Apparatus, method, program, and information processing system for prioritized data transfer to a network terminal

• US 6,697,859 B1
• Filed: 03/25/1999
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Kinya
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Application Number:
  US09/276,511
• Time in Patent Office: 1,797 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 709/225, 709/232, 707/2, 707/500, 707/501, 707/513, 707/514, 707/515
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

In an information processing system in which a server supplying document data and a client requesting the server to transfer the document data are connected via a network, the server assigns priorities to respective data constituting the document data. When the client requesting the transfer of a particular document datum detects the presence of a plurality of data embedded in the document data or linked to the document data, the client further requests the transfer of a plurality of such data. Upon receipt of the request for the transfer of a plurality of data, the server transfers the respective data in order of precedence, starting with a datum with the highest priority among the data. This enables the client to obtain data with higher priorities sooner. Further, even if a line is disconnected in the middle of transfer, the amount of data that must be reread by restoring the line connection can be minimized.

Claims

1. A data transfer apparatus for transferring data to a terminal connected thereto via a network, comprising:

priority setting means for initially assigning a degree of priority to each of a plurality of transferable data;

selection means for selecting a data of a highest degree of priority from among a plurality of data for which transfer requests have issued;

transfer means for transferring the data selected by said selection means prior to transfer of other data of the plurality of data to the terminal item by item via the network; and

priority updating means for increasing the degree of priority of the data transferred by said transfer means.

2. A data transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said priority setting means respectively sets the degrees of priority at a time of registering of the plurality of transferable data.

3. A data transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said priority setting means divides each item of data of the plurality of transferable data into predetermined data units to create divided data, and assigns a degree of priority independently to each item of the divided data that has been created.

4. A data transfer method for transferring data from a data transfer apparatus to a terminal via a network, comprising the steps of:

initially assigning a degree of priority to each of a plurality of transferable data;

selecting a data of a highest degree of priority from among the plurality of data for which transfer requests have issued;

transferring the data selected in said selecting step prior to transfer of other data of the plurality of data to the terminal item by item via the network; and

increasing the degree of priority of the data transferred in said transferring step.

5. A data transfer method according to claim 4, wherein the degrees of priority for the plurality of transferable data are set at a registration time.

6. A data transfer method according to claim 4, wherein each item of data of the plurality of transferable data is divided into predetermined data units to create divided data, and a degree of priority is assigned independently to each item of the divided data.

7. A data transfer method according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of transferable data is reconstructed from items of the divided data each time an item of the divided data is received in sequence, and a reconstruction result is displayed at a terminal receiving the items of the divided data.

8. A computer-readable storage medium storing a data transfer program for controlling a data transfer apparatus to perform data transfer to a terminal via a network, the program comprising codes for causing a computer to perform the steps of:

initially assigning a degree of priority to each of a plurality of transferable data;

selecting a data of a highest degree of priority from among a plurality of data for which transfer requests have issued;

transferring the data selected in said selecting step prior to transfer of other data of the plurality of data to the terminal item by item via the network; and

increasing the degree of priority of the data transferred in said transferring step.

9. An information processing system comprising a data transfer apparatus and a terminal connected via a network, wherein:

said data transfer apparatus comprises;

priority setting means for initially assigning a degree of priority to each of a plurality of transferable data;

selection means for selecting a data of a highest degree of priority from among a plurality of data for which transfer requests have issued;

transfer means for transferring the data selected by the selection means prior to transfer of other data of the plurality of data to the terminal item by item via the network; and

priority updating means for increasing the degree of priority of the data transferred by the transfer means, and

said terminal comprises;

requesting means for issuing a request for transfer of data to said data transfer apparatus; and

receiving means for receiving data transferred from said data transfer apparatus.

10. An information processing system according to claim 9, wherein said priority setting means divides each item of data of the plurality of transferable data into predetermined data units to create divided data, and assigns a degree of priority independently to each item of divided data that has been created.

11. An information processing system according to claim 10, wherein said terminal further comprises reconstructing means for reconstructing the plurality of transferable data from received items of the divided data each time an item of the divided data is received in sequence by said receiving means, and displaying means for displaying a reconstruction result provided by said reconstructing means.