System and method for anticipatory downloading of data

• US 20070055660A1
• Filed: 09/08/2005
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Anderson, Noel
• Granted Patent: US 9,426,230 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests

Abstract

A system and method for intelligent computer-implemented downloading of up-to-date information at times when access to data connections are available to improve user efficiency. The system assesses data relevance, calculates the amount of time available for data connections, and prioritizes data downloads based on information relevance, file sizes, download times and other parameters to determine what information to download while access to a connection is available so that the information can be used at a later time when access to a connection may not be available.

Claims

1. A method for managing access to data stored in at least one centralized location, the method comprising:

a) identifying a need for data by an end user having a processor;

b) scanning the data in the at least the one centralized location to identify at least one data file that may be relevant to the end user'"'"'s need;

c) assigning a priority to each relevant data file identified in step b;

d) determining when and where the end user will need the at least one data file;

e) identifying at least one data connection available to the end user'"'"'s processor prior to when the end user will need the data, and an estimated time access to the data connection will be available for use by the end user'"'"'s processor;

f) calculating which data files can be downloaded using an anticipated download time for each relevant data file and the available data connection access time;

g) using the calculations made in step f to assign a new priority to each relevant data file, if necessary; and

h) generating a set of prioritized data download instructions for use by the end user'"'"'s processor for downloading the relevant data files.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the end user'"'"'s processor using the prioritized data download instructions to downloading the prioritized data files to the end user'"'"'s processor.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of assigning a priority to each relevant data file further comprises collecting information about the end user, and assigning the priority to each relevant data file, based at least in part, on the information collected about the end user.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the information collected about the end user includes at least information about the end user'"'"'s previous usage of data files.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the information collected about the end user includes information about data files currently available on the end user'"'"'s processor.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein step e further comprises determining if the end user will be traveling from a current location to the location where the end user will need the at least one data file, and if so, projecting the end user'"'"'s route, identifying data connections available on the route, the type of connection, and estimated time each connection will be available, and using this information in performing steps f and g.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising identifying the type of each data connection and connection speed of each data connection.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein step e further comprises determining the estimated cost for using each identified data connection available, and using this information in performing steps f and g.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising determining if one or more data files to be downloaded can be downloaded using a less expensive connection.

10. The method of claim 6 further comprising identifying data connections available at the location where the end user will need the at least one data file.

11. A system for managing access to data stored in a centralized location, the system comprising:

at least one centralized database of data files;

at least one end user'"'"'s processor capable of connecting to the at least one centralized database of data files;

a trigger event of the at least one end user needing access to at least one data file in the centralized database;

a data collection component that identifies and collects information about the data files in the centralized database;

an analysis module that analyzes the data files collected by the data collection component and compiles a list of data files that could be relevant to the end user'"'"'s need for data files;

an availability module that determines when at least one high-speed data connection to centralized location is available; and

;

a prioritization module that utilizes the results from the analysis module and the availability module to generate a prioritized list of data files to download from the centralized database to the end user'"'"'s processor, said list including instructions for when and how to download each data file on the prioritized list.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the information collected by the data collection component about the data files includes file type and file size.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the analysis module is further capable of analyzing information from at least one other data source, and using that information to analyze the data files for relevance.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the information from the other data source comprises information about the end user.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the information about the end user includes at least one of the user'"'"'s knowledge, experience, data files previously used, or data files currently available on the end user'"'"'s processor.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the availability module further determines if the end user will need to travel from a current location to a location where the at least one data file will be used, determines a projected route for the user and based on the projected route, determines where the data connection will be available and the estimated duration of availability for the data connection.

17. The system of claim 11 further comprising the availability module determining the cost of each data connection to the centralized location.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising determining if one or more data files can be downloaded using a less expensive connection.

19. The system of claim 11 further comprising the analysis module determining a percent of relevance for each data file to the trigger event.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the availability module determines the availability of one or more data connections at the location where the data file will be used.

21. The system of claim 11 wherein the prioritization module evaluates which data files can be downloaded during which data connection in creating the prioritized list of data files to download.

22. The system of claim 11 wherein the prioritization module evaluates when a particular data file will be needed in creating the prioritized list of data files to download.

23. The system of claim 11 further comprising the system evaluating actual use of the downloaded data files on the end user'"'"'s processor, determining the accuracy of the prioritized list based on the actual use, and refining the processes of one or more of the data collection component, analysis module, availability module, or prioritization module.

24. The system of claim 23 further comprising identifying any relevant data files used by the end user that were downloaded to the end user'"'"'s processor that were not downloaded by the system, and refining the processes of one or more of the data collection component, analysis module, availability module or prioritization module based on this information.