Method for intelligent internet router and system

• US 6,324,584 B1
• Filed: 11/26/1997
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mandalia, Baiju Dhirajlal
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Hien C.
• Application Number:
  US08/979,093
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• Field of Search: 709/213, 709/216, 709/304, 709/217, 709/228, 709/229, 709/203, 709/238, 711/138, 364/230, 713/201, 395/187.01, 707/9, 707/10
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context

Abstract

A method and system for operating a router in a computer network. When the system receives a request from a client machine connected to the computer network to access data at a remote server location having an address, it accesses the remote server at the address via the computer network. The router causes the data to be transmitted from the server to the router. The system maintains a pre-determined profile at the router, which profile contains storage selection criteria. The system selectively determines whether the data is to be stored at the router by comparing the data and/or the address to the storage selection criteria. If the data conforms to the criteria, it is stored in a mass storage device at the router and transmitted to the client machine which initiated the request. When a subsequent request is received at the router to access the data at the remote server location the router first accesses the data from the mass storage device to determine if the information is already present locally. If so, the data is transmitted to the client machine which initiated the subsequent request. A time out system is provided to delete outdated data.

Claims

1. A method for operating a router in a computer network comprising the steps of:

receiving at a router packets from a client machine connected to said computer network;

analyzing said packets to determine if a request has been received to access data at a remote server location having an address;

accessing with said router said remote server at said address via said computer network and causing said data to be transmitted to said router;

maintaining a pre-determined profile at said router, said profile containing storage selection criteria;

selectively determining whether said data is to be stored at said router by comparing at least one of said data and said address to said storage selection criteria; and

,

resolving a destination address for routing said data and determining intermediate routing data.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

storing said data in a mass storage device at said router; and

routing said data to said client machine which initiated said request according to the resolved destination address and determined intermediate routing data.

3. The method according to claim 2 further comprising the steps of:

receiving via said network a subsequent request at said router to access said data at said remote server location;

accessing with said router said data from said mass storage device;

and routing said data to said client machine which initiated said subsequent request.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of permitting a user of a client machine attached to said computer network to determine said criteria of said profile.

5. The method according to claim 2 further comprising the step of providing a time limit for maintaining said data in said mass storage device;

and

deleting said data when said time limit has expired.

6. The method according to claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

re-accessing with said router said remote server location in response to said subsequent request; and

causing an updated version of said data to be transmitted to said router;

storing said updated version of said data in said mass storage device; and

routing said updated version of said data to said client machine which initiated said subsequent request.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

allowing a user of a client machine attached to said computer network to select a filter parameter to be applied to said pre-determined profile; and

selectively determining whether said data is to be routed to said client machine which initiated said request, based upon a comparison of at least one of said address and said data to said filter parameter.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein said data comprises a web page.

9. A method for operating a router in a computer network, comprising:

maintaining at said router a user profile comprising criteria for selectively rejecting data to be transferred by said router, said profile containing storage selection criteria;

receiving at said router packets which are to be transferred to an address on said computer network;

analyzing said packets to determine if a request has been received to access data at a remote server location having an address;

comparing said data to said user profile and terminating transmission of said data if it does not conform to said storage selection criteria;

caching said data at said router if said data does conform to said storage selection criteria; and

,

resolving a destination address for routing said data and determining intermediate routing data.

10. A programmable computer for routing data packets to selective addresses on a computer network, said computer comprising:

mass storage means;

means for receiving at a router packets from a client machine to said computer network;

means for analyzing said packets to determine if a request has been received to access data on a remote server having an address;

means responsive to said request for accessing with said router said data on said server via said computer network;

means for resolving a destination address for routing said data and determining intermediate routing data;

means for routing said data to said client machine which initiated said request according to said resolved destination address and said determined intermediate routing data;

means for storing a pre-determined profile, said profile defining a set of criteria; and

,

means for determining whether said data is to be stored on said mass storage device by evaluating whether said data conforms to said criteria.

11. The programmable computer according to claim 10 further comprising means for selectively storing said data and said address if said data conforms to said criteria.

12. The programmable computer according to claim 11 further comprising means responsive to a subsequent request to access with said router data on a remote server having an address;

and

means for searching said mass storage device for data having an address which matches said address in said subsequent request.

13. The programmable computer according to claim 12 further comprising means for retrieving said data from said mass storage device and for routing said data to said client machine which initiated said request.

14. The programmable computer according to claim 12, further comprising means for determining the length of time data has been stored on said mass storage device and deleting said data when the length of time exceeds a time limit.

15. The programmable computer according to claim 14 further comprising means responsive to said subsequent request for accessing with said router an updated version of said data on said server via said computer network when said length of time exceeds said time limit.

16. The programmable computer according to claim 15, further comprising means for causing said updated version of said data to be stored on said mass storage device and for routing said updated data to said client machine initiating said subsequent request.

17. The programmable computer according to claim 13 wherein said message storage and retrieval processing is performed by a co-processor.