Network caching system for streamed applications
First Claim
1. A process for the caching of streamed applications within a computer network accessible by client systems, comprising the steps of:
- providing application requesting means on a client for requesting streamed application file pages;
providing application packet reception means on said client for receiving streamed application file pages sent in response to said application requesting means;
providing caching means on said client for storing received streamed application file pages in a cache;
wherein said application requesting means sends a request for a streamed application file page to other clients in said network;
wherein said application requesting means sends requests in packet form;
providing response means on said client for responding to streamed application file page requests from other clients;
wherein said response means sends a packet containing the requested streamed application file page to the requesting client if said requested streamed application file page is resident in said cache; and
wherein clients request streamed application file pages using a unique set of numbers common among all servers and clients that store the particular streamed application file pages.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A network caching system for streamed applications provides for the caching of streamed applications within a computer network that are accessible by client systems within the network. Clients request streamed application file pages from other client systems, proxy servers, and application servers as each streamed application file is stored in a cache and used. Streamed application file page requests are broadcast to other clients using a multicast packet. Proxy servers are provided in the network that store a select set of streamed application file pages and respond to client requests by sending a response packet containing the requested streamed application file page if the streamed application file page is stored on the proxy server. Streamed application servers store all of the streamed application file pages. Clients try to send requests to streamed application servers as a last resort. Clients can concurrently send requests to other clients, to a proxy server, and to a streamed application server. Clients measure the response time to the client'"'"'s requests placing a positive weighting on the more responsive request path and sending subsequent requests to the more positively weighted request path first.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A process for the caching of streamed applications within a computer network accessible by client systems, comprising the steps of:
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providing application requesting means on a client for requesting streamed application file pages; providing application packet reception means on said client for receiving streamed application file pages sent in response to said application requesting means; providing caching means on said client for storing received streamed application file pages in a cache; wherein said application requesting means sends a request for a streamed application file page to other clients in said network; wherein said application requesting means sends requests in packet form; providing response means on said client for responding to streamed application file page requests from other clients; wherein said response means sends a packet containing the requested streamed application file page to the requesting client if said requested streamed application file page is resident in said cache; and wherein clients request streamed application file pages using a unique set of numbers common among all servers and clients that store the particular streamed application file pages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for the caching of streamed applications within a computer network accessible by client systems, comprising:
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application requesting means on a client for requesting streamed application file pages; application packet reception means on said client for receiving streamed application file pages sent in response to said application requesting means; caching means on said client for storing received streamed application file pages in a cache; wherein said application requesting means sends a request for a streamed application file page to other clients in said network; wherein said application requesting means sends requests in packet form; response means on said client for responding to streamed application file page requests from other clients; wherein said response means sends a packet containing the requested streamed application file page to the requesting client if said requested streamed application file page is resident in said cache; and wherein clients request streamed application file pages using a unique set of numbers common among all servers and clients that store the particular streamed application file pages. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for the caching of streamed applications within a computer network accessible by client systems, comprising the steps of:
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providing application requesting means on a client for requesting streamed application file pages; providing application packet reception means on said client for receiving streamed application file pages sent in response to said application requesting means; providing caching means on said client for storing received streamed application file pages in a cache; wherein said application requesting means sends a request for a streamed application file page to other clients in said network; wherein said application requesting means sends requests in packet form; providing response means on said client for responding to streamed application file page requests from other clients; wherein said response means sends a packet containing the requested streamed application file page to the requesting client if said requested streamed application file page is resident in said cache; and wherein clients request streamed application file pages using a unique set of numbers common among all servers and clients that store the particular streamed application file pages. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification