US6185625B1 — Scaling proxy server sending to the client a grap…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 191 words

A system for retrieving an object over a computer network, said system comprising a network client and a remote scaling server coupled between the network client and the computer network, wherein: the network client includes a browser for rendering an object and a graphical user interface enabling a user to selectively establish an encoding preference for the object to be rendered, the graphical user interface being automatically provided to the network client in response to a request for the object to be rendered and comprising a set of automatically executing instructions for requesting an encoding preference from a user, receiving a response from the user, and transmitting the user response to the remote scaling server; and the remote scaling server includes a remote proxy and an encode service provider, wherein said remote scaling server is configured to retrieve an object from the computer network using said remote proxy, obtain a user-established encoding preference from the network client through the graphical user interface, encode the object using said encode service provider in accordance with the received user-established encoding preference, and transmit the encoded object to said network client using said remote proxy.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 191 words

A system for retrieving an object over a computer network, said system comprising a network client and a remote scaling server coupled between the network client and the computer network, wherein: the network client includes a browser for rendering an object and a graphical user interface enabling a user to selectively establish an encoding preference for the object to be rendered, the graphical user interface being automatically provided to the network client in response to a request for the object to be rendered and comprising a set of automatically executing instructions for requesting an encoding preference from a user, receiving a response from the user, and transmitting the user response to the remote scaling server; and the remote scaling server includes a remote proxy and an encode service provider, wherein said remote scaling server is configured to retrieve an object from the computer network using said remote proxy, obtain a user-established encoding preference from the network client through the graphical user interface, encode the object using said encode service provider in accordance with the received user-established encoding preference, and transmit the encoded object to said network client using said remote proxy.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 22 words

The system of claim 1 , wherein said encode service provider is configured to selectively encode an object having a predetermined characteristic.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 51 words

The system of claim 2 , wherein said remote scaling server includes a plurality of encode service providers, said remote scaling server being configured to invoke one of said plurality of encode service providers based at least in part on the predetermined characteristic of the object retrieved from the computer network.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 25 words

The system of claim 2 , wherein said network client further includes an embedded decoder configured to selectively decode an object having a predetermined characteristic.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 47 words

The system of claim 2 , wherein said network client further includes a local proxy in communication with said browser, said local proxy being configured to request an object from the computer network through said remote proxy and to receive an encoded object from said remote proxy.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 36 words

The system of claim 5 , wherein said network client further includes a decode service provider coupled to said local proxy, said decode service provider being configured to selectively decode an object having a predetermined characteristic.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 17 words

The system of claim 6 , wherein said decode service provider comprises a component of said browser.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 46 words

The system of claim 6 , wherein said network client further includes a plurality of decode service providers, said network client being configured to invoke one of said plurality of decode service providers based on a predetermined characteristic of the object received from said remote proxy.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 30 words

The system of claim 1 , wherein said graphical user interface is activated by instructions embedded in a data stream transmitted to said network client by said remote scaling server.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 18 words

The system of claim 9 , wherein said embedded instructions execute automatically upon receipt by said network client.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 26 words

The system of claim 1 , wherein said user preference corresponds to a desired content quality for the object to be transmitted to said network client.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 46 words

The system of claim 1 , wherein said network client further includes a decode service provider configured to determine whether said browser is capable of rendering an object received by said network client and to selectively translate the object to a format supported by said browser.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 132 words

An apparatus for transferring an object to a client over a communications link, said apparatus comprising a server configured to receive an object request from the client, download a graphical user interface to the client in response to receiving the object request, retrieve an object from a data store coupled to the server, obtain a user-entered encoding preference from the client through the downloaded graphical user interface, selectively encode the object based on one or more predetermined selection criteria in accordance with the received user-entered encoding preference, and transmit the encoded object to the client, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a set of automatically executing instructions for requesting an encoding preference from a user of the client, receiving a response from the user, and transmitting the response back to the server.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 132 words

An apparatus for transferring an object to a client over a communications link, said apparatus comprising a server configured to receive an object request from the client, download a graphical user interface to the client in response to receiving the object request, retrieve an object from a data store coupled to the server, obtain a user-entered encoding preference from the client through the downloaded graphical user interface, selectively encode the object based on one or more predetermined selection criteria in accordance with the received user-entered encoding preference, and transmit the encoded object to the client, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a set of automatically executing instructions for requesting an encoding preference from a user of the client, receiving a response from the user, and transmitting the response back to the server.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 17 words

The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said predetermined selection criteria comprise a characteristic of the object.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 17 words

The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said predetermined selection criteria comprise a characteristic of the client.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 18 words

The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said predetermined selection criteria comprise a characteristic of the communications link.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 28 words

The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said data store resides on an external network, said server being coupled to said external network over a second communications link.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 13 words

The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the external network comprises the Internet.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 31 words

The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising a memory coupled to said server, said server being further configured to store one or more representations of an object in said memory.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 38 words

The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein said server includes a plurality of encode service providers, each of said encode service providers being configured to scale an object according to at least one of said predetermined selection criteria.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 149 words

A method for providing a client with an object to be rendered to a user, said method being implemented on a server coupled to the client by a communications link, the server being capable of accessing objects in a data store, said method comprising the steps of: receiving an object request from the client; downloading a graphical user interface to the client in response to receiving the object request, the graphical user interface comprising a set of automatically executing instructions for requesting a scaling preference from a user of the client, receiving a response from the user, and transmitting the user response to the server; receiving a user-entered scaling preference from the graphical user interface; retrieving the requested object from the data store; scaling the retrieved object based on a predetermined selection criterion in accordance with the received user-entered scaling preference; and transmitting the scaled object to the client.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 149 words

A method for providing a client with an object to be rendered to a user, said method being implemented on a server coupled to the client by a communications link, the server being capable of accessing objects in a data store, said method comprising the steps of: receiving an object request from the client; downloading a graphical user interface to the client in response to receiving the object request, the graphical user interface comprising a set of automatically executing instructions for requesting a scaling preference from a user of the client, receiving a response from the user, and transmitting the user response to the server; receiving a user-entered scaling preference from the graphical user interface; retrieving the requested object from the data store; scaling the retrieved object based on a predetermined selection criterion in accordance with the received user-entered scaling preference; and transmitting the scaled object to the client.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 21 , wherein said scaling step comprises scaling the retrieved object based on a characteristic of the retrieved object.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 21 , wherein said scaling step comprises scaling the retrieved object based on a characteristic of the server.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 21 , wherein said scaling step comprises scaling the retrieved object based on a characteristic of the client.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method of claim 21 , wherein said scaling step comprises scaling the retrieved object based on a characteristic of the communications link coupling the server and the client.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 50 words

The method of claim 21 , wherein the server includes a memory capable of storing one or more representations of an object, said retrieving step comprising attempting to retrieve a version of an object from the memory and, if not found therein, retrieving the requested object from the data store.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 74 words

The method of claim 26 , wherein the client is configured to render a different version of an object previously transmitted by the server, said method further comprising the steps of: analyzing a request from the client to identify a requested version of an object and a current version of the object; and transmitting the requested version of the object to the client as a differential between the current version and the requested version.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 26 , further comprising the step of generating one or more versions of an object in a background mode of the server, and storing the one or more versions in the memory.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 21 , wherein at least two of said steps of retrieving the requested object, scaling the retrieved object and transmitting the scaled object proceed concurrently in a stream-based manner.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 144 words

A set of instructions resident on a storage medium for execution by a server, said set of instructions enabling the server to provide a client coupled thereto with an encoded version of an object for display to a user, said set of instructions comprising instructions for: receiving an object request from the client; downloading a graphical user interface to the client in response to receiving the object request, the graphical user interface comprising a set of automatically executing instructions for requesting a scaling preference from a user of the client, receiving a response from the user, and transmitting the user response to the server; receiving a user-entered scaling preference from the graphical user interface; retrieving the requested object; scaling the retrieved object based on a predetermined selection criterion in accordance with the received user-entered scaling preference; and transmitting the scaled object to the client.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 144 words

A set of instructions resident on a storage medium for execution by a server, said set of instructions enabling the server to provide a client coupled thereto with an encoded version of an object for display to a user, said set of instructions comprising instructions for: receiving an object request from the client; downloading a graphical user interface to the client in response to receiving the object request, the graphical user interface comprising a set of automatically executing instructions for requesting a scaling preference from a user of the client, receiving a response from the user, and transmitting the user response to the server; receiving a user-entered scaling preference from the graphical user interface; retrieving the requested object; scaling the retrieved object based on a predetermined selection criterion in accordance with the received user-entered scaling preference; and transmitting the scaled object to the client.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 35 words

The set of instructions of claim 30 , wherein the server is coupled to a memory, said set of instructions further comprising instructions for maintaining one or more representations of an object in the memory.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 18 words

The set of instructions of claim 30 , wherein the storage medium comprises a portable magnetic storage device.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 19 words

The set of instructions of claim 30 , wherein the storage medium comprises a memory installed in a computer.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2004-02-06	2004-08-07	2005-02-06	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2008-02-06	2008-08-07	2009-02-06	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2012-02-06	2012-08-07	2013-02-06	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Scaling proxy server sending to the client a graphical user interface for establishing object encoding preferences after receiving the client's request for the object

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