Computer network and method of operating same to preload content of selected web pages

• US 20040044767A1
• Filed: 06/19/2003
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valtrus Innovations Limited (f/k/a Dolya Holdco 9 Limited) (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Palmer, Julian Michael, Rivers, Scott Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 7,433,918 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method for operating a computer network for example a school to preload the content of web addresses on the local memory, i.e. the web cache memory for use in for example a subsequent lesson. The network comprises at least one device, a web cache memory, and internet access apparatus to connect a device on the network to internet using a web browser, relevant devices on the network being accessible to a network administrator and defined network users (teachers and pupils), a method whereby one of said defined network users (teachers) uses a modified web browser to define a set of web addresses (web pages) to be accessed, said set of web addresses being stored in the network, and operates the network to cause the content of the set of web addresses to be stored on said web cache memory, whereby the content may be accessed by the pupils during said lesson via the network without further access to internet. Limits or quotas may be set up for the amount of memory space usable by each user so as to prevent overload of the memory and users may be limited to access web pages defined by one or more preload tasks on the memory at a particular time. Software to allow the method of the invention may be loaded on the web cache.

Claims

1. A computer network comprising at least one device, a local network memory, and internet access apparatus to connect a device on the network to internet using a web browser, relevant devices on the network being accessible to a network administrator and other defined network users,

means whereby one of said defined network users may operating the network to define a set of web addresses (web pages) to be accessed,

means whereby one of said defined network users may store said set of web addresses in the network,

means whereby one of said defined network users may access the internet to download the content of the set of web addresses,

means whereby one of said defined network users may store said downloaded content on said local network memory,

whereby the downloaded content may be accessed via the network without further access to internet.

2. In a computer network comprising at least one device, a local network memory, and internet access apparatus to connect a device on the network to internet using a web browser, relevant devices on the network being accessible to a network administrator and other defined network users, a method including the steps of one of said defined network users operating the network to:

(a) define a set of web addresses (web pages) to be accessed,

(b) store said set of web addresses in the network,

(c) access the internet to download the content of the set of web addresses,

(d) store said downloaded content on said local network memory,

whereby the downloaded content may be accessed via the network without further access to internet.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 in which the defining step includes defining the set of web addresses by the use of a modified web browser.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 in which some or all of the steps of the method are carried out by the use of a modified web browser which provides a specific tool bar and/or dialog on a visual display unit of a device used by said one defined network user.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 including using the specific toolbar and/or dialog to determine the web addresses required and to store the set of web address on the network memory.

6. A method as claimed in claim 3 including the step of further users accessing the content of those web addresses stored on to the local network memory.

7. A method as claimed in claim 3 including the steps of defining a time at which the content is to be available on the local memory, said definition including a start time, or a start time and a finish time, or a start time and a period thereafter.

8. A method as claimed in claim 3 including the step of the network administrator defining the time to download the relevant content on to the local memory.

9. A method as claimed in claim 3 including the step of downloading the content of web pages linked from an initial web address together with the content of that initial web address.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 including the step of the user defining a recursion level for each web address.

11. A method as claimed in claim 3 including the step of the user accessing the web content stored on the local memory and modifing the set of web addresses stored in real time, as required.

12. A method as claimed in claim 3 including the step of said one of the defined network users providing necessary identification and passwords to limit accessibility to the set of web addresses stored on the local network memory.

13. A method as claimed in claim 3 including the step of defining limits for the amount of memory space usable by each user so as to prevent overload of the memory.

14. A computer program for loading onto a network to provide the steps of the method of claim 2.

15. A network including the program as claimed in claim 14.

16. In a computer network comprising at least one device including a device memory, a local network memory, and internet access apparatus to connect a device on the network to internet using a web browser, relevant devices on the network being accessible to a network administrator and other defined network users, a method including the steps of

(a) providing on a device a specific toolbar and/or dialog,

(b) entering details of a schedule using said specific toolbar and/or dialog,

(c) accessing internet using browser and searching for the desired web pages,

(d) saving the addresses of selected web pages on said device memory,

(e) exporting the saved addresses to the local network memory,

(f) accessing the web addresses in the saved list and saving the content of those web addresses on the local network memory,

(g) allowing one or more other defined network users to access the content stored on the local network memory without access to internet.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16 in which the content stored on the local network memory is identified and including the step of restricting access to said identified content to a defined set of said defined network users.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16 in which the schedule includes a task pin lifetime.

19. A method as claimed in claim 16 in which the entering details of the schedule includes entering the number of times a task is to be run, the time, and the frequency.

20. A method as claimed in claim 16 including the step of using said specific toolbar and/or dialog to enter a recursive level.