Application program caching

Abstract

Application program caching and execution is disclosed. An application program component, which may constitute the only component of an application program, is cached by a computing device from an original computing device. The computing device executes the cached component in lieu of its execution by the original computing device. The computing device may be a client computing device, where the client device executes the cached component for itself. The computing device may also be a caching computing device, where the caching device executes the cached component for the client computing device.

1 . A method comprising: 
 receiving a request for executing a component of an application program, wherein the request is received in a caching computing device from an intercepting component of a second computing device, wherein the intercepting component is capable of intercepting the request by the second computing device that is addressed to an original computing device and redirecting the request to the caching computing device;    determining whether or not the request relates to a cacheable application program component that has been previously cached;    directing the request to the cacheable application program component for execution by the caching computing device in response to a determination that the request relates to the component that has been cached; and,    otherwise, passing the request to a third computing device.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cacheable application program component constitutes the only component of a cacheable application program, such that the cacheable application program is wholly cached by caching the cacheable application program component.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the previously cacheable application program component was previously cached by: 
 downloading one or more installation files for the cacheable application program component from the original computing device; and,    installing the cacheable application program component onto the caching computing device by utilizing the one or more installation files.    
   
   
       4 . (canceled)  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the third computing device is the original computing device, and the method further comprising: 
 receiving the request by the original computing device, as has been passed by the caching computing device; and,    executing the application program component by the original computing device for the client computing device.    
   
   
       6 - 7 . (canceled)  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steps of receiving, determining, directing and passing are performed by a client computing device, and directing the application program component request to the cacheable application program component that has been cached comprises executing the application program component by the client computing device for itself.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the third computing device is the original computing device, and the method further comprising: 
 receiving the request by the original computing device; and,    executing the application program component by the original computing device for the client computing device.    
   
   
       10 - 14 . (canceled)  
   
   
       15 . A machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor of a computing device to perform the method of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       16 - 27 . (canceled)  
   
   
       28 . A computing device comprising: 
 a cacheable application program component of an application program that has been cached from an original computing device; and,    a redirection component configured to intercept requests for an application program component directed toward the original computing device and to direct any of the requests that relate to the application program component that has been cached to the application program component that has been cached.    
   
   
       29 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the cacheable application program component constitutes the only component of a cacheable application program, such that the cacheable application program is wholly cached.  
   
   
       30 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the device is a client computing device.  
   
   
       31 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the device is a caching computing device.  
   
   
       32 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the redirection component is further configured to otherwise pass the application program component requests that are irrelevant to the application program that has been cached to another computing device.  
   
   
       33 - 36 . (canceled)  
   
   
       37 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the the application program component is cached by downloading one or more installation files from the original computing device.  
   
   
       38 - 40 . (canceled)  
   
   
       41 . A system comprising: 
 an original computing device originally having one or more application program components installed thereon; and,    a caching computing device to cache at least one cacheable application program component from the original computing device and execute the at least one component for a client computing device in response to an application program component request originally directed to the original computing device, wherein the caching computing device is communicatively connected to the client computing device through a network.    
   
   
       42 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein any of the at least one application program components cached by the caching computing device constitute the only component of a cacheable application program, such that the cacheable application program is wholly cached by the caching computing device caching the cacheable application program component.  
   
   
       43 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the client computing device is further configured to cache at least one cacheable application program component from the original computing device and execute the at least one component for itself.  
   
   
       44 . (canceled)  
   
   
       45 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the original computing device is also communicatively connected to the network.  
   
   
       46 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the original computing device is communicatively connected to a second network, the caching computing device also communicatively connected to the second network.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 receiving and caching, at the caching computing device, the application program or the component thereof from the third computing device, wherein the third computing device is the original computing device; and    in response to a request to execute the cached application program or the cached component, executing, at the caching computing device, the application program or the component thereof    wherein the request is received from an internal intercepting component capable of intercepting and redirecting the request.    
   
   
       48 . (canceled)  
   
   
       49 . The system of  claim 41  further comprising: 
 a client computing device communicatively connected to the network, wherein the client computing device includes an internal intercepting component capable of intercepting and redirecting the application program component request.