Collaborative server processing of content and meta-information with application to virus checking in a server network
First Claim
1. In a network of servers coupling a server of objects to a client through at least one intermediary server, a method for processing an object to be sent from the server, said method comprising:
- (a) allowing at least one of said client and said at least one intermediary server to initially specify meta information to be associated with said object;
(b) processing said object'"'"'s content at an intermediary server of said at least one intermediary server of said network of servers, said processing of object content being pursuant to said meta information associated with said object; and
(c) modifying said meta information associated with said object to reflect said processing (b) of said object by said intermediary server.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Method, system and computer program product for collaboratively processing a data object in a client-server hierarchy based on meta-information associated with the object. Processing results are indicated by the server that performed the processing as updates to the meta-information associated with the data object. The PICS protocol may be used to communicate the meta-information. Digital signing and authentication of the object and associated meta-information are also described. Further, servers can determine processing by considering various factors, e.g., their current load condition; if the object is to be multicast; if the object can be cached; and/or if the specified cost and time constraints can be met. The overall processing applied to data objects can be divided between servers based on object types, steps, functions, software packages or versions/releases. Other aspects of the invention are also described.
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Citations
85 Claims
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1. In a network of servers coupling a server of objects to a client through at least one intermediary server, a method for processing an object to be sent from the server, said method comprising:
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(a) allowing at least one of said client and said at least one intermediary server to initially specify meta information to be associated with said object;
(b) processing said object'"'"'s content at an intermediary server of said at least one intermediary server of said network of servers, said processing of object content being pursuant to said meta information associated with said object; and
(c) modifying said meta information associated with said object to reflect said processing (b) of said object by said intermediary server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. In a network of servers, a method for processing an object having meta information associated therewith, said method comprising:
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(a) processing said object'"'"'s content at a server of said network of servers, said processing of object content being pursuant to said meta information associated with said object;
(b) modifying said meta information associated with said object to reflect said processing (a) of said object; and
(c) further comprising deciding at said server whether to perform said processing (a) of said object content, said deciding comprising considering at least one of current processing load of said server, or a number of prior requests for said object.
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11. In a network of servers, a method for processing an object having meta information associated therewith, said method comprising:
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(a) processing said object'"'"'s content at a server of said network of servers, said processing of object content being pursuant to said meta information associated with said object; and
(b) modifying said meta information associated with said object to reflect said processing (a) of said object; and
(c) further comprising determining at said server whether to perform said processing (a), said determining comprising considering at least one of whether;
said object is for multicasting;
said object is to be cached at said server;
said processing (a) can be performed for a user-specified price;
or said processing (a) can be performed within a user-specified time constraint.
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12. In a network of servers coupling a sender of objects to a client through at least one intermediary server, a method for processing an object sent from the sender, said method comprising:
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(a) allowing at least one of said client and said at least one intermediary server to initially specify meta information to be associated with said object, (b) at least partially processing said object'"'"'s content at a first intermediary server of said network of servers, said at least partial processing of object content being pursuant to said meta information associated with said object; and
(c) modifying said meta information associated with said object to reflect said at least partial processing (b) (a) of said object. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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22. In a network of servers, a method for processing an object having meta information associated therewith, said method comprising:
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(a) partially processing said obiect'"'"'s content at a first server of said network of servers, said partial processing of object content being pursuant to said meta information associated with said object;
(b) modifying said meta information associated with said object to reflect said partial processing (a) of said object; and
(c) further comprising deciding at said first server whether to perform said at least partial processing (a) of said object content, said deciding comprising considering at least one of current processing load of said first server, or a number of prior requests for said object.
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23. In a network of servers, a method for processing an object having meta information associated therewith, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) partially processing said object'"'"'s content at a first server of said network of servers, said partial processing of object content being pursuant to said meta information associated with said object;
(b) modifying said meta information associated with said object to reflect said partial processing (a) of said object; and
(c) further comprising determining at said first server whether to perform said partial processing (a), said determining comprising considering at least one of whether;
said object is for multicasting;
said object is to be cached at said first server;
said partial processing (a) can be performed for a user-specified price;
or said partial processing (a) can be performed within a user-specified time constraint.
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26. In a network of servers, a method for processing an object having meta information associated therewith, said method comprising:
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(a) partially processing said object'"'"'s content at a first server of said network of servers, said partial processing of object content being pursuant to said meta information associated with said object;
(b) modifying said meta information associated with said object to reflect said partial processing (a) of said object;
wherein said at least partial processing (a) comprises virus checking said object content, and wherein said method further comprises maintaining at said first intermediary server based on said virus checking at least one of reliability statistics or reliability classification for a content server providing said object content; and
further comprising applying said virus checking at said first server based on maintained reliability statistics or reliability classification of the content server providing said object content. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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33. At least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for processing an object having meta information associated therewith within a network of servers, said network of servers coupling a sender of objects to a client through at least one intermediary server, said method comprising:
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(a) allowing at least one of said client and said at least one intermediary server to initially specify meta information associated with said object;
(b) processing said object'"'"'s content at an intermediary server of said network of servers, said processing of object content being pursuant to said meta information associated with said object; and
(c) modifying said meta information associated with said object to reflect said processing (b) of said object by said intermediary server. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. At least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for processing an object having meta information associated therewith within a network of servers, said method comprising:
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(a) processing said object'"'"'s content at a server of said network of servers, said processing of object content being pursuant to said meta information associated with said object;
(b) modifying said meta information associated with said object to reflect said processing (a) of said object; and
(c) wherein said method further comprises deciding at said server whether to perform said intermediary processing (a) of said object content, said deciding comprising considering at least one of current processing load of said intermediary server, or a number of prior requests for said object.
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41. At least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for processing an object having meta information associated therewith within a network of servers, said method comprising:
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(a) processing said obiect'"'"'s content at a server of said network of servers, said processing of object content being pursuant to said meta information associated with said object;
(b) modifying said meta information associated with said object to reflect said processing (a) of said object; and
(c) wherein said method further comprises determining at said server whether to perform said processing (a), said determining comprising considering at least one of whether;
said object is for multicasting;
said object is to be cached at said server;
said processing (a) can be performed for a user-specified price;
or said processing (a) can be performed within a user-specified time constraint.
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42. At least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for processing an object having meta information associated therewith within a network of servers, said network of servers coupling a sender of objects to a client through at least one intermediary server, said method comprising:
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(a) allowing at least one of said client and said at least one intermediary server to initially specify meta information associated with said object;
(b) at least partially processing said object'"'"'s content at a first intermediary server of said network of servers, said at least partial processing of object content being pursuant to said meta information associated with said object; and
(c) modifying said meta information associated with said object to reflect said at least partial processing (b) of said object. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 53, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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51. At least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for processing an object having meta information associated therewith within a network of servers, said method comprising:
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(a) partially processing said object'"'"'s content at a first server of said network of servers, said partial processing of object content being pursuant to said meta information associated with said object;
(b) modifying said meta information associated with said object to reflect said partial processing (a) of said object; and
(c) wherein said method further comprises deciding at said first intermediary server whether to perform said at least partial processing (a) of said object content, said deciding comprising considering at least one of current processing load of said first server, or a number of prior requests for said object.
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52. At least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for processing an object having meta information associated therewith within a network of servers, said method comprising:
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(a) partially processing said object'"'"'s content at a first server of said network of servers, said partial processing of object content being pursuant to said meta information associated with said object;
(b) modifying said meta information associated with said object to reflect said partial processing (a) of said object; and
(c) wherein said method further comprises determining at said first server whether to perform said partial processing (a), said determining comprising considering at least one of whether;
said object is for multicasting;
said object is to be cached at said first server;
said partial processing (a) can be performed for a user-specified price;
or said partial processing (a) can be performed within a user-specified time constraint.
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54. At least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for processing an object having meta information associated therewith within a network of servers, said method comprising:
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(a) partially processing said object'"'"'s content at a first server of said network of servers, said partial processing of object content being pursuant to said meta information associated with said object;
(b) modifying said meta information associated with said object to reflect said partial processing (a) of said object; and
(c) wherein said method further comprises applying said virus checking at said first server based on maintained reliability statistics or reliability classification of the content server providing said object content. - View Dependent Claims (55)
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61. An article of manufacture, comprising:
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a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing processing of an object having meta information associated therewith, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising;
computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect allowing at least one of a client and at least one intermediary server of a network of servers to initially specify said meta information associated with said object;
computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect processing said object'"'"'s content at an intermediary server of said network of servers, said processing of object content being pursuant to said meta information associated with said object; and
computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect modifying said meta information associated with said object to reflect said processing of said object by said intermediary server. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 84)
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68. An article of manufacture, comprising:
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a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing processing of an object having meta information associated therewith, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising;
computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect processing said object'"'"'s content at a server of said network of servers, said processing of object content being pursuant to said meta information associated with said object;
computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect modifying said meta information associated with said object to reflect said processing of said object; and
further comprising computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect deciding at said server whether to perform said processing of said object content, said computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect deciding comprising computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect considering at least one of current processing load of said intermediary server, or a number of prior requests for said object.
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69. An article of manufacture, comprising:
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a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing processing of an object having meta information associated therewith, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising;
computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect processing said object'"'"'s content at a server of said network of servers, said processing of object content being pursuant to said meta information associated with said object;
computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect modifying said meta information associated with said object to reflect said processing of said object; and
further comprising computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect determining at said server whether to perform said processing, said computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect determining comprising computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect considering at least one of whether;
said object is for multicasting;
said object is to be cached at said server;
said processing can be performed for a user-specified price;
or said processing can be performed within a user-specified time constraint.
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70. An article of manufacture, comprising:
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a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing within a network of servers, processing of an object having meta information associated therewith, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising;
computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect allowing at least one of a client and at least one intermediary server of a network of servers to initially specify said meta information associated with said object;
computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect at least partially processing said object'"'"'s content at a first intermediary server of said network of servers, said at least partial processing of object content being pursuant to said meta information associated with said object; and
computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect modifying said meta information associated with said object to reflect said at least partial processing of said object. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 79, 82, 83, 85)
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77. An article of manufacture, comprising:
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a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing within a network of servers, processing of an object having meta information associated therewith, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising;
computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect partially processing said object'"'"'s content at a first server of said network of servers, said partial processing of object content being pursuant to said meta information associated with said object;
computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect modifying said meta information associated with said object to reflect said partial processing of said object; and
further comprising computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect deciding at said first server whether to perform said at least partial processing of said object content, said computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect deciding comprising computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect considering at least one of current processing load of said first server, or a number of prior requests for said object.
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78. An article of manufacture, comprising:
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a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing within a network of servers, processing of an object having meta information associated therewith, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising;
computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect partially processing said object'"'"'s content at a first server of said network of servers, said partial processing of object content being pursuant to said meta information associated with said object;
computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect modifying said meta information associated with said object to reflect said partial processing of said object; and
further comprising computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect determining at said first server whether to perform said partial processing, said computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect determining comprising computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect considering at least one of whether;
said object is for multicasting;
said object is to be cached at said first server;
said partial processing can be performed for a user-specified price;
or said partial processing can be performed within a user-specified time constraint.
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80. An article of manufacture, comprising:
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a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing within a network of servers, processing of an object having meta information associated therewith, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising;
computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect partially processing said object'"'"'s content at a first server of said network of servers, said partial processing of object content being pursuant to said meta information associated with said object;
computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect modifying said meta information associated with said object to reflect said partial processing of said object;
computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect partial processing comprises computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect virus checking said oblect content, and wherein said article further comprises computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect maintaining at said first server based on said virus checking at least one of reliability statistics or reliability classification for a content server providing said object content; and
further comprising computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect applying said virus checking at said first server based on maintained reliability statistics or reliability classification of the content server providing said object content.
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81. The article of claim 81, further comprising computer-readable program code means for causing a computer to affect communicating reliability statistics or reliability classification data from said first server to a second server of said network of servers.
Specification