System and method for quick downloading of electronic files

• US 6,401,239 B1
• Filed: 03/22/1999
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MEC Management, LLC (Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota)
• Original Assignee: BIS Advanced Software Systems Limited
• Inventors: Miron, Mordechay
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatri, Anil
• Application Number:
  US09/273,257
• Time in Patent Office: 1,170 Days
• Field of Search: 717/1, 717/11, 717/100, 717/3, 707/203, 707/204, 703/23, 703/25, 710/14, 714/2
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

A system for transferring a delta file from a first computer to a second computer includes a delta builder on the first computer, a download manager, and a restorer on the second computer. The first computer has a first version of a file and a second version of the file, and the second computer has the first version of the file. The delta builder generates the delta file from the first and second versions on the first computer. The download manager transfers the delta file from the first computer to the second computer. The restorer generates the second version from the first version on the second computer and the transferred delta file.

Claims

1. A system for transferring a delta file from a first computer to a second computer, said first computer having a first version of a file and a second version of said file, said second computer having said first version of said file, the system comprising;

a delta builder able to generate said delta file from said first and second versions on said first computer, said delta file comprising a first digital stamp generated from said first version on said first computer;

a download manager able to transfer said delta file from said first computer to said second computer; and

a restorer able to generate said second version from said first version on said second computer and said transferred delta file if a second digital stamp generated from said first version on said second computer matches said first digital stamp.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said delta file is generated based upon a bit analysis of said first and second versions on said first computer.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said download manager comprises:

a download manager server on said first computer; and

a download manager client on said second computer.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein said download manager server comprises means for communicating with said download manager client over an Internet Protocol (IP) network, and said download manager client comprises means for communicating with said download manager server over an Internet Protocol (IP) network.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said system further comprises:

a database for storing said first and second versions of said file and for storing said delta file.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said system further comprises:

a maintenance unit for importing an imported file into said database.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein said imported file is a third version of said file.

8. A system according to claim 6, wherein said imported file is an additional delta file between one of said first and second versions and a third version of said file.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said system further comprises:

a compressor for compressing said generated delta file; and

a decompressor for decompressing said transferred delta file.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein said system further comprises:

means for automatically performing post-download actions on said generated second version.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein said post-download actions include at least one of the group comprising saving said generated second version to a storage unit, decompressing said generated second version, extracting said generated second version and installing said generated second version.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein said first version of said file is an archive of a first folder version of a folder of files, said second version of said file is a second folder version of said folder of files, and said system further comprises:

an extractor for extracting said second folder version from said generated second file.

13. A system for transferring a delta file from a first computer to a second computer, said first computer having a first version of a folder of files and a second version of said folder, and said second computer having said first version of said folder, the system comprising:

a delta builder for generating a delta folder from said first and second versions on said first computer;

an archiver for archiving said delta folder into said delta file,

a download manager for transferring said delta file from said first computer to said second computer;

an extractor for extracting said delta folder from said transferred delta file; and

a restorer tar generating said second version from said first version on said second computer and said extracted delta folder.

14. A system for resuming an interrupted transfer of a file from a first computer having a complete version of said file to a second computer having an incomplete version of said file, said incomplete version missing a portion of said complete version, and said incomplete version having previously been transferred to said second computer during said interrupted transfer, the system comprising:

a download manager server on said first computer for transferring only said missing portion to said second computer, and

a download manager client on said second computer for receiving said missing portion and combining it with said incomplete version to form said complete version on said second computer.

15. A token based authorization system for download of a file from a first computer to a second computer, the system comprising;

a client on said second computer for requesting download of said file and for transferring account information to an account server;

a download service layer, integrated with said account server, for generating a token, associating said token with a first authorization level and sending said token to said client if said account information is verified by said account server; and

a server on said first computer for associating a second authorization level with sold file, for receiving said token and said first authorization level from said download service layer, for receiving said token from said client and for downloading said file to said client if said token received from said download service layer matches said token received from said client and if said first authorization level is no less than said second authorization level.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein said client has a client identifier and said token is based upon said client identifier.

17. A method for transferring a delta file from a first computer to a second computer, said first computer having a first version of a file and a second version of said file, and said second computer having said first version of said file, the method comprising the steps of:

generating a first digital stamp from said first version on said first computer;

generating said delta file from said first and second versions on said first computer, said delta file comprising said first digital stamp;

transferring said delta file from said first computer to said second computer;

generating a second digital stamp from said first version on said second computer; and

if said second digital stamp matches said first digital stamp, generating said second version from said first version on said second computer and said transferred delta file.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein said delta file is generated based upon a bit analysis of said first and second versions on Said first computer.

19. A method according to claim 17, wherein said step of transferring comprises the step of communicating between said first computer and said second computer over an Internet Protocol (IP) network.

20. A method according to claim 17, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

storing said first version in a database;

storing said second version in said database; and

storing said delta file in said database.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein said method further comprises the step of:

importing an imported file into said database.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein said imported file is a third version of said file.

23. A method according to claim 21, wherein said imported file is an additional delta file between one of said first and second versions and a third version of said file.

24. A method according to claim 17, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

compressing said generated delta file; and

decompressing said transferred delta file.

25. A method according to claim 17, wherein said method further comprises the step of:

automatically performing post-download actions on said generated second version.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein said post-download actions include at least one of the group comprising saving said generated second version to a storage unit, decompressing said generated second version, extracting said generated second version and installing said generated second version.

27. A method according to claim 17, wherein said first version of said file is an archive of a first folder version of a folder of files, said second version of said file is a second folder version of said folder of files, and said method further comprises the step of:

extracting said second folder version from said generated second file.

28. A method for transferring a delta file from a first computer to a second computer, said first computer having a first version of a folder of files and a second version of said folder, and said second computer having said first version of said folder, the method comprising the steps of:

generating a delta folder from cold first and second versions on said first computer;

archiving said delta folder into said delta file;

transferring said delta file from said first computer to said second computer;

extracting said delta folder from said transferred delta file; and

generating said second version from said first version on said second computer and said extracted delta folder.

29. A method for resuming an interrupted transfer of a file from a first computer having a complete version of said file to a second computer having an incomplete version of said file, said incomplete version missing a portion of said complete version, and said incomplete version having previously been transferred to said second computer during said interrupted transfer, the method comprising the steps of:

transferring only said missing portion to said second computer;

receiving said missing portion; and

combining it with said incomplete version to form said complete version on said second computer.

30. A method for downloading a file from a download server to a download client when the user of said download client is authorized to do so by an account server, the method comprising the steps of:

associating said file with a first authorization level;

verifying account details of sold user at said account server;

if said step of verifying is successful,

generating a token on said account server and associating said token with a second authorization level;

sending said token from said account server to said download client;

sending said token and said second authorization level from said account server to said download server;

sending said token from said download client to said download server; and

downloading said file from said download server to said client only if said second authorization level is no less than said first authorization level and if said token from said account server matches said token from said download client.

31. A method according to claim 30, wherein said download client has a client identifier and said token is based upon said client identifier.

32. A method for transferring files from a first computer to a second computer, the method comprising the steps of:

said second computer reporting a version indicator to said first computer, said version indicator indicating which versions, if any, of a target file currently reside on said second computer, including versions which are not installed on said second computer;

said first computer correlating said version indicator with either of at least one delta file and a base file in accordance with predetermined correlation criteria, thereby defining at least one correlated file; and

said first computer transferring said at least one correlated file to said second computer.

33. A method according to claim 32, is the method further comprising the step of said second computer requesting said target file from said first computer.

34. A method according to claim 32, wherein said predetermined correlation criteria includes the size of said at least one correlated file.

35. A method comprising:

receiving a request to download a particular version of a file to a computer;

receiving a version indicator indicating which versions, if any, of said file currently reside on said computer, including base files and delta files that reside but are not installed, on said computer; and

if said particular version does not currently reside on said computer, and if said currently residing base files and delta files are insufficient to generate said particular version on said computer, downloading to said computer the smaller of

a) a base file of said particular version, and

b) one or more delta files or a combination of a base file and one or more delta files, selected so that in conjunction with one of the currently residing versions on said computer, said particular version on said computer can be generated.