US6134588A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
High availability web browser access to servers
Assignee: Activision Publishing Inc
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Filing: 1997-11-12
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Granted: 2000-10-17
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Expires: 2017-11-12
Abstract
Abstract One or more policies are implemented at a Web browser to enhance access to Web servers that host content requested by the browser. When the browser issues a request, a name service returns a list of IP addresses that may service that request. The list is configured as "random" or "ordered" according to a given naming convention or other local policy, and IP addresses are selected from the list at random or in order (as the case may be) until a connection to an appropriate server is obtained. The browser remembers (for a given time period) which IP addresses have failed so that those addresses are not repeatedly tried. The browser's "timeout" period is also selectively varied depending on the type of list returned from the name service.
Inventors
- 👤 Timothy John Guenthner
- 👤 Francis Daniel Lawlor
- 👤 Charles Rudolph Schmitt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 08:23
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L67/00; H04L67/01; H04L67/02; H04L61/00; H04L61/45; H04L61/4505; H04L61/4511; G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; H04L67/10; H04L67/1001; H04L67/1004; H04L67/1019
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of communication in a computer network comprising at least one client, a plurality of servers, and a nameserver, where in response to a request issued from the browser, a list of server addresses is returned from the nameserver, the method operative in the client and, comprising the steps of: favoring a given server address over other server addresses in the list based on a given policy; attempting to establish a connection from the client machine to a server identified by the given server address; if, during a timeout period, the connection to the server identified by the given server address cannot be established, restricting use of the given server address for a given time period; and attempting to establish a connection from the client machine to a second server identified by at least one of the other server addresses in the list.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of communication in a computer network comprising at least one client, a plurality of servers, and a nameserver, where in response to a request issued from the browser, a list of server addresses is returned from the nameserver, the method operative in the client and, comprising the steps of: favoring a given server address over other server addresses in the list based on a given policy; attempting to establish a connection from the client machine to a server identified by the given server address; if, during a timeout period, the connection to the server identified by the given server address cannot be established, restricting use of the given server address for a given time period; and attempting to establish a connection from the client machine to a second server identified by at least one of the other server addresses in the list.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as described in claim 1 wherein the given policy establishes the list as a random list and the given server address is an address selected from the list at random.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as described in claim 2 wherein the other server address is selected from the list at random.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method as described in claim 2 wherein prior to selecting a given server address, the method includes the steps of: determining whether a given first time period has elapsed since the random list was last retrieved from the nameserver; and if the given first time period has elapsed, re-fetching the list from the nameserver.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method as described in claim 1 wherein the given policy establishes the list as an ordered list and the given server address is a first address in the list.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method as described in claim 5 wherein the other server address is a next address in the ordered list.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method as described in claim 5 wherein prior to selecting a given server address, the method includes the steps of: determining whether a given time period has elapsed since the ordered list was last retrieved from the nameserver; and if the given time period has elapsed, re-fetching the list from the nameserver.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method as described in claim 1 wherein the timeout period is variable.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as described in claim 8 further including the step of decreasing the timeout period if, during an attempt to establish a connection, other server addresses in the list remain unused.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
96 words
A computer program product in a computer-readable medium for use in a Web client connectable in a computer network having a plurality of servers and a name service, comprising: means responsive to selection of a hypertext reference for issuing a request to the name service and receiving in return a list of server addresses; means responsive to the issuing means for favoring a given server address over other server addresses in the list based on a given policy; and means for restricting use of a given server address on the list for a given time period.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
96 words
A computer program product in a computer-readable medium for use in a Web client connectable in a computer network having a plurality of servers and a name service, comprising: means responsive to selection of a hypertext reference for issuing a request to the name service and receiving in return a list of server addresses; means responsive to the issuing means for favoring a given server address over other server addresses in the list based on a given policy; and means for restricting use of a given server address on the list for a given time period.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
The computer program product as described in claim 10 wherein the restricting means is responsive to a failure to establish a connection from the client machine to a server identified by the given server address during a given timeout period.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The computer program product as described in claim 11 wherein the restricting means further includes means for varying the given timeout period.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The computer program product as described in claim 10 wherein the given policy configures the list as a random list and the given server address is an address selected at random.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
The computer program product as described in claim 10 wherein the given policy configures the list as an ordered list and the given server address is a first address on the list.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
47 words
The computer program product as described in claim 10 further including: means for determining whether a given time period has elapsed since the list was last retrieved from the name service; and means responsive to the determining means for selectively re-fetching the list from the name service.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer program product as described in claim 10 wherein the computer program product is a browser.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The computer program product as described in claim 10 wherein the computer program product is a browser plug-in.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
121 words
A computer for use as a client in a computer network having a plurality of Web servers and a name service, comprising: a processor having an operating system; a Web browser including means responsive to selection of a hypertext reference for issuing a request to the name service and receiving in return a list of server addresses; and means associated with the Web browser for enhancing access to the plurality of Web servers, operative in the client and, comprising: means responsive to the issuing means for favoring a given server address over other server addresses in the list based on a given policy; and means for restricting use of a given server address on the list for a given time period.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
121 words
A computer for use as a client in a computer network having a plurality of Web servers and a name service, comprising: a processor having an operating system; a Web browser including means responsive to selection of a hypertext reference for issuing a request to the name service and receiving in return a list of server addresses; and means associated with the Web browser for enhancing access to the plurality of Web servers, operative in the client and, comprising: means responsive to the issuing means for favoring a given server address over other server addresses in the list based on a given policy; and means for restricting use of a given server address on the list for a given time period.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
38 words
The computer as described in claim 18 wherein the restricting means is responsive to a failure to establish a connection from the client machine to a server identified by the given server address during a given timeout period.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer as described in claim 19 wherein the restricting means further includes means for varying the given timeout period.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computer as described in claim 18 wherein the given policy configures the list as a random list and the given server address is an address selected at random.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
The computer as described in claim 18 wherein the given policy configures the list as an ordered list and the given server address is a first address on the list.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
47 words
The computer program product as described in claim 18 further including: means for determining whether a given time period has elapsed since the list was last retrieved from the name service; and means responsive to the determining means for selectively re-fetching the list from the name service.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of enhancing Web browser access to a plurality of servers in a computer network, where in response to a request issued from the Web browser, a list of server addresses is returned from a name service, the method operative in the client and, comprising the steps of: biasing a given server address over other server addresses in the list based on a given policy; attempting to establish a connection from the client machine to a server identified by the given server address; and if the connection cannot be established using the given server address, using other server addresses in the list to respond to the request.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of enhancing Web browser access to a plurality of servers in a computer network, where in response to a request issued from the Web browser, a list of server addresses is returned from a name service, the method operative in the client and, comprising the steps of: biasing a given server address over other server addresses in the list based on a given policy; attempting to establish a connection from the client machine to a server identified by the given server address; and if the connection cannot be established using the given server address, using other server addresses in the list to respond to the request.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method as described in claim 24 wherein the given policy configures the list as a random list and the given server address is an IP address selected at random.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as described in claim 24 wherein the given policy configures the list as an ordered list and the given server address is a primary IP address.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method as described in claim 24 further including the step of re-fetching the list from the name service prior to the biasing step if the list is older than a given age.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of enhancing Web browser access to a plurality of servers in a computer network, where in response to a request issued from the Web browser, a set of server addresses is returned from a name service, the method operative in the client and, comprising the steps of: biasing a subset of the server addresses over other server addresses in the set, wherein each of the server addresses in the subset is a duplicate; attempting to establish a connection from the client machine to a server identified by the server addresses in the subset; and if the connection cannot be established, using other server addresses in the set to respond to the request.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of enhancing Web browser access to a plurality of servers in a computer network, where in response to a request issued from the Web browser, a set of server addresses is returned from a name service, the method operative in the client and, comprising the steps of: biasing a subset of the server addresses over other server addresses in the set, wherein each of the server addresses in the subset is a duplicate; attempting to establish a connection from the client machine to a server identified by the server addresses in the subset; and if the connection cannot be established, using other server addresses in the set to respond to the request.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
118 words
A method of enhancing Web browser access to a plurality of servers in a computer network, where in response to a request issued from the Web browser, a list of server addresses is returned from a name service, the method operative in the client and, comprising the steps of: biasing a given server address over other server addresses in the list based on a given policy; attempting to establish a connection from the client machine to a server identified by the given server address; and if the connection cannot be establish using the given server address, associating the given server address with a given status and using other server addresses in the list to respond to the request.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
118 words
A method of enhancing Web browser access to a plurality of servers in a computer network, where in response to a request issued from the Web browser, a list of server addresses is returned from a name service, the method operative in the client and, comprising the steps of: biasing a given server address over other server addresses in the list based on a given policy; attempting to establish a connection from the client machine to a server identified by the given server address; and if the connection cannot be establish using the given server address, associating the given server address with a given status and using other server addresses in the list to respond to the request.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method as described in claim 29 wherein the given status indicates that the given server address is a bad address.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method as described in claim 29 further including the step of maintaining the given status for a predetermined time period during which the given server address is not used.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method as described in claim 31 further including the step of altering the given status after the predetermined time period.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of communication in a computer network comprising at least one client, a plurality of servers, and a nameserver, where in response to a request issued from the browser, a list of server addresses is returned from the nameserver, the method operative in the client and, comprising the steps of: favoring a given server address over other server addresses in the list based on a given policy; attempting to establish a connection from the client machine to a server identified by the given server address during a timeout period selected as a function of a number of untried server addresses in the list.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of communication in a computer network comprising at least one client, a plurality of servers, and a nameserver, where in response to a request issued from the browser, a list of server addresses is returned from the nameserver, the method operative in the client and, comprising the steps of: favoring a given server address over other server addresses in the list based on a given policy; attempting to establish a connection from the client machine to a server identified by the given server address during a timeout period selected as a function of a number of untried server addresses in the list.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method as described in claim 33 further including the steps of: during the timeout period, determining if the connection to the server identified by the given server address can be established; and if not, attempting to establish a connection from the client machine to a second server identified by at least one of the other server addresses in the list.
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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) | 2003-10-17 | 2004-04-17 | 2004-10-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-10-17 | 2008-04-17 | 2008-10-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-10-17 | 2012-04-17 | 2012-10-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |