Delayed delivery of web pages via e-mail or push techniques from an overloaded or partially functional web server

• US 6,748,450 B1
• Filed: 10/28/1999
• Issued: 06/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dutta, Rabindranath
• Primary Examiner(s): Cardone, Jason D.
• Application Number:
  US09/428,409
• Time in Patent Office: 1,685 Days
• Field of Search: 709/226, 709/223, 709/246, 709/206, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/203, 709/228, 714/18, 714/748, 370/216
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation

Abstract

A system, method and program of the invention enables an overloaded or partially functional Web server in an Internet environment to receive an HTTP request for data from a client during a given communication session. The Web server determines whether it can satisfy at least a portion of the request at a present time. If so, then a portion of the data is sent to the client during the given session, and all of the requested data is sent at a later time and outside of the given session either by e-mail or a push technique.

Claims

1. A method for use by a web server in a network environment comprising:

receiving an HTTP request for data from a client during a given session of a network communication;

determining if at least one of the following conditions are present i) the web server is overloaded, and ii) the web server is partially functional;

determining whether the web server can satisfy at least a portion of the HTTP request at a present time even if at least one of the conditions is present;

sending a portion of the data to the client during the given session; and

sending, by e-mail to an e-mail address of a user using the client, all of the requested data at a later time and outside of the given session if it is determined that the web server is capable of satisfying the portion of the HTTP request at the present time.

2. A method for use by a client in a network environment comprising:

sending an HTTP request to a Web server during a given communication session;

receiving, within the given communication session, an abbreviated content of requested data, when the Web server can satisfy at least a portion of the HTTP request at a present time even if at least one of the following conditions are present i) the Web server is overloaded, and ii) the Web server is partially functional; and

receiving full content of the requested data from the Web server at a later time and outside of the given session via e-mail to an e-mail address of a user of the client.

3. A web server having means for communicating with a client in a network environment, the web server comprising:

means for receiving an HTTP request from the client for data during a given session of a network communication;

means for determining if at least one of the following conditions are present i) the web server is overloaded, and ii) the server is partially functional;

means for determining whether the web server can satisfy at least a portion of the HTTP request at a present time even if at least one of the conditions is present;

means for sending a portion of the data to the client during the given session; and

means for sending, by e-mail to an e-mail address of a user using the client, all of the requested data at a later time and outside of the given session if it is determined that the web server is capable of satisfying the portion of the HTTP request at the present time.

4. A client having means for communicating with a server in a network environment, the client comprising:

means for sending an HTTP request to a Web server during a given communication session;

means for receiving, within the given communication session, an abbreviated content of requested data, when the Web server can satisfy at last a portion of the HTTP request at a present time even if at least one of the following conditions are present i) the Web server is overloaded, and ii) the Web server is partially functional; and

means for receiving full content of the requested data from the Web server at a later time and outside of the given session via e-mail to an e-mail address of a user of the client.

5. A computer program having program code means on a computer usable medium for enabling a web server having means for communicating with at least one client in a network environment, the program comprising:

means for receiving an HTTP request for data from the client during a given session of a network communication;

means for determining if at least one of the following conditions are present i) the web server is overloaded, and ii) the web server is partially functional;

means for determining whether the web server can satisfy at least a portion of the HTTP request at a present time even if at least one of the conditions is present;

means for sending a portion of the data to the client during the given session; and

means, by e-mail to an e-mail address of a user using the client, for sending all of the requested data at a later time and outside of the given session if it is determined that the web server is capable of satisfying the portion of the HTTP request at the present time.

6. A method for use by a first server in a network environment comprising:

receiving a request for data from a client during a given session of a network communication;

determining if at least one of the following conditions are present i) the server is overloaded, and ii) the server is partially functional;

determining whether the first server can satisfy at least a portion of the request at a present time even if at least one of the conditions is present;

sending a portion of the data to the client during the given session; and

sending, by e-mail to an e-mail address of a user using the client, all of the requested data at a later time and outside of the given session if it is determined that the first server is capable of satisfying the portion of the request at the present time.

7. A server having means for communicating with a client in a network environment, the server comprising:

means for receiving a request from the client for data during a given session of a network communication;

means for determining if at least one of the following conditions are present i) the server is overloaded, and ii) the server is partially functional;

means for determining whether the first server can satisfy at least a portion of the request at a present time even if at least one of the conditions is present;

means for sending a portion of the data to the client during the given session; and

means for sending, by e-mail to an e-mail address of a user using the client, all of the requested data at a later time and outside of the given session if it is determined that the first server is capable of satisfying the portion of the request at the present time.

8. A computer program having program code means on a computer usable medium for enabling a server having means for communicating with at least one client in a network environment, the program comprising:

means for receiving a request for data from the client during a given session of a network communication;

means for determining if at least one of the following conditions are present i) the server is overloaded, and ii) the server is partially functional;

means for determining whether the first server can satisfy at least a portion of the request at a present time even if at least one of the conditions is present;

means for sending a portion of the data to the client during the given session; and

means, by e-mail to an e-mail address of a user using the client, for sending all of the requested data at a later time and outside of the given session if it is determined that the first server is capable of satisfying the portion of the request at the present time.