Progressively accessing data

• US 20070106759A1
• Filed: 11/08/2005
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mello, Marcio, Willie, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 8,145,774 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

Techniques relating to progressive data downloading are described. In one instance, a system includes an application configured to utilize data blocks to display content in a user-interface. The system also includes a progressive download component configured to retrieve specific data blocks from a data container responsive to requests from the application.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

means for receiving a request for a specific data block;

means for requesting the specific data block from a data source; and

,

means for managing the receiving means and the requesting means.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for receiving, the means for requesting, and the means for managing, are located on a local computing device configured such that the data source is accessed from the local computing device via a network.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the means for managing is configured to determine if the specific data block is available on the local computing device before instructing the means for requesting to request the specific data block from the data source.

4. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the means for managing is configured to determine if the specific data block is available in a cache file on the local computing device which is accessible by a consumer of the data block.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for managing is configured to facilitate transfer of data blocks from the data source in a sequential manner to a degree which the transfer does not impede receiving the specific data block.

6. A computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform acts, comprising:

detecting requests for specific data blocks of a data container;

requesting the data blocks from the data container; and

,

receiving the data blocks from the data container.

7. The computer-readable media of claim 6, wherein the detecting comprises detecting a first individual request for a first data block relating to a given page and a second individual request for a second data block relating to the given page and wherein the first and second data blocks are not sequentially arranged in the data container.

8. The computer-readable media of claim 6, wherein the requesting comprises requesting multiple specific data blocks with a single request.

9. The computer-readable media of claim 6 further comprising prior to said requesting, checking whether the specific data blocks have already been obtained from the data container and are still available to a consumer of the specific data blocks.

10. The computer-readable media of claim 6 further comprising assigning bandwidth priority to said requesting and said receiving and utilizing available remaining bandwidth to sequentially download data blocks in a front to back manner from the data container.

11. The computer-readable media of claim 6 further comprising in an event that no acts of requesting or receiving are ongoing, sequentially downloading data blocks in a front to back manner from the data container.

12. A system, comprising:

an application configured to utilize data blocks to display content in a user-interface; and

,

a progressive download component configured to retrieve specific data blocks from a data container responsive to requests from the application.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the progressive download component is configured to condense multiple requests from the application into a single data request to the data container.

14. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the progressive download component is configured to examine whether individual specific data blocks requested by the application have already been obtained before retrieving the individual specific data blocks from the data container.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the progressive download component and the application are implemented on a computing device which is configured to be connected to the data container over a network and wherein the progressive download component is configured to examine whether individual specific data blocks are available on the computing device before retrieving the individual specific data blocks from the container.

16. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the progressive download component is allocated memory for retrieved specific data blocks and further comprising a cache file accessible to the application and configured to receive data blocks from the data container in a sequential manner from front to back, and wherein the progressive download component is configured to examine the allocated memory and the cache file for individual specific data blocks requested by the application prior to retrieving the individual specific data blocks from the data container.

17. The system as recited in claim 12 further comprising a cache file accessible to the application and configured to receive data blocks from the data container in a sequential manner from front to back, and wherein the progressive download component regulates data transfer such that if data transfer capacity exists which is not being utilized by the progressive download component to retrieve specific data blocks then the progressive download component allows the data transfer capacity to be utilized to transfer data blocks to the cache file.

18. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the progressive download component has priority over the application relating to whether specific data blocks should be requested from the data container.

19. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the progressive download component has priority in bandwidth allocation for retrieving individual specific data blocks, and wherein in instances where the bandwidth is under-utilized for retrieving the individual specific data blocks, the progressive download component is configured to allow the available bandwidth to be utilized for downloading data blocks in a sequential manner.

20. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the progressive download component is configured to retrieve requested data blocks without reading content of the data blocks.