Method and apparatus for information retrieval from a network using parameter value sampling

• US 6,427,165 B1
• Filed: 11/18/1998
• Issued: 07/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Anderson, Glen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Krisna
• Application Number:
  US09/195,531
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/218, 709/203, 707/10
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/101 based on network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

A method and apparatus for selectively obtaining information over a network with an information handling system coupled to the network are disclosed. The network is searched for the information based upon a predetermined criterion, and the information is located on a node of the network where the information is stored. A parameter value of the node where the information is stored is determined, and the determined parameter value is displayed in conjunction with a link to the node whereby a determination may be made whether to obtain the information from the node based upon the determined parameter value. The search results may be ordered and selected according to one or more of determined parameter values of the nodes where the information is stored.

Claims

1. A method for selectively obtaining information over a network with an information handling system coupled to the network, comprising:

searching the network for the information based upon a predetermined criterion;

locating the information on a node of the network where the information is stored;

determining a parameter value of the node where the information is stored; and

displaying the determined parameter value in conjunction with a link to the node whereby a determination may be made whether to obtain the information from the node based upon the determined parameter value,

the determined parameter value being one of the group consisting of node availability, present load percentage of node capacity, a connection rate between the node and the information handling system, a time required to download the information stored on the node from the node to the information handling system, compatibility of a program executing on the information handling system and the information stored on the node, whether a required program for utilizing the information stored on the node is available on the information handling system, a date when the information stored on the node was last updated, and whether a fee is required to access information stored on the node.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, the determined parameter value being node availability.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, the determined parameter value being present load percentage of node capacity.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, the determined parameter value being a connection rate between the node and the information handling system.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, the determined parameter value being a time to download the information stored on the node from the node to the information handling system.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, the determined parameter value being compatibility of a program executing on the information handling system and the information stored on the node.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, the determined parameter value being whether a required program for utilizing the information stored on the node is available on the information handling system.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, the determined parameter value being whether a date when the information stored on the node was last updated.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, the determined parameter value being whether a fee is required to access information stored on the node.

10. A method for selectively obtaining information over a network with an information handling system coupled to the network, comprising:

searching the network for the information based upon a predetermined criterion;

locating the information on a node of the network where the information is stored;

determining a parameter value of the node where the information is stored; and

displaying the determined parameter value in conjunction with a link to the node whereby a determination may be made whether to obtain the information from the node based upon the determined parameter value,

said locating step and said determining step being executed while the information handling system performs other tasks.

11. A method for selectively obtaining information over a network with an information handling system coupled to the network, comprising:

searching the network for the information based upon a predetermined criterion;

locating the information on a node of the network where the information is stored;

determining a parameter value of the node where the information is stored;

displaying the determined parameter value in conjunction with a link to the node whereby a determination may be made whether to obtain the information from the node based upon the determined parameter value;

locating the information on additional nodes of the network;

creating a list of the nodes where the information is stored;

determining the parameter value for each of the additional nodes where the information is stored; and

ordering the node list according to the determined parameter values.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising the step of displaying the ordered node list on a display of the information handling system.

13. A method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising the step of selecting a node from the ordered node list from which to obtain the information based upon the determined node parameters.

14. A program of instructions storable on a medium readable by an information handling system for causing the information handling system to execute steps for selectively obtaining information over a network with the information handling system coupled to the network, the steps comprising:

searching the network for the information based upon a predetermined criterion,

locating the information on a node of the network where the information is stored;

determining a parameter value of the node where the information is stored; and

displaying the determined parameter value in conjunction with a link to the node whereby a determination may be made whether to obtain the information from the node based upon the determined parameter value,

the determined parameter value being one of the group consisting of node availability, present load percentage of node capacity, a connection rate between the node and the information handling system, a time required to download the information stored on the node from the node to the information handling system, compatibility of a program executing on the information handling system and the information stored on the node, whether a required program for utilizing the information stored on the node is available on the information handling system, a date when the information stored on the node was last updated, and whether a fee is required to access information stored on the node.

15. A program of instructions as claimed in claim 14, the determined parameter value being node availability.

16. A program of instructions as claimed in claim 14, the determined parameter value being present load percentage of node capacity.

17. A program of instructions as claimed in claim 14, the determined parameter value being a connection rate between the node and the information handling system.

18. A program of instructions as claimed in claim 14, the determined parameter value being a time to download the information stored on the node from the node to the information handling system.

19. A program of instructions as claimed in claim 14, the determined parameter value being compatibility of a program executing on the information handling system and the information stored on the node.

20. A program of instructions as claimed in claim 14, the determined parameter value being whether a required program for utilizing the information stored on the node is available on the information handling system.

21. A program of instructions as claimed in claim 14, the determined parameter value being whether a date when the information stored on the node was last updated.

22. A program of instructions as claimed in claim 14, the determined parameter value being whether a fee is required to access information stored on the node.

23. A program of instructions storable on a medium readable by an information handling system for causing the information handling system to execute steps for selectively obtaining information over a network with the information handling system coupled to the network, the steps comprising:

searching the network for the information based upon a predetermined criterion;

locating the information on a node of the network where the information is stored;

determining a parameter value of the node where the information is stored; and

displaying the determined parameter value in conjunction with a link to the node whereby a determination may be made whether to obtain the information from the node based upon the determined parameter value,

said locating step and said determining step being executed while the information handling system performs other tasks.

24. A program of instructions storable on a medium readable by an information handling system for causing the information handling system to execute steps for selectively obtaining information over a network with the information handling system coupled to the network, the steps comprising:

searching the network for the information based upon a predetermined criterion;

locating the information on a node of the network where the information is stored;

determining a parameter value of the node where the information is stored; and

ordering the node list according to the determined parameter values.

25. A program of instructions as claimed in claim 24, the steps further comprising the step of displaying the ordered node list on a display of the information handling system.

26. A program of instructions as claimed in claim 24, the steps further comprising the step of selecting a node from the ordered node list from which to obtain the information based upon the determined node parameters.

27. An information handling system for selectively obtaining information over a network with the information handling system coupled to the network, comprising:

a processor for executing a program of instructions on tile information handling system;

a memory coupled to the processor for storing the proven of instructions executable by said processor; and

an input and output system coupled to the processor for coupling the information handling system to the network wherein the program of instructions configures the information handling system to determine a parameter value regarding a node on the network where information is stored such that a determination may be made whether to obtain the information from the node with the information handling system based upon the determined parameter value,

the determined parameter value being one of the group consisting of node availability, present load percentage of node capacity, a connection rate between the node and the information handling system, a time required to download the information stored on the node from the node to tie information handling system, compatibility of a program executing on the information handling system and the information stored on the node, whether a required program for utilizing the information stored on the node is available on the information handling system, a date when the information stored on the node was last updated, and whether a fee is required to access information stored on the node.

28. An information handling system as claimed in claim 27, the determined parameter value being node availability.

29. An information handling system as claimed in claim 27, the determined parameter value being present load percentage of node capacity.

30. An information handling system as claimed in claim 27, the determined parameter value being a connection rate between the node and the information handling system.

31. An information handling system as claimed in claim 27, the determined parameter value being a time to download the information stored on the node from the node to the information handling system.

32. An information handling system as claimed in claim 27, the determined parameter value being compatibility of a program executing on the information handling system and the information stored on the node.

33. An information handling system as claimed in claim 27, the determined parameter value being whether a required program for utilizing the information stored on the node is available on the information handling system.

34. An information handling system as claimed in claim 27, the determined parameter value being whether a date when the information stored on the node was last updated.

35. An information handling system as claimed in claim 27, the determined parameter value being whether a fee is required to access information stored on the node.

36. An information handling system for selectively obtaining information over a network with the information handling system coupled to the network, comprising:

means for executing a program of instructions on the information handling system;

means, coupled to said executing means, for storing the program of instructions executable by said executing means; and

means, coupled to said executing means, for coupling the information handling system to the network wherein the program of instructions configures the information handling system to determine a parameter value regarding a node on the network where information is stored such that a determination may be made whether to obtain tie information from the node with the information handling system based upon the determined parameter value,

the determined parameter value being one of the group consisting of node availability, present load percentage of node capacity, a connection rate between the node and the information handling system, a time required to download the information stored on the node from the node to the information handling system, compatibility of a program executing on the information handling system and the information stored on the node, whether a required program for utilizing the information stored on the node is available on the information handling system, a date when the information stored on the node was last updated, and whether a fee is required to access information stored on the node.

37. An information handling system as claimed in claim 36, the determined parameter value being node availability.

38. An information handling system as claimed in claim 36, the determined parameter value being present load percentage of node capacity.

39. An information handling system as claimed in claim 36, the determined parameter value being a connection rate between the node and the information handling system.

40. An information handling system as claimed in claim 36, the determined parameter value being a time to download the information stored on the node from the node to the information handling system.

41. An information handling system as claimed in claim 36, the determined parameter value being compatibility of a program executing on the information handling system and the information stored on the node.

42. An information handling system as claimed in claim 36, the determined parameter value being whether a required program for utilizing the information stored on the node is available on the information handling system.

43. An information handling system as claimed in claim 36, the determined parameter value being whether a date when the information stored on the node was last updated.

44. An information handling system as claimed in claim 36, the determined parameter value being whether a fee is required to access information stored on the node.