Document retrieval system employing a preloading procedure

• US 5,715,445 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 02/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mark A. Wolfe
• Inventors: Wolfe, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain T.
• Application Number:
  US08/474,921
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 395/613, 395/338, 395/605, 395/788, 395/335, 395/344, 395/345, 395/159, 395/161
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A document retrieval system is disclosed that improves a database system'"'"'s response time so that a user'"'"'s request to view new information is serviced quickly. During the time the user spends viewing the displayed information, other information that the user is likely to read or study later is preloaded into memory. If the user does later request this information, this information can be written to the display very quickly because the information need not be retrieved from the database. The present invention takes advantage of the fact that it is possible to accurately predict the information that the user will eventually request. Adaptive prediction schemes can be employed as an aid in determining what information the user will request.

Claims

1. A system for retrieving information comprising:

(a) a many-user database that is capable of being accessed by more than one user, wherein numerous documents are stored within the database; and

(b) a computer comprising a memory unit, a monitor for displaying information to a user, an input device, and a connection to the many-user database, and wherein the computer is running a multi-tasking operating system and is programmed to;

retrieve a first document from the many-user database over the connection to the many-user database, wherein the text of the first document contains a reference to a second document and also a reference to a third document, wherein the text of the second document contains a reference to a fourth document, and wherein all four documents include textual information,

display the first document on the monitor,

preload in the background at least a portion of the second document into the memory unit while the user is viewing the first document, and before the second document is requested by the user through the input device,

preload in the background at least a portion of the third document into the memory unit while the user is viewing the first document, and before the third document is requested by the user through the input device,

display the second document when the second document is requested by the user through the input device, wherein the second document is displayed by retrieving the second document from the memory unit, and by retrieving from the database any portion of the second document not preloaded into the memory unit,

delete from the memory unit the portion of the third document stored in the memory unit,

preload in the background at least a portion of the fourth document into the memory unit while the user is viewing the second document, and before the fourth document is requested by the user through the input device, and

display the fourth document when the fourth document is requested by the user through the input device, wherein the fourth document is displayed by retrieving the fourth document from the memory unit, and by retrieving from the database any portion of the fourth document not preloaded into the memory unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the preloading of the third document is stopped when the second document is requested by the user through the input device, and at that time the user'"'"'s request for the second document is serviced.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the connection to the many-user database is a low-bandwidth connection.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the low bandwidth connection is a telephone line.