Client-controlled link processing in computer network

(12) United States Patent

Mullaly et al.

US006304909B1

(io) Patent No.: US 6,304,909 Bl (45) Date of Patent: Oct. 16,2001

(54) CLIENT-CONTROLLED LINK PROCESSING IN COMPUTER NETWORK

(75) Inventors: John Martin Mullaly, Austin; Scott Harlan Isensee, Georgetown, both of TX (US)

(73) Assignee:

( * ) Notice:

International Business Machines
Corporation, Armonk, NY (US)

Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.

(21) Appl. No.: 09/215,704

(22) Filed: Dec. 18, 1998

(51) Int. CI.7 G06F 13/00

(52) U.S. CI 709/232; 709/230

(58) Field of Search 709/232, 230,

709/235, 203

(56) References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

5,504,894 * 4/1996 Ferguson et al 707/2

5,724,514 * 3/1998 Alias 709/235

5,913,041 * 6/1999 Ramanathan et al 709/233

5,953,506 * 9/1999 Kalra et al 709/231

6,078,919 * 6/2000 Ginzburg et al 707/10

A computer network such as the internet has servers to deliver pages of data to remote users upon demand, and these pages usually contain links to further pages. The request for data is in the form of a page address sent by the user, identifying a specific page, usually by a "URL". The server has the ability to generate context-sensitive information about delivery of this page, including current loading at the server, transmission bandwidth for the server, and size of the data requested. The server can calculate the time needed to transfer the requested data, and send this information to the client. The user can then decide the transfer method desired, based on the information sent by the server. For example, the user may want immediate transfer, or delayed transfer, or may want to abort the request. The requested page may be sent later by email. The server may send this context-sensitive information for all of the links on a page, and the user station may display the information for a link when it is clicked, in one embodiment. In this manner, receipt of information can be selective, based on user's needs and network delays.

20 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets