System for distributing contents on a network, a method of distribution and a computer program product therefor

• US 20010042110A1
• Filed: 02/13/2001
• Published: 11/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Yoshida, Atsushi, Furusawa, Toyoaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,209,941 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/101 based on network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1014 based on the content of a request

Abstract

In a distribution system for distributing contents (procedures or data) to a plurality of clients, there are provided a novel distribution system, distribution method, and program product therefor, by which the load on the parent server or the network connected with the parent server can be alleviated and automatic changeover of the distributing server in accordance with fluctuating distribution requests and alleviation of the load on the distribution system manager and users can be achieved. In a distribution system having a parent server 1 and a plurality of child servers 2, these being arranged to be capable of connection with a plurality of clients 3 through communication circuits, the parent server 1 selects a child server 2 that holds the contents whose distribution is requested and that is closest to a client 3 originating a distribution request by using the received position information of client 3 and identification information of the contents and communicates to the client 3 originating the distribution request, so that the selected child server 2 distributes the contents whose distribution is requested in response to the request from the client 3 originating the distribution request.

Claims

1. A distribution system having a parent server and a plurality of child servers, being arranged to be capable of connection with a plurality of clients through communication circuits, so that contents held by the parent server and/or the child servers are distributed to the clients;

wherein

the parent server comprises;

an unit that receives position information of the clients and identification information of the contents whose distribution is requested by the clients; and

an unit that selects the child server which holds the contents whose distribution is requested and which is closest to the client that originates the distribution request, using the received client position information and identification information of the contents, and that notifies the client that originates the distribution request of the position information of the selected child server; and

the child server comprises an unit that distributes the contents whose distribution is requested in response to a request of the client originating the distribution request.

2. The distribution system according to

claim 1

, wherein

said parent server comprises an unit that ascertains the presence or absence of a distribution request or the frequency of distribution requests for said contents from said clients situated in an area for which said child server is responsible, and

said child server comprises an unit that acquires and copies from said parent server said contents that are not held by said child server, on the basis of the ascertained presence or absence of a distribution request or the frequency of distribution requests.

3. The distribution system according to

claim 2

wherein said child server comprises:

an unit that ascertains the presence or absence of a distribution request or the frequency of distribution requests for said contents from said clients situated in the area for which said child server is responsible, and

an unit that deletes from said child server said contents which are held by said child server on the basis of the ascertained presence or absence of a distribution request or the frequency of distribution requests.

4. The distribution system according to

claim 2

wherein said child server comprises:

an unit that deletes from said child server said contents which are held by said child server on the basis of the presence or absence of a distribution request or the frequency of distribution requests ascertained by said parent server.

5. A distribution system having a parent server and a plurality of child servers, the being arranged to be capable of connection with a plurality of clients through communication circuits, so that contents held by the parent server and/or the child servers are distributed to the clients;

wherein

the parent server comprises an unit that ascertains the presence or absence of a distribution request or the frequency of distribution requests for said contents from the clients situated in an area for which the child server is responsible, and

the child server comprises an unit that acquires and copies from the parent server the contents which are not held by said child server on the basis of the ascertained presence or absence of a distribution request or the frequency of distribution requests.

6. The distribution system according to

claim 5

wherein said child server comprises:

an unit that ascertains the presence or absence of a distribution request or the frequency of distribution requests for said contents from the clients situated in the area for which said child server is responsible; and

an unit that deletes from said child server said contents which are held by said child server on the basis of the ascertained presence or absence of a distribution request or the frequency of distribution requests.

7. The distribution system according to

claim 5

wherein said child server comprises an unit that deletes from said child server said contents which are held by said child server on the basis of the presence or absence of a distribution request or the frequency of distribution requests ascertained by said parent server.

8. A computer program product that operates on a parent server in a distribution system having the parent server and a plurality of child servers, being arranged to be capable of connection with a plurality of clients through communication circuits, so that contents held by the parent server and/or the child servers are distributed to the clients, said computer program product comprising:

a step of selecting the child server that holds the contents whose distribution is requested and that is closest to the client that made the distribution request on the basis of position information of the client that makes a distribution request for the contents and identification information of the contents whose distribution is requested by the client; and

a step of communicating the position information of the selected child server to the client that makes the distribution request.

9. A computer program product that operates on a parent server in a distribution system having the parent server and a plurality of child servers, being arranged to be capable of connection with a plurality of clients through communication circuits, so that the contents held by the parent server and/or the child servers are distributed to the clients, said computer program product comprising:

a step of ascertaining the presence or absence of a distribution request or the frequency of distribution requests in respect of the contents from the clients situated within an area for which the child server is responsible; and

a step of giving the child server notification to prompt copying to the child server from the parent server of the contents that are not held by the child server, or deleting from the child server the contents that are held by the child server, on the basis of the ascertained presence or absence of a distribution request or the frequency of distribution requests.

10. A computer program product that operates on a child server in a distribution system having a parent server and a plurality of child servers, being arranged to be capable of connection with a plurality of clients through communication circuits, so that the contents held by the parent server and/or the child servers are distributed to the clients, said computer program product comprising:

program code which copies to the child server from the parent server the contents that are not held by the child server, or deletes from the child server the contents that are held by the child server, on the basis of presence or absence of a distribution request or frequency of distribution requests for the contents from the clients situated in an area for which the child server is responsible.

11. A method of distributing contents to clients in a distribution system including a parent server and a plurality of child servers, being arranged to be capable of connection with the plurality of clients through communication circuits, comprising:

a step in which the parent server receives identification information of the contents whose distribution is requested and position information of the client that makes a request for distribution of the contents;

a step in which the parent server selects, on the basis of the received position information of the client and contents identification information, the child server which has the contents that is requested for distribution and which is closest to the client that makes the request for distribution, and notifies the client that makes the request for distribution of the position information of the selected child server; and

a step in which the selected child server distributes the contents whose distribution is requested in response to a request of the client that makes the distribution request.

12. A method of distributing contents to clients in a distribution system including a parent server and a plurality of child servers, being arranged to be capable of connection with the plurality of clients through communication circuits, comprising:

a step of ascertaining the presence or absence of a distribution request or the frequency of distribution requests in respect of the contents from the clients situated in an area for which the child server is responsible;

a step of copying the contents which are not held on the child server from the parent server to the child server, or deleting the contents which are held on the child server from the child server on the basis of the ascertained presence or absence of a distribution request or the frequency of distribution requests; and

a step of performing distribution from the child server in response to a distribution request for contents held by the child server from the clients situated in the area for which the child server is responsible.

13. A distribution system comprising a parent server, a plurality of child servers and a plurality of clients which are connected through communication circuits so that contents held by the parent server and/or the child servers are distributed to the clients, wherein:

the clients communicate to the parent server position information of the clients and identification information of the contents whose distribution is requested by the clients,

the parent server selects, on the bases of the position information of the client and the contents identification information that is communicated thereto, the child server that holds the contents whose distribution is requested and that is closest to the client that originates the distribution request, and communicates the position information of the selected child server to the client originating the distribution request, and

the client that originates the distribution request receives the contents whose distribution is requested from the selected child server, on the basis of the position information of the selected child server.

14. The distribution system according to

claim 13

, wherein receipt performed by said client of contents from said selected child server is conducted using a program downloaded to said client from said parent server when the request for distribution of said contents is made.