Method and System for Uniform Resource Locator Transformation

• US 20100161762A1
• Filed: 08/04/2009
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Original Assignee: Parallel Networks, LLC (epicRealm Licensing LP)
• Inventors: Saxena, Avinash C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,352,570 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/146 Markers for unambiguous identification of a particular session, e.g. session cookie or URL-encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A web browser (20) at a client (12) generates a request (26) for content from an origin server (18). A cache server (16) intercepts the request and examines the request to determine whether the request should be transformed. More specifically, the cache server compares transform criteria (40) to a uniform resource identifier portion (28) and a header portion (30) associated with the request. By transforming the request such that information in the header portion is included in the uniform resource identifier portion, the cache server can cache the content associated with the request using the uniform resource identifier portion of the request.

Claims

1. A method for communicating data, comprising:

associating a first uniform resource identifier and a header portion associated with a first content item;

associating a second content item corresponding to the first content item, the second content item identified by a second uniform resource identifier, the second uniform resource identifier comprising the first uniform resource identifier and information from the header portion;

receiving a first request, the first request requesting the first content item, the first request comprising the first uniform resource identifier and the header portion;

generating a second request based on a specific transform associated with the first request, the header portion, and the first uniform resource identifier, the second request being associated with the second content item, the second request generated by performing an action associated with the specific transform on the header portion and the first uniform resource identifier to yield the second uniform resource identifier; and

retrieving the second content item based on the second uniform resource identifier of the second request.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the second content item is cached at a cache server.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

retrieving the second content item at the cache server in response to the second content item being cached at the cache server.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

sending the first request to an origin server in response to the second content item not being cached at the cache server;

receiving the second content item from the origin server;

providing the second content item in response to the first request.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

caching the second content item at the cache server;

associating the second content item with the first request and the second request.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second request uniquely identifies content that is originally header dependent using only the second uniform resource locator.

7. The method for communicating data according to claim 1, wherein the second content item comprises a version of the first content item customized in response to data in the header portion associated with the first request.

8. A system for communicating data, comprising:

means for associating a first uniform resource identifier and a header portion associated with a first content item;

means for associating a second content item corresponding to the first content item, the second content item identified by a second uniform resource identifier, the second uniform resource identifier comprising the first uniform resource identifier and information from the header portion;

means for receiving a first request, the first request requesting the first content item, the first request comprising the first uniform resource identifier and the header portion;

means for generating a second request based on a specific transform associated with the first request, the header portion, and the first uniform resource identifier, the second request being associated with the second content item, the second request generated by performing an action associated with the specific transform on the header portion and the first uniform resource identifier to yield the second uniform resource identifier; and

means for retrieving the second content item based on the second uniform resource identifier of the second request.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

means for determining whether the second content item is cached at a cache server.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

means for retrieving the second content item at the cache server in response to the second content item being cached at the cache server.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

means for sending the first request to an origin server in response to the second content item not being cached at the cache server;

means for receiving the second content item from the origin server;

means for providing the second content item in response to the first request.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

means for caching the second content item at the cache server;

means for associating the second content item with the first request and the second request.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the second request uniquely identifies content that is originally header dependent using only the second uniform resource locator.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the second content item comprises a version of the first content item customized in response to data in the header portion associated with the first request.

15. A computer readable medium including code for communicating data, the code operable to:

associate a first uniform resource identifier and a header portion associated with a first content item;

associate a second content item corresponding to the first content item, the second content item identified by a second uniform resource identifier, the second uniform resource identifier comprising the first uniform resource identifier and information from the header portion;

receive a first request, the first request requesting the first content item, the first request comprising the first uniform resource identifier and the header portion;

generate a second request based on a specific transform associated with the first request, the header portion, and the first uniform resource identifier, the second request being associated with the second content item, the second request generated by performing an action associated with the specific transform on the header portion and the first uniform resource identifier to yield the second uniform resource identifier; and

retrieving the second content item based on the second uniform resource identifier of the second request.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the code is further operable to:

determine whether the second content item is cached at a cache server.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the code is further operable to:

retrieve the second content item at the cache server in response to the second content item being cached at the cache server.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the code is further operable to:

send the first request to an origin server in response to the second content item not being cached at the cache server;

receive the second content item from the origin server;

provide the second content item in response to the first request.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the code is further operable to:

cache the second content item at the cache server;

associate the second content item with the first request and the second request.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the second request uniquely identifies content that is originally header dependent using only the second uniform resource locator.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the second content item comprises a version of the first content item customized in response to data in the header portion associated with the first request.