System and method for distributing foveated data in a network

• US 7,620,734 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2002
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: New York University
• Original Assignee: New York University
• Inventors: Freudenthal, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): WINDER, PATRICE L
• Application Number:
  US10/476,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20040215716A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,735 Days
• Field of Search: 709/214, 709/216, 709/246
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/288 Distributed intermediate devices, i.e. intermediate devices for interaction with other intermediate devices on the same level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system and method for executing a computer program in a network. The system includes a surrogate proxy processor which, when executing the computer program, is programmed to receive at least one foveated image from at least one of the foveating proxy server and a further device that is connected to the foveating proxy server, wherein the foveating proxy server generates the at least one foveated image, and transmit the foveated image to at least one of the client computer and a another device. In addition, a system is provided which includes a foveating proxy server, and at least two surrogate proxy servers communicating with one another. At least one of the at least two surrogate proxy servers communicates with the foveating proxy server, and another one of the at least two proxy servers communicates with at least one of the client computer and a further device, wherein the at least two surrogate proxy servers are cascaded along a multi-hop portion of the network.

Claims

1. A surrogate proxy arrangement for executing a computer program in a network which has thereon a foveating proxy server and a client computer, comprising:

a processor which, when executing the computer program, is programmed to;

receive a request for a data package containing a requested image from the client computer,

request at least one of (i) at least one foveated image or (ii) a foveated data package containing the at least one foveated image from the foveatinq proxy server,

receive the at least one foveated image or the foveated data package from at least one of the foveating proxy server or a further device that is connected to the foveating proxy server, wherein the foveating proxy server generates the at least one foveated image, and

transmit the at least one foveated image or the foveated data package to at least one of the client computer or another device; and

a rewriting engine which converts the data package into the foveated data package, wherein the rewriting engine is configured to rewrite the data package by replacing references to conventional inlined images with references to the at least one foveated imaqe stored on the foveatinq proxy server, and wherein the foveated data package includes at least a portion of the data package.

2. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the data package is an HTML document.

3. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 1, wherein, when executing the computer program, the processor is programmed to communicate with the foveating proxy server according to a multiplexed protocol.

4. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising:

an image foveating engine which foveates the requested images into the at least one foveated image.

5. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 1, wherein, when executing the computer program, the processor is programmed to receive a request for an image from the client computer;

and access a storage device to determine if at least one foveated image is stored thereon.

6. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 5, wherein, when executing the computer program, the processor is programmed to request the foveated image if the foveated image is not stored in the storage device.

7. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 1, wherein, when executing the computer program, the processor is programmed to:

receive a request for a data package containing the requested image from the client computer and obtain the data package,

rewrite the data package as a foveated data package, and

transmit the foveated data package to the client computer.

8. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 1, wherein, when executing the computer program, the processor is programmed to:

receive a request for an image from the client computer and obtain the image,

rewrite the image as the foveated image, and transmit the foveated image to the client computer.

9. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a storage device wherein, when executing the computer program, the processor maintains the at least one of the foveated data package and foveated image in the storage device.

10. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the client computer communicates with the foveating proxy server via a network connection, and wherein, when executing the computer program, the processor is programmed to determine a transmission rate of the network connection and to select a foveating technique to minimize a transmission bandwidth based on the transmission rate.

11. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the foveating proxy server is connected to the network via a thinwire portion of the network.

12. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising at least one additional surrogate proxy arrangement, wherein at least two of the at least one additional surrogate proxy arrangement and the surrogate proxy arrangement are communicating with one another, at least one of the surrogate proxy arrangements communicating with the foveating proxy server, and another one of the surrogate proxy arrangements communicating with at least one of the client computer and a further device, wherein at least two of the surrogate proxy arrangements are cascaded along a multi-hop portion of the network.

13. A foveating system for executing a computer program in a network including a server computer and a client computer, comprising:

a surrogate proxy arrangement including a processor which, when executing the computer program, is programmed to

receive at least one foveated image from at least one of the foveating proxy server or a further device that is connected to the foveating proxy server, wherein the foveating proxy server generates the at least one foveated image,

rewrite a data package containing a requested image as a foveated data package, and

transmit at least one of (i) the at least one foveated image or (ii) the foveated data package to at least one of the client computer or another device; and

a rewriting engine which converts the data package into the foveated data package, wherein the rewriting engine is configured to rewrite the data package by replacing references to conventional inlined images with references to the at least one foveated image stored on the foveating proxy server, and wherein the foveated data package includes at least a portion of the data package.

14. A foveating system for executing a computer program in a network including a server computer and a client computer, comprising:

a foveating proxy server; and

at least two surrogate proxy servers communicating with one another, at least one of the at least two surrogate proxy servers configured to receive an at least one foveated image from at least one of the foveating proxy server or another device, and another one of the at least two proxy servers configured to transmit the at least one foveated image to at least one of the client computer or a further device, wherein the at least two surrogate proxy servers are cascaded along a multi-hop portion of the network, and wherein the foveating proxy server is configured to transmit at least one of (i) the at least one foveated image or (ii) a foveated data package to at least one of the at least two surrogate proxy servers;

nd

a rewriting engine which converts the data package into the foveated data package, wherein the rewriting engine is configured to rewrite the data package by replacing references to conventional inlined images with references to the at least one foveated image stored on the foveating proxy server, and wherein the foveated data package includes at least a portion of the data package.

15. The foveating system according to claim 14, wherein each surrogate proxy server comprises a processor which, when executing the computer program, is programmed to:

receive the at least one foveated image from at least one of the foveating proxy server or a further device that is connected to the foveating proxy server, wherein the foveating proxy server generates the at least one foveated image, and

transmit the foveated image to at least one of the client computer or a another device.

16. The foveating system according to claim 15, wherein, when executing the computer program, the processor is programmed to:

receive a request for a data package containing the requested image from the client computer,

request at least one of the foveated image or a foveated data package containing the foveated image from the foveating proxy server,

receive the at least one of the foveated image or the foveated data package from the foveating proxy server, and

transmit the at least one of the foveated image or the foveated data package to the client computer.

17. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the data package is an HTML document.

18. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 16, wherein, when executing the computer program, the processor is programmed to communicate with the foveating proxy server according to a multiplexed protocol.

19. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 16, further comprising:

an image foveating engine which foveates images into the at least one foveated image.

20. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 16, wherein, when executing the computer program, the processor is programmed to receive a request for an image from the client computer;

and access a storage device to determine if at least one foveated image is stored thereon.

21. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 16, wherein, when executing the computer program, the processor is programmed to request the foveated image if the foveated image is not stored in the storage device.

22. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 16, wherein, when executing the computer program, the processor is programmed to:

receive a request for a data package containing the requested image from the client computer and obtain the data package,

rewrite the data package as a foveated data package, and

transmit the foveated data package to the client computer.

23. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 16, wherein, when executing the computer program, the processor is programmed to:

receive a request for an image from the client computer and obtain the image,

rewrite the image as the foveated image, and transmit the foveated image to the client computer.

24. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 16, further comprising a storage device wherein, when executing the computer program, the processor maintains the at least one of the foveated data package and foveated image in the storage device.

25. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the client computer communicates with the foveating proxy server via a network connection, and wherein, when executing the computer program, the processor is programmed to determine a transmission rate of the network connection and to select a foveating technique to minimize a transmission bandwidth based on the transmission rate.

26. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the processor is connected to the network via a thinwire portion of the network.

27. A method of distributing foveated data packages in a network which has thereon a foveating proxy server and a client computer comprising:

receiving at least one foveated image from at least one of the foveating proxy server or a further device that is connected to the foveating proxy server, wherein the foveating proxy server generates the at least one foveated image;

receiving a request for a data package containing a requested image from the client computer and obtaining the data package;

rewriting the data package as a foveated data package; and

transmitting at least one of (i) the at least one foveated image or (ii) the foveated data package to at least one of the client computer or another device, wherein the data package is rewritten by a rewriting engine by replacing references to conventional inlined images with references to the at least one foveated image stored on the foveating proxy server, and wherein the foveated data package includes at least a portion of the data package.

28. The method of distributing foveated data packages according to claim 27, further comprising:

requesting at least one of the foveated image or the foveated data package containing the foveated image from the foveating proxy server; and

receiving at least one of the foveated image or the foveated data package from the foveating proxy server.

29. The method of distributing foveated data packages according to claim 28, wherein the data package is an HTML document.

30. The method of distributing foveated data packages according to claim 28 converting at least one data package into the foveated data package.

31. The method of distributing foveated data packages according to claim 28, further comprising foveating the requested image into the at least one foveated image.

32. The method of distributing foveated data packages according to claim 27, further comprising communicating with the foveating proxy server according to a multiplexed protocol.

33. The method of distributing foveated data packages according to claim 27, further comprising receiving a request for an image from the client computer;

and accessing a storage device to determine if at least one foveated image is stored thereon.

34. The method of distributing foveated data packages according to claim 27, further comprising requesting the foveated image if the foveated image is not stored in the storage device.

35. The method of distributing foveated data packages according to claim 27, further comprising:

receiving a request for an image from the client computer and obtaining the image; and

rewriting the image as the foveated image, and transmitting the foveated image to the client computer.

36. The method of distributing foveated data packages according to claim 27, further comprising maintaining the at least one of the foveated data package or foveated image in the storage device.

37. The method of distributing foveated data packages according to claim 27, wherein the client computer communicates with the foveating proxy server via a network connection, and further comprising determining a transmission rate of the network connection and selecting a foveating technique to minimize a transmission bandwidth based on the transmission rate.

38. The method of distributing foveated data packages according to claim 27, wherein the surrogate proxy server is connected to the network via a thinwire portion of the network.

39. A method of distributing foveated data packages in a network which has thereon a foveating proxy server and a client computer comprising:

providing a foveating proxy server;

providing at least two surrogate proxy servers communicating with one another, at least one of the at least two surrogate proxy servers configured to receive an at least one foveated image from at least one of the foveating proxy server or another device, and another one of the at least two proxy servers configured to transmit the at least one foveated image to at least one of the client computer or a further device, wherein the at least two surrogate proxy servers are cascaded along a multi-hop portion of the network;

receiving a request for a data package containing a requested image from the client computer and obtaining the data package;

rewriting the data package as a foveated data package; and

transmitting at least one of (i) the at least one foveated image or (ii) the foveated data package to at least one of the client computer or another device, wherein the data package is rewritten by a rewriting engine by replacing references to conventional inlined images with references to the at least one foveated image stored on the foveating proxy server, and wherein the foveated data package includes at least a portion of the data package.

40. A surrogate proxy arrangement for communicating at least one foveated image, which, when executing a computer program, performs the steps comprising of:

(a) receiving a request for a data package containing a requested image from the client computer and obtaining the data package;

(b) receiving the at least one foveated image and at least one foveated data package generated by a foveating proxy server;

(c) rewriting the data package as a foveated data package; and

(d) transmitting at least one of (i) the at least one foveated image or (ii) the at least one foveated data package to at least one of a client computer or a further device, wherein the data package is rewritten by a rewriting engine by replacing references to conventional inlined images with references to the at least one foveated image stored on the foveating proxy server, and wherein the foveated data package includes at least a portion of the data package.

41. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 40, further comprising the step of:

(e) requesting the at least one of the foveated image or the foveated data package containing the at least one foveated image from the foveating proxy server prior to step (a).

42. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 41, wherein the data package is an HTML document.

43. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 41, further comprising the step of:

converting the data package into the foveated data package using the rewriting engine.

44. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 43, further comprising the step of:

foveating the requested images into the at least one foveated image using an image foveating engine.

45. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 40, wherein the receiving step (a) is accomplished using a multiplexed protocol.

46. The surrogate proxy arrangement according to claim 40, further comprising the step of:

(e) accessing a storage device to determine if the at least one foveated image is stored thereon.

47. A method for communicating at least one foveated image comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a request for a data package containing a requested image from a client computer and obtaining the data package;

(b) rewriting the data package as at least one foveated data package;

(c) receiving the at least one foveated image and the at least one foveated data package generated by a foveating proxy server; and

(d) transmitting at least one of (i) the at least one foveated image or (ii) the at least one foveated data package to at least one of a client computer or a further device, wherein the data package is rewritten by a rewriting engine by replacing references to conventional inlined images with references to the at least one foveated image stored on the foveating proxy server, and wherein the foveated data package includes at least a portion of the data package.

48. The method according to claim 47, further comprising the step of:

(e) requesting the at least one of the foveated image or a foveated data package containing the foveated image from the foveating proxy server prior to step (a).

49. The method according to claim 48, wherein the data package is an HTML document.

50. The method according to claim 48, further comprising the step of:

converting the at least one data package into the foveated data package using the rewriting engine.

51. The method according to claim 50, further comprising the step of:

foveating the requested images into the at least one foveated image using an image foveating engine.

52. The method according to claim 47, wherein step (c) is accomplished using a multiplexed protocol.

53. The method according to claim 47, further comprising the step of:

(e) accessing a storage device to determine if at least one foveated image is stored thereon.