

The computer network as defined in claim 26 wherein the data distribution comprises a single copy of data including at least one file header and at least one data file having at least one file record, the single copy being accessible by the plurality of client computers.