Method and apparatus for storing and delivering documents of the internet

Abstract

An improved method and apparatus is used for storing and delivering information over the Internet and using Internet technologies. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method and apparatus is disclosed for validating a collection of data.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method for validating a collection of data, the method including: 
 receiving a request for data in the collection of data, each data in the collection of data associated to an expiration information, the collection of data identified by associating similar expiration information, the collection of data associated with a table of contents (TOC);    examining the TOC to determine whether the TOC is expired;    updating the TOC if the TOC is expired; and    validating the collection of data with the TOC.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the expiration information includes a time the data was last modified.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the TOC further includes an expiration time.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein examining the TOC includes determining whether the expiration time has expired.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data is a network object.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the network object is referenced with a URL.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the network object is provided by a content provider.  
     
     
         8 . An method for validating a collection of data, the method including: 
 defining a table of Contents (TOC) for the collection of data, each data in the collection of data associated to an expiration information, the collection of data identified by associating similar expiration information;    receiving a request for a TOC; and    sending the TOC to validate the collection of data.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein defining includes scanning file system directories recursively.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein creating includes scanning HTML content for references to a plurality of HTML content and following the plurality of HTML content recursively.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein creating includes invoking a content management system via an Application Programming Interface (API).  
     
     
         12 . An apparatus for validating a collection of data, the apparatus including: 
 a notification mechanism to request a data associated with the collection of data, each data in the collection of data associated to an expiration information, the collection of data identified by associating similar expiration information, the collection of data associated with a table of contents (TOC).    a caching server to receive the request, examine the TOC to determine whether the TOC is expired, update the TOC if the TOC is expired and validate the collection of data with the TOC.    
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the notification mechanism includes polling.  
     
     
         14 . A system to validate a collection of data, the system 
 a first means to request a data in the collection of data, each data in the collection of data associated to an expiration information, the collection of data identified by associating the expiration information, the collection of data associated with a table of contents (TOC); and    a second means to receive the request, examine the TOC to determine whether the TOC is expired, update the TOC if the TOC is expired and validate the collection of data with the TOC.    
     
     
         15 . A computer software product including a medium readable by a processor, the medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: 
 receive a request for a data in the collection of data, each data in the collection of data associated to an expiration information, the collection of data identified by associating similar expiration information, the collection of data associated with a table of contents (TOC);    examine the TOC to determine whether the TOC is expired;    update the TOC if the TOC is expired; and    validate the collection of data with the TOC.    
     
     
         16 . A computer software product including a medium readable by a processor, the medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: 
 define a table of Contents (TOC) for the collection of data, each data in the collection associated to an expiration information, the collection of data identified by associating similar expiration information;    receive a request for a TOC; and    send the TOC to validate the collection of data.