Efficient retrieval of uniform resource locators

• US 6,957,224 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2000
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: X Corp. (f/k/a Twitter, Inc.) (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: McCurley, Kevin S., Megiddo, Nimrod
• Primary Examiner(s): Pardo, Thuy N.
• Application Number:
  US09/659,261
• Time in Patent Office: 1,863 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/102, 707/104, 707/200, 707/203, 707/205, 707/4, 707/10, 707/101, 707/103, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/205, 709/220, 709/229, 704/270, 705/26, 235/462.01, 713/201
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product for providing links to remotely located information in a network of remotely connected computers. The system may or may not include a server providing an interface between shorthand codes and corresponding original files. If the server is included, a uniform resource locator (URL) is registered with a server. A shorthand link is associate with the registered URL. The associated shorthand link and URL are logged in a registry database. When a request is received for a shorthand link, the registry database is searched for an associated URL. If the shorthand link is found to be associated with an URL, the URL is fetched, otherwise an error message is returned. If the server is not included, all URLs located at a root page may be listed and associated with shorthand keys or links. Associated files and keys are indexed in an index file. The shorthand codes or keys are combined with the root page to form shorthand URLs. Requests are made for the shorthand URLs and the index file is searched for the requested shorthand URL. If the requested shorthand URL is encountered, the corresponding file is returned; otherwise, an error message is returned.

Claims

1. A method of providing links to remotely located information in a network of remotely connected computers, said method comprising:

a) associating a shorthand link to each of a plurality of uniform resource locators (URLs) by

i) requesting registration of a URL;

ii) selecting an unused key; and

iii) pairing said selected key with said URL as a shorthand link;

b) logging associated shorthand links in a registry database;

c) searching said registry database for a shorthand link associated with an URL responsive to selection of said shorthand link; and

d) for each found said shorthand link, fetching said associated URL.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein each key-URL pair is entered in the registry database.

3. A method as in claim 2, wherein said fetched associated URL is presented to a requester, said requestor having selected said shorthand link.

4. A method as in claim 2, wherein said fetched associated URL is presented to a requester, said requestor having provided the paired key of the key-URL pair.

5. A method as in claim 4, wherein an error message is returned whenever a requestor provides a key not paired with a URL.

6. A method as in claim 4, wherein when a provided key not associated with a URL is identified as corresponding to a key in a key-URL pair, presenting the identified URL to said requester.

7. A method of providing links to remotely located information in a network of remotely connected computers, said method comprising:

a) associating a shorthand link to each of a plurality of files at a remotely connected location by

i) creating a list of files at said remotely connected location; and

ii) selecting and associating an unused key with each listed file;

b) indexing shorthand links and associated files;

c) searching said index for a shorthand link associated with one of said plurality of files responsive to selection of said shorthand link; and

d) for each shorthand link found, fetching the associated indexed file.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein said fetched file is presented to a requester, said requester having selected said shorthand link.

9. A method as in claim 7, wherein said fetched file is presented to a requester, said requestor having provided the key associated with the fetched file.

10. A method as in claim 9, wherein an error message is returned whenever a requestor provides a key not associated with a file.

11. A method as in claim 9, wherein when a key not associated with a file is identified as corresponding to a key associated with a file, providing the file associated with the identified key to said requestor.

12. A computer program product for providing links to remotely located information in a network of remotely connected computers, said computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, said computer readable program code comprising:

computer readable program code means for associating a shorthand link to each of a plurality of uniform resource locators (URLs) including

computer readable program code means for requesting registration of a URL;

computer readable program code means for selecting an unused key; and

computer readable program code means for pairing said selected key with said URL as a shorthand link;

computer readable program code means for registering associated shorthand links in a database;

computer readable program code means for searching said database for a shorthand link associated an URL responsive to selection of said shorthand link; and

computer readable program code means for fetching any found said associated URL.

13. A computer program product as in claim 12 further comprising:

computer readable program code means for maintaining said database of registered key-URL pairs.

14. A computer program product as in claim 13 further comprising:

computer readable program code means for presenting an URL to a requestor responsive to said requestor selecting an associated shorthand link.

15. A computer program product as in claim 13 further comprising:

computer readable program code means for presenting an URL to a requestor responsive to said requester providing a corresponding paired key.

16. A computer program product as in claim 15 further comprising:

computer readable program code means for determining whether a provided key is a paired key; and

computer readable program code means for indicating an error whenever said provided key is determined not to be a paired key.

17. A computer program product as in claim 15 further comprising:

computer readable program code means for determining whether a provided key is a paired key;

computer readable program code means for determining whether said provided key corresponds to a paired key whenever said provided key is determined not to be a paired key; and

computer readable program code means for presenting an URL paired with said corresponding identified key.