System for updating internet address changes

• US 6,728,712 B1
• Filed: 11/25/1997
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kelley, Edward E., Dauerer, Norman J.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBINSON, GRETA LEE
• Application Number:
  US08/978,012
• Time in Patent Office: 2,345 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/200, 707/9, 395/200.5, 395/653, 709/203
• US Class Current: 707/770
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/58 Caching of addresses or names
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network

Abstract

A process and system for updating desired inter- or intra-net addresses at a client computer. There is provided a plurality of client computers, a database accessible by each of the client computers, a network server through which the client computers may access files on a network, and a database accessible by the network server. The client computer database includes a list of addresses for accessing desired files on the network. The network server database includes a list of addresses for the desired files on the network and addresses of the client computers that have accessed the desired files on the network. The process comprises updating in the network server database at least one of the addresses for the desired files on the network and transferring from the network server database to the database of the client computers having addresses in the network server database the updated at least one of the addresses for the desired files on the network.

Claims

1. A process for updating desired Internet addresses at a client computer comprising the steps of:

a) providing a plurality of client computers, a database accessible by each of said client computers, a network server through which said client computers may access files on the Internet network, and a database accessible by said network server;

b) providing in the client computer database a unique list of Internet addresses, for each client computer, for accessing desired files on said Internet network by the client computer;

c) providing in the network server database a list of Internet addresses for said desired files on said network and addresses of said client computers that have accessed said desired files on said network;

d) receiving notification of new Internet addresses, at the network server, from owners of said desired files;

e) updating in the network server database at least one of said addresses for said desired files on said network; and

f) transferring from said network server database to the database of said client computers having addresses in said network server database the updated at least one of said addresses for said desired files on said network.

2. The process of claim 1 further including, between steps (d) and (f), the steps of:

1) initiating a connection from said network server to said client computers having addresses in said network server database; and

2) validating said network connection from said client computers having addresses in said network server to said network server to ensure the identity of said network server.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein said database accessible by said client computers initially contains a first address of a desired file on said network, and wherein in step (f) said address of said desired file is changed to a second, updated address.

4. The process of claim 3 further including, after step (f), the steps of:

1) initiating a connection from said client computers having addresses in said network server database to said network server; and

2) transferring from said client computers having addresses in said network server to said network server acknowledgment of the change of said address of said desired file.

5. The process of claim 3 including first and second databases accessible by said client computers, and wherein said first database initially contains an address of a desired file on said network, and wherein in step (f) said updated address for said desired files on said network is transferred to said second database.

6. The process of claim 5 further including, after step (f), the step of:

1) transferring from said second database to said first database said updated address of said desired file.

7. The process of claim 1 further including, between steps (c) and (e), the step of:

1) creating a change file for new addresses for said desired files prior to updating the database in said network server.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein said step (1) is created after the step of receiving notification of new addresses from owners of said desired files.

9. A process for updating desired Internet addresses at a client computer comprising the steps of:

a) providing a plurality of client computers, a database accessible by each of said client computers, a network server through which said client computers may access files on the Internet network, and a database accessible by said network server;

b) providing in the client computer database a unique list of Internet addresses, for each client computer, for accessing desired files on said Internet network by the client computer;

c) providing in the network server database a list of Internet addresses for said desired files on said network and addresses of said client computers that have accessed said desired files on said network;

d) receiving notification of new Internet addresses, at the network server, from owners of said desired files;

e) creating in said network server a change file for new addresses for said desired files prior to updating the database in said network server;

f) updating in the network server database at least one of said addresses for said desired files on said network;

g) initiating a connection from said network server to said client computers having addresses in said network server database;

h) validating the network connection from said client computers having addresses in said network server to said network server to ensure the identity of said network server; and

i) transferring from said network server database to the database of said client computers having addresses in said network server database the updated at least one of said addresses for said desired files on said network.

10. The process of claim 9 further including, after step (i), the steps of:

1) initiating a connection from said client computers having addresses in said network server database to said network server; and

2) transferring from said client computers having addresses in said network server to said network server acknowledgment of the change of said address of said desired file.

11. The process of claim 9 wherein said database accessible by said client computers initially contains a first address of a desired file on said network, and wherein in step (i) said address of said desired file is changed to a second, updated address.

12. The process of claim 11 further including, after step (i), the steps of:

1) initiating a connection from said client computers having addresses in said network server database to said network server; and

2) transferring from said client computers having addresses in said network server to said network server acknowledgment of the change of said address of said desired file.

13. The process of claim 11 including first and second databases accessible by said client computers, and wherein said first database initially contains an address of a desired file on said network, and wherein in step (i) said updated address for said desired files on said network is transferred to said second database.

14. The process of claim 13 further including, after step (i), the step of:

1) transferring from said second database to said first database said updated address of said desired file.

15. The process of claim 14 wherein said step (1) is created after the step of receiving notification of new addresses from owners of said desired files.

16. A system for updating desired Internet addresses at a client computer comprising:

a plurality of client computers;

a network server through which said client computers may access files on the Internet network;

a database accessible by each of said client computers containing a unique list of Internet addresses, for each client computer, for accessing desired files on said network by the client computer; and

a database accessible by said network server containing a list of Internet addresses for said desired files on said Internet network and addresses of said client computers that have accessed said desired files on said network,

whereby, upon receipt of notification of new Internet addresses, at the network server, from owners of said desired files, the network server database is adapted to update said addresses for said desired files on said network and transfer to the database of said client computers having addresses in said network server database the updated addresses for said desired files on said network.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said database accessible by said client computers is adapted to initially contain a first address of a desired file on said network, and wherein upon transfer of updated addresses from said network server database, the database of said client computers is adapted to change said address of said desired file to a second, updated address.

18. The system of claim 16 including first and second databases accessible by said client computers, and wherein said first database is adapted to initially contain an address of a desired file on said network, and wherein upon transfer of updated addresses from said network server database, said updated address for said desired files on said network is adapted to be transferred to said second database.

19. The system of claim 16 further including in the network server database a change file for new addresses for said desired files accessible prior to updating addresses in the database in said network server.

20. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a network server database containing files accessible by a plurality of client computers, the client computers each having a database containing a unique list of Internet addresses, for each client computer, for accessing desired files on the Internet network by the client computer, said device further having a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of updating desired Internet addresses at a client computer, said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing in the network server database a list of Internet addresses for said desired files on said network and addresses of said client computers that have accessed said desired files on said Internet network;

b) determining, at the network server, receipt of notification of new Internet addresses from owners of said desired files;

c) updating in the network server database at least one of said addresses for said desired files on said network; and

d) transferring from said network server database to the database of said client computers having addresses in said network server database the updated at least one of said addresses for said desired files on said network.