Proxy caching in a photosharing peer-to-peer network to improve guest image viewing performance
First Claim
1. In a network photosharing system having a peer computer coupled to a photosharing system server, a method for serving an image stored in the peer computer to a requesting computer, comprising:
- (a) caching a copy of the image in the photosharing server;
(b) receiving a request for the image from the requesting computer;
(c) in response to the photosharing server receiving the request from the requesting computer for the image stored in the peer computer, sending a request from the photosharing server to the peer computer to determine if the image has been modified;
(d) if a response from the peer computer indicates that the image has not been modified, transmitting the cached image from the photosharing server to the requesting computer;
(e) if the image has been modified, caching a copy of the modified image on the photosharing server, and transmitting the modified image from the photosharing server to the requesting computer; and
(f) synchronizing the photosharing server with the peer computer as a background process during image transmission of the cached image between the photosharing server and the requesting computer, wherein during synchronization, the peer computer uploads timestamps associated with all images stored on the peer computer.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a method and system for serving an image stored in the peer computer to a requesting computer in a network photosharing system in which the peer computer is coupled to a photosharing system server. Aspects of the invention include caching copy of the image in the photosharing server; and in response to the photosharing server receiving a request from the requesting computer to view the image stored in the peer computer, transmitting the cached image from the photosharing server to the requesting computer, thereby avoiding the need to transfer the image from the peer computer to the photosharing server for each request to view the image.
112 Citations
28 Claims
-
1. In a network photosharing system having a peer computer coupled to a photosharing system server, a method for serving an image stored in the peer computer to a requesting computer, comprising:
-
(a) caching a copy of the image in the photosharing server; (b) receiving a request for the image from the requesting computer; (c) in response to the photosharing server receiving the request from the requesting computer for the image stored in the peer computer, sending a request from the photosharing server to the peer computer to determine if the image has been modified; (d) if a response from the peer computer indicates that the image has not been modified, transmitting the cached image from the photosharing server to the requesting computer; (e) if the image has been modified, caching a copy of the modified image on the photosharing server, and transmitting the modified image from the photosharing server to the requesting computer; and (f) synchronizing the photosharing server with the peer computer as a background process during image transmission of the cached image between the photosharing server and the requesting computer, wherein during synchronization, the peer computer uploads timestamps associated with all images stored on the peer computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A photosharing server comprising:
-
memory; and a control system associated with the memory, the control system configured to; cache a copy of an image that is stored at a peer computer; receive a request for the image from a requesting computer; in response to receiving the image request, send a request to the peer computer to determine if the image has been modified; transmit the cached image from the photosharing server to the requesting computer if a response from the peer computer indicates that the image has not been modified; cache a copy of a modified image on the photosharing server if the image has been modified, and transmit the modified image from the photosharing server to the requesting computer; and synchronize the photosharing server with the peer computer as a background process during image transmission of the cached image between the photosharing server and the requesting computer, wherein during synchronization, the peer computer uploads timestamps associated with all images stored on the peer computer. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing program instructions for serving an image stored in the peer computer to a requesting computer in a network photosharing system where the peer computer is coupled to a photosharing system server, the instructions for:
-
(a) caching a copy of the image in the photosharing server; (b) receiving a request for the image from the requesting computer; (c) in response to the photosharing server receiving the request from the requesting computer for the image stored in the peer computer, sending a request from the photosharing server to the peer computer to determine if the image has been modified; (d) if a response from the peer computer indicates that the image has not been modified, transmitting the cached image from the photosharing server to the requesting computer; (e) if the image has been modified, caching a copy of the modified image on the photosharing server, and transmitting the modified image from the photosharing server to the requesting computer; and (f) synchronizing the photosharing server with the peer computer as a background process during image transmission of the cached image between the photosharing server and the requesting computer, wherein during synchronization, the peer computer uploads timestamps associated with all images stored on the peer computer. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
-
28. In a network photosharing system having at least one peer computer coupled to a photosharing system server, a method implemented on the peer computer for caching a new image on the photosharing system server comprising:
-
(a) displaying an icon on the peer computer for updating a cached image on the photosharing system server; (b) in response to a user selecting the icon, sending a request including a timestamp associated with the new image to the photosharing system server to update a cached version of an image with the new image; (c) receiving a response from the photosharing system server requesting the new image when a timestamp of the cached version of an image is different than the timestamp of the new image; and (d) transmitting the new image to the photosharing system server in response to receiving the request for the new image.
-
Specification