Patent · US Expired

Accessing content via installable data sources

US6119153A · kind A · utility

105Cited by
3References
40Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 27, 1998
Grant dateSep 12, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 27, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L69/329
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and system for increasing perceived Internet browser performance by using a relatively high-bandwidth data source such as a CD-ROM and/or a hard drive directory as a local cache of Internet content. The content is provided by content providers via some high-bandwidth data source such as a CD-ROM media for a CD-ROM drive. An install program provided with the content registers with the system one or more URL patterns such as prefixes corresponding to the content, in association with one or more file system patterns (e.g., prefixes) corresponding to a cache container (file system directory). When subsequently browsing to a URL having a matching pattern, the URL pattern is resolved to the cache container, which is then used with the rest of the URL to construct a local file reference. The local file is accessed from the high-bandwidth data source. If the local file is not found, the original http URL is instead used, whereby the content is downloaded in the normal manner. The installable cache may reside on a CD-ROM or other removable media, whereby an autorun program or script that executes each time the media is inserted into a drive updates the registered drive letter.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.