Internet data transfer control via a client system to reduce delay

• US 5,896,502 A
• Filed: 12/10/1996
• Issued: 04/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: McBrearty, Gerald Francis, Shieh, Johnny Meng-Han, Maddalozzo, John Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ellis B.
• Application Number:
  US08/762,900
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.54, 395/200.58, 395/200.8
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Method and system aspects for allowing control of data transfer from at least one website on the Internet via a web browser on a client system are presented.

A method, and client system for performing same, includes establishing limits for allowable connection links to websites, comparing a current transfer session to allowable connection links, and controlling the current transfer session according to comparison results. The allowable connection links further include a list of unallowable website, a maximum time allowed for the current transfer session, and an image data size limit.

Claims

1. A method for allowing user control of data transfer from at least one website on the Internet via a web browser on a client system, the method comprising:

establishing user-defined limits for allowable image size from a selected link for a website;

comparing image data from the website with the allowable image size; and

filtering the image data from the website when the image data exceeds the allowable image size.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein filtering further comprises displaying a representation of the image data without limiting text transfer from the website.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein displaying a representation further comprises displaying an image icon with an indication of the size of the image.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein filtering further comprises displaying the image data until the allowable image size is reached.

5. A method for allowing user control of data transfer from at least one website on the Internet via a web browser on a client system, the method comprising:

establishing limits for allowable connection links to websites, including establishing an image data size limit;

comparing a current transfer session to allowable connection links, including comparing image data from the current transfer session with the image data size limit; and

controlling the current transfer session according to comparison results, including displaying a representation of the image data with an indication of the size of the image without limiting text transfer from the website when the image data exceeds the image data size limit.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein establishing limits for allowable connection links further comprises establishing a list of unallowable websites.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein comparing further comprises comparing an address for the current transfer session to a list of unallowable addresses.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein controlling the current transfer session further comprises not allowing connection when the address for the current transfer session matches an address on the list of unallowable addresses.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising displaying an indication that the current transfer session was blocked.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein establishing limits further comprises establishing a maximum time allowed for the current transfer session.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein comparing further comprises comparing transfer time of the current transfer session with the maximum time.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein controlling further comprises aborting the current transfer session when the transfer time of the current transfer session exceeds the maximum time.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising displaying an indication that the current transfer session aborted due to a time limit infraction.

14. The method of claim 5 wherein displaying a representation further comprises displaying an image icon.

15. The method of claim 5 wherein controlling further comprises displaying the image data until the allowable image size is reached.

16. A client system for allowing user control of data transfer from websites on the Internet via a web browser, the client system comprising:

means for establishing limits for allowable connection links to websites, including means for establishing an image data size limit;

means for comparing a current transfer session to the allowable connection links, including means for comparing image data from the current transfer session with the image data size limit; and

means for controlling the current transfer session according to comparison results, including means for displaying a representation of the image data with an indication of the size of the image without limiting text transfer from the website when the image data exceeds the image data size limit.

17. The client system of claim 16 wherein the means for displaying a representation further comprises means for displaying an image icon.

18. The client system of claim 16 wherein the means for controlling further comprises means for displaying the image data until the allowable image size is reached.

19. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for allowing user control of data transfer from at least one website on the Internet via a web browser on a client system, the program instructions comprising:

establishing limits for allowable connection links to websites, including establishing an image data size limit;

comparing a current transfer session to allowable connection links, including comparing image data from the current transfer session with the image data size limit; and

controlling the current transfer session according to comparison results, including displaying a representation of the image data with an indication of the size of the image without limiting text transfer from the website when the image data exceeds the image data size limit.