Apparatus and method for loading and reloading HTML pages having cacheable and non-cacheable portions

• US 6,094,662 A
• Filed: 04/30/1998
• Issued: 07/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Hawes, Michael Kerrigan
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gebremeskel, Yeshi
• Application Number:
  US09/069,819
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 709/218, 707/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

On an embedded device with a web server, pages are marked as having non-cacheable HTML portions and cacheable graphics portions. Marking the HTML portion as non-cacheable allows for the retrieval of a web page containing the latest status information without retrieving the graphics images. A refresh function is provided that allows for the comparing of non-cached portion time stamps with the stamps of the page on the web server. When the time stamp of the page on the web server is more current than the time stamp of the non-cached portion, the non-cacheable portion of the web page is retrieved from the web server. Retrieving the non-cacheable HTML portion from the web site without retrieving the cached portion reduces the amount of time needed to refresh the display image. A timer may be employed to refresh the web page at predetermined intervals, while using the current URL or the history list of the browser to reach the desired web site and retrieve the current status of the embedded device. The refresh function may be activated by a button available on the browser or by a refresh button on the web page.

Claims

1. A method for updating a document retrieved from a node of a distributed network to a client, the document having at least one cacheable portion stored in a cache memory of the client and at least one non-cacheable portion stored in a non-cache memory of the client, comprising:

issuing a request to the node to update the document;

comparing a time stamp associated with each non-cacheable portion stored at the node with a time stamp associated with the corresponding non-cacheable portion stored in the client;

retrieving each non-cacheable portion from the node that has a time stamp that is more recent than the time stamp of the corresponding non-cacheable portion stored in the client;

replacing each retrieved non-cacheable portion for the corresponding non-cacheable portion stored in the non-cache memory; and

displaying the cacheable portions and the non-cacheable portions, including any retrieved non-cacheable portion.

2. A method for updating a document retrieved from a node of a distributed network to a client, the document having at least one cacheable portion stored in a cache memory of the client and at least one non-cacheable portion stored in a non-cache memory of the client, comprising:

issuing a request to the node to update the document;

comparing each non-cacheable portion stored at the node with the corresponding non-cacheable portion stored in the client;

retrieving each non-cacheable portion from the node that is different from the corresponding non-cacheable portion stored in the client;

replacing each retrieved non-cacheable portion for the corresponding non-cacheable portion stored in the non-cache memory; and

displaying the cacheable portions and the non-cacheable portions, including any retrieved non-cacheable portion.

3. An apparatus that updates a document retrieved from a node of a distributed network to a client, comprising:

a browser that retrieves the document from the node over the distributed network and separates the document into at least one cacheable portion and at least one non-cacheable portion, the at least one cacheable portion stored in cache memory of the client and the at least one non-cacheable portion stored in non-cache memory of the client, the browser comprising;

a refresh status button that compares each at least one non-cacheable portion of the document stored in the non-cache memory with a corresponding non-cacheable portion of the document stored at the node;

wherein, for each non-cacheable portion of the document stored in the non-cache memory that is different from the corresponding non-cacheable portion of the document stored at the node, the browser retrieves the corresponding non-cacheable portion of the document stored at the node and stores the retrieved non-cacheable portion in the non-cache memory in place of the corresponding non-cacheable portion previously stored in the non-cacheable memory.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the browser displays the at least one cacheable portion stored in the cache memory and the at least one non-cacheable portion stored in the non-cache client memory, including any retrieved corresponding non-cacheable portion.