US6105029A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Retrieving network files through parallel channels
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1997-09-17
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Granted: 2000-08-15
•
Expires: 2017-09-17
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus is provided in which a site selection program is operable to selectively initiate sample testing of data transfer speed of a plurality of sites containing a predetermined data file. The methodology calculates a priority ordering of the plurality sites based upon the sample testing of data transfer speed, and divides the data file into portions for parallel access and delivery of the requested data file such that all of the portions are delivered to the user at approximately the same time, whereby faster channels will be requested to access and deliver larger file portions and relatively slower channels will be assigned to access and deliver relatively smaller portions of the requested data file. Upon receipt of the portions, the requested data file is assembled for further processing by the user.
Inventors
- 👤 John Maddalozzo, Jr.
- 👤 Gerald Francis McBrearty
- 👤 Shawn Patrick Mullen
- 👤 Johnny Meng-Han Shieh
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 21:03
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/951; H; H04; H04L; H04L67/00; H04L67/01; H04L67/06; H04L67/50; H04L67/60; H04L67/61; H04L67/62; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; H04L69/00; H04L69/14; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 45
Claim 1
Independent Claim
81 words
A method for accessing a data file by a user over a network from a remote location, said method comprising: determining a group of a first number of sites containing the data file; dividing the data file into a plurality of data file segments, said plurality corresponding in number to said first number of sites; and accessing said sites through separate channels for transmission of said data file segments to the user, said accessing said sites being accomplished substantially in parallel.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
81 words
A method for accessing a data file by a user over a network from a remote location, said method comprising: determining a group of a first number of sites containing the data file; dividing the data file into a plurality of data file segments, said plurality corresponding in number to said first number of sites; and accessing said sites through separate channels for transmission of said data file segments to the user, said accessing said sites being accomplished substantially in parallel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 and further including: providing a selection option to the user for selecting only predetermined ones of said sites for accessing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said data file segments are of differing sizes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method as set forth in claim 3 and further including: sampling data transfer speed of said separate channels; and assigning different sizes of said data file segments to different ones of said separate channels.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein said assigning is accomplished by assigning larger data file segments to faster ones of said separate channels.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method as set forth in claim 5 and further including, after said assigning, sending requests for said data file segments substantially simultaneously to said group of sites whereby said data file segments are returned to the user and said returns are completed in a substantially concurrent time period.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as set forth in claim 6 and further including: assembling said data file segments into said data file upon receipt of said data file segments from said group of sites.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method as set forth in claim 3 wherein data transfer speed is measured in bytes transferred per second, said sampling including measuring time taken to transfer a predetermined number of sample bytes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method as set forth in claim 3 wherein data transfer speed is measured in bytes transferred from each site during a predetermined maximum sample time period for each site.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method as set forth in claim 3 wherein data transfer speed is measured in bytes transferred per second, said sampling further including measuring bytes transferred from each site during a predetermined maximum sample time period for sites which transfer less than a predetermined number of bytes during said maximum sample time period.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said selection option includes: displaying an activation area on a display screen, whereby the user may select, through an input device, said predetermined ones of said sites.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said input device is a mouse device.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said input device is a keyboard device.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as set forth in claim 12 wherein said input device includes a keyboard device in addition to said mouse device.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
132 words
A storage medium including machine readable indicia, said storage medium being selectively coupled to a reading device, said reading device being selectively coupled to processing circuitry within a computer system, said reading device being selectively operable to read said machine readable indicia and provide program signals representative thereof, said program signals being selectively effective for enabling a user to access a data file from a remote site through a network by: determining a group of a first number of sites containing the data file; dividing the data file into a plurality of data file segments, said plurality corresponding in number to said first number of sites; and accessing said sites through separate channels for transmission of said data file segments to the user, said accessing said sites being accomplished substantially in parallel.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
132 words
A storage medium including machine readable indicia, said storage medium being selectively coupled to a reading device, said reading device being selectively coupled to processing circuitry within a computer system, said reading device being selectively operable to read said machine readable indicia and provide program signals representative thereof, said program signals being selectively effective for enabling a user to access a data file from a remote site through a network by: determining a group of a first number of sites containing the data file; dividing the data file into a plurality of data file segments, said plurality corresponding in number to said first number of sites; and accessing said sites through separate channels for transmission of said data file segments to the user, said accessing said sites being accomplished substantially in parallel.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
The medium as set forth in claim 15 wherein said program signals are further selectively effective for: providing a selection option to the user for selecting only predetermined ones of said sites for accessing.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The medium as set forth in claim 15 wherein said data file segments are of differing sizes.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
41 words
The medium as set forth in claim 17 wherein said program signals are further selectively effective for: sampling data transfer speed of said separate channels; and assigning different sizes of said data file segments to different ones of said separate channels.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
The medium as set forth in claim 18 wherein said assigning is accomplished by assigning larger data file segments to faster ones of said separate channels.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
55 words
The medium as set forth in claim 19 wherein said program signals are further selectively effective for, after said assigning, sending requests for said data file segments substantially simultaneously to said group of sites whereby said data file segments are returned to the user and said returns are completed in a substantially concurrent time period.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
The medium as set forth in claim 20 wherein said program signals are further selectively effective for: assembling said data file segments into said data file upon receipt of said data file segments from said group of sites.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
33 words
The medium as set forth in claim 17 wherein data transfer speed is measured in bytes transferred per second, said sampling including measuring time taken to transfer a predetermined number of sample bytes.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
The medium as set forth in claim 17 wherein data transfer speed is measured in bytes transferred from each site during a predetermined maximum sample time period for each site.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
53 words
The medium as set forth in claim 17 wherein data transfer speed is measured in bytes transferred per second, said sampling further including measuring bytes transferred from each site during a predetermined maximum sample time period for sites which transfer less than a predetermined number of bytes during said maximum sample time period.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
36 words
The medium as set forth in claim 16 wherein said selection option includes: displaying an activation area on a display screen, whereby the user may select, through an input device, said predetermined ones of said sites.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
The medium as set forth in claim 25 wherein said input device is a mouse device.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
16 words
The medium as set forth in claim 25 wherein said input device is a keyboard device.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
22 words
The medium as set forth in claim 26 wherein said input device includes a keyboard device in addition to said mouse device.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
114 words
An information processing system comprising: a processing device; a memory unit; and a bus connecting said processing device and said memory unit, said processing device being selectively operable for executing a program from said memory for selectively enabling a user to access a data file from a remote site through a network by: determining a group of a first number of sites containing the data file; dividing the data file into a plurality of data file segments, said plurality corresponding in number to said first number of sites; and accessing said sites through separate channels for transmission of said data file segments to the user, said accessing said sites being accomplished substantially in parallel.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
114 words
An information processing system comprising: a processing device; a memory unit; and a bus connecting said processing device and said memory unit, said processing device being selectively operable for executing a program from said memory for selectively enabling a user to access a data file from a remote site through a network by: determining a group of a first number of sites containing the data file; dividing the data file into a plurality of data file segments, said plurality corresponding in number to said first number of sites; and accessing said sites through separate channels for transmission of said data file segments to the user, said accessing said sites being accomplished substantially in parallel.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
29 words
The information processing system set forth in claim 29 and further including: providing a selection option to the user for selecting only predetermined ones of said sites for accessing.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
18 words
The information processing system set forth in claim 29 wherein said data file segments are of differing sizes.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
36 words
The information processing system set forth in claim 31 and further including: sampling data transfer speed of said separate channels; and assigning different sizes of said data file segments to different ones of said separate channels.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
27 words
The information processing system set forth in claim 32 wherein said assigning is accomplished by assigning larger data file segments to faster ones of said separate channels.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
50 words
The information processing system set forth in claim 33 and further including, after said assigning, sending requests for said data file segments substantially simultaneously to said group of sites whereby said data file segments are returned to the user and said returns are completed in a substantially concurrent time period.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
33 words
The information processing system set forth in claim 34 and further including: assembling said data file segments into said data file upon receipt of said data file segments from said group of sites.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
34 words
The information processing system set forth in claim 31 wherein data transfer speed is measured in bytes transferred per second, said sampling including measuring time taken to transfer a predetermined number of sample bytes.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
31 words
The information processing system set forth in claim 31 wherein data transfer speed is measured in bytes transferred from each site during a predetermined maximum sample time period for each site.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
54 words
The information processing system set forth in claim 31 wherein data transfer speed is measured in bytes transferred per second, said sampling further including measuring bytes transferred from each site during a predetermined maximum sample time period for sites which transfer less than a predetermined number of bytes during said maximum sample time period.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
37 words
The information processing system set forth in claim 30 wherein said selection option includes: displaying an activation area on a display screen, whereby the user may select, through an input device, said predetermined ones of said sites.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
17 words
The information processing system set forth in claim 39 wherein said input device is a mouse device.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
17 words
The information processing system set forth in claim 39 wherein said input device is a keyboard device.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
23 words
The information processing system set forth in claim 40 wherein said input device includes a keyboard device in addition to said mouse device.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-08-15 | 2004-02-14 | 2004-08-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-08-15 | 2008-02-14 | 2008-08-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-08-15 | 2012-02-14 | 2012-08-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |