Network information control method utilizing a common command format and a centralized storage management system

• US 6,415,289 B1
• Filed: 03/18/1999
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Williams Communications Incorporated
• Inventors: Holmes, Keith, Williams, Mike E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Von Buhr, Maria N.
• Application Number:
  US09/272,933
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: 707/103, 707/1-3, 707/10, 707/103-R-1, 707/104.1, 707/200-204, 709/201-203, 709/217-219
• US Class Current: 707/741
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/913 Multimedia
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/918 Location
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network

Abstract

A method of controlling information stored on a computer network. The method of the present invention comprises a means for indexing and storing information about information stored on the network in a database. Clients connected to the network that wish to access information stored on the network, are first approved by the indexing means and the storage device on which the information is stored is directed to deliver the requested information to the client. In addition, devices connected to the network communicate by means of a common command format.

Claims

1. A method of manipulating an item of information content in a network comprising an interconnection of computing and storage devices, the method comprising operations wherein:

(a) a client machine transmits to a server a signal requesting performance of a manipulation operation on an item of content, referred to as a request signal;

(b) the server having an index not stored on the client machine of data relating to the content receives the request signal and transmits a reply signal that includes the index to a server machine; and

(c) the server machine transmits one or more signals based on the data in the index to one or more of a database server, an application server, and a storage device to cause the manipulation operation to be performed on the requested item of content from the client machine, whereby the manipulation operation occurs without polling the one or more database server, application server, and storage device to locate the item of content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content includes video content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the manipulation operation comprises moving the item of content from one location in the network to another location in the network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the client machine interacts with a user through a Web-browser interface.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the client machine (1) executes a Web browser program, (2) downloads a Java applet from the server machine, and (3) executes the Java applet to transmit the request signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data of the index includes at least one datum selected from the group consisting of:

(1) information location;

(2) information type;

(3) information size;

(4) information source;

(5) information rating,

(6) date information stored; and

(7) time information stored.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the server machine can be selected from a group consisting of a network server, a web server, an application server and a database server.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the server having the index of data can be selected from a group consisting of a network server, a web server, an application server, a database server and a storage device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the server having the index of data can reside in the server machine.

10. Apparatus for storing and retrieving content, comprising:

(a) a network;

(b) at least one client machine connected to the network;

(c) at least one server machine connected to the network;

(d) at least one storage device connected to the network that contains content;

(e) at least one database machine connected to the network that contains an index not stored on any client machine of data related to information about the content;

(f) the client machine, server machine, storage device, and database machines communicating over the network by transmitting signals in accordance with a common communication format; and

(g) the common communication format including commands by which the client machine can transmit to the at least one server machine a request to perform a manipulation of content, whereby the manipulation operation occurs without polling the at least one storage device to locate the item of content.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the manipulation of content comprises at least one operation selected from the group consisting of:

(a) displaying an item of content on the client machine;

(b) copying an item of content from one storage device to another storage device;

(c) deleting an item of content from a storage device;

(d) adding an item of content to a storage device;

(e) editing information contained in the database about an item of content;

(f) editing the item of content.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the data of the index includes at least one datum selected from the group consisting of:

(1) information location;

(2) information type;

(3) information size;

(4) information source;

(5) information rating;

(6) date information stored; and

(7) time information stored.

13. A system for managing multimedia content across a network;

said system comprising;

(a) a network;

(b) at least one controller computer coupled to or previously coupled to said network;

(c) at least two storage devices coupled to or previously coupled to said network, said storage devices storing multimedia content;

(d) at least one index not stored on any controller computer of data related to the multimedia stored on said storage devices coupled to or previously coupled to said network, wherein said index includes information about said multimedia content stored on said storage devices, said index information including at least one datum selected from the group consisting of;

(1) information location;

(2) information type;

(3) information size;

(4) information source;

(5) information rating;

(6) date information stored; and

(7) time information stored;

(e) wherein the system manages the multimedia content across the network by transmitting a request for performance of a manipulation operation based on the at least one index of data and the manipulation operation occurs without polling said storage devices to locate the multimedia content.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said controlling computer, said storage devices and said index communicate according to an application programming interface.

15. A method of operating a computer network comprising:

(a) a client issuing a request for information;

(b) a server passing the information request from said client to a database machine;

(c) said database machine having at least one index not stored on the client of data relating to the information, said database machine retrieving identifying information based on the index, including location of said requested information and issuing a request for a storage device connected to said network on which said requested information is stored to send said requested information to said requesting client, whereby said requested information is retrieved without polling at least one storage device to locate said information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said requested information requests are in the form of an application programming interface.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said requested information is multimedia information.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the data of the index includes at least one datum selected from the group consisting of:

(1) information location;

(2) information type;

(3) information size;

(4) information source;

(5) information rating,

(6) date information stored; and

(7) time information stored.

19. A method executed by a server providing multimedia information comprising:

(a) receiving a request from a client for information;

(b) maintaining a database of said requests;

(c) locating said requested information in an index not stored on the client of data related to the information; and

(d) issuing a request based on the index data for a storage device connected to said network on which said requested information is stored to send said requested information to said requesting client, whereby said requested information is retrieved without polling at least one storage device to locate said information.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said information requests are formatted in a predefined standard.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said requested information is multimedia information.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the data of the index includes at least one datum selected from the group consisting of:

(1) information location;

(2) information type;

(3) information size;

(4) information source;

(5) information rating;

(6) date information stored; and

(7) time information stored.