Process and device for selective download of data based on index file transmitted from a central server

• US 20050010652A1
• Filed: 08/05/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ideogram Design SARL
• Original Assignee: Ideogram Design SARL
• Inventors: Lebrun, Paul
• Application Number:
  US10/911,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20050010652A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data

Abstract

Processes for the transmission and display of updated data from a central server to at least one subscriber station, via a digital communication network, in which each subscriber can connect his station to the server. The device according to the invention comprises a central server (1) containing data, a digital communication network (2) for the transfer of data from the server (1) to at least one subscriber station (3), at least one subscriber station (3) constituted by a storage system (4) for the data already transmitted by the server (1) and recorded and a comparison system (5) for the transmitted and stored data, a digital disc reader (6), per station (3), and this means for simultaneously displaying stored data and information from the disc at the station (3).

Claims

1. A process for transmitting data from a central server to at least one subscriber station via a digital communication network in which the subscriber station has a memory storing first data files and information describing the first data files, wherein the first data files stored at the subscriber station are updated with second data files from the central server by the process comprising the steps of:

creating an index file at the central server, the index file including information describing the second data files;

transmitting the index file from the central server to the subscriber station without transmitting the second data files described therein;

at the subscriber station, comparing information in the received index file describing the second data files with information in the memory describing the first data files to determine which of the first data files are to be updated;

downloading from the central server to the subscriber station only ones of the second data files corresponding to the first data files which the comparing step has determined are to be updated; and

updating the corresponding first data files with the downloaded second data files.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the index file is transmitted to the subscriber station automatically at each use of the memory.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the index file is transmitted to the subscriber station automatically with a given periodicity.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein the index file is transmitted to the subscriber station upon demand of the subscriber.

5. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing in the memory the second data files downloaded from the central server.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the information contained in the index file describes at least one of version, name, position, size and data characteristics of the second data files.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein the index file includes a date of a next modification of the second data files.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein the memory is a portable memory device, and further comprising the step of recording in the portable memory device information from the received index file corresponding to the updated first data files.

9. A system for transmitting data from a central server to at least one subscriber station via a digital communication network in which the subscriber station has a memory storing first data files and information describing the first data files, wherein the first data files stored at the subscriber station are updated with second data files from the central server, the system comprising:

an index file at the central server, the index file including information describing the second data files;

a communication link through which the index file is transmitted from the central server to the subscriber station without transmitting the second data files described therein;

a comparator at the subscriber station that compares information in the received index file describing the second data files with information in the memory describing the first data files to determine which of the first data files are to be updated,

the subscriber station for downloading from the central server to the subscriber station only ones of the second data files corresponding to the first data files which the comparator has determined are to be updated, and updating the corresponding first data files with the downloaded second data files.