Data transfer method, system and computer program product

• US 20020184371A1
• Filed: 12/31/2001
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Contastic Oy
• Inventors: Pietila, Iiro, Elonen, Pertti
• Granted Patent: US 7,188,178 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Transferring data to a client, typically to a browser, using a certain packet data connection comprises the step of receiving (201) a request (305), which is according to a certain data transfer protocol and specifies a certain information entity (I) and the steps of sending (202), using said packet data connection, a first portion and further portions of a response according to said data transfer protocol. At a first time instant a first portion (R₁, 306) is sent (202), and said client after the receipt of said first portion is arranged to accept further at least a second portion of a response. At sequential second time instants a plurality of second portions (R_2,i, 307, 308, 310), each of said second portions comprising an information fragment of said information entity and computer language instructions for processing said information fragment, is sent (204, 209). A system and computer program product for transferring data are also described.

Claims

1. Method for transferring data to a client using a certain packet data connection, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request, which is according to a certain data transfer protocol and specifies a certain information entity,

sending, using said packet data connection, at a first time instant to said client a first portion of a response according to said data transfer protocol, said client after receipt of said first portion being arranged to accept further at least a further response, and

sending, using said packet data connection, at sequential second time instants to said client a plurality of second portions of a response, each of said second portions comprising an information fragment of said information entity and computer language instructions for processing said information fragment.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein

the time period between the first time instant and the earliest second time instant is at maximum a certain first predetermined time period, and

a time period between two sequential second time instants is at maximum a certain second predetermined time period.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

sending, using said packet data connection, at sequential third time instants to said client a plurality of third portions of a response, said third portions containing no information fragments specific to said information entity.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said third portions contains only computer language headers.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said third portions contains only carriage return and/or linefeed characters.

6. A method according to claim 3, wherein

the time period between the first time instant and the earliest second time instant is at maximum a certain first predetermined time period, and

a time period between two sequential time instants of the second and third time instants is at maximum a certain second predetermined time period.

7. A method according to claim 3, wherein said packet data connection is a Transfer Control Protocol connection, said data transfer protocol is Hypertext Transfer Protocol, said request is a Hypertext Transfer Protocol Request, the response, whereof said first portion constitutes a part, is a Hypertext Transfer Protocol Response and said first portion leaves Content-Length field value unknown.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said computer language is a scripting language, scripting tags constitute said computer language instructions and said client is a browser program.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first portion does not specify the size of the response, whereof said first portion constitutes a part.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said information fragment in at least one of said second portions is an information fragment relating to a change in said requested information entity, said change being made after said first time instant.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein said packet data connection is a Transfer Control Protocol connection, said data transfer protocol is Hypertext Transfer Protocol, said request is a Hypertext Transfer Protocol Request, and the response, whereof said first portion constitutes a part, is a Hypertext Transfer Protocol Response.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said first portion leaves Content-Length field value unknown.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein said computer language is a scripting language, scripting tags constitute said computer language instructions and said client is a browser program.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein said computer language is a scripting language.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein said scripting language is JavaScript, VBScript or JScript.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein scripting language tags constitute said computer language instructions.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein said computer language is Extensible Markup Language.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein Extensible Markup Language elements constitute said computer language instructions and said information fragments.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein said first portion comprises starting headers of an Extensible Markup Language document.

20. A method according to claim 17, wherein said packet data connection is a Transfer Control Protocol connection, said data transfer protocol is Hypertext Transfer Protocol, said request is a Hypertext Transfer Protocol Request, the response, whereof said first portion constitutes a part, is a Hypertext Transfer Protocol Response, and said first portion leaves Content-Length field value unknown.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein said client is a browser program.

22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of:

sending, using said packet data connection, at sequential third time instants to said client a plurality of third portions of a response, said third portions containing no information fragments specific to said information entity.

23. A method according to claim 1, wherein said client is a browser program.

25. A system according to claim 24 wherein it is arranged to send the second responses relating to a certain request so that

the time period between the request-specific first time instant and the earliest request-specific second time instant is at maximum a certain first predetermined time period, and

a time period between two sequential request-specific second time instants is at maximum a certain second predetermined time period.

26. A system according to claim 24, further comprising means for sending as a response to a request, using said request-specific packet data connection, at sequential request-specific third time instants a plurality of third portions of a response, said third portions containing no information fragments of said information entity.

27. A system according to claim 26, wherein it is arranged to send the second and third portions relating to a certain request so that

the time period between the request-specific first time instant and the earliest request-specific second time instant is at maximum a certain first predetermined time period, and

a time period between two sequential time instants of the request-specific second and third time instants is at maximum a certain second predetermined time period.

28. A system according to claim 24, wherein it resides in a server.

30. Computer program product according to claim 29, wherein it is stored on a computer readable medium.

24. A system for transferring data using packet data connections, said system comprising

means for establishing packet data connections,

means for receiving requests, a request indicating an information entity, being according to a data transfer protocol and relating to a certain packet data connection,

means for sending as response to a request, using a request-specific packet data connection and at a request-specific first time instant, a first portions of a response according to said data transfer protocol, a client after receipt of said first portion being arranged to accept further at least a second portion of a response, and

means for sending as a response to a request, using said request-specific packet data connection at sequential request-specific second time instants, a plurality of second portions of a response, each of said second portions comprising an information fragment of said information entity and computer language instructions for processing said information fragment.

29. Computer program product for a system for transferring data using packet data connections, the computer program product comprising

computer code means for sending as response to a request, using a request-specific packet data connection and at a request-specific first time instant, a first portions of a response according to a data transfer protocol, a receiver after receipt of said first portion being arranged to accept further at least a second portion of a response, and

computer code means for sending as a response to a request, using said request-specific packet data connection at sequential request-specific second time instants, a plurality of second portions of a response, each of said second portions comprising an information fragment of said information entity and computer language instructions for processing said information fragment.