Method and apparatus for accelerating and improving access to network files

Abstract

A method and apparatus for accelerating and improving access to network files is provided. One technique for providing data quickly and efficiently is to send a thumbnail of a file to a user rather than sending the entire file. Another technique for providing data quickly and efficiently is to generate the difference between a current version of data and a non-current version of data, to transmit this difference to the requesting user, and to use the difference to update the non-current version of data the user currently has access to. A third technique that can be used in combination with the first two techniques is to compress data, such as the thumbnail or file difference, before transmitting this data. A fourth technique that can be used in combination with the third technique is to securely transmit the compressed data.

1 . A method for accelerating and improving access to network files comprising the computer-implemented steps of: 
 retrieving, at a parent component, a parent file from a file source;    generating a thumbnail of said parent file, wherein said thumbnail is a file that communicates contents of said parent file and is smaller than said parent file; and    in response to a request for said parent file, transmitting said thumbnail to said child component; and    if a requestor requests said parent file after viewing said thumbnail, then transmitting said parent file to said requestor.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of transmitting said thumbnail to said child component is performed in response to determining that said parent file exceeds a predetermined size threshold.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said thumbnail is compressed and the step of generating said thumbnail further includes compressing said thumbnail.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said thumbnail is transmitted securely with the HTTP SSL protocol.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said request is received at said parent component and the steps of retrieving said parent file and generating said thumbnail are performed by said parent component.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said parent component is on a web server.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said request is generated in response to input that indicates a user selecting an item in a directory listing, and wherein said item corresponds to said parent file.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said parent component generates said directory listing.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the computer-implemented step of caching said parent file on said child component.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the computer-implemented step of caching said thumbnail on said child component.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of retrieving said parent file from said file source further includes the step of checking permissions associated with said parent file to determine if said requestor is permitted to request said parent file.  
   
   
       12 . A system for accelerating and improving access to network files comprising: 
 a file source wherein a current version of a file is stored;    a parent component; and    a child component;    wherein said parent component is configured to perform the computer-implemented steps of: 
 generating a thumbnail of said current version, wherein said thumbnail is a file that communicates contents of said current version and is smaller than said current version;  
 transmitting said thumbnail to said child component; and  
   said child component being configured to perform the computer-implemented steps of: 
 provide said thumbnail to a requester in response to a request for said current version; and  
 if, after said requestor has been provided said thumbnail, said requestor requests said current version, then using said parent component to retrieve said current version, and providing said current version to said requester.  
   
   
   
       13 . A computer-readable-medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for accelerating and improving access to network files, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of: 
 retrieving, at a parent component, a parent file from a file source;    generating a thumbnail of said parent file, wherein said thumbnail is a file that communicates contents of said parent file and is smaller than said parent file; and    in response to a request for said parent file, transmitting said thumbnail to said child component; and    if a requestor requests said parent file after viewing said thumbnail, then transmitting said parent file to said requestor.    
   
   
       14 . The medium of  claim 13 , wherein the step of transmitting said thumbnail to said child component is performed in response to determining that said parent file exceeds a predetermined size threshold.  
   
   
       15 . The medium of  claim 13 , wherein said thumbnail is compressed and the step of generating said thumbnail further includes compressing said thumbnail.  
   
   
       16 . The medium of  claim 13 , wherein said thumbnail is transmitted securely with the HTTP SSL protocol.  
   
   
       17 . The medium of  claim 13 , wherein said request is received at said parent component and the steps of retrieving said parent file and generating said thumbnail are performed by said parent component.  
   
   
       18 . The medium of  claim 17 , wherein said parent component is on a web server.  
   
   
       19 . The medium of  claim 13 , wherein said request is generated in response to input that indicates a user selecting an item in a directory listing, and wherein said item corresponds to said parent file.  
   
   
       20 . The medium of  claim 19 , wherein said parent component generates said directory listing.  
   
   
       21 . The medium of  claim 13 , further comprising the computer-implemented step of caching said parent file on said child component.  
   
   
       22 . The medium of  claim 13 , further comprising the computer-implemented step of caching said thumbnail on said child component.  
   
   
       23 . The medium of  claim 13 , wherein the step of retrieving said parent file from said file source further includes the step of checking permissions associated with said parent file to determine if said requestor is permitted to request said parent file.