Data transfer scheme for reducing network load using general purpose browser on client side

Abstract

In a client server system, the network load is reduced by using the fingerprint compression and the differential compression, by providing the proxy server at the server side and using the general purpose browser at the client side, without requiring a separate proxy server at the client side. The client downloads and installs a fingerprint cache processing engine as a plug-in.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
   
   
       16 : A data communication method for use in a network system including a data receiving and displaying device, a server and a data transfer device disposed corresponding to the server and connected with the data receiving and displaying device via a network, each of the data receiving and displaying device and the data transfer device having a memory unit, the method comprising:
 transmitting a request from the data receiving and displaying device to the server via the data transfer device;   transmitting contents data according to the request from the server to the transfer device;   calculating a feature quantity indicating a feature of the contents data at the data transfer device that received the contents data;   searching through the memory unit to check whether the feature quantity identical to a new feature quantity calculated by the calculating is stored in the memory unit or not at the data transfer device;   storing the new feature quantity and the contents data in correspondence into the memory unit and transmitting to the data receiving and displaying device a reply message formed by a header portion and a body portion, which contains the contents data and the feature quantity in the body portion, at the data transfer device when the feature quantity identical to the new feature quantity is not stored in the memory unit;   transmitting to the data receiving and displaying device the reply message which contains the feature quantity in the body portion when the feature quantity identical to the new feature quantity is stored in the memory unit;   receiving the reply message and checking whether the received reply message contains the contents data and the feature quantity in the body portion at the data receiving and displaying device;   displaying the received contents data and storing the received contents data and the feature quantity in correspondence into the memory unit at the data receiving and displaying device when the received reply message contains the contents data and the feature quantity;   searching through the memory unit to check whether the feature quantity identical to the received feature quantity included in the received reply message is stored in the memory unit or not at the data receiving and displaying device when the received reply message contains the feature quantity but no contents data;   displaying the contents data corresponding to the feature quantity stored in the memory unit and identical to the received feature quantity included in the received reply message, at the data receiving and displaying device when the feature quantity identical to the received feature quantity included in the received reply message is stored in the memory unit; and   transmitting a re-request message for requesting the contents data from the data receiving and displaying device to the data transfer device when the feature quantity identical to the received feature quantity included in the received reply message is not stored in the memory unit,   wherein the calculating calculates the feature quantity indicating the feature of the contents data at the data transfer device that received the contents data in a prescribed format.   
   
   
       17 : A data communication method for use in a network system including a data receiving and displaying device, a server and a data transfer device disposed corresponding to the server and connected with the data receiving and displaying device via a network, each of the data receiving and displaying device and the data transfer device having a memory unit, the method comprising:
 transmitting a request from the data receiving and displaying device to the server via the data transfer device;   transmitting contents data according to the request from the server to the transfer device;   calculating a feature quantity indicating a feature of the contents data at the data transfer device that received the contents data;   searching through the memory unit to check whether the feature quantity identical to a new feature quantity calculated by the calculating is stored in the memory unit or not at the data transfer device;   storing the new feature quantity and the contents data in correspondence into the memory unit and transmitting to the data receiving and displaying device a reply message formed by a header portion and a body portion, which contains the contents data and the feature quantity in the body portion, at the data transfer device when the feature quantity identical to the new feature quantity is not stored in the memory unit;   transmitting to the data receiving and displaying device the reply message which contains the feature quantity in the body portion when the feature quantity identical to the new feature quantity is stored in the memory unit;   receiving the reply message and checking whether the received reply message contains the contents data and the feature quantity in the body portion at the data receiving and displaying device;   displaying the received contents data and storing the received contents data and the feature quantity in correspondence into the memory unit at the data receiving and displaying device when the received reply message contains the contents data and the feature quantity;   searching through the memory unit to check whether the feature quantity identical to the received feature quantity included in the received reply message is stored in the memory unit or not at the data receiving and displaying device when the received reply message contains the feature quantity but no contents data;   displaying the contents data corresponding to the feature quantity stored in the memory unit and identical to the received feature quantity included in the received reply message, at the data receiving and displaying device when the feature quantity identical to the received feature quantity included in the received reply message is stored in the memory unit; and   transmitting a re-request message for requesting the contents data from the data receiving and displaying device to the data transfer device when the feature quantity identical to the received feature quantity included in the received reply message is not stored in the memory unit.   wherein the calculating calculates the feature quantity by using a prescribed hash function.   
   
   
       18 : A data communication method for use in a network system including a data receiving and displaying device, a server and a data transfer device disposed corresponding to the server and connected with the data receiving and displaying device via a network, each of the data receiving and displaying device and the data transfer device having a memory unit, the method comprising:
 transmitting a request from the data receiving and displaying device to the server via the data transfer device;   transmitting contents data according to the request from the server to the transfer device;   calculating a feature quantity indicating a feature of the contents data at the data transfer device that received the contents data;   searching through the memory unit to check whether the feature quantity identical to a new feature quantity calculated by the calculating is stored in the memory unit or not at the data transfer device;   storing the new feature quantity and the contents data in correspondence into the memory unit and transmitting to the data receiving and displaying device a reply message formed by a header portion and a body portion, which contains the contents data and the feature quantity in the body portion, at the data transfer device when the feature quantity identical to the new feature quantity is not stored in the memory unit;   transmitting to the data receiving and displaying device the reply message which contains the feature quantity in the body portion when the feature quantity identical to the new feature quantity is stored in the memory unit;   receiving the reply message and checking whether the received reply message contains the contents data and the feature quantity in the body portion at the data receiving and displaying device;   displaying the received contents data and storing the received contents data and the feature quantity in correspondence into the memory unit at the data receiving and displaying device when the received reply message contains the contents data and the feature quantity;   searching through the memory unit to check whether the feature quantity identical to the received feature quantity included in the received reply message is stored in the memory unit or not at the data receiving and displaying device when the received reply message contains the feature quantity but no contents data;   displaying the contents data corresponding to the feature quantity stored in the memory unit and identical to the received feature quantity included in the received reply message, at the data receiving and displaying device when the feature quantity identical to the received feature quantity included in the received reply message is stored in the memory unit;   transmitting a re-request message for requesting the contents data from the data receiving and displaying device to the data transfer device when the feature quantity identical to the received feature quantity included in the received reply message is not stored in the memory unit; and   transmitting from the data transfer unit to the data receiving and displaying device, a command for installing a cache processing program for carrying out a caching processing by utilizing the feature quantity at the data receiving and displaying device and a command for activating the cache processing program.   
   
   
       19 : A data communication method for use in a network system including a data receiving and displaying device, a server and a data transfer device disposed corresponding to the server and connected with the data receiving and displaying device via a network, each of the data receiving and displaying device and the data transfer device having a memory unit, the method comprising:
 transmitting a request from the data receiving and displaying device to the server via the data transfer device;   transmitting contents data according to the request from the server to the transfer device;   calculating a feature quantity indicating a feature of the contents data at the data transfer device that received the contents data;   searching through the memory unit to check whether the feature quantity identical to a new feature quantity calculated by the calculating is stored in the memory unit or not at the data transfer device;   storing the new feature quantity and the contents data in correspondence into the memory unit and transmitting to the data receiving and displaying device a reply message formed by a header portion and a body portion, which contains the contents data and the feature quantity in the body portion, at the data transfer device when the feature quantity identical to the new feature quantity is not stored in the memory unit;   transmitting to the data receiving and displaying device the reply message which contains the feature quantity in the body portion when the feature quantity identical to the new feature quantity is stored in the memory unit;   receiving the reply message and checking whether the received reply message contains the contents data and the feature quantity in the body portion at the data receiving and displaying device;   displaying the received contents data and storing the received contents data and the feature quantity in correspondence into the memory unit at the data receiving and displaying device when the received reply message contains the contents data and the feature quantity;   searching through the memory unit to check whether the feature quantity identical to the received feature quantity included in the received reply message is stored in the memory unit or not at the data receiving and displaying device when the received reply message contains the feature quantity but no contents data;   displaying the contents data corresponding to the feature quantity stored in the memory unit and identical to the received feature quantity included in the received reply message, at the data receiving and displaying device when the feature quantity identical to the received feature quantity included in the received reply message is stored in the memory unit;   transmitting a re-request message for requesting the contents data from the data receiving and displaying device to the data transfer device when the feature quantity identical to the received feature quantity included in the received reply message is not stored in the memory unit; and   transmitting from the data transfer device to the data receiving and displaying device, a notice indicating a location of a cache processing program for carrying out a caching processing by utilizing the feature quantity, which is to be installed at the data receiving and displaying device, and a command for activating the cache processing program.