Method and apparatus for increasing performance of HTTP over long-latency links
First Claim
1. An apparatus for displaying, with a browser, Web pages that are comprised of a plurality of Web page objects, where said Web page objects must be fetched individually over long-latency links, comprising:
- means for selectively pre-fetching said Web page objects concurrently via aggregated and flow-controlled channels; and
means for caching said pre-fetched Web page objects proximate to said browser;
wherein sequential access to said Web page objects is provided in low bandwidth and high delay networks without altering browser behavior;
the apparatus further comprising;
an agent associated with said browser and a host platform;
a gateway in communication with a source Web server; and
a long-latency link between said agent and said gateway;
wherein said means for selectively pre-fetching Web-page objects comprises an independent flow control mechanism (VTP) for downloading Web page objects in parallel from said source Web server to said browser via said long-latency link;
wherein said means for caching said pre-fetched Web page objects proximate to said browser comprises a cache associated with said host platform into which Web page objects are selectively downloaded in parallel as soon as said agent is aware of them, independently of an implementation of said browser and said source Web server;
wherein selected embedded Web page objects are made locally available to said browser at said cache by said agent; and
wherein said browser does not need to wait for a request and a corresponding response to traverse said long-latency link before a Web object is available.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention increases performance of HTTP over long-latency links by pre-fetching objects concurrently via aggregated and flow-controlled channels. An agent and gateway together assist a Web browser in fetching HTTP contents faster from Internet Web sites over long-latency data links. The gateway and the agent coordinate the fetching of selective embedded objects in such a way that an object is ready and available on a host platform before the resident browser requires it. The seemingly instantaneous availability of objects to a browser enables it to complete processing the object to request the next object without much wait. Without this instantaneous availability of an embedded object, a browser waits for its request and the corresponding response to traverse a long delay link.
137 Citations
8 Claims
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1. An apparatus for displaying, with a browser, Web pages that are comprised of a plurality of Web page objects, where said Web page objects must be fetched individually over long-latency links, comprising:
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means for selectively pre-fetching said Web page objects concurrently via aggregated and flow-controlled channels; and means for caching said pre-fetched Web page objects proximate to said browser; wherein sequential access to said Web page objects is provided in low bandwidth and high delay networks without altering browser behavior; the apparatus further comprising;
an agent associated with said browser and a host platform;
a gateway in communication with a source Web server; anda long-latency link between said agent and said gateway; wherein said means for selectively pre-fetching Web-page objects comprises an independent flow control mechanism (VTP) for downloading Web page objects in parallel from said source Web server to said browser via said long-latency link; wherein said means for caching said pre-fetched Web page objects proximate to said browser comprises a cache associated with said host platform into which Web page objects are selectively downloaded in parallel as soon as said agent is aware of them, independently of an implementation of said browser and said source Web server; wherein selected embedded Web page objects are made locally available to said browser at said cache by said agent; and wherein said browser does not need to wait for a request and a corresponding response to traverse said long-latency link before a Web object is available. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for displaying, with a browser, Web pages that are comprised of a plurality of Web page objects, where said Web page objects must be fetched individually over long-latency links, said method comprising the steps of:
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selectively pre-fetching said Web page objects concurrently via aggregated and flow-controlled channels; and caching said pre-fetched Web page objects proximate to said browser; wherein sequential access to said Web page objects is provided in low bandwidth and high delay networks without altering browser behavior; wherein an agent is associated with said browser and a host platform; wherein a gateway is in communication with a source Web server; wherein a long-latency link is located between said agent and said gateway; wherein said step of selectively pre-fetching said Web-page objects comprises the step of downloading Web page objects in parallel from said source Web server to said browser via said long-latency link; wherein said step of caching said pre-fetched Web page objects proximate to said browser comprises the step of selectively downloading Web page objects in parallel as soon as said agent is aware of them, independently of an implementation of said browser and said source Web server; wherein selected embedded Web page objects are made locally available to said browser at said cache by said agent; and wherein said browser does not need to wait for a request and a corresponding response to traverse said long-latency link before a Web object is available. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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Specification